Planning a Disney cruise can be a magical experience, but it’s important to stay organized and on top of things.
Below, I’ll provide a timeline to help you plan your dream Disney cruise vacation and make sure you don’t miss any important deadlines.
From choosing your itinerary to booking your excursions, I’ve got you covered every step of the way.
In addition to this checklist and timeline, I’ll provide you with in-depth details and recommendations to help plan the best cruise possible that you will cherish forever.
Jump to:
- Disney Cruise Planning Timeline and Checklist
- 16 Months Before Cruise
- 12 Months Before Cruise
- 6 Months Before Cruise
- 3-4 Months Before Cruise
- Concierge Staterooms Only
- Pearl Castaway Club Members Only
- Platinum Castaway Club Members Only
- Gold Castaway Club Members Only
- Silver Castaway Club Members Only
- First-Time Cruisers Only
- 40 to 30 Days Before Cruise
- 1 Week Before Cruise
- Day of Cruise
- It’s Time to Count Down the Days
Disney Cruise Planning Timeline and Checklist
Here is an ideal timeline for planning a Disney Cruise:
16 Months Before Cruise
Start booking or at least researching next year’s summer itineraries.
Book or Research Next Summer Itineraries
As crazy as it sounds, some of the more popular or new sailings and itineraries, such as the ones that include Greece, Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii, can sell out pretty far in advance.
That said, you normally won’t need to book this far out. The only exception would be if you’re interested in a Concierge Stateroom which can either sell out very quickly, or the cheaper rooms will be long gone, leaving you with having to pay a premium for a suite.
But if you do want to have the peace of mind that you grabbed the best stateroom possible that fits your vacation budget, this is a great time to book your cruise.
12 Months Before Cruise
This is the Disney-recommended time when you should research then book your Disney Cruise.
Decide Where You Want to Go
This is around the time when you should start researching and deciding on where you want to take a Disney Cruise. The things you should consider are:
- Ports of Call
- Ship
- Stateroom Type
- Departure Port
Book Your Disney Cruise
After doing some research this is when you should book your Disney Cruise, at least according to Disney Cruise Lines.
Booking this far in advance gives you the best stateroom choices, especially if you are looking for Concierge.
6 Months Before Cruise
This is when you should start booking your flights, if needed.
Book Your Flights
If you need to book a flight to get to the cruise port where you’ll be departing from, this is one of the better times to find the best flights. This is incredibly important if you’re taking a Disney Cruise in Europe.
3-4 Months Before Cruise
This is when you’ll need to start booking your activities such as:
- Port Adventures (excursions)
- specialty adult dining
- spa services
- onboard activities
- cabanas
HOWEVER, the exact number of days in advance that you can book these activities depends entirely on your Castaway Club membership level.
Below, I’ll go into detail for each Castaway Club level, including the timeline for first-time Disney cruisers. If you’re a Castaway Club member and need assistance, you can call the dedicated phone number at 1-800-449-3380.
Concierge Staterooms Only
This timeline is only for guests staying in Concierge Staterooms.
125 Days Before Cruise
As a Concierge guest, you’ll get early access to activity planning before anyone else. To reserve your activities, especially if you want to book a Castaway Cay cabana, you have to email your concierge team (they’ll introduce themselves to you via email 130 prior to your sail date).
For the best chance of successfully booking your activities, you must send that email at 12:00 am EST on the 125 day mark.
Pearl Castaway Club Members Only
This timeline is only for Pearl Castaway Club Members.
123 Days Before Cruise
As a Pearl Castaway Club Member, you’ll get early access to book online all of your desired cruise actives, adult dining, spa services, Port Adventures, classes, and more.
40 Days Before Cruise
You’ll have early access to online check-in which is where you can select your preferred port arrival time, register kids for youth clubs, and more.
Platinum Castaway Club Members Only
This timeline is only for Platinum Castaway Club Members.
120 Days Before Cruise
As a Platinum Castaway Club Member, you’ll get early access to book online all of your desired cruise activities like adult dining, spa services, Port Adventures, classes, and more.
38 Days Before Cruise
You’ll have early access to online check-in which is where you can select your preferred port arrival time, register kids for youth clubs, and more.
Gold Castaway Club Members Only
This timeline is only for Gold Castaway Club Members.
105 Days Before Cruise
As a Gold Castaway Club Member, you’ll get early access to book online all of your desired cruise activities like adult dining, spa services, Port Adventures, classes, and more.
35 Days Before Cruise
You’ll have early access to online check-in which is where you can select your preferred port arrival time, register kids for youth clubs, and more.
Silver Castaway Club Members Only
This timeline is only for Silver Castaway Club Members.
90 Days Before Cruise
As a Silver Castaway Club Member, you’ll get early access to book online all of your desired cruise activities like adult dining, spa services, Port Adventures, classes, and more.e.
33 Days Before Cruise
You’ll have early access to online check-in which is where you can select your preferred port arrival time, register kids for youth clubs, and more.
First-Time Cruisers Only
This timeline is only for first-time Disney cruisers only.
75 Days Before Cruise
As a first-time cruiser on Disney Cruise Lines, you can start to book all of your onboard activities, spa services, Port Adventures, and adults-only dining, online.
30 Days Before Cruise
This is when you’ll check-in for your cruise online as well as select your preferred port arrival time, register kids for youth clubs, and more.
40 to 30 Days Before Cruise
This is when you’ll be able to check-in for your cruise online.
Check-In for Your Cruise
Regardless of Castaway Club membership levels, the 30 day mark is when online check-in is open for all guests sailing on a Disney Cruise.
1 Week Before Cruise
This is when the fun starts to begin.
Pack
Time to pack for your Disney Cruise! If you need some recommendations, check out my DCL packing list.
Day of Cruise
The big day is finally here!
Make Sure You Have Everything
Keys, wallet, passport, cash, sunglasses, sunscreen, phone chargers, sandals, hats, swimsuit, etc.
Arrival at Your Departure Port
It’s time arrive at the port (at the arrival time you chose when checking in online) and then board your Disney Cruise ship.
It’s Time to Count Down the Days
Well that’s a wrap on booking your next Disney Cruise!
With all these tips and recommendations I’ve shared, you’ll be able to breeze through this entire booking process with ease without missing any pivotal steps.
Now that you’ve got your cruise booking timeline situated, it’s time to start counting down the days to your sail date!
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