Your Disney Cruise Guide

Lifestyle
 25 Jan 2024

A comprehensive Disney Cruise Guide for Australian families with young kids.        

BY BENJAMIN BALK, KINDICARE

JANUARY 25, 2024

Disney Magic at Sea has arrived in Australia for the first time ever, and if you’d love to book a cruise aboard the Disney Wonder, then we can definitely recommend it!  

After returning from a six-night cruise, which departed from Sydney, we can tell you that our family’s on-sea adventure was just as magical – and memorable – as we’d hoped.  

There is so much to see and do aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship, and to help you navigate your first family cruise, and get the most out of every moment, we have put together this comprehensive Disney Cruise Guide. 

It contains practical hints and tips for all stages of your journey, and whether you stow a hard copy in your luggage, or keep it on your phone, this guide is your go-to for a smooth first cruise. 

There’s a lot of great info in here, so without further ado, let’s started! 

 

Embarkation and disembarkation  

When you’re booking your cruise and boarding your ship, it’s important to know that your departure experience will be different, depending on which port you’re leaving from.  

The Australian Border Force is a Federal body, and whilst Disney Cruise Line aims to provide a consistent experience, each cruise terminal will be different in layout. The terminals are also operated by the relevant state government’s Port Authority. 

There are only three Australian ports where you can begin your cruise on the Disney Wonder: Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.  

Each cruise itinerary is different in length and ports of call, but depending on which cruise you select, you could visit Eden on the South Coast of New South Wales, Hobart in Tasmania, or Auckland, across the ditch in New Zealand.  

For longer cruise itineraries, you can visit Noumea in New Caledonia or, if you have time to spare, join the transpacific cruise back to Honolulu in the American state of Hawaii. You could even continue on from Honolulu to the Disney Wonder’s home port of San Diego in southern California. 

If you are cruising internationally, make sure you check your passport’s validity well before you need to use it, allowing time to get a new passport issued if necessary.  

Also, be aware that some cruise itineraries return to the port you started from, while others are destination cruises that end in another city – so make sure you double-check the final destination when you book! 

Sydney departures and arrivals happen from either the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay or the White Bay Cruise Terminal in Rozelle.  

You can check where you’ll embark and disembark by using the Disney App once you’ve checked in, or visiting the Port Authority of New South Wales website, which covers departures and arrivals for the Overseas Passenger Terminal, the White Bay Cruise Terminal and the Port of Eden wharves, which the Disney Wonder visits. 

Melbourne departures and arrivals are all from Station Pier in Port Melbourne. You can view the full cruise schedule and times for departures and arrivals at the Victorian Ports Melbourne website. 

Brisbane departures and arrivals on the Disney Wonder are all from the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal. You can check all departure and arrival times for your cruise, as well as information about short- and long-term parking at the terminal, on the Port of Brisbane website.

 

Our hints and tips when embarking on your cruise: 

  • Pack a day bag containing everything you’ll need to enjoy your first day. Think swimmers and a change of clothes, nappies, formula, favourite snacks and water (as some departure points don’t have food and drink available in the terminal before you board). 
     
  • Any alcohol you want to bring on board MUST BE in your carry-on luggage, with no exceptions. Disney has a strict policy of either two bottles of wine or six cans of beer per adult. Should you pack alcohol in your check-in baggage, your bag will likely be opened and your contraband confiscated. It will be returned at the end of the cruise and there is a designated pick-up area for this, but it’s best to abide by the rules.  
     
  • Make sure you’ve attached the bag tags you received in the mail to all your check-in baggage, prior to arrival. This allows you to simply drop your luggage to the friendly bag drop staff and join your boarding queue. 
     
  • Arrive as near as possible to your scheduled departure time, unless you’re in Concierge Class. One of the perks of Concierge Class is anytime boarding, so you can simply drop your bags and get on, after going through passport control and security. For all other cruisers, you will only be allowed to board in the vast majority of cases at the embarkation time stated on your Port Arrival Form. If you do arrive earlier than your allocated boarding time, it just means you can be at the front of the queue for that boarding time. 

Our cruise hack for embarkation: 

Do your check-in as soon as it opens. This will give you the best possible chance of snagging one of the earliest possible boarding times, which will maximise your time on board for your first day.

