Using a 176T without opening the tent

Hey.  I have an RP172 right now and am seriously considering getting an RP176T.  Here's my only question:  Can the r-pods with the tent expansions be camped in comfortably without opening and unfolding the tent?  In other words, is the supporting hardware and material for the tent in the way of anything inside the pod when it is collapsed and closed, for instance, the dinette?  To further clarify (if it's still needed)... would I be able to use the dinette and/or the bed at that end if I arrived at a site late at night or in bad weather and could not or did not want to expand the tent?   Thanks so much in advance for your opinions on this.