10 Things Every Family Needs for a Disney Cruise with Little Ones
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My family and I just recently returned from our first Disney Cruise, and we had an absolutely fantastic time! My husband and I, along with our two boys, ages 4 and 18 months, set sail aboard the Disney Fantasy for 6 days and 5 nights. We made stops in Nassau, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. This trip marked our first vacation as a family of four, our first cruise, and the boys’ first time going to the beach and swimming in the ocean. Every day was magical, and we made memories that will last a lifetime. We had such a great time, that we’re already in the process of planning our next cruise adventure.
In this post, I’ll share with you a list of 10 things that we brought and that I believe every family with little ones should bring with them on their Disney Cruise too!
Although we were pleasantly surprised with the size of our stateroom, (Deluxe Family Oceanview with Verandah), we still wanted to maximize the available space as best we could. My goal was to avoid having to pull out everyone’s suitcases and dig through them for clothes each time we needed to get changed. For that reason, I decided to try packing cubes. I purchased a different colored set of packing cubes for each person. This particular set that I purchased came with 8 different size cubes and there was even a bag for shoes, laundry and a hanging cosmetic bag. The zippers were good quality, each cube has a handle and a see through window so that you can easily identify what’s inside. There are currently 19 different colors to choose from, with pricing varying depending on the color $30 - $36.
On our first night in the room, I spent a few minutes and unpacked everyone’s cubes into a different set of drawers. It made getting ready in the morning when we were all in a hurry to get to breakfast and start our day so much easier. At night, when we were exhausted from a full day of fun, I knew exactly where I could find what I needed to get the kids ready for bed.
In order to sail with Disney Cruise Line, you will need to provide certain travel documents and methods of ID, such as a Passport, birth certificate or Driver’s License to name a few. Once you’ve completed your online check in, you will also receive a Port Arrival form that you are asked to print out and bring with you on embarkation day. It is important that these documents are easily accessible during the embarkation process, as you will be asked to present them when going through security at the terminal.
For this reason, I wanted to find a travel wallet that offered enough space for all our travel documents, but could still easily fit in my carry on bag. The Topbag travel wallet comes in a variety of colors and pricing currently ranges from $12-$17 depending on the color you select. The material feels like a good quality, as does the zipper. The wallet is water resistant and has a layer of RFID blocking material as well.
Inside, there are 6 passport holder slots, 6 card slots, a plastic see through slot for an ID, as well as 2 zipper pouches for cash and one for coins. There is even a pen holder in the middle. One of the features that I loved was the detachable wrist strap. When we arrived at the terminal, I was able to take the wallet out of my bag, and place it securely on my wrist while we waited in line. My family of four had plenty of space to store all our travel essentials, and I loved the hands free option that the strap provided as we navigated our way through security and onto the ship.
If your little ones are using a bottle, then I cannot recommend a travel bottle cleaning kit enough. Realistically, it would be impractical to pack enough clean bottles and the accompanying parts for the duration of your stay. Enter the bottle cleaning kit. This hard shell case comes with two foldable drying racks, a bottle brush, nipple brush, straw brush and a soap dispenser. The tray inside is removable, which helps with draining the water. Everything is compact and folds up neatly into the case, which can then easily fit in your suitcase or even your diaper bag.
The overall size is small enough to fit on the counter next to the sink in the bathrooms on board the ship, and saved us the hassle of bringing more than just a couple of bottles for our 6 day 5 night trip. The kit comes in 4 different colors and ranges in price from $12-$15 depending on the color. This would also work great if you brought your kids their own drink cups from home. I consider this a definite must-have if traveling with little ones!
4. Wet/Dry Bags
If the weather on your cruise is expected to be warm, then it is safe to say there will be A LOT of swimming on your trip. For our particular sailing, the weather was absolutely perfect, sunny mid 70s to low 80s the entire time. My 4 year old son spent more time in the pools and at the splash pad than anywhere else on the ship. This was also my kids’ first time going to the beach and swimming in the ocean. Needless to say, we accumulated a lot of wet clothes and water shoes. I ended up bringing two types of wet/dry bags with me to give myself some options when packing up at the end of the cruise if some of our items were still wet.
The first was a 5 pack of clear, drawstring shoe bags. These were very helpful for packing up the kids' water shoes, beach toys and all our bathing suits. The large size of the bags was a definite plus, as was the material they were made from, which felt quite durable. The drawstring was helpful to keep all of our wet items safely tucked away from the rest of our belongings in the suitcase.
The second wet/dry bag is a little more on brand for a Disney Cruise. I have a number of items from the Bumkins brand, and have always enjoyed their products. This was no exception. It’s machine washable, has a snap button strap and zippers closed. It would be great to use for clothes, shoes or even bottles. I like to keep this one in our diaper bag, just in case my little one has an accident while we’re out that requires a change of clothes.
As I previously mentioned, you will likely be spending the majority of your trip in the pools, splash pad and beach. There aren’t any lockers available on the ship or on Disney’s private islands. From the research that I did prior to our trip, most people choose to leave their phone in their bag when they go swimming. However, if you’d prefer to keep your phone with you for security or to be able to take pictures, then I recommend bringing a waterproof phone pouch. A lot of guests would also slip their Key to the World Card inside the pouch and be able to walk around the ship hands free.
