Missed Booking Window - Opportunities to meet Princesses, etc on Disney Magic?

[Agent 86]

Hi all,

Due to a change in personal circumstances, we're considering booking a last minute trip on the Disney Magic as part of its down under tour.

However, if we book now, we have well and truly missed the booking window for the princess meet and greets, etc. And I assume that there will be no tickets left.

A BIG motivator for going on a Disney cruise would be the opportunity for our (newly turned 3) daughter to meet the characters. This was the absolute highlight of a recent visit to Tokyo Disney Resort for her.

Is there any chance we could obtain tickets once we're on board? If not, what's the likelihood of there being non-ticketed opportunities to meet the princesses and other characters?

We've cruised with Disney pre-parenthood, but the character meet and greets weren't a priority for us. As such, we really don't know what opportunities there are outside of the ticketed events and how you learn about those opportunities (e.g. if they're listed as part of the daily activities / schedule in the navigator app).

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

 

[Calantha]

s there any chance we could obtain tickets once we're on board? If not, what's the likelihood of there being non-ticketed opportunities to meet the princesses and other characters?

I think the Wonder is going Down Under?

There should be plenty of opportunities for non-ticketed meet and greets. There is usually only one (princesses) unless it is MDAS/Pixar/etc - which it won't be. In the Navigator there will be listings all day long for the characters (unless its a port day and there will be fewer).

 

[randumb0]

You don't need tickets to meet them. Check the Navigator once you are onboard and you will see the time and location where you can meet them

 

[Mommb]

There will absolutely be opportunities to meet characters, including several princesses, even if you don't get tickets to the Royal Gathering. It is worth continuing to check online to see if spots open up before the cruise. If they don't, you can also check with Guest Services once you are onboard.

Scheduled character meetings will be listed in the Navigator app and adjusted throughout the day as necessary. If there are some characters your daughter particularly wants to meet, lining up 10 minutes before the listed time would be a good idea.

Characters also may make random strolls around the ship -- on my recent cruise I met Belle and Tiana in the atrium while heading for the stairs after dinner and Donald while walking toward the photo area in the evening.

Characters may also come to the Oceaneers Club, so if your daughter spends time there, she may get a pleasant surprise.

 

[Agent 86]

I think the Wonder is going Down Under?

Yes - my bad! They're marketed as "Magic at Sea" cruises, so I mistakenly thought it was the Disney Magic, not the Disney Wonder!

 

[Agent 86]

Thank you everyone!

It's good to know that there will be plenty of opportunities listed in the daily activities / itinerary in the Navigator app!

 

[Dug720]

You don't need tickets to meet them. Check the Navigator once you are onboard and you will see the time and location where you can meet them

Exception being Princess Gathering. And if they have any other special ones like a Frozen M&G (not sure if they are doing those now). THOSE you do need a ticket for.

But you are correct in that most that are individual you would just line up for.

 

[lanejudy]

what's the likelihood of there being non-ticketed opportunities to meet the princesses and other characters?

I think the only ticketed character meet&greet is the Royal Gathering (multiple princesses). However, individual princesses will absolutely have separate, non-ticketed meet & greets throughout the cruise as will other characters. Just check the Navigator each day for times/locations.

 

[rainbowredpanda]

Is there any chance we could obtain tickets once we're on board? If not, what's the likelihood of there being non-ticketed opportunities to meet the princesses and other characters?

We've cruised with Disney pre-parenthood, but the character meet and greets weren't a priority for us. As such, we really don't know what opportunities there are outside of the ticketed events and how you learn about those opportunities (e.g. if they're listed as part of the daily activities / schedule in the navigator app).

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

1. Is there any chance you can obtain tickets once on board?

Yes, go straight to guest services when you board. Sometimes people have cancelled, changed plans, they have some available spots. Also, keep checking in the lead up to the cruise as people do cancel.

2. Likelihood of non ticketed opportunities for character meet & greets?

100% guaranteed. Only the princesses have a ticketed meet and greet but all of the Princesses meet at least a few times during a sailing, You'll just have to line up for each other, as opposed to one line for several. You'll also have chances to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Stitch, some pirate characters on Pirate night, some Marvel and Star Wars characters for Australia have been confirmed. The times are listed in the Navigator and they meet at various times during the day

Good luck

 

[Agent 86]

You'll also have chances to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Stitch, some pirate characters on Pirate night, some Marvel and Star Wars characters for Australia have been confirmed.

