Disney Cruise Line updated the dress code for Palo, their signature adult only dining experience all the ships. The new dress code will now permit guests to wear jeans in good condition with no holes. Below you will find DCL’s new dress code for Palo.
Guests are asked to preserve the ambiance of this fine dining venue. Dress pants, slacks and collared shirts are recommended for men and a dress, skirt or pants and a blouse are recommended for women. Jeans may also be worn if in good condition (no holes). Please no tank tops, swimsuits, swimsuit cover-ups, shorts, hats, cut-offs, torn clothing, t-shirts with offensive language and/or graphics, flip-flops or tennis shoes.
The change is already on DCL’s website. I am not going to get on my personal soapbox because I have a feeling I’ll be in the minority on this and really it doesn’t matter. However, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this dress code change. Below is a poll I put up on Twitter that will show the results by Saturday afternoon. For those not on twitter feel free to leave your comments below.
Do you like the @DisneyCruise Palo dress code change allowing jeans to be worn? #DCLBlogPoll
— Scott Sanders (@TheDCLBlog) April 22, 2016
I’d like to thank the Heathers from Storybook Destinations for sharing the Palo dress code change.
A very sensible change. In 2016, “nice jeans” are very fashionable and quite the norm for men and women. There is a clear distinction between “nice jeans” and the jeans one would wear to a baseball game.
I know what you are saying, but the problem is it doesn’t say “nice jeans”, it says jeans w/o holes. So you can wear the jeans you wore mowing the lawn last week, as long as they aren’t falling apart…
It’s just like how they allow shorts in the MDR now. The “idea” was bermuda shorts, but now people wear basketball shorts.
You can go to goodwill amd find dress pants no reason for any jeans.
I don’t have twitter…my vote is NO…
No Twitter here either and I vote NO.
I think this takes away from the “ambiance of this fine dining venue”. I’m booked for a Palo dinner on June 2 on the Disney Wonder and I still plan on dressing up as part of the occassion.
I would wear dark jeans, black shoes, white shirt, and dark gray jacket. Looks much better than khakis and a Polo.
Chad – You are still wearing jeans … it does not matter what color. As someone else has already said, “jeans” means anyone can wear ANY jeans, so long as they are not ripped. As also said, Bermuda shorts were permitted in MDR’s, now basketball shorts (and sweat-short) are permitted. I have a pair of stained jeans which I would be entitled to wear. I also have another pair of jeans with a ripped crotch … I wonder if the Palo Manager will now be inspecting every inch of jeans to make sure they are not ripped. I think you can see where I am going with this. By the end of the year, ripped jeans will likely be acceptable. I agree with Alejandro – this takes away from the ambiance of a fine dining venue.
Years ago, DCL did away with cruise casual, in favor of casual. Casual was previously permissible on embarkation day, to allow for people to wear “whatever”; they were wearing earlier in the day (jeans worn while on an airplane … pajamas from breakfast … or sweatpants worn when leaving their hotel in the AM). Now, people wear pajamas to breakfast, and on sea days … even to lunch.
With the new Palo/Remy changes implemented, I wonder when t-shirts or swimsuits will become acceptable … because they are nice, or not ripped? DCL previously did not want to prohibit swimsuits from being worn in the MDR, because they thought it would make people want to wear them (to buck the system). I see people picking their suit out of their butt crack at the pool … I do not want to see the same thing just before they reach for a roll at the buffet.
I do not twit. No surprise, I vote NO!
Disappointed!!!
We were just at the Palo Brunch last week and I had my husband where a shirt and tie with dress pants and dress shoes. We saw quite a few men who looked like they had come from a rock concert and men in tennis shoes. I felt over dresses and horrible since I made my husband pack what I thought was the dress code for brunch,
No need to have felt horrible … especially since the others apparently looked like slobs!
I think you should let the tennis shoes go. They could have a had an invisible disability. I don’t agree with wearing jeans but I understand why someone might need to wear sneakers.
