Hi Stacy,
Wonderful to see you back at planDisney so soon, thanks for asking another great question to prepare for your upcoming cruise! I LOVE tech, and I understand the importance of communicating with family onboard, so I got some good answers for you today. Let’s walk through the options together!
I spoke with a tech-savvy Crew Member who helped me understand how the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app is different than other Disney vacation tools – good news for your family in that you do not need a Disney account to use the chat feature! This is important because you must be at least 13 years old to have a Disney account, per the
Terms and Conditions. Guests under the age of 13 can only use the chat function in the app with a Permission Pin, a digital code from the lead adult on the reservation.
You will just need the reservation number to enable this for them; an option to “link” the reservation will become available onboard even when the account is not logged in. This is specifically for underage Guests who cannot make their own accounts in advance.
Once your family boards the beautiful
Disney Wonder you can all
join the ship’s Wi-Fi and go on airplane mode. This means you’re also in vacation mode! The app will magically
transform to "onboard mode" to display many new features only for use on the ship. Your twins will now be able to use the chat function with your Permission Pin. This chat is very easy to use and a lot of fun, with cool Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel emojis to express those vacation vibes. You can turn on push notifications and never miss a message from your family.
If your children don’t have phones and you’re seeking a way to only use their Apple watch, in my experience I was able to use iMessage on the ship’s Wi-Fi without purchasing an Internet package. I say this with caution because that could change at any time, and in any location, but has had success among many Guests.
As a final, no-tech option, my family likes to pack sticky notes for every cruise! We leave them on the stateroom door or in the room for each other as to where we’ve gone, what activity is on the horizon, or where we’re meet next. It’s old school, as the kids say, but it works in a pinch.
I think you’ll find the Disney Wonder a practically perfect sized ship for your twins to explore on their own, but you will still feel they are safe and have peace of mind with their newfound freedom at sea. They're going to love the
Edge youth club space!
If you have any questions during your vacation about the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app or your iMessage functionality, please stop by Guest Services onboard and they can help set you up for success.
Please keep the great questions coming, Stacy! We’d love to help you finalize the details of this amazing vacation.
Bon voyage,
Amy