Disneyville: A Disney World Podcast

Disney Cruise Line Tips That ACTUALLY Help (Including a Few Controversial Ones)

• Tyler and Jessica Braun

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We share our most useful Disney Cruise Line tips for saving time, avoiding lines, and getting more value from what you already paid for. We also debate a few spicy takes on dinner timing, Wi‑Fi, and how to slow down so the cruise actually feels like a vacation.

We discuss: 

• why arriving a day early is the simplest insurance policy you can buy

• how to use included Disney Cruise Line room service like a pro, plus the breakfast door hanger

• touring the kids club during open house

• showing up early for trivia and main stage shows

• skipping paid soda at Preludes by bringing free pool-deck soda

• arriving 5 to 10 minutes late to dinner to avoid the check-in queue

• avoiding spa product sales pitches

• getting better value on drinks with mug club and coffee punch cards

• considering back-to-back sailings with the same stateroom

• choosing sit-down lunch or breakfast instead of the embarkation buffet

• checking onboard charges early to fix mistakes fast

• skipping the Wi‑Fi package to truly unplug

• embracing theme nights

• listener-tested packing and planning hacks like magnetic hooks and dining trays

Book your next trip to Disney with Tyler's expert travel agents from People Mover Travel by your side! 

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Welcome And Cruise Day Vibes

Tyler

Welcome to the Disneyville podcast, episode 61.

Jessica

Where we talk about the Disney Parks, Disney cruise, and all the magic in between. Today is a cruise day, guys.

Tyler

Now, if you're keeping track, uh, on the last episode, I mistakenly said episode 59. So this is episode 61. Last one was a few. Last one was 60. So sorry about that if you're for those at home keeping track. Uh yeah, to know uh if you if you are watching the video version, you can see I have changed our background here with some of our fun little Disney cruise things.

Jessica

Oh, you've got your fleet. He has like a little the little ship model that they sell in the gift shop for all the ones we've done.

Tyler

Yep. The only we haven't been on the wonder, which I'm dying to go on because I want to go to Alaska someday. And then the girls to Alaska is what I want to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and then the Disney Destiny, which is what we're gonna be going on here very soon. Very soon. Uh so basically I always wonder am I a Commodore at this point? Like, how many ships do I have to have before I'm a Commodore?

Jessica

Like, I don't know the ranks, but pretty sure we should ask him. Lieutenant Commander.

Tyler

So we are doing our I originally

Why Disney Cruising Feels Easier

Tyler

wrote top 10 Disney cruise line tips, and then we just kept writing and writing and writing. So this is just our top Disney cruise line tips.

Jessica

Not sure of the number. Number is maybe I'll count it up and put it in the title. We'll see. I think if you are not a Disney cruise person and you're just listening because you like Disney or the parks, whatever, we always mention like I feel you because that was us a few years ago. Like we had just well, maybe more than a few years ago, but like we were just parks people. And the first cruise, Disney cruise we went on was I was pregnant with Genevieve, our first, yeah. So we had no kids and it was amazing. And we were like, oh no, like this is this is pretty awesome. It's so expensive, just like the parks. So then, yeah, once we had her, we eventually took her on one and it was so magical. And we were like, oh no, like we really like this. And so now fast forward and we go on at least one cruise a year, depending on the year, sometimes two, just you know how the chips fall.

Tyler

But I have a couple things to say about it.

Jessica

It was a slow burn, and then it was suddenly it just steamrolled.

Tyler

There's a big part of me that I might like Disney Cruise line even more than I like Disney World in some ways. Sure. Because it's just it's so incredible for so many reasons. So, one, it is expensive, but here's the thing, you're paying well now, not now, so are the parks. Yes, but here's the thing you're paying up front this big, you know, bill, yeah. Big bill, and you're looking at it going, oh my gosh, but if you go to the parks and you're looking at cost of food, cost of all these other things that are included.

Jessica

Oh my god.

Tyler

But the things that are included in the cruise, they end up being relatively equivalent. I think the cruise is still more expensive. But it depends. Yeah, it depends on what you're doing, depends on the hotels. Obviously, there's a million factors.

Jessica

All your flights, and well, either way, you're flying.

Tyler

Yeah, but depends on a million different factors. But I mean, it really is a good bang for your buck. You get to see like Broadway style shows each night, which I mean, the shows on the Disney cruise line are some of the best ones we've seen at sea. We've done Norwegian cruises and Royal and all these other ones, and the Disney ones. They will always be better.

Jessica

Not to say that there's not a lot of talent on the other, that's not it. But it's just that, I mean, you know, especially if you do have kids, they're gonna be stories they recognize, you know, Aladdin or Tang Rapunzel, whatever.

Tyler

The Moana one on the Disney was a treasure. Oh my gosh, that one was so good. That one was great. The Beauty and the Beast one they have is really good. Anyway, yeah, uh, but here's what I said, and I've I've been a broken record about this, but I'm gonna say it anyway. It's the perfect trip for our family because I always want to go to like, I mean, we both do, but I always want to go to like these cool, amazing places. So, you know, Disney Cruise goes to Europe, so you can go to these very amazing ports all over the world, but you still get that touch of Disney magic that the kids love.

Jessica

And the comfort comfort of Disney and going to the same place every night, you know, you're not having to you're getting the boats moving you around Europe, but you're staying in the same room. Exactly. You don't have to keep unpacking and moving and getting on a train or another flight or whatever.

Tyler

And we do both, like we, you know, but and the kids love the kids' club. Oh my gosh. It is it was a little getting our older daughter, especially, was a struggle to get her to love it. Now we hardly see her on the cruise. Yeah, that's not true, but she just she wants to go to the kids' club all the time. She loves it.

Jessica

We have to be like, no, honey, we want to spend time with you.

Tyler

Like, but it's fun because it also, I mean, you're in the parks, you know, you're spending a lot of family time, which is great. But on the cruise, like, we get some time to just us, which is also amazing, which is having that that couple's time is very nice.

Jessica

And I always say when people ask, like in person, the cruise feels like an actual vacation where you actually can relax. Yeah, Disney Parks will always exhaust you more than it rejuvenates you. I love it too. And we obviously always go, and we literally have a podcast all about it, but okay, enough sell on the Disney cruise because a lot of you guys are already in.

Tyler

You're might be you might be booked and looking for some tips. So some of these tips, so okay, I would say most of these are tips that you, if you're looking through blogs, you know, you might have heard these. Some of them are specific to others.

Jessica

Oh, we got hyper specific on some of these.

Tyler

Are a little bit controversial. Some people, I'm gonna get some comments on some of these.

Jessica

You will, but oh well.

Tyler

Okay, so very

Arrive A Day Before Sailing

Tyler

first one. This is again a broken record about this one. Arrive one day prior to your cruise because you do not want to be dealing with Delta Airlines just deciding to push your flight back by a few hours.

Jessica

Nightmare.

Tyler

There are so many factors that are not in your control on that travel day that I'm like, you know, so say let's just make up an airline, just a horrible airline. Let's call it Delta Airlines. Um, we're kidding. It's a John Mulaney too.

Jessica

Yeah, so John, that's that was mine too. That was John Malaney. Okay, I was like, wait, is that where I learned it?

Tyler

Anyway, if you have a delay, then okay, you're still getting in a day ahead of time. You have your night in the hotel, and then you can get up, wake up refreshed, and get on the ship early that next day and spend most of your time on the ship.

Jessica

Yup, you're spending enough anyway. Go ahead and get in that buffet line, go get yourself a whatever, a soda and ice cream. Um, yeah, 100%.

Room Service Tricks And Tipping

Jessica

Next one, hit up room service. I've heard people we know that have been on a Disney cruise that never ordered room service because they thought you had to pay for it. It is included, which is crazy. It is included. It is crazy. And so the the menu is limited. You're not gonna be able to get everything like you see at the buffet because you know, you could just go up to the buffet and go get it yourself. Right. And you can bring that back to the room, by the way. Take your plate. I think people don't realize it. Sometimes I forget that. And I'm like, wait, what are we doing? I'll just go get some Mickey waffles and a coffee and bring it back to the room.

