As A Parent, These 10 Things About Our Disney Cruise Were So Clutch


In early December, my husband and I did something brave: We took our toddler on a cruise — specifically, the inaugural sailing of the Disney Treasure. Don’t get me wrong, we made so many wonderful new memories, and the three of us still talk about the trip often. But man, taking a 3.5-year-old onto a floating island of temptation with soft serve machines and gift shops at every turn meant we had a lot of tantrums to work through in the middle of the ocean. By the end of our three days, we agreed on one thing with absolute certainty: We will never take any cruise that isn’t a Disney cruise until after our kid moves out.

I know that sounds dramatic, but we are generally hesitant to travel with our son. The world is not kind to parents whose kids have tantrums in public (which they all do at some point), and they can be downright mean and judgmental. And trying to keep a toddler happy, fed, and generally OK is just harder in new surroundings. But on the Disney Treasure, all of those things were actually so easy. Of course we had the pools, the character meet-and-greets, the shows, and all the magic. But it was the little things that saved our sanity as parents on our Disney cruise.

01Cast members who aren’t afraid of a tantrum

When people pay a lot of money for a trip, they expect everything to go their way, and kids being kids in their space aren’t usually welcome (think of all the cranky people judging the mom with the crying baby on an airplane). Not on a Disney cruise. Every time our son was overwhelmed, cranky, overtired, whatever, a cast member picked up on it and stepped in to bring him back into the fun.

There was the woman who noticed us trying to get our son to wash his hands, who laid out his paper towels with a flourish and made him feel like royalty. He washed. Or Kris, who went out of his way to connect with our son on Castaway Cay and periodically stopped by our table during lunch to play “down low, too slow” and ask him questions. For parents who are used to having to shuffle their fit-throwing kid out of the restaurant, it’s such a nice vibe shift to have staff members actively trying to make it possible for you to stay. This was the biggest difference maker for us.

02The fact that they have bathtubs

Katie McPherson

Our shower was not just a tiny cruise ship shower. Oh no. It actually had a decently sized bathtub in the bottom. I was resigned to the fact that my kid, who hates having water poured over his head or getting in his face, was just going to hate showering in the evenings during this trip. What a treat to see this tub waiting for us instead. (For reference, we stayed in a Verandah stateroom.)

03Two bathrooms (yes, for real) & a big ol’ vanity

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Katie McPherson

The Oceanview and Verandah staterooms have a special feature I didn’t know I could love so much: two bathrooms. One houses the toilet, a mirror, and a sink, while the second is home to another sink and the shower. It was so convenient for two people to be able to get ready at once. And the large, lighted vanity meant I could do my hair and makeup comfortably seated while my little guy watched some pre-dinner movies in bed.

04Just… everything about the Oceaneer Club

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Katie McPherson

This place is grade-A kid bait. They have super immersive play areas for all ages, these cool futuristic hand washing stations at check-in and in the bathrooms that make kids want to scrub up (bye-bye, germs), and it’s super secure with experienced childcare providers on staff. There’s also a secure kids’ area on Castaway Cay — it’s called Scuttle’s Cove —with a splash pad, basketball courts, and more. Our little guy still gets serious separation anxiety, but I see us using this when he’s older so we can try out the adults-only areas on board.

05First-come, first-serve strollers & wagons on Castaway Cay

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Katie McPherson

Oh, the beauty of not getting your own stroller covered in sand. We opted to leave our stroller onboard when we got off to go to the beach on Castaway Cay… and immediately regretted it, because the island is bigger than we realized. Thankfully, Disney has free strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs available on the island. We snagged one and thanked our lord and savior Mickey Mouse that we didn’t have to carry our kid all day walking between the beach, lunch, the bathroom, and back to the ship.

06Disney movies on demand in your room

I don’t know my streaming login credentials; my TV just remembers them, and I have scrubbed them from my brain. The last thing I want to do on vacation is fuss with password recovery. Blessedly, our room’s TV came pre-loaded with a bunch of Disney movies ready to watch; no Disney+ subscription or logging-in required. It really is the little things.

07The easy availability of food

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Katie McPherson

Nothing is scarier than a hungry toddler having a tantrum on a boat in the middle of the ocean (ask me how I know). In order to stave off meltdowns, we tried to keep snacks and meals in front of our little guy at all times. Between the food court on the pool deck, the breakfast and lunch buffet, and the 24/7 complimentary room service, we could always keep him fed and ensure that if he was breaking down, at least we had eliminated one possible cause.

08The stateroom storage

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Katie McPherson

During our cruise, I attended a panel with the Imagineers, designers, and other folks behind the creation of the Disney Treasure. In the staterooms, they placed a lot of focus on ensuring there’s enough storage to keep the floors clear while you’re underway. Our stateroom had two large closets, this shelving unit (ignore all the bundled-up clothing thrown in here), and lots of shelves and drawers around the vanity. Plus, the beds are lifted to fit even the largest suitcases underneath.

09The handwashing stations

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Katie McPherson

Back to the washing of the hands. Leading into Marceline Market, which is the Treasure’s breakfast and lunch buffet, there’s a row of hand washing stations — including a shorter sink for the littlest guests. I was kind of paranoid we’d get sick on the trip because kids touch everything, so it was so nice being able to clean our hands and our son’s conveniently. And again, I really loved the cool whirlpool handwashing machines they require each kid to use upon entering the Oceaneer Club. Minimizing the risk of germs spreading soothed my soul.

10Extra, high-up balcony locks to keep kids in

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Katie McPherson

Anxious moms, take heart: The balconies in the Verandah staterooms have safety locks at the very top of the door frame, so you can rest assured your kid can’t wander outside without your supervision.

My husband and I said more than once on this trip that we probably wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun on any other cruise line. These little touches that make parents’ lives easier went such a long way in letting us relax and enjoy the cruise ourselves.



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