Nothing against Disney people, but I’m not one of them. I grew up knowing the characters, visited the parks a few times, and never felt particularly attached. Now that I’m a parent, my stance hasn’t changed—except that I enjoy watching my daughter light up at all things Mickey and Minnie. That said, I hadn’t felt compelled to take her to a theme park to see it in person.
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Then came the opportunity to go on a Disney cruise. And, I have to admit, the Disney Dream won me over—mostly because it leaned hard into the one thing Disney does best: storytelling. The Disney magic was brought to life through themed experiences, thoughtful design, and little surprises throughout the voyage. Characters roam about the ship at all hours (I was starting to believe Mickey Mouse was following me) and Disney tunes play everywhere.
Everything is immersive, and more importantly, easy. Once on board, the Disney Cruise Line app basically does the thinking for you, complete with reminders and a tap-to-favorite planner that sends push notifications when things start. It’s clear that the same level of attention Disney puts into its parks and properties goes into its cruises. And, yes, the hospitality really is that good.
Minutes into my DCL vacation, I realized seasoned Disney cruisers know the game… and I did not. As a first-timer, I learned a few things the hard way. Here’s what I’ll be doing differently next time—and what you should know before you go.
You don’t have to be a Disney person to appreciate a Disney cruise—but it helps
The detail-oriented company puts maximum effort into making every guest touchpoint feel like a fairytale moment, some of which went right over my head. Were it not for a friend on board, I wouldn’t have known that the public announcements begin with “When You Wish Upon a Star,” from Pinocchio, the ship's horn plays "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella, or that Vanellope’s, the gourmet dessert shop, is named after a character from Wreck-It Ralph. Those small touches add up—so either cram before your cruise or bring someone who knows their Disney. It made a difference.
Reserve everything as soon as you book your cruise
The ship never feels crowded, but there are still a lot of people and a finite number of experiences to go around. Things like infant and toddler childcare and kids’ clubs fill up quickly and need to be reserved in advance. The same goes for adults-only dining at Remy and Palo, spa treatments, and enrichment activities like whiskey tastings and champagne seminars. If it’s something you want to do, book it early.
Be strategic about timing to make the most of your trip
As anyone who’s sat in traffic knows, when you go can be just as important as where you go. Cruise ships are no different. The Aquaduck water slide has a theme-park-style wait (around 30 minutes, on average), but the line is much shorter if you hit it right after boarding on embarkation day—when most people are freshening up before their first dinner. The same goes for character meet-and-greets: show up 15 minutes before the scheduled time, and you’ll usually wait less. Also, line up for the breakfast buffet a few minutes before it opens. Trust.
Make friends with your dining staff
You’ll rotate dining rooms nightly, but your servers stay the same—and they get to know your preferences fast. Theaters and dining times are staggered so everyone can catch the shows, but on one night when the later dinner time didn’t work with my daughter’s bedtime, our servers let us pre-order the next night’s meal so we could eat early and make the show. By the end of the cruise, they had our likes and dislikes down, and even diffused a toddler meltdown with a sticker sheet at just the right moment.
Plan ahead for port days
We docked at two private islands: Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point, a newer development that opened in June 2024. The greenery is still filling in across its vast shoreline, and once you compare it to the cozier Castaway, you’ll realize Lighthouse Point was built with Disney’s growing cruiser clientele in mind. Do yourself a favor and read up on what’s available at each port—there’s more to experience than just your beach chair. We missed a few character meet-and-greets and splash pad time because we parked ourselves on the sand early, which was nice… but also pretty much what we did the next day in port, too. Speaking of beach days: while on Castaway Cay, hop on the trolley and ride it all the way to the third beach. Most people jump off at the first stop, so the farther out you go, the fewer crowds you’ll find.
Don’t go to bed early
This might be a family cruise, but don’t expect early-bird dinners, twilight activities, and lights-out by 8. There’s a lot you’ll miss if you turn in too soon—like poolside movies under the stars, great musical theater shows, extra character meet-and-greets, a Pirates of the Caribbean-style performance, and the main event: a full-on fireworks show. Disney’s the only cruise line allowed to set off fireworks at sea, and trust me, you’ll want to be awake for it.
Enjoy a smoother exit home
If you're lucky enough to live in South Florida, here’s how to make disembarkation a breeze: park overnight in the garage right next to the ship. It’s $20 a day and worth every penny to be just steps from your car when you get off. Save yourself time by rolling your own luggage on and off the ship. Your identity is biometrically confirmed at Customs, so without luggage to wait for, you can literally walk off the ship and head straight to your car.
Time Out sailed on the Disney Dream on a group press trip hosted by Disney Cruise Line. For information on our policies around editorial independence, reviews and recommendations, see our editorial guidelines.