Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy: What is Palo?

Cruise ships often have several upcharge restaurants alongside the included-with-your-fare main dining rooms. But Disney Cruise Line ships have at most two upcharge venues. One of these is Palo, the Italian-inspired restaurant found on every Disney ship. Here’s everything you need to know.

As mentioned, Palo is found on every Disney Cruise Line ship. But on the Triton-class ships (that’s the Wish, the Treasure, and the Destiny), it’s called Palo Steakhouse. The menu at each Palo is the same, and the menu at each Palo Steakhouse is the same, but the Palo and Palo Steakhouse menus are somewhat different. As you might expect, you’ll find more emphasis on steak at Palo Steakhouse. But at every version of Palo, you’ll find Northern Italian cuisine like handmade pasta and seafood, along with some amazing desserts.

The menu is consistent not only across ships, but over time. The two reviews below are from a cruise I took in 2022. But I ate both brunch and dinner at Palo on a sailing in 2025, and they are still accurate. (Well, except for the prices.)

• Palo: A Fantastic Disney Cruise Line Brunch
• Palo Dinner on Disney Cruise Line: Is It Worth It?

So how about those prices? Brunch and dinner are priced a bit differently and sold a bit differently. Brunch is an all-you-can-eat meal, currently priced at $55. Diners at dinner have a choice of a four-course prix-fixe menu or ordering à la carte. Like brunch, the prix-fixe menu is $55, but not all dishes on the à la carte menu are available on the prix-fixe option. At brunch, a glass of champagne or mimosa is included, but all other alcohol at either meal is an extra charge. And these prices also do not include the expected gratuity of 18% (minimum).

Is it worth it? Value is always in the eye of the beholder. If you live in a high-cost-of-living area, it’s my opinion that Palo is an excellent value compared to the cost of the same meal in an equivalent restaurant on land. And if you’re looking for something to celebrate an anniversary or other special occasion on board, a meal at Palo will definitely get the job done. (The plate above came to our table at Palo brunch during a cruise my husband and I took for our 25th anniversary.)

That said, the food in Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining rooms is quite good. The food at Palo is better, but the food in the main dining rooms is fine. It’s absolutely not necessary to dine at Palo (or another upcharge restaurant) to get a good meal on a Disney cruise. If it’s your first time on a Disney ship, your time might be better spent on something that comes free with your fare.

If you have kids, that might factor into your decision about trying a meal at Palo, because dining at Palo is restricted to those who are 18 and older. If eating meals with your kids is important to you, then a meal at Palo is off the table, so to speak. But kids need not be a barrier to dining at Palo if you’re interested.

There are only two considerations: what your kids will do while you dine at Palo, and what they’ll eat for their own meal. Kids too young to pass the time on their own can visit the Oceaneer Club or Lab while you’re eating. And there are a few options to get them fed. Tweens and older can manage the main dining rooms on their own. With younger kids, you can time your Palo reservation so you can keep them company in the main dining room before your own meal. Room service or the Quick Service food from the pool deck are also good options.

Reservations are required to dine at Palo. You can make them in advance of your cruise when your online booking window opens, which depends on your Castaway Club status and your stateroom type. Dinner is served nightly, and brunch will be offered on most sea days. If you have multiple staterooms, you can link them and make bookings that include guests from any of the staterooms. But if the staterooms have different online booking windows, you won’t be able to reserve until all of them are open.

If you don’t get a reservation in advance, don’t fret; try again once you’re aboard. It’s common to find some availability during your cruise that wasn’t there when you checked on land.

You won’t be able to reserve more than one brunch and one dinner before you board. But again, once you’re sailing, availability is at the discretion of the staff. If you need to cancel though, make sure you do it timely. Cancellations made more than 24 hours in advance are without penalty. But same-day cancellations and no-shows will be charged the full brunch or prix-fixe price.

Do prepare for your meal at Palo when you pack. The dress code is formal or semi-formal, although “dress-casual” is also allowed. Disney defines this as “attire with a polished look, such as dress pants, jeans in good condition, collared shirts, dressy tops, and lifestyle shoes”. T-shirts, swimwear, and sports attire are not acceptable.

Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy is for first-time Disney cruisers looking to learn about the DCL experience. Got a Disney Cruise Line term that you want to see explained? Suggest it in the comments below!