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Top Tips for Your Disney Cruise

Paige Francis

Great insight and ideas from CLÁUDIA BOMFÁ CALDAS:

    • You can order a Shirley Temple (Sprite with cherry) or Roy Rogers (Coke with cherry) for free for dinner. and they will bring a plate of cherries to eat with your Shirley Temple.
    • On the Dream, Vanellopes will deliver their amazing ice cream sundays to the main dining room for dessert. The cost is the same as if you just get it in the shop. No additional charge for delivery. The cost was very minimal anyway, we had the largest sundae they make and i think it was only 10 or 15 dollars and enough for 6 people.
    • They have free cakes/pastries in Cove Cafe and you don’t have to buy a coffee/drink to get them – just help yourself! (Adults only.) The specialty frappes/cold coffees at Cove Cafe can be made without coffee.
    • If you or your kids are too tired to attend the live shows you can watch them in your stateroom on the television. Just be aware that those were taped, they aren’t live. So if you get to know the entertainment cast as we usually do, you most likely won’t see your current cast if you watch it on the TV.
    • Watch a sunset or sunrise. It will tell you sunrise and sunset times each day on your navigator.
    • If you think there is any chance at all you might want to cruise again, book a placeholder. You can cancel with no penalties so it’s a win win. MAKE SURE to book your next Cruise (Trust me on this you’ll have to have one…you’ll see) or Placeholder WHILE on board (recommend not waiting till the Last night-VERY Busy). You get 10% off, $100 or $200 OBC, and only have to put 10% or 20% Down (depends on Cruise length on amounts) Placeholder is $250 Down and goes toward your deposit when you book a Cruise-Have to Book within 24 Months from Placeholder Date https://disneycruisinggroup.com/placeholders-obb
    • If you have a party larger than 5, and are planning on going to Palo’s – ask for their private room! You have to make a reservation before your cruise!
    • Mickey ice cream bars are available from room service And warm cookies with regular or chocolate milk.
    • Coffee from room service is free. Only cost is the tip.
    • Bring a cup/mug for the drink station. I bring my Yeti so my drink stays cold while I’m on the verandah or in the adult pool area. Just remember to use a fresh cup when filling your personal cup.
    • Now you can make reservations for characters breakfast on DCL website, but they have some reservations to make on embarkation day!
    • You can get dinner in Cabanas (not on first or last nights of the cruise), instead of going to the Main Dining Rooms. No need for reservations, just turn up. A selection of the menu items from the main dining rooms is served – no buffet.
    • Take an autograph book with a sharpie that can fit in the spiral of it and keep with you in a bag at all times you’ll never know when you come across a character
    • Bring large mugs and make Coke floats. Or bring sundae toppings (sprinkles, marshmallows, mini-m&m’s etc) and make sundaes. Grab a cup from the drink station to use for a larger serving of ice cream.
    • You can request a booster seat, high chair and bed rails on your online reservation and pack-n-play in your state room. they also have diaper genies.
    • Buy the drink of the day in the souvenir the first day and have it refilled the rest of the trip for almost half price. Also play Bingo, the staff makes it so much fun. For adults, do the Mixology class.
    • Check your photos at Shutters throughout the cruise. Do not wait until the night before you disembark- it is a madhouse!
    • You can preorder the CD with all the photos on it and pick it up at the end of the cruise. You get the prints too. It’s expensive but so worth it! We send our oldest (12 now) to go get as many pictures as she wants to stand in line for (last cruise was like 60+). And no sorting through and haggling over which ones to take and which to leave. If you preorder though you must use your debit/Credit card– I found this out and was disappointed that I could NOT add it early and charge it to my OBC. https://www.mycruisephotos.com/DCL/?utm_source=Photography&utm_medium=Disney&utm_campaign=Photography
    • If you order a soda from a wait staff on deck or at castaway cay, they will charge you for the can. Go to the soda fountain on deck or near the food at the island – unlimited soda for free, just gotta walk a few steps.
    • Take the time to do the Mid-Ship Mysteries with your kids. This is unique to Disney ships and we had SO much fun as a family! Dream and Fantasy only.
    • Take the kids to Deck 4 and watch the pilot boat as the pilot exits the ship as you get out of the port. It’s really neat to watch. Sail aways are nice to watch.
    • At least one night spend the $ and go to the adults only restaurant. Feed the kids and send them to the kids club. They will love it and it’s SO worth it!! Download the Disney Navigator app before you go and remember to turn your phone on airplane mode before the ship leaves port. The app works on airplane mode and doesn’t use any internet. Use the DCL App! You can see every activity and “favorite” the one you are interested in. Then you have an itinerary for each day with all of the activities you are interested in. You can also see the dinner menus for the entire cruise.
    • You have to stay at pool deck to watch the special “sailing away” with the characters and say “bye bye” to PTZ camera! You can watch after your cruise in their site. If you want to be on the PTZ camera for Port Canaveral, it’s at “Fish Lips”, only visible from the Starboard/Right side, Deck 12 Midship where the glass partitions go around the trash cans is the best place to catch it, that’s usually where the Banners are being held 🙂
    • And if it’s your first cruise, go to the performances every night. Just make yourself do it. They are amazing!!
