What It’s Really Like on a Disney Cruise with 4 Kids — Our Honest Review

If you’re wondering whether a Disney Cruise is worth it for your family, I’m here to tell you: it absolutely is! Our family of six — two adults and four energetic boys — set sail on our very first Disney Cruise aboard the stunning Disney Wish, and it truly exceeded every expectation.

Pro Planning Tip: We recommend using Jessica Lieb with ET Family Travel to book your Disney vacation!

Setting Sail: Our Itinerary

We embarked on a 4-night Halloween on the High Seas cruise from Port Canaveral, with stops at Nassau, Bahamas, the magical Disney Castaway Cay, and a day at sea. From start to finish, it was packed with unforgettable moments, family bonding, and Disney magic around every corner.

Our 4-Day Disney Wish Itinerary

Day 1: All Aboard and Exploring the Disney Wish

Boarding day was filled with excitement! One of the very first magical touches that set the tone for the trip was when they announced our family’s name as we boarded the ship — such a small detail, but it made everyone feel like VIPs.

After stepping onto the ship, we made our way to Marceline Market for lunch. The variety and quality of food impressed us right away. While the kids were getting settled, I made a quick stop to grab Palo brunch reservations for my husband and me. (Pro tip: even if you don’t secure a reservation ahead of time, you can usually grab one once you’re onboard!)

After lunch, we headed to our staterooms. Our luggage hadn’t arrived yet, but we dropped off our carry-on bags and went off to explore the ship. Touring the kids clubs was a major highlight — our boys couldn’t wait to dive into all the fun at Oceaneer Club, Edge, and Vibe.

We attended our muster drill, and then it was time to celebrate at the Sail Away Party on the deck! The energy was electric, and it truly felt like the vacation had officially begun.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing in the Hero Zone (an incredible indoor sports and game area) and getting to know the ship. For dinner, we dined at Worlds of Marvel — an interactive dining experience featuring the Avengers. The kids were thrilled by the show, and meeting Spider-Man was hands-down the highlight of their night. The food was delicious, and the themed atmosphere was unforgettable.

I did experience a little vertigo during dinner (probably from getting used to the motion of the ship), but thankfully it passed within a few hours and I felt great the rest of the trip.

After dinner, we returned to our rooms to find our beds turned down and towel animals waiting for us — another magical Disney touch. Joe and I dropped the kids off at their clubs and spent some time relaxing before meeting up again to watch Disney Seas the Adventure, a brief but beautiful show that actually brought me to tears.

The kids wanted a little more time at their clubs, so Joe and I snuck away to The Bayou for Star Wars trivia (spoiler: we didn’t win, but we had a blast!). Around midnight, we finally made our way back to our cozy staterooms and called it a night.

Day 2: Nassau Adventures, Palo Brunch, and Halloween Fun

We woke up bright and early, excited for our first full day aboard the Disney Wish. We started with a delicious breakfast at Marceline Market — it’s such a great place for a quick and tasty breakfast with lots of options for everyone.

Before heading off the ship, we made a very special stop: we met Minnie Mouse in her adorable Halloween witch costume! Throughout the day, there were so many Disney characters around the ship, all dressed in their Halloween best — it truly added extra magic to the whole experience.

Once we were off the ship, we took a short walk from the port to the Pirate Museum of Nassau. It was affordable, engaging, and the kids loved learning about real pirates in an interactive way. (It’s a great option if you’re looking for an easy and fun outing without booking an official excursion.)

After exploring, we headed back to the ship for a quick lunch. The kids grabbed a fast and easy meal from Mickey’s Festival of Foods — they loved the casual options like burgers, hot dogs, and tacos.

While the boys went off to enjoy their time at the kids clubs, Joe and I headed to Palo for our much-anticipated brunch — and it absolutely lived up to the hype! The food was incredible, the atmosphere was elegant but relaxed, and the service was some of the best we’ve ever experienced. It was truly one of the highlights of the trip for both of us.

After brunch, we spent some time delivering our Fish Extender gifts to other families (such a fun and heartwarming Disney Cruise tradition!) before heading to the pool. We even squeezed in a ride on the AquaMouse, Disney’s first-ever attraction at sea — it’s a waterslide and a mini-adventure rolled into one!

That evening, we had dinner at Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure. While the food wasn’t our absolute favorite of the cruise, the entertainment more than made up for it. Watching Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf perform live right at our tables was such a special treat — and the boys couldn’t stop singing along.

After dinner, it was time for more Halloween on the High Seas fun! We all put on our costumes and went trick-or-treating around the ship, collecting candy at different stations. Then we joined in the festive fun at the Mickey’s Mousequerade Party — dancing, laughing, and enjoying the holiday spirit at sea.

