When you think about sailing with the Disney Cruise Line, the first thing that comes to mind is a boat with a toddler who can only cater to activities of that age. Nothing goes further than the truth! The number of teenagers sailing with the Disney Cruise Line is shocking because their parents know that the cruise line does a great job of meeting kids of all ages!
Throughout my teenagers and young people, I have personal experience navigating Disney Parades. I’ve witnessed Disney’s cruise series more than just toddlers. No matter how old the guests are, this is a cruise line designed for families!
Anyone with teenagers knows that people of this age want a sense of independence and being able to choose whatever they want to do on vacation. Let’s face it… nothing is worse than having a child who keeps complaining about having to attend family activities. (We’ve all been there as parents!) Thankfully, the Disney Parade Line offers an environment where every family member can choose what they want to do with their family.
Suppose your teenager wants to sleep on holidays, but if they do, they will miss breakfast from other families. On Disney Parade, no problem!
When your teenager is later than the whole family, they can stop for breakfast or brunch at the buffet.
They can even order room service – all included in the cruise ticket price!
Maybe other members of the family want to hang out in the pool all day, but your teenager would rather attend other activities.
With a variety of activities for teenagers, your child will have many options that don’t always include time spent with his family.
Still not completely convinced? Check out the top 7 activities teenagers love on Disney Parade!
1. Organized activities for youth club
I think we’ve been sure that teenagers don’t want to spend 24/7 with their parents. Sometimes, they need a break and would rather hang out with their peers.
To facilitate this, the Disney Cruise Series offers two types of clubs for this age group.
The first is Edge, a tween club for 11 to 14 years old, and the second is Vibe, a dedicated space for older teenagers aged 14 to 17 years old.
Both clubs offer everything a teenager needs… Tabletop games with big screen TV, video games, smoothie bars, table football and hockey and more. Plus, some teen clubs have exclusive outdoor solariums with a small pool and hot tub – no parents or young children are allowed!
In the process of having an attractive staff overseeing tween and teen clubs, there are always organized activities throughout the day such as trivia games, competitive sports, dance parties, talent exhibitions, jewelry making, karaoke, and more.
Tweens and the Youth Club are open all day and teenagers can go wherever they want. Usually, tween and teen clubs remain open during midnight, which is later than most adult lounges and bars on board!
During my family’s many Disney cruise vacations, my teen returned to our cabin after a few hours of quick sleep for adults.
For those who have a young age who are too old for a teen club and too small for an adult lounge, Disney offers exclusive parties for exclusive parties for the age group of 18 to 20 called the 1820 Society.
Although these guests don’t have dedicated space, Disney hosts several organized events for young people in different venues throughout the boat.
Often, these young people quickly make friends during social events in 1820, and then hold meetings later to enjoy other cruise events such as silent DJ parties, bingo and team trivia contests.
2. The most advanced cinema
All Disney boats have at least one indoor cinema plus a large movie screen located on the pool deck called Funnel Vision, where movies are shown throughout the day and late at night.
As you might imagine, these theaters only play Disney movies, but a wide range of libraries include Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and other live-action movies that teenagers like.
One of the best benefits of a Disney cruise is the ability to watch a newly released movie on board!
If you released a new Disney movie (including Marvel and any other Disney series) on your day of your Disney Cruise Sailing, Disney will premiere in their iconic theater for free! There is no waiting to go home so you can watch the newly released movies at your local cinema.
3. Swimming pool and water activities
Like many cruises, Disney has no shortage of swimming pools and exciting water activities.
From the drop slide to the grinding platform, your teenager will enjoy all the excitement of waiting for them on the Disney pool deck.
Also, it is not uncommon to see a group of teenagers hanging out by the pool or in the hot tub with new friends from the teen club.
4. Sports Activities
For active teenagers, there are many sports-related activities to participate, including basketball, mini golf, stormphase board, table tennis, dodge ball and other competitive games.
Many boats also have outdoor runways on the upper deck.
As Disney wishes, their indoor sports arena hero area even has an inflatable barrier course.
5. Spectacular entertainment
Disney is known for its world-class entertainment, and the headlines show is produced in Broadway caliber.
Many restaurants also offer dinner shows, allowing guests to entertain throughout the meal.
Other nighttime gigs include comedians, jugglers and other family-friendly performances.
Plus, Disney is the only cruise route to the sea fireworks displays sailing to the Bahamas and the Caribbean Islands!
6
We all know that feeding for teenagers can be expensive, especially for teenage boys.
Thankfully, your cruise ticket includes your full benefits, and guests can choose from multiple courses from the restaurant menu.
The buffet and pool deck restaurant offers a wide range of cuisines, and even the most discerning diners can find something to eat. Don’t forget the free room service at Disney Cruise Line.
Soft ice cream is always available throughout the day, and you can even deliver Mickey ice cream sticks to the cabin!
Plus, Disney is one of the only cruise companies offering free soft drinks and has soda throughout the pool deck and teen/tween clubs.
7. Daily boat activities
Teens will always find activities on board to enjoy with their family or new friends they meet at the tween/teen club.
From game shows, treasure hunts, character painting classes, trivia contests and karaoke to take on deck parties, there is no shortage of daily activities on Disney Parade.
Don’t forget that the boats during the cruise also parked in different ports!
There is still a lot to do in these call ports such as snorkeling, sightseeing, water sports, encounters at sea life, shopping, and more.
With so many activities for teenagers, your teen will never get bored on a Disney cruise! This is one of the reasons why my family and I continue to sail with Disney Cruise Line.
So next time someone tells you that the Disney Parade Line is just for kids, please send this list!
Lissa Ryan is a senior travel consultant for Kingdom Destinations, specializing in luxury family vacations. Lissa helps busy parents want to create travel memories with their family through a luxury travel experience, but feel busy or overwhelmed by all the energy and research required to plan a perfect vacation.
