Your UK Staycation questions answered.

[Joshua Kelso]

NOTE BEFORE READING:

I am not a Disney employee, or paid to do this, so there will be mistakes. I am happy to receive correction, just reply to the thread. This will be updated sporadically between now and Friday then not at all for 5-6 days.

Ok guys,

We sail on Friday from Liverpool. I won't have access to the forums during the cruise, but if you have any specific burning questions/topics you want answered or looked into while I'm on board post them here and I'll grab a copy of the questions before I board on Friday morning and try to get answers. So you have until then to ask away, I'll post answers when I get back.

If not, just let this topic sink to the mysterious fathoms below...

Thanks to everyone on here who has been so kind, helpful and welcoming as we prepare for our first cruise!

Arrival & Boarding



Frequently Answered Questions:

If there is no answer, I will try to find out on my cruise sailing Friday 23rd July. If you know the answer, post below and I will update. The answer will be in bold italics.

• How do I use the app to book time in the family pool?

There is no longer a virtual queue for the family pool, it is a physical queue. You get 15 minutes in the pool and then a whistle is blown and the next group get in.

• How do I make a reservation to speak with Guest Services?

You can contact guest services directly through the app when on board. If they require you to go to the desk they will schedule an appointment time for you.

If you don't have access to the app, you can call guest services by dialling "0" on your room phone, and they will book a face-to-face if necessary. You are requested not to just show up at guest services.

How has Cabanas/Palo's changed?

• How has Cabanas/Palo's changed?

There is no seafood or dessert buffet at Palo's. One repeat cruiser noted there is much less variety than normal at Cabanas. Cabanas has been changed into 5 identical stations, you will be taken to one when you arrive. There is also a salad and seafood station.

• Is there a new procedure for Aqudunk?

No.

• How do you get paper daily navigators and menus for the restaurants / bars?
• 
  
• 
  Your Server can provide a paper menu on request.
• 
  
  
• How easy is it to just turn up and get in to trivia and other entertainment, is there a limit on capacity?

Mixed bag. I've checked several activities and most were far below capacity, but for more general interest trivia like Disney songs, arrive at least 15 minutes early or you will be standing!

• Breakfast and Lunch options other than Cabanas or Room Service?

Lumiere's is open for lunch on Embarkation Day. Rapunzel's Royal Table is open for breakfast until 11am each morning, Lumiere's breakfast finishes earlier at 10am, because it is also an alternative lunch location.

• What ways can I tip for room service?

You are given a receipt when your food is delivered, just write the amount on there, sign it, and then hand it back to the cast member. If tipping cash, please use dollars if possible for the crew's sake.

• What Spa / Rainforest Room / Gym options are available?

Update: The Rainforest Room is available for private hire for groups of up to 5 for $29.00 for per person, for a 45 minute slot. If your party has less than 5, they will not allow other people in during your groups 45 minutes. Every Guest can book one 45 minute slot in the gym for free per day, this is done through the Navigator App. You can also hire a personal trainer for $89 for an hour. There are various spa treatments available from $59.

• What activities are available?

Free activities include:

- Cinema, showing two films (Currently Cruella and Black Widow)
- Disney Dreams Theatre Show
- Variety Show (4 night sailings only)
- Freezing the Night Away (Frozen characters sing-a-long)
- Various Quizzes
- One Adult late-night show
- Various musical sessions in Keys
- Animation Class
- Toy Story Treasure Hunt
...

Suspended activities:

- Wide World of Sports
- Shore Excursions
- Cooking Classes
- Baby Nursery
- ...

Activities that require pre-booking:

- Kids and Teen Clubs
- Theatre Shows
- Anything that costs extra
- Time at the Gym

Are they giving tours of the ship?
No, but the various children/teen areas have open house hours on different days for you to go have a look. This info is in the Navigator App.

• Is the Bibbity Boppity Boutique open?

Yes as a paid activity that must be booked in advance, so far it has been selling out almost immediately. This may be easier to book once the summer holidays end.

