Cruises have worked well for our family traveling with our daughter Beth, who has numerous disabilities and medical conditions. After our great experiences on several cruises with three different cruise lines and our magical times at Disney theme parks, we were ecstatic to surprise Beth with our family’s first Disney cruise for her sweet 16th birthday. So, how well does Disney Cruise Line host families traveling with children with special needs? Our review may surprise you.
We had a wonderful time on our vacation. Most importantly, Beth had a blast and brought joy to others on the ship! But we did experience situations that were less than enjoyable due to Beth’s disabilities. Your family’s experience may have been very different from ours, or you may have encountered similar frustrations.
This is our family’s candid review based on our recent cruising experience on the Disney Treasure. We will share about Beth’s magical moments and our family’s not-so-magical disability encounters and give you important must-know info before you plan your family’s trip.
***Make sure to read the full review to use the quick links at the bottom of the post to go directly to Disney Cruise Line’s disability policies and information.
We are also professional disability advocates, so we are viewing our experience as objectively as possible and including Disney Cruise Line’s official policy language in our review. We are giving examples of how these policies actually played out for our family.
To put our experience in context, we’ll highlight Beth’s various disabilities. She tires easily. She is able to walk and even run short distances, and moderate distances if she has too. But the later the day gets, and the more fatigued she becomes, the more she needs to ride in her wheelchair. Also, if she were to walk everywhere, it would take us ten times longer and be much more difficult, especially if she is struggling emotionally or behaviorally.
Beth also is mostly nonverbal and has intellectual disabilities. But her receptive language is much more advanced than her expressive language, which means she understands a lot. She can become overwhelmed, especially if she grows tired. She is vision-impaired and hearing-impaired and wears glasses and hearing aids. She has a g-tube but can eat and drink by mouth as well.
With never having traveled on Disney Cruise Line (DCL), we realize now that we had made some assumptions about basic accommodations you would think you wouldn’t need to communicate prior to the cruise (like accessible seating). We wish we had taken the time to research more prior to booking our trip, but we aren’t sure how much difference it would have made. Learn from our experience!
We’re ranking each category or aspect of the cruise 1 to 5 stars for our experience as a family traveling with a child with multiple disabilities. 1 star means the accommodations or actions by staff were not acceptable, and 5 stars means the accommodations were what one might expect to be standard.
Character Meet and Greets
Meeting the characters was the highlight of the trip for Beth. All the slots for the reserved experiences were already full prior to the cruise. So once on board, we just planned regular encounters based on the characters’ schedules.
Beth was in her happy place every time she met a character, especially Minnie Mouse!
We arrived early to get in line since sometimes the characters were scheduled to only be there for fifteen minutes. If the line was too long (sometimes 50 to 100 people), we skipped that character for the day and found another time during the week.
The characters’ locations were always accessible by elevator. Though, the areas did become congested at times and difficult to push the wheelchair through to get in line, but people moved aside to let us through.
The Character Greeters were friendly and helpful, even when Beth accidently jumped on Mickey’s shoe, and he had to go for a wardrobe change!
The official policy for individuals with disabilities reads: “If a family member’s disability impacts his/her ability to wait for a character, one family member can wait in the queue and the party can be reunited when it is their turn to meet the character. Single parents or guardians, who are unable to use this option, should notify the Character Greeter for assistance.”
General Accessibility of the Ship
Overall, navigating the ship was similar to our experiences on other cruise lines. All the ships we’ve been on with the other three cruise lines have always had their limitations and frustrations regarding accessibility. We felt like this cruise was much less crowded than others, which was really nice, especially when we wanted to escape the noise and crowds.
One area we were surprised about was the lack of handicap accessible or companion care restrooms.
Restrooms
We only found one individual restroom outside the entrance of Marceline Market (the buffet) that wasn’t even marked wheelchair accessible. Staff were unable to direct us to any other single restrooms on the entire ship.
