My family and I recently returned from our very first Disney Cruise on the Disney Wonder and it was pure magic. The food, amenities, entertainment, service, and the immaculate ship itself were even better than we had imagined. I did a lot of research and talked to several regular Disney cruisers before the trip and learned plenty along the way. Here are nine of the most important tips I’m passing along to those first-time Disney cruisers, as well as those who haven’t been on a Disney ship in a while.
1. Utilize Facebook Groups
This is the single most important tip for first-time Disney cruisers. Every single sailing (and I mean every single one) has its own Facebook group. These are informal, unofficial groups usually started by a passenger with Disney Cruise experience for the sake of building a community before you even board. Once in the group, you can ask questions about everything from what to pack to whether there’s going to be anything for your picky toddler to eat on the ship. It is also where you go to join your ship’s “Fish Extender” group, but I’ll talk more about that later. To find your cruise group just search your cruise ship name and date of sailing. If your cruise is a ways away, someone may not have started the group yet so keep checking.
2. Bring a Carry-On Bag
Since porters will take all your luggage when you arrive at the port, you won’t be seeing your bags for at least a few hours as they’re all sorted and delivered to your stateroom. That’s why it is important to have a carry-on bag that you will have with you at all times. In it, you should include all your important travel documents and identification, medications, motion sickness remedies, swimsuits, and toiletries if you plan on hitting the pool as soon as you’re on the ship.
3. Be Aware of Motion Sickness
This was the thing I was most nervous about before our trip. I’d never been on a cruise and I didn’t want to spend it feeling sick with no escape. We tried Bonine (an alternative to Dramamine with less drowsiness), motion sickness patches (a drug-free alternative), and anti-nausea wristbands (they use acupressure to provide relief).
In a turn of bad luck, our sailing was mostly rough waters. It was so bad the piano player at the French Quarter Lounge on board was playing the theme to the movie “Rocky” at one point! Fortunately, my husband and oldest daughter felt fine despite the rough conditions. My youngest daughter and I had a little bit of nausea and a headache before heading to dinner at 5:45pm and found that of all the remedies we packed, the motion sickness patches worked best. They provided almost immediate relief with no side effects. By dessert, we were feeling fine and ready to party.
4. Fish Extender Gifts/Pixie Dusting/Rubber Ducks
If you’re a fan of spreading Disney magic like we are, you’ll want to take part in at least one of these activities.
Outside every single stateroom door on every Disney Cruise is a metal “fish” that cast members use to leave you documents, important information, even your stateroom keys. What many cruisers do is take a pocket organizer and hang it on the fish so that other cruisers can leave small gifts and trinkets in each other’s “fish extenders.” (No snacks or candy since many folks have food allergies.) If you’d like to take part in all the gift-giving (and receiving), it’s essential you join your sailing’s Facebook group where the admin of your group will usually organize a fish extender list. If you don’t want to be placed in a fish extender group, no problem! Bring a bunch of small gifts, preferably labeled with your stateroom number and name so the receivers know who they’re from, and “Pixie Dust” random guests by placing gifts in people’s pocket organizers. It was so much fun finding small trinkets at your door every day, and just as fun leaving gifts for others.
The last alternative to spreading some Disney magic is to bring with you a bunch of small rubber ducks of any kind and place them any-and-everywhere on the ship. It’s much in the style of trying to find Hidden Mickeys all around a Disney park. The difference is you can either take any rubber ducks you find home or re-hide them for others to find. Again, be sure to label them so folks know who to thank.
5. Be Prepared to Wait in Lines
Whether it was a bingo game or a meet and greet with Mickey, we quickly realized waiting in long lines wasn’t just for rides at a Disney Park. The problem is there’s no FastPass or Genie+ to help get you to the front of the line. My best tip is to ALWAYS arrive to any on-board activity or show a minimum of 15 minutes before it’s scheduled to start. You’ll find activity start times as soon as you board the ship using the Disney Cruise app, which you should download on your phone before you even arrive.
6. Splurge on the Rainforest Room
On every Disney Cruise ship is the relaxing Senses Spa and Salon. But not everyone can afford one of their luxurious spa treatments. One way to partake every day without breaking the bank is to purchase a Rainforest Room Day Pass which lasts the length of your trip. For our 4 night sailing to Mexico on the Wonder, we paid $85 per person (adults only) and had access to the saunas, showers and amenities, three rainforest showers, and their popular heated tile lounge chairs. Those chairs alone were worth it for me. It was a great way to relax and take a little time for ourselves every single day without spending too much. The catch, however, is to head to the spa as soon as you board the ship on the very first day. There are a limited number of these Rainforest Room Day Passes available on each sailing and once they’re gone, they’re gone.
7. Actual (Free!) Pixie Dust
Absolutely anyone of any age can stop by the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on board their Disney Cruise ship and kindly ask one of the cast members if they have time to pixie dust you. From there, they will give you a shield for your face, cast a spell, and dust you with a swirl of glitter from a magic wand, all for free. It’s a fun way to get a touch of the BBB experience without getting a full makeover.
8. Check Your Charges Before Disembarkation
Because they literally can’t let you off the ship until all your charges have been settled, it’s very important to either check your Disney Cruise app or stop by Guest Services to see an itemized list of all the charges that have been applied to your stateroom. These can include everything from purchases made at one of the stores onboard to that can of Ginger Ale you ordered at dinner. But wait, aren’t drinks and food included in your cruise price? Yes…but not all of them. Aside from the obvious additional charges for all alcoholic beverages, anything that comes in a separate bottle or can is an additional charge because it is considered to be from the bar. So be sure your beverage was from the soda fountain (iced tea, Vitamin Water, lemonade included) to avoid any extra charges. Once you disembark, trying to dispute a charge can be next to impossible.
9. Worthwhile Extras to Pack
No matter how diligent of a packer you are, these few extras can really make a difference on your trip. After my extensive research and a trip under my belt, a few extras I would recommend bringing with you would include:
- earplugs if you’re a light sleeper (the ship creaks more than you think)
- empty water bottles (fill them up at the soda fountain)
- a lanyard (for your stateroom key which is also used as the only form of payment on the ship)
- and some Disney-themed magnets to decorate your stateroom door (many people do).
With all of these tips, you’re sure to have a magical time on a Disney cruise. Whether you have a trip coming up or you’re considering one in the future, bon voyage!
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Have you been on a Disney Cruise? What other tips would you recommend? Please leave your comments, tips, and thoughts below!
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