It's a surprise for Hannah's 5th Birthday (yes, she's not even 4 yet!) but I'm super excited to have booked our very first Disney Cruise!! 
I have dreamed of taking her on a cruise since before she was born (and have been saving for this about the same amount of time) and today was the day I finally made the booking! I knew I wanted to take her when she was around 5 so figured what better way to celebrate her 5th birthday than on board 'Mickey's Boat?'I'm already having lots of fun reading up about Disney cruises on my favourite site, 'DISboards' and am learning tons! I know Walt Disney World well and am happy to help others book trips there but when it comes to cruising I'm a newbie so sought out expert help. I'm working with a wonderful travel agent who works with Small World Vacations. She's been really helpful and I know we'll share many emails and conversations over the next 13 months. I already know what cabin we'll be in and that we'll be at the early dinner seating but that's about all right now.
Have you ever sailed on a Disney cruise? We're sailing on the Fantasy. What tips and tricks would you like to share with this newbie? :o)
You know I'm counting!
Now....I wonder how long I'll be able to control myself and not share this news with Hannah? She knows we want to go on Mickey's Boat someday but I'm waiting to tell her the news. She already tells me after she turns 4 she'll turn 5yo. I can't imagine how excited she'll be when she finds out where she'll be when she turns 5!!
Oh so fun! she's going to LOVE it! now you need to try and keep the surprise, not sure that's going to happen ;)
ReplyDeleteOMG I don't have any advice as i've never been on but I have to say Hannah is one lucky little girl! I hope you post a video of her reaction when you tell her. I don't think you'll be able to keep the secret long though. I know I wouldn't! :P
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for you to be an expert on the Disney cruise.
A five-year-old trip! Great idea! I love having trips to look forward to. Everyone says Disney cruises are their best vacations ever. My cousin just took her two boys on one out of Miami because it was cheaper than doing the type of birthday party that's standard in their Miami neighborhood! :)The boys loved it. My other friend at ginghamworld took one out of Cali and the details they enjoyed were out of this world.
ReplyDeleteYou will LOVE it! We have been on two 4-day Disney cruises on the Wonder and then the Dream. If you haven't made plans already, I would highly suggest staying at least a night before and a night after the cruise at Disney if you can. It cuts down on the stress of getting to the boat on time - and you can take the Disney bus to the port! And a day after gives you time to relax before you need to head home.
ReplyDeleteGets lots of pictures taken by the Disney photographers and take plenty yourself.
If you want you can sign up to be part of a group that goes around delivering daily gifts to other passengers in the group - gifts get put on your fish extender out the door of your cabin. On the DISboards you can find other DISers who are going on the same cruise. Some people make real elaborate decorations for their doors. And the gifts can be handmade (usually Disney related) or dollar store type items. I know a lot of people have fun with that and Hannah may enjoy the whole process.
Enjoy!
Thanks Jill! I'll be making door decorations for sure and will take some special ones to decorate the day of her birthday!
DeleteI like the idea of the Fish Extenders but am not too sure yet if we'll do this or not. I'm guessing in the end we will as I know Hannah would love it (okay - and so would Mommy) but it will depend on whether or not our cruise breaks it into smaller groups or if they do one big group. With 1250 staterooms on this ship that could be a lot of 'stuff'.
Thanks for the tips about staying at Disney the day before and after. Since we'll be travelling in the winter I'm almost positive we'll head to FL one day early but am not too sure what we'll do on the way home. We'll see. Thanks for the tip though.
If you think of anything else please feel free to post again!
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for you!!!! It will be a trip of a lifetime for both you and Hannah and I just know it will be amazing. Wish we were going with you!
ReplyDeleteI wish you were coming too!!!!!!!!!!!!! When you win the lottery be sure to book ASAP! ;o)
DeleteAw, you guys will love it!! Are we starting a pool for when you tell her? I'll put my money in for March of this year. Hee!
ReplyDeleteLOL! You know me SO well!
DeleteSoooo...what are you guys doing next Feb??? :o)
We have done 2 3 night cruises, on the Wonder and the Dream. They were both brilliant, and I would love to do a longer cruise.
ReplyDeleteWe did the fish extender, we had 15 families in our group which was fine, but I wouldn't have wanted too many more than that. My DD who was 7 absolutely loved going around to all the rooms, finding the fish extenders and leaving the gifts. We had a great evening doing that while the bigger kids were at a movie she didn't like. She also loved checking the extender each time we returned to the room to find a little surprise.
You are going ot have a great trip!
We just took a cruise on the fantasy last month with my 5 year old and it is the perfect age for them. My daughter loved the bunk bed in the cabin. We did the BBBoutique and loved all the meet and greets. We too stayed the day before at the Hyatt at Orlando airport and transfers to and fom airport are easy. We go to Disney every year so as you know disney does everything right. All the dinning rooms are wonderful and interactive. Use their cruise website for planning your trip and doing forms before boarding. Enjoy
ReplyDeleteHave been on a 3 and 4 day cruise, early and late dinner. Loads of activities to do, first time we did not get off the ship in Nassau only at Castaway Cay and it was quite nice to have some "quiet time" on the ship. You might want to pick up a pirate costume for Hannah as it is a fun thing to take and dress up for pirate night.I would also consider a day room at an airport hotel if your flight out after the cruise is later in the day as you have to leave the ship by 0900 and it can be a long day waiting at the airport.