This is particularly important for short cruises, because it gives you an opportunity to enjoy lunch, explore your stateroom, drop off your carry-on bags and alcohol, and experience the different pools and the slide while most cruisers are still waiting to board! 

The crew 

The majority of crew on board Australian cruises are from Indonesia, the Philippines and India.

Australians who have travelled to Bali will find a familiarity in the warm, generous hospitality on board from the crew; and the Disney experience starts right from queuing up to check-in, where you’ll be greeted by the Disney crew with big high-fives as you pass through the various stages of boarding. 

Once on board, you’ll find some of the friendliest and most attentive staff you could ever hope to meet. Nothing is too much trouble, and as you’d expect, they’re great with children. 

Our hints and tips to connect with the crew: 

  • All crew have their country of origin on their name tag, so why not learn a greeting or goodbye with your kids in their language to make them feel more at home? It’s a great way to introduce new languages to young children and is sure to draw a smile from the crew. 
     
  • Take a few minutes to ask a crew member about their experience working for Disney Cruise Line, why they chose to do their particular job, and ask a little about themselves and their home country. This is a positive thing to do with your kids and you’ll be surprised by just how much the crew love working for Disney and how well they’re valued and treated, which comes through in their dedication to making you and your family’s experience exceptional. 
     
  • Be respectful. If you encounter an issue with any crew member, politely speak to Guest Services, located on Level 3. Guest Services is open 24 hours a day and the crew are there to ensure you have a great experience and help to resolve any problems you might be unfortunate enough to encounter. For instance, our family witnessed a father of four shouting rudely at a female crew member, which upset all the other families and children in the vicinity. The crew member in question handled the situation respectfully, showing a huge amount of patience and resilience towards this very aggressive guest. 
     
  • If you find a problem in your stateroom at any time, do not hesitate to contact Guest Services. Our cabin was perfect, but we had a small issue making a loud noise every few minutes on Day Four. When we alerted the crew, it was solved immediately by the time we’d come back from dinner and the problem never re-occurred. 

Our cruise hack for the crew:  

Don’t be afraid to ask. If there is something you need or aren’t sure of, never be afraid to ask any question. The crew is there to help and ensure that you have a magical and memorable experience at sea.  

Equally, if something isn’t to your preference or liking, let the team know, as they make it their job to learn what you and your family’s preferences are, to make your experience exceptional. 

A great example of this is your team of servers, who stay with you throughout your cruise as part of Disney’s unique rotational dining. 
 

The weather 

Due to the weather on the east coast of Australia during summer, Australian cruises can expect to encounter slightly rougher conditions than overseas cruises, particularly those heading to Tasmania, which is known for its year-round rough seas and unpredictable weather.  

Our hints and tips to prepare for the weather: 

  • Pack at least one warm outfit in case you encounter unseasonably cold weather on your cruise. 
     
  • Pack sea sickness tablets or bracelets, even if you don’t normally suffer from motion sickness on land. On our cruise, we encountered winds of over 40 knots (Beaufort scale 8) and rough seas with four metre waves. These conditions even had one guest, who was in the Australian Navy for 13 years, cuddling the toilet bowl for the best part of a day! 
     
  • Slip, slop, slap! It can be pretty hot on deck on warm, sunny days. Make sure you bring a good SPF50+ sunscreen for you and the kiddos, as well as rashies and hats. We’d also recommend waterproof sandals or thongs, as all of the pools are in the open and the decks get pretty hot. Think baked concrete or asphalt hot! 
     
  • Bring a waterproof jacket or disposable poncho. You may encounter light showers on your departure or arrival, or rain during port excursions, as well as splashy activities held on Deck 9 during the cruise. 



Our cruise hack for the weather: 
 

Plan your cruise based on your seaworthiness and what temperature you prefer. If you’re not likely to use the pool, and would enjoy cooler weather, book one of the cruises that heads south, instead of the one heading to subtropical New Caledonia.  

Equally, if you would prefer warm ocean breezes and humidity, take one of the cruises heading north, particularly if you live in Victoria or Tassie!  

 The theatres 

There are two theatres on board the Disney Wonder: The Walt Disney Theatre and the Buena Vista Theatre. 

 The Walt Disney Theatre is where all the main live shows, like Frozen, A Musical Spectacular, are held. It’s a fantastic venue that makes you feel like you’re inside the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. 

