During a recent conversation, Bob Chapek indicated that Disney Cruise Line will return this fall.
Since Chapek’s the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, he should know.
Photo: Disney
So, we can safely start looking forward to the return of one of our favorite vacation options.
Here are eight things we miss about Disney cruises.
The Broadway Shows
Here’s a fact about Disney cruises that tourists struggle to believe.
During your vacation, cast members will perform actual Broadway musical presentations on most nights.
You may think that these shows will offer the equivalent entertainment of a seventh-grade play. You couldn’t be more wrong, though.
Current and former Broadway performers agree to do cruise tours. They sign on for a designated period and then display their talents to Disney fans.
During the pandemic, Disney declassified some of its musicals to entertain YouTube fans. Here’s Tangled: The Musical:
I’m not expecting you to watch the whole thing right now, but please click the Watch Later button. You’ll love everything about this performance.
All Disney cruises feature entertainment like this, the kind that would cost hundreds of dollars for a single ticket on Broadway. It’s a stunning amenity.
Castaway Cay
Everyone jokes about buying a private island. Disney actually did it. In fact, they now own two, but one hasn’t opened to the public yet.
The island that Disney Cruise Line fans know and love is Castaway Cay, a slice of Disney-soaked paradise.
Here, you’ll find a thrilling combination of Disney characters, high-end cruise amenities, and gorgeous sandy beaches.
Since Disney owns this parcel of land, everything here functions as an extension of your cruise ship.
You’ll even find a picnic table dining area where guests can devour Cookie’s Too BBQ cuisine. It’s a buffet with ribs and burgers and other picnic delights.
So, you’ll eat well between your aquatic adventures. Then, once you get bored with swimming and sunbathing, you can look for Disney characters.
Image Credit: Disney
Cast members suggest that you bring an autograph book, as up to 12 characters will wander Castaway Cay during your visit.
The Escapism
You’ve had a hard year, right? Of course, you did. It was a pandemic!
Image Credit: Disney
You’ve spent 12 months trapped inside, wishing for something that would provide you with some entertainment.
Also, you could really use a distraction and something to soothe your soul.
Tortola – Disney Cruise Line
As far as escapism goes, a cruise is hard to beat. It’s like a day at the beach, only someone else takes care of all your meals and any other needs.
So, it’s a day at the beach when you have butlers, maids, and personal chefs at your beck and call.
Image Credit: Disney
All you do is pick your favorite spot to lay out in the sun and work on your tan. Occasionally, you may go for a swim. That’s the height of your effort.
What you won’t do is think about work or your mortgage/rent or that person you know who always needs a favor.
You’re all about you when you’re on a Disney cruise. It’s soooo liberating!
For a few days, you leave all your worries behind and let cast members take care of your basic needs.
Image Credit: DCL
Beyond that, you can escape all the pressures of the real world and bask in paradise for a while. It sounds divine, doesn’t it?
The Food
All major cruise lines offer a wealth of dining options. Disney raises the standard, though, which makes sense.
After all, Walt Disney World has elevated theme park cuisine to the point that all its competitors seem amateurish by comparison.
The same blanket statement applies to Disney cruises, where food seemingly resides around every corner.
You’ll find ice creams and other desserts plentiful, and you’re never more than a couple of floors away from some sort of buffet.
On the official Disney Cruise Line site, the list of official activities includes 25 different dining options!
You may need to hit the gym just from reading about all these calories.
If you ever want to see what Disney cruise food looks like to a first-timer, watch this Tim Tracker video:
Also, please pay attention to the 27-minute mark. That’s when they visit Rapunzel’s Royal Table, one of the fine dining experiences on Disney cruises.
If Disney Cruise Line cuisine were a television show, it’d be Good Eats. Or Top Chef.
I sorely miss cruise food…and stretchy pants.
Pirate Night!
This one gets an exclamation mark because it’s so fun.
A while ago, some enterprising Disney executives realized that all Disney cruises come with a distinct pirate vibe.
I mean, you’re out at sea, unlike all those landlubbers you left behind.
You’ve chosen a pirate’s life on the ocean! So, you might as well enjoy it! And that’s what Pirate Night allows you to do.
On these entertaining evenings, many guests dress up and talk like a pirate for the night.
Disney even hosts a Pirate Night show, and it includes beloved characters in costume, too!
You can see what Donald and Daisy Duck would look like as scallywags!
Pirate Night is pure joy.
Special Days at Sea
Are any Star Wars or Marvel Cinematic Universe fans reading this?
Well, if you love either/both of those, you’ll love seasonal events like Star Wars Day at Sea.
When you book specific cruises, Darth Vader and Stormtroopers will join you at sea, which sounds terrifying, I know. Thankfully, they’re on vacation, too!
So, you can take pictures with all your favorites like Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2. Meanwhile, you might spot a Jawa or Bounty Hunter on the ship.
Don’t worry! Think of the cruise as a peaceful zone where the Sith and the Jedi all want to be your vacation buddies.
The premise works similarly with Marvel, only you’re swapping out Jedi for Avengers.
Photo: Chloe Rice, photographer
The special days at sea will turn a Disney cruise into a themed vacation, the likes of which you may never experience again.
One of these events should be on every Disney fan’s bucket list.
The Spa Treatments
Who doesn’t love a good spa day? Well, the purpose of a cruise is to treat yourself as much as possible.
Disney knows this and has constructed some majestic spas on its ships.
Personally, I’m all about the Sensory Showers.
Each one comes with a unique scent, and the water pressure is outrageously good. You’ll want to stay until your fingers wrinkle.
Photo: travelocity.com
Of course, Disney has thought of other touches, too. In fact, these spas even come with heated tile so that your toes remain warm while you roam barefoot.
At these spas, you’ll also find private jacuzzi access and heated stone loungers. It’s bliss.
Photo: spabusiness.com
Seriously, you may love the spa so much that you never want to leave.
That’s why we all miss our Disney cruise spa days so much.
The Waterslide
Here’s a question for those of you who haven’t gone on Disney cruises. Have you ever seen the AquaDuck? It’s this:
Yes, that waterslide wraps around the side of the cruise ship, meaning that you’re riding over open water at various points.
The AquaDuck is a technological marvel that’s somehow even better at night.
A few carefully placed lights make you feel like you’re soaring through a trippy wind tunnel, only you’re in your bathing suit while it happens.
Even better, the AquaDuck seats multiple passengers on the float. You’ll love it the most when you’re with a friend or family member.
Alas, the AquaDuck isn’t available on all Disney cruises, but that’s okay! The other waterslides on Disney cruise ships are almost as good.
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