Are you considering a Disney Cruise Line voyage for your family? Or perhaps you have already booked and now you are in the planning process. Regardless, your family is in for a magical voyage at sea on one of the most family friendly cruise lines! A Disney Cruise can be the best family vacation ever. No phones or internet to distract you, all inclusive cruising, no boredom, and no worries on what you are having for dinner because it’ll be ready for you! Planning a cruise is much different than planning your time in the Disney Parks. There isn’t nearly the planning that goes into it, but at the same time you want to be prepared! Today I am going to share with you some Disney Cruise Line Tips for a Magical Voyage!
We are traveling with young children, but we are assigned the late seating for dinner. Can this be changed? It is possible that you can change to Main Dining. On Disney Cruise Line, there are two dining times. 5:45 PM is the Main Dining and 8:15PM is the Late Dining. These both have their ups and downs, so if you have late dining, that isn’t a bad thing. When you have late dining, you get to see the live show before you eat. Also, around 9PM, the CastMembers from the kids clubs will come and take the children from the table, if they are finished, to go and play while you finish eating. The earlier time, while much easier on the schedule, can be louder and more crowded. So if you want a slightly calmer experience, the late seating may be the better option If you want to change your time, visit Guest Services when you board. They may be able to switch your dining time for you.
What is “rotational dining”? This means that instead of dining in the main dining room every night, you get to eat someplace different! Disney Cruise Line is the only line that does rotational dining. Throughout your cruise, you rotate amongst three restaurants, staying with the same server and dining party the whole time. The change of scenery for meals can be an awesome addition to your trip!
What happens if I don’t book an excursion before I set sail? Many guests like to book their excursions when they are 75 days from sailing. Some excursions fill up, some don’t. But, if you are unsure what you want to do, you can visit Guest Services on the ship and see if there spots available on the excursions. Another option is to enjoy the ship while everyone else is off the boat participating in an excursion. This is a GREAT time to do the water slides, and other onboard activities with less crowds.
Will we meet characters on Disney Cruise Line? Absolutely! In fact, this is a great time to see characters in many of their fun costumes. On Pirate Night, everyone is in their pirate gear, including Mickey and Minnie! Princesses can be found for many meet and greets….or even just wandering the halls on Disney Cruise ships. Be sure to have your autograph book and camera handy so you can get some fun autographs and photos! Some sailings may even have a character dining option!
What are some fun ways to make our cruise extra special? Many guests on DCL like to decorate their stateroom door with fun Disney magnets. You can find plenty of tutorials for making these yourself, or even Etsy shops sell them. Fish extenders are another great option! If you have connected with other families on your cruise through a FB group, you may know what Fish Extenders are. These are hung on the outside of your door. You make or purchase small gifts for another family or a group of families, on your sailing. Then during the course of your voyage, you visit their doors and put the little gifts in their Fish Extender. Super fun!
Are your ready for your next Disney Cruise Line voyage? Or maybe you are embarking on your first! You are in for a fantastically magical time!
Are you ready to plan your next family vacation? Contact one of our amazing Dream Team Travel Agents!