The shows held here, as you’d expect, are absolutely outstanding and part of the value you get on a Disney cruise. A show is held every night following a full sea day. 

Typically, people will attend the early or late show, relative to their dinner sitting of 5.45pm or 8.45pm. Shows typically start at either 5.30pm or 8.30pm.  

The Buena Vista Theatre is named after the movie distribution company started by Walt Disney in the 1950s. Here, you’ll find many of your favourite Disney movies, from new releases to older favourites, being screened throughout the day.  

 

Our hints and tips for enjoying the theatres: 

  • If you have a young child who won’t make it through a late show in the Walt Disney Theatre, it’s important to know that you can attend any show and you aren’t restricted by your scheduled dining time. So, grab a bite at Pete’s Boiler Bites or order room service after the show! 
     
  • For the very popular shows, like the Frozen, A Musical Spectacular, be there to line up at least 45 minutes prior to the show’s start time if you want to sit closer to the front. We saw some people lining up for well over an hour before Frozen, but it’s not necessary, unless you want to sit in the first 10 rows. 
     
  • Make sure your little kids (and big kids) have been to the toilet before the theatre doors open! Because of how popular the shows are THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SAVING OF SEATS ALLOWED in the Walt Disney Theatre. If you are in a group and you’re seated, make sure that only Mum, Dad or a guardian takes one child at a time. 
     
  • For little ones who might struggle to see, or have an adult sitting in front of them, there are plenty of black plastic booster seats available at the top of the stairs on each side of the Walt Disney Theatre. These  are self-serve, and theatre attendants do not hand them out. 
     
  • Be sure to grab a drink and/or popcorn outside the Walt Disney Theatre just prior to the doors opening, if you’d like to enjoy a champagne, soft drink or snack during the show. 
     
  • There aren’t restrictions on bringing your own snacks or drinks into the theatre. So, if you’re on a tighter budget, or you’ve got your own favourite snacks, feel free to bring them with you! 
     
  • There is always someone at the popcorn and drinks cart outside the Buena Vista Theatre prior to show time, so you can get your fix. Popcorn is $2USD, and remember, if you have a refillable popcorn bucket from a Disney theme park or previous cruise, you cannot use this for a free refill. The crew will be happy to fill your bucket with the buttery stuff, but you’ll still pay $2USD. 
     
  • If you miss a particular movie session, don’t stress! You’ll find that all movies have multiple sessions, so you can catch it another time. 
     
  • Importantly, make sure you ‘favourite’ the shows and movies you want to see. These will then show up as Activities under “My Plans” on the App so you can see them on your daily schedule/itinerary. 


Our cruise hack for the theatres:
 

Bring the warm Disney blanket from your room for your little ones, or for anyone else who is likely to feel the cold. The blanket is great to use on deck, but it can also get quite cold in the theatres and the blanket is a great way to keep warm without layering on too many clothes. You will feel the heat of your fellow cruisers when lining up outside the Walt Disney Theatre for the shows! 
 

The Disney characters 

There are two types of character meeting and photo opportunities on the Disney Wonder: planned and roaming. 

This provides plenty of opportunities to interact with your favourite Disney characters on your voyage. 

The queue can be quite long for popular characters, and one of the most popular planned character meetings is The Royal Gathering, which provides a chance to meet three Disney princesses, as well as a photo opportunity with each one. This is offered on sea days. 

 

Our hints and tips regarding the characters: 

  • Meeting the Disney princesses is a super popular experience, so if your child would love to do this, MAKE SURE you get the App before your cruise, keep an eye out for notifications, and book as soon as it opens, as this opportunity is often booked out in minutes! 
     
  • For the planned character appearances, arrive at least 30 minutes before the appearance and line up. We found that it was much faster to be early and be in the first few families, than to line up part-way through, which can you see waiting up to an hour or missing out altogether. 
     
  • ALWAYS carry with you any book or photo frame (if you want to create a display around a photo) you want signed, as you never know when you’ll run into a roaming character for an impromptu photo and signing. 
     
  • There are themed events on board, such as Pirate Night or the Marvel show, and your chance of running into a roaming character from the theme is much higher in the afternoon before the show. There is also often a prelude appearance prior to a show in the main atrium. 
     
  • Prioritise the MUST SEE characters, particularly if you’re on a shorter cruise, then take your chances when it comes to other planned appearances or roaming characters.  




