Blog Posts Tagged Tips

Castaway Cay Cabana Experience

7/23/2021 • Cruises, Reviews, Tips • One of the most sought-after experiences of a Disney Cruise is having a cabana at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.  Our family has been fortunate to experience this luxury, which we like to label “peace, quiet and solitude.”  The cabana experience includes: Bottled waters, cans of soda, and cold towels in a refrigerator Fresh fruit, granola bars, and chips Towels and sunscreen Fresh water shower including foot rinse Hammock Lounge areas, changing area, storage, safe, ceiling fan, music, and outlet Floats and tubes and one-hour bike rental The Family Beach includes a private beach experience with beach loungers, chairs, umbrellas, snorkel equipment, and sand toys Cabana host and service button Twenty cabanas grace the Family Beach – including one accessible cabana – while four are at the adults-only Serenity Bay. The Experience The experience is especially good for families traveling with heat-sensitive guests, elderly or small children.  My 80-year-old mother-in-law […]

How to Tackle Sensory Overload at Disney!

7/16/2021 • Disneyland, Walt Disney World • It wasn’t until my oldest son, who is living with Fragile X, was almost 3 that I began to have a greater understanding of his sensory integration challenges.  Fragile X is the leading cause of inherited intellectual impairment and the leading known genetic cause of Autism. I was attending an education workshop, and I participated in an exercise that helped me understand what someone with Fragile X/Sensory integration challenges experiences. I began to view the world with a different perspective.  On our next trip to Walt Disney World, It was as if I was experiencing it for the first time.  Guests are immersed in their experience even before entering the gates.  Our senses are constantly bombarded.  As my son grew older, it was clear that the sensory input, at times, was too much.  If we wanted to continue to enjoy traveling to Disney destinations, we needed to come up with […]

Top 10 Things To Do Before a Disney Cruise!

7/13/2021 • Cruises, Tips • I’ve Booked My Disney Cruise…Now What? Keeping the excitement of a future cruise – especially one that is over a year away – can be difficult unless you are sailing with Disney!  Once you have booked your cruise with Me and The Mouse Travel, here are some things to do or consider. 1. Join the cruise Facebook group.  Each Disney cruise has a Facebook group organized by an individual or group of individuals on the sailing, usually a DCL veteran.  In the Facebook search toolbar, type the name of your ship and the year of your cruise i.e. Disney Wonder 2017, and you should be able to locate the group.  Groups are typically “closed” and a request to join is necessary.  It is a great way to get to know your fellow Guests, and many groups schedule a group meet-up or other private events on board.  It also serves as […]

Marvel Day at Sea

6/1/2021 • Cruises, Tips • Leaning upon the success of Star Wars Day at Sea cruises, Disney Cruise Line recently launched Marvel Day at Sea cruises. We recently sailed on the Disney Magic and experienced this special day…and we were not into Marvel movies before the cruise. Character Experiences Character experiences are available through three different methods. Advance tickets: When your booking window opens, Guests can reserve tickets to see Groot and the Heroic Encounter (Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Tony Stark/Ironman). Groot times are available throughout Marvel day and Heroic Encounter is available multiple days and times. Posted times: Times are listed in the daily Navigator and on the DCL app for Thor, Loki, Black Widow, and Captain America meet and greets. They are held multiple times throughout Marvel day. Roaming: Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, Star Lord, and Gamora roam decks three and four and are available for photos and autographs. Most of the Marvel characters […]

Selecting Your Stateroom for Your Disney Cruise

5/25/2021 • Cruises, Tips • You’ve selected your perfect Disney Cruise Line itinerary. With all the exciting destinations offered, you have completed the hardest step! Next, let’s help you determine what kind of stateroom will best fit both your family’s needs as well as your budget. There are four main categories of staterooms on a Disney ship: Inside, Oceanview, Verandah, and Concierge. An inside stateroom (no windows to the outside) is the least expensive category. If you really want to cruise but see your room as only a place to sleep, or if the price difference between an inside stateroom and a verandah is make or break for you going on the cruise, an inside stateroom might be the answer for you! is a larger space and offers fresh light and a beautiful view. Depending on the ship and stateroom, you may have 1 or 2 non-opening portholes to look out of. If you would […]