    • You can watch ANY Disney movie at ANY time in your room by using On Demand. It’s great for bedtime!! (On Dream, Magic, and Fantasy).
    • Mickey bars are available for dessert every night in the main dining room. Also, you can order multiple items in the main dining room… you want 2 shrimp cocktails…3 escargot? No problem.
    • The hot tub in the adult area is usually quiet on the first night, We like to go there about a half hour before they close them up. You always meet new people and it’s a good way to relax after a busy day of boarding and getting settled.
    • The Aquaduck or Aquadunk (depending on the ship you are on) gets very empty on port days. If you want a short line, that is the time to do it.
    • Letting your kid order off of the adult menu is a great way to give them new food experiences. On our first cruise our daughter was 7 or 8 and she always looked at the menu and then if something caught her eye she would order it. She tried duck and escargot, which she loves and orders every time now.
    • We ordered coffee and pastries to the room to enjoy on our verandah every morning before we went to breakfast (to eat…yet again!). Loved that special time of the morning. Likewise…we brought some wine on board and enjoyed a glass of wine on the verandah in the evening after kiddos went to bed!
    • Also, if you are into shopping, check out the exclusive purses and jewelry sold only on DCL. And spa has special packages so check that out.
    • For a nice relaxing lunch, visit one of the main dining rooms. Most families or kids will go to either one of the deck quick serves, or Cabanas, but a nice quiet, semi-fancy lunch can be had with NO waiting and NO noise. I highly recommend the burger!
    • Read your Navigator so you know what to plan for the next day!!
    • If you are worried about how you will communicate with members of your party when you are in separate areas of the ship…fear not! The Navigator App has a function similar to that of text messaging. The Navigator App is free to use on ship Wi-Fi. Take some time on the first day to set up this functionality with everyone you are traveling with. You can also check out the day’s activities and the menus for the dining rooms using the app.
    • I have hand sanitizer that we use frequently especially at Cabanas.
    • If you plan to snorkel on Castaway Cay, take your own equipment. This saves the rental fees and you won’t have to use one that was used by someone else before. You will only need to get the required snorkel vest…which is free and you get it at the same place where you rent the mask.
    • If you can work it into your schedule, everyone should take the ‘Art of the Theme’ tour. We do it every cruise. They have a variety of people give the tour, and no two people do it exactly the same, so you always learn. It takes about an hour, and they usually do it at least 2 times on a week long cruise. Well worth the time to see some of the details and have them explained to you. You’ll never get lost again, and you’ll know why (carpets are important, colors are important, etc).
    • Sign up for the wifi (paid) on the first day and you get 50MB free. Make sure to turn your phone to airplane mode once you leave the port also turn of anything that fetches data on its own–You can blow through the free 50 MB before you know it if you aren’t careful. Also make sure to log out of your account so you don’t leak data. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/navigator-app/connecting-to-wifi/
    • Gratuities are automatically added in (18%) when you order drinks from the bar or at dinner.
    • Disney cruise line has a Pirate Night for each sailing (except for Alaskan cruises and Frozen-themed cruises). This is a pirate themed night. Many cruisers dress up like pirates. There are fireworks! There is also an amazing deck party & show. They have a pirate buffet at Cabanas.
    • Instead of showing up early, show up right on time to the safety/muster drill on the first day. This allows you to be closer to the exit and lets you leave first once its done and get to the sail away party quicker if you want to get a closer view by the stage. Don’t be late, because once the crowd is assembled and you haven’t been scanned in they will start searching the ship for you. Most muster stations are outside on deck. There is no seating.
    • Pack the laundry detergent sheets and a pop-up hamper. Makes doing laundry a breeze!
    • The BEST ice cream sandwich: order a Mickey bar and 2 warm chocolate chip cookies from room service, oh my GOODNESS! And its huge, you can absolutely share it (or not!! :0)
Order two warm chocolate chip cookies and a Mickey Bar.
Put the Mickey Bar between the two cookies 🙂
    • One tip from our first cruise last week – go to the Forward elevators when things are crowded. Much shorter wait and just a short walk (ports day)
    • Gluten Free ideas: My (adult) son has celiac. Day 1, he walked into Cabanas for lunch and was checking out the buffet to see what he could eat. I guess he looked like he was concerned because a cm approached him and asked if he needed help. My son told him he was looking for gluten free options and the cm told him not to worry, they would prepare his meal for him. He asked my son what he wanted for lunch. When my son said he wasn’t sure, the cm suggested a menu option (lamb chops, I think) that son agreed sounded yummy. Meal was special ordered then brought to the table. They also delivered a whole box of gluten free powered donuts to our room one morning for breakfast. Both my daughter and I are celiac and there were SO many options. They had gluten free cookies that were individually packaged and soft, we would order a few and then take them off when we docked so we could have a snack for the day. They also have gluten free pizza at Flo’s just have to ask for it.
