What I’d Do Differently on Our Disney Alaska Cruise With a 1- and 2-Year-Old

After months of planning, packing, researching and counting down, we officially took our 1- and 2-year-old on a seven-night Disney Cruise to Alaska.

And now that we're home, I have thoughts.

The funny thing is, I actually think we got a lot right.

Going into this trip, one of my biggest goals was not to turn our vacation into a checklist. We didn't book an excursion at every port. We let our kids nap when they needed to nap. We spent a lot of time together as a family, and we tried to let the kids lead the way rather than constantly rushing them from one activity to the next.

After actually doing the trip, I would absolutely approach another Disney Cruise the same way.

But there were also things I wasn't prepared for, things I would spend money on again without hesitation and a few things I probably wouldn't purchase next time.

There were also parts of Disney cruising with a 1- and 2-year-old that I simply didn't fully understand until we were onboard.

So if you're planning a Disney Alaska cruise with babies or toddlers, here's what I would do differently next time—and what I wouldn't change at all.

1. My Biggest Takeaway: I Would Be WAY More Prepared for Dinner

If I could change one thing about our entire cruise, this would probably be it.

I underestimated dinner with a 1- and 2-year-old.

At home, our kids are used to eating dinner in a familiar environment. We sit down, they eat, and then we move on with our evening.

Dinner on a cruise is completely different.

You're in a busy restaurant with people everywhere. There is so much happening around them. You're ordering multiple courses. You're waiting between courses. Dinner lasts longer than it normally would at home.

And you're asking two very little kids to sit at a table through all of it.

I wish I had gone into every dinner with a dedicated bag of entertainment that didn't involve our phones.

That's especially important to think about before your cruise because you won't necessarily have the same streaming access you rely on at home unless you've purchased an internet package that supports what you need.

Next time, I would make a small dinner kit before we ever left home.

I'd bring things like:

• Reusable sticker books

• Water-reveal coloring books

• Mess-free markers

• Small magnetic toys

• Tiny figurines

• Activity books

• Window clings

• Favorite little books

• Simple fidget-style toys

• A few brand-new activities they'd never seen before

I'd probably divide everything into little pouches and rotate them throughout the week.

That way, on night six, I could pull out something they hadn't seen yet rather than handing them the same activity they'd already played with at five other dinners.

Nothing needs to be elaborate.

At this age, sometimes you just need something that buys you another five or ten minutes.

If you're taking toddlers on a Disney Cruise, prepare for dinner more than you think you need to.

That was easily one of my biggest lessons from the trip.

2. I Would Keep Our Port Schedule Almost Exactly the Same

One thing I would absolutely not change was how we approached our port days.

We only planned two major port activities instead of booking something at every stop.

And I am so glad we did.

Before a cruise, it's easy to look at the itinerary and feel like you need to maximize every port.

You're in Alaska! You may never be here again! Shouldn't you be doing something everywhere?

But traveling with a 1- and 2-year-old changes that equation.

Every excursion also means getting everyone dressed, packing everything you need, getting off the ship, transportation, snacks, naps, diaper changes and all of the unpredictability that comes with toddlers.

We chose the experiences that mattered to us and left room around them.

It gave us the freedom to explore when everyone was doing well and slow down when they weren't.

If we sailed Alaska again with kids this age, I would absolutely do the same thing.

I would pick a couple of experiences that were really important to us and let the rest of the ports unfold naturally.

We weren't trying to maximize how much we could check off an itinerary.

We were trying to maximize how much our family actually enjoyed the trip.

Those are two very different things.

3. I Would Let the Kids Lead the Day Again

This was probably one of the best decisions we made.

We went into the cruise with plans, but we weren't so attached to those plans that we couldn't change them.

If the kids needed to nap, they napped.

If everyone was having fun somewhere, we didn't necessarily rush away because another activity was starting.

If someone needed downtime, we slowed down.

If something wasn't working, we moved on.

There is SO much happening on a Disney Cruise that it would be incredibly easy to spend seven days running from one thing to another.

But our kids didn't know what was on the itinerary.

They didn't know there was another activity starting in 15 minutes.

They knew whether they were tired.

Hungry.

Overwhelmed.

Or having the best time.

