Disney Magic First Time

[ssbeagle]

Even though we have been on many cruises, this is the first time we are going on Disney. The Magic will be going out of Galveston, TX in October and we will be on board with our son and his family. I have a few questions regarding the Magic and Disney.

 

1. How does embarkation work? Do they give you a set time to board or can you show up at the pier around noon and expect to board? Do you get to go to your cabin right away?

 

2. Dining venues on the Magic. How does that work? Are you assigned to a specific dining room/table for the whole cruise? What specialty restaurants are on board and what are the costs?

 

3. What is the Children's program like? I noticed there are areas of the ship for adults only. What about the shows at night? Are they just for adults or can kids attend those?

 

4. What kind of activities can I find on board?

 

5. What are some of the "special" things Disney does that the other lines don't?

 

6. How does Disney handle disembarkation at the end of the cruise?

 

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

[Shmoo here]

Even though we have been on many cruises, this is the first time we are going on Disney. The Magic will be going out of Galveston, TX in October and we will be on board with our son and his family. I have a few questions regarding the Magic and Disney.

 

1. How does embarkation work? Do they give you a set time to board or can you show up at the pier around noon and expect to board? Do you get to go to your cabin right away? Since they haven't sailed out of Galveston yet, this is based on other venues: When you do your online checkin, you will select a Port Arrival Time. This time is tied to your actual boarding number which you will receive when you check in at the port. Rooms are usually available between 1:30-2:00.

 

2. Dining venues on the Magic. How does that work? Are you assigned to a specific dining room/table for the whole cruise? What specialty restaurants are on board and what are the costs? There are 3 Main Dining Rooms (Animator Palatte; Lumiere's; and Parrot Cay). When you check in you will receive your dining rotation and table number. You will rotate (along with your servers and any other people you are seated with) through each dining room during the cruise. You will always sit at the same table number, however it may not be in the exact same location in each dining room. Extra pay restaurant - Palo $20 per person for dinner/brunch, $15 per person for high tea.

 

3. What is the Children's program like? I noticed there are areas of the ship for adults only. What about the shows at night? Are they just for adults or can kids attend those? Childrens program areas are broken down by ages. I'm not real sure of all of them, but Nursery is up to 3 years. Club - 3-10. There's also the Lab; the Edge (tweens) and Vibe 14-17. Yes, there are adult only areas (18 and over). They are enforced. The shows in the Walt Disney Theater are for everyone. The shows in Rockin' Bar D - there is a Family show for all ages and an adult show for 18 and over.

 

4. What kind of activities can I find on board? Tastings; cooking demonstrations; ships tour; dance lessons are a few I can think of. Lots of kids activities: making flubber; cooking lessons; tea with Disney Pals. There is a Character Breakfast on 7 night cruises, also.

 

5. What are some of the "special" things Disney does that the other lines don't? Pirate Night (on deck party, with fireworks and late night buffet).

 

6. How does Disney handle disembarkation at the end of the cruise? Different in different ports, you'll have to wait and see.

 

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

 

See answers in red

:)

[ssbeagle]

Some more questions:

 

How do you get your luggage tags? How many days before embarkation must you do the on-line check-in?

 

Can adults take part in the children's activities with them if they want to? Do they seperate the kids 3-10 into better age groups? I don't think my 9-year-old granddaughter would want to do things with 3-5 year-olds.

 

I will probably come up with some more questions as time goes on.

[Shmoo here]

Some more questions:

 

How do you get your luggage tags? How many days before embarkation must you do the on-line check-in?

 

Can adults take part in the children's activities with them if they want to? Do they seperate the kids 3-10 into better age groups? I don't think my 9-year-old granddaughter would want to do things with 3-5 year-olds.

 

I will probably come up with some more questions as time goes on.

 

You will receive your cruise documents (with luggage tags) approximately 30 days prior to your cruise.

 

First time cruisers do their online reservations/check-in at 75 days out.

 

Yes, the kids club age groups are smaller, I just don't have any in that age group, so I don't know them exactly. You can check on the DCL website for more definitive information.

 

The kids clubs have Open House hours. During this time adults/parents can attend the clubs with their kids and do the activities. Other than Open House, adults are not allowed in the kids club areas.

 

There are may activities onboard that families can attend outside of the actual kids club areas.

