As a parent, these 10 things to know about Disney Cruise Lines

In early December, my husband and I did something brave: We took our toddler on a cruise—specifically, the maiden voyage of the Disney Treasure. Don’t get me wrong, we made a lot of great new memories and the three of us still talk about the trip often. But, gosh, taking a 3.5 year old to a floating island full of temptations, complete with soft drink machines and gift shops, meant we were going to have a tantrum in the middle of the ocean. At the end of three days, we agreed on one thing with absolute certainty: We would never go on any cruise that wasn’t a Disney Cruise Line until our kids moved out.
I know this sounds dramatic, but we are generally hesitant about traveling with our son. The world is not kind to parents whose children throw tantrums in public (which they all do at some point), and they can be very mean and critical. It’s even harder to keep a child happy, well-fed, and healthy in a new environment. But on Disney Treasures, it’s all that simple. Of course we have the pool, character meet and greets, shows and all the magic. But it’s the little things like these that keep us as parents sane on a Disney cruise.
01An actor who is not afraid of losing his temper
When people spend a lot of money to travel, they want everything to go their way, and kids are often unwelcome in their space (think of all the grumpy people judging people on airplanes with crying babies mother). Not on a Disney cruise. Whenever our son gets overwhelmed, grumpy, overtired, etc., a cast member spots it and steps in to get him back into the fun.
One woman noticed us trying to get our son to wash his hands and she spread out his tissues in a gorgeous way that made him feel like royalty. He washed. And Chris, who went out of his way to connect with our son at Castaway Island and regularly came to our table at lunch to play “lowly, too slowly” and ask him questions. For parents who are used to having to drag grumpy kids out of restaurants, the staff actively trying to get you to stay is a nice change of atmosphere. This is the biggest change for us.
02In fact they have bathtubs
Our shower is more than just a small cruise ship shower. Oh no. It actually has a good sized tub at the bottom. I accepted the fact that my kid hated having water poured on his head or face, and he also hated taking a shower at night on this trip. It was so nice to see this tub waiting for us. (For reference, we stayed in a balcony cabin.)
03Two bathrooms (yes, really) and a large vanity
The ocean view and balcony rooms have a special feature I didn’t know I’d love so much: two bathrooms. One has a toilet, a mirror and a sink, while the second has another sink and shower. It’s so convenient that two people can get ready in one go. The spacious, bright dresser means I can sit comfortably and do my hair and makeup while my little one watches some pre-dinner movies in bed.
04Just…all about Ocean Club
This place is top notch kid bait. They have a super immersive play area for all ages, they have these cool futuristic hand-washing stations at the check-in desk and in the bathrooms to make the kids want to wash their hands (goodbye, germs), and the staff Experienced childcare staff and very safe. There is also a safe children’s area on Castaway Cay called Scuttle’s Cove, complete with paddling pool, basketball court and more. Our little guy still has severe separation anxiety, but I see us using this as he gets older so we can try out the adults-only areas of the boat.
05Strollers and strollers on Castaway Cay are available on a first-come, first-served basis
Oh, it’s so nice to not have my stroller covered in sand. When we got off the bus to go to the beach at Castaway Cay, we chose to leave the stroller on the boat… but immediately regretted it as the island was bigger than we thought. Thankfully, Disney provides free strollers, strollers, and wheelchairs on the island. We grabbed one and thanked our Lord and Savior Mickey Mouse that we didn’t have to walk our kids all day between the beach, lunch, bathrooms and back to the boat.
06Watch Disney movies on demand in your room
I don’t know my streaming login credentials; my TV just remembers them and I’ve erased them from my brain. The last thing I want to do on vacation is fuss over password recovery. Luckily, the TV in our room came pre-installed with a bunch of Disney movies to watch; no Disney+ subscription or login required. It’s really a small thing.
07easy access to food
There’s nothing scarier than a hungry toddler throwing a tantrum on a boat in the middle of the ocean (ask me how I know). To avoid meltdowns, we try to have snacks and meals always available in front of the little one. Between the food court on the pool deck, buffet breakfast and lunch, and 24/7 free room service, we always kept him fed and ensured that if he had a meltdown, at least we’d eliminated a possible cause.
08cabin storage room
During our cruise, I participated in a panel discussion with Imagineers, designers, and others behind the creation of Disney treasures. In the cabins, they put a lot of emphasis on making sure there’s enough storage space to keep the floors clean while you’re sailing. Our cabin has two large closets, this shelving unit (ignore all the bundled clothes thrown in here), and lots of shelves and drawers around the dresser. Plus, the bed can be raised to accommodate even the largest suitcases.
09hand washing station
Back to hand washing. The Marceline Market, which leads to the Jumbo Hotel’s breakfast and lunch buffets, has a row of hand-washing stations, including a shorter sink for younger guests. I’m a little paranoid that we’ll get sick on the trip because the kids touch everything, so it was nice to be able to easily clean our hands and our son’s. Again, I really like the cool whirlpool hand wash they require every kid to use upon entering the Ocean Club. Minimizing the risk of spreading germs soothes my soul.
10Extra high-mounted balcony lock to keep kids inside
Anxious moms, rest assured: Balcony cabins feature a safety lock on top of the balcony door frame, so you can rest assured your kids won’t wander outside without your supervision.
My husband and I have said more than once on this trip that we probably wouldn’t have had as much fun on any other cruise line. These little touches make life easier as a parent and allow us to relax and enjoy the cruise ourselves.