Welcome aboard, Mandy! Every time we sail with Disney Cruise Line, our family enjoys really special experiences, but that first sailing was the most magical of all, as everything was new and I just know your family is in store for so much magic on your first sailing too!
You are correct, that for U.S. citizens traveling to the Bahamas or Caribbean out of a U.S. port with Disney Cruise Line, guests under 16 simply need to bring a state-issued birth certificate. If you have time to get passports for the whole family, I do suggest that. We travel with passports for our kiddos too, as we like to play it safe. You just never know when an emergency onboard or in port may cause you to miss the ship and be required to fly home from a foreign port. Having a valid passport certainly takes some stress out of a situation like that. However, it's very unlikely that anything like that would happen, so don't worry! If you can get passports, go for it. If not, your family will be find with birth certificates and driver's licenses. Check out the
required documents for cruising with Disney on Disney Cruise Line's website, just so you have the details.
Have fun as you plan this exciting trip, Mandy! I'm happy to answer any other questions you might have before you set sail! Please stop back again!