Will DSs 13 & 16 need to wear dress pants *every* night??

[SeaSpray]

DH and I were talking about the cruise today and it occured to us that since the policy for dinner asks that no shorts or jeans be worn to dinner, this means we'll have to tell DSs to change into dress pants EVERY single night of the cruise! They will be wearing suits on formal and semi-formal nights, of course, but it just dawned on me today that in the middle of a hot Caribbean cruise they'll have to get dressed in dress pants every single night.

It's kind of funny when you think about the wording in the Disney Cruise line brochure when it answers the question "What do I need to do for my cruise" with a reply of "All you have to do is pack. And you don't have to pack much because a Disney cruise is casual". My DSs won't think that dress pants every single night translates into casual.

So tell me.....what did your teen boys wear to dinner on "casual" nights??

P.S. I realize they will have the option to eat dinner at Topsiders or one of the pool counter service restaurants but they will most likely be eating dinner with us, in whichever restaurant we're scheduled to dine in, each evening.

 

[Kabuli1]

Do you consider khakis to be dress pants? I think there's a level between jeans/shorts and dress pants. But your sons may not think so.

Karyn

 

[KarenB]

LOL!!!! I was thinking about posting this same question!!! As you know SeaSpray, we will also have two teen boys that really hate long pants.....especially on vacation in the subtropics!!! I was really hoping that nice, pleated kahkai (sp) pants with a collared shirt would work.

Karen

 

[Kabuli1]

I forgot to say that the teenage girls on the ship for the most part dress very nicely for all dinners, my DD and niece certainly did. I don't think the 14yo young man who shared a table w/ us every evening minded dressing nicely each evening when the young ladies looked so fabulous! The kids all change before they head out to their evening activities!

Karyn

 

[4myguys]

Mine wore khakis when they weren't in their suits at dinner. I think they actually liked getting somewhat dressed up when everyone else was as well. After we ate they would go to the room and change into shorts before we saw the shows.

 

[SeaSpray]

LOL I guess I should clarify.

Currently my DSs wear jeans in the winter, shorts in the summer, and dress pants to our religious meetings all year round. They really don't wear 'in between' pants, like khakis, at all. They wear nice shorts in khaki, navy, etc. but no long pants.

Karyn: You are right, my sons won't distinguish between the dress pants they wear now with the khaki's I'll buy for them for the cruise! lol

Karen: I'm sure that long pants, (khakis), along with a polo shirt or button down shirt will be just fine for those casual nights. My sons have plenty of nice button down shirts, just no long khaki pants. LOL Guess I'll be buying them some for the cruise though! (I still wish we were all on the same cruise!)

 

[Jeanny]

Seaspray, what if they just took one pair of Khaki's (or Dockers, basically the same thing) for dinners, no one will know that they're wearing the SAME pair of pants, especially with Formal night, semi formal night & Tropical night mixed in there. If they wore them just for dinner, then changed, they should be fine... unless they're sloppy like me and tend to wear my dinner too!!

 

[SeaSpray]

Originally posted by Jeanny
Seaspray, what if they just took one pair of Khaki's (or Dockers, basically the same thing) for dinners, no one will know that they're wearing the SAME pair of pants, especially with Formal night, semi formal night & Tropical night mixed in there. If they wore them just for dinner, then changed, they should be fine... unless they're sloppy like me and tend to wear my dinner too!!

That's a good idea, Jeanny. I'll probably just get them each a pair or two of Dockers, maybe a khaki pair and a navy pair, and they should be set for those 4 casual nights, since I'm sure they'll be changing back to shorts after dinner.

 

[Lisa F]

Definately khakis and polos. Since they wear khaki shorts, just tell them that they are just shorts, but with long legs! I always had either worn jeans or a skirt/nice slacks for dress up but i bought some khakis for my cruise and now I live in them!

Lisa

 

[hilltopfamily]

Originally posted by SeaSpray
That's a good idea, Jeanny. I'll probably just get them each a pair or two of Dockers, maybe a khaki pair and a navy pair, and they should be set for those 4 casual nights, since I'm sure they'll be changing back to shorts after dinner.

