What’s Included on a Disney Cruise? – Food, Activities and Exclusions

If you are considering taking a Disney cruise you may be wondering what is included in the cruise fare.

In this article, we explore everything that is included, and also everything that isn’t included so that you can better plan for your Disney cruise.

Do Disney Cruises Include Food?

All Disney cruises include your food in the cruise fare. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all included and are served at a variety of venues onboard. There are additional extras and specialty restaurants onboard which come with a separate charge.

It is completely possible to cruise with Disney and not spend any extra money on food.

There is a lot more included in the Disney cruise fare than just-food. Disney are a premium cruise line which includes many things that wouldn’t be included on other cruise lines.

Disney Dining Options – Main Dining Rooms 

Main Dining Rooms – Rotational Dining: 

On all Disney ships, you will find included main dining rooms where your main meals are included. Disney does dining slightly differently from the majority of other cruise lines as they have rotational dining.

Disney was a pioneer in the cruise industry when it introduced rotational dining and to this day they remain the only cruise line to do this in the same way.

What is rotational dining on a Disney cruise?  

Put simply, each of Disney’s ships contains three “main dining” restaurants.  Each passenger is assigned a dining rotation for their cruise, along with an early or late seating assignment. 

Passengers then move (or rotate) from restaurant to restaurant according to their assigned rotation, with their serving staff following them each night.

On shorter cruises, you might only experience each restaurant once, while on longer cruises you might experience each restaurant multiple times.

Disney Restaurant Themes

Disney’s restaurants are themed across their various ships, including a New Orleans themed “Tiana’s Place” aboard the Disney Wonder replete with Cajun food and a Mardi Grad inspired stage show and music with Disney characters from the Princess and the Frog.

The Disney Magic has a restaurant themed after Disney’s “Tangled.” Rapunzel’s Royal Table features Rapunzel and other characters, as well as an entertaining stage show.

All four of Disney’s ships include a restaurant called Animator’s Palette.  Each of the Animator’s Palette restaurants features a unique show including color-changing walls, Turtle Talk with Crush, or even an animation magic show that is a truly amazing experience. 

Even some of the more “mundane” Disney restaurants feature Disney theming and Imagineering magic to make the meal fun for adults and kids alike.

Dinner Menus

Menus at the restaurants change nightly, and you can always see what’s on the menu in Disney’s onboard “Daily Navigator” app. 

Tip: you can actually order food items off the nightly menus from any of the rotational dining restaurants, even if you’re not dining in that restaurant for the evening.

Repeat cruisers do criticize Disney a bit for not changing their menus often enough across cruises – but most also note favorite menu items that keep them coming back cruise after cruise. 

All the food is included (you won’t find any up charges for food on the menu), and you’re free to order as much or as little as you wish off the menu. 

Food Allergies and Intolerances

Disney is also well known for accommodating regional food needs for families traveling from abroad and has one of the best track records for accommodating customers with food allergies. 

It’s not uncommon for the Chef to come out personally to understand a food allergy and ensure that the guest’s needs are being fully met, or for kitchen staff to remake dishes to accommodate allergy needs.

Disney’s food is generally regarded as on par with, and in most cases better than, food on comparable lines. 

With little touches of Disney magic and very attentive dining staff, moving between restaurants is a fun experience that really adds to the overall value of a Disney cruise.

Disney Dining Options – Other Dining Venues:

Cabanas Buffet

Like other cruise lines, Disney has a buffet that serves breakfast and lunch daily at its “Cabanas” restaurant. 

The buffet offerings, especially at lunch, change daily.  Although some standards like Mickey waffles at breakfast, and chicken fingers and fries at lunch are almost always available.

Disney sometimes offers a themed “midnight” style buffet in conjunction with “Pirate Night” (discussed more below), although that is not always the case according to more recent reports.

The buffet is not open for dinner, but most nights you can also order a sit-down meal at Cabanas on your own schedule if you can’t make your regular dinner seating.

Casual Dining and Snacks

In addition, Disney has several casual dining options on the pool deck serving burgers, fries, sandwiches, fruit, salads, and pizza. 

On some ships, you can find other casual options including shawarma.  Casual dining generally closes in the evening, with some options, like pizza, staying open for a late-night snack.

If you’re looking for a snack, Disney also generally puts out some late-night bites in its adult area, and soft-serve ice cream is available for the majority of the day on the pool deck. 

Some of the adult bars also serve a small snack, like nuts (or something similar), with drinks.  Or, in the morning you can head to the Cove Café for free breakfast pastries, and at night you can also grab charcuterie offerings.