Our cruise hack for the characters:
 

Double up! You’ll often find that there are two character appearances going on at once in the main atrium of the ship on Levels 4 and 5, so if you’re one of the first in line for one character appearance, you can get your photos and signing done, then quickly join the queue on the floor above or below to get two characters at once! 

Food and dining options 

The Disney Wonder offers a variety of food and dining options that allow families to experience a range of cuisines and settings, from the informal Cabana’s buffet to the more formal restaurants, like Triton’s. 

One of the unique experiences offered on a Disney cruise is rotational dining, which was pioneered by Disney. 

With rotational dining, your serving staff move with you, which means your Head Server, Server and Assistant Server/Drinks Waiter rotate with you across the restaurants and stay with you for your entire cruise.  

Our family loved this special Disney approach and rotational dining also means that, depending on your cruise length, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy each of the three main restaurants at least once.  

The three main restaurants on board, included in your cruise fare for rotational dining, are Tiana’s Place, Animator’s Palate and Triton’s. 

Each of these restaurants is themed differently, with Tiana’s Place offering great entertainment straight from the bayou, and Animator’s Palate allowing the audience to get involved in the entertainment!  

In addition to the three main restaurants, there are plenty more great places to eat and drink on the Disney Wonder, and you can explore them on the Disney Cruise Line website. 

 

Our hints and tips for dining on board: 

  • Try the different experiences offered, as the options are quite varied and the experiences quite different, depending on the style of dining and cuisine offered. 
     
  • Dining staff rotate with you, but all have different roles, so from an etiquette point of view, don’t ask your drinks server for food or your food server for drinks! 
     
  • Don’t stress about not being right on time for your scheduled dinners at Tiana’s Place, Animator’s Palate or Triton’s. As part of the unique rotational dining experience, you are allocated your own table number for either the 5.45pm or 8.45pm sitting. No-one else can take your table, so if you arrive late due to a character meeting or a wardrobe change, your table will be waiting just for you! 
     
  • Whilst Chocolate and Vanilla are the main staples at Eye Scream Treats, other flavours rotate in each day, such as Banana and Strawberry, so be sure to check them out. 




Our cruise hack for dining: 
 

Take advantage of the sit-down à la carte breakfast and lunch offered in Triton’s during the cruise.  

Whilst the kids might enjoy the buffet breakfast and lunch in Cabana’s, there is some fantastic food on offer for breakfast and lunch in a more formal setting, with the menu items changing each day.  

The quality of food is excellent and we’d highly recommend taking advantage of the à la carte menu on offer for breakfast and lunch, given that it’s included in your cruise ticket!  

 

Pools and water activities 

There are three pools on the Disney Wonder: Goofy’s Pool, AquaLab and the Quiet Cove Pool. 

Goofy’s Pool isn’t huge, but it does provide everyone with an opportunity to cool off and enjoy one of the many movies screened right in front of the pool throughout most days and evenings. 

The Quiet Cove Pool is an adults only area, meaning that if you’ve dropped your kids at “It’s a Small World” Nursery! or Disney’s Oceaneers Club, you can have some together-time, without the noise! 

 

The AquaLab area includes the only slide on board, the Twist ‘n’ Spout, as well as a splashpad and Dory’s Reef which is designed for babies and toddlers aged three and under.  

One of the most important things young families need to know, is that children under the age of two, those who wear swim nappies, or those who are not toilet trained CANNOT use the pools or spas on board. This is to ensure the health and safety of all passengers on board and is in line with the OH&S policies of most major cruise lines. 

As the Disney Wonder is a US-based ship, the United States Public Health Service requires that only children who are toilet trained are permitted to enter swimming pools and spas aboard cruise ships. 

There has been a lot of criticism of this from some families who have cruised this season and been disappointed to find their little ones are contained to a small splash pad on board, so be aware of this when booking and set expectations with your kids. It could even be an incentive for your little ones to speed up toilet training.  

And let’s be honest, no-one wants to find any floaties while cooling off in what already is a small pool!  

If there is a bodily accident, it is a four hour process to drain the pool, sanitise, refill and rebalance the chemicals – so any bodily accident affects everyone on board wanting to take a dip and cool off. 

The crew test the pool once an hour for chemical levels as well, which means you and your family must vacate the pool for 10 minutes for this to occur.  