The kids headed back to the kids clubs for a little more fun, while Joe and I treated ourselves to a date night at the Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge. (If you’re a Star Wars fan, this is a must — it truly feels like you’ve stepped into another galaxy.)

Before calling it a night, we popped into the Hero Zone, where there was a special adult-only Halloween Party hosted by Oogie Boogie. It was so much fun to see the ship’s crew and other guests really get into the Halloween spirit.

We finally made it back to our staterooms just before midnight, happy and completely exhausted — in the best way.

Day 3: A Perfect Day at Castaway Cay and Pirate Night Fun

Our third day on the Disney Wish was pure tropical bliss — we spent the day at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and it was everything we dreamed it would be!

We started the morning slow and cozy with a little room service — one of the great things about a Disney Cruise is that room service is included! We ordered donuts, pastries, coffee, and chocolate milk, which was the perfect light start before grabbing a heartier breakfast later at Marceline Market.

Once we finished breakfast, we hopped off the ship — but not before stopping to snap a ton of pictures with characters like Daisy Duck, Chip and Dale, and more. Seeing them all in tropical outfits added such a fun vibe to the morning.

We made our way to the family beach, where the boys immediately ran to Pelican’s Plunge, the awesome floating waterslides in the ocean. They could have stayed there for hours!

Next, we rented snorkel gear and spent a good part of the morning exploring the snorkeling lagoon. It was so much fun searching for hidden treasures under the water and spotting all kinds of colorful fish. Snorkeling at Castaway Cay felt like a real-life treasure hunt, and the kids couldn’t get enough.

When hunger struck, we grabbed a laid-back BBQ lunch at Cookie’s Too BBQ, right on the island. The food was plentiful — burgers, ribs, chicken, sides — and perfect for a beach day.

After lunch, the kids spent a little time at Scuttle’s Cove, the supervised kids’ area on Castaway Cay, giving Joe and me a chance to sneak away for some quiet island time. We grabbed a cold drink and just enjoyed a few peaceful moments soaking up the sunshine.

After a full day of sand, sun, and sea, we headed back to the ship, tired but happy — and we made it to the deck just in time to hear the Disney songs played on the ship’s horn as we sailed away from Castaway Cay. It was one of those “wow, this is really happening” moments I’ll never forget.

That evening was Pirate Night — one of the most iconic Disney Cruise events! Even though our dinner was at Arendelle again, the menu was completely different to celebrate the pirate theme (no Frozen-themed show this night, just great food and fun vibes). Our server, Ronald, made the evening extra special — he was so attentive, fun, and full of pirate spirit.

After dinner, we joined in the festivities on deck for the Pirate Party, complete with dancing, character appearances, and a lively atmosphere. The highlight, of course, was the fireworks at sea — Disney is the only cruise line that shoots fireworks off their ships, and it was absolutely magical to watch the colorful bursts light up the night sky.

We ended the night playing games together back at the Hero Zone, winding down with some friendly competition after an unforgettable day.

Day 4: A Relaxing Day at Sea and a Magical Finale

Our final day aboard the Disney Wish was our Day at Sea, and it gave us the perfect chance to soak up every last bit of Disney magic before heading home.

We kicked off the morning with breakfast at Marceline Market, then everyone headed off in different directions. Joe and I decided to explore parts of the ship we hadn’t seen yet — we walked all the way to the front of the ship, took in the beautiful views, and then treated ourselves to a quiet coffee break at the Cove Café, the adult-only coffee spot tucked away in a peaceful area.

After our little coffee date, we met back up with the boys and hit the pools one more time. The kids splashed around while Joe and I grabbed lunch from Mickey’s Festival of Foods, soaking up the sunny deck vibes.

By the afternoon, everyone was feeling a little pooled out, so we got changed and went off to find more fun indoors. We met even more characters (seriously, you could fill an entire album with all the character photos we took!) and spent some time playing Uncharted Adventures, the interactive ship-wide game available through the Disney Cruise Line app. The boys loved solving puzzles and running all around the ship on their missions.

The kids checked themselves back into the kids clubs for a little more time with their new friends while Joe and I found ourselves relaxing at Keg and Compass, the cozy pub with great drinks and a laid-back atmosphere.

One highlight of the afternoon was when Jude asked to visit the Hyperspace Lounge again. While many of the ship’s lounges are adults-only in the evenings, during the day families are welcome, so we all got to go together and enjoy the galactic vibes.

For our final dinner, we dined at 1923, named after the year the Walt Disney Company was founded. The food was absolutely delicious — a little more upscale but still very kid-friendly. While there’s no live entertainment during the meal at 1923, the beautiful animation details and elegant atmosphere made it feel special. (A tip for families: even though there are kid’s menus at every restaurant, kids can also order off the adult menu, and we encouraged ours to try something new at each meal — it became a fun tradition!)