Tyler

Especially if you have a veranda like early in the morning breakfast. Yeah. Run up, have one person run up, get a plate full of stuff, and then come back and enjoy it on your balcony.

Jessica

Yes. Very nice. So nice. But not only is room service free, but you can also order things like Mickey ice cream bars. They'll bring those to the room. I don't even know that those are actually on the menu, but you can. Um, I think we have asked for uncrustables before. And I'm trying to remember if we got them. I know we've gotten them on the ship. That I know they exist on the ship. You have to ask for them and they will go hunt them down. We asked for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the actual sit-down restaurants. And once that they were like, I think we can do that. And they always kind of act like, I'm not sure. Yeah. But then they always bring like three. So I'm like, what is this? It's just like cat and mouse game. But anyway, uh, but usually if you ask for them once, they'll offer them like every night. So they're they're so good about that. But I'm getting off on a tangent. Room service. The only thing you will have to pay for is gratuities aren't included. So it's kind of expected that you know you tip the person that's bringing it up. But again, that's still amazing. And so I've heard some people will just order a bunch of room service stuff. Some stuff you can kind of easily keep in the fridge a little bit or the beverage cooler. Um, the all hands on deck is like grapes, cheese, crackers. That one is a hit.

Tyler

Yeah, we get that one a lot.

Jessica

Kids and adults alike because it's such a good mixed bag. I think there's like baby bell cheese on there. And yeah. So if you have a toddler, I feel like that's a good one.

Tyler

Yeah. And you can either bring a little bit of cash and tip them cash, or there's always they always have a receipt that you can sign. And so you can just add a tip on to that receipt.

Jessica

A couple bucks here and there.

Tyler

Yeah, but it's totally worth it. And we'll do that. What do we order?

Jessica

I was gonna say, what do we do? If it's a day that we're getting off the ship and it's earlier, what do we do, Tyler?

Tyler

You do the hanger on the door the night before. So there's always gonna be these little door hangers in your room, and you can just check off what you want on the breakfast menu, and then you hang it on your door and you put on there what time you want it served, and they will be at your door. I swear, if it's seven to 7:15, they will be there at 7 a.m. It is incredible because they are on it.

Jessica

But it's amazing because yeah, if we're like, okay, we need to meet at 8:15 a.m. Yeah in this area to get off the ship with this group, we get it, yeah, at seven. We you can get a whole thing of coffee, creamer, all that. Um, we'll get juice for the kids, maybe donuts for all of us, yogurts. I've even written on like banana, please, like, and they'll bring bananas. Um, so what I always say is whatever you're hoping to get, if it's not on the room service menu, write it on there and just see.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

I have found out amazing things that you can order. Like I said, uncrustables, bananas, and they won't always, yeah, but oftentimes they will. And so just write it on. And if they bring it great, if they don't, oh well, yeah. It's not illegal to write it down, you know.

Tyler

Well, and especially when like Felicity or younger was at a napping age, I would order, like, you know, I'd be sitting in there for a few hours while she was napping or whatever. I'd order chicken tenders and stuff to the room.

Jessica

And we just share those.

Tyler

It's great.

Jessica

Yeah.

Tyler

So don't sleep on room service. It is an awesome, awesome feature that is unbelievably included in the price of your of your cruise.

Jessica

Um, that's why they have to charge so much. It's because they're including right, yeah.

Tyler

Get your money's worth. Um, okay. So

Kids Club Open House Strategy

Tyler

uh visit the kids' club on your first day, and they they sometimes will do open houses throughout the trip, even if you don't have kids. So it is way fun to go to the kids' club. So if you have kids, you can go with them on the first day. It's just an open house. You can explore it, you can just see what it is. That's it, and they kind of get to see it with you, which is all cool. But even if you don't have kids, especially on these newer ships, these kids' clubs are insane. You gotta go see them. Like the Star Wars area. I'm not even a big Star Wars fan, but the Star Wars area is so cool. So definitely take the time anytime there's an open house, at least once on your cruise. Just go explore. Go see it.

Jessica

It's Disney Magic. You're you're basically getting a whole big dose of Disney Magic. Yeah, that is the most Disney magical area on the ship, period.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

And you can't really go in unless it's an open house. So there you go. I mean, they got like motion simulator rides and also they have like kind of open house play time for like toddlers because there's the nursery where you can pay to check them in and you have to reserve times and all that. But we discovered that they have like this kind of middle area, and depending on the ship, it's different, where you can just go and you stay with your kid, but they can kind of play in that area with the stuff. And that is really, you don't have to pay for it. Like I said, you do stay with them, but if they just need to get their wiggles out somewhere that's more kid friendly, it is amazing. They could play with other little kiddos. I remember meeting a few parents on there and talking with them. So that's something I didn't really know existed until very recently. But I'm like, it's nice that they have that at random time. So you check on your navigator app.

Tyler

But yeah, very nice. This one's kind of a fun one, just a quick one. Oh,

Free Character Call Surprise

Tyler

yeah. Be sure to do the character call that is available on the app. Sorry, on the on the website. So if you look on the website, once you're booked, there's a spot on there that says, you know, get a free character call. And you can pick from the characters. I think it's like uh Goofy Pluto, not Pluto, Goofy Pluto just marked. Uh uh, and then like you can do like Mickey and Minnie, whatever. There's a couple different options, and then they will you put in your phone number and they call, and then you know, make sure your kids are there and they will say we're excited to have you on board, which is just very it's very cool, very cute. Just a cute little thing to do. I'm free. This is a big one.

Jessica

Oh, yeah. Show up early to trivia and to the main stage shows. Let's just talk about trivia for a second. Who doesn't love trivia? I I mean, sometimes we would look and be like, all right, it's it's like 80s music trivia. How busy could it possibly be? Because if it's gonna be like Disney trivia, you we already know. Obviously, that's gonna be a busy one. But any trivia and all trivias will be wildly busy. You will not have a place to sit if that's important to you. And so arrive early, go grab yourself a diet coke ahead of time, go down there, get your beer, whatever, and claim your spot because it gets busy fast. I would say almost 20 minutes early. Just plan if you can. We've gotten there at right around starting time, and we've still been able to play, but like we've had times where it's I mean, most of the time it's standing room only, or we're like sitting awkwardly behind a chair and having to like get back up on our knees to see.

Tyler

Yeah, we were sitting behind chairs at one point.

Jessica

I'm thinking, I'm all I'm thinking is fire codes. I'm like,

Get Seats For Trivia And Shows

Jessica

there's no way this many people are allowed in this tiny room.

Tyler

Yeah. So that there was one time we did a Broadway trivia, which And I thought again, how busy is that gonna be? Yeah. And it was in the pub, which is not one of the bigger areas. No, it was I mean, shoulder to shoulder. We could not move.

Jessica

It was packed, it was so fun, and we did not win. No, but it was it was packed.

Tyler

It was it was too many new shows. I don't, I don't know the new shows.

Jessica

I know.

Tyler

Um it's all like Jagged Little Pill and Dear Evan Hansen and all that stuff.

Jessica

Yeah, and we were like, we can we go to the classics, let's go 2010 and back. Yeah, saunite, we would kill it. Um Jason Robert Brown, we would also kill it.

Tyler

So the way that we do it, by the way, is we will pull up the Navigator app, which just the DC with the Navigator app, yeah. We'll look at kind of the whole day and heart the things that we want to do throughout the day, and then we'll say, okay, you know, so at 3 p.m. is the the Broadway trivia. So we want to make sure it'd be there at 245 or whatever, 240. So that way just kind of plan out your day.

Jessica

Like if we're like, okay, the kids are gonna go to the kids club at that time, have enough time to drop them off. And that, you know what? Another bonus tip the kids club during popular times, like during certain shows or whatever, there can be a long line to drop kids off at the kids club and you have to check them in properly and they scan their band and all that. So keep that in mind. A lot of times around meals um before or after depending, it can get really busy. So it's never that long. But yeah, the evenings in general, um, there are sometimes lines both to drop off and to pick up. Yeah. So if you're I learned that the hard way, if you're trying to pick them up before a mainstage show, I'm like, oh, we've got 10 minutes for the show. So then I'm like, oh no, I'm waiting in line. So we ended up getting in there pretty late. Anyway, but speaking of mainstage shows, those get pretty busy too, especially on shorter sailings where maybe they're not doing the show as often. I feel like they used to do repeats, and nowadays I feel like they don't. I swear. Like they'll do two in one day, but they won't do like another day of Beauty and the Beast, let's say.

