Disclosure :: our family was invited to enjoy a five-night cruise aboard the Disney Wonder in April 2019 in advance of Disney Cruise Line sailing from New Orleans in 2020. While our vacation was largely sponsored, all thoughts and opinions expressed below belong to our family and kiddos! We have refreshed this post for 2022 now that Disney Cruise Line is sailing from New Orleans again.
Disney Cruise Line is Coming to New Orleans
For background context, our family of five was invited to sail with Disney Cruise Line in order to provide y’all with a behind-the-scenes look at what a family vacation on board a 
Disney ship looks like because – if you have not yet heard – Disney will be sailing from Louisiana for the first time in forever (see what we did there?!) in February 2020. We were lucky enough to enjoy five nights aboard the Disney Wonder, the second ship in Disney Cruise Line’s fleet and the very same ship that will leave from New Orleans next year. Some of the highlights on board the Wonder include the fantastic Frozen musical, impressive youth areas and Tiana’s Place which, of course, feels very reminiscent of New Orleans. Below we are sharing the highlights from our children’s perspective, but both mom and dad also published their (much more thorough) thoughts that provide even more details on a Disney Cruise Line vacation.
>> Tips For Your First Disney Cruise <<
>> Disney Cruise, As Told By Dad <<
While you can certainly make plans to sail on Disney Cruise Line from ports around the world, we think it is truly incredible that the Disney Wonder will be docked in downtown New Orleans next year. Some of the cruise itineraries align perfectly with Mardi Gras and school breaks, but truthfully the added convenience of being able to sail directly from Louisiana may be worth missing a day or two of school if you can (teachers, look the other way)!
The Ten Best Things About Disney Cruise Line
10. The Oceaneer Club
I had so much fun that I didn’t want to leave! I even got to skip dinner one night and played video games instead. One night my dad also let me go back after dinner to play four square with the counselors. -Thatcher, age 8
9. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
They made my hair look like Jasmine and put glitter in it! I got to pick which hair I wanted and they made us into princesses. We got glitter nail polish and could get make-up too if we wanted. -Hadley, age 6
8. The Water Slide
I think I went down it 50 times! It was a little cold but they have a hot tub too, so I could go in the hot tub and then back to the slide. -Thatcher, age 8
7. Ice Cream
You could get ice cream all day on the cruise. I liked all of the flavors except vanilla. I liked the blueberry and mango the most. -Chandler, age 4
6. The Shows at Night
The Golden Mickeys was awesome! And so was Frozen. Also dad got me popcorn and candy like when we are at the movies. -Hadley, age 6
5. The Bunk Beds and Chocolate
Every night the couch turns into bunk beds. We don’t have bunk beds at home so that was cool to sleep on the top. They also give you chocolate at night! And they have another bed that came out of the wall but we liked the bunk beds better. -Thatcher, age 8
4. Milk and Cookies
Mommy could order milk and cookies for us at night after dinner. The cookies were warm and yummy! -Chandler, age 4
3. Breakfast in Bed
One morning we got to eat breakfast in bed. It was fruit and bagels and chocolate milk. Other days we went to the restaurant for breakfast but it was fun eating in our bunk beds! -Hadley, age 6
2. Meeting Anna and Elsa
Anna and Elsa were on the Disney Cruise! We saw them at Disney World but I got to see them again on the cruise. They were in the Frozen show and took a picture with me! -Chandler, age 4
1. Pirate Night
Daddy dressed up like a pirate and mommy put glitter on my face. Everyone was a pirate, and they put gold coins on our bed. The pirate dance party was so fun and Mickey flew across the stage. Oh and they had fireworks over the ocean! -Hadley, age 6
So there you have it, straight out of the mouths of babes. We are sure you have lots of questions about these activities, what to pack and how to best plan for your Disney Cruise. We’ve got you covered; please check out our much more extensive Disney Cruise Line reviews from a New Orleans mom, as well as what dad wants you to know before you sail.
