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In this episode, I’m sharing exactly how my family is preparing for our upcoming Disney Cruise on the Disney Dream and all the things we’ve booked, purchased, and planned to make this trip as smooth as possible. If you’re planning your first Disney Cruise with kids, this episode gives you a real behind-the-scenes look at how one family is organizing everything before we step on the ship.

I start by walking through the special extras and experiences we booked for this sailing. My girls and I will be doing Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique onboard, which is something they’ve been dreaming about, and we are also booked for the Royal Court Royal Tea, which is known as one of the most magical princess experiences on Disney Cruise Line. My husband is starting embarkation day with the World of Old Fashioneds bourbon tasting, and we’ve planned an adult dinner at Palo on the day we visit Lookout Cay.

We are planning to skip Nassau this trip so we can enjoy the ship with smaller crowds, explore more of the spaces onboard, and really take advantage of everything the Disney Dream has to offer. We’ll still be getting off at Lookout Cay, but Nassau will be our chance to relax and experience things like the adult areas, lounges, and other parts of the ship we might miss when it’s busy.

I also talk about how I budget for Disney trips, including creating a “Disney Bucks” system just for this cruise the same way I do when we go to Walt Disney World. This helps me plan for souvenirs, experiences, and extra spending so nothing catches us off guard once we’re onboard. I’m also using Easter as a way to gather items the kids need for the trip, which is a great way to slowly collect cruise essentials without feeling like you’re buying everything at once.

One of the biggest parts of cruise prep is what to pack and what to buy ahead of time, especially when you’re cruising with kids. My kids are ages five through fourteen, so we’re covering almost every stage of traveling with children. In this episode I go through the list of things I’ve purchased so far to make life easier onboard, including items like:

• Magnetic hooks for extra storage in the cabin
• Door magnets to decorate our stateroom
• Fish extender gifts for the kids
• Kids lanyards and card holders for their Key to the World cards
• Small crossbody bags for the older kids
• Walkie talkies so the kids can check in with us around the ship
• Portable phone chargers
• Packing cubes for organizing everyone’s clothes
• Towel clips for the pool deck
• Dry bags for beach and water days
• Disney trading pins for onboard pin trading
• Autograph books for characters
• Small night lights for the cabin

I also talk about our stateroom setup and why we booked two veranda rooms that sleep three to four guests each so we have a little more space while sailing.

And hopefully by the end of this episode, you’ll

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Thinking about booking your first Disney Cruise Line vacation but not sure where to start? In this episode, I’m breaking down everything I’ve learned so far about Disney cruising for beginners as someone who still considers herself a learning cruiser.

After sailing on the Disney Wish, preparing to sail on the Disney Dream, and already having the Disney Destiny booked for the future, I’ve realized that a Disney cruise is a completely different type of Disney vacation. It still has the characters, incredible entertainment, and storytelling Disney is known for, but the pace, planning, and overall experience feel very different from a theme park trip.

In this episode, I walk through what a Disney cruise actually feels like onboard, and how to approach planning your first sailing without feeling overwhelmed. We talk about the three different Disney Cruise Line ship classes and how to decide which ship may be the best fit for your family depending on itinerary, ship size, and onboard experiences.

I also explain how Disney rotational dining works, what to expect from the casual dining locations, and how the nightly Broadway-style shows and entertainment schedule work onboard. We’ll cover the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, which becomes your command center during the cruise and helps you track activities, dining schedules, character meet and greets, and daily events happening across the ship.

If you’re wondering about Disney cruise pricing, deposits, and final payment deadlines, we break that down as well. I explain when cruises are typically cheapest, how Disney cruise pricing changes over time, and what additional costs to plan for like gratuities, Port Adventures, and Enchanted Extras.

We also dive into Disney cruise excursions, including when it makes sense to book a Disney Port Adventure versus exploring ports on your own, and how to avoid common first-time cruiser mistakes.

Finally, I share a few lessons we’ve learned so far about what makes cruising with Disney special and why this style of vacation is quickly becoming my husband’s favorite Disney trip. If it were up to him, we’d probably be sailing two or three times a year.

Whether you’re actively planning your first Disney cruise, comparing ships, or simply cruise curious, this episode will give you a clear overview of how Disney Cruise Line works and what first-time cruisers should know before they book.

If you’re looking for Disney cruise planning tips, ship comparisons, cruise costs, and beginner advice, this episode is a great place to start.

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Camille is my dear friend, and in this episode of Behind the Magic, you are getting the full Disneyland girl experience.

Camille is an entrepreneur, writer, Southern California native, mom of five, and married to her wonderful husband Jeff. She is also our cruise buddy. We sailed on the Disney Wish together and already have the Disney Destiny on the calendar next year. Disney is not just something she visits. It is woven into her life story, her marriage, her motherhood, and even the way she builds her business. When she talks about Disney, it is never surface level. It is thoughtful, layered, and deeply personal.

In this conversation, Camille shares what it was like growing up with Disneyland as her backyard, from her very first trip before her first birthday to collecting confetti on Main Street as a Girl Scout. We talk about how photos unlock memories, why taking babies to Disney still matters even if they will not remember every detail, and how Disneyland shifted for her as she became a young mom raising five kids. She explains how the parks became a space for connection, celebration, and intentional family time.

You will hear how her relationship with Disney evolved from child to teen to mom to Disney professional. Camille opens up about becoming the “Disney person” everyone asked for trip advice, what it was like being selected for PlanDisney, and how that experience deepened her understanding of the Disney machine behind the magic. We talk about brand stewardship, storytelling, and why Disney does not just create attractions, it creates emotional experiences.

We also dive into Disney Dreamers Academy, where her daughter was selected as a Dreamer, and the powerful impact it had not only on her child but on her as a parent. From emotional graduation moments to finding her own dreams again, this part of the episode is truly special. Camille shares what it was like to watch her child step into leadership and how Disney intentionally supports both students and parents in that journey.

We cover post-COVID Disneyland changes, local passholder realities, favorite snacks, It’s a Small World loyalty, and why sometimes the best Disney day is just sitting on Main Street with popcorn, soaking in the music, and being present. We also touch on writing for WDW Magazine and how telling Disney stories in print became a full circle moment for her.

If you love Disneyland, intentional storytelling, Disney Dreamers Academy, PlanDisney, or hearing how Disney shapes real families and real careers, this episode is for you.

Disney magic is not random. It is intentional. And Camille explains exactly why.

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