NO from me.. why pay over the odds for disney and the experience (which includes dressing up) to feel like your at a cheap 3 star in benidorm.. last disney cruise i travelled on in 2015 was terrible for people looking like they had been dragged off the streets.. oh well back to RCL..
very happy for this change. I like to wear “dressy” jeans with a nice collared shirt and sport coat…Bravo Disney!
Can get good dress pants at goodwill for price of jeans . So no excuses to ruin the fine dinning for everyone else.
While I disagree with Disney changing the dress-code in principle, practically it makes good sense. We were on the Wonder last May and I couldn’t enjoy Palo because my wife and I weren’t prepared to reserve a quarter of our large suitcase for proper “grown up” clothes when our trip took us first to Disneyland and then 3 days in San Diego before embarking on the ship. We couldn’t afford the space for what would have been maybe 3 hours out of a 2 week vacation. I had a perfectly acceptable pair of jeans packed and a lovely new polo shirt that would be just fine in any venue. A sport jacket and slacks takes up too much limited carry room on vacation for no other reason than dress up. Aesthetically I agree, but practically I would rather wear jeans.
This is exactly the reason I love this change! Though I’m still not sure my husband and I are willing to bring dress shoes for one meal.
There’s always the buffet, or Carnival!
Oh for sure! I love the buffet and the regular dining and the food by the pool. Really, DCL can keep it fancy and I don’t mind going with the other food options which is what we have been doing. I’ll follow whichever rules they put in place.
Jeff – Did you complain to DCL that your cruise was ruined because you could not wear jeans? You did not bring proper attire because you “weren’t prepared” and did not read the dress code. What would have happened if you did not bring a swimsuit? Would you demand DCL permit people to swim or sun bathe in the nude? Jeff, one pair of pants should not equate to a quarter of a large suitcase. Here’s what I do … bring one or two pair of khaki’s or nice pants for use during dinner in the MDR. VIOLA! Use the same pants in Palo! Though you complain about not having room for a sport jacket, do you realize a sport jacket is not required (though it used to be)! Do you see a trend here? Soon, it will not matter what you wear. I wonder when cast members will be able to wear ripped jean shorts and t-shirts … in lieu of costumes, tuxedo’s and white’s (the latter, for officers)?
I am surprised how much money people spend for air fare, hotel, and the cruise … then complain that they do not have $ for a pair of pants. Others have complained that they do not have room in their luggage. Some even suggest they do not check luggage, because their airline charges $25 per bag. For those who are bringing a single carry-on bag for a one week trip for two adults … I HOPE you wash your clothes at some point during your vacation. Here’s a thought … instead of spending time and money at the laundry, why not pony up the $25 to check a bag with a pair of pants, and a few extra pair of clean underwear?
The laundry would have to get washed anyways.
Even with 2 bags, unless you have 2 big bags, there comes a time where you draw a ling in stuffing your suitcase.
I don’t have a problem with Palo brunch allowing jeans and a collared shirt.
I agree with everything you say. I wear jeans all the time…however… If I am spending more for the experience….I will bring proper attire. Khaki’s are about the easiest things to pack. It’s bad enough that there’s no need to dress for the Captain’s dinner anymore. But people pay more for Palo I want it to feel special. If people can’t afford the baggage fee on a flight or a pair of khaki’s, they maybe shouldn’t be paying for a cruise.
I don’t look at what people wear out. As long as they conduct themselves in a grown up manner I’m ok with it. I’m going to PALO on September 9-16 cruise. I’m wearing jeans.
It’s disappointing. You pay extra for a fine dining experience and dressing up makes it feel more special. Now we’ll be sitting next to someone that doesn’t care enough to dress up and hopefully won’t take away the experience.
Ridiculous! What is it about a pair of jeans that says “dress to impress” and “elegant ambiance”
I’m ridiculous because I like it feeling special by everyone being dressed up at a fine dining restaurant? I’m not trying to impress anyone. I like Palo’s to feel special. Evidently I don’t seem to be the only one.