Letting them help determine the pace made the cruise better for all of us.

4. I Would Use Room Service More

This is something I wish we had taken greater advantage of.

Room service can be such a useful tool when you're cruising with little kids.

There were moments when going somewhere for another meal or snack simply wasn't what our family needed.

Maybe someone was sleeping.

Maybe everyone needed a break.

Maybe getting two toddlers dressed and back out the door felt like an unnecessary production.

Those were exactly the moments when having food brought to the room could have made things easier.

Next time, I wouldn't think of room service as an occasional vacation extra.

I'd think of it as part of our toddler cruise strategy.

A quiet snack in the room, something to eat while the kids were resting or simply avoiding another transition could have taken pressure off the day.

And sometimes when you're traveling with toddlers, avoiding one unnecessary transition is worth a lot.

5. I Would Bring a Bigger Refillable Bottle for Milk

This is such a specific mom tip, but it's exactly the kind of thing I wish someone had told me.

If your baby or toddler still drinks milk from a bottle, bring a larger refillable insulated bottle or container that you can use for milk.

I would absolutely bring a bigger one next time.

Having something we could fill and keep with us would have made bottles throughout the day much easier.

It's one of those tiny packing decisions that doesn't seem especially important while you're standing in your kitchen making your packing list.

Then you're on a cruise ship and realize how often you're thinking about where you're going to get milk for the next bottle.

If bottles are still part of your routine, put this one on the packing list.

6. We Did Naps Right—and I Would Book a Verandah Again

This is one area where I think we got it right.

We let our kids nap when they needed to nap.

We didn't try to force them to skip naps because we were on vacation or because there was something happening onboard that we wanted to see.

And having a verandah made protecting those naps so much easier.

When one or both kids were sleeping, we weren't necessarily sitting silently in a dark room feeling like we were missing the cruise.

We could step outside.

Watch the water.

See the mountains.

Talk.

Relax.

And still experience Alaska while our kids got the sleep they needed.

For an Alaska itinerary specifically, I loved having that space because the scenery is such a huge part of the trip.

If our budget allowed for it, I would choose a verandah again without hesitation—especially while we're traveling with children who still nap.

7. I Would Do Glacier Day a Little Differently

I have mixed feelings about this one because I don't actually regret how we spent Glacier Day.

We spent a lot of it on our verandah.

And honestly?

It was wonderful.

It was quiet. The kids could relax. We weren't fighting crowds. We weren't rushing anywhere. We could watch the incredible scenery from our own space.

It was probably one of the most relaxing days of our trip.

But afterward, I realized how much was happening around the ship that day.

And we missed quite a bit of it.

If I could do Glacier Day again, I would find more of a balance.

I would absolutely spend time on the verandah again.

I would still let the kids nap.

I would still enjoy having that private view.

But I would also bundle everyone up and go explore the ship more.

Disney does special things around the ship during Glacier Day, and I wish we had experienced more of them.

I wouldn't trade the slow, relaxing day we had.

I'd just make sure we stepped outside our little verandah bubble for part of it.

8. I Would 100% Do a Spa Day Again

Absolutely worth it.

Traveling with little kids is still parenting.

You're just parenting somewhere spectacular.

There are bottles, diapers, naps, meals, outfit changes, bedtime, overstimulation and all of the normal responsibilities you have at home.

Taking some time for the spa felt like an actual vacation moment.

And I would absolutely build that into another cruise.

Not every kid-free moment has to be used to accomplish something or squeeze in another activity.

Sometimes the best use of an hour on vacation is doing absolutely nothing productive.

I would make that time again without feeling guilty about it.

9. Kids Club Open Houses Were a HUGE Win

This is one of my biggest recommendations if you're cruising with children too young for the regular kids clubs.

Because of our kids' ages, our childcare option was the nursery, which was an additional cost per child, per hour.

We also went into this vacation wanting to spend most of our time together as a family.

The kids club open houses ended up being such a great option for us.

During designated open-house periods, families can experience certain kids spaces together.

Our kids got to explore these amazing Disney spaces, and we got to be there with them.

If we cruised again, though, I would pay even closer attention to the open-house schedule.

I wouldn't just look at when an open house was happening.

I'd look at what was happening during it.

