Table Of Content
If this is your first cruise, consider packing some motion sickness medicines. I took Sea Bands, Dramamine, and essential oils, but sadly, I spent the first day not feeling well. Pool decks can be slippery, so consider packing shoes with some grip on them.
Packing For A Disney Cruise
To come out ahead, you have to consistently order from the few bottles that are higher priced. Sealed bottles or cans of non-alcoholic beverages can be carried on in any amount that will fit through the x-ray machines (carry-on bag sized, in other words). As for coolers, Disney officially says that you can only take aboard small (12″ x 12″ x 12″ max) soft-sided coolers for keeping things like insulin and breast milk cold. In practice, soft coolers can be any size that’s small enough to fit through the x-ray machine (again, basically the size of a carry-on bag), but no hard-sided or wheeled coolers. Concierge guests have access to snacks and beverages (bottled water, soft drinks, coffee drinks) in the concierge lounge. Stephanie Taleghani runs a top family travel blog that explores fascinating destinations and has had the opportunity to write articles for AAA travel.
Read our guide to bringing alcohol on a Disney cruise
Through our Disney Cruise packing list, we will try to be inclusive of all cruise needs as well as address what you may need for specific locations. The dress code on board is fairly cruise casual, except for Formal Night (everyone dresses up), and don’t miss themed nights like Pirate Night (bring pirate gear if you want to dress up). Read this for more information about Disney Cruise Pirate Night. Nothing ruins a cruise vacation faster than realising you forgot something important and this Disney cruise packing list will help make sure you don’t forget any of those cruising essentials!
Extra-fee snacks
You will see most of the popular characters at some point or another on the Disney Cruise. Most kids find the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, for ages 3-10, to be the best part of a Disney cruise. There is a lot to do, with great hands-on organized activities going on all the time. Regular guests do not have access to room service on disembarkation morning. Concierge level guests can order a standard Continental breakfast from room service on disembarkation morning. Purely as a money-saving strategy, it’s hard to get your money’s worth out of the mug unless you really like beer.
Must-Have Items
Seriously, wear your regular clothes, minus swimwear, and you’re good to go. On the first evening, it’s not a guarantee that your checked luggage will arrive in time for dinner (especially if you have early dining time). That day is always cruise casual, so wear something on board that you’ll want to wear to dinner or pack something appropriate in your cruise day bag. You don’t have to be in tennis shoes all day, but leave your fancy wedges at home. I brought running shoes, sandals, flip flops (for the beach) one pair of wedges that could dress up a more casual outfit, and one pair of heels for formal night.
A Disney Cruise Packing List
If you’re looking for Disney-themed casual cruise wear (aloha shirts, etc.), a good place to look is DisneyStore.com. Unfortunately they only offer resort wear on a seasonal basis (usually spring and summer), but even in the winter it’s always worth looking to see if they have anything in the sale section. The cruise is a great opportunity to get pictures of your daughter dressed as Belle with the “real” Belle herself, without her having to wear the costume all day. Some popular character meetings and meals may require advance booking. There’s no charge for the character meetings, but certain breakfasts or teas with characters may have an additional fee.
Inside staterooms on the Dream and Fantasy ships do have the “virtual porthole” that provides some light. So if you’re anxious to get up and go in the morning, make sure you set an alarm or request a wake-up call. Castaway Bay is Disney’s private island where many of the Caribbean sailings stop at. It is a great beach break with plenty of fun for the entire family.
Disney Cruise Formal Night Guide - WDW Magazine
Disney Cruise Formal Night Guide.
Posted: Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Cabanas is Disney's buffet on its older ships, with 10 food stations in a beach-themed space. For breakfast, you can get everything from eggs and hash browns to Mickey-shaped waffles and fruit. Typically, once per cruise, the buffet will also offer churro Mickey waffles, which are a sweet take on the traditional breakfast dish. Adults looking for an upscale meal without kids will want to book Remy on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The adults-only French restaurant is themed after the Pixar movie "Ratatouille," and eagle-eyed diners will even spot the little chef made of glass perched in the dining room. The menus here are curated by chef Scott Hunnel from Walt Disney World's Victoria & Albert's and chef Arnaud Lallement.
What Not To Bring- Disney Cruise Packing List
During the day and most evenings on the Disney Cruise Line, you can wear casual clothing. At dinner, you are asked to stick to “cruise casual.” Most men wear a collared shirt (aloha shirts and golf/polo shirts are fine) and long pants (chinos or dress slacks) or nice shorts. Most women wear a skirt, dress, nice pants or dressy capris. Disney requests no swimwear or tank tops at dinner, but in practice, dressier tank-style tops will usually be acceptable. People who show up to the main dining rooms in swimsuits are almost always asked to change. Most people will head straight to lunch, and if you’re hungry, that’s a great idea.
We find the premium brunches particularly fabulous and might even prefer them to dinner in Palo. Note that if you head for the inside dining room, you will encounter multiple crew members who will try to herd you to the buffet, which can handle more people. The TV in your stateroom offers limited live TV programming, but a pretty extensive selection of Disney-owned movie and TV content. There is the Disney Channel, ABC and ESPN, all owned by Disney, plus some 24-hour news channels (MSNBC & Fox) and a small selection of basic cable channels. You can watch a huge variety of Disney movies and a few other family-friendly titles “on demand” (no extra charge). “Embarkation” means getting on the ship for the first time during your cruise; “disembarkation” or “debarkation” means getting off the ship at the end of your cruise.
There is virtually no need for anything other than the most casual clothing during the day on the ship. But if you want to eat in the main dining room and wear shorts on formal night, go for it. Order everything on the menu and don’t give it a second thought. But in practice, only a small percentage of guests (particularly the men) will don full formal attire. Many guests choose to wear something nicer than “cruise casual” on formal night, but the range of dress is broad.
Disney Cruise Line's signature rotational dining restaurant is Animator's Palate, which can be found on the four oldest Disney ships. On Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the restaurant is covered in black-and-white sketches of popular Disney and Pixar characters. On Disney's larger ships, Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream, the space is themed after an animator's studio, complete with maquettes, light boxes and computer workstations. Our Disney cruise food guide has all you need to know about dining options across the cruise line's fleet, including where to find them and whether they cost extra or are included in your fare. We also answer some of the most popular questions about dining and food on Disney Cruise Line.
This backpack will double as a day bag for onshore adventures during your cruise too. When it comes to packing for a Disney cruise, you want to strike a balance of cruise casual, with a mix of comfort and style. The key is to pack versatile pieces that can easily be mixed and matched.
While U.S. dollars are generally welcome as tips in ports such as Nassau and Mexico, you'll want local currency for tips and purchases in places like Europe. Even if you don't join a gift-exchange group, you might want to hang up a fish extender anyway. Sometimes other cruisers will surprise cabins with small gifts like stickers and candies. Or you can delight your own kids with unexpected gifts you place into the pouches yourself. If you walk the halls of a Disney cruise ship, you'll see decorations on many doors.
