The very first thing I do once onboard the Fantasy is...

[PraisingHim]

We are sailing on the Disney Fantasy in less than two weeks! However, I'm having some anxiety about meet and greet tickets, booking mixology, praying for a spot for Palo brunch, best time to grab lunch, and lines at the Auquaduck. I've been telling my DH that we have to divide and conquer. Yes, I know it's all silly and I'm trying super hard to relax... This will be our 2nd Disney Cruise in four years (first time on the Fantasy).

I have sarched the DIS boards but could not fine a thread that addressed the aforementioned. What did your first hour look like?

 

[Disneyteachers]

We are sailing on the Disney Fantasy in less than two weeks! However, I'm having some anxiety about meet and greet tickets, booking mixology, praying for a spot for Palo brunch, best time to grab lunch, and lines at the Auquaduck. I've been telling my DH that we have to divide and conquer. Yes, I know it's all silly and I'm trying super hard to relax... This will be our 2nd Disney Cruise in four years (first time on the Fantasy).

I have sarched the DIS boards but could not fine a thread that addressed the aforementioned. What did your first hour look like?

On the Wonder in Aug and am wondering the same thing...having never cruised before we likely won't be able to book palo dinner beforehand, want to book 1-2 mixology classes, kids will totally want to swim, eating is somewhat down the line in the order of importance....

 

[PraisingHim]

On the Wonder in Aug and am wondering the same thing...having never cruised before we likely won't be able to book palo dinner beforehand, want to book 1-2 mixology classes, kids will totally want to swim, eating is somewhat down the line in the order of importance....

OKAY, I'm glad my feelings are normal. I remember on our last cruise (Disney Magic), we waited awhile to get an elevator. It was a mad rush. Our kids are older now so we will definitely use the stairs.

 

[asunutgirl]

Just off the Fantasy yesterday. Our first day went like this: head straight to the spa to book massage, lunch at Enchanted Garden (less crazy than Cabanas), took DD14 to the kids club to take pictures in Andy's room (she loves Toy Story), head to room to drop our bags and decorate door, DVC Member mingle (for the free drinks!), Muster Drill (required), up to Deck 11 for sail away, back to room to unpack, dinner, show.

We didn't do any of the character greetings this time - if we wanted them, I would have sent DH to Guest Services while I was booking the spa.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are sailing on the Disney Fantasy in less than two weeks! However, I'm having some anxiety about meet and greet tickets, booking mixology, praying for a spot for Palo brunch, best time to grab lunch, and lines at the Auquaduck. I've been telling my DH that we have to divide and conquer. Yes, I know it's all silly and I'm trying super hard to relax... This will be our 2nd Disney Cruise in four years (first time on the Fantasy).

I have sarched the DIS boards but could not fine a thread that addressed the aforementioned. What did your first hour look like?

Well, we typically just go to lunch. We don't usually have anything that needs tending to as soon as we board. On a couple of cruises, I had to make a change to our Palo reservation, and I went and did that while everyone else headed for lunch. Then I joined up with them.

If you have a lot you want to do, it's best to divide and conquer. As long as everyone knows what the priorities are for what they are doing.

My feeling about cruising is - just relax and enjoy what you can do, and don't fret about what doesn't happen. In other words - don't try to do everything, you can't.

 

[Hundredacre]

If you want meet and greet or character breakfast etc, go first thing for tickets. Everyone else should head to the aquaduck. Depending on how long kids want to stay at aquaduck, I might just have everyone eat at the pool (chicken fingers, pizza, etc).

 

[mmouse37]

Let out a sigh and smile Then I sign up for drink tastings, pick up meet & greet tix and then go to the dining changes venue to see about Palo. Oh, then eat lunch.

MJ

 

[cedricandsophie]

We usually travel with my husband, adult disabled daughter, her friend and me. We get a table in the goofy pool area , grab lunch from the grill and bring it back to the table. I can never understand why people want to eat inside! Then the girls grt in line for character tickets and my husband and I go to the cove pool until the rooms open up. I may or may get tasting reservations. We also try to do at least one aqua duck ride as early as possible. We are Platinum and get on as soon as the doors open.

 

[Sytrace]

If I had children who were actually interested in meet and greets, (mine are teens and not interested in the meet and greets) I would definitely sign them up for that first thing and send them to the pool/Aquaduck. Fix them a couple of plates and sit poolside.
Then go check out mixology sign ups and see if there are any Palo openings.

I hope you have a great cruise!