Are Drinks Included on a Disney Cruise?

Soft drinks, water, tea, and coffee are available for free at drink stations in Cabanas and on the pool deck all day.  Alcoholic drinks are not included in the cruise fare. 

You can also bring your own cup to refill as often as you wish (which is generally a good idea, as the cups provided by Disney are quite small).

Is Room Service Included on a Disney Cruise?

Room service is included, in your cruise fare, with some exceptions. Want a Mickey ice cream bar? It’s included. Milk and cookies included.

Many entrees, salads, sandwiches, and appetizers are also included. There are some items that are an “up-charge” but most of the room service menu is included, any time of day.

 One trick Disney cruisers love is ordering a hot pot of coffee in the evening.  It will generally stay warm until the next morning when you wake up.  Warm milk and cookies at night before bed is also a fan favorite!

Disney Cruise Line – Included Entertainment

Broadway Caliber Shows

Disney is known for having high-quality Broadway-style shows.  Generally, the best of these shows are adaptations of Disney favorites like Aladdin, Frozen, or even the Lion King. 

The quality of these stage productions, their casts, and the special effects is truly amazing as compared to the more “revue” type shows sometimes found on other lines.

DCL fans critique some of the shows as “kitschy,” especially if they are not themed to an existing Disney film. 

Generally, however, DCL fans love the shows onboard, and repeat cruisers never seem to tire of some of the productions.

Other Entertainment

In addition to these stage shows, Disney also generally has other performers onboard. 

In addition to music acts available throughout the ship at various times, especially in adult areas or the main atrium, you can expect to see hypnotists, magicians, jugglers, comedians, and other similar kinds of acts sprinkled throughout a week-long cruise.

Most of the time these acts will perform a family-friendly show, as well as an “adults” show later in the evening in the adult area of the ship. 

Family-friendly shows run twice nightly before in coordination with dinner seatings.

Special Guests

Notably, on longer or unique sailings, generally longer than seven nights, Disney will bring aboard special entertainment offerings. 

Those have generally included Broadway stars or Disney celebrities who do special stage shows during the cruise.  These are some truly unique and high caliber performers.

On a recent 11-Night Southern Caribbean sailing that my wife and I took, we were able to experience two of these performers – Telly Leung (who played Aladdin in Disney’s Broadway Production) and Christina Bianco (a singing impressionist, known as the “girl of 1,000 voices”).

Character Meets

Let’s face it, you’re only going to find Mickey, Minnie, and friends on a Disney cruise.  But it doesn’t end there.

Disney puts serious effort into bringing a lot of great characters on board with each sailing, including a full complement of Disney princesses.  But, best of all, unlike the trying to meet characters at the Disney parks, lines aboard a Disney ship for character meetings tend to be much shorter and more manageable. 

Providing some truly great photo opportunities with characters at all hours of the day.

In addition, characters are known for wandering the ships, providing even more opportunities for impromptu photos, interactions, and fun. 

Seeing Mickey in his running clothes taking a walk around the track is only possible on a Disney cruise.

On longer cruises, Disney also generally offers character breakfasts (usually with Disney Jr. characters), and even a tea experience with the princesses. 

Characters are also aplenty on Castaway Cay (more on that below) for sailings that include a stop there.

Deck Parties, Pirate Night, Fireworks, and Special Days at Sea

Disney also offers several onboard parties featuring Disney characters and fun.  Beyond the sail away party and Mickey’s “See Ya Real Soon” party on the last night, Disney also typically offers a Pirate Night. 

Pirate Night is a festive event with the ship being “taken over” by the like of Captain Hook, while Mickey and friends battle him for control of the boat in a stage show hosted on the pool deck.

Offering an opportunity for everyone to get in the spirit and dress-up in pirate costumes, Pirate Night is capped off with Disney’s famous fireworks at sea. 

If you haven’t seen fireworks off a cruise ship, it’s truly an amazing experience.  (Disney ships are often shadowed by ships from other lines so their passengers can see the fireworks too!)

Themed Sailings

Disney also offers several themed sailings, like Star Wars, Marvel, and Frozen days at sea. 

For one day on each sailing, the ship is decorated to match the theme for the day, and loveable Disney characters are replaced with droids, Darth Vader, Storm Troopers, Iron Man, Captain America, Dr. Strange and others.

Holiday sailings also include extra theming and decoration that transform Disney ships for Halloween and Christmas with over-the-top Disney magic, special characters, and costume fun.

