mommb

You can purchase a DisneyBand+ (which is the same as the MagicBand+ used in the US Disney parks) for around $35. It is now available on all 5 ships. It can be used for charges and to enter your room. At various times on the cruise, it may light up or cause things to happen around the ship. As jalves said, you will still need a Key to the World card to reboard the ship in ports.

Excursions will be charged to your onboard account after you board the ship. However, you can make a payment toward your onboard account before sailing by calling DCL (or having your travel agent call, if you used a travel agent). This is typically described as "prepaying gratuities" but since all charges are handled the same way, you can think of it as prepaying excursions too. You can also purchase "onboard credit" through the Onboard Gifts section of the Disney Cruise website.

The only way to be sure you will have the same reservations is to book them at the same time, meaning you would need to wait until your friends' booking window opens. For adult dining, if you are interested in that, you can book for your family, have your friends book when they can, and then ask Palo/Remy/Enchante to combine your reservations once you are onboard. For excursions, you can book for your family and then have your friends check whether the activity you booked is still available when they book. If it isn't, you can either keep it without them, or cancel and book something all of you can do. One other option is to "swap" passengers so that each room has someone with Silver Castaway Cay status, and then swap back at Guest Services after boarding. If you're on a standard Bahamas or Caribbean itinerary, this is probably unnecessary, but if you're on an unusual itinerary, it's possible that excursions will fill quickly.

I use a travel agent, so I can't pay through the Disney Cruise website. When I look at my upcoming reservation online, I do see a blurb about pre-paid gratuities: You can also purchase onboard credit through the Onboard Gifts section, which would have the same effect as pre-paying gratuities.

I have often carried a hot tea or coffee into a bar or lounge, and no one ever said anything about it. When asked if I'd like anything to drink, I simply say no, and I'm not usually asked again. I think you can get tap water at no cost, though I haven't tried that.

Since I always to go Guest Services and add extra to the gratuities anyhow, I just let the gratuities go on my credit card with all my other charges at the end of the cruise.

If you are used to longer cruises, then I agree that a 3-night cruise would not be ideal. Disney Cruise offers 7 night cruises from Port Canaveral in the Fantasy this year and on the new Treasure next year. There are also 4- to 7-night cruises from Texas and Florida on other ships, as well as 7-night cruises through Alaska and Europe. You could do back-to-back shorter cruises, but you'd have the same menus and mostly the same events on each cruise. Yes, Disney cruises will have a lot of kids. However, they also have a lot of kids programming, so other than at deck parties, theater shows, and meals, you may not see kids that often. Deck parties, theater shows, and heading into dinner are when you will see large crowds in general. As Shmoo said, longer cruises tend to have fewer kids and more adult-oriented activities. I have never done a repositioning cruise, but if you have the time, that would be a good choice since the fares are (relatively) low compared to other Disney cruises.

There is usually at least 1 and often more than 1 trivia activity per day. Some are intended for families -- these focus on Disney movies and music. In the past there have been "game show" type activities for kids and parents, but I'm not sure if those are still offered. Other trivia events are more geared to (or exclusively for) adults. Some are diverse "pub trivia" and others are more focused, such as television, music, brainteasers, and Disney parks. During sea days, trivia may occur throughout the day. On port days, it's more likely in the afternoon and evening, though there may be some earlier as well.

From the DCL website (https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/prohibited-items/carrying-alcohol-onboard/😞 Disney Cruise Line Guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage and at each port of call. These beverages must be packed in carry-on (not checked) bags or luggage. If you need extra luggage tags, you should be able to get them from porters at the port. I don't know what wines are available onboard. My family typically stays at the Country Inn and Suites in Port Canaveral, which offers a shuttle bus to the port, when we don't stay at Walt Disney World before the cruise. There are a few other hotels on the same street.

