With so many options for dining on a Disney cruise, from family-friendly and specialty adult-only restaurants, to buffet-style and quick service stations, it’s easy to add variety to where you eat throughout your voyage. Some dining locations are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, giving you a new experience each time you visit.
Of course you won’t want to miss dinner at any of our elaborately themed family restaurants, and our unique rotational dining ensures that will not happen. A concept that remains exclusive to our fleet, rotational dining gives you the opportunity to eat at a different restaurant for dinner each night, accompanied by the same servers.
Using your assigned dinner rotation as a starting point, I suggest mapping out a day-by-day dining plan at the beginning of your cruise. As a guide, I put one together for a four-night Disney Dream cruise. Next time you’re on vacation with us, try out your own version of this plan for a taste of all the deliciousness we serve.
DAY 1
Lunch: Cabanas – This free-flow casual dining restaurant is the perfect place for your first meal on a Disney cruise. Made-to-order and à la carte dining options offer a unique culinary experience. Food stations serve everything from sushi and pasta to make-your-own salads and decadent desserts.
Dinner: Royal Palace – Inspired by Disney classics like “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast,” this elegant dining room looks like it’s out of a grand palace. And the feast isn’t just for the eyes. You’ll enjoy French cuisine fit for a monarch, including lobster, escargot, rack of lamb and beef tenderloin.
DAY 2
Breakfast: Enchanted Garden – At breakfast, this whimsical restaurant inspired by the gardens of Versailles is bright with the light of a blue-sky day. The cuisine matches the crisp and airy feel with a seasonal menu featuring market-fresh ingredients, served buffet-style during breakfast.
Lunch: Royal Palace – With mid-day light flowing in from port holes in this restaurant, you’re sure to pay closer attention to the ornate details of this beautiful space. The elaborate décor complements the royal treatment you’ll receive during open table service for lunch.
Dinner: Animator’s Palate – This signature restaurant, open only for dinner, brings the magic of Disney animation into the dining room. Spectacular entertainment like only Disney can do is a part of mealtime, so you won’t want to miss your opportunity to dine here.
DAY 3
Breakfast: Cabanas – Just like at lunch, Cabanas serves a variety of fresh food favorites during breakfast. With indoor and outdoor dining, ocean views all around and countless options for every taste bud, you’ll be energized to get your day started right.
Lunch: Enchanted Garden – During your buffet-style lunch, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the rolling hills of France with the restaurant’s garden inspired décor. Lunch is served here on select days, so be sure to check the Navigator to determine which afternoon you’ll dine like French royalty.
Dinner: Palo or Remy – At least one night of your cruise should be reserved for an adult-exclusive meal. In addition to impeccable service and top-notch cuisine, these two restaurants offer incredible ocean views, rich décor and intimate dining rooms for a sophisticated dinner experience.
DAY 4
Breakfast: Room Service – Chances are you’ll feel like sleeping in on the last full day of your cruise. Enjoy a continental breakfast of toast, cereal, muffins and doughnuts from the comfort of your stateroom. Sitting on your verandah with a hot cup of coffee in the morning is a great way to start the day!
Lunch: Flo’s Café – The day you’re at sea is the perfect time to grab a bite on the pool deck. The quick-service stations themed to the Disney•Pixar film “Cars” – Luigi’s Pizza, Tow Mater’s Grill and Fillmore’s Favorites – serve burgers, chicken tenders, pizza, fresh fruit, salads and sandwich wraps.
Dinner: Enchanted Garden – In the evening, Enchanted Garden’s illuminated ceiling transitions into a nighttime constellation of twinkling stars. Dinner here is a full-service, plated affair with specialties such as slow-roasted prime rib, pan-seared sea bass, oven-baked salmon and roasted wild boar tenderloin.
DAY 5
On the final morning of your cruise, you’re sure to be feeling sadness that your vacation is over. But there’s no reason for you to feel hungry, too! Your serving team would love the opportunity for one last meal with you in the restaurant you dined in the night before.
Stay tuned for my post next week when I’ll give you tips on how to add even more variety to mealtime on a Disney cruise.
Comments
On my first Disney cruise earlier this year, the evening meals in the dining rooms was the least favorite part of the cruise. The rooms were beautiful, theming was great, but it was too much food each night, and we did not like our servers. It ideas not the experience we had expected or that others have shared. For our next cruise, it will definitely be much fewer if any dining room dinners.
