40 Countries and Counting

We made some pretty big changes in our family at the start of 2025, and I booked our Disney cruise as both something to look forward to six weeks into those changes, and as an escape to warm weather in the middle of a cold and snowy winter.


Why book a Disney Cruise:

It feels like a real vacation for the family, the Disney magic, excellent execution of trip logistics.

Planning:

I started looking in early December for something our family of four could look forward to in February as we adjusted to our new daily schedule. At this point, round trip tickets from the DC area to any warm, international destination were prohibitively expensive. I started to look into Disney Cruises, and we were late enough booking that the Guaranteed Stateroom (GTY) option was available at a decent discount on the Disney Dream Bahamian Cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale that included a stop at Nassau, a private Disney Island and a day at sea. We booked a room with a balcony and hoped for the best! We opted out of having Disney secure our pre-cruise hotel and transit arrangements due to very limited (and expensive) availability of their hotel options. After reading several Reddit threads, we booked a room the night before our cruise ship departure at the Rodeway Inn near the Ft. Lauderdale cruise terminal.

We survived the night before our cruise at the Rodeway Inn, but next time I would stay at the Embassy Suites. The location is adjacent to the Publix and Total Wine and More which would enable one of the adults to watch the kids at the hotel swimming pool while the other walked to the shopping center to secure sunscreen and beverages on the day we depart on the cruise. It would also eliminate one Uber ride, and potentially be a nicer room set-up for a family of four.   

Experience on the Disney Dream:

I cannot say enough good things about our experience on the Disney Dream. From our initial lunch at Animator’s Palate where our kids had their first Mickey bars of the trip, to the efficient departure on the final day, the guest experience was flawless. The restaurant staff especially made such an effort with my kids who were three and five at the time so that it was truly a magical experience for them.

We enjoyed both our time on the ship, and exploring the private Disney Island. I know that there are many Disney fanatics out there that dedicate their lives to writing about Disney Cruises and park travel. Since I am not one of them, I just want to say this felt like the first relaxing vacation my family has had, and we cannot wait for our next voyage on a Disney Cruise ship.

Lessons from our first Disney Cruise:

I scoured the internet for tips and tricks for Disney Cruises prior to our departure. Here’s a list of what we learned, and a few things I did not see mentioned on other sites.

• Air tag your luggage. It takes a while for luggage to arrive in your state room on the day of your arrival, and anything with sound machines gets an extra screening. Also, you have to have your bags ready to go out in the hall the night before your departure so you will be better able to find your luggage after the cruise.
• Pack a medical kit that includes bandages, and medicine for everyone. This tip came from a coworker who said they learned the hard way that basic medical supplies are hard to come by on the ship. I wanted to be prepared for reef scrapes, headaches, seasickness and other ailments. 
• Opt out of the welcome beverage and cupcake delivered to your state room. I wanted to make our arrival special, so I tried to have a surprise ready for everyone else in my family. By the time we got to our state room, my kids were full from their Mickey bar at Anamator’s Palate, and the champagne I ordered was not cold. Next time I would make sure a beverage I purchased in advance of boarding the ship was in a cold cooler bag. 
• Pack snack bags for the private island day. The only snack available on the island before lunch was soft serve ice cream. Next time I will bring some snacks from the breakfast buffet or room service in snack bags to tide my family over. Also, the buffet on the island has limited food options so having something you know your kids will eat can help prevent meltdowns in what can be longer lines.
• Pack snorkels. My husband and I already own them. I also found some cheap full-face ones online that my oldest used in the water. The day we were at the private island was pretty windy so we did not get any good snorkeling, but we will be prepared for our next visit.
• Book the early dinner reservation if you have young kids. (We got ours changed the day of arrival) Again, Disney does a great job with logistics so after dinner we learned to put the kids in their PJ’s and brush their teeth before the shows. We did not get this right for the first night of the cruise, and missed most of the Golden Mickeys. The shows are INCREDIBLE and we will not intentionally miss them on our next cruise. We also carried our exhausted kids to the state room after the shows, and promptly put them to bed without issue. 
• The midship Detective game. This was the highlight of the trip for my oldest child. It’s a scavenger hunt around the ship that uses QR codes and videos to solve mysteries. Our next cruise will be on the Fantasy since it also has this game.   
• Pack wet bags and clothes pins. If you swim at your hotel prior to getting on the cruise ship you will want something for your wet clothes.The clothes pins made it easier to dry a bunch of bathing suits on the trip.
• Pack reusable water bottles, a bottle brush, and kid cups with lids. As a family we don’t normally leave the house without water bottles, but this was especially helpful when walking around hot Nassau for a bit, and while on the Disney Island. Also, the cups with lids came in handy for the kids when getting beverages from the pool deck between meals. Next time, they may even make an appearance on the island for a Coke float before lunch.
• Opt for a wearable carrier over a stroller for kids. It’s hard to navigate the ship with a stroller. We decided to get a toddler carrier for this trip so we could avoid checking any bags for our flights, and to make it easier to navigate the cruise ship without needing to always use the elevator. The waits for elevators can get pretty ridiculous.  
• Join the Facebook group for your cruise. There are certain Disney Cruise specific things like fish extenders and Pixie dust my family did not partake in, but many consider this an essential part of the Disney Cruise experience.

Travel Gear:

• Rollerboards 
• Suitcase backpack
• Travel magnetic toys for the kids including magnetic people
• Magnetic hooks
• Lanyards
• Beach bag with cooler
• Ridesafe vests
• Travel sand toys

Final thoughts:

My kids cannot wait for their next Disney Cruise because we had such a magical experience. On a previous cruise to the Bahamas that I did without kids we went to the Atlantis Hotel for the dolphin experience. It was incredible, and I cannot wait to book it on a cruise when my kids are old enough to appreciate the experience because it was just so cool to pet the dolphins and get to spend time with them.