Ahoy, Meredith!
Welcome back aboard the Disney Parks Moms Panel! You must be counting down to your inaugural voyage with Disney Cruise Line this March! How excited your crew must be for a magical adventure with Captain Mickey. Arriving at the cruise terminal and the hours just before sail away are always some of my most favorite moments of my family's Disney Cruise Line vacations. I love to soak in the sights, sounds and smells that I can only experience on a Disney ship. There's nothing quite like it, Meredith!
Your early port arrival will allow your family time to navigate your way around the
Disney Wonder including your first delicious lunch onboard. Lunch is served beginning around 11:30 to 11:45 a.m. so it can be first on the list if your crew is hungry! After lunch, you will have an opportunity to enjoy some splashtacular fun as the pools are open as soon as boarding begins. You can wear swimsuits under your embarkation clothes or bring along a carry-on with your pool essentials-sunscreen, goggles, flip-flops and suits (towels and life jackets are provided on the pool deck). Another first day tradition for my Mouseketeers is visiting the youth clubs during Open House hours. This is the perfect time to pick up the Oceaneer Bands as sometimes the line in the cruise terminal can be long. The counselors are there to answer questions, and it's always fun to take photos of your sailors enjoying the spaces since photos are not allowed during secured programming.
Meredith, you may also what to check out the sports deck, have your first ice cream, take a walking tour of the ship and stop by your stateroom when it's ready at 1:30 p.m. Your first cruise newsletter that you'll receive at check-in will list all the ship's happenings. Also, don't forget to download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app for your mobile device.
Best wishes for a magical journey!
Nancy