Tyler

Yeah, they would do like, you know, if it was say a seven-night sailing, they would do Beauty and the Beast two nights, they would do the Golden Mickeys two nights, maybe just the one night for Golden Mickeys, but other shows I feel like they would do twice. And now I feel like it is one night only one night, two performances, and that's it.

Jessica

Yeah, so get to the mainstage shows early, 20 minutes at least, maybe 15, because it just fills up, and you know, you're not gonna want to stand in the back for an hour and a half show, you know, or whatever.

Tyler

Now, speaking of the shows, there's a little bar and concession stand on either side called Preludes. Go to Preludes if you want, get yourself some candy or whatever. But here's a little tip they're gonna charge you there for anything. For anything.

Jessica

Soda.

Tyler

Hop up to deck 11, 12, 13, whatever it is on your ship. Go up and get some a free soda up at the pool and bring it down with you. So you're not paying for a drink before or coffee, whatever you want. Yeah, whatever you want before the show.

Jessica

But because you're gonna pay for beer or wine, regardless, whether it's at Preludes or any other bar. But yeah, for those kinds of things, I mean, yeah, definitely. And they'll charge you for popcorn too. But sometimes you just want popcorn. Sometimes that's just worth it.

Tyler

You gotta do what you gotta do. But if you're just getting a soda or something, go up there, grab it, and then bring it on.

Jessica

I've paid for far too many Diet Cokes and Sprites that way, you know.

Tyler

All right, now we're gonna get into one of our controversial ones.

Jessica

This one is controversial, but bear with us here, okay? We'll explain ourselves.

Tyler

All right. Show up to your dinner late. There I said it.

Jessica

No, we're not talking 20 minutes late, 30 minutes late. Not that maybe five to ten minutes late.

Tyler

Five. I think five is the sweet spot.

Jessica

Maybe even eight. Maybe even eight.

Tyler

Yeah, perfect. Because here's the thing.

Jessica

Maybe eight and a half. Maybe eight and three quarters.

Tyler

I think that's exactly eight and five eighths. That's it. No, that's it. Eight and five eighths. Eight and five-eighths minutes show up to your dinner because they will have a line of people trying to get checked in and whatever. So you're basically gonna get into the restaurant at the same time. You know what I mean? Whether you are but you're people.

Jessica

Whether you're there ten minutes early or right on time.

Tyler

Yeah. And it's not like the theater where it's like first come, first serve seating where you gotta kind of get there 20 minutes early. You have your assigned table, they're gonna be there with you know. It ain't changing. It's not changing. Like

Show Up Late To Dinner

Tyler

you will have a seat, so there's no reason to stand and wait in line. Show up five minutes late, and then you walk, especially like on those restaurants like Cocoa and stuff. Like, I remember there's like the line would be all the way down this super duper long hallway out into the main area. And I'm like, just show up a few minutes late, and you walk all the way down the hallway and they say, What's your table? And you walk right to it, and then boom, you're you're you're in it. So again, don't show up 20 minutes late. That's rude. You don't want to be taking up extra time.

Jessica

Well, and it throws off the whole rhythm for the waiters, the wait staff.

Tyler

Yeah, just a few minutes later.

Jessica

Eight and five-eighths minutes is perfect. Yep. You'll walk right in.

Tyler

Yep, save yourself that time of standing in line.

Jessica

Yeah. Okay. Here is one I learned. I have not tested out, but I'm gonna share it with you. I will test this out here in literally a matter of weeks. I love getting a massage on the cruise. It is the most vacation-y thing ever. It is so relaxing. However, the second I'm finally relaxed, the massage is just about done, my hawkers go up because I know they're about to try to sell me.

Tyler

I think it's hackles, not hawkers. Jessica, put your hawkers away.

Jessica

You know what's even weirder about that?

Tyler

It might even be hackles. Is it hackles or hackles? I definitely not hawkers.

Jessica

Let me tell you an even crazier story about this. You, Pinocchio was all the we had someone coming to work on something at the house the other day. And you, Pinocchio was his hackles or whatever were up.

Tyler

His hawkers were up.

Jessica

His hawkers were up. And you said, Pinocchio, put your hawkers down. And I thought, hee hee hee, like that's just funny. And then the guy,

Spa Upsells And How To Avoid

Jessica

when he came in, he said, Oh, you can put your hawkers away.

Tyler

Yeah. Is it hockles or hackles? I gotta look now. I gotta look it up.

Jessica

Like, why don't we even look it up?

Tyler

When a dog dog's hackles. Oh my god.

Jessica

I think it was the fact that I'd never really heard that term other than you saying it. And the fact that he said it as well was crazy to me. I don't know if that's now it's on my mind.

Tyler

Is that even a real thing or is that like an Indian in a like Oh, it could be.

Jessica

It's like a weird Midwestern thing. Well, I'll tell the story while you look it up.

Tyler

Okay.

Jessica

Because inquiring minds do mean it.

Tyler

It says something about a rope. Hackle's a rope, and that's not right.

Jessica

Okay, let me look up hawkers.

Tyler

I don't want that in my search history. Hawk.

Jessica

Like the hawks.

Tyler

It is hackles. No, we see a picture of a dog with hackles run from the base of a dog's neck down their back to the tail.

Jessica

And then well, it's like when the fur sticks up. I guess we did not at all explain.

Tyler

It's when the dog's fur sticks up, like when they're like a patch of hair along a dog's neck and spine stands up when they are excited, anxious, or insecure.

Jessica

So he was protecting the house, of course, for the stranger. Um I call them huckles.

Tyler

You call them either way, we were wrong.

Jessica

Well, maybe it's uh hackles, but it's pronounced hockles.

Tyler

If you're fancy.

Jessica

Hockles. Anyway, I'm massaged, I'm relaxed, and now my hockles are up because they're about to sell me products. What a tangent.

Tyler

Wow.

Jessica

Anyway, I learned supposedly you can write on your like sheet that you fill out before your massage that they take, like, you know, I feel pain here, whatever. Um, you can write on there, please don't try to sell me any products. Supposedly, then they won't. I'm gonna test it out, I'll report back. But that is a game changer. That's a game changer because I hate it. I hate it so much, and I feel bad because I'm like, I understand. Obviously, they make a little extra money, they could use the money. Like, it's not that, it's just that the products are like $150, $200 each.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

And I'm already spending so much on the massage and I'll tip them well, but you know, you know, we all we all understand.

Tyler

And they've got you cornered in a small little room and that kind of stuff. Now, here's the other thing I have to say about this. A lot of times when I've gone in by myself and done just one for me, like we'll we've done some couples once, but if I go in by myself, they don't ever try and sell me stuff. And I'm like, I think it's because I'm a guy, like they just don't even attempt, which I'm like, that's a little suspect.

Jessica

That's very interesting.

Tyler

Yeah. Not always, sometimes they have, you know what I mean?

Jessica

Like that's that's very interesting.

Tyler

But several times they just haven't even well, yeah.

Jessica

Anyway, so either you write it on there or you are a guy, and these are okay.

Tyler

So mug club.

Jessica

Oh, yeah, this is your domain.

Tyler

So the mug club is this thing that I didn't even know about until a couple sailings ago, but actually, one of our uh travel agents, Haley, told me about it. I think I think she was the one who told me about it. So they have the basically if If you like beer and you want to order draft beer while you were on the cruise, you can get a mug club mug. Now, the mug is like I think it's like $17 right now. Um the price might flush.

Jessica

It's kind of a cheap souvenir, honestly.

Tyler

But yeah, you get to keep the mug, and it's a pretty cool mug. The one they had during the 25th anniversary said Disney Cruise Line 25th anniversary, like etched in it. It was very cool. Um, but anyway, they they now just have them, they just say Disney Cruise Line and stuff like that. But you get to keep the mug. So $17 for the mug. But the difference is you pay for a 16-ounce beer and you get like 21 to 23 ounces, depending on, you know.

