Top Things to Do on Disney Cruise Ships

Our family’s favorite cruise line is Disney Cruise. The Disney Cruise Line ships include Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy.

You can sail around the world with Disney Cruise. You can travel to New York, Eastern or Western Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska, and more. It is an amazing way to travel and enjoying moments with your family.

There are so many things to do on a Disney Cruise ships. We have been on 30+ Disney Cruises and are covenanted Disney Platinum Members. We are excited to share the top things to do on Disney Cruise Ships.

You can scroll down for the Top Things to Do on a Disney Cruise or watch the full video on YouTube.

If this is your first Disney Cruise, be sure you check out our 105 Disney Cruise Tips, Tricks, & Hacks. These will also help you plan your Disney Cruise vacation.

Top Things to Do on Disney Cruise Ships

Let’s jump into our list of the top things to do on a Disney Cruise. Bon Voyage!

Sail Away Party

One of the first big parties as you board the Disney Cruise ships is the kick off party or the Sail Away Party. This party has different names on the Disney Cruise ships, but it is the kick off gathering as you set sail. It is located on the pool deck, so you get a great view as you leave port. 

You will see the Disney Characters, meet some of the crew, sing, dance, and have fun as you leave for your Disney Cruise vacation.

✨ Insider Tip: We like standing on the deck above the party. You get a much better view of the show and it is not as crowded.

Rapunzel’s Royal Table on the Disney Magic & Tiana’s Place on the Disney Wonder

There are so many amazing dining opportunities on the Disney Cruise Ships. For themed restaurants, Disney Cruise is the best in the cruise line industry. 

Our two favorite restaurants are on Rapunzel’s Royal Table on the Disney Magic and Tiana’s Place on the Disney Wonder. These restaurants are themed after these fun characters. There is live music, characters, meet & greets, and so much more. Even the food is themed, like Gumbo and Beignets at Tiana’s Place.

We love these restaurants on board the Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Broadway Shows

Each evening, Disney hosts Broadway style shows in the Walt Disney Theater. As a family that loves Broadway Shows in NYC, this is a highlight for our Disney Cruise experience. 

The amazing news . . . it is FREE! The Disney shows are included in the price of your Disney Cruise vacation. Some of the Disney shows include, The Golden Mickey’s, Disney Dreams, Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story, and more.

These shows are a must do during your Disney Cruise. The shows alternate your dining times. If you have early dining, you will see the second show. If you have late dining, you will see the first show. I also recommend arriving at least 15 minutes before show time to find your spot.

✨ Insider Tip: You can purchase drinks and popcorn for the shows. I like to pack snacks for the kids and bring a Tervis or Yeti cup. You can run up to the beverage station before the show and fill up your cup. This will save you around $10 per person in snacks for each show, by bringing your own snacks.

Pirate Night

Another top thing to do on Disney Cruise ships is Pirate Night. ARRRRR! 

During select Disney Cruises, Disney hosts Pirate Night. This is a themed night with Disney characters dressed in your favorite pirate attire, pirate game shows, pirate themed dinner, and the conclusion of the night with a Pirate Party and fireworks at sea. Disney even surprises you with a pirate bandana in the staterooms.

Not all cruises have the pirate night. The Disney Cruises heading to Alaska or Europe do not host a pirate night or fireworks at sea. This special pirate night is during the Bahamas, Panama Canal, and Caribbean Cruises.

Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line that actually has fireworks on the cruise ship. This is an amazing experience during your Disney Cruise vacation.

Don’t forget to pack your pirate costumes! If you need more guidance on what to pack for your Disney Cruise, check out our ultimate packing list.

Halloween on the High Seas & Very Merrytime Cruise

During the Halloween and Christmas Seasons, Disney offers two themed cruises. This celebration is on every cruise ship, so you can experience Halloween on the High Seas or a Very Merrytime Cruise on a cruise to Canada or a cruise to the Caribbean Islands. 

We love both of these themed cruises. You experience all of the fun of a Disney Cruise with the added excitement of Halloween or Christmas.

For the Halloween on the High Seas, Disney has Halloween decorations throughout the ship. On one day of the cruise, you will experience a Halloween Party with Trick-or-Treating, Disney Characters in costume with meet & greets, and scary story telling. One of our favorite parts of the Halloween on the High Seas is the Pumpkin Tree.  The Pumpkin Tree is a huge tree in the lobby. Disney hosts a show with the Pumpkin Tree. It is one of our favorite parts of the Halloween Season.

For the Very Merrytime Cruise, Disney hosts a whole cruise of Christmas fun. Disney hosts Christmas shows, characters in their favorite holiday attire, gingerbread cookie decorating, and more. There are so many activities to get you excited about the holiday season.

If you make a stop in Castaway Cay, you can even enjoy all of the Christmas decorations on the island. The Disney characters even wear tropical holiday attire. It is a lot of fun!

Animator’s Palate

You will eat so much food on a Disney Cruise. Be prepared to gain 5 lbs! 

