Sharing a table with "Other People"? Ew!

[BaconAndAvocado]

Having just read a thread that's been closed I'm gobsmacked that we would automatically be sat with strangers!

I'll definitely be securing our own table!

As Jean Paul Sartre once said, "Hell is other people".

[caj]

We were not at all sure, but our fellow table sharers were alright, it took a while to get used to and to start with, both groups stuck to the ends of the table. But by the end, we had kids one end and adults the other.

Other people can be OK, or better than that. What would others think of you?

[BaconAndAvocado]

Haha I guess they'd think we were a family enjoying our precious time together!

Other People can be ok but holidays are our special time.

[papamouse]

we experienced this in the Maldives - this was in the inclusive restaurant - and the people were okay - (we we're prob worse!) but we just didn't like the idea of it.

anyway for a couple of days we ate in the paid restaurant and also at times we peeked in to see if they were at the table and when the weren't we went in - knowing full well they probably did the same!

[JessBlu]

Agree!

Would never want to share a table, we have always been accommodated on the Disney ships I just phone up a few times and keep telling them how important it is for us to sit by ourselves.

You can always go to the buffet restaurant in an evening and they do a waiter service but relaxed seating, and room service is available.

[Cloverlady]

We don't want to share a table either (family of 4 with two teens) .

It's one of the many reasons we upgraded on our cruise (non-Disney) so we could have our choice of dining times and a private table.

It's out first cruise and I don't want anything to put my hubby off if I can at all help it!

It would probably be different if it was just me and hubby on the cruise, might be prepared to try it in those circumstances

[Omega1]

When we cruise (non Disney) we opt for anytime dining. This means we can choose if we want to share a table or have a table for two. When we first started cruising we had some odd table mates on fixed dining, at least with anytime you only get stuck with them (or them with us) for one meal!
Overall we've had good experiences when sharing - onetime, on a Caribbean cruise we shared with a 'very senior' guy who was hard of hearing. Turns out he was at Pearl Harbor and told a fascinating story. Another time, one chap was a retired navy pilot and piloted the presidential helicopter for President Reagan - again lots of great tales.
You never can tell.

[bonnies mum]

We have really enjoyed the company at set tables for dinner. Met some lovely people - fellow Scots, a lovely older English couple, a very wealthy elderly Argentinian couple (they were a bid odd and very racist) and lots of Americans. After sharing a table with an obnoxious (Scottish) man with a lovely wife, we now request a table for 2 but usually end up chatting lots with the neighbours!

[disneymadhouse]

The two times we have been on Disney Magic (in the Med) as a family we haven't been matched particularly well with table mates. They were nice enough people, but we really didn't have a lot in common. The main things being we have a daughter both times the families have had son's and neither time they have been our daughters age - or within a year or two!
But on the Dream, they matched us perfectly! We were sat with a couple from New York with a daughter just a couple of months younger than our daughter. The girls and us parents hit it off straight away. The girls played by in the pool, on CC and went to the kids clubs together too! We have stayed in touch and are meeting up with them at WDW in August.
Maybe the Barcelona team just isn't at good as matching as the Port Canaveral team! But I wouldn't let it put me off

[disney_l81]

TBH all of our table mates have always been ok- I thought that was the whole point of cruising and until we actually started cruising had fully expected that we would be sat with 'strangers'