Ahoy there, friend! Welcome to planDisney. Thanks for taking the time to sail by planDisney with your question for us.
I’m happy to see you’re considering a Disney cruise vacation with your husband and 3-year-old son!
Disney Cruise Line ships are designed with families in mind and that means there is something for everyone! I would say all of the ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet will cater to 3-year-olds. If your son is toilet-trained, he can enjoy the fun, immersive Oceaneer Club onboard the ships. There are activities scheduled throughout the day. Even if he is not toilet-trained, you can drop in during Open House sessions with your son and explore the Oceaneer Club together; these Open Houses happen often during each sailing so be sure to check the
Disney Cruise Line Navigation App for the schedule.
Water play areas are also great places for you and your son to hang out. If he is toilet-trained, he is welcomed to play in splash areas as well as enter swimming pools. If you son still wears swim diapers, he is welcomed to explore the water play areas! We love
Nemo’s Reef on the Disney Fantasy and Dream, as well as Toy Story Splash Zone on Disney Wish and Treasure. If your son has a particular Disney character that he is fond of, perhaps this can help guide your decision.
While all the ships will have something fun for your little one, there are a few other factors to consider. For instance, a shorter itinerary (3- or 4-night sailings) may be more suitable for your 3-year-old compared to a 7-night sailing. Also, depending on where you live, don’t forget to take into account differences in time zones. We recently sailed from Port Canaveral with extended family, including my 2-year-old nephew. We’re from the West Coast so the 3-hour time difference took a bit for my nephew to get accustomed to. He finally “got used to it” toward the end of our sailing. Additionally, smaller, intimate ships like the Disney Wonder or Magic will make it easier to navigate around the decks, compared to larger ships such as the Disney Treasure and Wish.
As you can see, there isn’t a definite answer as to the “best” ship for a cruise with your 3-year-old son. Regardless of the ship or itinerary you choose, I believe your son will have an amazing time, which translates to creating priceless memories for all of you!
If you have more trip-planning questions, please feel free to cruise by
planDisney again. We’re happy to help you plan an unforgettable Disney vacation with your 3-year-old son!
Hope to SEA ya real soon,
Kiki