Thank you. Any idea where I can find out these details for myself (as they become available). Our cruise doesn’t have a “thread” and the app has very little information listed - I can’t even tell IF we have a pirate night!

 

[randumb0]

Thank you. Any idea where I can find out these details for myself (as they become available). Our cruise doesn’t have a “thread” and the app has very little information listed - I can’t even tell IF we have a pirate night!

Find the FBI group for your sailing. That's where everyone will be. Try searching your ship name and sailing dates

 

[Jsoenning]

Sometimes the princesses will roam without photographer, just handler. We’ve recently gotten to spend time with Tiana that way.

 

[rainbowredpanda]

Thank you. Any idea where I can find out these details for myself (as they become available). Our cruise doesn’t have a “thread” and the app has very little information listed - I can’t even tell IF we have a pirate night!

The specific information about where the characters will be meeting won't become available until you've boarded the cruise and you can look in the app.

If you're sailing the Wonder during the Australian Season, there is a Pirate Night on all sailings except on 2 or 3 night sailings. 2 and 3 night sailings are getting Marvel Night/Heroes Unite instead.

 

[Agent 86]

Find the FBI group for your sailing.

Facebook group? Thanks - I’ve joined it, but didn’t see any hints about which characters may be available for meets, themed nights, etc.

I presume more information will become available as people start posting their trip reports from the down under cruises.

 

[Agent 86]

If you're sailing the Wonder during the Australian Season, there is a Pirate Night on all sailings except on 2 or 3 night sailings. 2 and 3 night sailings are getting Marvel Night/Heroes Unite instead.

Thank you! We are on the Wonder.

Would the 5 night cruise have both pirates and Marvel? Or just pirates? I’m trying to figure out what costumes / attire I should try to source for my daughter.

 

[Flossbolna]

Once the first cruises have sailed you might be able to get the daily schedule from previous cruises. Until then you could look at other Wonder cruises in the past. This website is a good resource: https://disneycruiselineblog.com/personal-navigators/

 

[rainbowredpanda]

Thank you! We are on the Wonder.

Would the 5 night cruise have both pirates and Marvel? Or just pirates? I’m trying to figure out what costumes / attire I should try to source for my daughter.

You're welcome. The 5 night cruise will have both pirate and Marvel night. There will also be fireworks on a separate night to Pirate Night.

As for characters meeting, you should get the Fab 5, Chips and Dale, Stitch, Daisy. The Princesses who will most likely be meeting are Tiana, Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Moana. You should get the meet and greet with Mirabel and Bruno. You should get Hook, Smee and Jack Sparrow might be on board. For Marvel you should get Thor, Captain Marvel, Spiderman, Captain America. If you have a Star Wars fan, Chewbacca should be around at some point too.

 

[Agent 86]

That's awesome - thank you so much for all the information!

I'm a little disappointed on behalf of my daughter that Elsa, Anna and Olaf aren't available to meet, but that's a pretty great lineup which she will LOVE!

 

[rainbowredpanda]

That's awesome - thank you so much for all the information!

I'm a little disappointed on behalf of my daughter that Elsa, Anna and Olaf aren't available to meet, but that's a pretty great lineup which she will LOVE!

Anna, Elsa and Olaf might appear in the kids club during your cruise. On the first day, there will be open times when anyone can visit. Maybe you can speak to the crew there and see if they will be there. There is also a Frozen Show on the Wonder so even if they don't appear in the club, you will still see them on board.

 

[Agent 86]

Anna, Elsa and Olaf might appear in the kids club during your cruise.

Thank you! I saw that one of the four themed areas in Oceaneer's club was "Frozen" themed, but I wasn't sure whether it was just pre-recorded "skits" with Anna, Elsa and Olaf on a big screen or whether they might actually appear there.

I'll ask during the "open hours". I'm not entirely sure our daughter will be comfortable going into the club by herself, but IF she has a chance to meet some Frozen friends, perhaps she'll be okay if we're waiting outside the club for her once she's finished.