A couple of points here:
Do *not* go to Cabanas when you first get on the ship. Go instead to the alternate restaurant (I know it is Carioca’s on Magic, I assume it is Enchanted Garden on Dream and Fantasy). It is just as good, and FAR less crowded.
If you are on a longer cruise, make sure you take the opportunity to do brunch at Palo. In my humble opinion, it is even better than dinner.
There is also one small error here. Unless you are on a peculiar cruise, you will rotate through your dining rooms in order. That means that the particular plan outlined above would have you missing the Enchanted Garden to go to Palo, and back at Royal Table for the last night.
I agree with Leslie. On our first and only cruise so far, the evening dining was the least favorite part. We did not like our servers, they were not the fun and entertaining type we had heard so much about. We also did not enjoy giving up and hour and a half to two hours just to sit and eat every night when there is so much else to do and enjoy. On our next cruise we will skip a few of the dinners and eat on our own. The rest of the cruise however was wonderful and we loved it. Giving it another try next month!
We just got off the Fantasy and our dining room team were amazing. Christian from Spain and Dipo. I love dining in the restaurants t every evening. My favourite dishes have to be the soup at Animation Magic, baked alaska and the short ribs on pirate night!! Flo’s does a great spicy chicken burger, and you forgot to mention the delicious snacks at Cove Cafe!! Finally… and please cover this in more detail on the blog… brunch and pompidous dessert experience in Remy are possibly two of the best meal experiences I have EVERY experienced!
We were on the Magic for the Baltic Cruise in May. All our servers were great. They didn’t entertain us which I didn’t expect, but they were prompt, helpful and accommodating to our ever changing plate options (my daughter and I do not like any blue cheese, goat cheese, we like our meat and potatoes, and sauce on the side). This cruise I was especially impressed with the Head Server as I saw him working just as hard as the other servers – which did not happen on my previous cruise. We love the dining rooms because we do not eat out often – so it was such a treat and the food was very good. I’m not a buffet person, so we did not do much of the buffets but chose sit down meals And, of course, the Pizza and the other food stations by the pool. We also utilized the room service every day for evening snacks (we had early dining). I was on a first name basis with the room service operator (she even sent me a card of thanks – lovely lady).
I am shocked with the people who did not like their servers. I have been on 9 cruises with Disney and loved every set of servers. We have even requested the same server now on 3 cruises.
I agree that brunch at Palo is much better than dinner at Palo which is AMAZING. We had as our waiter, Andre, who has moved to the Fantasy. He was dinner AND a show.
Getting ready to do the ditch! Looking forward to the longer cruise.
We have been on 4 cruises. The servers were great. We had servers on the Fanstasy that were simply outstanding. We cruise again in January 2016.
We have been on 3 of the four ships and over and over we have seen people love their servers. We’ve seen a few servers that we could see why people may not have gelled, but that is the exception rather than the rule. If you don’t like your server, ask to move. Do not suffer through with a team you aren’t happy with when all you have to do is speak up. The ship will accommodate you if at all possible.
Fortunately, we found the absolutely best head server in the fleet bar none. Jamie from Portugal on the Fantasy is hands down the single best head server there is. We arrange our trips on the Fantasy around his vacations and cannot wait to see him in four weeks.
Dining on our Disney Cruise (Fantasy) was definitely a MAJOR highlight for my family. We absolutely enjoyed the food and decor, but the best part for us were the servers. They were incredible, always anticipating our needs, stopping for a while to chat with us and ask us about our day. By the end of the trip, our servers felt like family!
The food was amazing. Seriously, enough said.
The only two things I’d say that weren’t the super greatest ever was that I thought dining took a bit too long for my taste, most nights it was a 1.5-2 hour affair, which I felt was a bit too much time. Of course, I’m also not accustomed to lengthy meals, so that could just be me. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the Royal Court for lunch. It was beautiful, yes, but it was also deserted which made us feel a bit awkward. Plus, in the end, we just ended up all getting Hamburgers, which were delicious, but I think we all agreed that Cabanas would have been a better fit for us.
I am also shocked to hear about servers who were less than exceptional. We have been on 7 cruises, and have loved all of them for all of their uniqueness. We love seeing our servers on follow up cruises. And I agree with Sean – if you don’t mesh with your servers, all you have to do it mention it. Disney’s mission is to make your wish their command and are beyond accommodating. I love the Disney dining experience – it is second to none & one of my most favorite parts of a Disney cruise! Sit back, relax and enjoy the time spent at dinner…..you are on a Disney cruise!
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