disney cruise tips and ultimate review guide for families

Last year, after months of planning, we set sail as a family on our very first Disney Cruise! And wow – there is so much to say. Already I’ve had a ton of questions, and I’ve been taking meticulous notes to tell you all about it, and give you the very best (and most thorough) Disney Cruise tips – especially for beginners.

So, how is it? Does it live up to the hype? Is it worth the cost? Curious minds want to know, and I’m happy to spill all the details, in hopes it helps when you’re planning for your own vacations.

Today’s post is all about the family experience (centering around you and your kids). You can also check out my Disney Cruise tips and review for adults, as well as my ladies’ perfect packing list (guys and kids can use it too, with a few tweaks).

About Our Trip

We sailed on the Disney Fantasy. Ours was a 7-day cruise through the Caribbean, with stops at Tortola, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas.

We traveled as a family of four, with two kids ages 4 and 2. We also traveled with extended family, which includes older kids, so I think we had a pretty roundabout view of the kids programs.

This is the most thorough Disney Cruise review I can give, and it’s a lot! I broke it down as much as possible – let me know if you have further questions.

Planning and Packing

Disney provides so much for your comfort. The staterooms are well-designed and almost everything you need is available.

The first thing you should do is look up the Facebook group for your specific Disney Cruise (look up by the dates). They are full of people with a range of experience who kindly and supportively answer your questions. It’s also a little information-overload sometimes – fair warning 🙂 Thank you to our group, who sent Disney Cruise tips and suggestions to include in this post!

Also, sign up for activities (some free) and excursions AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE online. I mean, at midnight, people. Don’t wait – everything goes fast.

To Bring

- Stroller and baby carrier, if you need those
- Lanyards with business card holders for your “Key to the World” room key (kids need ones too)
- Sippy cups or water bottles
- Any night time comfort items like a stuffed animal, pacifier, or blanket.
- Unexpected items: Poopouri and dollar store tea lights. Tea lights are left in the bathrooms overnight, to act as a nightlight and keep from disturbing everyone else with the big bright light (since light switches are on the outside of the bathroom).

Don’t Necessarily Bring

- Pack-n-plays or diaper genies (available onboard for free).
- Shampoo, conditioner, and soap. I really like the H2O shower products available on board, and didn’t end up using my shampoo and conditioner from home at all. You may want to bring tear-free shampoo for the kids.
- Towels for your room and for the beach. There are plenty onboard.

Dinner Theme Nights

Theme nights include the following (as of this post): a pirate night, a formal night, a couple semi-formal nights, and some just casual or whatever you’d like. Make sure to pack accordingly for your Disney Cruise itinerary!

Fish Extenders – An Onboard Gift Exchange

There is an option through your Facebook group to sign up for what they call “Fish Extenders”, which is basically a gift and treat exchange with other families. With two small kids, and already feeling overwhelmed, we didn’t sign on for this this time, but I think with older kids it is a fun option with lots of surprises to be had!

Staterooms

We had deluxe family oceanview staterooms with verandahs. Disney worked their magic and put us next to each other on the ship on the 10th floor, which was perfect for us – one floor below deck, with pools, buffets and drinks. Super convenient – I’d request it again.

The amount of space was perfect for four. The room includes a queen-sized bed, as well as bunk beds that literally disappear during the day so you have a couch and sitting room area.

We really found the shelves, closet space, drawers, clothesline in the shower, and hooks on the walls to be sufficient for our needs. We didn’t need to pack any extra space-saving items. The bed is tall enough that you can store your luggage underneath.

Two daily housekeeping services – morning and evening. Shout out to our awesome stateroom hostess, Carol! We ran into her often, and she was so sweet.
Request a pack-n-play and diaper genie if needed.
Use any card with a magnetic strip to insert in your room lightswitch, and leave it in there the whole time, so you don’t forget your room key as you leave. (An old gift card works great!)
There is a lock above the door on the verandah, which we utilized often, because even our youngest could open the door.
It’s a Disney Cruise tradition to decorate your doors with magnets (you can look up examples online), which is fun and helps identify your room.
The room has a TV, which includes almost Disney’s whole catalog of movies (It’s tempting to just sit in your room and watch movies the whole time. No judgment here.)