Goofy’s Pool and Quiet Cove Pool also feature two spas (aka 'hot tubs' for the Americans).  

Kids’ club and childcare 

Disney cruises are frequented by families of all ages, so there are facilities on board to allow parents and guardians to unwind and get a little alone time.  

Whilst there is no individual or one-on-one babysitting on board, the Disney Wonder does have two main services that provide care for kids: Disney’s Oceaneer Club, which is Disney’s version of a kids’ club, and the “It’s a Small World” Nursery!, which caters for children under the age of three. 

Disney’s Oceaneer Club has activities and adventures across four different fabulous lands to keep kids occupied. There are interactive play spaces, games and experiences from Disney films for the kids to enjoy.   

 

Disney’s Oceaneer Club is available to all children who are fully toilet trained and able to individually participate socially and comfortably with peers of their own age and size. Much like early learning and before and after school care in Australia, there are set counsellor/educator-to-child ratios to ensure a safe and supervised environment. Children with special needs are also welcome.  

There are also additional activities available at Disney’s Oceaneer Lab where kids can create their own hand-drawn art, kick back and watch Disney movies, undertake craft activities, and learn to cook some dishes inspired by the movie Ratatouille. 

The “it’s a Small World” Nursery! caters to little cruisers aged six months to three-years-old for Australian cruises.  

As the service is not operated in Australia, it is not registered with the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority nor rated or bound by the National Quality Standard. That being said, the carers and educators working in the nursery are all qualified with the required early learning training. Many of the educators are Certificate and Diploma qualified educators with experience working in centre-based early learning environments in Australia.  


Our hints and tips for childcare on board: 

  • An important thing to know is that children under six months of age on the day of embarkation ARE NOT PERMITTED. So, at the time of booking, you must be absolutely certain that your child will be at least six months of age when you set sail, according to their passport, birth certificate or identification. 
     
  • Childcare in the “it’s a Small World” Nursery is extremely limited due to educator-to-child ratios and the size of the nursery, so if you want to take advantage of childcare onboard, book your child in as soon as possible – just like with childcare in Australia! 
     
  • Make sure you return your child’s wristband for Disney’s Oceaneer Club prior to your departure from the ship, so you can get a refund. 
     
  • Whilst Disney’s Oceaneer Club is covered in your cruise ticket, bookings for the “it’s a Small World” Nursery are not included, so make sure you budget some extra to cover the cost of this service if you intend to book your little one in. 

Our cruise hack for childcare: 

To settle your kids into Disney’s Oceaneer Club, attend the Youth Activities Open House. This allows parents to experience the activities and environment and ensure that their children are comfortable to be at the club. 

Other activities 

There are a range of other activities, including Mickey’s Sail-A-Wave Party! to celebrate departure, Pirate Night, Karaoke and more.  

You can view a full list of the range of activities and entertainment on board the Disney Wonder here. 
 

Accommodation and cost considerations 

There are a range of different accommodation options on Disney cruises to ensure that most families can experience Disney Magic at Sea. 

Cruises range from one night to six nights from Australian ports, and run between October and February with the exception of the transpacific crossing to Honolulu. 

Staterooms on board range from the most affordable Standard Inside Staterooms on the lower decks (without a view or verandah), to a stateroom fit for a prince or princess, the Concierge Royal Suite with Verandah on Deck 8.  

You can explore the different Inside, Oceanview, Verandah and Concierge Staterooms here, and how much you pay for a Disney cruise is largely dependent on: 

1. The number of nights you choose 

2. The category of stateroom that you choose 

3. How early you book, and 

4. How many people are traveling. 

So, as an example, a family of four wanting their first taste of a Disney cruise, or a family on a tight budget, could look at taking a Standard Inside Stateroom for a one night cruise to experience all the magic at sea for a comfortable cost.  

The restaurants, food and dining, shows and entertainment are available to all guests on board the cruise, regardless of their stateroom category – with the exception of The Concierge Lounge, which is exclusively available to those in Concierge class. And your family won’t miss this at all, given the huge variety of dining, entertainment and experiences available on board, the majority of which are included in your ticket price! 

Another great feature of the staterooms on the Disney Wonder is their separate toilet and shower room. This makes getting the family ready so much smoother and more efficient.  

 

A hotly debated subject amongst cruise-goers is Verandah versus Ocean View stateroom, which we honestly think comes down to budget, preference and your personal seaworthiness!  

