Ten years ago, I married into a Disney family. My father-in-law has a special jacket of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys and my brother-in-law bears a strong resemblance to Buzz Lightyear (seriously). I grew up in Texas, then moved to Colorado as a tween, so Disney was not a big part of my childhood. It has definitely become a huge part of my adulthood though! The topper was this Fall Break ... we spent it aboard the Disney Wonder, heading down the Mexican Riviera on an 8-day cruise.
If you don't already know, Disney is THE leader in customer service, not just for their industry but for every industry, since every business must provide customer service at one point or another. (For a business perspective on this idea, read Inside the Magic Kingdom by Thomas Connellan -- it's a fascinating book!) From the moment we stepped onto the boat into a crowd of Disney employees clapping and shouting our family name (next cruise, we're going to tell them our last name is "Awesomest" so they announce "Welcome the Awesomest Family!") till the moment we said goodbye (tears from my little guy when we bid farewell to our servers!), we were pampered and treated like royalty. We had more personal interactions with more Disney characters than we ever experienced before. My kids couldn't wait to play at the Oceaneer Club and Lab, the place specifically for kids ages 3 to 10. The food, service, and ambience at Palo, the adult-only restaurant that serves brunch, high tea, and dinner exceeded our expectations. Live family-friendly shows each night, first-run and old-favorite Disney movies playing nearly round-the-clock, adult entertainment in the lounges after 9:00 PM, and family games that we could all participate in are a few more of the reasons we wanted to stay on that ship forever!
Here are a few tips that I can share with you:
- GO! Seriously, my #1 tip is to tell you to go on a Disney cruise (unless, of course, you get seasick ... then disregard this tip)!
- Use a travel agent! You'll save time because they do all the legwork for you. You'll save money because they are always the first to know the best deals and often offer a price guarantee in case a special promotion runs after you've already booked. And you'll increase your fun because they can prepare a special itinerary customized to your own family's wants and needs. Plus, they're paid for by the destination, not by you, so you've got nothing to lose! (I recommend our partner, Mouse's House Vacations. She told me that Disney just announced a special promotion today where KIDS SAIL FREE on most Mexican Riviera cruises from January 8 till March 4 aboard the Disney Wonder.)
- Eat whatever you want but always take the stairs instead of the elevator. There is SO MUCH FOOD and it's all good! Can't decide between a couple of appetizers? Get them both! I still gained a couple of pounds (ugh!) but not nearly as much as I should have considering what I ate!
- Make reservations for the adult-only restaurant onboard. If you try to make them online and it says they're full, go to the restaurant when you arrive. The online reservations stop accepting new reservations when they are only 50-60% capacity. We had dinner on our final night, which was the right choice, as there were special activities every other night except the first (Pirates Night and The Golden Mickeys, for example) that my husband and I wouldn't have wanted to miss.
- Forget about bedtime if you want any couple time. The lounges don't become adults-only till 9:00 PM. Our kids were up way past bedtime most nights and we slept in till 9:30 or so most mornings.
- Bring your own alcohol. Unlike some cruise lines, you can bring as much alcohol as will fit in your carry-on bag. We brought our own wine and a bottle of Captain Morgan. A complimentary soda station was located by one of the pools, so we would spike our soft drinks. You will pay a corking fee if you bring one of your own bottles of wine to the dining room.
- Don't spend money on the bottled water! I knew Mexico was going to be hot, so I had a case of water sent to our room on the first day (at a cost of $35!) and we never finished it. We had water with all our meals, and water was also available at the soda station, so it was an unnecessary expense.
- Bring some items to have autographed, up to four per family (thanks to my partner, Sam, for this tip!). We brought two white pillowcases and two photo mats that we dropped off at guest services on the first day of the cruise. On the last full day, they were returned to our room, each one signed by Mickey and the Gang! An inexpensive but very special keepsake!
- Book your shore excursions through Disney. They may be slightly more expensive than some of the others, but they have been vetted by and are accountable to Disney so they are high quality. Plus, Disney makes it so easy to get on and off the boat when you work with one of their partners and they take care of everything!
Bottom line: The night we arrived home, we put a new piggy bank on our kitchen counter with a "CRUISE" label on it and have already started saving for our next one. Maybe that one will be on the Disney Fantasy!
