Things to do Aboard a Disney Cruise

Ever wanted to set sail on the happiest cruise on Earth? In January we boarded the Disney Dream for four magical nights, sailing from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. Below, get an inside look at some of our favorite things to do aboard a Disney Cruise!

Attend the Sail-Away Celebration

The Disney Cruise Line’s Sail-Away Celebration marks the start of your adventure! The magic happens on Deck 11 by the pool and features Disney characters, singing and dancing as the ship leaves the dock – fun for everyone!

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Take a ride on the AquaDuck water slide

The AquaDuck is the 765-foot long water slide that goes around the Disney Dream. The ride is about a minute long and the tube is clear, making it possible for you to see the ship's top deck and out over the ocean. The boys rode multiple times and they convinced Scott and me to ride once. I was surprised at how fast our raft went and that the slide had several small drops – it actually felt like we were on a kid’s roller coaster. My favorite part was when the slide briefly went out over the edge of the ship because we were right above the ocean. Side note: Before our ride, the attendant told us that if our raft came to a complete stop to just wait for help – cue the anxiety right before being pushed down a tiny, enclosed space. Lucky for us, it was a smooth ride!

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Eat unlimited eye scream by the pool

You scream, I scream, we all scream for eye scream! You can get unlimited soft-serve ice scream on Deck 11 at any time, so we took full advantage and had a few – or 10 – ice cream cones each day. The Monsters Inc. themed eye scream machines offer different types of soft-serve such as vanilla, chocolate, swirl, banana and strawberry – so many flavors it’s scary!

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Hang out at Edge

Located on Deck 13, Edge is a club where kids ages 11-14 can watch movies, play games, enjoy arts and crafts and more. The Disney Dream has clubs for all ages that are run by counselors, but in Edge you don’t have to sign in or out. Maddox and Alex were able to come and go as they pleased. This was a big deal as it was their first real experience with freedom. They loved it, of course! They played video games and dodgeball, made Flubber, competed in foosball competitions and attended a silent DJ party where they put on headphones and danced around with other kids (hilarious, right?). They wanted to spend almost every second at Edge (aside from standing in line at the unlimited eye scream machine), leaving Scott and me all alone – sniff, sniff. We did make them check in every couple hours. On our final night they even attended a final farewell dance party. They grow up so fast, don’t they?

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Catch a family flick or live stage show

The Disney Dream presents award winning musicals every night including Disney's Believe, The Golden Mickeys: A Timeless Tribute and Beauty and the Beast. Scott and I went to see Beauty and the Beast while the kids were at Edge – #datenight.

The Disney Dream also shows movies that are currently playing in theaters inside their Buena Vista Theatre. We watched The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Mary Poppins Returns and bought some popcorn from the concession stand to snack on during each movie. In addition, you can grab a float and catch a Disney classic movie on the big screen in front of the pool almost anytime. *Note that the concession stand food and drinks are an additional cost, but you can bring your own snacks inside the theater.

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Party like a pirate

Shiver me timbers! Disney Cruise Line dedicates one night on each cruise as “Pirate Night.” You are encouraged to dress up as pirates and attend the Pirates of the Caribbean Deck Party, but only after ordering a pirate-themed dinner off of a treasure map menu. The deck party includes a show and fireworks, followed by a late-night pirate-themed buffet (yes, more food) and a dance party.

We purchased our pirate gear at the Dollar Tree before the cruise. No costume? No problem! Prior to dinner each passenger receives a Mickey Mouse bandana and some chocolate gold coins. You can also make appointments at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to be transformed into pirates – black eyes and beards included. Appointments start at $44.95.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me!

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Play a round of mini-golf

Go for a hole-in-one at the Goofy Golf miniature golf course, located on Goofy’s Sports Deck. It’s a 9-hole course and you can play for free any time (8:00 a.m - 10:00 p.m.) – no reservations needed. I don’t remember who won this friendly family competition, but it was probably me.

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Be a castaway for a day

On a four-night Disney Cruise from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas you will make one stop at Disney’s private island – Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay is reserved for guests sailing on the Disney Cruise Line so the island is secluded.

