"Must Do" & "Don't Miss" Activities on a Disney Cruise!

After recently returning from our Disney cruise over the summer,  and helping others plan their first Disney cruise, I'm often asked about the "Must Do's" and "Don't Misses" on a Disney cruise. So, in no particular order, here are some highlights of things that I would recommend to include on your first Disney cruise vacation! 

1. Don't miss the shows! Enjoy all the live theatre shows, especially the award-winning Broadway-style live theatre shows. Disney knows how to entertain and I highly encourage you to check them all out! 

2. Bring a re-useable mug to use. The drink stations offer unlimited beverages (coffee, tea, water, pop, etc...) so you can enjoy beverages at your own leisure. It's handy to have your own mugs to refill and walk round the ship. 

3. Order milk and cookies from room service and they will deliver it as a bedtime snack. (You can even specify "warm" milk and cookies, the cookies will be delivered warm!)

4. Don't miss out on character photo ops! Take as many photos with characters as you can. There are lots of character opportunities throughout the week on the ship and the line ups are never as long as the parks! Character appearances are included in your personal navigator so you can plan out your schedule and see which characters you want to meet! Characters are always roaming throughout the ship and will stop to take photos with you if you ask. You can get photos taken by the Disney photographers, but make sure you take some with your own camera too! 

5. Unlimited Mickey bars!!! Need I say more?? 

6.  Soft serve ice cream EVERY DAY. Soft serve ice cream + pop at the beverage station = ice cream float! Mmmm...

7. At dinner, order whatever you feel like eating. You can order more than one appetizer or entree if you cannot decide! Most nights, we ordered 1 or 2 appetizers and usually 2 entrees. 

8. Use the Kids Clubs!! No need to feel guilty about dropping off your kids at the different kids clubs onboard! Kids enjoy specialty programming and entertainment while being supervised by highly trained youth counsellors. Safety and security is a high priority so parents do not have to worry about leaving their kids there. Most kids don't want to leave! 

9. DANCE! Disney puts on fantastic dance parties with the characters so enjoy the music, get dancing with all your favourite characters and have some fun! From their legendary sail away parties, "Til We Meet Again" ending and the Pixar Pals Party, get out and dance! 

Mickey's Sail Away Deck Party

Til We Meet Again Party

Pixar Pals Party

10. If you want a keepsake with Disney character signatures, bring a pillow case, tote bag, t-shirt or photo matte, etc. and drop it off at Guest Services at the beginning of your cruise in a plastic bag with your stateroom number. They will have the characters autograph it and then will return it to your cabin before your cruise ends. 

11. If you're a coffee fanatic and regular coffee won't do, there is a specialty coffee shop onboard. Coffee at the beverage station is free, however there is an additional cost for coffee from the specialty cafe. Make sure you get obtain a coffee card so that your 6th coffee is free! 

12. PALO. Palo is an adult-only restaurant where for a nominal charge, guests can enjoy a unique fine dining cuisine experience in an intimate and relaxing environment with attentive service and unbelievable views! Palo is only open on sea days and is available for both dinner and brunch. Both are equally recommended and completely different dining experiences! Definitely a MUST DO in my books! 

13. Bring your own alcohol. Disney Cruise Line permits guests to bring along their own alcohol onboard as long as it is brought on with their carry on a baggage. With unlimited access to fountain pop and coffee at the beverage station, you can create and enjoy your own beverages in the comfort of your stateroom. 

14. Eat, eat and eat! Don't miss out on any opportunity to eat! The cuisine on Disney cruises is high quality from the main dining cuisine to all their quick service restaurants as well. The food is always fresh, tasty and incredibly satisfying! Pizza from Pinocchio's Pizzeria, hot dogs and burgers from Pluto's Dog House and sandwiches from Goofy's Galley are all delicious afternoon snacks for a quick service meal! 

15. Enjoy a first run movie at the Walt Disney Theatre! If you happen to be on a Disney cruise when Disney releases a new movie in theatres, guests can enjoy the release at the same time the movie is released elsewhere in North America. Watch a first run movie onboard and enjoy other Disney classics during the week as well! If you don't feel like leaving your stateroom, you can enjoy a variety of Disney movies and shows from the comfort of your room. 

16. Join a Fish Extender group if you want to meet new people online or onboard your ship! There are lots of online communities dedicated to the sail week so it's fun to meet with others who will be planning and enjoying the same vacation as you! 

17. Enjoy some adult only time.  Drop off the kids at the kids clubs and take the opportunity to enjoy the numerous adult only areas and activities! Go for a dip in the Quiet Cove Pool, enjoy a gourmet coffee and/or cigar in the Cove Cafe, or take part in different wine, liquor and champagne tastings (for a nominal fee) and learn about spirits and beverages from experts in the field! These workshops are incredibly informative about the topics and who doesn't enjoy a little buzz when learning! 

18. Enjoy a movie on the top deck by the pools on the smokestack screen! It's nice to cuddle up on the lounge chairs with snacks and watch a Disney movie on the Funnel Vision large screen. It's kind of like being at the drive-in but on a ship! 

19. Book your next cruise onboard! If you've enjoyed your cruise so much and can't wait until your next cruise, book you're next cruise onboard before your first one ends to get a 10% discount off current rates with a reduced deposit (10% deposit) to secure the reservation. If you use a travel agent for your vacations, no problem! Just include your travel agent's name and they can take over the reservation immediately after you book! 

20. Don't try to do it all. There are ultimately too many choices and activities that you simply cannot do it all in one trip. Relax and enjoy your vacation!