Disney Cruise Tips and Tricks

Are you planning a Disney cruise?

Unless you’re at least a Gold Level member of the Castaway Club, you’re still basically a rookie.

If this sailing is your first, well, you’re in for a treat, but you may feel overwhelmed.

So, here are a few tips and tricks that will make your next Disney cruise much more satisfying.

Book Early

Let’s start with the most basic advice. You should book your Disney cruise as early as possible.

Disney uses time-sensitive pricing that works a bit counterintuitively.

Prices increase the closer you get to the sailing date.

In other words, the same September cruise will currently cost you more in 2026 than in 2027 in many instances.

This rule isn’t ironclad, but it’s accurate much more often than you’d expect.

For this reason, you’ll benefit financially by planning ahead and booking early.

Book the Nursery ASAP

We’re going to discuss booking windows quite regularly.

Basically, membership has its privileges on Disney Cruise Line, with frequent guests earning more benefits over time.

As soon as you embark on your first Disney cruise, you’ll automatically join the Castaway Club as a silver member.

Gold, Platinum and Pearl members can book various cruise activities sooner than Silver members.

People who have never sailed with DCL have the latest booking windows.

Whichever group you’re in, you’ll want to reserve “It’s a Small World” Nursery & Child Care at your first opportunity.

Parents with children under the age of three want to enjoy their cruises.

So, the competition can be intense for booking the nursery.

On the morning your booking window opens, this should be your top priority.

Otherwise, your vacation options will be more limited.

Character Greetings

Cruise ship character greetings work similar to those at Disney theme parks in that you’ll be shocked by the number of options.

However, the rookie mistake you’ll make is thinking, “Oh, I already got a picture with Stitch (or Mickey Mouse).”

I say this because the characters switch outfits repeatedly throughout the cruise.

You could show up in different hours on the same morning/afternoon/evening, and they could be dressed in unique costumes every time.

The great thing about Disney cruises is that you can get literally hundreds of photographs without much effort.

Check the Rules on Hair Dryers

Those of you planning to take your own hair dryers or other styling tools should pay close attention to Disney Cruise Line’s rules about these items.

By glancing at the link, you can see that there are a LOT of things that Disney won’t let you bring aboard the ship.

Should Disney confiscate your item, you can get it back at the end of the cruise.

I say better safe than sorry. Check the list and make sure that your hairstyling items are okay.

Decorate Your Door

Here’s one we’re a bit embarrassed to say we didn’t know ahead of our first sailing.We walked down the hallway to our cabin on embarkation day, and I suddenly felt woefully underdressed.

No, I’m not talking about my outfit. Disney Cruise aficionados dress their doors with decorations, usually magnets and fish extenders.

Magnets are easy to get, as they’re a cottage industry on Etsy.

Fish extenders are an entirely different conversation, and I don’t know if you’re ready for them on your first cruise.

If you are curious about them, search Reddit. Be aware that the intensity of the conversations may surprise you.

Do Fireworks Matter?

Fireworks presentations aren’t as essential on Disney cruises as they are at the parks.

Having said that, one of my most magical memories from my first cruise involved finding the perfect spot to watch the fireworks.

If you’re like me and care about fireworks during your cruise, you’ll want to avoid Alaska, European or Transatlantic sailings.

Disney cruises don’t use fireworks for these itineraries.

Also, please be aware that the cruise obviously won’t operate the fireworks show during inclement weather.

Do Your Research on Gratuities

If my options are asking social media about cruise gratuities or sticking my arm in a beehive, I’m honestly not sure which one I’d pick.

Let’s just say that cruise fans have strong opinions about gratuities.

You need to know that Disney automatically adds gratuities for your cruise.

These payments ensure that the Cast Members earn a fair wage.

Note that you can tip more, which I feel strongly that you should for excellent service.

You don’t want to know how many hours per day the Cast Members work during your cruise.

The other you should know is that you may tip your bartender for any drinks you order.

Also, should you order Room Service, a gratuity is expected/appreciated.

