Why Your Kids Won’t Be Bored on Disney Cruises

As an adult, you want to take a Disney cruise.

After all, you know that Disney Cruise Line provides many of the same experiences as Disney theme parks.

The difference is that you will enjoy a relaxing vacation on a cruise as opposed to a hectic one at the parks.

So, you’re already sold on cruises, and Disney knows that. What are you to do when you have pre-teen and teenage kids?

You may worry they’re getting a bit old for Disney and may feel bored on the trip.

If that’s the case, you won’t have as much fun because we all know how much a petulant kind can ruin a good time.

Then, we have small children, who will seek different entertainment that skews younger.

Thankfully, Disney Cruise Line has thought of everything! Here’s why your kids will enjoy non-stop entertainment on a cruise.

The Joys of Oceaneer Club

I should preface this by saying that every Disney cruise ship includes some version of Oceaneer Club.

For the rest of this discussion, I’ll specifically reference what I experienced on the Disney Dream.

Note that some of the entertainment options vary by ship, including the immaculately themed rooms I’m about to discuss.

The other point I want to make in advance is that when I say Disney has thought of everything, I’m not joking.

Let’s be honest that kids are gross, and you, as a parent of someone this age, know it better than anyone.

So, the thought of an entire group of children playing in tight quarters sounds like a germ factory.

Well, the first thing children do when they enter an Oceaneer Club is stick their hands in an automated hand-washer.

Seriously, the machine does literally everything so that you don’t rely on children to handle their own hygiene.

No germs are getting out of the Oceaneer Club, thereby significantly reducing the odds of your getting sick on your cruise.

Disney provided us with access to the Oceaneer Club at a time when it was closed to guests.

So, members of the media explored every nook and cranny of this place, and I won’t lie. I was in awe.

Once you realize the vision for this space, it’s brilliant. This is a Disney theme park on a cruise ship.

As I roamed from room to room, I realized these clubhouses were the cruise versions of several themed lands.

We explored the tiny equivalent of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Avengers Campus, Toy Story Land, and Fantasyland.

Just imagine how your child’s eyes will light up as they discover all the hidden treasures at Oceaneer Club!

The Joys of Oceaneer Club Part II

The various rooms all feature entertainment that can keep your child busy for hours.

In the Star Wars: Millennium Falcon section, guests can “fly” the iconic ship by pushing all the buttons while staring out the cockpit.

This isn’t the same experience as the Galaxy’s Edge ride, but the cockpit visuals are similar.

At Mobile WEB Workshop, kids can play in an Avengers workspace that includes an interactive video game.

The in-room technology image-captures your child and puts them into the game. So, they’ll feel like a superhero battling monsters.

Just think about how much you would have loved that as a child! We watched kids shake with excitement while playing.

Then, in Andy’s Room, Toy Story gadgets are everywhere, including chairs and a Slinky Dog stretch sofa.

Kids feel like toys when they play in this place, and their energy is electric as they discover all the Toy Story features.

Finally, Pixie Hollow is what I describe as the Fantasyland room.

Here, kids enter a lush forest and listen to story time. Seating here circles a gorgeous tree, enhancing the experience.

The Benefits of Edge

Realistically, small kids are easier to please on a Disney cruise. The trick is what to do once your child reaches the pre-teens.

That’s when Easy Mode ends in parenting, at least on vacations. And I know that many parents worry about the same thing.

They fear that their kids may be outgrowing Disney, at least for a little while.

Many of us are living proof that this isn’t the case, at least long term.

But we all go through phases in life where we try to prove our newfound maturity.

If your child has entered one of those phases, a Disney cruise may concern you. Will your kid have fun?

Based on what we witnessed, I think the answer is clearly yes, and that’s because of Edge and Vibe.

These spaces cater to pre-teens (Edge) and Teens (Vibe), and I’m not talking about generically.

At Edge, giant projection televisions play movies throughout the day. Kids will feel like they’re the only ones in a movie theater.

Remarkably, this is the smaller movie theater, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Perpendicular to this area, your child will find another giant movie screen, and it’ll bring their fantasies to life.

Folks, this is a massive screen whose sole purpose is to play video games!

Your child can play Mario Kart on the equivalent of a Times Square marquee. I’m exaggerating…but only slightly.

There are other games available here, such as multiple Foosball tables and plenty of other forms of entertainment.

Kids could play here for hours and never get bored…and that’s just the indoors portion.

The Fun of Vibe

In a lot of ways, Vibe is merely a more mature extension of Edge.

On the Disney Dream, the spaces blend seamlessly.

Vibe also features an even larger movie theater and ample stadium seating.

There are also lounging areas in the walls as pictured here:

My wife embarrassed me by spending several minutes of one of these, thereby belying her age.

I half-expect her to redecorate our living room to add some of this seating. She loved it that much.

But the other joy of Vibe resides outdoors. Disney has set up a private pool and hot tub for teens and preteens in this area.

Basically, they can hang out with other people who know what Skibidi Toilet is, rather than adults pretending like they understand TikTok’s FYP.

The outdoor area features showers, Ping Pong tables, and several lounging spots, many of which are shaded.

That’s one of the things I’ve undersold thus far, but it’s important. There’s a comical amount of seating available at Vibe and Edge.

These are like floating teen clubs at sea, allowing your kids to enjoy their own vacation adventures while you relax for a change.

Basically, Disney has set up safe spaces for kids to interact with new friends, and none of it feels cheesy or pandering.

Frankly, Disney blew away my expectations for how they entertain kids on cruises.

Dinner and a Show

The final thing I want to mention is that your child will enjoy some of the dining options as well.

Throughout the day, you’ll notice kids with ice cream all over their faces.

That’s a side benefit of the fact that the soft serve machine is right there near the main pool on many ships.

Children of all ages – and I’m including you and me in that! – love the thought of an endless supply of ice cream.

My idea of The Good Place involves bottomless ice cream cones, and that’s a real option on Disney cruises.

At night, some of the dining experiences will entertain kids as well.

For instance, the Disney Wish hosts Arendelle – A Frozen Dining Adventure, which looks like this:

You can imagine how much a child would love seeing Olaf in person like this.

Remarkably, that’s not the only encounter available on DCL. Kids can also hang out with Crush from the Finding Nemo franchise.

Animator’s Palate features the same interactive digital screen technology as Turtle Talk with Crush at EPCOT.

So, dinner will fly by for your child as they’re mesmerized by the fish on the giant televisions surrounding them.

Generally speaking, they’ll find something to distract them for the duration of a Disney cruise.

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Feature Photo: Disney