My husband and I really liked the Hiearcool phone pouches. They come in packs of 2 or 4 and a variety of colors. Pricing can range from $10 for a 2 pack to $18 for a 4 pack. There is a list of all the compatible devices and I highly recommend verifying that your particular phone model will fit prior to purchasing. Do a test run at home before you set sail to make sure that the pouch you purchased works and that it is able to seal completely with your phone inside. Accessories such as a pop socket, or even certain cases might make for a tight squeeze. Better to find that out beforehand than once you’re in the ocean!
6. Reusable Drink Cup
When sailing on a Disney Cruise, you can enjoy complimentary and unlimited beverages such as soda, water, tea and coffee. On the Disney Fantasy, drink machines are located on Deck 11, which is where the pools and quick service dining locations can be found. Small paper cups are provided, but we preferred to bring our own refillable drink cups. At the start of each day, you can grab your coffee and at the end of the night, fill up your water bottles.
Having little ones who are prone to throwing, dropping and spilling their drinks, it was easier for us to bring cups from home that we knew would work better for the kids. My 4 year old likes this Simple Modern Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle. He has the 14 ounce size, which seems to be perfect for him, but it does come in a larger 18 ounce size as well. It is a bit pricey, at $20, but I really like the quality - he’s dropped this a hundred times and it doesn’t dent. It’s dishwasher safe and is leak proof when it’s closed. Just like a lot of cups that are this style, it can leak if the straw is left up and it’s tipped over. He’s pretty good about closing the straw when it’s not in use, so this wasn’t too much of a concern for me.
For my 18 month old son, we brought one of his Munchkin weighted straw cups. He throws everything, and is constantly on the move, so we needed something durable and leak proof. The lid locks in place, is top rack dishwasher safe and BPA Free. They come in a variety of colors, and you can get a 2 pack for between $10-$15. Some cups have handles and others don’t so you can pick the option that works best for your little one!
7. Kid’s Backpack
Each guest traveling on the Disney Cruise Line is allowed to bring with them two check bags, one carry on and one personal size item. I decided to create fun travel backpacks for my two kids that would serve as their personal size item. I purchased these backpacks about a year ago for my kids and started bringing them with us if we went out to eat or somewhere else that they might find themselves losing interest in quickly. There’s a larger zipper compartment, and a smaller one in front. There’s a padded pouch inside that can fit a small tablet. On the outside, is a mesh drink pouch.
Prior to our trip, I loaded up the bags with toys and books that I knew they would enjoy playing with and would help keep them entertained while we were eating or even in the rooms. We try to rotate the toys that they play with, so I selected items that they hadn’t seen in awhile. Our toddler’s favorite toy was this travel magnetic puzzle that was the perfect size for the backpack and kept my little one entertained for more than one meal during our trip. My 18 month old is really enjoying books lately. I was able to fit a handful of his favorites with room to spare for some other fun toys as well.
The material feels durable, as do the straps and the zippers. So far, we haven’t had any issues with them. The size is perfect for my 4 year old to wear himself, which he really enjoys doing. The backpack comes in 3 different colors/patterns and is priced at between $20-$25. They do go on sale quite often, so keep an eye on the price fluctuations to find the best deal.
8. Magnets and Magnetic Board
My kids love to play with magnets. I always keep my eye out for a set that I know they would enjoy. They make great Easter basket and stocking stuffer presents too. We have shapes, characters, animals, cars, the solar system and so many more. I packed up a small bag of all different magnets, along with one of these boards into each of the kids backpacks. The boards were great for when we were sitting down to eat, they could still play with the magnets at the table and it didn’t take up too much space.
Did you know that on some of the Disney Cruise Line ships, the walls and doors of the staterooms are magnetic? My kids thought it was so fun that they could put their magnets on the walls of the stateroom and it provided them with a great activity to do while we were taking a break in the room in between adventures. It’s important to note that the magnetic walls vary by ship, but it’s worth checking once you get to your room on embarkation day.
9. Water Shoes
We chose to bring a pair of water shoes for each of our kids, and I’m glad that we did. We could put them on in the room, and they could walk to the pool, splash pad or even to the beach when we stopped at Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. The shoes had a pretty thick rubber sole that helped prevent slipping when walking around the pool or playing in the splash pad. It also made things easier for my toddler to make bathroom trips, and we didn’t have to worry about him walking on hot pavement/sidewalks when we were exploring the islands. At the end of each night, I’d rinse them off and let them dry in the tub.
If your itinerary includes at least one stop at the beach and you plan on spending a few hours there, then I would recommend this set of beach toys. My 4 year old son was so excited to play in the sand at the beach for the first time, and these toys made the experience really fun. For approximately $20, you get two sets of toys: each one comes with a collapsible bucket, a shovel, and 2 sand toy molds. The best part is that each set also has its own mesh carrying bag to make storage and transportation that much easier.
Final Thoughts
We had such a great time on our cruise, and I truly believe having these items with us, helped to make our trip even more enjoyable and less stressful. Be sure to check out all the posts in our Disney Cruise Blog series for even more #Tot Tips and product recommendations.