1st time Disney Cruise Questions

[harmonam]

I have booked our 1st Disney cruise on the Dream for October 2014. My daughter will be 7 when we sail and I have some questions to be sure she has a great time.
1. What type of activities is included in the Oceaneer Club?
2. Do you have any suggestions on activities she should not miss?
3. Which characters can she expect to meet?
4. About what time of day can I expect to get to a WDW resort after we disembark? I am adding a few days after the cruise.

 

[englanddg]

I have booked our 1st Disney cruise on the Dream for October 2014. My daughter will be 7 when we sail and I have some questions to be sure she has a great time.

1. What type of activities is included in the Oceaneer Club?

They do all sorts of things from coloring, games, story time with characters (for example, Peter Pan showed up for my kiddo). She had a blast there.

2. Do you have any suggestions on activities she should not miss?

Pirate Night. Buy a costume and have fun with it. You won't be the only adult dressed up, and she certainly won't be the only kid dressed up! Cheaper to buy the stuff before the cruise from a costume place rather than doing the dress up thing on the ship.

3. Which characters can she expect to meet?

The range is huge. Check your Navigator (or the Navigator App, I believe they are not doing the paper Navigators anymore on the Dream. Someone else can confirm that). The Navigator will tell you who is meeting and where. It's a range of classic characters (princesses and the like) as well as some rare ones (like, we ran into Max (Goofy's son). Giving you an exact list for your cruise is difficult, but there is no shortage of meet and greet opportunities.

4. About what time of day can I expect to get to a WDW resort after we disembark? I am adding a few days after the cruise.

Depends on when you debark. We left the ship early, skipping breakfast on board. We left as soon as customs had approved debarkation and were at our resort (Port Orleans French Quarter) by 9:30a or so.

 

[sydneymorganmom]

There are a million things to do for every kid's likes. We were on the Dream in March with a DD3 & DD5 and they had no interest in being with us. They wanted to go to the Club every chance they got. They baked cookies with a CM, they had story time with Cinderella, they had a dance party with Mickey (I think). They have movies on a huge screen, lots of video games, they have a cruise ship simulator that looks like they are actually driving the ship, you name it. There is no shortage of something to do for kids of all ages.

As for characters, there was no shortage. Tinkerbell, all princesses, Peter Pan, Daisy, Donald, Cap'n Jack (on CC), Goofy, Mickey, Minnie. I'm sure I'm forgetting some. At one point we saw Cinderella just wandering mid-ship and stopping to talk to whomever she passed. It was an awesome way to get some actual talk time without feeling rushed because of the people behind you!

 

[harmonam]

Thank you so much for the information.

 

[mikewdw]

what about parents watching the kids in Oceaneers club? anyone just stand around and watch them play or is that frowned upon by staff?
we are first time cruisers also and not sure how everything works
mikewdw

 

[sydneymorganmom]

The kids' club is a secure area. Over 18 is only allowed in to go get their children and leave. For obvious reasons, they don't want random people wandering around with children. The open house is the only time you can go in with them.

 

[jme]

My kids loved the club as well, and once when I came to get my daughter for dinner, she shooed me away because she was listening to Cinderella read a story, and said she would eat chicken fingers at the club.
There's also a kids club type area on Castaway Cay, so make sure you let them play there for a little while, so you can spend a bit of time at Serenity Bay (adults only beach area).
Like others have said, check your navigator for activities, but most of the kid oriented stuff takes place at the clubs. At night, when they close the pools and run disney movies on the big screen (Funnelvision) my kids really enjoyed laying out on lounge chairs under the stars watching some favorites (and it's a good way for them to unwind before being confined in your cabin for the night!)