The Ship

The Fantasy is a beautiful ship with art deco details and design everywhere. It took us a few days to get used to the layout, but crew is always nearby to help.

There is SO MUCH TO DO. You can fill your days as much or as little as you want. There is a schedule of activities for all ages.

It’s astounding how clean the ship is. Bathrooms are constantly cleaned, halls are sparkly, the pool area is well-attended. There are many bathrooms and places to stop and sit.

The ship is incredibly accessible and disability friendly.

Although we did not experience this personally, many people in the Facebook group commented on the attention to those with disabilities, the accommodating staterooms, and the helpful staff. One gentleman even commented that he felt the staff was incredibly inclusive and did not treat his needs as problems.

The kids areas are awesome.

- The Oceaneer’s Club and Lab are FREE for potty-trained kids ages 3 and up. They have both secure (no non-counselor adults allowed) times and open house hours, when the whole family can join in on the fun.
- The nursery program is an extra cost ($4.50 per half hour for your first child, as of the date of this post), and you do need to reserve time there. But there is a lot of availability, and they are very flexible.
- Kids programs send messages if your child wants to be picked up, or even just to let you know everything is okay.
- There is a ton to do, from movies to games to crafts. There’s pirate makeup and Jedi training and Andy’s room (from Toy Story) and fairy crafts. The counselors are friendly and take note of every need.
- They have activities through midnight, and older kids can check themselves in and out.

Special Experiences

There are a lot of experiences you can add to your itinerary for an additional cost. One is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (here’s a friends’ guide to the boutique at the park) – a spa-like experience including dress-up costumes with packages for both boys and girls. They were a significant enough cost for us that we didn’t sign on for them for our young kids, but we saw a lot of happy princesses and knights around the ship who had been to BBB.

Other Things to Note

There are spots with Disney magic and detail all around the ship. I won’t give it all away, but make sure to take the mid-ship elevators with windows at least once, and to check out the steering wheel on the fifth deck next to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Everything is so efficient. Food appears on your table before you even notice it, cabins change quickly twice a day, and messes and problems see resolve so quickly. A wine glass broke at dinner one night, and it was handled so quickly and gracefully, it was like magic.
There is not a constant up-sell. Sure, they advertise here and there. But unlike another cruise I was on, they aren’t barraging you with “buy now! Great deals!” all the time.
There are a LOT of screens, everywhere on the boat. It was a little sensory overload for my kids at some points.

The Crew

The crew is incredible, and the service impeccable. Employees are always upbeat, friendly and welcoming. They are constantly opening doors, saying hello, interacting with the kids, asking if they can help. (Pretty sure an incognito Mary Poppins asked us if we needed assistance one day, and I might have been a little starstruck.)

It’s amazing, reassuring, and maybe just a little bizarre that they recognize you on various days, and many call you by name. But you have to admire their efficiency, and how they truly go above and beyond to make your experience magical.

One Facebook group member noted that the cast and crew “know the value of 5 minutes,” meaning that they will stop what they are doing to assist you or even just to interact with you. It really makes you feel special and valuable.

Meal Times

The food. Is. Delicious. You can absolutely pay an extra fee for the higher-end dining opportunities, but I honestly couldn’t see how it would get better from what was offered in the restaurants – lobster, steak, desserts – so many good things.

