by Kathryn Salisbury
If you’ve ever wondered whether a Disney cruise is worth it with a baby, I’m here to tell you that our family has had two truly magical experiences sailing with our little one! We’ve now sailed with Owen at both 6 months and 10 months old, and while both trips were wonderful, they were also very different.
As the saying goes, you never take the same child on vacation twice, and WOW, is that true!
Our first cruise was a four-night sailing to the Bahamas aboard the Disney Wish when Owen was 6 months old. Our second adventure took us all the way to Alaska aboard the Disney Wonder when he was 10 months old. Between the two trips, I learned so much about cruising with a baby, what worked for our family, and what I would do differently next time.
If you’re thinking about taking your little one on a Disney cruise, here’s what our experience was really like!
Our First Disney Cruise: The Disney Wish at 6 Months Old
Our first cruise with Owen was a four-night sailing to the Bahamas aboard the Disney Wish. I was excited, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous about traveling with a baby!
Owen had never been to daycare or spent much time in a childcare setting, so leaving him in the ship’s nursery was something I wasn’t entirely sure about. Would he be happy? Would he cry the whole time? Would I spend the entire evening wondering how he was doing?
Thankfully, Disney’s nursery exceeded our expectations!
Owen did amazingly well. At 6 months old, he wasn’t really in his stranger-danger phase yet, so he was perfectly happy spending time with the nursery counselors. I also felt like the Wish had more space and staff, and it seemed like there were more activities for the little ones during our visit.
One of my favorite memories from this trip was watching Owen meet the Disney characters. He absolutely LOVED them! He would reach out, grab onto them, and interact with them with the biggest smiles. It was ridiculously cute, and those photos are some of my favorite memories from his first cruise.
At this age, his schedule was a little more demanding because he was still taking more bottles and naps throughout the day. However, we quickly learned that cruising made it surprisingly easy to accommodate his needs.
Our Second Disney Cruise: The Disney Wonder at 10 Months Old
A few months later, we were off on another adventure, this time sailing to Alaska aboard the Disney Wonder!
Cruising with a 10-month-old was a completely different experience. Owen was much more mobile, much more aware of his surroundings, and definitely more opinionated about what he wanted to do.
The biggest difference? Stranger danger had arrived!
He wasn’t upset when meeting the characters, but he was certainly less enthusiastic than he had been at 6 months. Instead of reaching out to hug them, he wanted to cling to me for every photo. We still got some sweet pictures, but it was a good reminder that babies change so quickly!
Interestingly, I actually found our daily schedule easier at 10 months. Owen was taking fewer bottles and naps, which meant we had a little more flexibility throughout the day.
It really drove home the idea that every baby is different, and even your own child can have a completely different experience from one vacation to the next.
Disney’s Nursery Was a Game-Changer (And What It Costs)
If there’s one thing I want other parents to know, it’s that you shouldn’t be afraid to use the nursery!
Disney Cruise Line offers a wonderful nursery experience for its youngest cruisers, and it made such a difference for our family. I was nervous the first time because Owen had never been to daycare or really spent time in a childcare setting, but he did amazingly well on both sailings.
One thing I appreciated was being able to enjoy some time as adults without feeling like we had to choose between having a family vacation and having a little breathing room.
How Much Does the Disney Cruise Nursery Cost?
During our sailings, nursery care was $10 per hour. Disney allows you to reserve a certain number of nursery hours in advance, with additional hours requested once you’re onboard, subject to availability.
For our four-night Disney Wish cruise, I believe we could reserve around 10 hours in advance, and for our seven-night Disney Wonder cruise, I believe it was around 18 hours. Advance booking allowances and pricing can change, so I’d recommend confirming the current details for your specific sailing.
My biggest tip? Book the maximum number of hours you’re allowed in advance!
I wanted to make sure we had the times we needed, especially for dinner and the evening shows. We were fortunate that we could generally get additional times we wanted once onboard, but I’d rather have those important reservations secured ahead of time in case the nursery fills up.
Why We Used the Nursery for Dinner and Shows
We quickly discovered something important about our particular baby: dinner was just too overstimulating for him.
Between the noise, music, lights, people, and excitement, our dining-room experience wasn’t always the relaxing family meal I had imagined. After the first night or two, I started scheduling Owen in the nursery during dinner each evening. We also used the nursery on evenings when we wanted to enjoy one of the Broadway-style musicals.
And honestly? It was so much easier for everyone!
We could enjoy dinner and the shows, Owen could spend time with the nursery counselors, and nobody had to struggle through an evening when he was already overwhelmed.
