So you’re thinking or curious about a Disney cruise. Before you go, you might read other blogs for Disney Cruise tips and tricks. I’m just going to share ten takeaways from our experience to consider before booking.

For reference, my family went on a four night, Disney Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral aboard the Disney Wish.

1. The Shows

The shows and performers on a Disney Cruise are INCREDIBLE. At the shows, I kept thinking, “We are on a moving ship and these performances are insane!” It was something else!

2. Family Entertainment

There are a lot of nighttime options on the Disney Cruise for family entertainment. At resorts, choices are often limited as what to do once the sun goes down and the pools close. However, the ship had several options for kids of all ages and adults to do.

3. The Service

The cleanliness and service were fantastic on a Disney Cruise! There was always someone cleaning something and the staff was so helpful, friendly, and went above and beyond. We had the same waitstaff every dinner and our waitress made origami animals with my kids each evening. The Disney Cruise staff were all about little touches.

4. Disney Cruise Dinners

The dinners were entertaining, but a tad too long. We had an 8:15 pm dinner slot time, that unfortunately, we couldn’t get changed. We felt like we paid for the dinner experiences, so we wanted to get our money’s worth. My kids adjusted and did well overall, but sometimes dinner wouldn’t end until 10:30. Kids aside, even I don’t want to be eating dinner that late.

5. The Kids Club

Lucky for us, my kids enjoyed going to the Kids Club! Plus, it was so nice that you didn’t have to make reservations ahead of time. You are able to come and go when you wanted. A huge perk!

6. Character Lines

The character lines were longer than I expected. Maybe this is standard. However, I didn’t want to spend a long time waiting for a 10 second photo op with Mickey. I also had hoped they’d have more Star Wars and Disney Princess photo opportunities, but there wasn’t. It seems like Mickey, Minnie and their gang were still the main focus.

7. Castaway Cay

Castaway Cay is Disney’s private island. It’s a nice option fora beach day with your family. You won’t have locals trying to get you to buy their stuff. However, it’s Disney’s way of getting you off the ship to spend more money with Disney. We had a fun time, but it still has a bit more of a touristy than I care for.

8. The Food

The food on the Disney cruise was not the worst, but not the best. There was good meal options during the day, but several places are closed by 2:00pm. Due to our late dinner, we ate a late breakfast. Then I wanted lighter, healthier snacking options to hold me over until dinner. This was hard to find past 2pm though.

9. The Crowds

Crowds are a part of vacation nowadays. However, I’m realizing that dealing with a lot of people on vacation isn’t ideal on vacation. And there were a lot of people to deal with on a Disney Cruise.

10. Seasick

I got seasick and didn’t feel great most of the trip. I do motion sick pretty easily. However, I thought because the Disney Cruise ship was so big, it wouldn’t effect me. Unfortunately, that not the case. Meds did help some, but I even struggled after got off the ship. My son also threw up the first night. Luckily, motion sickness medicine really made a difference for him and he was fine after.

I don’t think we’ll be signing up for another Dinsey Cruise anytime soon. However, if you are thinking of a cruise, I believe Disney is the best choice for families. It would also be a great trip to take with a few other families or as an extended family trip.

Also, a big thank you to Lauren with Wish Upon a Vacay for helping us plan this adventure! She’s a Disney agent, so there isn’t any fee to use her. She was so helpful and answered my never ending questions. Plus, she knows a few tricks when booking. She added some personal touches to our Disney Cruise that made us feel special. Thanks, Lauren!

The other night, I overhead my kids telling my mom about our Disney Cruise. It was really sweet to hear them retell the highlights from their point of view! We had fun and the time away was so nice. Plus, I love making memories as a family on vacation, because traveling together really is an adventure.

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