Shawnee, welcome back to planDisney!
I'm especially excited to answer this question because I have children of similar ages as yours. I think they are going to have a wonderful time on their first Disney Cruise! They must be so excited! I do have a few pieces of advice for you. I understand every child has a different comfort level with making friends, but I do recommend that you encourage your children to visit their respective youth clubs on the first day of the cruise to be social! My children really enjoy making friends and spending time with them onboard.
The first afternoon you are on the ship, Disney's Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab (for children ages 3-12) and Edge (for tweens ages 11-14) will be hosting
Open Houses. This is a time when you can visit these spaces as a family and your kids can meet the fun Crew Members that will be leading games and events throughout the voyage.
If your son likes to play basketball, make sure he knows that The Wide World of Sports is just one deck above Edge. My son likes to bounce between Edge, the basketball court, and the food offerings on Deck 9 of the Disney Wonder! If your daughter is interested in a royal makeover, consider booking an appointment at the
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique onboard.
The
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app is going to steer you toward the activities and entertainment that appeal to your family during your sailing. I recommend that you spend some time together looking through the app and clicking the heart icon next to any of the listings that you'd like to check out. If you "favorite" activities in the app in this way, you will receive a notification on your smartphone when the fun is about to begin. My family chooses a few things that we will do together every day, and then our kids choose to balance the rest of their time in the youth spaces. I hope you find the perfect balance for your sailing crew.
Bon Voyage!
Adrianna