Family and Adult Activities

Disney offers several family-friendly and even adult-only entertainment and activities throughout the day. 

The “D Lounge” for families, hosts everything from trivia to cooking demonstrations during the day. 

You don’t have to lounge by the pool all day if you don’t want to!  You can quickly fill a day with activities for all ages. 

Families can play in “Minute to Win It” style games against other cruisers, or even watch “Jack Jacks’ Diaper Dash” in the main atrium (a true fan favorite).

At night, the adult area of the ship on Deck 4 really comes alive.  You can enjoy some cocktails and chit- while playing fun games, like Match Your Mate, and then dance the night away or chit chat with new friends you’ve made on board.

One favorite onboard activity for people of all ages is the “Midship Detective Agency” a themed mystery that leverages “themed paintings” and other Disney magic all over the ship to solve one of three themed mysteries involving Mickey and his friends, or the Muppets. 

It’s a great way to stay active, and explore parts of the ship you might not otherwise see!

Pools

Of course, there are pools.  But on many Disney ships, there are more than one.

All ships have a main pool for kids and families, along with multiple hot tubs, a shallow wading pool for younger kids, and a splash pad area for kids of varying ages.  DCL fans do note, unsurprisingly, that these pools can get crowded, especially on sea days – sometimes describing them as “kid soup.”

You’ll also find an adult area with a quiet pool and hot tub area on all ships, but on the Dream class ships, you’ll be able to take advantage of “Satellite Falls” an adults only pool area at the front of the pool deck near the communications satellite array. 

What’s most impressive about these adult areas is that as soon as you enter them, the din and noise of kids and families really dies away. 

It feels almost like a cruise within a cruise – which can make Disney a truly fun experience for adults who also want to experience Disney’s whimsy and world-class service.

Waterslides

While Disney does not have go-cart tracks or laser tag, it does have water slides. 

On the Dream and Fantasy, that is the Aqua Duck, an easy-going raft-based water slide themed after Donald Duck and his nephews that circles the pool deck for a fun and wet view of the ocean and the ship. 

On the Disney Wonder you can experience the slightly more thrilling Twist N’Spout, or on the Magic the truly thrilling AquaDunk, which is probably most easily compared to the Green Thunder slide on Carnival (read, it is not for little ones or the faint of heart)!

Movies

A Disney cruise wouldn’t be complete without Disney movies.  Starting in your stateroom, many of the ships are equipped with an on-demand TV system that allows you to access all of your favorite animated and live-action Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars films. 

Disney has been slowly updating its entire fleet with this capability, so it may not yet be available on all ships.

You can also watch Disney movies throughout the day and into the evening on “Funnel Vision” a mega-screen that sits behind the ship’s funnel overlooking the main family pool. 

The Buena Vista Theater on Decks 4 and 5 also plays recent and new first-run Disney movies throughout Disney cruises. 

On some cruises, you’ll even be able to experience opening night of new Disney films at sea, as DCL will play them the same time they are opening in theaters!

Wave Phones and Texting

Staying in touch on a Disney cruise is also easy.  Each stateroom is equipped with two onboard wireless “wave phones” that allow for calls, texting, and alerts between the phones while onboard. 

You can even get alerts when laundry is done, your next up at the future cruise desk, or your kids are ready to be picked up at the kids’ club.

In addition to the wave phones, families can use text messaging built into the onboard Disney Cruise Line app. 

Just connect to the ship’s Wi-Fi and you can text with friends and family for free (including fun Disney emojis), get alerts, or browse the ship’s Daily Navigator for fun activities or nightly menus.

Disney also recently started including free wireless iMessaging for iPhones on some sailings.  It’s expected this will be rolled out fleetwide.

Gym and Running Track 

If you want to stay healthy on your cruise, Disney has a full gym facility onboard with cardio equipment, free weights, and weight machines, as well as a running track around the outside of the ship on Deck 4.  The spa’s shower facilities are also available to anyone without a fee.

To learn more about cruise ship gyms, including why you may have to sign a waiver, check out this post: Do Cruise Ships Have Gyms? Are They Free and Other FAQs

Kids’ Clubs

One of the biggest amenities on a Disney Cruise are the included kids’ clubs.  There are clubs for young kids (the Oceaneer’s Club and Lab), tweens (the Edge), and teenagers (the Vibe). 

They include onboard counselors, lots of fun activities, and various kinds of entertainment like gross science, cooking classes, video games, crafting, or scavenger hunts for older kids.

