Why We Love Disney Cruise Line

There is so much to love about a Disney Cruise Line vacation. When we set foot onto the Disney Wonder for our first cruise we didn’t really know what to expect. Now that we’ve taken five I think it’s safe to say that we know a thing or two about DCL, but we’re far from experts. We do, however, know what we like – and we love DCL – and today we’re going to tell you why we love it.

The Atmosphere

               

Family/Welcome Atmosphere

Disney Cruises are the perfect vacation for everyone! Young, old, families, couples – Disney fans of all ages that want to see the world and enjoy the magic of Disney while at sea. The cast members on board the ships, and in the cruise terminals make you feel welcome from the moment you arrive until the moment you depart – dreaming of your next cruise.

The Disney Magic

As you step onto the ship your family is announced for everyone already on board to hear and to welcome you. The feeling on board the ships is nothing short of magical - magic is what Disney is known for after all.

If that wasn’t enough the touches of Disney around the ships, from hidden Mickeys throughout your stateroom, to the decor around the ship make you know that you’re on a Disney cruise - but it’s not so over the top that someone that doesn’t want to be fully immersed in Disney would hate it.

*How much Disney you have is up to you. If you want a character filled, really feel like you’re at Disney experience (we do!) that can be had. Those that don’t want something over the top can have that, too.*

Rotational Dining

One of the coolest things about a Disney Cruise is that you get to try new things every night. Each of the four ships has three main dining room restaurants – each with its own theme and cuisine. As the cruise goes on you move from restaurant to restaurant, and your service team moves with you! That means that every night you’ll be in a different restaurant, with a different menu, but you’ll have the same server, assistant server, and head server. As the nights go by they’ll get to know you, and they’ll get to know what you like. If you drink the same thing every night at dinner they’ll have it standing by – but first they’ll make sure that it’s still want you would like to drink – and then they’ll bring it to you.          

Eat What You Want

Does more than one appetizer, entrée, or dessert look like something you want to try? Order more than one! Seriously, do it. We’ve done it more times than we can count. A lot of the time we, the adults, will order an entrée each for ourselves and then an additional one to split. Desserts and appetizers we like to share, so more than one each is no problem!

Not interested in what’s on the menu, don’t worry, they’ve got you covered. If it’s on the ship, they’ll get it for you. That means, if you want something that’s being served in a different dining room, no problem. On our last sailing Christian order grilled cheese and a banana – they brought it to him. Would you rather have mayo for your fries instead of ketchup? (Yeah, Christian did and still does this.) They’ll bring it. The little girl sitting with us on a pervious sailing wanted a hot dog for dinner – they went and got it. Whatever you want, as long as it’s on the ship, it’s yours.

Does your kid want something a little more grown up? Don’t worry - kids can order from the adult menu! Christian was three when we sailed last year, but that didn’t stop him from ordering roast duck and carrot cake from the adult menu.

Another thing we love is that you can take a meal back to your room for those not feeling well, or take your dessert with you! We’ve done both.

               

Quick Service Options

On the Wonder and Magic you can start your day with quick breakfast options like yogurt, pastries, and fruit, as well as scrambled eggs, cream of wheat, and oatmeal with toppings from Daisy’s Delites.

On all four ships you can enjoy pizza, sandwiches, salad, burgers, hot dogs, fruit, cookies and more on the pool deck starting at lunch time and through to dinner time.

We love all of the quick options!

Cabanas 

All four ships offer a buffet-style breakfast in Cabanas. This is where we like to start the day! Here you can feast on breakfast favorites like eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, pastries, fruit, Mickey waffles and daily specials.

Lunch is also served buffet-style and has different options to indulge in throughout your sailing. Items on our last sailing included mac and cheese, fries, chicken nuggets, pastas, ribs, rice, salads, veggies, desserts, and more. We also really enjoy heading to the back section of the buffet line for that day’s ethnic selection!

