Dinner on Disney - Is Palo's a MUST see?

[BambiRumsey]

This will be my first Disney cruise and being the cruise junky that I am I have perused all of the related Disney cruise sites. I have carefully studied the menus for each night and the menu for Palo's.

Here is my problem - there is something each night that I want on the regular menu. When we sailed HAL I was not interested in the Dutch night so that was the night we booked the specialty restaurant. For this cruise each and every night there is at least one thing that makes me go "oooh, I really want to try that".

The Zuiderdam was the only ship we have sailed so far that had a specialty rest and honestly, I didn't see what the big deal was. It was very good but certainly no better than the main dining room food was and I did not think the service there was as good as what we recevied in the main dining room.

Is Palo's really THAT much better than the regular dining room menu? Is the service really above and beyond? Am I missing out on all that much if I don't dine there? I do plan to make the High Tea at least but do I really need to experience dinner there?

[TheWog]

From what I have heard, yes it is that great. We ended up cancelling our reservation on our cruise, but was not entirely disappointed. The regular restaurants were great in our opinion.

You could double dip by making a reseravation opposite your regular dining time and have apps and dessert maybe in the regular dining room.

That may not have helped too much. Sorry.

[PlaneJoy]

Yes!

If there is something you want on the regular menu - I promise there will be much more on Palo's menu that is appealing.

The service is impeccable! I can't even begin to describe it. It was really the best part of the cruise. And don't miss the champagne brunch!

If I were going again, I wouldn't miss Palo's for anything!

[tlw]

The service, the food and "couple" time is most definitely worth it. Try the pizzas and the chocolate souffle. YUM!!!

[mom2threecuties]

Dinner at Palo was the highlight of our cruise last fall. In fact, we had dinner two out of three nights there. Everything about it was fantastic!

[itdjbw]

We had a great meal there 3 years ago and were planning on going this trip which has now turned into the 5 day DCL on the Magic due to Frances.:( :(

If we get on the ship Monday we will definately be booking Palo's.

DH loved the chocolate souffle and had 2!!!:D

Enjoy

Julia

[CathyCanada]

Definitely YES!! The quality of the food, service and ambience of any of the other dining rooms can't compare to that of Palo's!

Enjoy!
Cathy

[dpatterson]

It is a must. When we first boarded, we made reservations for High tea, brunch and dinner one night. After the first night, we decided we had to go a second and went the last night. It is not to be missed. Everything was excellent. The service was great, the desserts were great! The only downfall was not being able to eat with out kids, however, they enjoyed the club so much that they wanted to eat with them instead anyway, so we were all happy.

[BambiRumsey]

A dinner away from Hannah is not a high priority for us. We requested a table for 4 and if this cruise is anything like our Galaxy cruise last fall she would MUCH rather eat with her friends than join Mommy and Daddy in the fancy restaurant.

I have heard dinner in parrot Cay is not as good as the other nights - is that true? Should I try and book fror that night then? This is jackets required for gentlemen correct?

[Host Mick]

Here's a trick that might help.
Skip Parrot Cay and go to Palo.
When you're in Lumiere's, order from the Lumiere's menu AND request that entree that you liked from the Parrot Cay menu. You're looking at the coconut shrimp arent you?
They share the same galley and your server is just a few feet from the Parrot Cay dishes. It might also work the other way if you're seated in Parrot Cay

Of course I should mention that I haven't done this myself but it just might work.

In Palo, try the rack of lamb and the mushroom risotto together if they still offer them. Mmmmm.

[NCmom]

Bambi: I may be misreading your post, and if so I apologize, but children aren't allowed in Palo for dinner. Jackets are requested for men.

I didn't care for the old menu in Parrot Cay, but like the new menu very much.

[SeaPA]

I cannot answer for certain, but you might be able to get some idea based on MY experience. I was on the Wonder in December 2003 with my 8 month old son, my wifey, her mom, and her (wifey's) brother and his wife. We had reservations for Palo & reservations for our baby to be in the nursery while we were eating. That afternoon he got sick, and couldn't go to the nursery due to running a fever. So the rest of the adults went to Palo while I had a couple of slices of pizza, a cold beer & a barfing baby. My night was not particularly enjoyable. When wifey & her family got back from dinner, I asked her "So how was it." She replied, "You probably don't want to hear this, but it really was one of the most incredible dinners I've ever had." She raved about the quality of the food, the service, the desserts, blah blah blah.

