First Family

[WallDisney]

Has anyone ever been fortunate enough to be the first family onboard the ship. I remember the last Disney cruise we went on, I was just a little jealous of the family that was introduced and allowed to board the ship first, not too jealous because we had a #2 boarding pass. I wonder what the stipulations are to be that first family.

 

[jjgarv]

In 2012, one of my best friends and her kids were chosen to be 'the family of the day'...meaning they were first to board the ship. I was so happy for her and the kids...it was their first Disney cruise and they had quite a rough year... the extra pixie dust was so perfect for them!

Anyway, she said that she was at the counter checking in when a cast member just walked up to her and said that they were chosen to be 'the family of the day!' The CM then escorted her around the terminal to get their picture taken and get one of her children their kids' club wrist band, etc. They stood under the big Mickey head and were introduced to everyone in the terminal, and then were allowed to board the ship. And this is where we got separated...

She said that once on the ship, a CM escorted them to guest services, and to several other spots on the ship until they ended up on the pool deck. (Cell phones dont work very well on board, so it took a while for us to find each other...)

At any rate, I have no idea what the 'stipulations' might be to get chosen. I really think it's totally random...but in this case, it couldn't have happened to a nicer woman and her terrific kids!

 

[jjgarv]

Oops...duplicate.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I haven't yet. I was thinking maybe they are among the first to get to the terminal

 

[cruizincathi]

I have no idea what it takes on DCL but our family was chosen as family of the day on our last trip to WDW. Have no idea what we did to be chosen, but it appeared to be very random. As was mentioned, a couple cast members seemed to be patrolling the gates before they opened and just walked up to us and asked. This is why everyplace Disney is the "happiest place on Earth" Memories we will never forget.

 

[SuperDry]

At any rate, I have no idea what the 'stipulations' might be to get chosen. I really think it's totally random...

It may be "random" in the sense that it's not pre-determined based on first family to check in or anything like that. But I'd be willing to bet money that the Family Of The Day always has the "Disney look" for a family: always adults with kids, and never a non-traditional family.

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

We were not chosen as First Family, but WERE chosen as a Magical Family by Guest Services. We had special notes and treats in our room each day and some great gifts - including a signed and matted family picture from pirate night. It was fantastic!

 

[cruisecrasher]

I've seen first time cruisers, large family reunion groups and Make*A*Wish families selected. It's pixie dust!

 

[cruisecrasher]

It may be "random" in the sense that it's not pre-determined based on first family to check in or anything like that. But I'd be willing to bet money that the Family Of The Day always has the "Disney look" for a family: always adults with kids, and never a non-traditional family.

I'm not sure about the Disney Look being a stipulation. But I've never seen an adult couple selected as "family of the day" either.

 

[luvdisney24]

It may be "random" in the sense that it's not pre-determined based on first family to check in or anything like that. But I'd be willing to bet money that the Family Of The Day always has the "Disney look" for a family: always adults with kids, and never a non-traditional family.

I was by myself at the check-in desk while my husband took my daughter to the restroom. A Cast Member walked up to me and said I was chosen as Family of the Day and would be first to board. The Cast Member who walked up to me could not have known if I was traveling solo or traveling with a group of 25. We were allowed to take a picture with Captain Mickey and Goofy together in the terminal. We were first to board and then we were off on our own. No other special treatment other than being able to take the photo with (2) characters and boarding first. Oh, and I did have to Pay for that photo! LOL

 

[abja09]

It may be "random" in the sense that it's not pre-determined based on first family to check in or anything like that. But I'd be willing to bet money that the Family Of The Day always has the "Disney look" for a family: always adults with kids, and never a non-traditional family.

I was traveling with my son and my mother when were chosen for family of the day on our first DCL cruise on the Dream in 2013. As the OP mentioned, there was a CM standing behind us when we checked in and she told us we wee chosen. It was a great surprise for our first Disney cruise!!

 

[Dug720]

I was by myself at the check-in desk while my husband took my daughter to the restroom. A Cast Member walked up to me and said I was chosen as Family of the Day and would be first to board. The Cast Member who walked up to me could not have known if I was traveling solo or traveling with a group of 25. We were allowed to take a picture with Captain Mickey and Goofy together in the terminal. We were first to board and then we were off on our own. No other special treatment other than being able to take the photo with (2) characters and boarding first. Oh, and I did have to Pay for that photo! LOL

Did you walk in together? They are watching from the moment you enter the terminal, so unless you walked in completely separately, rest assured, they knew you weren't alone.