A sit-down dinner is served at Cabanas. We have not dined here for dinner, but have read, and heard, that the main dining room menu items are served here, but at a faster pace than in the main dining rooms.

Signature Dining 

If you’re 18 or older and want an upscale dining experience all four ships have that option! An Italian inspired meal is served at Palo for brunch (on sea days) and dinner on all four ships. The Fantasy and the Dream offer Palo as well as a French inspired fine dining experience for brunch and dinner at Remy.

               

These dining experiences are only for guests 18 and older, they should be booked in advance, and are not included in your cruise fare. There is also a dress code for these dining experiences.

We have enjoyed both brunch and dinner at Palo and loved it! So much food and all of it was amazing! We have reservations for Remy on our upcoming sailing.

Room Service

Hunger and don’t want to leave your stateroom? Don’t worry! Simply call room service for a tasty treat. Hearty eats like sandwiches, salad, burgers, hot dogs, wings, and chicken tenders are available. You can also satisfy your sweet tooth with treats like cookies and milk or cake at sea. Most items are included, too! Be sure to tip the person that brings your food, though.

We love ordering cake of the day to enjoy, as well as ordering cookies and milk and using the cookies to make ice cream sandwiches with the soft serve we’ll tell you all about next.  

Ice Cream

We love ice cream – a lot. One of the first things we do after boarding the ship is make our way to the pool deck for some lunch, and you can guarantee that lunch will be finished with ice cream. That’s right – there is FREE ice cream on deck! Open from lunch time until around 11pm you can get your hands on self-serve soft-serve as often as you want.

All four ships offer the opportunity to purchase smoothies from Frozone Treats. The Dream is home to Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats where you can purchase ice cream and candy treats. The Fantasy is home to Sweet On You a Mickey cartoon themed ice cream and candy shop that we’re excited to check out on our next trip to purchase a treat or two.  

Drinks

You’ll never go thirsty while you’re on board! Partake of UNLIMITED soft drinks, coffee, tea, milk, and hot chocolate at the 24 hour drink station on the pool deck!

All non-specialty and non-alcoholic beverages, even in the dining room, are included.

For a special treat combine hot chocolate and ice cream!

Characters

One of the best part of any Disney vacation is the chance to meet your favorite characters in real life. You’ll get that change on board your Disney cruise as well, and we love that!

Be on the look-out as you make your way around the ship, you never know who you might run into. That’s right, there are roaming characters. In the past we have run into Rapunzel, Olaf, Pluto who was searching for his bone, and Goofy in his PJs in the halls! We’re really looking forward to bumping into some Star Wars characters during the Star Wars Day at Sea during our next sailing.

Throughout the day, every day except the day you disembark, there are Scheduled Meet and Greet Times. All of the important information like the character, the meeting location, and the time are listed on the Personal Navigator (the paper version and the app). Keep in mind that these meet and greet typically only last about 15 minutes – be sure to arrive early for those characters you really want to meet.  

There are also special Ticketed Events. These are for experiences like meeting Anna, Elsa, and Olaf from Frozen, a Princess Gathering, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2D2 and C3P0 on Star Wars sailings, and super heroes on Marvel Day at Sea sailings.

                 

Your little ones will also have the opportunity to interact with some characters in the kids clubs! On our last sailing Christian said that he got to see Donald Duck, Jessie, and Doc McStuffins.

               

You’ll also have the chance to start off the trip with a character meet and greet before you even board the ship! We have seen Captain Mickey and sailor Minnie meeting guests in the cruise terminals.

               

For those sailings that stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, you’ll have the chance to meet characters there as well! There a few spots that characters can be found on the island – be sure to check the Navigator for times and locations.

Characters also dress up for special occasions. In addition to cruise theme (ex. Captain Mickey), you’ll also see characters dressed as pirates on Pirate Night, in tuxes on formal night, and we’ve met Princess Minnie and Daisy. For themed sailings, like Halloween on the High Seas and Very MerryTime sailings you’ll also get to meet characters in Halloween costumes and Christmas sweaters.