 

[1buckeyegirl]

We usually head up to the top deck to get a table and get the kids changed into their swimsuits to swim and do the aqua duck. My husband stays with the kids while I book character meets and anything else we want to do. Then we eat lunch by the pool and relax until our rooms are ready. Then it's open house at the kids clubs and the muster drill and sail away party. After all that it's usually almost dinner time and then we'll unpack after dinner and then to the show! Make sure to go over the navigator while your waiting to board so you can see where you need to go to book things. Have fun!

 

[CamColt]

This goes for any DCL ship. Upon boarding we go to the buffet and wait for it to open. After we eat DSs usually take off and start exploring while DH and I have our dessert of a frozen drink, sometimes at the adult pool bar. While waiting for our room to be ready if we have anything that needs to be taken care of such as gift cards put on our account or signing up for the 5K, tastings, etc... we will do that and by then its 1:30 so we head to the room to drop off our carry on bags. If luggage is there we unpack, if not we might head to the pool for a while.

 

[Bambi D.]

Where do you book mixology and tastings?

 

[diznymom]

We go straight to Cabanas for lunch.

 

[soniam]

I don't think Mixology was that hard to book when we were on Fantasy in Summer 2014. I don't even remember if we booked it the first day. I would put it at the bottom of the list, because I think everything else is more limited. Definitely do it, or one of the other alcohol classes if you can. There's more than just Mixology. I think we booked it in the La Piazza bar, but that may change. They will put it in the Navigator, make an announcement, or have a sign up on the first day.

 

[tnshsms]

We have a 7yo very interested in meets so this is what we do.

Name called, go straight to Port Adventures for meet and greet tickets.
If Palo and Mixology are on your list, then I'd do that while my hubby and daughter waiting for meet and greet tickets.
Head to whatever dining room is serving lunch. (yes, its a little slower and yes, there is a smaller variety, and yes-there may not be seats right away-if there isn't then I'd go buffet) I prefer this route to buffet but that's personal preference.
Once I'm done eating, we go to our rooms, drop off bags, DD changes to swimsuit and then to kids clubs to check in and look around. Then to pool. Yes, it will more crowded at this point but she understands that we'll have plenty of time to hit the pool and Aquaduck later.

 

[Drusilla99]

Go to cabanas, get a drink & relax!

 

[RedSox68]

Now that we don't have any kids to book/register venues for, and try to book our Palo online before boarding, our first hour consists strictly of lunch in a MDR (if we haven't dropped off our carryons yet, we don't like going to Cabanas with all the luggage), and getting a drink of the day! Then we go to our stateroom, unpack and settle in, and walk the ship until the drill (it's nice we don't have to take the life vests anymore). I just love standing on the deck or verandah and watching all the activity on the dock and people arriving. Ten cruises later and it still excites me to wait for the sailaway party.

I really like that the new ships have a bar right in the atrium -- easy first drink to kick start the old vacay!

 

[PraisingHim]

We have a 7yo very interested in meets so this is what we do.

Name called, go straight to Port Adventures for meet and greet tickets.
If Palo and Mixology are on your list, then I'd do that while my hubby and daughter waiting for meet and greet tickets.
Head to whatever dining room is serving lunch. (yes, its a little slower and yes, there is a smaller variety, and yes-there may not be seats right away-if there isn't then I'd go buffet) I prefer this route to buffet but that's personal preference.
Once I'm done eating, we go to our rooms, drop off bags, DD changes to swimsuit and then to kids clubs to check in and look around. Then to pool. Yes, it will more crowded at this point but she understands that we'll have plenty of time to hit the pool and Aquaduck later.

Great ideas! Thank You!

 

[RedSox68]

On the Wonder in Aug and am wondering the same thing...having never cruised before we likely won't be able to book palo dinner beforehand, want to book 1-2 mixology classes, kids will totally want to swim, eating is somewhat down the line in the order of importance....

One time I couldn't get Palo, we all went to lunch and I ran upstairs to do Palo, then joined the family back at lunch. If your kids want to do the pool, go to Cabanas and get some trays of food and head out to the pool deck. Not sure if the food stations around the pool are open on embarkation day -- but if they are, that would make it even easier.

Also, depending on when you board, you could do the pools for an hour, and then get lunch. I think Cabanas is open until at least 2:30 or 3 p.m. [make sure y'all have your bathing suits on under your clothes -- saves time].

 

[rcchello]

Lunch, schedule a tasting, satellite falls or adult hot tub.