r/dcl • u/fatguybike • 21h ago
DISCUSSION First DCL cruise with questions. Preboard hotel? Excursions for 2yr old? Any tips?
Hello! I'm super excited we just booked our first DCL cruise, the 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral on Disney Treasure departing Saturday, December 26 from Port Canaveral, FL with stops in Cozumel, Mexico, George Town, Grand Cayman, Falmouth, Jamaica and Disney Castaway Cay. We have 2 kids a 2 yr and a 7 yr old as well as an elder that is not super mobile (this is the main reason we booked a cruise vs trying to tackle the parks at this time of year). I have two main questions so far...
Where should we stay the night before? We're thinking of flying in the morning before, Friday Dec 25th and staying at a hotel super close to make things less stressful and also for mobility reasons. Is there a place that handles your luggage too (this parts not necessary but helpful I'd imagine with 2 kids and another liability elder)? Our TA suggested one of the Disney hotels but it's almost 5k for one room for the single night and we'd need 2 rooms. We're thinking of something like the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront or even closer like the Homewood Suites by Hilton Cape Canaveral-Cocoa Beach which are $300-400 each room. We're easy.
What are the excursions to book with a 2 yr and 7 yr old? I was the last booking phase and the bippity boppity boutique was long gone. I booked the sub thing and a KUZU trip I think it was. The KUZU was listed as 3+ and the 2yr olds name was greyed out but im going to try bringing him anyways and he'll just sit with the elder by the pool. The sub thing was the only thing that explicitly listed 0-3 yr age. Everything else was 3+ and the kids name was greyed out when I tried to book it. I didn't realize Disney would have so many things 3+! What are some great things for the 2yr old to go on with us? we all roll together so if he can't go we don't go.
Anything else you guys think would be helpful for a first time DCL'er to know? Thanks so much for taking the time to read all this and replying.