Of course, every baby is different. Some little ones might happily sit through dinner, while others may need a different plan. For us, learning to work with Owen’s personality instead of forcing a particular schedule made our vacations so much more enjoyable.
I was initially nervous about leaving him, but seeing how happy he was in the nursery helped me relax and enjoy the experience, too.
My advice: Don’t feel like you have to bring your baby to every activity just because you’re on a family vacation. Reserve nursery time for the things you really want to enjoy, and give yourself permission to have a little time as a couple. It made a huge difference for us!
Feeding a Baby on a Disney Cruise
Feeding Owen looked a little different on each sailing.
When we sailed at 6 months, he wasn’t eating much solid food yet, so bringing his bottles was pretty straightforward.
By our Alaska cruise at 10 months, he was eating more solids, so I packed teething crackers and pre-packaged baby food purees to send with him to the nursery. That gave the counselors familiar, easy options to feed him while we enjoyed our time away.
Feeding a baby on a cruise does require a little planning, especially when you’re formula-feeding. Between formula, bottles, and all the other baby essentials, it can feel like you’re packing for an entire extra person. Because you are!
My advice is to think through your baby’s normal feeding routine and bring what you know they will need. Don’t assume you’ll be able to find your preferred formula or every familiar baby food option once you’re onboard.
If your baby will be spending time in the nursery, ask about the current procedures for providing bottles, baby food, and snacks. It’s also worth checking Disney Cruise Line’s current policies for bringing formula and pre-packaged baby food onboard.
What Does Disney Provide for Babies?
One of the things I loved most about cruising with Disney was how much they provided for families traveling with little ones.
You don’t have to bring every piece of baby equipment from home!
Disney provided a Pack ‘n Play for Owen to sleep in, and diaper disposal supplies were available as well. Bottle warmers can also be requested, although we didn’t end up needing one.
We did bring our own crib sheets and a pad for the Pack ‘n Play because we wanted to make his sleeping space feel a little more comfortable and familiar.
Another feature I appreciated was the split-bathroom layout found on the ships we sailed. Having separate areas for the toilet and shower made getting ready much easier when we were sharing a cabin with a baby.
And on the Disney Wish, we loved having the curtain that separated the bed area from the crib. Once Owen was asleep, we could close the curtain and watch TV without disturbing him.
That particular setup is something to keep in mind when choosing your stateroom. Cabin layouts vary by ship, so if having a separate sleeping area is important to you, it’s worth looking at the specific room configuration before booking. On the other ships we’ve sailed, the TV setup was different, with the TV across from the couch rather than the bed.
These little details might not seem like a big deal before you have a baby, but they can make a real difference when you’re trying to enjoy your evening after bedtime!
Packing for a Disney Cruise With a Baby
Let’s be honest: traveling with a baby means packing A LOT of stuff.
Diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, clothes, sleep essentials, feeding supplies, and all the little things you don’t want to be without can take up a surprising amount of luggage space.
For us, diapers and formula were two of the biggest considerations. We packed enough supplies for our trip rather than relying on finding exactly what we needed onboard.
But here’s the good news: even with all the baby gear, we were pleasantly surprised by how much space our stateroom had!
We unpacked on our first day onboard, organized Owen’s things, and still had storage space left over. Having everything put away made the cabin feel much less cluttered and helped us settle into our vacation routine.
My recommendation is to unpack as soon as you can. It makes a huge difference when you’re trying to keep track of everyone’s belongings in one cabin.
My Baby Cruise Packing List
Here are some of the things I’d recommend bringing when sailing with a baby:
- Diapers and wipes: Bring enough for the entire trip, plus extras. You don’t want to run out halfway through your sailing!
- Formula and bottles: If your baby is formula-fed, pack enough formula for the trip. We also recommend bringing a bottle-washing kit to clean bottles in your stateroom.
- Baby food and snacks: Pre-packaged baby food purees and age-appropriate snacks, such as teething crackers, are convenient for feeding your little one.
- A few favorite toys: You don’t need to bring the entire playroom! Owen loves crinkle books and silicone stacking cups, which are easy to pack and great for downtime.
- Sleep essentials: Bring your baby’s usual sleep sack and any familiar items that help with bedtime. We love our travel Hatch sound machine!
- An insulated water bottle: This can be useful for keeping water for formula preparation or breast milk at the temperature you need. I always got hot water from the buffet for preparing Owen’s bottles, which worked well for us.
