Adding a Disney Day to Your Cruise? Here are 3 Things You Need to Know!

Adding a day at Walt Disney World to your cruise vacation is a great way to enjoy everything Florida has to offer. However, with four parks and tons of attractions, the thought of packing all that fun into one day can be overwhelming. Not to fear! Follow these tips and you’ll be ready to get the most out of your Disney Day.

Have a Plan

Having a detailed plan for your must-do activities, attractions, and/or eateries will ensure Disney Day success. Do you want an action-packed day experiencing all four parks? Or, does your family prefer immersing in the fantasy of Magic Kingdom? Any die-hard Star Wars fans in the house? Knowing the answer to these questions will help determine the best plan-of-attack. Plus, you may save a little money when deciding the best type of ticket to purchase based on your goals.

Take Advantage of Time-Savers

When experiencing Walt Disney World with a limited time-frame, little things can add up by the end of the day. That’s where these time-savers come in. First, be sure to download the My Disney Experience app on your smart device. Not sure how an app will save you time? Think again! From directing you to the nearest restroom to showing attraction wait-times, the My Disney Experience app is a valuable resource.

Managing your Fast Pass + selections is a great way to utilize the My Disney Experience app to save time. As long as you’ve purchased park admission, you can select up to three Fast Pass attractions for each day of your visit either 30 or 60 days in advance, depending on whether you stay at a Disney resort. Logging on to the app and modifying your Fast Pass times throughout your Disney Day will save time if plans change.

Mobile food ordering is another must-do when wanting to save time at the parks. Many quick-service locations offer the ability to order meals and pay right from the app. This will be a life-saver when attempting to eat during peak lunch and dinner times!

RELATED: 5 Reasons to Pre-Cruise at Disney’s Bay Lake Tower

Expect the Unexpected

Unexpected hiccups end up slowly chewing away at the time you have to enjoy your Disney Day. Make sure you give yourself a cushion for bathroom breaks, pedestrian traffic (especially around parade and firework times), waiting for Disney-provided transportation, and the almost-guaranteed afternoon thunderstorm during Florida’s summer months. Bring some ponchos, take a break on the bus while park-hopping, and make sure any reservations are at least one hour apart. Follow these steps and you’re on the way to have a great Disney Day!

With cruise ports in Cape Canaveral and Tampa only one hour away from the Magic Kingdom, adding a Disney Day to any Florida cruise is easy and convenient. Plus, with plans to expand the Brightline high-speed rail from South Florida to the Orlando International Airport, visiting Orlando attractions while cruising from Miami or Fort Lauderdale will be a short train ride away!

Savannah Daigle is a writer and digital marketer based out of Orlando. Originally from Pennsylvania, Savannah moved to Florida in 2009 for its beautiful scenery, great weather, and to work for the Mouse. Now, Savannah spends her time writing, marketing for local businesses, working at Walt Disney World, and exploring everything Florida has to offer with her husband. Connect with her on LinkedIn.