Hi Tara!
Thanks for cruising by with your question - I'm happy to help!
Your first Disney Cruise Line vacation - how exciting! I'm sure you're counting down the days until Spring Break and your magical sailing with Captain Mickey and his crew. You're going to be making memories to last a lifetime. Your kids are at such great ages for a Disney Cruise - and the perfect ages for them to be able to spend time together in Disney Cruise Line's amazing Youth Clubs. I encourage you to check them out during Open House on your first afternoon on the ship!
At this time, U.S. Citizens sailing on a Disney Cruise with a "closed loop itinerary" (departing from and returning to the same U.S. port) are able to use a
valid Photo I.D. and certified birth certificate to board the ship and re-enter the country. That being said, passport regulations are always changing, and Disney Cruise Line "strongly recommends" that all Guests have a valid U.S. Passport. In the unlikely event that you were to have a family emergency and need to return home from a foreign port, passports provide the appropriate identification you would need to travel. That being said, my husband and I have passports, but we've always only brought birth certificates for our children. So far, it's worked out perfectly for our family.
You can keep up-to-date on current passport regulations at www. travel.state.gov . It normally takes 6-8 weeks to get a passport, so if it's something you're considering, make sure you allow enough time to receive them prior to your sail date.
I hope this helps with your planning! Have a magical day! - Diane W.