Seaspray:

My DS is only 9 1/2 but that is exactly what I did. He had a suit for formal & semi-formal nite that I picked up on ebay. We did tropical shorts & shirt for tropical nite (the only nite shorts are considered acceptable at dinner) and khaki & navy blue docker-type pants the other 4 nites (2 nites each set of pants). I put a polo or short-sleeved button-down shirt w/them & he looked great. We went back to the room & he changed into shorts right after dinner each nite.

Interestingly enough, our tablemates (husband, wife, and DS 4 or 5 yrs old) had been on 4 previous cruises & were "professionals" in the career world (as they let us know the very first night) however we outdressed them each nite!! Semi-formal night they had on casual tee-shirts & pants!

And here I thought we'd be the hicks from Nebraska! Anyway, it was fun for us all to dress up a bit, and the pictures of us all look great now and are fun to look at.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

DS11 has about 5-6 pants that he wears to school. These all have elastic waists and are very comfortable. He'll wear these with button-down collar shirts to dinner. His shirts will be appropriate for tropical night, formal, semi-formal, ea restaurant, etc.

 

[disneyholic family]

my son was 15 years old on the cruise last summer....he wore cargo pants every night to dinner....with a nice nautica polo style shirt...the moment dinner was over he replaced the shirt with a tshirt, but kept on the cargo pants....
he looked absolutely handsome in the nautica shirts and khaki colored cargo pants...and looked entirely in place..
my 18 year old daughter wore designer jeans and designer tshirts every night...that was what she wanted to wear....there are bigger fights to fight with kids than what they wear to dinner...
both of them looked beautiful....we ate at the second seating...

 

[WDWLVR]

Originally posted by disneyholic family
my son was 15 years old on the cruise last summer....he wore cargo pants every night to dinner....with a nice nautica polo style shirt...the moment dinner was over he replaced the shirt with a tshirt, but kept on the cargo pants....
he looked absolutely handsome in the nautica shirts and khaki colored cargo pants...and looked entirely in place..
my 18 year old daughter wore designer jeans and designer tshirts every night...that was what she wanted to wear....there are bigger fights to fight with kids than what they wear to dinner...
both of them looked beautiful....we ate at the second seating...

Sorry Disneyholic, but all that shows to me is that you confirmed to an 18 year old (basicallly a new adult) that it is ok from them to break the rules others follow. In this case the no jeans to dinner. By 18 I think they should know how to dress according to the guidelines.

 

[disneydreamer1970]

SeaSpray,

Thank you for posting this question!! My DS will be 13 on our 1st cruise and he lives in shorts (even in the cold Maine winters). I love the idea of cargo pants with a nice polo shirt.

Thank again!!!

 

[Karel]

Check Old Navy for pants. My 12 year old loves to shop there.

 

[disneyholic family]

we had a lovely time, thank you....
and we will again next summer....
when she'll be 20 and i'm sure will again wear stunning designer jean outfits......if i had her body, i'd probably dress the same....
get over it....

 

[DreaminDisney]

I have a quick question I hope someone can answer.
Will my DS (7) be out of place if I rent him a Tux (to match his Dad) for formal night? We NEVER really dress up and I thought this would be fun and a great photo opportunity for our Family.

 

[4myguys]

Oh no. He won't be out of place at all. In fact, he'll be the star attraction. I have a picture of my DS's (2 & 6 at the time) in tuxes at a wedding and they were adorable.
I plan on renting tuxes next summer for them when we cruise. I didn't last year but did for DH and they were disappointed.

 

[PeachyK]

Just my personal opinion, (and for the record I am well aware of what the Disney Cruise Line brochure says is dining room attire)
Seaspray I would say that if I was sitting next to your sons in nice shorts at dinner I would not be offended and would think that would an nice shirt, Polo, button down or even a nice rugby that would be perfectly fine for dinner.

I had the pleasure of being seated next to a table of adults on our cruise that dressed in jeans, crude t-shirts and on our last nite one guy even strolled in the side door in bare feet!!!

I have no problem with teens in nice shorts and nice shirts. There is no point in buying clothes they just don't wear.

Enjoy and don't get so caught up in the dress code, believe me others totally disregard it.