While many family-friendly cruise lines have kids’ clubs, the quality of Disney’s counselors is truly amazing, as is their ability to handle a wide range of kids and interests. 

The kids’ clubs are also highly themed to Disney with some having spaces like Woody’s Toy Box, or a Millennium Falcon simulator, or Avengers-themed spaces.  The peace-of-mind and safety onboard for kids and families is another space where Disney truly shines.

Disney Cruise Line Stateroom Guide:

DCL has several categories of staterooms including inside cabins, ocean view cabins, balcony cabins, and some suites (including Walt and Roy Disney Suites for true Disney fans). 

Balcony and ocean view rooms can come in standard and deluxe/family variants that include more space.

Similarly, you can sail Concierge class on Disney and have access to well-appointed staterooms as well as one-bedroom suites (two-bedroom suites can also be found on the Magic class ships). 

Sailing Concierge is a topic for another article, as the cost of Concierge is sometimes twice as much as a comparable stateroom on DCL, but also includes several additional amenities.

Disney is known for having some of the most spacious staterooms at sea, even for inside cabins. 

The added square footage plays to Disney’s core demographic, families; allowing in some cases families of five to fit comfortably in a single stateroom. 

Aside from square footage, most Disney staterooms have split bathrooms – with one bathroom containing a tub/shower and sink, and the other containing a second sink and toilet.

While that may not seem like a big deal, having two sinks can make getting ready for dinner as a family or a couple much easier. 

Disney cabins are also known for having lots of space for storage, which again comes in handy for families.

Staterooms are usually cleaned twice per day, with a morning clean-up and a night turn down replete with Ghirardelli chocolates and towel animals.

One of the best ways to reduce the cost of your Disney cruise is to pick the right stateroom, to learn how to book a Disney cruise as cheaply as possible, check out this post:

Cut The Cost of Your Disney Cruise – 6 Budget Booking Tips

What is Not Included on a Disney Cruise?

Disney cruises do not include specialty adult-only dining, some special desserts, alcoholic drinks, bar food, tips or gratuities, movie snacks, specialty coffees, personal training, spa treatments, excursions, photos, or transfers. 

While a lot is included on a Disney Cruise, not everything is, so here’s a quick look at things that are not included as a part of your cruise fare:

Specialty Adult Only Dining

Specialty Adult Only Dining is available on all Disney cruises.

What is Palo on a Disney Cruise?

Palo, an Italian themed restaurant is available on all ships for brunch (on sea days) or dinner for an added fee, currently, of $40 per person (Platinum level Castaway Club members get a free meal at Palo once per sailing for themselves and a guest). 

An optional wine pairing can be added to dinner for another $59.  Palo Brunch is a fan favorite and consists of a mix of a very high-end buffet (featuring caviar, seafood items, Italian meats, and cheeses, and yummy desserts and pastries – do not miss the sticky buns).

With an ala carte menu featuring breakfast and Italian fare (pro tip: skip the breakfast items and head straight for the lasagna, chicken parmesan, and flatbread pizzas).

What is Remy on a Disney Cruise?

Remy, a French restaurant inspired by the movie Ratatouille, is a fine-dining experience equivalent to a three-Michelin starred restaurant and is available for a significant additional fee for champagne brunch, or dinner only aboard the newer Dream class ships. 

Remy offers a prix-fixe dining experience where diners choose between a French or American menu and are then treated to a multi-course meal where the service and presentation are rivaled only by the amazing quality of the food itself. 

Dinner also starts with an included Colette, a themed cocktail that should not be missed.  Brunch at Remy is currently $75 per person, an additional $30 per person for Champagne pairings. 

Remy dinner starts at $125 per person, but with wine pairings ($105 per person) and potential up-charges for things like caviar service or Waygu beef entrees, dinner at Remy can easily run into the $200-250 per person (or more).

Remy also offers a desert experience separate from dinner for $60 per person, with an added wine pairing costing $25 per person. 

Lastly, Remy has started offering a wine tasting with some small plate accompaniments called “Petites Assiettes de Remy,” costing $50 per person, inclusive of wine.

All adult dining can be reserved in advance, and popular dining options like Palo Brunch  (a true fan favorite for its price to value and quality food) will book up quickly. 

If you are not able to book in advance be sure to check for openings once onboard.

Special Desserts

Special Desserts like gelato, ice cream, and other treats are available for a fee in an ice cream parlor aboard all the ships that sit near Cabanas, the onboard buffet. 

