Cabanas open for seated dinner?

[EilonwyWanderer]

It closed on the Magic at 2 pm and never reopened until Breakfast

 

[gatordoc]

If you are not into food, I can see eating there. But I pay for a Disney cruise partly because of the dining. I can eat pricier food that I wouldn't normally pay for at home so dining is a big part of the cruise for me. There is no way that I am skipping the main dining rooms.

Food or the MDR atmosphere? Because the times we have had Cabanas dinner, the food (which is selections from the MDR menus) was better. Dishes were hot and seemed freshly made, as opposed to experiences we have sometimes had in the MDRs. And the secret gem was the steaks, which they grilled to order right there in Cabanas. The ribeye was probably the best steak I’ve had anywhere on DCL.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Totally agreed. The food we had at Cabanas was WAY better than anything we had during our rotation dining AND it was always hot! We also thought Cabanas, being a buffet, would be lower tier, but ended up wishing we'd eaten there every day.

 

[auntlynne]

When you cruise DCL a lot, you do start looking for variety. I can imagine those first ten cruises or so , you stick to the MDRs.

Guest performers would eat there, too, and perhaps officers.

I was told it gave cast members a chance to practice wait staff skills (and their English) before a promotion to assistant server.

And, definitely, hot steak.

 

[dcassetta]

Guest performers would eat there, too, and perhaps officers.

One cruise we saw an engineering officer there with about 10 members of his team. They seemed to be having a fun time.

 

[tee11]

If you are not into food, I can see eating there. But I pay for a Disney cruise partly because of the dining. I can eat pricier food that I wouldn't normally pay for at home so dining is a big part of the cruise for me. There is no way that I am skipping the main dining rooms.

Food or the MDR atmosphere? Because the times we have had Cabanas dinner, the food (which is selections from the MDR menus) was better. Dishes were hot and seemed freshly made, as opposed to experiences we have sometimes had in the MDRs. And the secret gem was the steaks, which they grilled to order right there in Cabanas. The ribeye was probably the best steak I’ve had anywhere on DCL.

What gatordoc said. We loved a night of dinner at Cabanas, on longer cruises especially. Service was fast and the menu was what was offered in the MDRs - same or better quality from our experience, you could get the highlights basically of what was offered in each of the dining rooms that night. The servers were great, too, and we'd actually seen them in the MDRs, so it seemed they were rotating. So the only thing was the ambiance, and for us it was a nice break.

 

[Lilsia]

Food or the MDR atmosphere? Because the times we have had Cabanas dinner, the food (which is selections from the MDR menus) was better. Dishes were hot and seemed freshly made, as opposed to experiences we have sometimes had in the MDRs. And the secret gem was the steaks, which they grilled to order right there in Cabanas. The ribeye was probably the best steak I’ve had anywhere on DCL.

That is great to hear about the food. I personally have not had any issues with the MDR food, mine has always been fresh and hot. But it is nice that they had the option for those who want it. Hopefully it will make a comeback. More options is always better. I would love for the pirate night buffet to come back. Those crepes are good.

 

[bonnielynn]

For us, it is quieter and relaxing, the steaks are cooked to order, you can get a limited menu from the MDRs, you have a great view (when the sun is still up) and it doesn't take as long. We have had cruises that we NEVER went to a MDR and just did Cabanas. We have done the MDRs... and we enjoyed them as well. We enjoy the option that dinner at Cabanas provides when we aren't in the mood for MDRs or pizza/hamburgers.

 

[bonnielynn]

If you are not into food, I can see eating there. But I pay for a Disney cruise partly because of the dining. I can eat pricier food that I wouldn't normally pay for at home so dining is a big part of the cruise for me. There is no way that I am skipping the main dining rooms

It is the same food and it doesn't cost at all. If we had the kids with us, then we probably wouldn't dine at cabanas, but it really is a good option to have.

 

[Lilsia]

It is the same food and it doesn't cost at all. If we had the kids with us, then we probably wouldn't dine at cabanas, but it really is a good option to have.

It's not the same menus though. I have looked many times over the years. They have a couple of items from the dining rooms, but it is not like what you get in the 3 restaurants. What would be the point then if you can get the exact same menus.

 

[tntstults]

Do you recall if there was a kids menu available at dinner at Cabanas? Thanks,

 

[dcassetta]

Do you recall if there was a kids menu available at dinner at Cabanas? Thanks,

Yes. It was the typical mac and cheese, burger, or chicken tenders.

 

[Scalemaster34]

I expect till they are sailing with full crews that can stay healthy, and normal passenger counts... Cabanas is a easy way to cut operational crew requirements.

For us, it was great to have the Cabanas option... as good as I think MDR are. You do get tired of basically the same thing, if you have cruised with DCL on a number of occasion. Same is true for some of the the shows. So the option to go off script with Cabanas and do a movie, or spend an evening in a bar listening to music, or up on deck watching the sun set... is nice.

As for food... At Palo's Brunch they brought me what looked like a kids sirloin steak... thin and dry (even at rare). But Cabanas did a really good ribeye steak. Now Palo's dinner is a different thing, but with some of the experiences I've had with steak on the DCL ships.... Cabanas was a very good experience.

 

[Cfabar1]

has anyone heard when Disney plans to reopen Cabanas for Dinner or return the pirate midnight buffet?

 

[Girl of the South]

I will guess that Cabanas being open at dinner is a thing of the past.

 

[o&smom]

We keep putting it on our comment card before we leave the ship.

 

[jujubiee4]

has anyone heard when Disney plans to reopen Cabanas for Dinner or return the pirate midnight buffet?

Ahhh those were the days. I don't remember it being at midnight though. We had late dinner seating
so we could not each much but loved having a dessert. It was so cool lots of people in pirate outfits
in joyous moods. It was like an afterparty. lol

 

[Cfabar1]

We keep putting it on our comment card before we leave the ship.

I have been doing the same.... Given the premium of DCL, a dinner option outside the MDR really is appropriate.... However, I am glad they have continued to offer turn down service... If they get rid of it, we are very likely to downgrade.

 

[mcd2745]

I would love to see it open as a buffet for dinner every night.

 

[Cfabar1]

I would love to see it open as a buffet for dinner every night.

Was it ever? I thought that it was just open with an alternate casual dinner.