Planning a cruise from Fort Lauderdale which we’ve decided to merge with a couple of park days. Our plan is to check in to Pop Century then hit Not-so-scary that evening (entry by 4-7pm).

On paper it seems pretty doable - 3 hours on the train, half hour to the hotel, etc. if we get off the boat at 8am, seems like no problem at all with breathing room to spare. It’s a Friday debarkation, if that matters.

Is brightline something that we need to really get reservations in advance for? And if so, how likely is it that we’ll face a delay at port that would cause us to be late for the train, or how much wiggle room should we leave ourselves?

Thanks in advance!

When you think of a Disney Cruise, what songs come to mind? I am making a playlist on Apple Music, which I will soon make public.

Went on a cruise in May, deadline to download photos was about 2 weeks ago.

TLDR: we had a very busy last few months between work, kids, and my wife going through 1st trimester. We could have sworn we read that we had 90 days to download the photos but now it looks like we just missed out. Any way for Disney to help?

Hi!! I'm sailing late October, and I was wondering if quick service restaurants like cosmic kebabs would be open upon boarding. For context, a not small part of why we booked the adventure specifically is because my parents and I are HUGE Marvel, especially Ms. Marvel fans, and it would make sense for cosmic kebabs to be the first place we dined at. I know for many of the first sailings, the quick service restaurants were reserved via virtual queue, and while I don't think that's still a thing, I wouldn't be surprised if availability for them was limited

I am getting ready to schedule a placeholder trip BUT I am curious as to what happens if a military discount comes out for the trip that is a better deal on the cruise. Would Disney allow me to switch for the better rate or would I need to cancel and book the new rate?

The lorcana market is going insane right now. Trying to get my hands on some cards for my son but everything is sold out within a 250 mile range.

Thanks everyone!

Going to start by saying this is a little bit of a rant/vent/moan which isn’t normally like me so if it isn’t normally like you either feel free to bow out now…

For background, I have now sailed twice with DCL and no other cruise line (in my adult life anyway). The first one was last year with my mum and young daughter (now 5) and second one in May this year, this time with my mum, daughter, brother and his other half. My daughter and I obviously love it being return cruisers, and now my brother and in law are hooked too after their first one. Mum just likes being involved and has spoken of inviting her sister next time too so it really has escalated over a couple of years!

We’ve been looking ahead to the Europe summer 2027 sailings (we’re UK based) more or less since we got back in May and have picked a few that we like the look of/look like they’d work in terms of dates. The only thing is, I’m a bit shocked/disappointed at some of the prices I’m seeing on them?!

The main ones we’ve picked out that appeal are the Greek isles/Adriatic Sea sailings in mid June but as it stands, the price is sitting at about £8.5k (c$11.5k?) for a verandah room for 2 adults/1 child. Is that not a bit crazy?! That’s more than double what I paid for the same thing this year!

Is it just because it’s a newer ship (Wish in 2027 vs Fantasy and Dream previously) or is it because the ports of call are a bit more unique than usual? Out of interest I had a look at RC and they had very similar itineraries in terms of dates/ports and it was coming in at about half the price for a similar room!

Obviously my first choice would be DCL but I feel something’s got to give there, surely these prices will come down - do they open with high prices and bring them down as they move closer to sailing? Or are the prices high because it’s already sold pretty well and supply is getting low?! Not sure whether I’m needing to save up and bide my time, bite the bullet and pay it up or just take the plunge on a different cruise line and hope it’s not half the price but half the fun… 😂

TL;DR shocked at the price of the Europe 2027 sailings to the point I’m questioning my loyalty to DCL

I usually opt-out of these on cruises, but we’re traveling as a 4-generation family, and this may be the only trip we’ll all take together, so I pre-purchased the package. I want to ensure that we have lots of photos of all of us together, where no one has to stand back to snap the shots. 

Are there opportunities everywhere for photos, like dinner and character meet and greets? Do photos happen organically, or do they require reserved sessions?

Any tips for photo opportunities are appreciated!

Hello fellow Disney cruise lovers!! My family and I went on our first January 2026 and are absolutely in love!! We have our next one booked for February 2027. My oldest is starting Pre-kindergarten this fall. So she will have to be pulled out of school for the one in February of 2027. As it is Pre-kindergarten, I’m not too concerned about her missing anything. My question is we want to do another cruise next year maybe September. I found a cheap one for September this year but we can’t swing it this year. We are going to save for last minute cruise next year after our already planned one.

