Tips for Taking a Disney Cruise With Babies and Toddlers

May 5

When traveling with young children under the age of 3, it can sometimes be stressful, especially when you are set to embark on a new adventure, like a cruise. You may be wondering if there will be suitable activities for your toddler and/or baby, qualified caregivers, appropriate snack options, etc. Thankfully, Disney Cruise Line makes life easier for families with little ones on their ships!

Things are often changing; so we always recommend checking with your travel advisor and the Disney Cruise Line website before your vacation, however, in addition to those resources, we have also compiled our favorite things to know as you prepare for your upcoming cruise.

Before your cruise begins

Check-in for your voyage as the clock strikes midnight.
Checking in as soon as possible on your predetermined check-in date will allow you the opportunity to snag an earlier boarding time. After a potentially hectic morning traveling to the port, getting onto the ship as soon as possible means your vacation is underway and you will have more time to enjoy some of our embarkation day suggestions listed below!

Request specific amenities or accommodations for your little one in advance.
Using the DCL app, you can make specific requests for a diaper genie in the stateroom (among other items), seating preferences for dining experiences, notating dietary needs, and more!

Check out this helpful link for more information and additional resources offered when traveling with Disney Cruise Lines with little ones: Disney Cruise with Little Ones.

Embarkation Day

You may not have access to your room immediately so take the time to explore the ship, grab lunch or pack a swimsuit in your carry-on and get the fun started with a stop to the splash pad right away.

Walk Through the Children’s Areas
One feature of embarkation day is that you will be allowed to walk through all the children’s areas before they become “kid only” for the remainder of the cruise. I recommend allowing ample time for your child to explore this new space and meet all of the staff before the cruise gets underway.

Fill Out an Intake Form
If you are going to have a child in the Nursery, be sure to fill out the detailed intake form during your first visit on embarkation day to make your first drop-off on a subsequent day much easier.

Nursery specific insights

Ages for Nursery
Nurseries on Disney Cruise Line are for children ages 6 months to 3 years (or ages one to 3 years for Transatlantic, Panama Canal, and Hawaii sailings).

Pre-Book Nursery Care
You can book 10-18 hours of nursery care depending on your sailing schedule before departure via the DCL app. We recommend booking as many slots as you can ahead of time, especially during time frames where you know you will be doing activities like pool time with older kiddos, an upgraded dinner experience, a visit to the spa, or even something as simple as enjoying coffee in the adults-only café for a few hours one morning.

You are often able to add additional reservations once on the ship, but in our experience, adjusting your previously reserved timeslots, or even canceling them, is much easier than trying to book new times. We always reserve 2-3 hours of nursery care on the first full day of our cruise to give our little sailor more time to adjust to their surroundings.

Nursey Costs
Nursery care does have a nominal cost. Check with your travel advisor to verify current pricing.

Toddler Playtime
Many days on the cruise, parents are invited to join their child in the nursery and/or Oceaneers Club (varies by cruise and schedule) for “Toddler playtime” to enjoy family time in a more spacious and safe play area!

Nursey Communication
The nursery team will message you directly via the DCL app if there are any issues or your child needs to be picked up. One note that put me at ease: there is always a trained CPR/First Aid crew member present.

Napping & Feeding
The nursery has an amazing room for napping! Your child is allowed to bring a security item such as a blanket, pacifier or special toy, so be sure to pack their bag accordingly if they plan to nap. The team follows your intake form as exactly as possible, so if you request naps or bottles given at certain times, they will do it!

Parents are required to provide the following while their child is in nursery:

Diapers/pull-ups/wipes
Pre-made bottles of milk/formula (labeled with the child’s name)
Extra clothing/pjs
Baby food and snacks (approved by the parent)
Sippy cups

On-board Water Activities

If your child wears a swim diaper, they will not be allowed to use any of the pools. However, they will have full access to the Toddler Splash Zone, which is wonderfully shaded and fully enclosed with only one point of entry for safety.

Strollers on the ship

If you plan to bring a stroller on the ship, note that some hallways are quite narrow, so any larger or double-sized strollers will not pass through easily. (Not to mention there will be limited space in the stateroom as well!) During certain meals or activities, Crew Members may ask you to park your stroller in a specific location or fold it up entirely, so travel lightly!

I hope you found this information helpful and that you enjoy your upcoming Disney Cruise with your little ones!