I'm PRETTY sure that since Disney claims they serve their meals 'restaurant style' that the table size matches the party size. But I wanted to verify that since I'm traveling solo, that I'll be at a 2-top table, and not at a table for 6 or 8 with a bunch of others. Not that I would mind (as long as it was a number of parties and not just me 'filling in' a blank!), I just wanted to verify.

I know for my Palo (sp?) dinner that I'm at a 2-top, because of the way I booked that, but just wondering if all the restaurants were the same.

There aren't many, if any 2-tops on board (other than in Palo). If you are traveling alone, you are pretty much guaranteed to be seated with additional parties. We've been put with 3 other couples, once. Another time was just one other couple. So, it can be hit or miss.

Cool, I'm glad I asked. I just hope they don't put me at a table with a zillion 5 year olds! At least having 2nd dinner seating should help with that!

They'll probably put you with other single adults. :)

I don't recall many two-person tables in the rotation -- a lot of 4s and 6s and some 8s (possibly a 10).

Shana is right. They try to group families with families and adults with adults. They aren't always perfect about it, but they do try)

This is the thing that I most dislike about crusing, and why I'm incredibly grateful for the cruise friends we have. Our first cruise was an "event" cruise, and so at least we were seated with people there for the same reason. During the first Panama cruise we were seated with 3 or 4 other couples that we really didn't click with, and had a server none of us cared for. Fortunately we were able to hop over to an empty 4-top with a server we really liked, and so not only didn't have to fake conversation with the original group, we could invite people to table hop to our table. (I know that sounds snotty, but they could not have found a worse grouping of couples had they gone out of their way to try. 5 minutes into the first meal we knew that there was no way that two of the couples were going to make it through to final night without killing each other)

There were enough of us on the Med cruise that we booked the "party" table, which was fun.

On our DVC cruise there weren't quite enough of us to block a whole table, and I do feel for the poor couple that got stuck with us. We tried to include them in our discussions and such, but I'm sure they felt awkward when the rest of us had known each other for years and travelled together before.

We had enough people to block a table on our cruise this summer, but after most of the party had to drop out we wound at a table with two other couples. This time they were the ones who knew each other for years and had travelled extensively together, and we were the ones who didn't get the jokes. It didn't help that they were decades older than we were.

On this coming Panama cruise we have blocked the party table and filled it with friends and family. I can not WAIT.

AVP

On this coming Panama cruise we have blocked the party table and filled it with friends and family. I can not WAIT.

"Party table"?

Tell me we're not going to be in the middle of the room with everyone staring at us...

She means party table in the sense of every person at our table is a member of our party.

"Party table"?

Tell me we're not going to be in the middle of the room with everyone staring at us...Don't forget your chicken hat!

"Party table"?

Tell me we're not going to be in the middle of the room with everyone staring at us...

And would it really matter if they were looking on with jealousy at all the cool friends you have?

She means party table in the sense of every person at our table is a member of our party.

Okay, I feel better.

Don't forget your chicken hat!

I'll have to borrow it from Lani before we leave!

And would it really matter if they were looking on with jealousy at all the cool friends you have?

I like being the center of attention exactly twice a year. I'm done with that until fall. :D

She means party table in the sense of every person at our table is a member of our party.Um, no, I meant table 23. Did we wind up at another table?

Just thought I'd report back that I was the 7th person at a table that probably normally sat 6. I did have room (sitting on the end), but you did have to watch how you put your glasses back on the table.

One party was a mom, dad and 15 year old daughter. The other was Mom, Grandma and 19 year old daughter. They all thought it was really cool that I was traveling by myself (a LOT of people were surprised I was a solo-traveler on the cruise - I guess that single supplement really does keep a lot of 'us' away!)

I'm working on my trip report - but notice my new Avatar!
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I hope you were able to enjoy the Party Table, Andrew, and didn't buffet it EVERY night!

Just thought I'd report back that I was the 7th person at a table that probably normally sat 6. I did have room (sitting on the end), but you did have to watch how you put your glasses back on the table.
Did you feel crowded in that situation? That would be my concern.

Did you feel crowded in that situation? That would be my concern.

It was a little crowded on the table, but I don't think the other 6 were too crowded together physically, and surprisingly, I didn't feel like I was too in the way of the servers (since I was on the end by the 'walkway').

In Animators Palate I only ate there for breakfast the last day (I was at Palo that night!) we were at a round table, and I think it was ok for 7 - but I don't think it would have fit 8 people. It was a little crowded 'around' - but that's because everyone had their overnight bags with them!

Um, no, I meant table 23. Did we wind up at another table?

I hope you were able to enjoy the Party Table, Andrew, and didn't buffet it EVERY night!

I'm not sure what happened exactly, but our group of ten ended up at table 47. This was fine for Parrot Cay and Animator's Palate, but at Lumiere's they used an eight-top with end chairs and it was not exactly comfortable.

Not only didn't we buffet every night, we didn't even do it once -- though Topsiders wasn't actually offering a dinner buffet, but instead a limited table service menu.

I'm not sure what happened exactly, but our group of ten ended up at table 47. This was fine for Parrot Cay and Animator's Palate, but at Lumiere's they used an eight-top with end chairs and it was not exactly comfortable.

I think it had to do with the fact that we changed our seating time from 2nd to 1st and probably Table 23 wasn't available during the first seating. Why we got the 8 top at Lumiere's I don't know.

"Party table"?

Tell me we're not going to be in the middle of the room with everyone staring at us...

We had 14 in our group and we were split at tables 2 and 3 for the first rotation (second/late dining). After that, they moved us to table 23 and we had a great time. There were four others at table 2 (not with our group) and they moved them to the center of the room as well.

On our last night of the cruise, in Luminere's, Joey Fatone's party was on table 2 or 3 but by breakfast (on the last day), they had switched us back to the corner and put Mr. Fatone in the center of the room. Some of our group, heading to our usual table, thought Joey had joined us. :)

Since we were such a big group (and we had tons of fun) we were usually the last ones out of the restaurant. And we had two asst. servers.

Also noticed that a lot of groups had switched from the second to first seating for dinner. Not sure how they handled that.