Kid’s Clubs

The kid’s clubs on board the Disney ships are amazing! There is a club and an activity for all ages. Every experience is different, and I have heard that some kids aren’t fans of the club, but that is not the case here. Christian LOVES the Club. He was finally old enough to go to the Club on our last sailing and before the cruise he went back and forth about whether he was going to like it or not. We took him during open house to check it out, and then dropped him off to spend some time there during our dinner at Palo. When we arrived to pick him up after dinner he asked for more time and was in the club at least once a day for the remaining days of both of our sailings!

Like I said, there is a club for every age group. It’s a Small World Nursery is available for the smallest sailors (from 6 months up to 3 years) and the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are the place to be for those ages 3-12. For the slightly older crowd Edge is just for tweens (11-14), and there’s a relaxing spot for teens as well, Vibe, for kids ages 14-17.

               

In the Oceaneer Club you’ll find fun themed rooms that offer kids the chance to play and make friends! These themed rooms include Andy’s Room, Pixie Hollow, Wandering Oakens Trading Post, Mickey Mouse, Disney Junior, Star Wars, and Marvel. Each ship’s Club and its rooms are different with things unique to that club.

Each club offers age appropriate activities and lots of fun. For example in the Club there is Marvel Avenger’s Academy, Toy Hospital with Doc McStuffins, Jessie’s Gold Chase and more. Edge offers tweens activities like video game challenges, Animation Cels, trips to the sports deck and more. And teens get to have fun, too! In Vibe offers trivia, game challenges, crafts and more.

We mentioned the nursery above - It’s a Small World Nursery is available for the smallest cruisers, ages 6 months to three years. It’s great to be able to drop the little ones off once or twice to have some grown up time. Unlike the rest of the clubs the nursery does cost extra ($9 per hour), but it’s totally worth it. Little ones can nap, play, and make new friends! Time slots should be booked in advance.

If you’re worried about whether or not your kids will be safe in the clubs or the nursery rest assured that Disney is amazing when it comes to safety and security. Children under 8 must be checked in and out by someone at least 13 years old. They can also only be checked out by those on list of authorized people and a secret word will also need to be given at pick up. In addition to that kids wear Magicbands while they’re in the club that must be scanned to enter or exit the club and allows cast members to know where your little one is while in the club.

Check out the kid’s clubs during Open House! On Embarkation Day the Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Edge, Vibe and the nursery all have open house. During this time, up until about the first dining seating, any one, not just kids, can walk around, explore, and play in the clubs. This is a great time for parents to see where their little ones will mostly be spending most of their time, and for kids to see it all too, so that they can get used to it, especially if this is their first time being old enough for a club and are a little apprehensive. It is also great for littles one to see what they have to look forward to when they move into the next age group! (For example your 2.5 year that’s not old enough for the Club/Lab, but can’t wait for their chance on your next sailing.)

Keep an eye on your Personal Navigators as well, the four clubs have Open House throughout the remainder of the sailing during scheduled activities where everyone can get in on the fun!

*Keep in mind that while Open House is happening you cannot drop your child off at that Club. After the initial open house period if the Oceaneer Club has open house the Oceaneer Lab will be open for secure programming.

*Open House is the only time that you can take photos and videos in the clubs.

Pools

What’s a cruise vacation without a trip to the pool? All four ships have a family pool and a smaller pool that is great for those not quite comfortable with swimming yet. There is also a splash area for kids and adults to play, and a splash area for the little ones as well.

Children must be potty trained to enter the pools, however those that are not potty trained may enjoy the Nemo, Dory, or Nephew’s Slash zones. Those that are not potty trained must wear swim diapers to play in the splash areas.

In addition to the pools each ship has at least one waterslide! The Wonder has the Twist ‘n’ Spout, the Magic has the Twist ‘n’ Spout as well as the AquaDunk, the Dream and Fantasy both have Mickey’s Slide as well as the AquaDuck water coaster!

Adults get a chance to relax and enjoy some peace at their own adult only pool as well.

