Starting to get nervous about Fantasy and teen on the spectrum.

[darnheather]

This will be our 5th cruise but first time on anything but Magic/Wonder. I'm getting nervous that the crowds and noise may overwhelm my 17 year daughter who is on the spectrum. Is every public space just bigger? Is there a nice nook in Cabanas that will be calmer for her to enjoy meals? I'm going to go over the menus in the MDR for breakfast and lunch each day too.

How are things like waiting for the water slide and golf? Should we only try to do that on a port day?

To give a little more about her, our first trip was rough. Primarily because she needs to be exposed to things slowly. On our last trip you would have thought she ran the place.

 

[sjuncfan]

It's been a while since we've been on the Fantasy but I feel like the tables outside Cabanas might be a little quieter. Not the outdoor seating for cabanas but the tables on the pool deck - especially if you're closer to the rails.

I don't recall the golf being too crowded but the lines for Aqua Duck are always ridiculous. I think going in the evening while everyone is at a meal or the show might be a good option. Or a port day would probably be a good option too.

 

[Geomom]

We did Wonder, Magic, then Fantasy. Public spaces are definitely bigger on the Fantasy. DH and I did mini golf one afternoon on a sea day, didn't wait more than a couple minutes for any hole. Didn't do the Aquaduck, but I agree that a port day, or between dinner times would be better.

For theater shows, we liked watching from the balcony, fewer people can sit there so it's less crowded and easier to leave from. For pool deck food, there tended to be more tables available just before the adult only area.

My adult kids loved doing the Midship Detective agency, you'll see others doing it as well, but you can take your time with it, stop for the day, continue another day, etc.

Deck 4 promenade is great for walking around as well.

 

[Geomom]

We did 1 breakfast and 1 lunch in the MDR, Royal Court. It was nice and relaxing, much quieter than dinner time as there are fewer people then. Lunch menu changes daily, but the whole week is listed on the app.

Also note Fantasy has Vista Cafe, deck 4? atrium. Same free snacks as Cove Cafe, but not adult only ..so pastries/desserts during day; olives, cheese, etc at night.

 

[Mommb]

The Fantasy is bigger than the Magic/Wonder in both space and capacity. That means the number of people of greater, but there is also more space for people to spread out. My family did Pixar Day at Sea in January on the Fantasy, after doing 7 cruises on the Magic, 3 on the Wonder and 2 on the Dream. I didn't notice a significant difference between the Magic and Fantasy in the shows and in the main dining rooms, because there are more people but also more seats than on the smaller ship.

Deck parties and Atrium activities felt very crowded, but I'm not sure if they feel more crowded on the Fantasy, or just equally crowded. Castaway Cay had more people, which meant a longer wait for food and a longer walk to find chairs.

If Cabanas feels too crowded, your daughter may be better off in the main dining rooms for breakfast and lunch. I wouldn't count on finding a quiet nook, although that could happen, especially on port days if you stay on the ship.

The golf course was not crowded the few times I visited -- if it seems crowded when you go up there, just try again a little later.

The main difference I noticed betweent the Fantasy and the Magic was that the locations of the theaters, shops, and adult areas on the decks were different. Once I got my bearings about that, the Fantasy really didn't feel all that different from the Magic. You may want to go over the deck plans in advance with your daughter so she knows what to expect and what will be different from what she remembers on the Magic/Wonder.

 

[Pixarfans]

The nice thing about the Fantasy is it is still Disney and she (and you) will hopefully feel comfortable faster than your first cruise. You can definitely feel the crowds at certain times but you can also avoid them with some planning. Castaway Cay will feel fuller. The vibe is amazing! Be sure to check it out during open houses, even if she may not go otherwise.

 

[Marthasor]

I would highly recommend doing the MDRs for breakfast and lunch - the menus are very limited, but it is a much more relaxing experience. My DS also has some developmental disabilities and we never go to the buffets on the ship - they are just way too overwhelming for him. I would recommend doing the ship activities on port days if you decide not to get off the ship. The evenings are usually less crowded as well.

 

[darnheather]

The nice thing about the Fantasy is it is still Disney and she (and you) will hopefully feel comfortable faster than your first cruise. You can definitely feel the crowds at certain times but you can also avoid them with some planning. Castaway Cay will feel fuller. The vibe is amazing! Be sure to check it out during open houses, even if she may not go otherwise.

She is very excited about the Vibe. She had such a good time on our Christmas cruise finally being old enough to go.