Those with little ones might feel more at ease knowing their kids are completely contained away from the open sea.  

However, if you’ve got older kids who you know won’t try to climb or do anything silly, you might prefer having your own personal outside space to watch the world go by, without the crowds on the main deck. Also, if you get seasick or claustrophobic, you’ll appreciate the open outlook and fresh air that comes with a Verandah stateroom. 

Our hints and tips for accommodation: 

  • The less time you plan on spending in your room, the less important the stateroom type is. If you plan to simply sleep and shower, or watch some TV when winding down, an Inside stateroom might be all you need! 
     
  • If you have kids who are likely to roll around and you’re worried about them sleeping on a top bunk, we recommend that you opt for the Deluxe Family category of stateroom. This offers a little more space and has a pull-down bed, so you’ll have both the convertible sofa and pull-down bed at ground level and no-one needs to sleep on the top bunk. 
     
  • Try and book a room near the elevators. You certainly won’t hear them if you have an outside facing cabin such as an Ocean View or Verandah and it makes for speedy access via the stairs or elevators to the different restaurants and venues that are spread across multiple levels. 
     
  • If you, or anyone in your family, suffers from motion sickness we’d recommend a room with a Verandah. There’s nothing better than being able to sit on the verandah or open the door and get some fresh sea air when you’re feeling unwell, particularly as the promenade deck and other areas are likely to be closed in rough seas. 

You can take all of this into consideration when deciding which stateroom and cruise duration best suits your family, your budget and what experience you’re looking for.  

Our family chose the six-night cruise from Sydney to Noumea. From an experience point of view, we would have been just as happy with three or four nights, but were grateful for the extra days to unwind and see some additional shows like The Golden Mickeys.  

Our cruise hack for booking and accommodation:  

For those planning their second cruise, either as the same group, or with extended family, it’s a great idea to grab your ‘placeholder’ whilst on board your first cruise for a refundable $250USD. This gets you a guaranteed 10% off rates on your next cruise booked directly with Disney or via a travel agent. 

There are a few conditions on this, such as being used within 24 months and some block-out periods do apply, but it’s well worth it if you’ve had your first taste of Disney cruising and want another adventure from an Australian port or one overseas. 

 

Other cruising questions 

How accessible is a Disney cruise ship? 

Disney Cruise Line has really ensured that those with disabilities or special needs can enjoy every part of the Disney Magic at Sea experience. 

There are accessible staterooms on board in all categories, lifts for access between floors, special accessible seating areas provided for all shows on board in the Walt Disney Theatre, Buena Vista Theatre and Deck 9 Stage Midship.  

This ensures family members of all ages, and all abilities, can enjoy the experience as a family. 

 

What’s the policy around tips and gratuities? 

Before you embark, it’s important to know that you are required to give mandatory gratuities per person (including children) to the team looking after you on your cruise. These can either be paid on board or pre-paid through your travel agent or Disney direct, if you’ve booked direct. 

All staff earn a base rate of pay, but remember, most are working for both their base pay and tips, so it makes a real difference to a team member’s earnings each cruise if they receive tips from guests.  

If you’re in a position to provide additional tips to staff where you feel the service has been excellent or outstanding, we’d recommend doing so to show your appreciation. It can make a real difference to the crew on board and reward all the effort they put into making your cruise memorable and enjoyable for your family. 

What are fish extenders? 

Fish extenders are little pouches you can hang on the fish hooks outside your stateroom door to receive random packs of pixie dust or receive and share gifts amongst a community or group of people on the same cruise. 

This is a great activity for kids to not only learn the value of sharing and giving, but also the joy of coming back and finding a special trinket or gift in their pocket. 

We custom ordered our fish extenders from NewsThreadsEmbroidery in the US where cruising and fish extenders are obviously far more common. A special shout out goes to Tammy Rodriguez for rushing a custom one to us for our trip.  

We paid for urgent shipping so it arrived in a few days from the US, but you should order two to three months in advance if you’re using standard postage, to ensure your fish extender arrives in time for boarding.  

 

Should you do door decorations? 

You’ll find on board that many families decorate their stateroom doors with their favourite Disney characters or a particular Disney movie or theme. 