Jessica

So you're getting that those extra ounces free every time. Every time. Every time you now, what's the thing you need to know? Yeah.

Tyler

So I was carrying this mug around, and it's a big heavy glass mug. If you're out at the pool, they give you a plastic one. So you kind of trade in your mug and they give you a new one like throughout the cruise. But I can I found

Mug Club Beer Math Explained

Tyler

out that you can get a little coin or a little uh whatever it is, they like a card or a coin or whatever. So you don't have to carry this mug around everywhere.

Jessica

Like you can just turn in your mug, they'll give you a little coin, and then later you can actually go and then you'd have to run back to the room, be like, hold on, I was gonna get a beer, let me go get the mug. And it was a whole thing.

Tyler

So that is I can just put that little token token. That's what I say. A little token in my pocket, and then you just trade it. And then on the final night of your cruise, you just make sure you trade that in or you keep the mug you have, and then you get to take that with you. Yeah. And I've, by the way, I've had them before where I've had one and it's kind of cloudy, or it's kind of whatever. I'll just take it to the bar and they'll trade it out for one that looks nicer too. So don't feel like whatever one you end up with on that final night is the one you have to have.

Jessica

No, that's nice. Yeah, that's good advice. Okay, this one blew my mind. And we have another one of your travel agents, Daniel Hofstein, to thank for this because him and his family, they do, or they have done, right? And I think they're doing it again. You're doing back-to-back sailing. And so, like, especially if it's shorter cruises, like a three-night cruise and a four-night cruise or whatever, and you're like, you know what? I want it to fill out the week, whatever. You can do a back-to-back sailing. I've always known that. Of course, you can, you know, do whatever you want, book two cruises, that whatever. But if you're able to, you pick your room when you're booking, and if you pick the exact same room, Disney will allow you to leave your stuff in that room. So, in between cruises, you still have to disembark, you know, bring your passports with you and all of that documentation you might need. And then you can get back on shortly after, you know, when it's appropriate. But you can leave your stuff in your room. And that I thought, because I've always thought I'm never gonna do a back-to-back sailing, because the idea of unpacking your stuff in your room, repacking it, unpacking it again sounds so awful. I'm like, I don't want to do that. But that I'm like, ooh.

Tyler

And you can move to a different

Back To Back Sailing Without Repacking

Tyler

room if you want. Yeah. But if you, if you, yeah. Well, and so apparently they will leave a uh like information in your room the night before if they know you're doing it back to back, and they will tell you, like, okay, you need to be off the ship by this time, you know, and they'll they'll explain all the things to do. Wow. Um, so they'll they're they it's pretty often. But the thing is on these newer ships, because they want to get as many people on them as they can, a lot of times they're gonna have these new ships on three or four-night sailings, like three-night, four-night, three-night, four night. And so if you want to do a seven-night sailing on the destiny or something like that, you know, you gotta wait a few years until it's yeah, yeah, or do anything.

Jessica

Not always.

Tyler

There are some longer itineraries, but a lot of times with newer ones, like with the Wish, I'm pretty sure for the first year it was three, four, three, four. So and if you want to go to Castaway Key more than once and you can't do one of the double dip ones, that's the way you do. Speaking of Castaway Key, by the way, we have done an episode on Castaway Key, and then we also have a blog which has, I mean, it's a it is a beast of a blog, but it has everything you could ever have to do.

Jessica

Every question you could ever have, all our best tips. We have been to Castaway Key so many times, you guys, so many times. We have figured it all out. I'm telling you, I could draw that map with my eyes closed with detail.

Tyler

Yeah. So I we will link those below in the description box. We'll maybe do a card or something too. So if you're interested in those, we do have those as well.

Jessica

Definitely. So, one thing that I didn't know until a few years into sailing is that when you get on the ship, you, I mean, I've known this, you can go to the buffet, get some food, and you know, you're trying to get your money's worth, baby. I'm getting right on. I am eating right away. We're getting ice cream. Well, you can also choose to go to one of the sit-down restaurants. There's usually at least one open and they'll tell you which one, just ask cast member, and do a sit-down, kind of nicer lunch where they'll serve you and give you a menu and all of that. I don't think a lot of people know that. Like I said, I didn't know that. And so if you'd rather do that, it's a certainly a calmer way to ease into the cruise because the buffet on the day of everyone getting on is pretty wild. I mean, it's wild any morning, honestly. So it's nice to know. And speaking of every morning, they also have the option for you to just go do a sit-down breakfast any day of the cruise at one of the sit-down restaurants. You can ask your server the night before. They'll usually tell you, like, sit-down breakfast in the morning if you want is gonna be at, you know, whichever one. Yeah.

Skip The Buffet With Sit-Down Meals

Jessica

Art of Anim, no, not art of animation, animator smell. I do that every single time. Yeah. So it's just something to know that if you really would prefer the buffet stresses you out or you just like to be served, or you just want to do that one of the mornings, you can do it whenever you want.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

And it's free. And some people like Well, it's included.

Tyler

Some people like to get on, have a very quick lunch, if anything, and then go right into the pool. We're not usually into the pool right away just because I feel like I don't want to be in a wet bathing suit that's packed, and it's like, I don't know, it's a whole thing. Um, but if you want to do that, obviously the buffets you're gonna be your friend. But if you are just like, hey, we just want to have a little bit slower time. That's a nice, yeah, nice way to do that. Throughout your cruise, you can look on the navigator app and you can look at your bill and your invoice, you know, as it as it things, you know, are charged to your room and that kind of stuff.

Jessica

I don't think they call it Navigator app anymore. I was just thinking about it.

Tyler

Yeah, I think so.

Jessica

I mean, not we can keep calling it that forever for all I care, but I'm pretty sure they'd it says Disney Cruise on the app, Disney Cruise Line. Oh, we'll have to listen on the next cruise if they say, you know, get on your navigator app. I think they might just say, get on the Disney Cruise Line app now. I think they've like kind of simplified a lot of the stuff. Kind of like we used to call the Disney World app my Disney Experience. I don't think it's called that anymore.

Tyler

Technically is my Disney Experience, okay.

Jessica

Anyway, anyway, yeah we'll have to pay attention. Yeah, no, that's right.

Tyler

Disney Cruise Line Navigator.

Jessica

Oh, okay. You're right, you're right, you're right.

Tyler

Um anyway, throughout your cruise, be sure and kind of check that periodically because if you find an issue, you want to go to guest services and take care of it then, because throughout the cruise, the guest services line is usually not too long. But if you wait to do it either like the night before you disembark or

Check Your Bill Before Final Day

Tyler

goodness forbid, the morning of disembarkation on the final day, the lines are insane. And everyone's trying to get something fixed, everyone's trying to do something, everyone's trying to, you know. So keep an eye on it throughout. And then if there is an issue, take care of it. Then for instance, I got a glass of wine one time at prelude.

Jessica

So, like before one of the main stage shows, yeah.

Tyler

And I looked at the bill like the next day, and it was like $96 or something like that. It was absolutely insane.

Jessica

One glass.

Tyler

And I was like, what? Because I and what I said was I went up and I was like, I'll just take any red wine you have. And I'm like, did he just give me the most expensive red wine that he just could possibly give me? Anyway, uh, so I go to the to the thing, kind of find out he'd obviously charge me for an entire bottle instead of the glass. But I was able to get it figured out earlier on in the cruise as opposed to having to wait in a big long line at the end.

Jessica

Yeah, that line gets pretty long. Like, obviously, if you need to do it, you need to do it. But yeah.