One of the top restaurants on all of the Disney Cruise ships is Animator’s Palate. This themed restaurant brings animation to life. There are several different shows at Animator’s Palate depending on the number of nights on your cruise.

During your Disney Cruise, be sure your family attends dinner on the nights at Animator’s Palate. The food is amazing and you do not want to miss the interactive shows!

Marvel Day at Sea

One of the top things to do on a Disney Cruise is the Marvel Day at Sea. This is a special Disney Cruise that sets sail out of Miami. During the cruise, Disney hosts one day dedicated to all things Marvel. This day is a day at sea, so it does not interfere with your ports of call to Nassau or Castaway Cay.

For our entire family, this is one of our favorite Disney Cruise experiences! You can meet Marvel characters, including Thor, Loki, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and more. Disney has a themed dinner and snacks during the day like Shawarma. There is even a show later in the evening with fireworks at sea. You do not want to miss the show. It is spectacular!

We loved this Marvel Day at Sea! If you are a Marvel fan, this is a must do cruise. 

If you are fan of Star Wars, Disney Cruise also hosts a theme cruise called Star Wars Day at Sea.

Children Programming with Oceaneer Lab, Oceaneer Club, Edge, and Vibe

One of the reasons our family loves Disney Cruise is the Children Programming. Disney’s activities for kids are unlike any other cruise line. Disney has Oceaneer Lab and Club for the kids ages 3-12. For the tweens, they have their own club called Edge. For the teens, they have the epic club called Vibe. There is even a secret entrance with a special key (only for teens) at Vibe.

The Children Programming is such a great experience for kids. My kids have met friends around the world in the clubs. It is also an opportunity for parents to have a night off. You can go to Palo for an adult only dinner or enjoy time at the spa.

✨ Insider Tip: On the first day of a Disney Cruise, Disney offers Open House. Take your kids to the Open House and sign them up for the Children Programming and then let them explore. It can be scary to just drop them off for the first time. Instead, spend an hour and let them explore all of the fun and get excited about the clubs.

AquaDuck Water Coaster on the Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy

We love the newer Disney Cruise ships called the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy, because of the AquaDuck. These two ships are docked at Port Canaveral, about an hour from Walt Disney World. The AquaDuck is a water roller coaster high above the ship and pool. You even go outside of the cruise ship for part of the ride. 

This is a double tube ride, so you can ride with another family member. It is one of our favorite water slide rides and we have been to a lot of water parks!

✨ Insider Tip: This ride can get long lines. One of the best times to ride is during dinner hours (5-8) and during days at port. At Castaway Cay, everyone gets off on the island. We like to ride the AquaDuck in the morning, before we hop off the ship. We also sometimes get off the ship early and then head back to the pool on the Disney Ship, after lunch. These are all good time to ride the AquaDuck without the long lines.

Farewell Party

One the last night of your cruise, Disney hosts a farewell party. This party goes by different names on each ship, but it is good-bye party. You will get a last chance to get pictures and autographs from your favorite characters. 

There is also a little show, before they say farewell. This show is usually later in the evening after the last dinner time.

Midship Detective Agency on the Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy

Another top thing to do on a Disney Cruise is only on the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. This is called the Midship Detective Agency. This is a virtual scavenger hunt through the cruise ship. There are two different themes. One theme is Muppets and the other is 101 Dalmatians (searching for lost puppies).

Our kids love the Midship Detective Agency. It is a fun activity for the whole family. You also get some exercise going up and down the stairs throughout the ship.

Rainforest Day Spa

A hidden gem on Disney Cruise is the Rainforest Day Spa. You do not have to pay the premium spa treatment price to enjoy the spa. Disney Cruise has a pass called the Rainforest Day Spa. You can purchase the pass for one day or for your entire cruise.

This Rainforest Day Spa allows you to enjoy the heated chairs, scented showers, saunas, and hot tub (on select cruises). It is very relaxing, just for even an hour during your Disney Cruise vacation.

Character Speciality Coffee

On our last cruises, we started a tradition. We purchase a specialty coffee on the morning of the last day of our cruise. Some of the specialty coffees have characters added into the foam. 

There is an extra cost for these specialty coffees, but they are delicious and fun. They are very “IG worthy”!

Disney’s Castaway Cay

Our last top thing to do on a Disney Cruise is Disney’s Castaway Cay. If you are cruising to the Bahamas or Caribbean Islands, Disney Cruise Ships will make a stop at Disney’s Private Island called Castaway Cay.

Since this island is owned and run by Disney Cruise, there is extra magic! You can meet the Disney Characters in their island attire, enjoy incredible excursions, excellent Disney service, Children Programming, and even a free BBQ lunch.

We love this port of call. It is an incredible day at the beach with a touch of Disney magic!

We hope you enjoyed our list of the top things to do on Disney Cruise ships. Disney has another Disney Cruise Line ship sailing soon called the Disney Wish. We cannot wait to sail on this new beauty.

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