The regular restrooms were small and loud, and it was difficult to maneuver Beth’s wheelchair in and to the accessible stall. Some of the restroom doors had automatically-opening doors, but many did not. And the doors were heavy.
Staterooms
We can only speak to what our typical stateroom was like, because we opted to not request an accessible stateroom for a couple of reasons. Beth does not like showers. She’s actually quite averse to them. Having a bathtub shower worked much better for our family.
Also, we wanted the possibility of having adjoining rooms with Kristin’s parents so they could be close and easily come in to help with Beth’s medical care. We requested adjoining rooms for this reason at the time we made the reservation, and the cruise line did grant this request, which was great.
The regular state room doorway was not wide enough to fit Beth’s small wheelchair through. We had to fold it up to bring it in. The bathrooms would be nearly impossible for a person in a wheelchair to use as well with the step up and tight space.
Elevators
The elevators felt smaller than other ships we’ve been on. We were expecting to have to wait long times for elevators, but we actually didn’t. Families and children on the ship were very nice and considerate. Following shows and returning on board at ports were the only times we really had to wait. Perhaps the short waits were because the ship was less crowded, there was a small amount of people using wheelchairs and walkers, and more people used the stairs.
Hallways
Like any other ship, if there’s luggage or state room attendant carts in the cabin hallways, it can be nearly impossible to push or drive a wheelchair through the long, skinny hall. This did happen only a couple of times. The staff did not offer to move their carts, so we went the long way around.
Embarkation and Disembarkation
Boarding
Check-in and boarding the ship were relatively standard. There were elevators in the cruise terminal, and ramps you walk or ride up in a wheelchair. Disembarkation was similar with ramps you walked down.
Gangways
There were two different types of gangways for the cruise ports at Cozumel and Falmouth, Jamaica. One end of the ship had a short, steep ramp, and the other end of the ship had gradual steps. If you had a wheelchair, you would need to go to the other end of the ship to the ramp which was annoying.
Tender Boats
At George Town, Grand Cayman, it’s necessary to board a tender boat to ferry over to the island. This can be a long process for anyone but especially individuals with disabilities. Even though we didn’t have Beth in a wheelchair (because we would not have been able to ride the local taxi with a wheelchair), we were directed to wait in the back of the theater with individuals in wheelchairs so Beth would not have to walk all the way down the theater aisle steps.
When it was our group’s turn, a staff member directed us down to the tender boat via the elevators. The boat was wheelchair accessible (meaning you could board and get off on the same level). They let our group board before other guests were allowed to, so we could sit in the front.
However, when we docked on the island, we were not allowed to get off first, and the crowd rushed up and actually pushed in against us and it wasn’t possible for us to get off with Beth until everyone else had gotten off (same for the woman in a wheelchair).
When we got in the tender line to return to the ship that afternoon, we discovered that some of the tender boats were not handicap accessible. We didn’t want to stand in the hot sun waiting for the next one. We boarded on the main level, but when we transferred back onto the ship, we had to climb a steep flight of steps. Of course it was not possible for Beth to get off until everyone else had gone up and gotten off.
TIP: Notify the ship prior to the cruise date that you will need an accessible tender boat.
Restaurants
When we first boarded and headed to the buffet, we asked the hostess if there was an accessible seating area like there typically is on other cruise lines. She said there was not an accessible seating area, but she directed us to an area to the right that was a little bit quieter. It was difficult to navigate the crowded restaurant while pushing Beth’s wheelchair and the tables were close together.
For dinner, we hadn’t requested a table that would be near the front of the restaurants, because we didn’t expect the restaurants to be as crowded as they were with little room to walk between chairs and tables.
TIP: It’s a good idea to let the ship know ahead of time if you will have a family member in a wheelchair so they can seat your party at an easy-to-access table in the different restaurants.