Tyler

Yeah, this is just a quick one here. Um, so if you have things that you want to book on board, as far as like, you know, the princess meet and greet, or uh they do beverage tastings, they do uh the port excursions, anything like that where you do the onboard booking, uh it's possible, depending on how high you are in your Disney Cruise line uh membership, if you're a silver gold, you know, whatever. Your final payment due date could potentially be after your onboard booking date. So your booking date, say, is on June 1st. Like you can start going on and booking your ported adventures and stuff like that, but June 30th is your final payment due date. But you cannot book onboard stuff until you're paid in full. So if there's something that you want to book that is really important to you and you want to make sure you get it on that first day, even if your final payment due date is later, you need to make sure that your cruise is paid in full before that date comes up. Which, if you're higher up in the Disney cruise line thing, you probably already know that. But that's just something we run into every once in a while with the agency.

Jessica

Yeah. And the other thing, just

Booking Timing And Guest Services Wins

Jessica

piggybacking, let's take the princess meet and greet. If you didn't, like I'm just now realizing, I'm like, oh no, we totally forgot to book that again. You can always go to member services, guest services, and ask, like, hey, yeah, we were really hoping to do this. And they oftentimes, especially if you do it like the day you get on the ship, like right away, oftentimes they can make it happen.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

Just saying, like, we also were able to get like a reservation at Enchanted Enchanted that I think it was like showing it was totally booked. And we were like, you know, if anything, and they they work their magic. So at least ask. It doesn't hurt to ask. The worst case scenario, they come back to you and say, sorry, couldn't. Yeah. But oftentimes they can find a way to do it. And so we're gonna have to do that. Yeah.

Tyler

Either you or your travel agent, you know, should be trying to book stuff as early as you can. But if there's something that you had your heart set on that you couldn't get, I don't know.

Jessica

Or you just forget. Like I just didn't even think about the I always forget the princess meet and greet. Oh yeah.

Tyler

So yeah, that's just something. And again, we were able to get Enchanted at the exact time and date that we wanted.

Jessica

So I think they usually, it's it's you can they give them some leeway to make some magic happen. Oh, just another we were talking about, you know, three and four night cruises. Let's say you have a week of PTO or you get a week-long vacation and your cruise is three nights, and you're thinking, okay, we're flying down to Florida, we're doing a three-night cruise. Add on beach time. Sometimes I forget when I'm in the Disney mindset of like the parks and stuff. I'm like, well, if I'm doing a Disney cruise, then for the other few days, we'll do the Disney parks. But you're in Florida, there's beaches all around. So, like for this trip, we're actually doing three or four nights in Fort Lauderdale, which is where this cruise happens to be leaving instead of um Port Canaveral. So we're staying at a really nice beach hotel right there that's down the street from the port. Um, and we're gonna enjoy some beach time, which we typically will fill it with parks time because again, we love the parks, but there are other options. Just a reminder like if you want a little beachy vibe, yeah, summertime, baby.

Tyler

Well, we haven't been to the beach and just I know been to a beach in a while. So I mean, me too. All right, this one is semi-controversial.

Jessica

Medium controversial.

Tyler

They sell Wi-Fi on board. Don't get the Wi-Fi package. I think it's too expensive, it's not very good, and just unplug for just a little while. Just the the four out of seven nights or whatever it is you're on this cruise, don't get the Wi-Fi. If you desperately need something, you know, you can get on when you get to a port or whatever, you know, your phone, most phones now, you can get an international data plan for a week or whatever it is. Yeah, you know, you can catch up on Facebook or whatever it is you want to do. But I I would I would advise you to not get Wi-Fi unless you absolutely need it for work or you absolutely need it for some reason. Just unplug for a couple days and just enjoy being on the cruise.

Jessica

And it's a forced unplug. And I think we all need that. And I'm kind of realizing in this moment, I'm like, maybe that's why I feel like Disney cruises feel like such a vacation because you are literally just away from the rest of it. And that there's something so wonderful about that because we don't in 2026, in this era, we don't get that anywhere.

Skip Wi-Fi And Truly Unplug

Jessica

I mean, we're in Disney Parks, you have to be on your phone and you need Wi-Fi, and you know. So, you know, you're using the Disney Cruise line app, you're taking photos. That's about it.

Tyler

Yeah, you know, share them once you get home.

Jessica

We'll we'll sometimes write a note a list of like things we want to look up, like questions we'll have. We're like, oh, well, it's just Google them. We're like, oh, we can't. So we'll sometimes make a list and then we never remember to look them up later.

Tyler

I remember one of my favorite is uh Tiny Bubbles. We were sitting somewhere and I was, yeah, I was singing Tiny Bubbles, and you were like, that is not a real song. I'm like, that is absolutely a real song. And you were like, no, it's not. And so anyway, then we finally got home and I proved to her that it was a real song.

Jessica

It is a real song. I'll never forget it.

Tyler

Tiny bubbles in the wine. All right.

Jessica

Okay, so here's one. If you are getting fancy coffees, so you know, they've got the coffees that you can order through room service, slice.

Tyler

We have hot brown water that you can order.

Jessica

Yeah, it's all right. Again, it it'll do. I just, you know, we both need our more morning cup of coffee for sure. But if you want to get nicer coffees that genuinely are much better tasting, of course you have to pay for them. But the nice thing is they do have like a little card and you have to ask them for it. I feel like they're not as forthcoming as well. Sometimes they'll, yeah. But just ask. Um, and it's like a what do you even call that kind of card?

Tyler

Like a rewards card or rewards card, yeah.

Jessica

Where for each one you buy, they'll stamp it or or punch it or whatever, and then you get a free one. Yeah. And so usually, even in the course of a three or four-night cruise, if we're each getting a nice coffee, even a few times, yeah, we end up getting a free one.

Tyler

Yeah. And they're kind of expensive, you know. And so what we'll usually do is like in the morning we'll get the the Disney Cruise Line coffee, whatever, and that'll be our morning coffee. And then usually around 3 p.m. or whatever, we'll go to the Cove Cafe or whatever, whatever, depending on the ship, yeah,

Coffee Punch Cards And Luggage Tags

Tyler

and get like a nice ice coffee or a nice Americano or something like that for our afternoon pick-me-up. Yeah. Um, and that's yeah. It's really nice. It's just a nice little enjoyable thing there. Very quickly, because this one, we get a lot of questions about this at the agency, it's a little confusing. If you it's not even that it's confusing, it's just that people worry. If you get the Disney Cruise line luggage tags in the mail, you attach those to your luggage. When you get to the port, the ones that have the luggage tags on them will be taken directly to your room. So there's porters at the port. Make sure you bring a little bit of cash to tip them, otherwise, they might somehow lose your bags. No, I'm kidding. They wouldn't lose your bags. Kidding, kidding. But you should bring a couple bucks just to tip them. Yeah. They will then take your luggage for you and take it to your room. It'll show up in your room later. But if they're if you didn't get enough luggage tags, they have some at the port. That's the big thing. So if you don't worry about if you only have like four luggage tags and you have five bags, once you get there, just ask one of the porters. They've got plenty and they'll just have tons.

Jessica

That's what they're doing all day.

Tyler

Exactly. So they will make sure that that extra bag gets to your room. You don't have to carry it around all day uh if you don't want to.

Jessica

And keep in mind, too, that it might be a few hours before you actually see your bags again. So make sure you got what you need in there, medicines, document, documentation. Yes, passports. Leave your passports and stuff in there because they're taking it away and you still need them to get onto the ship. So it's always the scariest thing. I'm like, make sure you have that QR code on your like your port arrival form and your passports. Yeah. Oh my gosh.

Tyler

And also I didn't write this down, but speaking of that, right now, so when you do your online Oh, and your Disney bands, your Disney bands, make sure you have those because they'll activate them and make sure they're all connected. When you're doing your online check-in, it will show as pending until it says uh not complete, until it says approved or whatever it is. For some reason, recently, it has been up until the very last minute, it will still say pending until like like we had somebody actually that was just there that was like got to the port and it still said pending. Once they got to the port, it took two seconds and they were able to like just pass it through. But I think right now with the new ships and with I don't know, it was spring break at the time, but I think it's taking longer. It used to be that it would show pending and then within a few days it would usually show as approved. Yeah, but now it seems to be taking longer. So don't let that deter you. Still, yeah, still go to the port, still whatever, and they'll figure it out there. Um but we had somebody who's asking us at the agency. They were like, should we even go to the port? Like, yeah, go to the port, they will figure it out there. Yeah, so don't worry about that. All right, we got two more theme nights.

