Ahoy there, Vanessa, and welcome aboard planDisney! I'm so excited that you're considering a Mexican Riviera Disney Cruise Line vacation next year, and even MORE excited to help answer your questions! So without any more ado whatsoever, let's get underway!
If you ask me, the Mexican Riviera is an underrated itinerary, and one that gives you and your crew a chance to experience incredible natural beauty, rich cultural sites and experiences, as well as everything the Disney Wonder has to offer! Though I haven't officially sailed on this particular itinerary, we did stop at many of the same Ports of Call when we cruised the Panama Canal!
Of the Ports included in most Mexican Riviera itineraries, only
Cabo San Lucas requires tendering! If you or a member of your party will have difficulty transferring from a wheelchair to board the tender, this may be a port day where you remain on the ship and enjoy the peace, quiet, and lower crowds that come with a port day. Luckily, Cabo is such a picturesque location that no matter where you spend time aboard looking out and taking panoramic photos, you will have opportunities to capture the magic from the mooring!
A quick planDrew-approved tip: if you stay aboard in Cabo San Lucas - or any Port of Call - be sure to check what treatments are available at Senses Spa & Salon! It's a great way to treat yourself to a relaxing day like you would have while ashore - and then some!
Now, when it comes to the other ports, both
Ensenada and
Puerto Vallarta have esplanades that would be easily navigable by wheelchair, and the distance to some of the tourist areas from the ship is quite manageable - just about 10-15 minutes! In fact, I'd say Ensenada is arguably BEST explored from street level, and the downtown area is mostly concentrated in a six-block radius - perfect for exploring at a leisurely pace!
Mazatlán's port on the other hand, while not requiring tenders, does utilize trams to take Guests from the cruise pier past the commercial shipping zone to the port area. Though I'm not sure about the nature of the accessibility of those trams, I do know, that the port terminal area is similar to places like Cozumel and Falmouth, with small shops and eateries right within the port walls, in a flat, plaza-like, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere!
Oh, and I almost forgot - there's so much more to explore just "beyond the reef" as Chief Tui might say, and a Port Adventure is the perfect way! I always suggest Guests at least check out what's available in each port! So you're aware, each description's "Know Before You Go" information outlines the activity level, and you can sort the
list of Port Adventures by accessibility, too! Between you and me, nothing beats the peace of mind that comes with Port Adventures - you're never in jeopardy of missing the boat; literally OR figuratively! Haha!
Whew! That was a whole lot of information, Vanessa! I feel like I may need to book a similar itinerary just to recover! I hope that helps you set a course for an adventure to one of my favorite parts of the Disney Cruise Line sailing schedule! Thank you so much for your question, and if you think of any others as you continue your research, you know where to find me here at planDisney! I'm just a message away!
Until then, I'll SEA you real soon!
Andrew