Sensory Stimulation
For kids (and adults) who love screens, lights, and sounds, the Treasure was a blast. But we all became overloaded with technostress by the end of the week, especially on the three nights we were assigned to dine in Worlds of Marvel. Throughout the dinner experience, shows played on the flat screens that surrounded the restaurant, and there were flashing lights. Plaza de Coco was also loud, especially during the singing showtimes. The 1923 restaurant was more like a formal sit-down restaurant.
Beth loved all the sensory input in Marvel, but we think it may have contributed to her fatigue and dysregulation.
Other sensory inputs:
- When walking on board the ship, a staff member announces the family name with a microphone. This was loud. When walking up to the crew member, we recommend asking for a quiet announcement if your child might be sensitive to the noise.
- The ship typically announced a warning prior to sounding horns or alarms which gave us time to get out Beth’s noise cancelling headphones.
- There were fireworks one night.
- For the live theater shows, there was smoke and bubbles in the first rows.
- The pool deck is very noisy with the movie playing on the large screen and the music. There are also often lifeguard whistles for everyone to exit the pools for breaks.
Seating for Shows
Trying to get seats for the theater shows where Beth could actually see and not have to walk down lots of stairs felt almost impossible. By evenings, she was exhausted and needed to stay in her wheelchair.
For Beauty and the Beast we asked staff where we should go and they told us to wait outside the main theater doors. We ended up in the very back row underneath an obstructed view where Beth couldn’t see the show. We asked about going down to the accessible seats in the front of the theater, and we were told that all the accessible seats were already full and that only one companion could have sat with Beth anyway.
After that disappointing experience and other unmagical moments on the ship, we to went Guest Services to speak to a manager about our concerns. The manager assured us that she would reserve accessible seats in the front of the theater for Moana. She instructed us to arrive 30 minutes prior to the doors opening.
When we got off the elevator, we weren’t even able to get to the hallway much less down the skinny corridor to get in line for the accessible seats. It was chaos, and people were frustrated and arguing.
We were shocked that there was no staff member to greet or direct the crowd.
The hallway was packed with Concierge level guests. One lady on a scooter gave up and went back to the elevator.
We did eventually make it to our reserved seats. The aisle to get to the seats was barely wide enough for us to push Beth’s wheelchair through.
Many of the seats in the front rows are reserved for Concierge level guests. Accessible seats are on a first-come basis, and once they are full there are no more seats for individuals with disabilities. It’s best to arrive an hour before the show to get in line.
Our recommendation: Contact DCL at least 60 days prior to sail date and request accessible seating for the live shows. We honestly don’t know if this will make a difference though.
Bottom Line: Unless guest services reserves seats for your party, the best chance of getting accessible seats is to get in line on the low level of the theater 1 hour before showtime.
Pool Deck Shows:
For the shows on the pool deck, we did discover that there is a roped-off area on one side of the stage. They let us in and even set up chairs for our family to sit next to Beth’s wheelchair. For the sail away party, the roped off accessible area was stage left, but the other two shows on the deck were stage right.
Dining Staff
We were most impressed with the friendliness and professionalism of the dining staff. We learned that you rotate restaurants each night, but the servers and even managers rotate with you. The team always made sure that Beth was comfortable and had what she needed.
All of the dining staff were very sweet and attentive to Beth and our family.
The staff in the buffet would help us carry our food and drinks to the table when we were pushing Beth’s wheelchair.
Our main server learned that Beth loves practical jokes, so he would do a magic trick each night after the meal.
Our dining experiences were one of the highlights of our trip!
Food Allergies and Sensitivities
Kristin has an allergy to shellfish, and Beth has a sensitivity to dairy products. On other cruise lines, we have simply informed the restaurant staff on the first day, and our food has been handled carefully, and it was never a big deal. DCL requests that you notify them of any special dietary needs or allergies when you book your cruise.
Servers doublechecked at each meal that Beth’s food did not contain any dairy products.
Other cruise lines have simply run Kristin’s meals through the head chef. She has always been able to order off the regular menu.