Complain complain complain
I just hope the “neighbors” at dinner care enough to wear deodorant. I mean, I am sure someone will eventually complain that they do not have enough space in their luggage, since they are packing a dozen pair of heavy, bulky jeans in two 27″ pullmans!
I don’t like it. Part of fine dining is dressing up.
I can see jeans for the Palo brunch but not so much for dinner.
Agreed Elizabeth. Dinner should be special.
Don’t have Twitter – No. Is it really so difficult to put on a pair of nice slacks?
It’s not that it’s hard to put them on, I think it’s harder for people to pack them. Nice slacks and nice shoes can take up a bit of room in a suitcase.
No, NO, a thousand times NO!
I’ve never been so disappointed in Disney Cruise Line before. I really don’t understand why it is so difficult to dress up for one night.
Those who don’t notice what others wear must also be oblivious to the surrounding upscale decor. Even the MDRs are nice dining rooms with cloth napkins, tablecloths and well-attired servers. What others wear becomes part of the scenery, intended or not. DCL may as well remodel their ships to resemble McDonald’s. Short shorts or beach attire should be limited to the pool deck, and jeans should NOT be allowed in Palo! The luggage excuse is not acceptable. Jeans weigh more and require more space than a pair of dress pants and nice shirt, and dress clothes that fit properly are not uncomfortable.
I agree that brunch is one thing but not dinner.
No offense but Palo is not that fine dining! Jeans are more than suitable! Remy is fine dining! Palo is an Italian joint which is fine for jeans. Everyone needs to chilax
My guess is that Palo’s attendance was dropping and this is a way to increase attendance by luring in the Riff-Raffs! This is a load of you know what! Come’ on Disney! What’s next, Remy will allow jean shorts? Wait, we will see Mickey in Palo as a Character Dining. Scott, we like to hear your opinion. Your audience needs to revolt!
Your comment about riff raff reminded me of this Disney song – “Riff raff, street rat, I don’t buy that, if only they’d look closer, Would they see a poor boy? No-siree. They’d find out. There’s so much more to me.” -Aladdin
hahaha,
plus, what riff raff can afford to come on a DCL cruise, they would pick Carnival because it is cheaper.
If you can afford DCL, put on some decent pants. Really a shame. I’ll be dining at Palo soon and definitely glaring at anyone in jeans!
If the people in jeans are following the new rules, why would you glare at them? They’re just trying to have a good time on vacation like you.
We’ll be glaring right back
This is sad. There are so few places in life where people are required to dress up. Palo was a breath of fresh air. Clothes really do set the tone. They might as well put the servers in jeans too.
Jeans can sometimes be a lot more classy than the horrible things one can see at Palo. I am all for it.
I can understand why people are unhappy about that – however I think the whole idea of a dress code scares some people, even if in the end they will dress up nicely.
My parents are like that : I had to explain it was not necessarily tuxedo and bow tie but still they got intimidated – despite the fact they never wear jeans and would be dressed very appropriately anyway!
Disney describes Palo as “elegant”, jeans are many things but elegant is not one of them….
I vote, “nay.” There is already a pretty relaxed dress code for the ship most of the time anyway, people should be able to know there is a place they can go where you get to feel “fancy,” “elegant,” and “classy.” I believe jeans just don’t line up with the experience Palo offers. I know there are some very nice and expensive jeans out there, but it seems like most people would just wear regular Levis or something of that nature because they are allowed now.
And yet not to many year ago, people were wearing suits and dresses to baseball games and no one has a problem with how people dress there. Oh ,the times they are a-changing. To quote a posting on the Forbes Travel blog, “one of the greatest CEOs of the last decade, Steve Jobs, wore a turtleneck and jeans every day, running a multibillion-dollar company.” Would sitting next to him at Palo ruin the “experience”? If the patron in the booth next to you wearing jeans ruins your experience, I think the problem is with you and your “expectations” not the pants the person is wearing. Sorry, but that Riff-Raff paid the same entrance fee is you–
Sitting next to Steve Jobs at Palo would certainly spoil the ambiance since he’d be a skeleton.
