What’s Actually Included on a Disney Cruise? (You Might Be Surprised!)

Sailing on a Disney Cruise may not be cheap… but is it good value?

That’s exactly what I want to explore in this post. Because when you look at everything that’s included in the cost of your cruise, you might just find yourself thinking it’s worth every penny. From incredible entertainment to endless food, character meets and even deck parties, there’s so much magic already built into the price.

Watch The Video

Watch Early Release Vlogs In My Magical Adventures Club

ad disclosure – this post may contain affiliate links

Table Of Contents

What’s Actually Included on a Disney Cruise? (You Might Be Surprised)

Broadway-Style Shows at Sea

One of the absolute highlights that’s included in your Disney Cruise is the Broadway-style entertainment onboard. The shows are honestly West End or Broadway quality – with incredible performers, amazing costumes, and impressive stage design. And yes, it’s all happening in the middle of the ocean!

The best bit? They’re just one hour long, so they hold your children’s attention without dragging on. There’s no interval – just one hour of pure Disney magic.

There are usually two performances each evening, scheduled around your dining rotation. So if you have early dinner, you’ll watch the show afterwards, and if you have late dinner, you’ll watch the earlier show. On sea days, there are often matinees too.

If you really can’t make it to the theatre, some shows are streamed to your stateroom TV – but I highly recommend going in person. Grab a bucket of popcorn on the way in (yes, there’s an extra charge, but the refillable buckets are really cute and genuinely good value), or bring your own snacks.

Which shows you’ll see depends on the ship and sailing. On the Disney Fantasy, sailing from the UK in summer 2025, you’ll get to see Disney’s Aladdin, Frozen, and Disney’s Believe. On the Disney Dream, returning to Europe in 2026, you’ll also see Disney’s Believe, The Golden Mickeys, and more.

Disney’s Believe is especially fun – it’s a story about a dad who doesn’t believe in magic until the Genie from Aladdin takes him on a journey to meet lots of different Disney characters. It’s packed with great music and some unexpected character appearances.

Food and Drink (So Much Is Included!)

Disney Cruise Line is known for its food – and the good news is that so much of it is included. I’ve actually got a separate video all about rotational dining and how it works, plus another one all about snacks, room service, and soft serve – I’ll link those for you below.

As a quick overview: all of your meals at the rotational dining restaurants are included, as well as buffet food, deck snacks, room service (most items), and soft drinks from the self-service stations.

A little heads up – if you order soft drinks at a bar or with your meal from a server, you will be charged. But you can help yourself from the self-service stations with a paper cup or, as we do, take your own reusable bottles or resort mugs. Our Walt Disney World mugs work perfectly for this, and we always bring refillable water bottles too – I’d much rather spend money on Mickey-shaped souvenirs than bottled water.

Don’t Miss the Magical Cruise Planner

If you’re planning a cruise, make sure you grab my Magical Cruise Planner. It takes you step-by-step through every stage, from picking your ship and making bookings, to packing and planning each day onboard. There’s even a children’s version with fun activities to keep them entertained while travelling and waiting for characters.

Magical Cruise Planner

Want help planning your cruise in order to make the most of the magic? Either grab a pen and paper and make nites of everything said in there video, or check out my Magical Cruise Planners, available in digital (printable or to be filled out on a tablet), coil bound or perfect bound book versions.

Movies at Sea

Yes, you can watch Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars films included in your cruise! New releases are often shown, and many are still in cinemas. You’ll find them in the onboard cinema and also on Funnel Vision (the giant screen on the pool deck).

Don’t forget to download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App before your trip. It’ll show you the daily film listings once you’re connected to the ship’s Wi-Fi. Before you board, the app doesn’t do much – but once you’re onboard, it becomes your cruise guide.

You can also watch Disney classics and more on your stateroom TV.

Character Meet & Greets

Character meet and greets are also included in your cruise – from Mickey and Minnie to princesses and Pixar pals. Again, times and locations are listed in the Navigator App, so I recommend using the daily planning pages inside my planner to jot down the meets you want to attend so you don’t miss anything.

The Royal Gathering (where you meet several princesses in one go) is also included, but you do need to book it. This opens 30 days before your sailing for everyone – regardless of your Castaway Club status – so don’t miss the booking window.

I’ve got a full video on how to book onboard activities, which I’ll link below.

Deck Parties & Fireworks

Most cruises will kick off with a Sail Away party, and if your itinerary includes Pirate Night, you’ll have another big deck party then too. These events are full of music, dancing, and Disney magic.

Fireworks at sea used to be a staple of Disney cruises, but they’re appearing less often on European sailings – most likely due to maritime laws in local waters. That said, if you’re sailing from Port Canaveral, you’re very likely to get them.

Adults-Only Areas

There are also some peaceful, adults-only spaces onboard. The Quiet Cove Pool and Café are lovely spots to relax. The drinks aren’t included here, but the space itself is.

The fitness centre is also included and well worth checking out – it’s got great views and a full gym setup. There’s a running track around Deck 4 too if you fancy a jog while watching the waves.

The Magical Adventures Club

Before I go any further, if you’re loving this kind of content and want more exclusive videos, printable resources, and behind-the-scenes access, make sure you check out the Magical Adventures Club.

This is my travel-loving community where I share early-access vlogs, planning printables, live chats, and bonus content that doesn’t make it to YouTube. There’s even a forever free tier if you just want to dip your toes in.

Join Here

Onboard Activities & Hidden Magic

There’s loads to do onboard – quizzes, game shows, trivia, animation classes and even surprise character appearances. On one cruise, we went to an Inside Out game show and Joy from the movie turned up at the end for an unannounced meet and greet.

Pools & Slides

There are also pools, splash areas and waterslides, including the AquaDuck on both the Dream and the Fantasy – it’s a water coaster that takes you right around the ship.

Midship Detective Agency

One of our family favourites is the Midship Detective Agency on the Fantasy and Dream. It’s an interactive game that sends you around the ship solving mysteries through magical animated paintings.

We’ve solved the Muppets case and the Mickey and Friends mystery – next time we’re hoping to try the 101 Dalmatians one. Let me know in the comments if you’ve done this – it’s such a fun hidden gem!

Final Thoughts

So, is a Disney Cruise cheap? No. But is it good value? Absolutely. With so much included – from food and shows to character meets and unique entertainment – you’re getting a premium experience that’s packed with magic from start to finish.

✨ Join My Magical Adventures Club

Bringing extra magic to Disney, UK days out, and family travel.

✔ Disney trip planning & packing tips ✨🏰
✔ UK days out & mini breaks 🌍
✔ Behind-the-scenes vlogs & extended videos 🎥
✔ Travel planning printables & resources 📒

Join Here