Places to Eat

Three main restaurants (2nd and 3rd levels, close to the lobby)
Two specialty (extra fee) restaurants
Large buffet on deck
Three a la carte windows on deck
Fountain drinks and coffee midship on the pool deck
Ice cream forward on the pool deck

Dining Tips

Sign up for the early dinner option every night, as soon as it is available online, if you have young kids. (Ours was 5:45; I don’t think we would have made it to the 8:30 dining option.)
Bring your own water bottles and cups to refill. A Yeti or similar hot/cold container is ideal. Refill as much as you want at the fountains, just avoid touching the cup to the dispenser.
Dinner servers stay with you the whole week, and learn your preferences. Ours were Ashley and Adi, and they were fabulous. So engaging with our table, leaving us puzzles to try and showing off “magic” tricks. They went above and beyond.
The kids receive a small activity book and menu each night and crayons, which really do occupy them until it’s time to eat.
Every night’s menu is different and comes with enough options for you to pick something you’ll really enjoy. Order whatever you want, in whatever combination. (Some days I ate a full four-course meal; others I went lighter and ordered a few of the smaller plates.)
You can eat at the restaurants anytime for breakfast or lunch, all included.
There is very little plastic on board the ship, unless it’s reusable, which is very forward-thinking. But so you know, it does mean paper straws, and no kid cups with lids, so again, bring your own sippy cups and water bottles if your kids need them.

Entertainment

There is quite a range of shows and activities on the ship.

Live music plays in the Atrium (the “lobby” of the ship) every night before and after dinner. The musicians are super talented.
Arrive early to live shows to get seats, especially with a group.
My kids were enthralled by the live shows. However, as an adult, I found the stories a little too cheesy for my taste. More recent trips seem to have Broadway-style shows like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast – I would have loved to have seen one of those.
There are a couple on-deck dance parties, like the initial sailing away party, and the pirate night event. But it can be loud and overwhelming with young kids. You may want to consider the upper deck 12 instead of the pool deck, where it’s a bit quieter and has less people.
Don’t miss the Pirate Night Fireworks!! It was later at night (10:30pm), so my kids missed it, but the older kids and the grown-ups loved it (while someone acted as a babysitter for the littles).
Join the character dance party in the Atrium on one of the last nights! Our kids got to dance with Mickey and Minnie and more, and we all loved it.
There’s a movie theatre on board where you can watch the most recent releases. We were able to see both Captain Marvel and Dumbo on the ship! It’s definitely a fun perk.

Pools

There are two big pools on deck, and numerous smaller ones for family use as well as adult-only areas with pools. There’s also two splash pads, which my younger kids loved. And finally, the Aquaduck, a water slide ride that goes around the top of the ship. It’s a little trippy to go through and see everyone below you!

You’re not supposed to reserve deck chairs, but people do, as early as 7am. So, if you want to grab your own space, go early. And please, for the sake of everyone else, be courteous, and remove your items if you won’t actually be sitting in the chair long.
The older kids in our party were the only ones who really dove into the bigger pools on deck, but they didn’t enjoy them much – so many people meant they were dragged under a few times.
Again, there are plenty of towels on board. You don’t need to bring any.
There’s a giant screen on deck where they play Disney movies all day! It’s fun to grab a seat in the shade and just enjoy the movie for a while.

Excursions

Can I be totally honest with you? My favorite days were spent on the ship. Sure, it’s cool to visit new places. And Disney has their own lovely island called Castaway Cay. But with two small kids, we had much better luck with the ship than trying to navigate islands. There is always a bunch of activities offered on board, even on island days.

Other Notes

Download the Navigator app. It needs a lot of refreshing, but it gives you the whole schedule, and allows you to send messages to people in your party.
Laundry costs about $7 a load, for washing, drying, and a detergent packet. The Navigator App will tell you when it’s ready, but you may want to set a timer, too.
Photographers are very kind about letting you snap your own picture with characters! For professional photos and photos with backdrops, consider buying prints or a package.
You can definitely meet characters, but like at the parks, you will be waiting in line. However, we found the wait to not be too over the top. Arrive early for best chances.

Overall, we had an incredible experience. Disney Cruise lines truly seem unparalleled in their service, attention to detail, cleanliness, and dining. The staff will go above and beyond for your experience to be a memorable and personal one. Again, the shows didn’t totally wow me, but there were plenty of activities, live music, and movies available that definitely did.

Phew – I think that’s everything! Any questions you have about the trip? Or Disney Cruise tips you might like to add from your own experience?