Sailing Concierge Level on Disney Cruise Line

5/21/2021 • Cruises, Tips • If you are looking to receive a pampering level of service on your next Disney Cruise, sailing concierge-level may be the perfect fit for you and your family. For some, the additional cost to sail concierge is worth the extra expense. The benefits begin while you are still at home. Shore-side services will reach out to you before the 120 days prior to your sail date to secure adult dining reservations at Palo or Remy and spa reservations. This booking window is prior to Gold, Silver Castaway Cay members and first-time guests. If you desire a cabana at Castaway Cay, they will also help you reserve the very coveted cabana. They are also available to book shore excursions and offer suggestions. On your embarkation day, you may wait to board in a separate lounge at the port, and you are given priority boarding ahead of the non-concierge guests. Once on […]

Doing Laundry on a Disney Cruise

5/14/2021 • Cruises, Tips • Doing laundry on a Disney Cruise is a great way to help if you are a light packer and/or you do not want to return home with dirty clothes. Disney makes it easy and convenient. Each of the Disney Cruise Line ships have 24-hour self-service laundry rooms. Cost $3.00 Washer $3.00 Dryer $1.00 Laundry Detergent *Please note that prices are subject to change. Paying is easy and you don’t need to lug quarters around. You simply use your Key to The World Card to purchase credits that can be used for each wash/dry cycle. The amount will be charged to your stateroom account. You will also will be given the option to share your credits with others in your stateroom at the time of purchase. I prefer to pack a few detergent pods before leaving home. Since clothes irons and steamers are not permitted in any stateroom, the laundry rooms […]

Top 5 Reasons To Visit Walt Disney World BEFORE Your Disney Cruise!

5/11/2021 • Cruises, Tips, Walt Disney World • The anticipation of a Disney Cruise can be grand. There’s so much to plan, and for most travelers, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Your Me and The Mouse Travel Specialist will guide you in the best options for your travel party: before, during, and after your cruise.  One such option, is visiting the Walt Disney World Resort for a few days before embarking on your cruise that leaves from a Floridian port! There are benefits to visiting the Most Magical Place On Earth BEFORE your cruise… Here are the Top Five! 5. You will be too relaxed (and tired) to visit the Walt Disney Resort! Cruising changes your mood, and changes your routine, to a Hakuna Matata lifestyle!  To then switch gears and amp up for a theme park visit is exhausting. Rest your tired feet, be pampered, and end your vacation refreshed! 4. By arriving a few days early, […]

Driving and Parking Options at Port Canaveral

4/16/2021 • Cruises, Tips • Parking in Port Canaveral/Cocoa Beach for your Disney Cruise is easy when you know your options. Here is a breakdown of possibilities for those that choose to drive to Port Canaveral. Port Canaveral Parking Garage This is the most convenient option, but not necessarily the most economical. The parking garage at Port Canaveral is $ 17/day. Note, your arrival and departure day each counts as a day when determining your rate. Parking at the port is convenient and quick. The driver can drop passengers off at the entrance and porters will assist them with their bags prior to entering the parking garage. When disembarking, one member of your party can get the car and pull around to the same drop-off location and load the car with your bags. Off-site parking There are quite a few off-site parking options that provide shuttle service to and from the port. The lots are […]

Finding the Best Location for You on a Disney Cruise Ship

4/13/2021 • Cruises, Tips • One of the most common questions we receive from cruise clients is the best location when selecting a stateroom. If you are sensitive to motion, having a stateroom center ship and on a lower deck may provide less movement of the ship. Selecting a stateroom with a verandah or an oceanview will also help if you begin to feel queazy so you have the ability to look at the horizon. The verandah stateroom is also an added benefit for the ability to step outside for fresh air. Many people feel being high up on a ship is more desirable. If this is your preference, it’s important to know that staterooms on the deck right under the pool deck tend to have noise early in the morning as they move the deck chairs around the pool getting ready for the day. Therefore, if you are a light sleeper, this location may […]