Dining With Your Favorite Disney Pals
Many families make it a priority to treat themselves to at least one character dining experience as part of a Disney Parks vacation. Depending on the meal, park, or resort you choose, these can cost a pretty penny for what is often sub-par buffet fare. On your Disney cruise, you can reserve a table for a Disney VIP Character Breakfast at no additional charge. Indulge in all the Mickey waffles and other delectable breakfast staples your heart desires, enjoying table service from an a la carte menu , as favorite characters make the rounds. Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy all visited our table on the Wonder.
How To Order A Disney Cruise Line Photo Package
Ordering a Disney Cruise Line Photo Package is super easy, and if you order ahead of time, you get a discount! Just follow these simple steps and you will be all set.
Before your vacation begins, pre-purchase a photo package through Our Cruise Photos. You can pre-purchase items up to 2 days before the start of your cruise.
At your departure port, Disney Cruise Line will swipe your Key to the World Card and take the first of many cruise vacation photos.
Strike a pose and smile big! Professional photographers will be poised and ready to capture magical moments featuring you and your entire travel party at dinner, before the Broadway-caliber live shows, during Character meet-and-greets and more! For specific locations and schedules, check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App, the Personal Navigator newsletter or stop by Guest Services on Deck 3, Midship.
Visit Shutters The Onboard Photography Shop to view and pick up your cruise pictures. You can even arrange a private portrait session, if you wish!
Sois A Disney Cruise Worth It
To recap whats included: amazing service, spectacular Disney shows, ALL food included, attention to allergies, the fireworks, the character meet and greats, and the fact that your hotel room goes floating with you from country to country, makes it well worth the cost.
Ive never met anyone who has ever said that they have hated a Disney Cruise. In fact, most people I have spoke with regarding a Disney Cruise have said that they will ONLY take Disney Cruises moving forward .
If rides arent your thing, youve already done the parks a gajillion times, youre not wanting to park hop, you need a beach vacation and are looking for more of a relaxing Disney vacation, then a Disney Cruise is a great option that the whole family will love, and well worth the cost.
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What Should I Consider
The ages of your kids: If youre willing to shell out big bucks for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, youll want to make sure your kids are old enough to appreciate it. Besides the fact that youll want little Sally or Junior to remember getting Mickeys autograph, youll also be more free to enjoy your time onboard if you dont have to worry about washing bottles and changing diapers.
How flexible you are: On Disney short cruises, theres enough on each days schedule to fill a weeklong voyageand dont forget youll lose some onboard time on port days. A short cruise is great for a quick getaway, but if youre someone who likes to do everything on the schedule, you might drive yourself crazy. It will be even more difficult if you want to do things as a family when everyone in your party has different interests. Youll have to either split up or compromise. Resign yourself to the fact that you might not have time to play miniature golf and attend the Nightmare Before Christmas sing-along or that meeting princesses takes priority over running the Castaway Cay 5K .
Total price versus budget: As with any sailing, youll have to factor in the total cost of the trip, which might include cruise fares , flights , hotel accommodations , transportation to the port , shore excursions, onboard extras , in-port expenses and other incidental spending.
Of course, youll also need to think about what youre getting for the price.
Serenity Bay Beach Cabana Review
On our latest Disney Cruise, we decided to rent a cabana on Serenity Bay Beach, the adults-only beach on Castaway Cay.
Heres how this overall experience went from start to finish.
The day before your cabana rental, youll receive a cabana information packet as well as wristbands to help you get access to your cabana.
Once you disembark from the ship, just proceed to the tram stop and head to either the Family Beach or Serenity Bay.
In our case, we took the second tram to Serenity Bay.
There a cabana host greeted us and shuttled us via golf cart to Cabana 23 to give us a quick rundown of the cabana as well as the amenities well receive with your rental.
The first thing you notice is how large and spacious it felt. Plus it was extremely clean and well kept.
There was plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
The outdoor patio portion included two cushioned lounge chairs and a chaise lounger.
Plus, there was even a hammock! As well as some floats and tubes.
There was also a private outdoor, freshwater shower and foot wash. To be honest, this was one of my favorite parts since you could wash off and even cool off without having to trek to the beach.
Inside the Cabana, there were some cool amenities. My favorite was, of course, the stocked fridge that included sodas, water, and cold face towels.
And there was even a basket of snacks such as chips and granola bars. .
And if you needed more, you could press this button to have a cabana host come to you.
And more towels.