• What about nightly towel animals and chocolates?

No chocolates, yes towel animals.

• Are people dressing nicely for the MDR, or just whatever they were wearing at the time?

Mixed bag so far.

• Can you still arrange your next cruise? or get a placeholder cruise?

Yes, you can purchase a placeholder cruise.

• What is the mask policy?

Masks are not required outdoors. Masks are required indoors unless you are sitting down and eating or drinking.

• What is the situation with character meet and greets?

The Fab Five + Chip & Dale will appear around the ship at various times. On embarkation day, characters will be scattered around the ship for "Secret" meet and greets. Black Widow, Spiderman, Captain Marvel, Thor and Black Panther will be around during the Marvel Day at Sea. There is at least one opportunity to see various princesses in the main atrium. Woody and Jessie are in the Toy Story themed kid's space during some open house slots. All Character interactions are socially distanced.

Princesses spotted so far:

Anna and Elsa (At Freezing the Night Away)
Ariel (Hidden Meet and Greet)
Cinderella (Hidden Meet and Greet)
Belle, Tiana & Snow White (Atrium)
Rapunzel (Rapunzel's Royal Table Dinner Show)

• Talk to me about shopping?

The Jewellery Store is offering a free charm bracelet if you visit them during their "open house" hour. This is published in Navigator as an activity/event. The store has DCL merchandise, and merchandise from the United Kingdom Pavilion in Epcot. It also has a Christmas decoration section.

• Can you still schedule your day with the app?

Yes, there is a full list of the days activities on the app.

• I don't own a smart device, where can I rent one?

o2rentals.co.uk (As in the Network Provider O2), musicmagpie.co.uk, weeklystore.co.uk, prices start I believe at around £8.99/week. I have never used any of these services, and there are others as well. I am not affiliated in any way with any of these companies.

 

[jrapps]

Do you plan to dine at Palo for either Brunch or Dinner? I'd love to hear if they are continuing the tweak the experience at Brunch.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Some things I haven't seen yet in the videos are

• someone showing how the virtual queue for the family pool area works, screencaps from the app showing the step by step process and the return notification.
• Using the app to book a time to visit guest services, again screencaps would be very useful
• The new procedure for Aqudunk
• Getting paper menus for the restaurants / bars
• Trivia and other entertainment, how easy is it to just turn up and get in, is there a limit on capacity
• Breakfast in Lumiere's
• Lunch in an MDR
• Tipping for room service
• Spa / Rainforest Room / Gym experiences

 

[Joshua Kelso]

Do you plan to dine at Palo for either Brunch or Dinner? I'd love to hear if they are continuing the tweak the experience at Brunch.

No but I can ask. The only difference I was aware of was that there was no seafood buffet, is there something else that's been missing?

 

[Joshua Kelso]

Spa / Rainforest Room / Gym experiences

As of now, you hire the rainforest room for 1hr 45 minutes for $175, and you can have up to 6 people in your party. I'll check this is still the case on Friday.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

On embarkation day, I would like to know if you have to go to the buffet to eat when you board or will they have a sit-down option, like Animators Palate, available. My family always opts for the sit-down option.

 

[robomeister]

I'd like to know what activities are available.
Is the movie theater being utilized? What movies are available?
Are they giving tours of the ship?
Can you use the Wild World of Sports area?
Bibbity Bobbity Boo open?
Daily scavenger hunts?
Still getting a towel animal every night? Chocolate?
Are people dressing nicely for the MDR, or just whatever they were wearing at the time?
Kids clubs open for all who qualify? or is it a timesharing scheme?
Can you still arrange your next cruise? or get a placeholder cruise?
Where are masks required or recommended?
Character greeting? I'm guessing it is the distanced selfie for now.
Anything new in the shops?
What new things are included on the app during the cruise? They have been updating it regularly, but I haven't been able to use it on a cruise in a while. Can you still schedule your day with the app?
Bingo? Late night shows? Is the After Hours area open to full capacity?
What's the procedure at Cabanas? Is there a large variety of food?
Palo Brunch procedure?
Sit down lunch in the other dining rooms available?

