Welcome aboard, Chelsea! Congratulations on your very first cruise with Disney Cruise Line! My family and I have sailed many times with Disney. Each cruise is unique and special. But that very first cruise was the most magical of all because everything was new and there were so many special surprises that we didn't know to expect! You're in for one truly amazing adventure!
You're correct that as a first time guest with Disney Cruise Line, you'll get to begin booking all those fun extras like specialty Character Greetings,
Port Adventures, Adult Exclusive Dining and more at 75 days prior to sailing. Guests who have sailed with Disney before get to begin booking these extras 90 or more days prior. So, you'll want to mark your calendar for the day your online check-in opens so you can be ready to go! Some of the experiences may book up prior to your online check-in, but I'm sure that many will still be available.
The good news is that there are
Character Greetings all day, every day when you sail with Captain Mickey and his crew. Only a couple need to be pre-booked, but the rest are simply listed in the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. Guests are welcome to show up during the allotted time to meet their favorite Disney friends. Usually the greetings are scheduled in the Navigator App for half hour slots. But, the characters are there longer. As long as you arrive during the noted time frame and are in line, you'll get to meet the characters!
I hope that relieves any anxiety about getting to meet your Disney friends, Chelsea!
Have fun planning this exciting adventure and please stop back with any other questions as you continue to count down to the big sail date!
Marcy