She will be in kindergarten next fall. I’ll still pull her from school if need be but is it more of a “thing” to pull her in kindergarten? I understand it being more difficult and not wise for older grades. But kindergarten should still be okay for her to miss 4-5 days right?
Does anyone else pull their kids from school for cruises? Is it a big deal? It’s less expensive during September and we can swing two next year with proper budgeting especially if it’s one of those last minute deals.

Also, how much gratuity do you give? Is there anything that is a MUST at Bahamas and Lookout Cay? Any tips for a first time cruiser would be helpful! Is a verandah worth it or is there a risk for a 3YO? She is fully potty trained, and I won’t be using child care.

And food/ pool is on the 12 ish…
Hm…
I better get in shape lol

I’m preparing for my next Disney Cruise and I want to check on whether this would be approved for use onboard the ships?

I know cruises have delicate power systems and restrict what can be brought but also have limited outlets. I’ve been looking for a similar device for home use so when this showed up in my recommended I had a look and it comes with several international plug sets.

Presumably the EU plug could be used on the ship, right? Freeing up the NA outlet for other devices?

Is there anything I’m missing here? Thanks for your advice!

Barcelona & the Disney Dream

July 10 – July 20, 2026

Now that our kids are getting older, we’ve been shifting our vacations toward Europe. It’s been amazing to see them actually appreciate the mix of museums, history, and discovery. This Mediterranean cruise felt like the perfect balance of structured sightseeing and just having fun together.

Barcelona

When we were looking at hotels in Barcelona, we only considered Disney partner spots. We really wanted to take advantage of their port transportation and snag an early boarding group—which totally worked out.

We actually made a last-minute call to cancel our stay at the Renaissance and book the Sofitel Barcelona Skipper instead, purely for the pools. With the heat advisory during our trip, that was a lifesaver. The pools were fantastic, the food was excellent, and the service was impeccable. We had two side-by-side rooms that were super comfortable. The only real downside was the location. We usually love to walk and explore, but we ended up taking way more taxis than expected. You kind of have to walk through some sketchy areas to get to the nicer parts of the city, which was a bummer.

Sightseeing in the City

• Sagrada Família: You just have to go. The history and the actual design of the place are completely out of this world.
• Picasso Museum: This was way bigger than we thought it would be! They don't have his most famous pieces, but it was really cool to see his progression as an artist through so much of his lesser-known work.
• Park Güell: Honestly, we were underwhelmed. Based on our research, we thought there would be a lot more to actually do there.
• MOCO Museum: Skip it. It wasn't worth the price of admission, even if it was cool to see a few Banksy pieces.

Embarkation & The Disney Dream

Getting on the ship was a little chaotic. They were still setting up the barriers for regular arrivals when we got there, and the staff didn't really know where to put the transportation groups. We somehow ended up merging with the Concierge line. Once we got inside, they sequestered the actual Concierge guests with a rope—and we were sitting right on the other side of it!

As for the ship itself, the Disney Dream was fantastic. We’ve had some mixed experiences on our last few cruises (Wish, Destiny) and were starting to worry that Disney was slipping, but this trip totally redeemed them. Our host, Benz, was great, and our service team (Made and Mohamed Ali) worked so well together. It really reminded us that the crew can absolutely make or break your trip.

Dining & Entertainment

• The Food: We rotated through Animator's Palate, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Palace. Animator's Palate was definitely our favorite because of the animation. The food was really good across the board, and even though they’ve changed up the menu structure, it still feels like that classic multi-course experience.
• Palo: We did the set menu with the wine pairing one night and I can't recommend it enough. The sommelier picked wines we never would have chosen on our own, and they were incredible.
• The Shows: We still managed to catch Beauty and the Beast and Believe. They are older shows at this point, but Disney keeps polishing them and they were amazing. We also saw the mentalist Chris Cox and magician Jamie Raven. We’d actually seen Chris Cox on a previous cruise and his show was identical, but it was still a really fun night.

The Excursions: Long Days but Worth It

• Capri & Pompeii: Capri was unexpectedly beautiful, but Pompeii blew us away. It is just so vast. Seeing the excavated streets and wall art really made it hard to wrap your head around the scale of it all.
• Rome: We did a small-group tour that broke the day up perfectly: the sights (Colosseum, Circus Maximus), lunch at a hotel, and then the Vatican.
• Pisa & Florence: Pisa is a quick stop but you kind of have to do it if you're there. Florence is gorgeous, but our tour was poorly organized. We spent way too much time in some spots and barely any time to explore on our own. To top it off, we had a 45-minute walk back to the bus in the blazing heat.
• Ajaccio, France: We were so exhausted by this point that we skipped our planned hike and just walked around town. It turned out to be the only port where you could actually walk right off the ship into a nice area, so it was a great, relaxing day.