On the Fantasy it’s called “Sweet on You,” while on the Dream it’s called “Vanellope’s” after the newest Disney (unofficial) Disney Princess from the Wreck-It-Ralph franchise.

There are similar offerings aboard the Magic and Wonder.  You can also order ice cream treats from these spots to be delivered to your table for a post-dinner treat while onboard.

Alcoholic Drinks

Do Disney Cruises Serve Alcohol?

Disney Cruise Line cruises do have alcohol on board. Alcoholic Beverages are not included in the cruise fare and are only available at a cost. Disney does not offer drink packages like other cruise lines. 

Although drinks are expensive, most comment that they are far less than a night out at a New York City bar, and well below prices for drinks on comparable cruise lines.

Dinner wine packages are available for purchase on board, as is a special beer mug that gets you a bit of a discount on draft beer purchases (you pay the same fee for a larger pour).

There is also generally a drink special (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) each day of the cruise called the “Drink of the Day.”  There is generally a non-alcoholic kids “drink” each night at dinner that is also available for a fee.

You can also bring up to two bottles of wine a six-pack of beer per adult onboard at each port of call (no hard liquor can be brought onboard).  Simply ask your stateroom host for glasses and corkscrews as needed.

Is Bar Food Included on a Disney Cruise?

Bar Food is also not included.  Some of the onboard bars have food menus with snacks to order, like a Bavarian pretzel or buffalo wings, but only for an added fee.

Are Room Service Tips Included on a Disney Cruise?

Room Service Tips are not included.  While most room service food is included, tips for the staff bringing the food are not included.

Are Movies and Show Snacks Included on a Disney Cruise?

Movie and Show Snacks like candy and popcorn can be purchased outside the Walt Disney and Buena Vista theaters for a fee.

Are Specialty Coffees Included on a Disney Cruise?

Specialty Coffees are not included.  If you want your morning latte or espresso, those drinks are available, for a fee, at the Cove Café in the adult area of the pool deck.

Are Fresh Juices and Smoothies Included on a Disney Cruise?

Fresh Juices and Smoothies can be made to order at a juice bar near the gym and spa, but only for a fee.

Is Personal Training Included on a Disney Cruise?

Personal Training and fitness classes are also available in the gym for a fee.  There are some group fitness classes offered without a fee on a first-come, first-serve sign-up basis.

Are The Sports Simulators Included on a Disney Cruise?

Sports Simulator offerings, like golf, are also not included, and must generally be reserved for a fee.

Is Internet/WiFi Included on a Disney Cruise?

Internet is not included on Disney cruises, but packages are available for purchase, and guests can claim 50MB of free Internet on the first day of their cruise through the Disney Navigator app.  Disney’s at sea Internet offering does lag other cruise line offerings.

There are many things that you won’t find on Disney cruises that you may be used to on other cruise lines, fast internet is just one of them. To find out more about what Disney cruises are missing, some of which may be show stoppers for you, check out this post:

You Won’t Find These 9 Things on a Disney Cruise

Are Spa Treatments Included on a Disney Cruise?

Spa Treatments and the “Rainforest Room” are not included in the cruise fare.  Spa treatments are available for additional fees and can be booked in advance or onboard. 

They range from traditional spa services to special couples’ experiences and medical offerings like cool sculpting. 

You can also buy day passes, or cruise-length passes to the Rainforest Room, a spa area that offers themed showers, steam rooms (think Turkish baths), heated loungers, and hot tubs for a truly relaxing experience.

Are Excursions Included on a Disney Cruise?

Port Excursions can be booked in advance or while onboard for an additional feel. 

Disney offers a big variety of excursions, from well-vetted vendors. You can also book your own excursions with local purveyors.

Are Cabanas on Castaway Cay Included on a Disney Cruise?

Cabanas (not the buffet) at Castaway Cay are a luxurious experience for families or adults, but only for an added fee ranging from about $500 for the adult-only area to $750 or more for family cabanas. 

Cabanas are highly sought after and extremely hard to come by, generally sell out at online check-in to those sailing in Concierge or who are Platinum status in Disney’s cruise loyalty program. 

So, expect prices to continue to rise over time.  If you are unable to pre-book a Cabana online, you can ask to have your name added to a waiting list once onboard – but chances are slim of getting one at that point.

Are Port Transfers Included on a Disney Cruise?

Port Transfers to and from the cruise from the Disney resorts or Orlando airport are available via Disney bus transportation for an additional fee, currently around $40 per person each way. 