Jessica

Let's say Pirates Night. Dress up, dress up, you guys. At least for the kids. We haven't always, and so I'm like, do we want to get a costume for ourselves? Do we want to pack it? But we've always, in recent years, gotten a little like pirate dress or whatever for the girls because the theme nights are so fun. And one thing I've been thinking about a lot is they're only young once, and how fun it is to take part in these nights. And Disney will always give you, like on Pirate Night, they'll leave in your room um midday the like little red bandana. So if that's all you do, that's fine. But put it on, put it around your neck, put it in your hair, whatever. But yeah, I'm thinking, I'm like, we could even buy like pirate t-shirts or something.

Tyler

But why have my pirate costume that I wore last Halloween? I can just prove it. I'm like, do you just see dads walking around in full Jack Sparrow costumes? I mean, I'm like, they must have brought a separate suitcase just for the suitcase. I mean, some of them go all in. Yeah. And I will say, when we did the uh uh Halloween on the high seas, oh my gosh, we didn't pack costumes for ourselves, we had

Theme Nights And Skipping Repeat Dinners

Tyler

some for the girls. Right. We were definitely in the minority because I thought, oh, you know, most of the parents probably won't dress up. Dude, they were dressed.

Jessica

Yeah, I was like, okay, next time we do Halloween on the high seas, we've looked at it. Yeah.

Tyler

So just embrace it. Even the parents, get involved.

Jessica

Guys, Halloween on the high seas is so fun.

Tyler

It was very critical. And this is the last one, and this is probably the most controversial.

Jessica

I it definitely is.

Tyler

I can hear the comments already.

Jessica

Click, click, click, click, click.

Tyler

If you're doing a longer cruise after you've done each sit-down restaurant, you don't really need to go back to them again. That said, it depends on the restaurant. So, like the new ones with the Cocoa and the Lion King and um uh frozen and stuff like that, they will usually have a separate show on the other night. But some of these other ones, like the the 1923 or whatever it is, yeah. Art of animation's kind of cool, but you know, the the the last I do this, it's animated. Um, I don't know. I feel like those dinners a lot of times will end up taking 90 minutes or longer. And sometimes I just feel like I just want to go up to the pool deck and just get some chicken tenders or something and then move on to the street.

Jessica

Or no, watch one on the pool deck.

Tyler

Like I'm like, if you're out at a port all day, then you get back, you shower, you get ready for dinner, and then by the time you're done, you know, it's 7:30 or whatever. I mean, it just kind of takes up your whole evening, and there's so many other things going on in the ship at all times. So do the restaurants, you know, they're awesome. But I also sometimes kind of feel like I have to be a little bit on display or on not on display, but I feel like I have to like put on airs when they're like, I don't know, because it's some they've got the two different waiters and stuff like that, and some like I don't know, sometimes I just it just feels like such a production, and sometimes like I just want just I just want to like relax sit with my chicken tenders, watch a movie on the deck with the girls, yeah, and just feel the wind.

Jessica

One thing I told you once, and I think about it every time we get on a cruise, is you can be on a cruise and almost never go out to fresh air. And I don't even mean like the pool deck, but I mean like I feel like I want to spend more time like looking out at the ocean, not just from my deck, but like on the main decks and like feel the wind blowing through my hair. And when you're yeah, when everything is so overly scheduled. Yeah, of course. But when everything is so overly scheduled, and I'm really talking to people that cruise all the time. Like if this is your first time, you just do whatever you want, enjoy, you know, go to all the dinners. But like when you've done it a lot of times, yeah, I think there's something to that of saying, okay, tonight, let's not go to 1923 again. Let's just go get some pizza from the little windows. Now keep in mind, we should say at dinner time, the buffet is not open.

Tyler

Right, not the buffet. We're talking about the pool deck.

Jessica

The pool deck where they have like the windows of like pizza and chicken tenders, and sometimes they'll have the taco one you can do, like a rice taco bowl.

Tyler

You know what? So good. I gotta say, sometimes I think that food is even better.

Jessica

Sometimes, depending, depending on it.

Tyler

Depending on what it is, because I I if I feel like with the dinner, they're making so many so fast all at once, and some I don't know. And it it's it's good, but sometimes I'm like, sometimes the stuff up at the pool deck is even better.

Jessica

Well, sometimes you just want chicken tendies.

Tyler

I mean, yeah, and then and then you're open to do, like I said, more time at the pool. You that's a lot of times when the the slide is open, you know, or you know, the the the aqua coasters, whatever there.

Jessica

We're going to do like the uh what's that one scavenger hunt? Yeah, the scavenger. Like around the thing. Like we did that recently for the first time, legitimately did it.

Tyler

Yeah, it was so fun.

Jessica

Was so fun. And we saw parts of the shit we never would have seen. Like, and it's so fun to see everyone's doors decorated in different areas that you don't usually walk because it's not near your room. Like, wow.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

There's so much to do. So there's our biggest high five controversial take. We'll stand by it.

Tyler

Yeah. And again, if you're doing a three-night cruise, you're gonna do the restaurant or four-night cruise, yeah, whatever it is. But if you're doing a longer one, all right. Let's see what you guys had to say. We asked you on our Disneyville podcast Instagram, which is welcome to Disneyville.

Jessica

Um, now we posted on our story. If you want to be a part of the conversation, definitely follow us at Welcome to Disneyville there because that is where we're asking. And so we've got a lot. So Duns Do Disney said character sheet sets for the kids. Oh. So fun. They'll want to go to bed. They'll want to go to bed. Hello. Um, that's interesting. So you bring your own.

Tyler

Then would you just leave them out and would your like room steward? I'm sure they would.

Jessica

And you talk to the room steward, you know, so you could just say, Hey, you know, we brought these from home. That's that is very interesting. I'm like, my mind is reeling. I'm gonna be thinking about this because I'm like, what a fun, especially like if you're celebrating a birthday and like one of their birthday gifts is like new sheets. Well, that's a tricky. Or you can surprise them.

Tyler

That's what I mean.

Jessica

Like surprise them with it. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, there's a lot there. That's cute.

Tyler

That's fun. I like I've never thought about that. Crystaline underscore P said stay at a hotel that offers

Listener Tips That Level Up

Tyler

DCL transportation. Yes. So not all of them offer it. So if you look or you ask a travel agent, you call Disney Cruise Line, whatever, you can find out which ones in the specific port you're going to will offer the Disney Cruise line transportation. Yeah. It is very nice to use the Disney Cruise Line bus. Now, some of them, you know, you might be five minutes away via Uber, you know what I mean? Depending on where you are, you know what I mean. But it is nice to use it.

Jessica

But if you have young kids and you're like, you know, the bus would maybe be a better option too, and not have to worry about car seat type stuff. Stuff. Um, yeah, we're the one we're staying in Fort Lauderdale, is a Marriott, and uh they offer like official Disney transportation from the hotel to the port, which is gonna be amazing. I'm so excited to try it. But also Port Canaveral, if you're staying at the MCO, the hotel, the Hyatt there, we have done that. And they offer official Disney uh transportation all the way to the port, which is a big deal because it is a little bit longer of a trek. Not too long, but you know.

Tyler

This one is a is a is a great one. Mary Chippy said, talk to your servers for food selection and listen to them. Thank me later. Yes.

Jessica

There are some things on the menu that's maybe the most important tip here.

Tyler

Yeah, there are some things on the menu that sound really good and then they don't end up being very good. Trust your server because the server, most of them will be honest, be like, you know, the they'll be good tonight.

Jessica

Which one would you get?

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

And they'll tell you. And they're honest. They're like, this is the best one.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

And sometimes we have ordered something and they're like, You sure about that? And that's all you need to hear. Because again, they work for Disney. They're not gonna, but you know, there's just some dishes that are definitely better than others. So listen to them. Um, so Duns do Disney, you were you were lighting us up. Okay. If you stay starboard side, you'll most likely see castaway from your room or your like balcony.

Tyler

Oh, yeah.