After dinner, we tried our luck at Marvel trivia (no win for us, but it was a blast!) and then caught the final live show, Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular. It was absolutely amazing — Broadway-quality singing, dancing, and magic that brought the story to life in the most incredible way.

We ended the perfect evening curled up together on the pool deck, watching Jungle Cruise under the stars — a final memory of a trip we’ll never forget.

Day 5: Farewell, Disney Wish

All good things must come to an end — and so did our magical time aboard the Disney Wish.

We woke up bright and early to grab a final breakfast at 1923. It was a bittersweet meal, especially saying goodbye to our incredible servers who had taken such amazing care of us throughout the cruise. One thing that really stood out to our whole family was how the servers travel with you each night to different restaurants, learning your preferences and making every meal extra special.

After breakfast, it was time to disembark. Everything was organized and easy, but it was definitely sad to walk off the ship, knowing our incredible adventure had come to an end.

We loaded up the car and began the long drive home to North Carolina, full of sweet memories, lots of laughs, and about a million photos to relive our magical trip.

Final Thoughts

This cruise was truly unforgettable for our family. My husband, who was initially hesitant about cruising, loved every minute of it, and even my teen son still raves about the incredible service aboard the Disney Wish.

The kids are already begging to plan our next Disney Cruise — and honestly, so are Joe and I! From the endless activities to the world-class entertainment, the magical service to the delicious food, the Disney Wish gave our family memories that we’ll cherish forever.

If you’re wondering whether a Disney Cruise is worth it for your family — trust me, it absolutely is!

Our Spacious Accommodation

With six of us traveling, space was a big concern. We chose to book two deluxe family oceanview cabins, and it was the perfect setup! Everyone had room to relax, spread out, and recharge after busy days of exploring. The thoughtful Disney touches in the staterooms — from the split bathrooms to the hidden storage solutions — made it incredibly family-friendly.

Halloween on the High Seas Fun

One of the special things about our sailing was that it was a Halloween on the High Seas themed cruise! The ship was beautifully decorated with pumpkins and spooky fun touches. The kids had a blast trick-or-treating around the ship, dressing up in costumes, and joining in the themed parties and activities. Disney really knows how to celebrate!

The Kids’ Clubs Were a Huge Hit

One thing that made the cruise so enjoyable for my husband and me was how much our boys loved the kids’ spaces. Between Oceaneer Club, Edge, and Vibe, there was truly something for every age. Our younger ones couldn’t get enough of the imaginative play at Oceaneers, while our older boys made new friends and enjoyed the independence at Edge and Vibe.

We often had to convince them to come back and spend time with us — that’s how much they loved it!

Favorite Experiences Onboard

We made so many amazing memories, but a few highlights stand out:

• Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge: My husband is a huge Star Wars fan and couldn’t resist the themed cocktails and the amazing Star Wars atmosphere. It truly felt like stepping into a galaxy far, far away!
• Broadway-Quality Live Shows: From “Disney’s Aladdin” to “Disney Seas the Adventure,” the live performances left us all spellbound. Disney entertainment is truly top-notch.
• Soft Serve Ice Cream Galore: Unlimited soft serve was a major hit with the boys — I’m pretty sure they stopped for a cone every chance they got!

Exploring Nassau and Castaway Cay

While we didn’t book any official excursions through Disney, we decided to visit the Pirate Museum in Nassau on our own — a fun and educational experience that the boys really enjoyed.

At Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, we spent a perfect day snorkeling, relaxing, and soaking up the sun. Castaway Cay was everything we hoped for — pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and all the Disney magic you could hope for on a tropical island.

A Special Dining Experience

My husband and I treated ourselves to brunch at Palo, one of the adults-only specialty restaurants aboard the Wish. It was phenomenal — from the breathtaking ocean views to the delicious food and impeccable service, it was truly a highlight of our trip.

Final Thoughts: Disney Cruise Converts for Life

I’ll be honest — my husband was hesitant about taking a cruise. He wasn’t sure if it would be “his thing.” But after just one day aboard the Disney Wish, he was completely won over. He still talks about how much he loved the service, the relaxation, and the quality of the whole experience.

And our teenage son? He says this was his favorite vacation ever — and that’s coming from someone who’s usually hard to impress! The whole family is already dreaming about our next Disney Cruise adventure.

If you’re thinking about a Disney Cruise for your family — especially if you’re on the fence like we were — I can wholeheartedly recommend it. There’s truly something for everyone, and the memories you’ll make together are priceless.