    • Take Ziploc bags. We use them for extra fruit to keep in the fridge for our little one who likes to snack.
    • Cake of the day!!!! It’s on the room service menu, but you have to ask what the specific cake/pie is for each day.
    • Your room host may placeDisney cars/Disney Princess bedsheets on the beds for the children. These are a pixie dust items. They are placed on the beds as a surprise and aren’t always available for asking. They are not your to keep.
    • Take an insulated small bag to keep your water, juices cold while at the beach.
    • If you prefer to pay cash only for tips, go to guest services and request a credit to your account for the automatic (per person) gratuity charges.
    • Load the stateroom fridge with juice, fruit, etc. for the kids’ snacks!
    • I love the flexibility kids have with their dining choices. My kids almost always order from the adult menu, but the server would have a smaller portion of their salmon (or whatever other “adult” fare they wanted) plated on a kid-friendly Mickey plate.
    • I will gladly admit to ordering both appetizers and desserts from the kids’ menu for myself (but never a main dish). I tend to like the kids desserts more – and if nothing catches my eye, there is always a Mickey bar!
    • If you suspect you will be purchasing a lot of the on board professional photos, buy the photo package in advance. If you don’t like it, you can get a refund, but the price will never be lower!
    • We unpack as soon as we can and send out our important clothes to be pressed. They are always back the next afternoon in time for dinner 🙂
    • On the Fantasy, we wore our swimming suits under our pirate shirts. The second the fireworks were over, we ditched our clothes in the cubbies by the Aquaduck and rode it about 20 times. We were the only people on it! And it was so fun to “dance” in our tube as club pirate was going on down below!
    • Remember to pack Aqua shoes for the deck and Castaway Cay. The beach can get rocky, and the deck gets hot.
    • Take an old gift card or credit card that you no longer use to keep your STATEROOM LIGHTS on rather than using your Key To The World Card (only on the Fantasy and Dream as of 2017)!
    • Bring magnetic clips to put on inside of the doors to hold tickets, reminders, etc. You can also get a magnetic hook to hold your lanyards while in your room. They are then ready to go on the door as you leave.
    • Make Remy and Palo reservations early. Try to eat there regularly for breathtaking food.
    • Keep a close eye on what’s playing in the movie theater. We saw “Pete’s Dragon” which was released while we were at sea.
    • Reserve a Tea Cup booth and seat by the Animator’s Palate for dining. You would have to call DCL or have your travel agent handle this. Or, you can ask for one during breakfast or lunch.
    • If you enjoy adult beverages, the tastings have all been very good. The chocolate and liquor one is a bit higher priced, but it ends with Glenmorangie Signet, which goes for almost the tasting price per ounce on board. 🙂 If you like wines, the pairing menus at Palo and Remy are both good, as is the champagne brunch at Remy.
    • Those classes are my husbands favorite thing in the cruise. He did Rum, Tequila, and Whiskey and we did a Mixology. I didn’t want to do the whiskey or tequila but they did allow me to go with him for the presentation without drinking, we just wanted to spend time together.
    • You can register for the Kids’Club online before you sail! 🙂 If the line up for Kids Club registration is long when checking in…Skip it you can register onboard anytime.
    • My favorite thing is that the Kids Club comes through the dining room during second seating and will pick up your children and take them to the Kids Club for you! Let the waitstaff know that’s the plan and the kids can have their full meal while you have an appie and when they are signed in to the Kids Club, you get half a private dinner! We have always done late dining and this is my daughter’s favorite part!
    • After booking, request a call (online) from your favorite character to announce your vacation to the kids. No other line offers this and my kids just went nuts. They started screaming into the phone.
    • When ordering the drink of the day, go to the bar and have the bartender make a fresh one. Typically it has more alcohol. The ones by the pool are watered down by the melted ice.
    • If you have a small child, bring your own life vest. Since , we knew we would be going on excursions, we wanted to ensure she had a life vest that fit! We had several people tell us that was a great idea too! We didn’t want to have her wear one of orange “titanic”type life vests.Lol. You can’t bring the orange “titanic”type life vests off the ship. Floats are on the prohibited list. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/prohibited-items/list/
    • If you are going to Nassau, go to the very back of Cabanas on the back deck outside around 8:15 and watch as the boat swings around to dock. Was incredible. Dolphins swimming and incredible views.
    • Take along a sturdy clip or clothespin to keep your cabin curtains closed so they don’t leak light inside your cabin when napping.
    • Save a couple of plastic hotel key cards and wrap duct/duck tape around them. Throw them into your bag for emergencies where only duck tape can fix it. This takes up less weight and space than bringing a big roll of the tape with you.
Old plastic hotel key wrapped with a few feet of Duct/Duck tape.
  • Those who have a “Target Red Card” (Target’s debit card) can buy Disney Gift Cards at 5% off to use on their Disney Cruise. People have actually used those gift cards to PAY for their cruise. Others buy them to use for incidentals on their cruise. You could save $250 off a $5000 cruise doing just this. Make sure Target still allows the 5% discounts on Disney Cards before purchasing as this may also change some day.

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