Easing Into Or Making The Most of The First Day of Your Disney Cruise Line Vacation?

Yesterday’s post was about easing into a Walt Disney World vacation—click here to read more.  But we also ease into a Disney Cruise Line vacation, sort of.  One way to make the most of a cruise line vacation is to take advantage of the first day on-board.  Here’s how we do that. . .

On all but one of our Disney cruises sailing out of Port Canaveral, we have flown in the day before sailing and stayed overnight at the Hyatt at Orlando International Airport.  This luxury hotel is inside the airport, so all you have to do is claim your luggage, go upstairs, and check-in.

A restaurant located on the top two floors of the hotel features a breakfast buffet.  It is lovely to begin our day watching the airplanes land and take off while eating breakfast.  Then, it is only a short walk to the check-in for Disney transports to the ship.  Also, Disney Cruise Line has a partnership with the Hyatt allowing guests to tag their luggage headed to the ship and leave it in their room at the Hyatt.  The luggage will be gathered, sent to the ship, and arrive outside your stateroom.  This convenience is another reason we use the Hyatt.

Once on our bus to the port, we sit back and relax.  The television shows cartoons, video clips, and even has trivia contests making the almost hour drive go quickly.  It is also a contest to see who can get the first glimpse of the ship!

Inside the port terminal, we take care of any paperwork—most of it has been done on-line prior to sailing, meet characters, and take advantage of photo opportunities.

We wait patiently for our group number to be called so we can make our way through the “ears” and board the ship.

Usually staterooms are not ready for guests until 1:30 and we are usually in the first few groups to board the ship—between 11:30 and 12:00.  Therefore, our stateroom isn’t ready yet, but we have prepared for that by having everything we need in a carry-on bag.  Lunch is first though!

The boy on the AquaDuck

Mickey pool--empty!

A hot tub with a glass bottom that hangs over the side of the ship

Then it is all about taking advantage of the near empty pool deck, hot tub, and AquaDuck.  Our swimsuits were in our carry-on bag!

The assembly drill requires participation.

That's us on the Ariel Screen during the party!

But the Sail Away Deck Party awaits after the drill!

Then we change clothes and head off to dinner.  (Our dinner clothes are also in our carry-on bag just in case our luggage wasn’t delivered to the stateroom yet.  We’ve never had that happen, but we are prepared just in case.)

Pain and Panic from Villains Tonight!

After dinner, it is time for world-class entertainment Disney Cruise Line style in the Walt Disney Theater.

We know that a towel animal and chocolates will be waiting for us when we return to the room.  Ah, time to turn in after a great day!