On a recent DIS Unlimited DCL Show, the team discussed what it’s like to cruise with young children and what you can do to make the process of planning and getting on your Disney Cruise a success! In particular, I was able to share my experience of bringing my three-year-old son, Owen, on a 5-night Disney Fantasy sailing to The Bahamas. Be sure to watch our full video on tips and thoughts on sailing on Disney Cruise Line with children!
- What’s the Perfect Age to Go on a Disney Cruise?
- How to Prepare for Cruising with Kids
- Packing for a Disney Cruise
- Do You Book on a Verandah with Little Ones?
- Introducing Your 3 – 10-year-Old to the Oceaneer Club
- What to Know About Meeting Characters Onboard
- Kids and the Onboard Pools
- Kids and the Shows/ Fireworks
Here are some of my top tips as a parent and frequently asked questions I get as a Dreams Unlimited Travel agent! As always, every family and child is unique, but here’s what I’ve found to be helpful in the process of booking all the way to getting onboard your Disney Cruise!
What’s the Perfect Age to Go on a Disney Cruise?
Children can begin sailing on Disney Cruise Line as little as 6 months old, but our team agrees that any age is the perfect time to go on a Disney Cruise! As your child hits new milestones and grows older, you will find that it only creates new memories and ways to explore the ships and the destinations.
Your baby may get to participate in the Jack Jack’s Diaper Dash, meet one of their Disney heroes, or go to the beach for the very first time. While your little one likely won’t remember these moments, you will, and we all know how precious these photos are.
As your child gets a little older, the big highlight is Disney’s Oceaneer Club for ages 3 – 10. The Oceaneer Club is highly themed and gives the opportunity to become an Avenger, fly the Millennium Falcon, train with the “Green Army Men” to become a toy, and even dance with Mickey. The best part of all is that you get to enjoy some adult time while your child is having the time of their life!
We often talk about the “Disney difference” and how Disney thinks of everything for families. Disney Cruise Line is another great example of this. For example, you can request baby items in your stateroom and at dinner for no additional fee. These include –
Items you can request before setting sail:
- Pack ‘n’ Play
- Bed rails
- A high chair or booster seat at dinner
Items you can request once onboard:
- Themed character sheets – Marvel’s Avengers or Disney Princesses
- Diaper Genie
- Bottle warmer
- Bottle sanitizer
- Distilled water
- Pureed vegetables at dinner
Once onboard, you can also find essentials available for purchase such as diapers, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, baby formula, and infant Tylenol. You can read the full list of these items with prices here.
There is often a sense of security that comes with traveling to Disney destinations. By going on a Disney Cruise, you can travel to Caribbean Islands, Disney’s own island destinations, Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, and the list goes on. You maybe normally wouldn’t feel comfortable taking on these international trips with kids, but you can rest assured that Disney has an itinerary built exactly for your family’s wants and needs.
How to Prepare for Cruising with Kids
To surprise the kids or build the excitement for the cruise? While it might sound fun to surprise the family with a Disney Cruise, part of the excitement is being able to prepare and look forward to your cruise. You can do this by creating a countdown at home and even receiving a free character call inviting your family on a Disney Cruise.
Our team also recommends watching Disney Cruise Line videos about the ship you’re sailing on. Not only will your child get familiar with the idea of cruising, but you can get them excited for specific activities on each ship. Be sure to look through our full video library here and search by which Disney ship you are sailing on. Each of the Disney ships is a little different, so looking at your exact trip will help build anticipation and set expectations.
Disney Cruise Line also even has a free downloadable kids’ guide called “My Disney Cruise Adventure Booklet.” This is a great resource to help explain what to expect on a Disney Cruise for your little first-time cruiser.
Packing for a Disney Cruise
If you’ve ever traveled with young children, you know much of a process packing is. You pack more than you ever could have imagined and yet you still forget to pack at least one thing. One of the biggest tips is to pack your essentials in a carry-on bag so that you have it easily accessible once onboard and you know it makes the flight (if you’re flying to your cruise port). Essentials could include things like diapers, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, formula, pre-packaged snacks and beverages, medications, sunscreen, and a swimsuit. Your stateroom is not typically ready until 1 pm and your luggage arrives sometimes in the 1 – 2 hours following (sometimes later). You’ll want your swimsuits to be able to enjoy the pools and the gift shop onboard will not be open yet if you need to purchase an essential item.
One other packing consideration – packing comforts from home like a favorite plush, blanket, familiar toys, sound machine for sleeping, etc. It might require extra space in your luggage or be a risk traveling with a favorite toy, but if your kid can’t sleep without it, you’ll be glad you brought it. Just be sure to keep these special toys off the upper decks and verandahs, plus put up before leaving the stateroom so they don’t get lost at sea or in the laundry.
