Why a Disney Cruise is the ULTIMATE Family Vacation

I just returned from a whirlwind 9 day stay for the 2017 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration (#DisneySMMC)! I am still having a hard time putting into words the magic that was experienced. This years celebration was different in that it was both on land and on SEA! So how did this work? Well, we started our celebration at Port Orleans Riverside, located at the Walt Disney World Resort — but more on that later! After our celebration on land, we embarked on Disney Cruise Line’s newly reimagined vessel, the Disney Wonder.

I have never ever cruised before, and I’m told that since I’ve experienced the magic of a Disney cruise, no others will even compare! It’s easy to see why. We were treated like royalty aboard the ship. The personalization and pure magic, is really only something that Disney can do.

So while this may have been my first cruise, it certainly won’t be my last! In fact, we took full advantage of the onboard booking offer while we were on the ship. A Disney Cruise is the ultimate family vacation. Here’s why:

Disney knows how to party! In fact, the party begins before you even leave the port! Literally the moment you walk onto the ship, you are transported into a magical world. Here we are being introduced, “The Allen Family!!!“

Then it’s time for the Adventures Away celebration! Enjoy a show on the upper decks featuring some of your favorite Disney characters, and get your boogie on! It is the perfect way to kick-off your vacation!

Entertainment aboard a Disney Cruise Ship is top notch.  Our 3-night cruise included 3 different Broadway style shows each evening: The Golden Mickeys — a tribute to the enchanting movies of Walt Disney, complete with a Red Carpet. Disney Dreams — a musical about the power of dreams and family, featuring characters from all-time Disney classics.  And Frozen, A Musical Spectacular — a full-length retelling of Anna and Elsa’s Frozen adventures in Arendelle.

Frozen was definitely our family’s favorite show. It was exceptional. In fact, Avery keeps telling me, “Mommy, I miss Olaf!” Speaking of my little Avery, he sure loved eating his popcorn during the shows!

Disney Cruise Lines are well-known for their signature dining. There are 3 main restaurants aboard the Wonder, and we were on a rotating schedule so we experienced them all. Animator’s Palate — an innovative dining experience where you can watch Disney animated characters come to life before your eyes!

Triton’s — inspired by The Little Mermaid, here you can experience fine dining “under the sea!” While I loved the entertainment at Animator’s Palate, Triton’s is where I had my best meal. This beef tenderloin was incredible. YUM!

And finally we also had the honor of eating at the Wonder’s newest restaurant, Tiana’s Place, inspired by The Princess and the Frog.

Tiana’s Place was so, so fun! It was like you stepped into New Orleans! It also has live jazz music that is sure to make you want to clap along to the beat. Tiana is also there to welcome her guests, and she is incredibly sweet. My favorite part of Tiana’s place were the mouthwatering beignets! You’ll want to make sure you save room for dessert!!

I’m serious. They melt in your mouth! For dinner they were served with a chocolate expresso dipping sauce, which was very good; however, I also had the opportunity to dine there for lunch and they were served with a vanilla dipping sauce. AMAZING!!

They feed you very, very well onboard a Disney Cruise!

I have never received such exceptional service in my life. You have the same servers throughout your entire dining rotation. They were phenomenal, they knew my kids names, they knew our favorite drinks. Our head server, Putu, knew my little Avery wanted his “Mickey ice cream” after each meal. He also brought Lincoln out some chocolate chip cookies for dessert, even though it wasn’t on the menu! Putu also performed magic tricks for my boys each evening.

Our stateroom host, Bam, was also spectacular. He made sure to make a point to check-in with us whenever he’d see us. He also made fun towel-shaped animals the boys enjoyed coming back to each evening.

I think Lincoln must have gone down the slide at the AquaLab 20 times on our first day. The AquaLab on the Wonder is a 1,800 square-foot water play space! Have little ones? No worries, Dory’s Reef offers a designated splash deck for children ages 3 and younger.

I am typically not one to drop my kids off somewhere, but the Oceaneer Club and Lab are unlike any type of kids club I’ve ever seen! It is a multi-themed magical place for children ages 3-12. While Avery didn’t participate in this, Lincoln did — and he loved every second of it! While the Oceaneer Lab is about learning while having fun, the Oceaneer Club is pure Disney fantasy! There is always something exciting happening!

Disney’s very own private island in the Bahamas, reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests. I have visited many beaches, and none of them compare to the beauty of Castaway Cay. The crystal clear turquoise ocean water was breathtaking.

Castaway Cay offers all you could ever imagine on an island. There is something to do for everyone. There are various Port Adventures like snorkeling, parasailing, and boat tours. Lincoln fully intends on parasailing on our next cruise. You have to be at least 8 years old, and he will turn that magic number come November.

While we chose to stay on the Castaway Family Beach, Serenity Bay is an adult only oasis reserved for adults 18 years of age and older. If you have little ones and still want to relax at Serenity Bay, Scuttles Cove is a kids club supervised by Disney counselors.

The Pelican Plunge, a 2,400-square-foot floating platform is a water-play area featuring two twisting water slides. The entire family will enjoy playing in the refreshing lagoon.

While there is so much you can do on Castaway Cay, our family chose to mostly relax on the beach and play in the sand; all while taking in the breathtaking views.

I so wish we had more time to spend on that beautiful island! But of course, there’s always next time!

Have I convinced you to start planning your very own Disney Cruise? I really cannot say enough wonderful things about our time spent aboard the Wonder. Like I said earlier, there are always special incentives when you book your next cruise while you’re still onboard — so we totally took advantage of that! I think it’s safe to say we’re a cruising family!