 

:)

[Btands]

If you don't receive your luggage tags in advance, then the luggage handlers will put tags on your bags with your room number when you drop off your luggage at the port.

[ssbeagle]

What can you tell me about cabin #8004 and 8006? Those are the two cabins we are booked into. What are they convenient to? Are they really connecting?

[DCLfan13]

Here is a list of the most popular things to do as far as kids and family areas go on the Magic:

 

Family -

Quarter Masters, an arcade located on Deck 9, Midship

Studio Sea, a family entertainment center located on Deck 4, Midship

 

Age 14-17 -

Vibe, a teens-exclusive activity center located exclusively on Deck 11, Midship

 

Age 11-13 -

Edge, a children's activity center located on Deck 2, Midship

 

Ages 4-10 -

Disney's Oceaneer Lab, a children's activity center located at Deck 5, Midship

Disney's Oceaneer Club, a children's activity center located on Deck 5, Midship

 

^^^I'm not sure what the difference is, if you want more details, here's the link to the Disney site: http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/magic/youth-clubs/

 

Your cabins should be connecting by a door similar to any hotel with connecting rooms

[ssbeagle]

Thanks for the information. I was checking out the website and it says it's for kids 3-10. That's quite an age range. Do they seperate the kids by ages as far as activities go? I can't imagine a 9- or 10-year-old doing the same thing a 3-5 year old would do.

[Shmoo here]

Thanks for the information. I was checking out the website and it says it's for kids 3-10. That's quite an age range. Do they seperate the kids by ages as far as activities go? I can't imagine a 9- or 10-year-old doing the same thing a 3-5 year old would do.

 

 

Originally the Oceaneers Club and Oceaneers Lab were separate clubs. I think it was the Club for 3-6 and the Lab for 7-10. Several years ago, the club and the lab were merged so kids could do either. The Club and the Lab are physically located in different areas. The Club still has "younger" activities and the Lab still has "older" activities, but the kids can pick which they want to be in. So you can check your child into the club or the lab. If they want to do something on "the other side" they will be escorted by a CM to the other location.

 

When the Open House hours happen in (for example) the Club, and your child is there, he/she will be escorted to the Lab for the secured programming. Unless, of course, you come and join him/her in Club for the Open House. Likewise for the Lab, when it is Open House there, the Club will have secured programming.

 

:)

[ssbeagle]

Do the staterooms have refrigerators or are they just coolers?

[Shmoo here]

Do the staterooms have refrigerators or are they just coolers?

 

Generally, most of the rooms have what they call a "cooling box". Some of the rooms have already been upgraded to real mini-fridges.

 

There's no way of knowing whether your room has the cooling box or fridge.

 

Our experience has been that the cooling box is fine for keeping drinks cold enough.

 

:)

[ssbeagle]

On RCL cruises they had a cooler in the cabins and they didn't keep anything cold. I hope we get a fridge as I really like cold drinks.

[Shmoo here]

On RCL cruises they had a cooler in the cabins and they didn't keep anything cold. I hope we get a fridge as I really like cold drinks.

 

As I said, the cooling box (which really used to be mini-fridges earlier in their lives) on the Magic cruises we've done were very good about keeping drinks cold.

 

As a suggestion, if you get a cooling box that doesn't seem to be doing it's job, you can place a bag of ice (supplied by your room host) inside and that will cool it down more.

 

:)

[ssbeagle]

Thanks for all your information. I am looking forward to trying Disney for the first time.

 

I have just one more question right now. How formal are the formal nights and when do they have them on a 7-day cruise? Basically, what do people wear?

[Shmoo here]

Thanks for all your information. I am looking forward to trying Disney for the first time.

 

I have just one more question right now. How formal are the formal nights and when do they have them on a 7-day cruise? Basically, what do people wear?

 

Typically, there is 1 formal and 1 semi-formal night. The formal night is usually the first sea day (generally the second night) and the semi-formal is the second to last night.

 

I've worn (for various cruises) full length gown (with and without tiara); cocktail length dress (accessories to dress up or down); mid-length black skirt or black dressy pants with sparkly tops.

 

You'll find pretty much anything on formal nights, from prom dresses to "Sunday best". There will also be people who feel that "it's my cruise, I'll dress as I want". You won't be turned away from the MDRs for not being dressed up.

 

:)