We’re Taking Our Tots on A Disney Cruise!
For more than 30 years, I’ve been visiting the Walt Disney World theme parks. More recently, my husband and I have had the opportunity to start taking our two little ones with us (ages 4 and 1). Being able to share that magic with them and create those core memories has been so special.
Now that we’ve developed this sort of rhythm visiting the parks and have seen how much our tots enjoy the experience, we decided to embark on a new adventure-we booked our very first Disney Cruise!
Next year, we’ll be setting sail on the Disney Fantasy for 5 nights of fun on the high seas! In this post, I’ll share with you details of what the planning and booking phases of the trip have been like up until this point. Our Disney Cruise experience will be a series, so be sure to stay tuned for more posts as our embarkation day draws nearer.
Why We Chose To Go On A Disney Cruise
Disney has this unique and fantastic ability to bring their stories to life and immerse guests in worlds that we thought were only possible in fairy tales. Now imagine taking this ability and pairing it with unparalleled service, comfort and world class entertainment and you’ve just described a Disney Cruise.
We’re looking forward to an all inclusive experience where our room, food, and entertainment will all be included with our initial trip cost. There’s character meet and greets, broadway style shows, swimming pools, a splash pad and so much more. As part of this trip, I’m also really looking forward to visiting Disney’s private islands: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. The islands boast beautiful sandy beaches, swimming, snorkeling, water slides and splash pads just to name a few! After seeing the possibilities of what a Disney Cruise has to offer, we knew it was the right decision for our family and that the kids would love it.
Planning Your Disney Cruise
Once you’ve made the decision to embark on a Disney Cruise Line adventure, it’s time to begin planning your trip. Narrow your selection down by considering factors such as length of stay, destination and departure port. Be sure to also take into account the time of year you’ll be traveling and what the weather might be like during your journey. Lastly, decide if you’d like to experience any of the specialty themed cruises that Disney offers such as for holidays like Halloween or Christmas.
The next stage of planning involves selecting your Stateroom type and location. You will have the ability to pick the exact cabin that you’ll be staying in on the ship. Disney Cruise Ships offer four different room categories (Concierge, Veranda, Oceanview and Inside) as well as ten different room types within them.
Room types can vary from multi level suites, to Deluxe Staterooms with a Veranda, standard rooms with an ocean view and veranda or an inside room with basic accommodations and no exterior view. Take some time to consider what will be most important to your family during your stay.
When selecting our room, we also took into account that my husband can sometimes experience motion sickness. Since this will be the first time any of us will be going on a cruise, we thought it best to err on the side of caution and researched where the most optimal room would be to limit effects from motion sickness. These are untested suggestions at this point, but we will definitely share our experience once we complete the cruise as to how much they helped. It was recommended to select a room in the middle of the ship, both in terms of the deck level and the location of your room on a particular deck. It was also suggested to select a room that had a view to the outside so you could see the horizon.
Download the Mobile App
I highly recommend downloading the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. The app offers important resources before you leave and while onboard the ship. As soon as you officially book your cruise, the app will provide your next steps, highlight key dates and allow you to explore the ship and see everything it has to offer. As your embarkation date draws nearer, you’ll be able to make reservations for various activities, entertainment and restaurants, as well as complete your online check in process. Furthermore, the app provides details on ordering the DisneyBand+ (aka the MagicBand+) and other onboard gifts that can be waiting in your stateroom when you arrive.
Once on board the ship, the app will be your go to for viewing daily activities, entertainment and restaurants that are available. You’ll be able to book additional activities, view daily spa and shopping offers and also view a map of the ship to help better navigate while you’re on board.
Final Thoughts
We’re very excited to be going on our first Disney Cruise. The process of planning a trip and booking it has been pretty straightforward up until this point. We selected what will hopefully turn out to be a great cabin, and as our embarkation day gets closer, we’ll be checking back in to share our experience with booking activities and what that process was like. When it’s time to start packing, I’ll share some of my favorite packing tips and tricks for maximizing space and ensuring nothing is forgotten.