An evening at Palo is suppose to be special. How hard is it to bring a pair of Dockers and a nice collared shirt? This can easily become a slippery slope. I’ve seen a lot of sloppy jeans without holes, but they still look sloppy.
I don’t care either way. If you are so not involved with your dining companion or not enjoying your meal, and have the time to notice the few seconds someone walks in and sits down, than that is a personal problem. Jeans and shoes while someone is sitting are under the table and not in full view unless you are looking for it. If the leg and foot is fully covered with clean shoes and pants, with no holes, what does it matter to you what material those items are made from?
FWIW I dress completely appropriately because it’s what I feel comfortable in and how I like to present myself. I don’t want people judging me so I give the same coutesy and do not judge others.
No ! Palo is dress up. The servers, food, and ambience are top notch. DCL has something for everyone. You can eat in your bathing suit on the pool deck and you should dress up for Palo. Is Remy next ???
My husband and I have done Palo brunch as well as dinner. Our last cruise we did brunch twice but no dinner. We love Palo’s ambience, the decor, feel & of course the food. We love dressing up a little. He wears a shirt, tie and slacks. I wear a nice dress. I vehemently disagree with the new jeans policy. This actually disappoints me.
No , No, No, No………….. what is going on with DCL Management to accept a crazy idea like this.
It’s a shame. We will still dress up – as we do on formal night. In fact every night we wear at least a shirt to dinner, but it was always nice that everyone was dressed up, it certainly made the experience feel more glamorous. Now we pay more for a cruise, more for adult dining and yet people want to dress like they are in some local watering hole. It’s a shame, maybe a sign of the times. However, I’d rather Disney were stricter enforcing no children by the adult pool, or no saving the day beds… That really gets my goat!
The good thing with a relaxed dress code from the waist down is that your legs are under the table and under a table cloth, so it shouldn’t affect the experience too much…. But where do you draw the line? In a years time there could be no dress code. I’ll see you in REMY in my swim shorts! 😉
Next week, when I’m on the Magic, I’m so much more inclined to wear jeans to our Palo reservations after reading all these freak outs and slippery slope paranoia. It’s pants, people. If a bit of denim hidden under someone else’s table is going to ruin your experience on a Disney cruise, I can’t imagine how you handle day-to-day life.
Uptight people really diminish my ability to enjoy fine dining, but I’m not about to start ranting about how they shouldn’t be allowed within my periphery. I’m going to enjoy my meal and my company and let other grown-ups worry about themselves.
I vote NO!! What will make Palo any different that the other dining experiences, other than the upcharge?
Seriously, people are getting awfully worked up over an article of clothing you don’t even see once you are seated at the table.
Is there a way to let Disney know how people feel here ? I agree , it is described as fine dining and whilst I agree there are some very smart jeans around they are not in keeping with fine dining and the opportunity to dress up for this and feel special is just what sets Palo aside. Disney should re think this as it is just a slippery slope, guests will be attending brunch in their pj,s next ! Kate from UK
You can call or email via the info on DCL’s contact page.
They DO NOT CARE! There are plenty of Platinum and Gold Castaway Club members who have stopped sailing DCL, for various reasons.
My vote is NO. While, yes, there are very nice jeans out there, this new idea will get abused. My husband would absolutely love to wear jeans, but he knows 1 night won’t kill him. We pay extra for that dinner for an “extra” experience in dining. In fact, on our 2nd cruise, I completely forgot to pack his slacks. DCL was nice enough to loan him a pair for the evening, free of charge.
Thanks for the information.
It does not bother me if other people are wearing jeans as opposed to dress pants. As long as others are not being offensive or obnoxious in their behavior then it does not affect me. I don’t walk into a restaurant and check out everyone’s attire. Who cares what pants others are wearing, how does that affect your food or the service? Do you really go around and look under tables at what pants people are wearing? I have dined at Palo several times over the years and can not tell you what 1 single person was wearing but I can tell you about the food and the service. If you still want to dress up, go ahead. No one is stopping you.
