Ahoy there Bryanna, I'm pleased to welcome you aboard planDisney!
Now it looks like you're gearing up to make the journey across the Pacific in order to embark on a
4-Night Disney Magic at Sea Cruise from Melbourne in order to
explore the wonders Down Under! Appropriately enough, the
Disney Wonder was not only my very first Disney Cruise Line ship but as a former resident of Melbourne myself, one of my most memorable trips was venturing out on a very bumpy ride to Tasmania to see some dear Disney friends and enjoy the gorgeous natural sights. Having lived on the Disney Wonder for some time hanging out with our character pals, I can definitely lend a few tips and tricks to make your experience perhaps a little easier at sea:
- To avoid unnecessarily waiting for so long, I highly recommend taking a look at the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App as soon as you board in order to begin planning out when and where to meet each character over the course of your voyage. (You may find it easier visually, to request paper copies from the Guest Services Desk on board.) According to the Crew Members currently on board on the Entertainment team, the times listed in the Navigator are how long the line for each character will remain open for, so be sure to arrive within that time. In my personal experience, it may be useful to arrive ahead of time but an hour or more ahead may be a bit excessive unless there's another event or character queue that you're heading to immediately afterward.
- On the Disney Wonder it's always a good idea to ask the Entertainment Crew Members directly (often clad in white outfits during the day and blue shirts in the evening) when they recommend for you to enter each line, as they will tend to keep count of how many families there are remaining in each line, and will often form another line for the following character in back-to-back sets. Aiming for Character Appearances later in the evening or on Port Days such as Hobart while other folks are off the ship will ease your waits, while Sea Days will almost always be the most popular.
Keep in mind that these appearances and policies are subject to change without prior notice, especially with many lessons being learned over this first season sailing in and around Australia. Be sure to give your favorite friends an extra hug for all of the extra hustle and bustle they do on board when you do meet them, and come back to planDisney again
for any other tips or advice ahead of your adventures at sea!
Wishing you a Wonderful voyage without too much waiting!
Prince