Inexpensive ways to add pixie dust to your Disney cruise vacation
A MOM AND THE MOUSE, FEATURED, KRISTIN FORD BY KRISTIN FORD ON MAY 21, 2010 AT 12:34 PM
Enjoy this complimentary cake onboard a Disney cruise ship just by asking. (Kristin Ford/Orlando Sentinel)
Vacationing on a Disney cruise is, of course, magical in and of itself. But if youre looking for a few ways to boost the pixie dust on your vacation, here are some inexpensive and easy ideas.
Make magnets for your door
Have your kids draw something they are looking forward to on the cruise; its a great way to get them involved in counting down the days until you sail. Or, surprise them with some of the fun graphics that artists on disboards.com share.
Two artists in particular, Jordak and Milliepie, take requests to customize their designs with your familys names, dates of travel, ship name and itinerary. You must register on disboards, browse their collections, and post a request. Both respond quickly by posting the personalized graphics on disboards.com, which you then download to your computer. Jordak and Milliepie provide this service for free; in return, they request their designs not be sold or used for profit.
Get started here.
Once you have your desired images, you can either print them on magnet paper or print on cardstock and attach small magnets from a craft store to the backs. (Using tape to attach designs to Disney stateroom doors is a no-no.) Decorated doors are fun, and they also help kids find their rooms when they stand out from the others.
Cruisers use the metal fish next to each door for a program called Fish Extenders. It takes a bit more planning, but sounds like a lot of fun. I wrote about it
here.
Extra-special autographs
Bring pillowcases and Sharpie pens to drop off at Guest Relations at the start of your cruise. The characters you specify will autograph your items, and children will be surprised on the last night when the room steward returns your pillowcases. Some folks prefer plain pillowcases, but I purchased a Disney princess one for my daughter at Sears and a Mickey Mouse one for my son on
Amazon.com. They were thrilled when they discovered the surprise, and still have the pillowcases on their beds at home.
Another popular item to have autographed by the characters is the white border of a Disney picture or poster or the mat inside a frame for your own photo. (Be sure to tape off the portion of the mat that is covered by the frame so complete autographs will show through.) This is likely to be a more lasting souvenir since it doesnt have to be laundered.
On the last night, you also can bring souvenirs to the Captains Signing for that special autograph and photo. My kids enjoyed meeting Captain Henry, and my son had his model ship signed.
Celebrate special occasions
Be sure to ask your
travel agent (or Disney Cruise Lines if you booked directly) to note on your reservation if your family is celebrating an event or milestone. On the night you specify, servers will bring a small, complimentary strawberry shortcake to your dinner table. The best part? Its topped with a cruise ship-shaped white chocolate candy, which is really cool.
My husband considered ordering the birthday cake package through
DCL for me, but Im glad he didnt. The cruise ship cake was so much cuter and there was plenty for our family of four to share. Plus, he saved $50 which I then spent on souvenirs!