I noticed the change allowing shorts on my most recent Disney Cruise in February. I figured that people were doing it anyway and it is difficult to enforce so… “whateva”, and didn’t notice andy gym shorts. But, combined this with allowing jeans in Palo is cheapening the line we don’t mind paying more to enjoy! Might as well go Carnival next cruise 🙁 If DCL would like to encourage more people to dine at Palo, I would suggest that they lower the age to include teenagers so these young adults can learn about upscale dining (not in JEANS)…save Remy for adults-only. My girls and I travel together and I never get to use my complimentary Palo tickets because I don’t want to dine alone and even now that my oldest is 18 and of age for Palo, we wouldn’t leave my 13 y/o to dine alone…and she is more than able eat in a nice restaurant without disrupting the ambiance. Just a thought 🙂
Just keep in mind, some of us don’t care for the food at Remy and prefer Palo and will still like the adult experience. Although I may rather see dressed up teens than dressed down adults.
As with most readers, I am disappointed in this change. I believe that it was Michael Eisner who originally approved the design for the Disney Magic. It was his vision to design the Disney Magic cruise ship with a nod to the glory days of trans-Atlantic travel. Taking cues from ships of the Civil War era and spaceship designs of tomorrow, this retro-futuristic styling highlights the romanticism of sea voyages. Although we all know that Disney is always moving forward in a state of change, I believe they missed the mark on allowing jeans at Palo. It’s that whole feeling of “romanticism” in the design of the entire fleet that I love so much! My first Disney cruise was the Mexican Riviera in 2005 which celebrated Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary. During that voyage we also dressed up EVERY NIGHT for dinner! My girls and I wore a dress or skirt every night of our rotational dining. THAT is what made the voyage so special and fun! We felt like we had traveled back in time where it was customary to “dress” for dinner! We loved that! How many people dress up for dinner on the ships now? Very few. Another reason I have a hard time with the dress code changes happening on the ship now is because Disney has tried very hard to make their dining rooms very nice and beautiful! Its hard for me to dine in the Royal Court restaurant when I am wearing jeans! It’s too beautiful of a restaurant!
I love Michael Eisner’s vision of the Disney Cruise Line fleet! I love sailing and being waited on with the feeling that I am a “First Class” passenger! That’s just me.
What a great post! This was our experience exactly– and we have boys!! And they are rough boys! But they loved the experience of getting “dressed up” (generally khakis and an oxford) for dinner every night on our first cruise way back when. Some times they headed off to the kids club before dinner was over, but they loved coming to dinner dressed up. It is not like that any more in the MDR! We do not get as dressed up anymore, and people around us do often look like they just walked off the beach. Sure it is “easier,” but it makes it less special. It is sad too. It is important for children especially to experience getting dressed for dinner once in a blue moon. They really no longer have that opportunity. No one does much dressing up anywhere anymore.
Pretty soon they will be no different that a Carnival cruise except the Disney name with extremely high prices. As Platinum Castaway Club members we have been cruising with Disney for quite some time. The problem here is that people will always push the limit. They have been “allowing” jeans without holes for some time because people don’t have the common sense to follow the dress code they had so instead of enforcing the policy, they finally decided just to allow it. Now that they have started jeans with no holes, how long before shorts and/or t-shirts are allowed because you know people will start to try getting in with that. These are upscale, pay extra adult restaurants for a reason, if you want to wear jeans or whatever, go to the buffet. My vote would also be NO.
This seems sensible for Palo brunch, which is a pretty relaxed affair with lots of getting up and walking around to the buffet. But for dinner, it subtracts from the occasion.
I can see why they made this decision, on shorter cruises in particular people may not want to pack dress pants, but it is a little disappointing.
Then again that’s the way the wind is blowing. More than a few Michelin-starred restaurants have no dress code at all. You can eat at the finest tables in Monaco or Macau in shorts and a t-shirt as long as the color of your money is appropriate.