Find the Best Views

On most Disney cruise ships, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with Deck 12. I say this because views matter on a Disney cruise ship.

And the rules work the same as skyscrapers in big cities.The higher you are, the better everything looks.

When you hang out on the 12th level, first of all, the crowds aren’t as big.

Second, the views will make you grateful that your phone has a camera.

You’ll especially appreciate the views on port days, as you can watch the guests embark and disembark.

Also, you’ll enjoy pristine views of the island or the port where you’ve stopped.

Go for Shoulder Seasons

I’m just going to level with you that I had never heard this term before I started researching Disney cruises.

Shoulder seasons are apparently the equivalent of theme park off seasons, except at sea.

Think of them as visiting a beach during the fall/winter rather than spring/summer.

So, you can understand why many guests avoid those times of the year.

You can benefit by saving a fortune on the same vacation.

Once you determine your destination, find its shoulder season and compare its prices to the more popular times of the year.

You’ll quickly understand the advantages while also recognizing the potential weather disadvantages.

Lights On

I’m about to go on a cruise with my brother and sister’s families.

Neither one of them has sailed on an official Disney cruise before, which means I get to explain the lights to them.

Let me tell you that I’m dreading that, and if you’ve been on a Disney cruise, you know why.

The lights in your cabin won’t work the way you expect.

The nautical rules for electricity work differently for precautionary reasons.

So, to turn the lights on and off in your room, you will need to put a credit card-sized item in the light slot in the door.

I realize this makes no sense, so I’m just going to link you to a video.You can buy fun cards from Etsy that will do the trick, or you can of course make your own.

Your Key to the World card will work, too, but it’s awfully easy to leave it behind if you use it for that purpose.

Help with Food Allergies

Let’s talk for a moment about allergies. I went to an allergist last year and had a batch of tests done.

How did it go? Well, this is a real thing that happened.

In the middle of the test, as my body was reacting to various allergens, one nurse called another nurse to come into the room. She had to see this.

My wife took one look at my skin reactions and pulled out my phone to snap a photo.

All of this is unfortunately true, as is the fact that I’m apparently allergic to everything except mold.

My most notable food allergy is that onions cause a severe reaction.

So, when I go on a Disney cruise, I need to have a conversation about what I can and can’t eat.

Thankfully, Disney is the gold standard in the hospitality industry with regards to its treatment of food allergies.

Disney has a special help line to contact. You just message them and tell them about your food sensitivities.

When you’re on the ship, you can also communicate your needs with your servers.

Disney cruises host roughly 10,000 guests each week, so they’re plenty used to guests with extreme food challenges.

You’ll be fine and eat like royalty.

Enjoy Adult Only Activities

Those first few years of parenting can be rough.

What passes for conversation is the chit-chat you make in the pediatrician’s office.

So, the time you spend on the cruise presents a rare opportunity to act like a grownup and escape Bluey.

Disney thinks of everything and structures its ship activities for parents who’d like to have their lives back for a minute.

You’ll find adult-only activities and locations throughout the ship and also on Disney’s private islands.

Both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point have adult-only beaches.

Even better there are babysitting offerings on each island, so you can luxuriate in the sun guilt-free.

On the ships, you’ll find many activities targeted to adults only, and not just during the times when the kids are asleep.

No Need for Upsells

Disney cruises are all-inclusive in the truest sense of the word.

On other cruise ships and various all-inclusive hotels, you quickly feel nickeled and dimed by all the surprise charges.

On Disney cruise ships, once you pay for your itinerary, virtually everything else is included.

The only exceptions are things like alcoholic beverages, coffee drinks, and port excursions.

While you’ll enjoy the various port excursions, and Disney baristas are exceptional drink design artists, your standard fare covers all your meals and regular beverages.

With a Disney cruise, the price of admission generally is the price you pay. You don’t have to buy anything else.

The one rule of thumb I offer is that I tend to spend a few hundred dollars a day plussing my vacation with things like merchandise splurges.

I’m also a generous tipper.