  

Castaway Cay 

Castaway Cay is Disney Cruise Line’s private island. It is a port of call on most Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries and has so much to offer! You’ll find enough chairs and umbrellas for everyone on the family beaches. And those that are 18 and older that are hoping for a little quiet time can find that and more at Serenity Bay, the adult only beach.

In addition to swimming and snorkeling the beach area as has an over the water playground and two water slides.

Away from the beach there’s a place for beach volleyball, basketball, bike rentals and more. There is also a splash pad tucked away for little ones to splash and play without the sand.           

For those kids that just can’t get away from the clubs the island has one of its own - Scuttle’s Cove. This club is for those that visit the Oceaneer Club and Lab on board.

               

If you’re like me and like to work out while on vacation then the Castaway Cay 5K is for you! Run or walk on the 5K path around the island and earn a medal to take home with you. The event is open to all cruisers ages 10 and up and is FREE! This is one of my favorite parts of visiting the island!

And don’t worry, you won’t go hunger here! Castaway Cay we basically an extension of the ship and that means that quality food and lots of it is served at two locations near the family beaches and one by the adult beach. Lunch is served buffet-style and there are SO many options. We have seen, and tried, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, sandwiches, fish, salads, chips, desserts, and more. Just like on the ship you’ll also find a beverage station, a soft serve station, and a stand of delicious fresh fruit! We LOVE eating lunch on the island.

Pirate Night 

Pirate Night is a celebration of all things pirates and Disney. Everyone loves Disney pirates! Pirate night is included on most Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries.

Throughout the day you’ll find characters, like Mickey and Goofy dressed in pirate garb for meet and greets!            

On longer sailings the dining rooms also celebrate the occasion with a special pirate menu – yum!

               

The night ends with a Pirates in the Caribbean Deck Party that celebrates pirates, dancing, and ends with fireworks! There is also a pirate buffet to fill up your bellies before returning to your room.  

Themes 

In addition to the amazing regular sailings Disney Cruise Line also has special themed sailings! These include Halloween on the High Seas where you’ll find characters dressed in Halloween costumes and trick-or-treating and Very MerryTime sailings with Christmas decorations, characters in sweaters, and a giant tree and gingerbread house!

Select sailings on the Magic include Marvel Day at Sea, a celebration of characters from the Marvel Universe! And select sailings on the Fantasy include Star Wars Day at Sea, a celebration of all things Star Wars! Our next sailing is a Star Wars Day at Sea sailing! We’re so excited to experience it all – Christian LOVES Star Wars – and share all about it when we get back.

Service

The Walt Disney Company is known for their service, and the Disney Cruise Line branch of the Disney Company is no different. Every cast member is kind, courteous, and ready to help you with anything you might need. From the person scanning Key to the World cards when you board the ship, to the dining room staff, to the stateroom hosts, to the officers everyone is willing and reading to point you in the right direction and/or make sure you have whatever it is that you need to make your day and your trip that much more magical.

Fish Extender

We participate in the Fish Extender Gift Exchange for the first time on our last sailing and we really loved it! We’re signed up for it, as well as Candy Exchange and Recipe, on our next sailing and waiting for the sign ups to open on the sailing after that. So what is it? Outside of the stateroom doors there is a fish that Disney uses as a place to put important things like your reminder about Palo, or an invitation to activities. Guests make or purchase a Fish Extender (an extender of the fish) which can be a basket, a bag, or a pocketed hanger (we made one of these!) that is used to exchange gifts with others in your group. We receive a lot of really cool gifts on our last sailing and our looking forward to our next one! It’s a lot of fun, and you can get a good work out in walking around to deliver your gifts to others in your group, and coming back to your room to new gifts is amazing!

Movie Theater

Each ship has a movie theater where you can sit back and enjoy a movie without having to pay extra. Disney movies, including first run movies are played throughout your sailing! You can purchase movie snacks outside the theater, or you can bring snacks or a meal with you! We brought burgers with us from the pool deck to see Coco on our sailing last year.