Just my opinion, but I thought the best food of the dining rooms was in Tritons, 2nd best Parrot Cay & last Animators Palate. We're going again this coming December & will skip AP & go to Palos. Might go there instead of PC also.

[suzsummit]

Been on Disney twice.... Never been to Palo but...

If you are on a short cruise and will only get to each rotating restaurant once then..... No, better to go on the rotation -- Each restaurant is special and I would hate to miss any one of them.

On a longer cruise I might go but I would plan it on a night when I didn't care much about the assigned restaurant.

I really like to eat with my kids ages 15 months, 5, and 7 at that time. and a year later a year older....

Usually my waiter would have the kids food waiting for us when we arrived at the table. We were at late seating each time, :mad:not by choice. Then the kids could quickly eat as my husband and I had appetizers. I would then take the kids to babysitter and child center and when I returned my meal would be there and we would finish a lovely meal, just the two of us. It was nice not to rush through dessert. This way we could take our time but we still had the fun of eating as a family.

This may not work for everyone but it worked great for us. It was funnny to look around the dining room and see how many tables for 4 or five just had moms and dads at them.

ps-- having late dinner ment we saw the shows first. We also ordered chicken fingers from room service and other snacks everyday around 5-ish so that the kids weren't starving for dinner. This way they could enjoy the shows with-out hungry tummies and room service was free but I always remembered to tip:).

Ok too much info?

suzanne

[BambiRumsey]

Good idea Suzanne about the room service - get her something to munch on while we are getting dressed.

When we cruised on the Galaxy last fall there were only a handful of children on board but luckily there were about five 3-4 year old little girls and Hannah wanted to eat with her friends and the Fun Factory staff on most nights. We also had late seating (by choice actually) and on Celebrity it works well because they serve afternoon tea in the Lido every day at 4pm - we could get some finger sandwiches to hold us over.

We enjoy late seating so we do not have to rush back to the ship to get dressed for dinner on port days.

More questions for the Palo ravers....do any of you live in areas with superb Italian food? I am originally from NYC but now live in Maryland. Nearby Baltimore also has a thriving Little Italy community. My childhood best friends parents are from Italy. I have eaten excellent italian food in my life - perfection on a plate.

I think what disappointed us the most about the specialty restaurant on Zuiderdam was that the food was not REMARKABLY better than in the dining room. It was quite good, delicious even. Very nice serene atmosphere. But to our taste it was not SO MUCH better than the dining room that it warranted an extra fee.

This is what worries me about Palo. We are foodies and very much enjoy fine dining and wonderful food. We can get that experience in the dining room on a cruise ship. What is it about Palo that makes it THAT MUCH better than Lumiere's, etc that it warrants an extra fee? If the food and service are not leagues above the dining room, I would rather save that money and give it as extra gratuity to our dining room attendants, or order a more expensive bottle of wine, etc....

[Ella2]

Bambi, I've done ten plus Disney cruises...the food in Palo is VERY MUCH remarkably better than in the main dining rooms. Really. I live in Southern California, we are foodies too, know the whole Northern Italian cuisine...and you will not go wrong by going to Palo. TRUST ME on this. This is a dinner prepared to order, NOT the banquet food you will get in the main dining rooms. Not to disparage that food, it has improved greatly over the years, but it still can't TOUCH the cuisine in Palo.

That said, I have had ONE bad meal at Palo, a veal dish that was just awful, very fatty. The server was mortified, she wanted to replace it, but I am not a big eater and was plenty full from the amazing appetizers and salad I already had, plus the antipasto-type platter they had brought. She even brought the CHEF out to apologize to me (I was mortified then, I really did not make a fuss at all, I just didn't eat it.) If you're not happy with your entree, trust me, they will RUSH to make sure you find something you like.

Do Palo. It will be the best meal you have on the ship, I promise. :) Palo BRUNCH is actually my favorite, but if brunch is not offered then do dinner.

[NJBill]

Yes!!!

[Credit Man]

It is the most romantic setting, and the best food on the ship.