Sometimes there can be story times, special crafts, activities or character experiences happening during family-access periods.

Those were exactly the kinds of experiences that worked so well for our kids.

If you're traveling with babies or toddlers, check those schedules every day.

An open house isn't necessarily just an opportunity to walk around an otherwise empty kids club.

There might be something really fun happening that your little kids can actually participate in with you.

10. I Would Focus Less on Traditional Character Meet-and-Greets

This might be one of the biggest ways I'd change our approach on another cruise.

Before we left, I thought a lot about which characters we wanted to meet.

I thought about autograph books.

Pictures.

Character schedules.

Those classic Disney meet-and-greet moments.

And then we actually cruised with a 1- and 2-year-old and realized:

Our kids didn't really care about the picture or the autograph. They just wanted to hang out with the characters.

That completely changed the way I thought about character experiences.

Traditional Character Lines Can Be Hard With Toddlers

When characters are scheduled for traditional meet-and-greets, the lines can get long.

And at 1 and 2, our kids didn't really understand the concept of waiting in line because eventually they would get to see the character.

Mickey is standing right there.

Why can't I see Mickey?

Not much is happening for a toddler until you're actually near the front.

Then, when it was finally our turn, the kids were excited—but getting the perfect posed picture or signature wasn't what they cared about.

They wanted a hug.

They wanted to wave.

They wanted to dance.

They wanted to watch the character be silly.

And then they were ready to move on.

I Would Prioritize Dance Parties

The dance parties were so much more their speed.

Especially on formal and semi-formal nights, I would pay close attention to when these kinds of events were happening.

Instead of standing in line waiting for a posed photo, the kids could actually see the characters moving around and dancing.

For toddlers, that's magic.

They're not thinking about whether everyone looked at the camera.

They're thinking:

There's Mickey!

That's the experience they wanted.

I Would Look for Story Times and Special Activities

This also ties directly into those kids club open houses.

Next time, I'd study the daily schedule looking specifically for characters appearing during:

• Story times

• Kids club open houses

• Dance parties

• Crafts

• Family activities

• Special events

Those experiences let the kids actually experience the characters doing something.

And that was much more exciting to them than waiting for a picture.

Pay Attention to Where Characters Come and Go

This was something we discovered almost accidentally.

Pay attention to where characters tend to enter and exit their appearances.

We had so much success simply hanging out in the general area.

A character might be walking to or from an appearance, notice the kids, stop for a second, wave, give them a quick hug or say hello and continue on their way.

No line.

No waiting.

No pressure for a perfect picture.

No autograph book.

Just a tiny moment of Disney magic.

And honestly?

Our kids were just as happy with those quick interactions.

Some of those spontaneous moments ended up being my favorites because they felt so natural.

I Would Save the Lines for Rare Characters

That doesn't mean I would skip traditional character meet-and-greets completely.

If there's a rare character onboard that we aren't likely to have another opportunity to see, I would absolutely get in line.

Or if there were one particular character that one of our kids desperately wanted to meet, we'd make it happen.

I would just be much more selective.

Instead of trying to check every character off a list, I'd ask whether there was likely to be another opportunity to interact with that character during the cruise.

If yes?

I'd look for a dance party, story time, open house or spontaneous interaction.

If not?

That's when I'd get in line.

At 1 and 2, our kids didn't want Mickey's autograph.

They wanted Mickey.

And once I understood that, the little interactions became every bit as magical as the scheduled ones.

11. I Wouldn't Pre-Purchase the Photo Package Again

This is one purchase I would approach differently on our next Disney Cruise.

We purchased the photo package ahead of our sailing because, in theory, it sounded perfect.

First Disney Cruise.

Alaska.

Special outfits.

Character meetings.

Formal nights.

Family photos.

I thought we'd come home with tons of professional pictures from the week.

Then we actually tried taking pictures with a 1- and 2-year-old.

They weren't interested.

And really, it matched everything we learned about character experiences.

Our kids wanted to experience what was happening rather than stop and pose for a picture of it.

They wanted to hug the characters, dance, wave and keep moving.

Trying to stop everyone, stand in the right spot and look at a camera wasn't always realistic—or worth interrupting a happy moment.

Because of that, we didn't get enough use out of the photo package for it to feel worth the cost for our family.

