The school year is beginning to creep up, and you’re looking at your calendar…time to start mapping out the trips you want to take for the year!
You’ve done Disney a handful of times already; clearly, you’re hooked on the magic, smitten with the Disney family experience.
But, you’re beginning to feel the itch for something a little different.
Fellow Disney lovin’ mamas – can you relate?
If this sounds familiar, no doubt the thought of a cruise with Mickey and Minnie has crossed your mind! The next obvious vacation may just be the unique option Disney Cruise Line offers, pairing the magic of Disney together with an all-inclusive family experience on the high seas.
If you are like me, though, as you begin to research, you quickly realize that Disney cruise pricing is a bit steeper than your average commercial cruise line.
Why the steeper price tag?
And the million-dollar question – Is it worth it?
This is what I set out to answer when my family took our first Disney Cruise in February 2022.
My easy conclusion: Disney just does it differently. They stand apart from any other family vacation here on land, and on sea it is no different! Our cruise was one of the most precious and memorable family trips we have ever taken, and I am already plotting a way to get my kids back on a Disney ship.
Let’s dive into the top ten reasons that Disney Cruise Line stands out as a cut above the rest, and why we find it to be worth every penny! Already have a Smart Moms travel agent to book your cruise? Then you are in great hands! If you don’t have someone to help you, then fill this out and I’d love to start chatting all things Disney.
- Countless character interactions and meet & greets… Seriously, an overwhelming amount! Many think that heading to the Disney parks is the best route to get interaction with their favorite Disney friends, and it is true that there are many to be seen (and hugged!) in Disney World and Disneyland. However, this frequently requires extra expenses for character meals (a price tag of $45+ per person each meal can add up FAST!), or long lines for these attractions taking up hours. On the Disney Cruise ship, it feels like practically every hour there is a new character encounter, and there is no waiting! In the atrium, on the pool deck, disembarking the ship on their private island…Mickey, Minnie, and friends are found in abundance!
If you also know your children particularly dig specific characters that come from Pixar, Marvel, or the Star Wars enterprise, then you also may want to look into the special themed days at sea that are offered on select sailings where guests enjoy one-of-a-kind entertainment, unforgettable character encounters, and special additional offerings. Not sure which ships or which sailings offer these special days? Our cruising specialists can help give you this specific guidance!
2. Castaway Cay – Disney’s private Bahamian island is a sight to behold. As we pulled up to the island, my family could already see the Disney details and my kids were bouncing off the stateroom walls to deboard and get in that white sand and clear waters. It is an impressively beautiful and serene excursion and one we enjoyed even more than Nassau the day before. My husband even said he would have preferred two days at Castaway Cay (which some of the Disney cruises allow for!).
One of the best parts of this destination is that it is set strictly for the ship’s passengers, so the privacy is real. Plenty of beach space, lots of island activities to participate in that do not require crowded lines and upcharges, and it even includes a delicious bbq buffet lunch. We loved being able to leave our wallets aboard and just enjoy the day soaking up the sun! And when done, it is a quick walk to the ship to your stateroom to shower off. The literal definition of easy breezy!
3. Multiple themed restaurants – Disney is the only cruise line that allows you to experience multiple themed restaurants aboard while you rotate through the ship each night of the voyage. Whether you are dining in the Enchanted Garden inspired by the lovely gardens of Versailles or adventuring into Rapunzel’s Royal Table with its fun fairytale twist decor, the Disney details are real, and we looked forward to a new experience each day that brought variety and anticipation. My kids’ favorite was Animator’s Palate, where Crush the turtle (from the Finding Nemo series) appeared next to our table (via an interactive screen), and he held a 5-minute conversation with us, inviting my husband to stand up and make whale sounds. This may have been our favorite memory of the whole journey! And no worries about losing the intimacy of getting to know your wait staff – they travel with you, and their top-notch service follows as they remember and cater to your family and preferences.
4. Kids Clubs – Disney’s incredible kids’ program is unmatched, and their camps and youth lounges take up nearly an entire deck of the ship! With five age delineations (including a nursery!), there are multiple rooms and play areas that cater to every age, and they include character experiences (of course!), dance parties, video games that mimic their favorite Disney movies, dress-up, crafts, and so much more. The cast members who run the program are absolutely phenomenal, and they make huge efforts to remember your children after their visit, which makes the kiddos’ time in the camp something they will not want to leave. Really, no joke! We had to drag our girls away, reminding them they had to spend time with mom and dad, too! Despite this – I have to admit, the private one-on-one adult time with my husband made me grateful they had fallen so in love with their counselors!