 

[jjgarv]

It may be "random" in the sense that it's not pre-determined based on first family to check in or anything like that. But I'd be willing to bet money that the Family Of The Day always has the "Disney look" for a family: always adults with kids, and never a non-traditional family.

My friend was non-traditional...single mother with three kids.

 

[Madzac]

We were chosen on our Dream cruise in 2013. It was our first cruise... family of six with four kids. We were wearing our matching disney Tshirts which I think helped. We certainly werent the first ones to arrive but were probably there within the first half our the terminal opened. Like others have said, a lady was standing behind us as we checked in and then asked if we wanted to be the family of the day. We got to go to the front of the line and meet both Mickey and Minnie. She then took me to the front of the line to get the kids registered for the kids clubs. We had a little table to wait at which we only had a few moments before they took us to the front and introduced us as family of the day in the terminal. She took us in and we got our boarding picture done, were given a certificate saying we were family of the day and taking to where they announce your family as you board. We were the first ones in Cabanas for lunch, it was awesome! Definitely a magical pixie dust moment for us!

 

[Stinkerbell1973]

It may be "random" in the sense that it's not pre-determined based on first family to check in or anything like that. But I'd be willing to bet money that the Family Of The Day always has the "Disney look" for a family: always adults with kids, and never a non-traditional family.

You couldn't be more wrong. On our first cruise last year, the FOTD was a non traditional family. A gay couple and their adult family - they were celebrating their marriage. Very special moment.
Have also seen non traditional families selected as FOTD at MK. We love rope drop at MK so we have seen the FOTD many times.

 

[ludari]

Although I think it's a nice touch to be selected as the first family as a solo cruiser if it was offered to me (I doubt it being a solo cruiser) I would deny it to allow a family to get it. On a cruise I took in 2013 I was the second person on the ship right behind the first family.

 

[2boogersmom]

We got to be Family of the Day on the Oct. 13, 2012, Magic cruise out of Galveston!

It was our 1st cruise. We were stopped right outside the sign up place for the kids' clubs. We had on matching red Disney shirts (just the park style, not cruise specific). A CM asked me a few questions, then asked if we had our whole party with right there. I told her DH was sitting with our carry-ons a few feet away.

When she told us we were FOTD I made a comment about how incredibly lucky my kids are when it comes to Disney trips (they ALWAYS get picked for something), she told me that it had NOTHING to do with them! It was because of the joy and excitement that a couple of the CMs saw on MY face that made her choose us. It was awesome!!!

We didn't get the photo with both Capt. Mickey and Minnie, or the Boarding photo because of an extended inspection by the Port Authority, but DH got to chat with and got a photo with Capt. John all alone on Deck 9, which was the highlight of his trip.

Truly, an awesome experience that I still feel giddy about when I think about it.

 

[PacificDisMommy]

On our 4-night Magic cruise in January our family (my mom, my 2 kids and I) was chosen by one of the room service phone operators as a "Magical Family". I believe it was the 2nd day when we were chosen. From that point on we had a daily treat delivered to our room and were allowed to order from the main dining rooms to eat in our stateroom (we only did this once, for breakfast, it was nice). And then on our last night there were two stuffed "figment" dolls left on the bed, one for each of my children, and a "magical moments" certificate.

It really made us feel special, and would have been random, perhaps they had said "the next person to call for room service will be it"? lol, whatever the reason, it was really nice and the kids thought it was so cool!

 

[neenslovesdisney]

We were chosen as family of the day on our cruise out of Venice, Italy on the Magic last month. Strangely this was the first time we have arrived at a terminal an hour after it opened. We checked in and were sitting in the waiting area when a CM approached us and told us were were selected to be Family of the Day! We took pictures with Mickey and Minnie and then waited in the concierge area before being announced and allowed to board first. It was a magical experience.

 

[HeatherLassell]

You couldn't be more wrong. On our first cruise last year, the FOTD was a non traditional family. A gay couple and their adult family - they were celebrating their marriage. Very special moment.
Have also seen non traditional families selected as FOTD at MK. We love rope drop at MK so we have seen the FOTD many times.

I'm a single mom of three kids and we were chosen as family of the day at Test Track! It was really cool. Went in a secret entrance and up to the cool private lounge upstairs! Disney is so great with their little pixie dust surprises!