Just a few question on my mind. I look forward to your detailed report.

 

[Joshua Kelso]

I'd like to know what activities are available.

- Multiple Quizzes, characters appearing around the ship, art classes, scavenger hunt, Frozen outdoor mini show, Disney Dreams theatre show, Disney Theatre Variety show. Live music at various places, one adult evening show.

Is the movie theater being utilized? What movies are available?

- Yes, Cruella and Black Widow

Are they giving tours of the ship?

- Not that I've seen/heard.

Bibbity Bobbity Boo open?

- Yes, but it's selling out before general booking.

Still getting a towel animal every night?

- Yes.

Kids clubs open for all who qualify? or is it a timesharing scheme?

- You need to book a slot.

Where are masks required or recommended?

- Required when inside, unless you are sitting down to eat.

Character greeting? I'm guessing it is the distanced selfie for now.

- Correct.

Anything new in the shops?

- Yes, Covid Masks. . It's my first cruise, so I don't know if I will be able to answer that, watch some of the vlogs and see what you think. It appears that they have stocked up on a lot of merch from the United Kingdom pavilion in Epcot, no idea if this is unique to staycation cruises or an existing feature of UK included cruises pre-covid.

Can you still schedule your day with the app?

- Yes.

Bingo? Late night shows?

- Yes, so far latest I've seen is 11:30pm.

What's the procedure at Cabanas? Is there a large variety of food?

- Cabanas has been split into five identical stations and (I believe) one salad and one seafood station. On arrival, you are taken to one of the 5 stations, and servers plate up for you. No, I wouldn't say based on my own expectations of a pre-covid cruise there is a "large variety" of food, but there are multiple meats, veg, carbs, deserts.

I will check to see if anything has changed by Friday, but as of now, answers above for the ones I know.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

As of now, you hire the rainforest room for 1hr 45 minutes for $175, and you can have up to 6 people in your party. I'll check this is still the case on Friday.

Deal breaker for me right there. I always get the length of cruise pass to the Rainforest Room and it has become an integral part of the cruise experience for me. And DW usually only gets one day pass. NO WAY am I paying $175 for a 1:45 visit on one day. Hopefully with stricter vaccination standards for US cruises, this will be different here.

 

[EmilyS92003]

Are paper navigators still available at guest services?

 

[Joshua Kelso]

Breakfast in Lumiere's
Lunch in an MDR

From One Manc's Dream:

Breakfast is available from 7:30am - 11am at Cabanas and Rapunzels Royal Table, and from 7:30am - 10am at Lumiere's.

Lunch is available at Lumiere's and Cabanas.

 

[DisneyBelle_x]

Some things I haven't seen yet in the videos are

• someone showing how the virtual queue for the family pool area works, screencaps from the app showing the step by step process and the return notification.
• Using the app to book a time to visit guest services, again screencaps would be very useful
• The new procedure for Aqudunk
• Getting paper menus for the restaurants / bars
• Trivia and other entertainment, how easy is it to just turn up and get in, is there a limit on capacity
• Breakfast in Lumiere's
• Lunch in an MDR
• Tipping for room service
• Spa / Rainforest Room / Gym experiences

- for guest services you chat to the, via the app, very easy to find and then if you need to go they’ll make an appointmen, it’s not actually a button to make one straight away

- there is no new procedure for Aquadunk, because you access the stairs via deck 10 you don’t need to join a virtual queue, it was pretty empty maybe less than 5 people or so every time I went past last weekend

- breakfast in Lumieres worked same as Rapunzels, show up and shown to a table, the hours are shorter than Rapunzels however because it’s open for lunch

- room service tips, you are given a receipt when food is delivered, just pop the amount on there and sign then hand it back

 

[DisneyBelle_x]

On embarkation day, I would like to know if you have to go to the buffet to eat when you board or will they have a sit-down option, like Animators Palate, available. My family always opts for the sit-down option.