The day we stopped at Castaway Cay was by far my favorite part of the cruise. We were one of the first one’s off the boat because we ran the Castaway Cay 5K, which allowed us to snag front row beach chairs. After the race, we enjoyed a lunch at Cookie’s BBQ buffet where I think we set a record for most food eaten by a family of four. If I remember correctly, Maddox ate chicken, a hamburger, ribs, coleslaw, beans, bread, chips and multiple desserts. Tip: Don’t let your kids go through a buffet line alone, ha!

After lunch we did the Conga at the Castaway Cay character dance party and checked out Pelican Plunge – the floating water slide and play area. The boys swam with stingrays and tropical fish and we also made time to just relax on the beach.

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Enjoy a sugar rush at Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats

Inspired by Wreck-It-Ralph, Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats is a one-stop shop for tasty treats like hand-scooped gelato, fresh waffle cones, baked goods and candy. Maddox and Alex both devoured their own Race Kart Sundae which included three scoops of ice cream, five toppings, whipped cream and a cherry. The sundaes were served inside plastic mini race karts that we got to keep as souvenirs! *Note that Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats is an additional cost.

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Take a selfie with your favorite characters

Meet all of your favorite Disney characters aboard the cruise ship! Different characters are scheduled to appear in various spots around the ship each day. Your daily navigator will tell you the times and locations of all the character meet and greets. Some characters also walk around by the pool so make sure you have your camera and autograph book close by. During the cruise we met Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Captain Hook.

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Run a 5K on Castaway Cay

On your mark, get set, go! A popular port adventure on Disney’s private island is the Castaway Cay 5K. It’s free and open to passengers 10+ (Alex was lucky enough to just make the cut). To participate, sign-up at Guest Services when you board the ship as spots fill up fast. The day of the race, passengers meet at a designated location around 8:00 a.m. The race is 3.1 miles long and there are water stops along the way.

This was my first 5K and I seriously felt like I could conquer the world after I crossed the finish line. Maybe it was because I received a keepsake medal for participating or maybe because among the four of us, I finished first! Scott and I were proud of the boys for finishing the race and we all agreed that what seemed like a 1-mile walk to the start should be included in the course. Side note: I may have crossed the finish line, but I couldn’t walk the next day – this is 30, ha!

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Feast on all the food

Dining on the Disney Dream is an experience like no other! There are endless amounts of food and it’s all covered in the cost of the cruise (with the exception of alcohol, Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats and adult-only dining) – and did I mention there is unlimited ice cream and soda?

For breakfast and lunch, you can eat at Cabanas, a buffet with over 10 different food stations. Flo’s Café (home to Luigi's Pizza, Tow Mater's Grill and Fillmore's Favorites) is also open for lunch, serving burgers, chicken, pizza, salad and more. For dinner each night, you rotate to one of three main dining sit-down restaurants: Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Garden and Royal Palace. The same servers accompany you each night, allowing them to get to know you and your family and making the experience more friendly and personal. Our servers went out of their way to make our experience magical. They gave us tips on what to do on the cruise and even made origami animals with the boys each night. Adult-exclusive dining is also available at Palo and Remy for an additional cost.

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Relax in your stateroom or on the ship

What’s a vacation without some relaxation? There may be a lot to do aboard a Disney Cruise, but it can get exhausting so make sure to sneak in some time to just relax in your stateroom or on the ship.

I did my research before booking a stateroom and we chose room 6510 because of its size. The room was a Category 08A Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with a queen-size bed, large living space, a convertible sofa bed and an upper Pullman style bunk bed. My favorite part of the room was the two large porthole windows – talk about a view!

One of our favorite things to do was swing by our stateroom after dinner each night to see the different towel animals and to eat our treats (Disney Cruise Line Godiva chocolates). And if the treats after your unlimited ice cream and dessert at dinner just wasn’t enough, you could order free room service 24-hours a day!

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As you can see, we had so much fun in the Bahamian sun! If you’re a die-hard Disney fan, I’d definitely recommend setting sail on a Disney Cruise real soon. You can have some family fun or simply just soak up the sun – whatever floats your boat!

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