1. Guest Services will no longer get items signed by characters. You are welcome to bring items to character meets to get them signed in person. 2. Children 3-10 can be dropped off and picked up at any time while the Oceaneer's Club and Lab are open. You do not need to make reservations or set a pick-up time in advance. The daily Navigator will list scheduled events and times, so you can make plans with your granddaughter for when she'd like to be at the Club/Lab. 3. The main theater shows on the Magic are Tangled, Twice Charmed (a twist on Cinderella) and Disney Dreams. On other nights the theater typically has guest performers such as a magician, comedian, or musical group, and one night might be a movie.

If you want a soft drink, coffee, or tea while other members of your party are ordering alcoholic or specialty drinks at a bar or lounge, you can go up/over to the drink station on the pool deck, get a drink, and bring it into the bar/lounge without an issue. I routinely bring a cup of tea to trivia games. I have sometimes ordered a specialty drink (such as a Shirley Temple, virgin mojito, or caffe latte) in a bar, but never felt the need to order something I could get for free elsewhere.

My family of 4 stayed in 8032 on the Magic, which should be the same layout. It felt huge. It did have a pull-down bed and a sofa bed in the living room. We also stayed in concierge rooms 8102 and 8598, which didn't have a pulldown bed at all. We were able to request a rollaway bed so my kids didn't have to share the double sofa bed, but I wouldn't count on that. I would definitely go for 8032, 8034, 8532, or 8534 if any of them are available.

On a later cruise, I'd say you have a good chance of getting Enchante, based on my experience with Remy on the Dream and Fantasy. On an early sailing, though, there will be a lot of people who want to check out Enchante on the new ship. I don't know whether Haunted Mansion Bar will require reservations, and if so, whether they will be booked in advance or only available on board. The Hyperspace Lounge on the Wish started with onboard booking, then moved to in advance, then within a few months ceased requiring reservations altogether. Since the Treasure is doing longer cruises than the Wish, it's likely that even if you do need to book a visit, you will be able to at some point during the cruise. If you really want to be sure to experience everything on the Treasure, then waiting a few months will increase your chances. However, it appears there will be plenty to do even if you can't do everything.

I agree that for small children a Deluxe Oceanview (category 5 or 6) veranda cabin would be fine. The Deluxe Family (category 4) veranda cabin will have slightly more space by the veranda and may have a bed that drops from the wall in that space. When the dropdown bed is open, though, access to the veranda is limited. From the deck plans for the Wish, it appears that Category 4 cabins don't connect to Category 5 cabins. So, unless neither of the kids can/would use the upper bunk, I'd go with the Deluxe Oceanview.

My husband and I used International Friends in September and would happily use them again. The bus picked us at our hotel near Heathrow (after we'd arrived the previous night) on schedule. We were on a bus with maybe 20 other people that stopped at Stonehenge for a few hours and then dropped us off by the Southampton port. The guide provided information about what we were seeing on our drive. She also went with us to near the stones and offered to take pictures with our cameras. We had ample time for the visitors' center and lunch. If you are boarding the ship the same day, there's probably not time for another stop. You could choose Windsor in one direction and Stonehenge in the other, if you have a late flight back (or are staying in London after your cruise).

On a 7-night cruise, you should be able to book Palo dinner, on the ship if not in advance. We were able to book a dinner halfway through our 7-night Fantasy cruise last January. The Remy dessert experience allows fewer guests than Palo, but is also more expensive (though totally worth it) so that's harder to predict. All you can do is try, and ask to get on the waitlist if you're unable to book in advance. Good luck!

The highest status in the room dictates the booking and check-in times. As long as you and your wife are in the same stateroom, you will be able to do online check-in, including choosing a port arrival time, at the date for Platinum Castaway members (38 days before the cruise). Note that as of a few years ago, Platinum guests do have to choose a Port Arrival Time, although Pearl members do not.