               

 Shows

In addition to movies in theater, you can also take in a live show. That’s right, Broadway-style shows, right on the ship. And it’s all included! We haven’t made it to theater for a show yet, but we’re hoping to be able to on our upcoming sailing. If you can’t make it to the theater you can watch a pre-recorded version in the comfort of your stateroom!

               

Personal Navigator (and App)

Stay in the know about what’s going on all around the ship with the ship’s daily newsletter/schedule the Personal Navigator. A paper version is left in your stateroom each night during turn down – or left on the fish outside your room if for some reason you’re in the room (for example if someone is sick). Each activity that will be taking place (character meet times, open houses, trivia, etc.) as well as the times that bars, pools, restaurants and more will be open are listed. The schedule is broken down in 15 minute increments.

               

In addition to the paper version there is also an app available for smart phones! The app has everything that the paper version has, but it also always guests to chat with others on board. Dining room menus are also included on the app. We used the app a lot on our last sailing to see what was going on in the next hour or two, but also to chat when we weren’t at the same place. One time that the chat really came in handy was when Christian wanted to meet Mickey right before our dining time. Christian and I waited in line while Howard went to the dining room to let them know that we would be on our way soon. We were also able to look at the menu on the app and using the chat let Howard know what we both wanted to eat and he was able to place our orders before we even left the meet and greet line.

                               

Exercise Opportunities

Vacations, especially cruises, are all about indulging. If you’re like me and LOVE to eat but don’t want to come home ten pounds heavier there are a lot of opportunities to work out.

Each ship has a fitness center that offers cardio and weight machines as well as free weights and classes. Keep in mind that most classes cost extra. I love to go to the gym early when it first opens up (6am) to get a run in if the ship is going to be coming into port. The gym is also pretty empty while in port. The fitness center is open from 6am - 10pm, except embarkation and disembarkation day, for guests 18 and older.

By far my favorite place to work out onboard, though, is on the running/jogging track. Located on deck 4 of all four ships it offers the chance to run outside, and if you’re out early, see the sun start to rise. This is a great place for the whole family to go for a walk, or a run, together.

And as mentioned earlier, sailings that have Castaway Cay as a port of call offer the opportunity to take part in the Castaway Cay 5K. It’s a great way to get a run in, see the island, and get a free medal for completing it!

In addition to these options we also like to take the stairs whenever possible.

Itineraries 

The places that Disney sails is another thing we love. There are so many options – departure ports and ports of call around the world, the cruises starting at two nights and some as long as fourteen nights! Check out this post to see all of the amazing places that Disney sails to!

Relaxation

One of the best parts of a cruise vacation is the chance to relax! I’m not very good at relaxing at home – I’ve always got something keeping me busy. Once we’re on the ship, though, I take every chance I can get to sit back and enjoy the freedom to do nothing. There are so many places to relax – lounge chairs on the pool deck, the lounges, in the hot tub, if you’re over 18 the adult only area is a great place to relax. My favorite spot, though, is on deck four, just watching the water as we sail by, enjoying the breeze and not having a care in the world.

Adult Only 

We also love to get away to the adult only section of the ship for a little while on each sailing. Each ship had lounges that are for 18 and only after 9pm (under 18 is allowed before 9), as well as the fitness center and spa, an adult only pool, adult only excursion and activities on the ship, and Serenity Bay on Castaway. Our favorite adult only opportunities include the fitness center, Quiet Cove (the adult pool), and the adult only signature dining opportunities.  

As you can see, there are many, many reasons to love Disney Cruise Line! What’s holding you back from your first, or next, cruise with Disney?! If you’ve sailed with Disney before let us know why you love DCL!

Are you ready to start planning your next vacation?! I’d be happy to help you plan a trip to just about anywhere in the world, on land or sea! Contact me at miriyawhitaker@worldofmagictravel.com for your FREE quote and to get started! For more Disney and travel information follow me on Facebook.