Ahoy there, Brenda! Welcome to planDisney!
Wow, a crew of 12! That's nearly enough to crew the Dauntless, but seeing as you'll be embarking on an Alaskan adventure this summer, it's more like the
Disney Wonder is going to be your home for that magical week in "America's Last Frontier" and for the 4th of July, too!! I already know you're going to have a WONDERful time - pun TOTALLY intended - because she's my favorite ship in the fleet!
I'm sorry you were having trouble scheduling your
Port Adventures! With so many incredible options on the Alaska Itineraries, I'm sure you're all eager to get them booked! I climbed into the crow's nest to see if I could get a better vantage point as to why, and I think I spied an answer!
Once you're paid in full, booking windows begin to open based on
Castaway Club status! The earliest booking window opens for Guests in Concierge Staterooms 125 days before embarkation date to make pre-booking requests by phone, followed by Platinum (120 days), Gold (105 days), Silver (90 days) and first-time cruisers (75 days). Looking at the calendar, the 4th of July is 128 days away still, so you're just outside the earliest booking window if you happen to be in a concierge stateroom, so as Tiana would say, you're almost there!
Now it's important to remember, that booking windows apply to the highest ranking Castaway Club member in each stateroom and not the entire reservation. That means each stateroom's booking windows may be different depending on who you've booked in each! So if one of your crew is a platinum member, they would be able to start booking activities on 120 days before embarkation, but only for the Guests in their stateroom. There is one exception to this rule, and that is Guests in
Concierge staterooms can make requests for their party 125 days before sail date by calling the Concierge Service Team at (866) 784-1654 Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.!
If you don't have anyone in your crew in Concierge, don't worry! The
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app will allow each stateroom to book Port Adventures, Onboard Fun, Spa & Fitness, and more when booking windows open! Simply log into your reservation and scroll down to the "Cruise Activities" section to explore and select your desired activities for each day of your itinerary! Next thing you know, you'll be headed to board the Disney Wonder, with the promise of delicious meals at
Tiana's Place, Animator's Palate, and Triton's at the end of your whirlwind days!
OH, and as a bonus planDrew-approved tip, don't forget about one of my favorite things on the Disney Wonder:
Pete's Boiler Bites! This quick service location hidden up on the pool deck has some of the best shawarma! Nothing says "Alaskan Disney Cruise" like enjoying some shawarma while looking out on the incredible natural beauty of a glacier! Try and find that anywhere else!
I hope that helps you set a course for your crew's booking windows, Brenda! I can't wait to hear how much fun you all have on some of those Port Adventures! Thank you for your question, and if you run into any other rough waters as you continue planning, you can always drop me a line here at planDisney!
Adventure is out there!
Andrew