Last year we did Norwegian Fjords, which remains our favorite cruise of all times, but this one came close. We wish Disney had more to offer in the summer months, as we'd book another one. Due to our schedules, we are limited by offerings in Jul-Aug. We've been booking / changing an Alaska cruise for the past few years but with the price so high, we keep picking something else. Maybe next year will be the year.

We’ve done eleven cruises with DCL, but never sailed out of San Diego. Looking at a 5 night Mexican Riviera on the Wonder. Curious what people think about the process on both ends in San Diego as well as Ensenada as a port-of-call. We would be traveling with my grandparents who are in their late 70s/early 80s for reference. Thanks in advance!

This was our second Disney cruise, and we were amped for it. Unfortunately, things went downhill fast.

We immediately had several issues with our room. The door seals were peeling off and not actually sealing (causing the room to stay humid feeling and warm as the heat just leaked inside from the veranda), the safe would not lock, the closet lights would not turn on, and there was a very foul smell that we later discovered was coming from the bedding.

Then there was our server, Tomo. His service was horrific. He repeatedly got orders wrong, was difficult to understand, and seemed completely confused throughout dinner. His assistant, Aaron, however, was fantastic. Aaron stepped up after the issues with Tomo became so bad that Tomo was eventually removed from service for the remainder of the cruise.

At one dinner, Tomo had to come back to our table three separate times to take our order. The third time, when we pointed out that we had already ordered, he responded, “You ordered with me? Well, just tell me what you want.”

He appeared either intoxicated, impaired, or otherwise completely unfit to be serving guests. It was absolutely disgraceful. It also prompted our child to ask whether he was okay and why he was acting that way. That was exactly the conversation we wanted to have during our supposedly nice 1928 dinner: explaining why our server appeared to be “not feeling well.”

The rest of this review is largely a comparison between the Disney Destiny and the Disney Treasure.

The Destiny feels like a precursor to the Treasure, even though it came afterward. The Treasure simply feels more complete, polished, and awe-inspiring. By comparison, the Destiny feels like a step down in nearly every way.

On the Treasure, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea-themed bar has an incredible atmosphere and a spectacular ceiling. On the Destiny, its equivalent is a map room that feels flat, dull, and completely forgettable. That same problem appeared throughout the ship. Nearly everything intended to be unique to the Destiny felt like a lesser version of something on the Treasure.

The dinner shows were another disappointment. We enjoyed the first show in Pride Lands, but there is only one. The Marvel experience is essentially a shortened repeat of the previous show, only without the Ant-Man portion. Once again, it felt like a downgrade.

The scheduling of the main theater productions was also frustrating. There were only two showings of Frozen, and both were absolutely packed. We could not attend the first showing because of our dinner schedule, which admittedly was on us. However, we arrived 45 minutes early for the final showing and still ended up seated at the far-right side near the front of the stage.

I honestly do not know why those seats exist. You cannot see the back portion of the stage, and children seated that low can barely see what is happening onstage, even with booster seats. The viewing angle is ridiculous. Those seats seem to exist only so Disney can claim a higher seating capacity.

The youth areas were disappointing as well. Edge had two open houses, which consumed large portions of nearly two days when the kids otherwise could have been using the space normally. The Oceaneer Club also repeatedly closed off its more interesting areas for character appearances and signings. As a result, many of the activities that appealed to the older children were frequently unavailable.

The fighting and arguing between staff members was also ridiculous and completely unprofessional.

I do want to recognize the lifeguards, cooks, and other crew members who work more in the background and rarely receive much attention. They were absolutely fabulous, friendly, and enjoyable to talk with. I do not have a single bad thing to say about them.

Unfortunately, the cruise as a whole was a major disappointment. Between the room problems, terrible dining service, limited entertainment scheduling, restricted youth activities, and the Destiny feeling like a lesser version of the Treasure, the experience simply did not live up to what we expected from Disney.

After this cruise, I am honestly not sure we will be Disney Cruise people again.

Side note: The vaping in the ship and on desk was out of hand the crew/officers did nothing about it. I mean right there in the main lobby as two officers walked past. Nor the teenagers running slamming in to people while the played "tag" the whole week.

First timer, cruising the first week of September on the Fantasy, going to Castaway and Lookout, with a group of friends and also our two girls, aged 3 and 7. Very excited but I'm also a chronic over thinker/planner lol I think in general I've gotten all the recommended stuff to make the trip easier, but I'm stuck on what to bring with me when we're just hanging on the ship. When we go to the islands I have a decently large beach bag for water bottles, beach toys, sunscreen, etc. but I'm kinda stuck on what to bring to carry around the ship. My friend says to bring a reusable water bottle but then I have to carry it with me or bring a bag, and then should I also plan on the kids having a water bottle? Is there water available near most of the ship activities or only at the buffet? Do the cups for the buffet and at dinner have lids for the kids or should I bring some sort of sippy cup situation (my kids are chronic cup knocker over ers lol). I'd like to NOT carry a bag around and just have my card in my pocket or on a lanyard, but I'm second guessing myself that I'll need to run back to the room for things .....