@Geomom thank you for the balcony suggestion. That sound truly ideal.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

Recognizing that every Autistic child is different, I'm just going to tell you what our Autistic 17-year old does on the Fantasy (we've been multiple times on the ship, and he LOVES it) to see if it might fit for your daughter. As others have described, he likes to get up and go to breakfast in the MDR, sometimes even by himself. It's quiet and relaxed compared to Cabanas, where being in a line with other people close to him makes him feel trapped. He sometimes does lunch there too.

He isn't as into Vibe, so usually only goes there when his older sister can go during an open house. During days, he might do the Midship Detective Agency, play some mini-golf (usually not super crowded during the day), go to a movie, or go to an activity, particularly the behind-the-scenes one in the theater. He'll take a book and go sit in a chair on Deck 4 outside, where it can be much quieter. He's not into laying by the pool or swimming in the pools. He tends to have a fair amount of energy, so he keeps moving throughout the day.

He only goes on the Aqua Duck when the line is low and someone (usually his sister) can go with him to help him feel more comfortable. It gets kind of closed in for him once it's inside the funnel, so if there are lines, it really helps to have people he knows around him to create a buffer of space.

It's pretty fun to talk to him at dinner and hear about all the different things he did that day. It's usually more than the rest of us put together.

 

[darnheather]

@Doofenshmirtz513 isn't it great that we can let our kids be kids on these trips? I just love that she is able to have new experiences with mommy close but not hovering. She is able to retreat to the room with an ice cream cone whenever she needs to have downtime. For us it has been the best vacations ever.

 

[Pixarfans]

@Doofenshmirtz513 isn't it great that we can let our kids be kids on these trips? I just love that she is able to have new experiences with mommy close but not hovering. She is able to retreat to the room with an ice cream cone whenever she needs to have downtime. For us it has been the best vacations ever.

Yes! We are in the same boat We still don’t have our august trip planned and keep coming back to cruise, parks or something new. Both my neurodiverse kids say cruise!

 

[SeanSD]

I find the Fantasy seems far less cramped than the Wonder. The atrium for one is much bigger. Elevators bigger. And plenty of room in the spaces like D Lounge, etc for trivia or animation. Second the MDR for breakfasts and lunch. I know Cabanas is packed on both and the quick serve and main pool areas get a little hectic in the afternoons.

 

[Princesca]

I second avoiding Cabanas. I'm not neurodivergent and the chaos and frustration of it were too much for me. I ate lunch there on embarkation day and pretty much avoided it the rest of the cruise unless it was off peak time and I was just popping in for a cookie or something.

 

[ArtemisPhoenix]

My kids are autistic but a bit younger (11 and 12) and we really like getting breakfast or lunch from Cabanas and bringing it back to eat on our veranda. I don’t know if that’s an option with the room you’ve booked, but if you have one, it’s such a peaceful way to enjoy those meals. I usually go grab breakfast for everyone myself since I’m always the first one awake. I have coffee at Cove so I have a quiet hour to myself, then I get breakfast for the room and it’s a nice way to wake everyone up. The veranda is also a nice, quiet getaway anytime the ship is feeling chaotic.

You can also ask the CM to suggest little spots around the ship to get away from the hustle and bustle. Deck 4 outside is often pretty calm and the view from there is really nice. They have shuffleboard out there too, if you ask for it.

Have a great cruise!

 

[darnheather]

My kids are autistic but a bit younger (11 and 12) and we really like getting breakfast or lunch from Cabanas and bringing it back to eat on our veranda. I don’t know if that’s an option with the room you’ve booked, but if you have one, it’s such a peaceful way to enjoy those meals. I usually go grab breakfast for everyone myself since I’m always the first one awake. I have coffee at Cove so I have a quiet hour to myself, then I get breakfast for the room and it’s a nice way to wake everyone up. The veranda is also a nice, quiet getaway anytime the ship is feeling chaotic.

You can also ask the CM to suggest little spots around the ship to get away from the hustle and bustle. Deck 4 outside is often pretty calm and the view from there is really nice. They have shuffleboard out there too, if you ask for it.

Have a great cruise!

Do you ask for a tray? I've never done it for other than myself and find it a bit awkward.

 

[ArtemisPhoenix]

Do you ask for a tray? I've never done it for other than myself and find it a bit awkward.

Yeah. They were able to give me dish covers so I could stack them.

 

[SeanSD]

Yeah. They were able to give me dish covers so I could stack them.

Yes have seen many people carrying trays with dish covers back to cabins or others quieter areas of the deck.