When traveling with kids under 3 on Disney Cruise Line, there are some tips to keep in mind.
All Disney cruise ships have a nursery on board for their littlest sailors who aren’t part of the children’s programming- ages 3 months to 36 months. On the Disney Magic and Wonder, they have Flounder’s Reef Nursery (Deck 5, aft) and on the Disney Dream and soon-to-be Fantasy, there is It’s A Small World Nursery (Deck 5, midship).
About the Nurseries
Flounder’s Reef Nursery includes:
- Baby swings
- Baby walkers
- Books
- Toys
- Games
- Quiet area, complete with cribs
- A television
- A DVD player
- Activities
It’s A Small World nursery is divided into zones and has many of the same inclusions as the other ships’ nursery. The facility consists of 3 distinct areas:
- An acclimation zone, designed to help youngsters adjust to the nursery
- A main play area, with a 3-dimensional façade of the small world attraction that’s filled with interactive features and hidden delights
- A separate room for naps that is quiet and peaceful
When to make reservations
You or your travel agent will need to schedule times in advance for your time away from baby.
- 120 days in advance for Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club Guests
- 105 days in advance for Gold Castaway Club Guests
- 90 days in advance for Silver Castaway Club Guests
- 75 days in advance for First-Time Cruisers
You are charged by the hour- $6 per hour for the first child and $5 per hour for each child after that. They do ask that you bring diapers, food and other baby items that the Cast Members will need to take care of your child.
Cancellations may be made without penalty up to 4 hours in advance of reservation.
Baby Care items
With airline baggage fees these days, it’s best to travel light, but a baby can take up a whole suitcase by themselves! Disney Cruise Line has partnered with BabiesTravelLite so you can pre-order diapers, wipes, baby food, formula and other needs you may have on board. You can also pre-order for your Resort stay before or after your cruise.
Other items you might need:
— Diaper Genie units, cribs and playpens are available complimentary upon request from the stateroom host/hostess for use during the cruise.
— Bottle warmers, bottle sterilizers and strollers are available complimentary at Guest Services for use during the cruise.
When booking, make sure you or your agent does this at least a month in advance to have everything delivered on time.
All of these amenities and services are provided to make cruising with your infant or toddler as stress-free as possible!
Linds is a Disney fanatic which started from a young age with her first Disneyland trip at 4 years old- now married and has 4 boys, she enjoys going even more! Linds blogs at Enchanting Deals about the latest Disney specials and park, dining and resort guest tips. She loves being a Disney deal expert- to help families get to Disney and save money! Also can find her on Twitter or Facebook.
Be sure to learn how to make the most of your trip by reading the Disney Cruise Training series. And if you are ready to book your trip, be sure to read about the perks of using an authorized Disney vacation planner (plus it’s FREE!).
My daughter will be 22months while my other daughter will be 5. Any tips on knowing how/when to schedule nursery time? I don’t want her to miss special shows or events but know that she won’t quite be able to keep up with us. We also have second seating. That is so late! Yikes! ;-) Thanks for any tips/advice you can offer.
They do ask that you bring diapers, food and other baby items that the Cast Members will need to take care of your child.
Hi there, what hours are the nursery open? Are they available for a “later night” for mom and dad? And do you know, do they fill up quickly?
Awesome! We were looking at a Disney Cruise around the time my son will be 2 and a half. We went as honeymooners, but we really had no idea what to expect with a toddler.
Glad to help! Let me know if I can answer any other questions!
Thank you for this great information, i have a disney cruise booked for septemer and my baby will be 6 months old. This info saved me a call to my travel agent :)
Glad it helped you! :)