ReplyDeleteIt is a fantastic experience, you will both love it!
We did our first cruise this past August, on the Dream! It was a 4 day and as my youngest said coming off the ship, we need to do 8 days next time!! Too right, I said.
ReplyDeleteBring water shoes ( not sandals, although you'll probably want those too) for the AquaDuck ride. The deck gets REALLY hot on tiny toes! Oh yah, ride the AquaDuck!!!! We ALL loved it. My peanut was thisclose to the height regulation and the watershoes gave her a smidge of extra height. Heh heh heh.
Order room service!!!! Most of it is included.
Get some pirate gear at the dollar store before you go, for Pirate Night. I got some great shots that night.
Bring a flashlight. I always travel with a small one as it doesn't wake up the kids while I'm rooting round the room after their bedtime.
You're a going to have a ball!!!!!! I want to book another cruise coz we had such a good time. After our first one, we spent a week at Disney World. :)
I had to laugh at the part about how soon you would tell her, why is it so hard to keep surprises from them?
ReplyDeleteI just got a card in the mail yesterday saying the Disney Cruise lines are starting to sail out of Miami and for a limited time kids will sail free....I'm so tempted but think Lily might be bored at 10? She so isn't into the whole princess thing at all...perish the thought, I am 10 Mum!!! Insert eye roll!
Aha! Your parents going? Very multi-generational friendly cruise.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really thought of that. Hmmm... I'm guessing for this first one it will just be the two of us but you never know!
DeleteKeep the tips comming, a group of single mom's from Utah are going in October!
ReplyDeleteSo excited for you! Tate and I will be going with the group of single moms that Laura is talking about. We will be on the Disney Dream (??). We are wanting to do Disney world for a few days before so I am sure I will be hitting your blog and you for some insight and ideas! Too bad you are not coming with us! Totally would love you and Hannah to be with us!
ReplyDeleteWow - so fun. I bet the anticipation will be almost as much fun (for you!). :)
ReplyDeletek
What fun!!! Everything I've seen and read about Disney cruises sounds spectacular. I haven't done Disney but have done Norwegian and loved the whole cruising atmosphere. What a countdown this will be!!! I look forward to following vicariously along! My daughter just turned two. I look forward to such trips...one day!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh!!!! How fabulous. So jealous.
ReplyDeleteWe went on The Dream last October. Our adoption agency was celebrating their 20th anniversary. There were about 600 people from our agency all with kids from China. It was amazing. Disney does it right and it was so much fun. We did a 3 night cruise, which was just right for our 4 yo and 8 yo. They didn't get sea legs or sick from such a short time. They loved the kids club each evening. We did early dinner and then took the kids to the kids club each evening (free) while we went to watch the show or a movie. One night they played Timothy Green, so went as a couple to see it while the kids played. Our 8 yo daughter never wanted to leave club because it was SO much fun.
ReplyDeleteI went on the Disboards all the time reading up and ideas and such. They usually have a link to a forum just for your cruise date so you can get to know people on your trip before hand. We did the door magnets but not the FE. I felt it seemed to overwhelming to keep up with and could get expensive. Plus I didn't want to use all our time walking around finding all the rooms when I had so much else to enjoy on the ship. Maybe if we were on a week long cruise where we were at sea long times maybe, but I would skip FE. I did make a dry erase board with a magnet pen to stick on our door. That way we could write on it such as "At the pool" or "Happy Birthday." My hubby's bday was during our trip. Our group was able to leave messages on it as well.
I know you will have a ton of fun!
Kim O
What a wonderful birthday surprise! So excited for you (and a little jealous). Been to the house but not Mickey's boat. I hear it is awesome.
ReplyDeleteYou both will have so much fun, Maisie and I had a blast when we did our Disney cruise and we're not even huge Disney fans. Great treat for you and Hannah.
ReplyDeleteYou will both love this vacation! We did the Dream over Thanksgiving with the WHOLE family (11 of us!) and it was wonderful. So excited for you!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting!! We went on a Disney cruise last summer, it was the trip of a lifetime! The Disboards is where I learned everything I needed for the trip. One of my favourite things was looking over the navigator each night to see what was on for the next day and coordinating when the kids would want to be in the kids club for certain activities. Oh and line up early for the princess greeting!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to add to my previous comment, I have a post on my blog with lots of links and pictures to each part of our Disney cruise. We were on a different ship than you are taking but I think some things are the same across all the ships: http://bye-bye-babyhood.blogspot.ca/2012/07/bestvacationever.html
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Rhonda! I'll be reading your posts for sure!!
DeleteHi Catherine!! I just jumped over from M3's blog to tell you just booked the Fantasy for a cruise in July!!! I promise to tell you any tips I learn while on board! It will be Savannah's first cruise and she can't wait to go to the kids club. We joined our cruise boards on the DIS and facebook. Also jumped into the FE thing too. I think it will be lots of fun but also looking for something to make that won't weigh a ton or cost too much! So excited for you and I know you won't be able to keep it a secret too long!!!M3 won't cruise we tried but Tubadad wants to so keep working on her!
ReplyDeleteSounds great Kristina! Depending on your departure date we'll see you shortly before you leave on your cruise! SO excited that you get to go this July!! I'm hoping to keep the cruise quiet from Hannah until the next year but not sure I'll be able to do that. We'll see.
DeleteI'm also on DIS - daily :o) and enjoying learning lots there.
Looking forward to chatting more!