Not all cruises are created equal. Sure, they’re all great – but what Disney can squeeze into 40-ish hours together isn’t the same as what you will experience over a longer voyage.
Currently, the two night offering is limited to a handful of dates each year, over a weekend, sailing on the Disney Wonder, form San Diego, California to Ensenada, Mexico – and back.
This is geared to be something of a First Time DCL + First Time Two-Night synopsis.
Friday
- Enter the port facility. (The street address is 1140 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 1140 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101). You’ll need to show a photo ID and boarding document to show to security if you’re walking in
- If you’re bringing luggage, the port staff will direct you to the drop-off area outside of the building itself; they’ll get it onboard for you, and Disney cast will get it placed outside your stateroom (generally by mid-afternoon)
- Entering the facility, there’s a document check (ID and boarding document), security screening, then off to check-in with Disney and receive your Key To The World, or KTTW. (Look pretty! They will snap a photo to associate with your KTTW to confirm you’re you during transactions on the ship and when going ashore
- Board the ship – starting about noon groups are invited to board
- Access to your stateroom opens about 1:30pm; luggage is being moved to outside your stateroom and there’s a TON of movement in the not-yet-opened room corridors
- Explore the ship – the buffet in Cabanas (food!) is open, as is the pool and most services; some are ramping up still. Self-service soft drink and water is found on Deck 9 aft (back) of the ship
- Sail-A-Wave party kicks off around 4pm up top
- Dinner (first seating at 5:45pm, second at 8:15am; your assigned dining rooms are printed on your Key To The World, or “KTTW”)
- Shows and movies are offered, typically twice – one opposite each dinner seating so you won’t miss out either way
- Pirates IN the Caribbean (pirate night) party, typically with fireworks. A late-night snack-and-dessert buffet follows until 11:15pm (oddly enough, this was pretty lightly attended; half the tables were empty and there was a TON of food left)
- Bed time – whenever you choose; Mickey isn’t exactly running around shooing anyone to bed, and the activity areas (adult and child alike) run well into the evening… adult areas even later
Saturday
- Cabanas (Deck 9 aft) opens about 7am. They “soft close” to reset for lunch late in the 11am hour – but no one is getting kicked out. Instead, the cast will close one half of the buffet and stock it for lunch, then repeat on the other side after opening the lunch buffet
- Port adventures – or excursions – jump off at varying times through the morning
- On-board activities, movies, and all the good stuff run throughout the day
- Dinner – same timing as before, different restaurant (as printed on your KTTW)
- The last night of each cruise, you’ll receive a summary of automatically calculated tips in your stateroom (and some envelopes). The shown gratuities amounts are automatically added to your account – but you’re completely free to add, reduce or change them by visiting Guest Services on Deck 3. (More on Tips and Gratuities can be found here.)
- You will also receive both a comment card (and be HONEST with DCL, they prefer that with frank comments), and luggage tags, with instructions to place all bags you want to “check” off the ship – meaning they’ll collect them Saturday night, and you’ll retrieve them in the port building after disembarking on Sunday morning
Sunday
- Not going to lie: Sunday is almost ALL business. A few characters may pop up here and there, but the focus is an efficient disembarking for everyone on board.
- Breakfast starts early, based on your dining rotation (at 7am for the 5:45pm dining rotation, and about 8am for the 8:15pm seating).
- Breakfast is served in the third of the three restaurants – the one that you did NOT dine in either Friday or Saturday night. Your head server will remind you of this at dinner on Saturday (we also got a hand-out reminder card of the restaurant name from the head server, too).
- “Express Checkout” starts at 8am (or as soon as Customs clears the ship to release passengers). This is for folks who are carrying 100% of their own stuff off the ship, and didn’t leave anything outside their room Saturday night
- If you placed bags outside your stateroom, then you’ll listen up for your departure group (Minnie, Ariel, etc.). The group will be called and invited to line up on Deck 3 Midship (outside Triton’s restaurant). Have all your carried items, family – and the KTTW – ready to depart for a smooth transition.
- Once in the port building, you will gather your bags (arranged by departure group) and proceed to the U.S. Customs check; have your photo ID, passport or other required documents ready for review… then you’re outside once cleared.
- Shuttles and private rides (family, friends or ride-share) are right out the door; a city bus stops nearby for easy connection to the airport.