As a younger adult – I am all for this. If I can wear Jeans to Club 33 – then there is no reason I can’t wear them to Palo. For all you people who are stating that is going to “ruin your meal” if you are THAT focused on what others are wearing – you have much bigger problems to deal with. I for one, will wear my jeans AND rock them proudly!! And for those of you arguing this is a slippery slope – to make the leap from “nice jeans” to “bathing suits” is a far stretch – you are just looking for an argument there and an invalid one at that. Sorry – not sorry – my jeans will ruin your meal!
I understand the idea of wanting to preserve the fine dining “experience.” I really do, and I know that I am in a minority. I have done brunch twice and dinner once and completely agree that brunch is indeed much more laid back than dinner. But I for one think that if during the dining experience that if you are focusing on anything other than your waiter/ess while they are serving you and paying attention to your needs, your food and your company, something is wrong. We have no issue playing the game of adhering to the dress code obviously, but I also know that I am infinitely more comfortable in my jeans than any type of skirt or dress and will take advantage of this update…Otherwise you will still see me in my camo dress that I bought specifically for formal night
I suppose I will chime in here . . . I don’t really care what other people are wearing. Nice restaurant. Nice meal. Enjoy it and don’t worry about everyone else!
While I respect everyone’s opinions, I am really surprised to read that so many people are upset with the change. I welcome it! I live in NYC and go to “fine dining” restaurants often and honestly see nothing wrong with wearing a nice pair of jeans and a top. This conversation reminds me of when I go to the Opera at Lincoln Center. There are some people wearing fascinators and fur coats and others in jeans and sneakers…My opinion is that you dress in a way that will make you feel comfortable-both physically and emotionally (considering decency of course) and enjoy the experience that you make for yourself!
Amen Reena.
Please and really? I am stunned. I am riff raff and don’t wear deodorant or clean underwear if I’m wearing jeans? Was there a time warp and we are in the 1940s? Wow. We have always dressed up obviously and I probably still will but I know my husband will be soooo much happier (more comfortable) in jeans. Please just don’t lift the tablecloth and you won’t notice him! If you do, I’m sorry if he ruins your experience. Screaming, out of control (or unattended) kids, drunks, really terrible weather, being ill – those things ruin my experience. What people wear – not so much. I hope those of you who hate the change can find zen about this issue. And that it isn’t as bad as you think. Or convince DCL to change it back. Peace out!
Makes sense to me – especially since many women wear jeans with a pair of heels and a dressy blouse for dressy occasions.
After reading all of the comments I do sincerely hope that everyone is emailing Disney Cruise Line and sharing those same comments with them and letting DCL know exactly how you feel about this. I have already contacted DCL through their website to let them know that I am appalled at the idea of “bluejeans” ( I know they come in all colors) being worn at Palo. So tell me, who is going to be the “Jean Police”? Which Disney Staff Member is going to take the responsibility to survey everyone’s “jeans” as they walk into Palo’s and check them for “holes” OR cleanliness? The thought that someone will now have to do that is also outrageous. Disney has opened Pandora’s box by doing this. People have different interpretations of what is proper and improper dress. That is why we have dress codes as guidelines. So when you use the word “jeans” that may mean designer jeans to some people or to other people it may mean the jeans that I ran around in all of last week and did all my errands in. Pandora’s box.
I for one will still be dressing up for Palo and so will my husband. He actually enjoys wearing his suit and tie and having a nice dinner together with me! We don’t get to do that often at home and this gives us the opportunity to dress up and have a nice romantic dinner in a beautiful setting. To that point, “No” I don’t think teenagers should be allowed at Palo no matter how well dressed they are. There needs to be some areas that are exclusive to adults so that we can enjoy our vacation as well! Teens have their own special places on the ship where adults are not allowed and so it should work both ways.
Palo was the one little corner of the ship where adults could dress up and feel elegant. The other 95% of the ship is casual dress, even in the restaurants. So I see no problem with anyone who wants to wear their jeans to dinner to do so in that 95% of the ship and let those of us who want to have an elegant dress up dinner keep Palo the way it was. No jeans.
Lady you scare me, lol