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Is A Three Night Disney Cruise Worth It
Wanting to take a Disney Cruise, see the prices.. now wondering if a 3 night cruise if worth the savings? In this video I explain to you the pros and cons of a three night Disney cruise and whether or not I think it is worth it.. no matter if you are going on the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy, the Disney Wonder, or the Disney Magic! #DisneyCruisersForLife #DisneyCruisers #DisneyCruise
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**I Dont Hate Getting Mail**Disney Cruisers
So In Good Faith From What I Was Told We Booked Our Cruise And Waited
I used the time between booking and leaving for the trip to research as much as I could about the trip. I was able to find some great tips that helped our experience. I read everything I could about what my kids could do while on the boat. The more I read, the more I was impressed with what was included in the cruise: all food , all activities on the boat, childcare for kids 3+, and round-the-clock room service.
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Fun Surprises And The Guest Experience
After each evening enjoying the ships entertainment, we returned to our room to find our beds turned down and the boys bunk beds set up, and always a little surprise or two. We loved the serpent and chocolates after we returned to our stateroom from Pirate Night.
We came to know several familiar faces and felt like we were always well cared for. Customer service is so dead these days, it was refreshing to get the royal treatment!
The Extras You Get On A Disney Cruise
My favorite part about cruising is that you wake up each morning in a different country, or frolic amongst Disneys private island, Castaway Cay. This alone is so worth it to me, as you get to explore a new place and you never have to pack and re-pack!
Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is Disneys private island and it absolutely breathtaking! Many of the carribean cruises stop here at least once. The island is extremely clean and offers tons of fun things to do.
Book an excursion, or post up beach side and enjoy the day on Disneys beach chairs. The water on the island is crystal clear, and the perfect shade of turquoise.
Other things offered on the island:
- Food
- Character meet and greats on the island
- Large water slides in the water
- Snorkeling
- Excursions on the Island
- Private Cabanas
- Tram that will bring you back and forth from the ship
- Small little souvenir shops
- Safety of a private island
The Island also offers a splash pad area. If you have tiny swimmers who cant swim independently or who are intimidated to get into the ocean. You can easily head over to the splash pad and let them do their own thing! After the cruise was over my daughter talked about how the splash pad was one of her favorite parts of the whole cruise.
Disneys Kids Club
Disney offers an amazing kids club , a nursery ages 6 mo-3 years old, and even a teens club complete with its own private teen only pool. The kids clubs are open 9am all the way until midnight.
Disney Pools
Fireworks
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Disney Cruise Castaway Cay Cabana Review
Last updated on Sep 10, 2021 by Adam Bryan. This post may contain affiliate links.
If theres one experience that totally takes you Disney Cruise to the next level, its definitely renting a cabana on Disneys Castaway Cay .
These premium beach cabana are beautifully furnished and are only steps from the warm, crystal clear, blue waters of the Bahamas.
Your all day cabana rental includes:
- comfortable seating
- unlimited bottle water and soda
- fresh fruit
- snorkel equipment
- float and tubes
- sand toys
- magazines
- Cabana host
To get started, you just need to decide if you want to be on the Family Beach or Serenity Bay. Then you can start enjoying your 6-7 hours of pure relaxation and bliss.
Whats Included In A Disney Cruise
Disney cruises generally include a little more than you would get on other cruises. For example, youll get free soft drinks, ice creams and room service throughout your cruise. Those small extras can add up when you have to pay for them every day.
That said, on Disney cruises you will need to budget extra for the daily gratuity charge, alcoholic drinks and wifi. These are extra on most other cruises too, although some premium cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises include those in the cruise fare.
Your Disney cruise ticket includes:
- Accommodation on the ship
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Disney Cruise Line Entertainment
Another great value is the Disney level of entertainment. If you have been to a Disney park, you know this Disney level of service and entertainment already. The level of service, story telling, and entertainment that Disney has is unmatched. From Broadway caliber shows, to Marvel, Disney Characters, Star Wars, etc. The entertainment is off the charts. Your kids will be spoiled in the Disney Cruise Line kids clubs. We found it difficult to get our kids to leave the Disney kids clubs, they loved them that much. My daughter played hide a seek with Tinkerbell. How cute is that? The nighttime shows are family friendly and entertaining for all ages. I felt think I was able to introduce my kids to live theater in a way that they enjoyed it. There is even a fireworks show at sea. Watching fireworks from the pool deck on Disney Cruise Line is a bucket list experience you will always remember.