Some of the Deluxe Family Oceanview staterooms (Dream/Fantasy/Wish/Treasure) and Deluxe Family Veranda staterooms (all ships) will have a bed that sleeps 2 people, a single sofa bed, a single bunk bed, and a single bed that fold down from the wall. You should be able to search online and find cabins that sleep 5. Note that not all cabins in these categories on the newer ships have beds for 5, but a search for rooms for 5 will bring up only the cabins that do.

As shown in the picture above, the balcony railing is almost entirely solid so wedging through it to fall out would be impossible for a 5 year old. The only possible concern would be a child climbing on furniture near the balcony. Of course, if someone is on the balcony with a child, it is necessary to watch the child closely to make sure the child isn't climbing on furniture anywhere near the railing, just as kids need to be watched when walking on the outside decks. If the top of the balcony door is locked, a 5 year old would be highly unlikely to open it, especially without anyone in the room noticing. As gometros described, there is also a lower door knob (middle right in the picture of the balcony) that must be turned and then pushed to the side to open the door. It took me at least 3 cruises (as an adult) to be able to open that door easily. If your friend is worried, she certainly doesn't have to get a room with a veranda, but you can assure her that Disney Cruise has designed the verandas to be as safe for kids as possible.

Even if the Adventure is beginning sailing in early 2025, Disney Cruise Line will probably want to give it a separate launch announcement, as they did with the Disney Treasure.

Thanks! I wish I'd thought of that last week. My husband had 20 or 30 pounds in older bills left over from a 2017 trip. We went to the post office near West Quay in Southampton to try to exchange them, and the clerk suggested asking at a bank. We then asked at a bank, which couldn't help us since we didn't have an account. It didn't occur to me to look for a currency exchange. If we're in Southampton for another cruise before we find another solution, that's what we'll use.

It is possible that you won't be able to book some onboard activities as a first-time cruiser. If there is nothing available when your booking window opens, you can continue checking online before the cruise, and continue checking once onboard. My family has had good luck getting beverage tastings and adult dining onboard even though they were "sold out" before the cruise. On our recent Disney Cruise out of Southampton, there were Royal Tea and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique appointments available a month before cruising, but of course, there's no guarantee that will happen on other cruises. Even if you can't book the Princess Gathering, though, there are character meets several times a day that do not require prebooking -- you just get in line and wait a few minutes. There are family game shows and craft activities throughout the day that similarly don't require booking. If you would feel the cruise wouldn't be worthwhile if you can't book the limited number of bookable activites, then a Disney Cruise may not be right for your family. I haven't cruised on other lines since I had kids, so I don't know what kind of family activities are available on other lines. I can tell you my kids never attended Royal Tea or Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and did reservation-required character meets only a few times, but very much enjoyed every one of our Disney cruises.

You do not need to pay in full until a few month before the cruise, but you can't book onboard activities until you are paid in full.

It's not uncommon for document to say "Under review" for several weeks after check-in. My family's passports were "under review" for 2 weeks for our cruise next month even though we'd used the same passports for a cruise in January. As long as your daughter-in-law submitted an official US government birth certificate and she is on a cruise leaving from and returning to the same US port, I would guess that the birth certificate will be sufficient, but I haven't used such a document. You could call DCL to verify that this type of document can be used.

My family eats pescaterian (vegetarian and finfish) and we have not had trouble finding food we like on our 12 Disney cruises. The main dining rooms have vegetarian entree options, usually more than one, each night. I am not picky, so I've liked almost everything. My husband has mentioned that the food in general is not as well-spiced as he'd prefer. On our Fantasy cruise in January, we discovered a few days into the cruise that Cabanas had a plant-based lunch special every day. It was made to order and required a small wait, but it was always tasty. I will mention that while Palo has limited vegetarian options (I usually order fish there) we have had 2 phenomenal dinners at Remy composed mostly of vegetarian items. We just stopped by at Remy after we boarded to make sure our dietary requirements were noted on our reservations, and the chef prepared meals just for us. Obviously, you would need to get your daughter dinner elsewhere if you go to Remy.