Jessica

I've never really thought about that. Is great advice if that's important to you. And that's, you know, for the whole day. That's really pretty. Because otherwise you're seeing the ocean, which, you know, yeah, you're used to, but that's pretty cool.

Tyler

That's the right side for you, land lovers. Crystalin underscore Pete also said, don't get pressured into participating in fish extender groups. So stressful sometimes. We've never, so we've never done the fish extenders, but from what I understand, they're just you can put things out on your door on the little fish at the side.

Jessica

You hang it. And so people will buy really cute, I mean, you'll see them, really cute, like you know, the the brawn family, and it'll have like little pockets for each person. And so then if you're doing that, you bring little goodies that you can put in other people's bags. And sometimes you join groups and you like exchange room numbers. So then you'll go and specifically seek them out and you make like goodie bags and things and and candy and you know, whatever. It can get you could do it really cheap and it can get really expensive, depending on how you do it. And you, you know, your mileage may vary. But um, yeah, I've definitely heard from people that they're like, it's a lot. So some people will just do pixie dusting, where like we've had people walk around and they have like a whole bunch of stickers, and it's like kids, and they'll walk up to our kids and say, Hey, do you want to pick out a few stickers? And they're just like spreading a little pixie dust, or people will have magnets and they'll go around and like put magnets on your door, like a cute little like Mickey head, as just like a sweet pixie dusting, glow sticks, like things like that. So there's definitely ways to do it in a way that's less planned and less organized and maybe just a little more fun.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

But you know, some people are really into it. But I could see where it could get a little stressful.

Tyler

Yeah, one of our neighbors did it and she loves it. Yeah, absolutely. So it just depends on your personality and stuff like that. But yeah. Ooh, Kristinina. Yeah, Kristen said two things. One, wake up early to get Mickey Churro waffles.

Jessica

And it's only on usually a select day.

Tyler

And they'll tell you like tomorrow's Mickey Churro waffle.

Jessica

That is a dessert. It's so good.

Tyler

I personally, and I am definitely in the minority, I like the regular Mickey waffles better. I I think the churro ones are good, but they're too sweet. They're too much. I can't eat honey. I eat an ear and I'm like, that's Are you okay?

Jessica

An ear. Well, we'll finish yours off. I mean me and literally everyone else. Oh my gosh.

Tyler

And then also get in line for shows early.

Jessica

Yes. Uh Christy Morales said, if just adults are cruising, opt for the older ships in the fleet, larger adult areas and smaller ships. Yeah. Um, I've definitely noticed that on the newer ships, and we'll see on the Destiny, that the adult areas, I still like them, but they're just a little different. But the older ships, I feel like the adult areas a little bit bigger. You can kind of breathe.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

And Dun Sioux Disney also said longer sailings are better. The three nights doesn't uh, the three nights doesn't cut it. Too much to do and see. Yeah. I mean, I always feel when it's three or four nights that I'm like, I just want like one or two more nights. Yeah. But with the seven nights, I'm like, okay, I'm ready to get to get off the ship. So it's it's, you know, it's a delicate dance.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

Delicate dance.

Tyler

Oh, okay. Mayor Claire Redhair said, at the buffet, walk the whole length to see what's there before committing to putting anything on a plate. That's right. Amen.

Jessica

And that there's usually more than one of the same thing. So as you keep going, you'll hit the start again. Do you know what I'm saying? So if there's like a really long line at one area, you could possibly just like keep walking and find it again in a different area.

Tyler

I gotta say, I like the way they're doing it at the Marceline market, the newer buffets where they serve you. At first I didn't like it. I'm like, I would rather just get my own stuff. But the more I thought about it, I'm like, you know what? I wash my hands. I don't know about all these other bozos here.

Jessica

I know.

Tyler

Um, and so I like that at the new ones. You just probably tell them what you want and then they serve it to you.

Jessica

And you know, if you want a lot, just tell them. They don't care. I would like more bacon. No, more. Sorry, more. M Holly, hey girl, take a plate of food from the buffet and have it in the room fridge for hangry kids. Yup, that's a fantastic idea. Yep. Fantastic. Um, also, we they always say like you can bring snacks on the ship, but they're they have to be like factory sealed and all this. I don't know how well they check that because I've even just accidentally had like ziplocks of things and those they've made their way on. Yeah. I think they're looking for more like serious contraband. But yeah, I think the official rule is like you can bring snacks on, especially if you've got young kids. They're just supposed to be factory sealed. But listen, worst case scenario, if you're bringing stuff on that's not factory sealed, either it makes its way to your room or it doesn't, and maybe they toss it. You lose out on your it might be worth it might be worth the risk, you know. Because yeah, that that's one of the things I notice on the cruises, you know, if you have kids that especially toddlers that you you're wanting like crackers and you know, things like that, they just don't have crackers on the ship. Like, you know, they might in the gifts.

Tyler

Oyster crackers.

Jessica

But like things like that that you know your kids love. You're probably you can find bananas and fruit and yogurt, but you you know, you're not gonna really be able to easily find crackers. Yeah, maybe oyster crackers. I never thought about that.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

By the soup.

Tyler

All right, Brianna Woodbine has given us four.

Jessica

Oh my.

Tyler

One, go to Cove Cafe in the early morning, uh, in the early morning as you dock, get an ice salted caramel coconut latte. That is a lot of words for a coffee.

Jessica

You know what? I feel like it's hard to find good iced coffee on the ship.

Tyler

So that is I will definitely say to know. I have found that if you order an iced Americano versus iced coffee, it's much better.

Jessica

If you like stronger coffee, yes.

Tyler

It tastes much more like coffee. Okay, two room service breakfast on the balcony in the mornings.

Jessica

Yep. Yep.

Tyler

Three, reusable straws.

Jessica

Yeah.

Tyler

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Um, do they have any straws on there?

Jessica

They might, like if they give you an iced coffee, maybe. Like, because it would have, but like in the buffet, you're not finding straws there.

Tyler

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Um, and then four, two reusable cups, one for water and one for soda.

Jessica

Yeah.

Tyler

Yeah, you can bring Yeah, there's no rule.

Jessica

Like you could just bring your Disney park mug, whatever you want. There's not like a rule where you can't. I mean, I think you're not supposed to fill like with soda your own thing, but you could always just use their cup and then pour it in.

Tyler

So yeah, but we'll refill, we'll a lot of times bring reusable water bottles. Not always, sometimes like when we've gone and done like a European cruise, we've just bought the water bottle package. It's extremely expensive.

Jessica

But you can bring water bottles on board, keep in mind.

Tyler

The other thing is if you do that, if you do get a water package, get whatever the smallest one is, because they now have aluminum cans, which is great as opposed to plastic, and they have a uh lid you can put back on. So you can just take those up.

Jessica

So we'll get, you know, whatever the smallest is a pack of whatever and refill all of them and have them for the next few days and then refill all of them again. And that actually worked great.

Tyler

It does, yeah. So you don't have to get the big 48 pack or whatever, you know.

Jessica

Merclair Redhair also said pack swimsuits in your carry-on so you can enjoy pool time before set sail. So yeah, if you know that's important to you, keep in mind again, you're not gonna see your bags in time. So if you're getting on pretty early, bring your swimsuits so that you can do that sunscreen, sunscreen. Uh yeah, that is always nice. Like I said, we've done that a couple times, but lately we've just kind of kind of enjoyed seeing the open houses and doing other stuff and then swimming the next day. But yeah, I'm so excited for warm weather and pools. Oh my god.

Tyler

Speaking of which, Mayor Claire Red Hair. This is our third one. Um, okay. Listen my mind, guys. It's almost lunchtime. I'm hungry. Um day pass at Rainforest Room. I always we have never done that.

Jessica

Yeah, I always want it's on my like to-do list mentally. And then when we get on, I totally forget.

Tyler

Yeah, that's a great one, though. I everyone that I know that has done it.

Jessica

Especially if it's a day at sea where you're gonna be like on the ship the whole time and you could really get use out of that.

Tyler

Yep. Positively, Kristen. Yes. Arrive five to 10 minutes after your seating time to avoid a super long cue. Boom, nail it.