Onboard Chat Feature in the App

Are you traveling as part of a group?

Communication can be a bit of an adventure in terms of your wireless devices. I’ll explain why in a bit, but I find texting a bit unreliable.

Thankfully, Disney has again invented a solution for a problem you may not even know you’ll have.

By using the Navigator app’s onboard chat, you can quickly and easily communicate with other members of your traveling party.

You might also make some friends who you want to chat.

We developed a friendly trivia rivalry during our last cruise, and it’s always nice to stay in touch with fellow Disney fans.

Photo Ops

Disney has updated the rules on photo packages to make purchases more convenient.

Historically, you had to pre-purchase your package and then download all your photos before disembarking.

While you can still do both of those things, Disney has added some flexibility, giving you 45 days to download and store your photos after disembarking.

Similarly, one of the most challenging decisions is whether to purchase photo packages.

Disney has now relaxed the rules to allow you to decide how much you use the service.

You can now purchase your photo packages after you have disembarked, giving you the entire cruise to decide how many pictures you take.

So, there’s no rush in determining whether you want a photo package. You can decide as you go along.

I will say that we always get the package and consider it tremendous value; however, it is a fairly pricey add-on.

If the price is too high, please know you can also purchase individual photos.

Pirate Night Tips

Okay, I’ll save you the aggravation of my talking like a pirate here.

Still, you should know that most Disney cruises offer something called Pirate Night, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Many guests talk and dress like pirates, with Cast Members doing the same.

Disney goes so far as to add Pirate Night menus at the rotational dining restaurants.

So, it really is Pirate Night every step of the way.

The evening typically concludes with a fireworks presentation that’s so popular you should plan ahead.

This is another instance where being on the 12th floor will provide you with the best view of the festivities.

Pirate Night is a raucous, thoroughly enjoyable night of your Disney cruise.

Review Phone Settings Before You Go

Disney cruises are primarily international. For this reason, your beloved phone may not work the way you expect.

While traveling internationally, you may be subject to international fees for texts and calls alike.

You should check your phone plan to learn the best solution for international travel.

My caveat is that our mobile plan allegedly offered connectivity in the Bahamas, but we had no luck with it during our most recent trip.

So, I’d strongly encourage you to lower your expectations and be pleasantly surprised if your service is better than mine was.

Rope Drop the Water Slide

Here’s one you won’t believe, as you’re probably not thinking of a Disney cruise in theme park terms.

Well, Disney cruise ships typically offer one and only one “thrill ride,” a waterslide that traverses most of the ship’s exterior.

Some of these waterslides even include theme park elements, such as a Mickey Mouse animated short as part of the proceedings.

The catch is that with only one ride on the ship, and several thousand people on board, well, you do the math.

Let’s just say that demand is high, so the waterslide wait times often start in the range of 30 to 45 minutes and can go even higher.

For this reason, you should have a strategy for riding the waterslide, and I’d suggest one of two options.

The first suggestion won’t be popular. It’s to skip port days entirely or at least come back early to ride when fewer people are onboard.

The other is to rope drop the waterslide by being there a few minutes before it officially opens for the day and riding it then.

Note that the waterslide does have operating hours, so you’ll want to know when they are.

Room Service Is Free, But…

Disney cruises can be hectic, especially if you’re only sailing on three or four day itineraries.

Without proper planning, you may not know all the options available to you… including free room service.

There’s no catch to this option and no asterisk, either. You can order room service 24/7 during your Disney cruise.

The menu doesn’t include every item at the restaurants, but it’s strong enough to remind you that the best part of a cruise is the dining.

The only caveat is that when I say free, I’m ignoring one important tidbit.

Cast Members must pick up your food and bring it to your room, making it the equivalent of cruise ship DoorDash.

Since they’re putting this sort of effort into your delivery, they deserve a tip.

So, please remember to do so any time you order room service.

It’s still a tremendous deal, because you’re getting delicious Disney food brought to your room at all hours. Who wouldn’t want that?

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Feature Photo: Disney