But the Treasure wanted Kristin to order from the “allergy menu,” which meant her meals would also not contain all other allergens that are fine for her to have like dairy, nuts, etc. This greatly limited her menu choices. Requesting to order off the regular menu but check her dishes for shellfish did not fit into DCL’s allergy protocol and made Kristin’s dining experience awkward.
TIP: Make sure to read about Special Dietary Requests and notify DCL when you make your reservation.
The Disney Private Island
***Make sure to request special dietary needs for Castaway Cay at least the day before if not sooner. There will be an allergy line at the food centers.
Port Adventure Options
Port excursions can prove to be one of the most difficult aspects of Disney cruises for families traveling with a loved one with physical disabilities. A whopping 93% of the DCL port adventures for the Treasure explicitly exclude persons with physical limitations. And if a child or adult has special needs, apparently DCL staff can decide that the individual cannot go on an excursion. And many of the excursion options are not realistic for families with special needs. One example is Dunns River Falls in Jamaica.
For the majority of port adventures, the information even states that if you present with a wheelchair (even a collapsible one), you will be denied access to the activity. This is even true for renting an expensive private van through the cruise ship for sightseeing in Jamaica!
We had to advocate for Beth to be able to go on our booked excursion even though she was walking, and we did not even have a wheelchair with us.
Beth has gone on numerous boat and snorkeling trips over the years through other cruise lines and resorts. We signed up for the clear bottom boat and snorkeling port adventure because she enjoys boats and swimming and does well on these trips.
We had read the exclusionary criteria, so Beth walked to the meeting point and off the ship following behind the DCL staff member’s sign with the rest of the group. When we stopped on the dock, the staff member pulled Todd aside in front of the other guests and proceeded to ask Todd questions about Beth’s special needs. He then informed us that Beth was not going to be allowed on the boat. This was all based on her appearing to have special needs. We were embarrassed and infuriated.
There were families with young children in the group waiting for the same boat, but the DCL staff member didn’t ask their parents questions.
We kept asking, “On what grounds are you saying she cannot participate?” Once finally on board our clear bottom boat, Beth and our family had a blast!
Overview of Accessible Port Adventures
Out of all the 130 different port adventures options for the entire cruise (not including the Disney private island, Castaway Cay), there are only 9 accessible excursion options. The majority of port adventure options state “Guests must be ambulatory. Wheelchairs (collapsible or electric) are not permitted. Tour operators will deny participation to Guests arriving in wheelchairs or electric scooters.”
And the few accessible port adventure options fill up quickly, as you can imagine.
TIP: Find out more about Accessible Port Adventures options and book your accessible port adventures the moment you are able to.
On Board Activities
Pools
The pools are a problem for families who have members with disabilities. This policy is similar to other cruise ships unfortunately due to the U. S. Public Health Service law that “requires that only children who are toilet trained are permitted to enter swimming pools and spas aboard cruise ships.”
There were signs at every pool that stated: “Children who are not toilet trained are welcome to our kids’ wet play areas and splash zones, where they must wear swim diapers. Please note that swim diapers are not permitted in the pools, hot tubs or spas, the AquaDuck and the AquaLab.”
For a child or adult who is too large for a baby/toddler splash zone who requires an incontinence pullup, there are no water options on board.
Side note: The adult-only pool is not accessible for anyone who is not physically fit enough to climb down and up a dock or boat-like ladder.
Kids Clubs
Kids and youth clubs are “available to children who are fully toilet trained, able to individually participate within our counselor-to-child ratio groups and interact socially and comfortably with peers of their own age and physical size.” This is pretty standard on other cruise lines.
But parents/guardians may accompany their child to the youth activities during Open House times.
Castaway Cay
Overall, we really enjoyed our day at the beach, and we found the island to be relatively accessible.
The tram
We looked forward to relaxing at the DCL’s island on the last day of the trip. After we went down the gangway, we stopped to say hi to Stitch then walked the distance to board the tram.
There was one wheelchair accessible car per tram.