You can also bring pre-packaged snacks and beverages for your family. These items must be in the bag you bring with you onboard. These snacks will come in handy for in the room and especially on embarkation day for times like waiting to get onboard the ship or the assembly drill when you’re trying to keep your child fed and happy!
Do You Book on a Verandah with Little Ones?
My personal opinion is yes, book the verandah. It gives you a space to enjoy after your little one goes to sleep and the safety precautions make it so that kids can’t get outside when the door is locked. Most Disney Cruise Line staterooms feature a privacy curtain between the bed and convertible sofa but having a verandah is a nice way to have a night cap, enjoy the ocean air, and be able to carry a conversation without waking up the whole family.
The safety measures for verandah rooms include a sliding door handle that locks, plus an upper lock at the very top of the verandah door. Once outside, the verandah railings are 42″ high and there is no gap at the bottom to have toys rolling off. As long as you keep the verandah door locked, there is no way your toddler could get outside without your help.
Introducing Your 3 – 10-year-Old to the Oceaneer Club
Disney’s Oceaneer Club truly is a magical place that allows kids to engage in Disney-centric activities, meet characters, and play with other kids onboard. This youth programming area is exclusive to children ages 3 – 10 and is secured with a check-in and out process so everyone is accounted and cared for while there. The Oceaneer Club is included with the cost of your cruise and is a highlight for both kids and adults (hello opportunity to enjoy a quiet pool day, trip to the spa, Palo brunch, or mixology class).
In terms of preparing for your cruise and getting onboard, there are a few things you can do make it a smooth process. First, you will want to register your child for the Oceaneer club while completing online check-in for your cruise. Online check-in can be completed 30 – 40 days before your cruise, depending on your Castaway Club status. Registering for the Oceaneer Club means designating specific people to check your child in and out, setting a secret code word as part of the check-in and out process, plus noting any allergies or concerns.
Second, we highly recommend visiting the Oceaneer Club on your embarkation day as a family. The Oceaneer Club offers open houses throughout the cruise with one always being held on embarkation day before the assembly drill/ Sail Away Party. Being able to see the space as a family and explain the process of going to the Oceaneer Club will be so helpful during that first real drop-off.
What to Know About Meeting Characters Onboard
One of the absolute best things about a Disney Cruise is the ability to meet so many characters, each day, with a minimal wait. This is especially great for kids who love meeting the characters but don’t have the patience to wait in line. And with fewer guests onboard than in a Disney theme park, you are more likely to have spontaneous interactions with the Disney characters. Plus, there’s no additional charge for most character experiences on a Disney Cruise.
There are special meet and great opportunities you can sign up for in advance, like the Princess Gathering or meeting Marvel superheroes during Marvel Day at Sea. You can book these included experiences 30 days before your cruise alongside your other onboard activities. Be sure to ask your Dreams Unlimited Travel Agent about these experiences and what to expect.
Kids and the Onboard Pools
Onboard all of the Disney ships, there are multiple family pools, a themed interactive water play area, a slide for children (38″ tall height requirement), and a more intense water rollercoaster like the AquaMouse or AquaDuck (48″ tall height requirement). While the “splash pads” onboard do not require children to be potty-trained, none of the pools and slides allow swim diapers. So if you’re traveling with a baby or toddler, your best bet is going to be the splash pad. These play areas are so fun and honestly better than any pool your little one could ask for. Your toddler will likely want to spend hours in this area of the ship!
Kids and the Shows/ Fireworks
Two of the biggest draws to cruising with Disney are the Broadway-style shows each evening and the first-of-its-kind fireworks at sea. While both of these activities seem like a no-brainer for kids, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Depending on the show, it could last as long as an hour. All of the evening productions feature Disney characters and songs, or familiar Disney stories like Frozen, Moana, and Aladdin. They are highly captivating for the entire family, but little ones may not have the attention span to make it all the way through. This is why I would recommend a seat in the upper balcony or towards the back of the theater so you can make a quick exit if needed. Like all children, my three-year-old LOVES Frozen, however, he only made it through 30 minutes of the show. Thankfully, we were seated upstairs and made a quick and quiet exit before he got too rowdy.
The fireworks at sea happen on select Disney Cruise itineraries on “Pirate Night.” Pirate Night offers a deck party and the “Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean” show, a themed pirate dinner, the opportunity to dress like a pirate (you can even get an onboard pirate makeover from Bibbi Bobbidi Boutique / The Pirates’ League), and of course, fireworks! While the fireworks might be considered a must-do, they occur between 9:45 and 10:30 pm, meaning a very late bedtime for the little ones. Just keep this in mind if this is a priority for your family!
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