Ahoy there Kimberly, and welcome aboard planDisney!
I'm so glad that you've come to us about your
upcoming Disney Cruise Line voyage, as I've spent months out there creating magic for our younger guests as a former Crew Member and can directly speak to the recreational activities that you'll find there along the shore during your day at
Disney Castaway Cay.
I can totally understand why your child might be a bit nervous about taking on
Pelican Plunge; after it first opened I remember feeling a bit of trepidation myself so many years ago before making the required swim out to the platform and having to make a decision between plunging headfirst into the darkness of the covered slide or heading down the typically more popular open body slide. Unfortunately, safety restrictions do not permit more than one rider at a time; in fact with the exception of certain slide attractions where you are seated on a raft like the
AquaDuck on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy or the
new AquaMouse on the Disney Wish, Disney takes the possibility of injury very seriously when it comes to more than one person sliding simultaneously down a body slide.
What I do with my nephews whenever they may be nervous to attempt a slide is to go down first and let them know I'll be waiting for them at the bottom so they can see that the experience isn't anything to be worried about; I've also noticed a lot of other adults do this successfully at the Pelican Plunge for their younger members of their crew, but be aware that the recreation team may require you to keep the bottom of the slide area clear. (Ultimately it will be up to your child as to what they'll be comfortable with, but I've definitely witnessed both younger and older folks alike decide to bail at the last minute when they decided that it's not for them. It might be best to have one of you waiting below and another waiting to slide after him up above just in case this happens!)
Be sure to check out our
planDisney Beginner's Guide to Disney Castaway Cay that was recently released and available to download as you prepare for your cruise together;
we're always happy to give our advice, tips and tricks for anything else ahead of your next Disney adventures!
Who knows - sometimes a bit of time sailing away on an island vacation can help people change and grow in unexpected ways and we've seen so many courageous kids muster up the ability to take big steps at sea and hopefully your child just might surprise you with what he'll be able to do independently on your voyage!
Here's hoping you can successfully make a splash on your upcoming sailing!
Prince