There was a ramp the driver could have easily pulled out so Beth wouldn’t have to get out of her wheelchair and step up into then down out of car, and we wouldn’t have to lift the heavy wheelchair up into the car.
The driver indicated that he preferred not to use the ramp. Getting off the tram, Beth was nearly injured as the driver lifted her wheelchair off the tram but didn’t lock the breaks. When Beth tripped getting down, she went to sit in her wheelchair and it moved.
Leaving the beach to return to the ship, the driver pulled out the ramp, pushed Beth into the car and locked down her wheelchair. Much safer.
Beach Access
We were pleasantly surprised to find numerous beach wheelchairs waiting close to the entrance of the beach.
There were a couple of wheelchair beach access points that had mats you could push the wheelchair down. But then after that, it was nearly impossible to go between the rows of chairs.
We were able to exchange Beth’s wheelchair for one that would be easier to push on the beach and avoid getting sand in her wheelchair’s gears.
Restrooms
We did find one designated accessible restroom on the island, and there are accessible stalls in the other restrooms. The disability guide states there are three companion restrooms on the island.
Knowledge and Professionalism of Staff
We found most of the staff to be very friendly and helpful. In addition to the dining staff, our state room attendant was very nice and professional.
But staff of different levels and of various positions and experience obviously did not have adequate training or knowledge regarding disabilities. We felt like their responses were inconsistent and sometimes even insensitive and inappropriate.
When we were expressing our concerns about our unpleasant experiences to a manager at Guest Services, she replied “Well, at least she doesn’t understand” (referring to Beth).
We visited Guest Services numerous times throughout the week to express our concerns, but we didn’t feel that it made much difference other than ensuring Beth had seats for Moana not in the last row of the theater. Since our cruise, there has been no follow-up by DCL regarding all our conversations with Guest Services.
Overall Experience
We had a wonderful time as a family, and Beth especially enjoyed the surprise fairy dust gifts on our door and the sweet gestures by the other children.
But our cruise with Disney was eye-opening for our family, and we were surprised by how DCL hosted our daughter with disabilities. We made some assumptions that DCL would automatically have at least the accommodations that have always been a given on other cruise lines.
Throughout the entire cruise, we observed only five other families with a child with obvious disabilities. By the end of the cruise, we understood why.
Your family and other families may have had very different experiences on Disney cruises. We are sure that is the case. We simply want to share our experience to help other families better prepare.
Tips for booking your trip:
- Contact DCL and “Request Special Services” several months in advance when you book your cruise.
- Request ahead of time any and all accommodations you might need.
- Reserve excursions as soon as you can.
Don’t assume that basic accessibility will automatically be readily available like seating for live shows. When you make your reservation, communicate your disability accommodation needs and requests in writing.
We will be writing an official grievance letter to Disney Cruise Line requesting they review their policies, accessibility, and staff training. Will it make a difference for families in the future? We hope so.
We hope these tips will help you as you plan your family’s Disney cruise adventure!
~ Todd and Kristin
Quick Links
Guide for Guest with Disabilities and Medical Conditions
Services for Guest with Disabilities
My Reservations Special Services Form
Information for guests with Autism
You CAN build a thriving marriage while caring for your child with special needs. Learn the simple skills.
Dr. Todd and Kristin Evans are celebrating 24 years of marriage. They are award-winning authors, national speakers, and special needs parents. Their multi award-winning book, How to Build a Thriving Marriage as You Care for Children with Disabilities has been by Exceptional Needs Today, Christianity Today, and Today’s Christian Living. They both earned their MA in Christian Educational Ministries at Wheaton College in Illinois and have served together in full-time ministry in church, camping, and retreat settings. Todd received his PhD from Vanderbilt University’s School of Engineering and currently manages his own business, and Kristin earned her MSW from the University of Tennessee and is a licensed master social worker experienced in couples, child and family, substance abuse, and crisis counseling. They enjoy traveling and the outdoors together.
Disability Parenting