Thankfully, they allowed us to get a refund, which I was incredibly grateful for.

What I Would Do Instead

I wouldn't purchase the package ahead of time on our next cruise.

I'd wait.

I'd see how our kids were doing with pictures once we were onboard and then decide.

Something else that's really helpful to know is that they'll also take pictures using your phone.

That changed the equation for me.

We could still capture a family picture or character moment without feeling like we had to maximize a photo package we'd already paid for.

And honestly, with toddlers, sometimes the phone picture is the one I want anyway.

The quick hug.

The silly face.

The blurry-but-happy picture.

The completely imperfect moment that actually looks like our family.

Would I Never Buy the Photo Package?

No.

As our kids get older, I could absolutely see the value changing.

They may eventually love posing with characters, collecting photos and getting dressed up for formal night.

Another family with toddlers who love pictures may also get a completely different amount of value from it.

But knowing our kids at 1 and 2, I wouldn't pre-purchase it again.

I'd get onboard, see how the first few days went, use our phones and then decide whether the professional pictures were something we actually wanted.

It taught me a larger lesson about cruising with toddlers:

You don't have to pre-purchase every part of the experience before you know how your kids are going to experience it.

12. I Would Still Prioritize Family Time Over Childcare

I think this is important because every family cruises differently.

For us, this was a family vacation.

We wanted our kids with us.

That doesn't mean we didn't want any adult time. We absolutely enjoyed moments like the spa.

But our goal wasn't to spend large portions of the cruise with the kids in childcare.

At our children's ages, the nursery would also have been an additional expense.

The kids club open houses gave us a really nice middle ground.

Our kids could experience these incredible spaces and activities while we were still together.

I'm sure cruising will look completely different when they're older and can run into the kids club without us.

But for this season?

I loved that we experienced so much of the ship together.

What We Got Right

It's easy to write an article called What I'd Do Differently and focus entirely on the things that didn't work.

But honestly, this cruise also confirmed that we made some really good decisions for our family.

We didn't overbook our ports.

We protected naps.

We booked a verandah.

We let the kids lead.

We prioritized family time.

We found the kids club open houses.

We allowed ourselves to have slow days.

We didn't try to conquer the entire ship.

And I think that's a huge reason we came home feeling like we actually enjoyed our vacation.

What I Would Actually Change Next Time

If we boarded another Disney Cruise tomorrow, my list of changes would actually be pretty short.

I would be much more prepared for dinner.

I would bring a larger refillable insulated bottle for milk.

I would use room service more.

I would spend more time exploring the ship on Glacier Day while still protecting that relaxing verandah time.

I would study the kids club open-house schedule and look specifically for activities and character appearances.

I would prioritize dance parties, story times and organic character interactions over traditional meet-and-greet lines.

I would save those lines for the rare characters we really wanted to see.

And I wouldn't pre-purchase the photo package until I knew whether our kids were actually interested in taking pictures.

What I wouldn't do?

I wouldn't suddenly pack our schedule.

I wouldn't book an excursion at every port.

And I wouldn't sacrifice naps trying to squeeze in one more activity.

If anything, this trip reinforced something I'm learning over and over again about traveling with little kids:

Doing less can actually let you experience more.

Would I Take a 1- and 2-Year-Old on a Disney Alaska Cruise Again?

Absolutely.

There are certainly easier ages for travel.

They won't remember every detail.

There were things onboard they were too young to do.

Dinner wasn't always relaxing.

We had to work around naps and bottles.

And traveling with toddlers is still a lot of work.

But we'll remember it.

We'll remember them looking out at Alaska from our verandah.

We'll remember the character hugs that happened when we weren't expecting them.

We'll remember watching them dance instead of asking them to smile for another picture.

We'll remember exploring the kids clubs together.

We'll remember quiet naps while mountains passed outside.

We'll remember Glacier Day on the verandah.

We'll remember the funny little things they cared about that we never could have planned.

And we'll remember getting to experience somewhere incredible together during this very short season when they're both so little.

I wouldn't wait for travel to become easier.

I would just travel differently.

And that's probably my biggest takeaway from our first Disney Cruise.

You don't have to experience everything for the trip to be everything you hoped it would be.