Jessica

Amen. Okay, Daniel Hoff, who we were just talking about, he has quite a few. So he says, Hey, hey, I have a few. One, post-muster drill, head straight to deck 11 for sail away party.

Tyler

Yes. Yes.

Jessica

I think there have been too many times where we're like, all right, let's go back up to the room, blah, blah, blah. And then by the time we're actually down there, you are so far back, which again, it it's it is what it is. You can see the characters and all of it from anywhere. But that is really good advice. Just go straight there. Yeah, straight there.

Tyler

And poor Genevieve loves the sail away party. And I feel like so many times we've been so far back. So this is the time.

Jessica

We're going straight there.

Tyler

Yep.

Jessica

Two, never bring a double stroller, use a piggy backboard. Um, yeah, that double stroller, getting down the cruise hallways when there's constantly like the room stewards, they have their carts out there always. I mean, that throughout most of the day, they're out there. It would be impossible. So definitely single line no matter what you do. Uh, three, book placeholder for a discount. You want to talk about that? Yeah.

Tyler

So yeah, you can while you're on your cruise, you can do it on the Navigator app. You can go to one of the

Placeholder Discounts And Packing Hacks

Tyler

places you can book a deposit essentially on your next cruise that's valid for two years, I want to say, and it gets you 10% off of your next sailing, which is a pretty significant amount. Um, and then I think as a when you put that deposit down, I think if you don't use it within those two years, you actually can get a refund on it. I'll have to double check that. But I mean, there really is no downside to doing it.

Jessica

Yeah, because I think that isn't it just like 200 bucks you put down?

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

To get 10%. And again, that 200, of course, would go towards the cruise. So it's not like you're losing it. So you're getting 10% off. That 200 is going towards your next cruise, and you have two years. So if you know you would do that, we pretty much always do it. And think about that 10% could be on a very expensive Europe cruise.

Tyler

Yeah, which yeah, that's even.

Jessica

Um, okay. And four, I'll read his last one. Slow down. There's so much DCL has to offer. Enjoy what you can and don't feel rushed. Enjoy what you can right there. I think that wording is important because you're never gonna enjoy it all. Like you can't experience it all. So enjoy what you can, soak that up, and just know that there just might be a next time that you come on and you can enjoy that thing and just not to stress about it. Yeah, you're meant to be relaxing, you know.

Tyler

So here's this. So it's $250. It's fully refundable. Um you can do it on the Navigator app or at one of the desks. Um, it gets it gets you 10% off.

Jessica

It's really easy on the app to do, by the way, like super easy.

Tyler

It gets you 10% off of the uh voyage fare for most sailings. For seven or night longer cruises, you can also score a reduced down payment. You have 24 months from the date of purchase to sail on your next voyage. And then if you don't end up booking it, it goes back to the original method of payment.

Jessica

So here's a question. If they were wanting to book through, like people move a travel, your travel agency. If if I were wanting to do that and I had already booked my thing, can they still like can I still use you guys? Yes. That's a genuine question because I think I asked you that last time we did it. Because I was like, wait, how would that work?

Tyler

If you booked through a travel agent the first time, it will ask you, do you want to keep this with your current travel agent? And you can hit yes, and it will, then your travel agent will have it, like, and they will be able to book that for you right there. Nice. So it's it's a pretty cool thing. And the fact that it's refundable, I mean, like, there's no reason not to do it. That 10% means a lot, depending on the on the cruise.

Jessica

Okay. Sorry, another one from Mer Merclair Redhair, because these are all so good. If you have dietary restrictions, bring your own gluten-free ice cream cones. I would have to tell my mom that. That is actually genius because why not? And then you can just be like, yo, fill this. And of course, if you don't care about the cone, you could just get the ice cream in like one of the cups.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

But that is smart. I would never have thought of that smart.

Tyler

Gillian Joy Abney said on the Disney Magic or Wonder, go have drinks at the Palo Bar. They will let you order food too. So up in the Palo area, yeah, there's the uh the bar there.

Jessica

Yeah.

Tyler

But also on the treasure, and I want to say The Wish by Enchanted, they had a bar up there at the gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.

Jessica

So maybe the prettiest like bar lounge area I've ever seen on a ship.

Tyler

Definitely definitely go up there. I mean, even just get yourself a Coke, even if you don't just go up there.

Jessica

Because they had some seats at the bar and then they had seats like right in front of these huge windows. You guys go around sunset. So romantic.

Tyler

Beautiful.

Jessica

Um, okay, Merclair Redhair. I'm sorry, you guys. This, I want to like literally order one on Amazon today. Bring a plastic tray to transport food. Because you're not gonna don't they have trays there? No.

Tyler

Yes.

Jessica

But you you're not bringing that all the way up to the room, right? Wait, I don't think they have trays. I think they just have I gotta look this up. I feel like they used to, and I'm starting to think that they don't. No, they do not have trays at Marceline Market's, so you have to carry, that's why, because I'm like, I'm always carrying plates and then I gotta set them down and then go get the drinks. You bring your own tray. But also, if you knew you were gonna go get a bunch of stuff in the morning and bring it up to the room.

Tyler

Yeah, yeah.

Jessica

Or in the afternoon or evening, whatever. But honestly, I wonder if there's like a foldable one that wouldn't take, you know what I'm saying? I'm just thinking the wheels are turning.

Tyler

Okay, making magic daily actually asked a question. Paolo's takehouse or enchante on the wish. I need to know. I personally would say enchanted but I like French cooking.

Jessica

Yeah.

Tyler

We're we we're not big steak people, so if you are a I mean, we like steak though.

Jessica

Yeah, but yeah, we're not spoken to it.

Tyler

But I would say enchanted was pretty spectacular. I think of all of Palo, Remy, and uh Enchanted, that's probably my favorite.

Jessica

It stood, I will say Enchante stands out in my memory.

Tyler

Yeah.

Jessica

Of all of them, I'm like, wait, which one was that? But Enchante, there was something about it that was so different and beautiful that if I were giving a recommendation to like my sister, I would say I would do Enchante. Yeah.

Tyler

All right. DFW Disney Dad said flowers at market before cruise. So I think buying flowers before you go, uh, and then using the ice bucket as a vase. So you'd have fresh flowers in your room. Interesting. But this this is definitely a good one. Magnetic hooks to hang swimsuit bags on the walls. So all the walls in the room, or for the most part, are all magnetic and you can get strong hooks to put up there.

Jessica

And you'd be surprised how strong the ones you can just find on Amazon, you know.

Tyler

To hang up your hat or hang up, you know, different things that you use throughout the throughout the cruise. It's really nice.

Jessica

I think we have an Amazon um storefront link where all of our like Disney cruise must-haves uh are all together under one link. So we'll put that below. If you're watching this on YouTube, you can click that link. It'll take you to, and you can see all of our recommendations because we have certainly tried a lot of versions of different things for the cruises, and we found the best versions of those things through trial and error. So definitely check that out. Yeah, I'm I'm literally looking up trays on Amazon right now. I gotta do that later. So we always like to read a review. So this review is from Courtney Crump. She said, toddler approved, five stars. Uh, she said, I love to listen to podcasts in the car with my toddler. And I love that we can always listen to Mr. Tyler and Miss Jessica as they have come to be known in our house, knowing that both he and I will enjoy the episodes. I've been following Jessica since 2013. Oh my gosh, since the beginning, baby. And love all the content the bronze produce. Thank you so much. Well, that's awesome. That makes me happy. Yeah, we're we try to remain family friendly in all of our content just because I get it. I'll watch YouTube videos with the kids, you know, around and we're gonna have to cut out all the stuff about the hawkers. Jessica put your hawkers.

Tyler

Anyway, okay. Uh, well, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. We have another one coming up next that are things in Disney World that feel illegal, but are not.

Jessica

We are very excited about this episode.

Tyler

It was fun. This was an idea that we'll talk about it next time, but you had an idea, and boom, you just wrote out like 14 places.

Jessica

I'm like, oh my gosh.

Tyler

So that'll be fun. That's

Review Shoutout And Next Episode

Tyler

our next episode. We look forward to that, and we will see you guys in a few weeks.

Jessica

All right, bye, friends.