Lumieres is open

 

[DisneyBelle_x]

I'd like to know what activities are available.
Is the movie theater being utilized? What movies are available?
Are they giving tours of the ship?
Can you use the Wild World of Sports area? No, it’s being used for extra subbed space
Bibbity Bobbity Boo open?
Daily scavenger hunts?
Still getting a towel animal every night? Chocolate? No chocolates
Are people dressing nicely for the MDR, or just whatever they were wearing at the time? Mixture
Kids clubs open for all who qualify? or is it a timesharing scheme?
Can you still arrange your next cruise? or get a placeholder cruise? Yes, you can
Where are masks required or recommended?
Character greeting? I'm guessing it is the distanced selfie for now.
Anything new in the shops? A few bits but selling fast
What new things are included on the app during the cruise? They have been updating it regularly, but I haven't been able to use it on a cruise in a while. Can you still schedule your day with the app?
Bingo? Late night shows? Is the After Hours area open to full capacity?
What's the procedure at Cabanas? Is there a large variety of food? Very small variety in comparison to previous sailings
Palo Brunch procedure?
Sit down lunch in the other dining rooms available? just L

Just a few question on my mind. I look forward to your detailed report.

I saw some questions have been answered but will do the others I know the answer to

 

[Joshua Kelso]

I saw some questions have been answered but will do the others I know the answer to

Why thank you Belle...

 

[Lady_S]

Thank you so much for the Q&A! This definitely gives me an idea of what to expect. We are traveling with another family (fortunately not until February), but I'm concerned our experience will be terrible if we can't access the pools and kids club at the same times. Do you know if passengers with "linked" reservations can somehow book kids club/enter pool queue together?

Also is there a virtual queue for the adult pool?

For the Theatre shows, have they reduced theatre capacity? Do you have to book in advance to attend?

 

[lanejudy]

If your cruise isn't until February, it must be out of the US. The US protocols haven't been made public yet -- some are extrapolating based on the UK cruises but that is still just an assumption. You may want to watch one of the threads about US-based cruising. And don't be surprised if what's announced for next month's first cruises changes (maybe more than once) before your Feb. cruise.

 

[diablodancer]

Thank you so much for the Q&A! This definitely gives me an idea of what to expect. We are traveling with another family (fortunately not until February), but I'm concerned our experience will be terrible if we can't access the pools and kids club at the same times. Do you know if passengers with "linked" reservations can somehow book kids club/enter pool queue together?

Also is there a virtual queue for the adult pool?

For the Theatre shows, have they reduced theatre capacity? Do you have to book in advance to attend?

Not the OP but can answer most of these from reports from the sailings so far.

Believe linked reservations can book things together. There’s no queue for the adult pool. Theatre has reduced capacity (spacing between, in front and behind parties) and you have to book in advance (this opens 30 days out as does kids club)

 

[Lady_S]

Thank you! We have a US cruise planned, but I imagine many of these practices will be carried over to the US, assuming viral risks continue. It's nice to be able to envision what to expect. Very much appreciate this thread as I haven't had time to watch all the videos!

 

[Joshua Kelso]

Just waiting for our email with our covid results. We arrived early (naughty) because I knew there was lots of wide open space to wait outside and the weather was lovely where the pedestrian entrance is. We arrived at 12:40 (Arrival Time was 13:15 - 13:30) and we hadn't barely say down before we were asked if we'd like to board. We dropped off our luggage and got all the way through the initial queue and had taken our test by 13:16. Got our email at 13:31! On the bus now!


Outside the Exhibition Centre, the dockside is behind me, loads of space to wait and some places to sit with shade. Kids can watch the boats while you wait.

Pedestrian option seems waaaaaaaaaaaaay smoother and quicker than arriving in your own vehicle.