If you want to join in the fun, you’ll have to be prepared. You’ll need to order your items from suppliers well ahead of your departure date, as many will arrive from overseas and take two to four weeks for delivery. 

You’ll find a range of magnetic decorations that are available to order from a range of sites like Amazon, eBay, ETSY or Alibaba; and our kids absolutely loved decorating their door. It was like decorating a Christmas tree, and was a great way to start the cruise. 

 

Are cruising ducks allowed? 

One of the most hotly debated issues when taking a Disney cruise is cruising ducks.  

It is the official policy of Disney Cruise Line to NOT ALLOW the hiding of cruising ducks on board for safety reasons.  

That being said, we did see some children finding cruising ducks that had been hidden. Also, some were found placed in the many fish extenders placed outside the cabins on board as a way to surprise children cruising – although it does take away the fun of the hunt! 

Speaking to a few Disney representatives, we suggested that they lean into the cruising duck concept in the following ways: 

1. Provide an official cruising duck guide, including designated hiding areas or zones on board, to allow the experience and enjoyment of hiding and finding ducks on board that would ensure the safety of passengers and crew. 
 

2. Hold cruising duck treasure hunt events on board that would allow passengers to hide ducks and an event to find them. 
 

3. Sell a range of official Disney cruising ducks at Mickey’s Mainsail to hide on board, place in fish extenders or take home as a cruise souvenir. 

Do you need to spend more than your ticket? 

The simple answer is no. You can enjoy the complete Disney Magic At Sea experience without spending a lot of money on board. 

With the exception of mandatory gratuities, you don’t have to spend one more dollar than what you’ve paid in your ticket and mandatory gratuities. Everything else is up to you, and you can choose to buy alcoholic drinks on board,  

The only thing we did find a little out of place is that you’re required to pay $2USD for popcorn to eat in both the Walt Disney Theatre and the Buena Vista Theatre during shows. All other food is included, so it seems a little strange and we weren’t sure if this is designed to limit waste, but it did feel odd. 

What do you need to know about additional charges, electronic payments and cash on board? 

All charges on board are in US Dollars. This means you will pay a conversion fee. We recommend either prepaying an amount to spend on board in one transaction, or using a credit card or travel card with minimum fees. 

As for the question of cash, don’t bother! You’re almost guaranteed to pay a higher conversion fee to get US currency in the first place, than simply paying on your credit or debit card. Cash is also highly inconvenient, especially when you’re swimming. You get a waterproof Disney World Card which you can charge any additional expenses to.  

The Disney Cruise Line App also lets you view all charges in real time, so you can keep a lid on spending and make sure you don’t go over your budget. 

Is there in room entertainment? 

There certainly is!  

One of the great things about each stateroom is the flexible flat screen TV which provides access to a range of on-demand channels, as well as a huge range of Disney content and movies.  

You can even watch the view from the bridge and track the ship’s position through the TV. 

Can guests wear their pyjamas in public? 

Whilst we thought B1 and B2 had already resolved this, wearing pyjamas in public is a contentious issue for some cruisers apparently, even if you are a banana! 

That said, we’re for it.

Peter Alexander must have made a fortune from Disney Wonder Down Under, because plenty of families, and people of all ages, donned their PJs for character meets and photos.  

This means you won’t be out of place at all if you wear your PJs, and if you don’t like your fellow passengers wearing their PJ best, and see them more as a PJ pest, we suggest you jump on a Cunard cruise instead! 
 

How can guests communicate electronically?  

You won’t have mobile services at sea, but there are a few ways to stay connected with each other on board and when you’re at a port of call.  

The free Disney Cruise Line Navigator App contains everything you need for your cruise, as well as a messaging service, so you can communicate with your family and fellow cruisers, and also receive notifications and messages from the crew.  

One of the best things about the Chat feature is the themed Disney emoticons that are only accessible onboard and available nowhere else! 

You can also sign up for a range of Internet packages onboard, either for your entire cruise, or on a daily basis, if you have to stay connected to the outside world.  

The free connectivity onboard is enough to do some instant messaging and maybe connect to social media, but you will have limited bandwidth to do anything meaningful on the free Wi-Fi unless you purchase an optional Internet package. 

 

Helpful links 

 

Disclaimer: Benjamin Balk and his family paid in full for their Disney Wonder adventure, with some upgrades offered on board, and their review is based on their personal experience and opinion of the cruise.