- Familiar bedding: We brought our own crib sheets and a pad for the Pack ‘n Play to make his sleeping space more comfortable.
The goal is to bring what your baby needs without packing every item you own. Take advantage of the supplies Disney provides, and confirm current policies for anything you plan to bring onboard.
Why I Think a Disney Cruise Is One of the Easiest Vacations With a Baby
After experiencing both a Caribbean cruise and an Alaska cruise with Owen, I genuinely think a cruise is one of the easiest ways to travel with a baby.
Here’s why it worked so well for us.
No driving between destinations. Once you’re onboard, you don’t have to worry about getting the baby in and out of a car seat every time you want to go somewhere. You can relax and enjoy the ship.
Your room is always nearby. If your baby needs a nap, a change of clothes, or a quiet break, you can head back to your stateroom without having to leave an entire theme park or travel back to a hotel.
Meals and entertainment are right there. You have restaurants, activities, character experiences, and entertainment all in one place. You don’t have to plan every meal or outing from scratch.
The nursery gives you flexibility. For us, this was a huge benefit. We could enjoy dinners and shows while Owen spent time in a setting designed for young children.
You can adjust your plans. Some days your baby may be ready for an adventure, and other days they may need extra naps or downtime. A cruise gives you options without requiring you to completely reorganize your vacation.
Of course, cruising with a baby still takes planning, and not every activity will work for every child. But having so many amenities close together made traveling with Owen much easier than I expected.
Our Port Canaveral Travel Tip: Stay at a Disney Resort First
For our Disney Wish sailing out of Port Canaveral, we stayed at a Disney resort before the cruise and took Disney transportation to the port.
I highly recommend considering this option if it works with your itinerary!
It made the entire travel day so much easier, and one of the biggest benefits was that we didn’t have to bring our car seat. Traveling with a baby already means carrying so many extra things, so eliminating one bulky item was a huge help.
Staying at a Disney resort also gave us a little breathing room before embarkation day rather than trying to coordinate everything in one long travel day.
If you’re flying into Orlando for a Port Canaveral cruise, I’d definitely look into the transportation options available for your specific dates and sailing. Confirm the current arrangements before booking, as transportation services and eligibility can vary.
Wish vs. Wonder: Which Was Better With a Baby?
We loved both of our sailings, but there were some differences worth mentioning if you’re deciding which ship might work best for your family.
| Feature | Disney Wish | Disney Wonder |
| Our sailing | 4 nights to the Bahamas | 7 nights to Alaska |
| Owen’s age | 6 months | 10 months |
| Nursery experience | He settled in easily and seemed to enjoy the activities | He also did very well, even as stranger danger developed |
| Daily routine | More bottles and naps to plan around | Fewer bottles and naps made the schedule easier |
| Character photos | Big smiles, reaching, and grabbing | More cautious and wanted to cling to Mom |
| Stateroom feature we loved | Curtain separating the bed and crib | Different TV arrangement, with the TV across from the couch |
It’s difficult to compare the ships directly because Owen was at two very different developmental stages. The Wish also felt like it had more nursery space and staff during our experience, but that is just our personal observation and may vary by sailing.
I wouldn’t choose a ship based on our nursery experience alone. Instead, I’d look at your itinerary, budget, preferred stateroom, and what you want to experience as a family.
Would I Recommend a Disney Cruise With a Baby?
Absolutely!
Our two cruises with Owen have been such special experiences, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a Disney cruise to other families with babies.
The nursery was wonderful, the convenience of having everything nearby made our days easier, and we were able to make incredible memories together as a family.
But if there’s one thing these trips taught me, it’s that you have to be flexible. Your baby’s needs will change as they grow, and what works beautifully at 6 months might look completely different at 10 months.
For us, that meant enjoying character hugs on our first cruise, accepting that our little guy was much more cautious on our second, and learning that dinner and evening shows were sometimes better enjoyed without him.
And that’s okay!
You don’t have to do everything together every minute to have a wonderful family vacation. Sometimes, making the best memories means giving everyone a little space to enjoy the experience in their own way.
We’ve had truly magical experiences sailing with Owen, and we can’t wait to take him on more Disney cruises as he grows.
If you’re considering your first Disney cruise with a baby, I hope our experience helps you feel a little more confident about taking that leap. With some preparation, a flexible schedule, and a willingness to follow your baby’s lead, you might be surprised by just how wonderful it can be!
And if you need help choosing the right Disney ship, itinerary, or stateroom for your family, I’d love to help you start planning your own magical adventure.
Happy sailing!