What Is Disney Concierge Level
Disney Cruise Lines concierge level is similar in some ways to a club level room at a Disney World or Disneyland resort hotel. Youre going to pay more in exchange for access to a lounge and extra services. However, the extras for concierge service on a Disney ship actually go much further than a club room at the Disney parks.
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To access Disney Concierge Level on a Disney Cruise, you have to book at least a verandah-level room, and even then, not all verandah rooms come with the concierge-level option. The cheapest concierge rooms Ive seen start in the mid-$3,000s for a short sailing for two people. Prices go up to tens of thousands of dollars for concierge level in larger staterooms or on longer sailings.
Those who decide to spend the extra cash will be spoiled with earlier booking dates for excursions, activities, special onboard meals and offerings, the ability to lock-in cabanas at Disney private island Castaway Cay, etc. Concierge guests also have a private lounge to utilize on the ship and special access to some extras that make sailing with Disney even more comfortable.
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Each Cruise Has A Secret Community Of Friends Hiding In Plain Sight
Ever seen those homemade decorations hanging beside neighbors doors? Theyre called fish extenders, and theyre used by a network of families who have packed small gifts, treats, and trinkets to exchange with each other throughout their trip. To get in on the fun for your next sailing, visit the DisBoards Cruise Meets forum or CruiseCritics Roll Calls.
Bottom Line: Is A Short Disney Cruise Worth The Price
In a word, yes! The level of detailMickey waffles, talking pumpkin trees, feeling like a celebrity as youre welcomed aboard by name to the sound of applauding crew membersmakes a Disney cruise worth every penny of the price. What might be more of a deal-breaker for you is whether youre OK with forgoing some of the onboard activities in favor of a more relaxing experience. Either way, a Disney cruise is worth considering, regardless of length.
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The Kids Areas Arent Always Off
Activities at Marvels Avengers Academy and Star Wars: Millennium Falcon play areas are reserved for young ones, but all kids club spaces empty out for the open house,” when anyone can wander in and check out Vibes arcade games or OceaneerLabs high-tech designs. Dont skip out on Andys Room, either, which brings “Toy Story”to life while making for incredible Instagram snaps.
Disney Character Meet And Greets On Board
Aboard our Disney Cruise we got to meet: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisey, Goofy, Chip & Dale, Cinderella, Rupunzel, Belle, Tiana, Elsa, and Anna, and Captain Hook. We knew exactly where they would be and when they would be there. We also had a few bump ins with different characters.
My understanding is that at the theme parks although the characters are out and about, it is hit or miss if you will see them, and also to meet Mickey and Minnie can take over an hour.
On the cruise, we were never in line for more than 15 minutes, and there was always some sort of something going on for the kids to stay occupied while we were waiting to see the characters. If you forgot your phone it wasnt an issue because there were always professional photographers around to snap your pictures.
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Reasons Disney Wonder Cruise Is Worth The Splurge
The family budget plays an important role in planning a family vacation. Its good common sense to save money, but other times, its just as good to live a little and splurge. Disney vacations are known for magical memories and a hefty price tag. So when deciding on a cruise vacation, is a Disney Wonder cruise worth the splurge?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy, TravelingMom may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.TravelingMom Tip: shopDisney.com just released the Disney World 50th Anniversary collection of merchandise online! Some of these limited edition items are selling fast. Check out the full list of items here.
A family vacation aboard a Disney Cruise Line is typically out of financial reach of my family. But I strongly considered the opportunity to splurge as an attendee of the 2017 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. Part of the conference included a 3-day cruise aboard the newly refurbished Disney Wonder cruise ship with my family.
At first, I couldnt help but worry. Was this a wise splurge on my part? When I do the family budget, I heavily weigh wants versus needs. In the end, on account of a very rare opportunity, I decided to go.
And I can 100% assure you that yes, a Disney Wonder cruise is definitely worth the price tag. Here are 9 reasons why I have no regrets at all for going on a Disney cruise:
Is A Disney Cruise Worth The Extra
Comparing a Disney cruise to a cheaper cruise line is a bit like comparing a trip to Disney World with a trip to your local funfair. Yes, it costs more, but its a completely different experience.
You might visit your local funfair every year and visit Disney World once in your lifetime. The same could be said for a Disney cruise compared to a cheaper cruise.
If you love Disney and want a really special experience that you will remember forever, then yes, most people who have taken a Disney cruise would say that it is worth every penny.
Many people choose to return to Disney cruises year after year as they feel that it offers a special experience thats not available with other cruise lines.
Last year I was lucky enough to interview a lady who has been on 89 Disney cruises, mostly without children
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