Welcome aboard, Michael! Happiest of birthdays to your son! He and my son are the same age, so my son will vouch for the fact that he is in for the most magical adventure when you set sail with Disney! There are activities galore that are right up the alley of any nine year-old boy! My son cannot get enough of the Marvel and Star Wars fun onboard. And who doesn't love Mickey and his crew? Your son is in for a great birthday!
I've celebrated a couple birthdays onboard Disney's ships and they've been the best birthdays ever! The last time I sailed over my birthday, friends surprised my family and me by pre-ordering the colorful birthday decorations from the
Gifts and Amenities page of Disney Cruise Line's website for me! They weren't sailing with us, but knew that it would be such a special treat for me when we first opened our stateroom door and were greeted with ceiling to floor birthday decor! What a magical way to begin my birthday cruise! It would be a great welcome aboard for your son too!
However, you're welcome to bring your own decorations from home too. There are just a few things you'll need to know. You may not adhere decor (or anything else) with anything but magnets, as other adhesives can leave damage.
Balloons are not allowed onboard either. So, if you want to bring some decor to hang with magnets, go for it! The ceiling and doors are magnetic and the walls are to a degree too. That's how Disney's birthday decorations in the stateroom are hung, so you might come up with something along those lines on your own too!
Don't forget to grab a birthday button from Guest Services when you arrive. Cast Members (and other guests!) who see your son wearing it will go to
infinity and beyond to wish him a very happy birthday!
Have fun planning, Michael!
Marcy