5. Fireworks – Ok, this one is pretty special… Imagine staring out into the night sky, with miles and miles of ocean in front of you, when suddenly BOOM! A brilliant, sparkling firework takes off overhead as familiar Disney tunes pipe through the deck. It feels like a true Disney finale to the night, but even more special with the sea wind blowing through the air. I was moved to tears in this special moment on our cruise, with my arms around my kids watching the nighttime spectacular off the starboard. Truly a one of a kind moment!
6. Shows – Sure, most cruise lines provide nighttime entertainment, but nothing compares to the elaborate, Broadway-style, Disney-themed shows that the cruise line produces. On our ship, the Dream, they were running Beauty and the Beast, an acclaimed and award-winning production. This was no surprise because it really was as good as seeing a live performance in New York City, in my opinion. We loved it so much we went to see it twice! It was my girls’ first foray into the world of “Broadway,” and now they seem hooked!
7. Room Accommodations – Another impressive piece of our voyage was the living space. Having been on various cruises in the past, our stateroom blew me away with how spacious it was. Its cleanliness was pristine and felt incredibly up-to-date, and we even saw the Disney details woven into unexpected spaces. Ready for the best part of the room that is different from other standard cruise staterooms? A split bathroom where a toilet and sink area is separated from the shower/bathtub, as well as a second sink. We happened to also have a verandah category room, and there was nothing better than enjoying my Joffrey’s specialty coffee while watching the sunrise over the ocean each morning. Perfection!
8. Food – To be frank, I have been on cruises where the meals were unexciting, and though it was nice we didn’t have to worry about charges for the included dining, the food was not exactly something we looked forward to. On the contrary, on the Disney cruise every bite, every snack, and each meal was incredibly delicious, beautifully presented, and an experience we anticipated with gusto each day. There were always options at any point in the day, whether we were enjoying a table service breakfast with fresh juices to start the morning, a buffet luncheon including fresh seafood followed by a Mickey ice cream bar, or the more formal options offered in their dining rooms each night. There are also exclusive adult-only restaurants that can be booked in advance, too (ask your travel agent to help you secure this!). One last piece worth the mention – soda, coffee, and tea are unlimited too, unlike most other cruise lines that have upcharges for these indulgences.
9. Water coasters! Unlike other cruise lines, Disney offers a ride-through experience whisking you in a transparent, acrylic tube which is part of their primary waterslide on a two-person raft. It swings riders thirteen feet off the side of the ship, one hundred feet over the ocean water, and plummeting down a funnel. Even cooler? Kids in the ‘tween’ section of the ship have a viewing porthole to watch swimmers fly past!
And new to Disney’s most recent fleet addition on the Disney Wish is the Aquamouse, with the same type of water coaster, now deemed as the first “attraction at sea” which immerses riders in the Mickey Mouse short movie called “Scuba Scramble”. Expect brief videos and movie scenes as you ride!
10. Seasonal Sailings An additional one-of-a-kind experience Disney offers are the seasonal sailings for Halloween and Christmas. During the fall months, patrons can opt for a Halloween on the High Seas themed cruise or the Very Merrytime Cruises in November and December. Regardless of what is selected, you will experience ghoulish delights or festive fun with specially crafted activities and scheduled events (including themed costumed characters!), all sure to delight sea-goers young and old.
Overall, we found Disney is 100% worth spending a bit more on their cruise ships as compared to others because pixie dust and magic are experienced without having to visit the hustle and bustle of the parks – all in a much more intimate setting. The piece my family appreciated the absolute most was feeling Disney-immersed without the need for massive pre-planning that sometimes comes with a larger, more detailed parks’ itinerary and week. Once you step aboard a Disney cruise ship, the vast majority of the trip is already planned, and you can go about the voyage at a relaxed pace, knowing that the cast members will take care of every detail for you. And these cast members, just like those in the parks, are second to none and every bit as magical as on land! We felt like VIP guests practically everywhere we went, and it is clear they train their crew with the most exemplary expectations for their guest experience.
The one piece worth noting before you embark on planning a cruise is that in today’s current climate, there are still health parameters and policies to keep in mind that are cruise-wide regulations across all cruise companies. There is a lot to navigate and keep up with, so please know you do not have to go it alone. I – and the many travel specialists with our sister company Smart Moms Travel- would be more than glad to assist you in booking and preparing for this type of epic voyage. And remember, a travel specialist’s support is absolutely free to you when you book your trip with us!
Ready to cruise into some magic this year?Let’s get started! Click here to start exploring the best options for your family!