Fees vary for other ports. 

Be mindful that if you are a larger party, private transfers may be much more cost-effective. 

But, do note that if you are staying at the Hyatt at the Orlando airport the night prior to your cruise, Disney offers a truly “magical” experience where you can leave your luggage in your room and it will be picked up and delivered from the hotel directly to your stateroom if you are taking Disney transportation. 

We’ve used this a few times, and it’s a real lifesaver.  Just be sure to request it in advance and ensure you confirm the service when you check-in for your stay.

Gifts and Merchandise Aren’t Included in Your Disney Cruise

Onboard Merchandise, it goes without saying, is not included in your cruise fare.  This includes the stunning array of jewelry available at the only Tiffany’s outlets you’ll find at sea.

Are Photo Packages Included in a Disney Cruise?

Photo packages and other merchandise can be pre-purchased in advance of the cruise or while onboard (with a slight discount for purchasing in advance) if you want to take all of your photo memories home with you.

Do Disney Cruises Have Casinos?

Disney Cruise Line has no casinos on board any of their ships. They also don’t have any arcades. 

Are Gratuities Included in a Disney Cruise?

Gratuities are not included in the Disney cruise fare unless added on in advance.

Are Disney Cruises Worth it? 

My wife and I rekindled our love for cruising in January 2018 with our first cruise in over a decade. 

A seven-night cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy to the Eastern Caribbean.  We even left our son at home for some adult time away (gasp!). 

Since then, we’ve been on six Disney cruises, and have four more scheduled over the next eighteen months.  So, what has us returning to Disney cruises over and over? 

Especially when Disney charges a significant premium for its cruises – sometimes thousands more than a comparable cruise on another line.  Well, part of that answer hinges on what’s included in a Disney cruise.

Whether the premium will be worth it for you or your family will depend on a lot of factors. 

But, before you dismiss Disney’s higher than normal fares, know that Disney cruises include a lot more than some comparable lines in the fare, mix in some magic and amenities you can only find on a Disney cruise, and also come with a level of service that is aspired to and envied by many other companies.

Service, Attention to Detail + Disney Whimsy

One thing that truly sets Disney apart from many other brands is their dedication to service. 

When something goes wrong, Disney will in all cases prioritize guest experience above all else. 

Our family has experienced this on several occasions and in various ways.  That level of service is not often found outside of truly luxury cruise lines. 

Little touches of Disney magic, or being “pixie-dusted” with something special for a celebration or because of a connection with a cast member is not uncommon.  Make no mistake, a big part of the Disney cost premium is for a high level of service.

That premium also goes toward DCL’s strong attention to detail. Disney has a reputation for sweating the small stuff, and it shows.  Their ships are impeccably clean, and each time the ship is in port, it’s being cleaned bow to stern.

If you need further confirmation about the details, pay close attention to how the ships are decorated, or just look at the lifeboats. 

Most cruise lines have orange lifeboats.  Not Disney.  They commissioned a study to have their lifeboats painted “Mickey Yellow” because orange is just not in Mickey’s color scheme. 

It’s exactly this kind of detail and “whimsy” that you can only experience onboard a Disney cruise. 

Castaway Cay

On Caribbean sailings, you’ll also get a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay (pronounced “key”), provided it’s not too windy. 

The island includes beautiful beaches, fun activities, water slides, a fantastic island-themed barbecue lunch, and, of course, plenty of Disney themes, characters, and whimsy. 

The island has family areas and an adult-only area known as Serenity Bay.  Both areas have plenty of lounge chairs and lots of umbrellas.

Castaway Cay also hosts an included “Castaway Cay 5k” that’s a fun way to start your day on the island and burn off some of those extra calories. 

Castaway Cay is oft-cited as one of the best experiences on a Disney cruise.  So much so, that Disney cruise enthusiasts often look for coveted “double-dip” cruise opportunities that stop at the island twice.

Post-Author:

Brian and Sam are the co-hosts of the DCLDuo Podcast, a weekly Disney Cruise Line focused podcast that also detours into their general love for cruising and all things Disney.  Brian and Sam are also Disney Vacation Club members, annual pass holders at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Gold Castaway Club members with Disney Cruise Line, and frequent participants at RunDisney events.

They are looking forward to their first Adventures by Disney river cruise next year.  Brian and Sam live in Seattle, Washington with their son.  You can find them on Apple Podcasts (and most major podcast platforms), YouTube, and social medial as the DCLDuo, or via their website dclduo.com.

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