I know, you are like what?! The Walt Disney World girl likes something even better than the parks? It is crazy, and I'm not 100% convinced, but I will tell you, Disney Cruises are pretty amazing. We have only been on two so far, but have our third booked for next summer and we can't wait! So what makes Disney cruises so amazing?
1. There is something for everyone. Adult only areas? Check. Amazing kid clubs that are included in the price of the cruise? Check. Great pools? Check. Broadway caliber shows? Check. First run movies? Check. Wine tastings? Check. Diaper dashes? Check. No matter what your style, you will find something that meets your interests and needs.
2. The food is great. Disney ships feature this awesome concept of rotational dining. Each night you have the same wait staff but you switch restaurants. You might eat in Animator's Palate (where the scenery changes throughout the night as you eat and you see Disney or Pixar characters come to life) and then Tiana's Place or the Enchanted Garden where princess settings are more the decor. There are a few adult only restaurants that are absolutely amazing (and totally worth the small upcharge) and there is a buffet open most hours, as well as offerings like frozen yogurt, burgers, wraps, and fries available most times on the pool deck. Your dining staff will get to know you quickly. On day two they had my kids' desired drinks waiting when we arrived. They knew my daughter's kid meal was never going to fill her up so happily brought her a side of grilled shrimp or something from the adult menu. Want to try two desserts? Go for it. It's vacation!
3. Your kids will beg to go the kid club. A room modeled after Andy's bedroom from Toy Story. A mock Millenium Falcon the kids can fly. Dance parties with Disney characters. Art, cooking, and science events. Gaming stations for those that can't live without their screen time. For kids 3-10 or so, there is definitely something for everyone. And the kid area is super secure (they have a special bracelet system and check out safe word, as well as some of the most state of the art hand washers I have ever seen to keep germs at bay!). Our kids requested time there the final night to go one more time before leaving the ship they loved it that much!
4. Disney Shows. Each night there is a special show you can see either before or after dinner depending on your dining time. The shows are Broadway caliber but geared to families. They are based on Disney films or Disney concepts like believe and dream, and they are great. While other cruise lines often have great shows, most aren't rated G so aren't exactly what I am looking for. The Disney shows were perfect for my kids and grown ups enjoyed them too.
5. Disney's Private Island, Castaway Cay. This island wins the best private island award in every award list I have ever seen. There is an adult only area, several swimming areas, a kid club area on the island (complete with dinosaur digs and beach scavenger hunts), character meet and greets, and water slides and play areas in the middle of the water. You can rent bikes or snorkel equipment or just lay in a hammock. You can even get off the ship early and run or walk a 5K. It is beautiful and perfect.
While all these things are great, the reason I love Disney cruises the most is the vacation style it leads to. Disney World is go go go. No matter how much down time I try to schedule in to the trip, I have a hard time relaxing and slowing down. On the cruise, there is rarely somewhere you have to be. There is just a sense that you should be spending time just chilling and watching the waves or hanging in the theater or eating with the family and you don't feel like you are exhausted when you are done with vacation. You can schedule character meet and greets or port excursions but otherwise you just show up where you want and when you want. Want to skip dinner? That's fine. Room service is included or you can hit the buffet. If you want to go go go there is something scheduled from like 5 am - 2 am. And the kid clubs are open like 7 am - midnight. There are special clubs for preteens and teens too if you have older kids that are too cool for too much family time. It really is a great vacation for everyone and I can't wait for us to go back for a 7-night trip next August!
Feel free to share your favorite parts of the cruise! Or ask any questions about Disney or other cruise lines!
No comments:
Post a Comment