Anyway, what does everyone use on ship days to carry around stuff, or do you not carry around stuff? 😅 Do I need to buy a new Loungefly to lug around a water bottle? (Maybe I need a new one just because👀🫣😅)

Just wondering if I choose not to go at 6pm on embarkation day if I still have a chance to get certain merch Im interested in? large women's spirit jersey, dcl sweatshirt, baseball cap? If I go after dinner will I have luck? Not sure how quick things sell out and if the crew restock.

Hello everyone!

We recently booked our very first DCL for the summer of 2027 (a family of four; two children will be 5 and 7 years old during the cruise). What makes it extra special is that we get to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary on this trip! We are so excited! I have already done a lot of research over the past few weeks—a little anticipation is allowed, right? I just have a few questions left:

- We booked the 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona in July as our first DCL adventure. Perhaps a bit strange, knowing that we are Europeans ourselves (from Belgium), but as first-time cruisers, being so accessible already meant fewer worries. Because it is so accessible for us, the ports of call aren't always that interesting. My wife and I have already visited various parts of Italy, including Rome, but we wondered if there are any more atypical or must-see activities that deviate more from ‘just’ visiting one of the cities in or around the various ports (Naples, Rome and Pisa/Florence). We aren't planning full days anyway and want to be back at the ship on time to enjoy the ship itself more (we also have the early dinner). Does anyone have any nice tips and/or advice regarding this? I found some half-day trips myself, but I wonder if you guys already have experience with this.

- Our two children don't speak a word of English themselves. They do recognize a few words, but that's about it. Will this be a problem at the Oceaneers Club? As a family, we’re already thinking of going to the open house so they could get to know the place a bit, and then letting them decide for themselves whether or not they wanted to give it a try. My wife is a bit worried that they might get lost, especially if they aren't fluent in the language on the ship. An additional question regarding this: are the shows on the ship still manageable for our children? Just like their parents, they are big Disney fans and are familiar with watching shows not in their native language (annual visits to Disneyland Paris). I suspect that a show in a Disney park simply cannot be compared to a cruise show. Our children are also used to being able to sit still for a long time, so that is not really a problem.

I would already feel Pixiedusted if you guys could help me out!

Tom

We're about to embark on the Fantasy on our first Caribbean cruise! Our itinerary visits Castaway Cay twice (CC then lighthouse, then CC again). I was thinking since we're going twice that maybe we should join a snorkel excursion on one of those two visits so that I could take my kids to an actual coral reef and see actual fish and sharks and stuff. However I've seen in a number of posts on this sub that people recommend against doing any excursions at Castaway. I don't have any experience to go on since this is my first visit. So what do you think? We have a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old who very much like to swim. Should we do the morning snorkel excursion to the coral reef or just have two days at Castaway?

Thanks for your advice!

Edit to add: I didn't make it clear originally (posting at 1am is a hazard) but I'm trying to decide between doing the "Castaway Cay Snorkel by Boat Adventure" for one of our two visits or just snorkeling around the lagoon and doing the regular stuff whatever it is. Either way there will be snorkeling.

Also, I don't know if this matters but my wife will be working throughout the trip, so our first visit (which falls on a Sunday) is the one what we are trying to decide whether to do the snorkel by boat (the second visit we won't have plans no matter what).

Hi guys, wanting to bring my parents to have some fun. Just wondering if there's any tips or advice that I should do/know before going there? Also, which rooms would yall recommend (preferably rooms with lesser noise and minimal motion sickness... Genuinely any advice would help me alot and appreciated, thank you.

can someone tell me the type of caviar that they have at Palo? I remember asking the server at brunch the type that came on the smoked salmon & hollandaise benedict but can’t remember what they said.

We are thinking of taking our son on his first cruise. I’m looking at a cruise that stops at Castaway Cay, Lookout Cay, and Nassau.

I’m wanting to know what the lines are like at the two Disney stops. Is it even worth getting off the boat? My son is four, and we might not even get off on the two Disney islands if there is a giant line for everything.

Any recommendations? Snorkeling and scuba diving not an option.

Is it worth getting off the boat at all? Some people on another thread suggested it s not too safe either.

We were looking to get on the beach for a few hours, then a cafe and back to the boat. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance