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Mountain SheBuysTravel checked off one of her family’s bucket list items last month and went on a 7-night Disney Cruise that included the Star Wars Day at Sea. Read what her family, including kids of ages five and nine, thought of the experience. Here are their tips on how to make the most of a Star Wars Day at Sea!
5 Tips to Make Star Wars Day at Sea Worth the Price:
1. Sign up for Jedi Training
2. Stalk the Star Wars Characters
3. Star Wars Activities at the Oceaneers Club
4. Make the Star Wars Show
5. Sign up for Star Wars Character Meets
A decade ago, when I was just pregnant with our first child, a co-worker went on a Disney Cruise and raved about it. Ever since it has been on my bucket list. A year or two ago our children got a bit older and it really moved up in rank on that bucket list. Then with my husband’s subtle encouragement, the kids became huge Star Wars fans. We researched and researched. But we had such a hard time making a decision on cabin type, length of cruise and whether to splurge on the Star Wars Day at Sea itinerary that we ended up putting it on hold.
Time came to decide what we were going to do for winter break and after researching a couple of different destinations we circled back around to that lusted after Disney Cruise. We made the decision just three weeks out to go for it. There were just a handful of cabins left on the Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean with a Star Wars Day at Sea the week of winter break. Decision made easy.
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So was it worth choosing our cruise based on it including the Star Wars Day at Sea? What can be expected on the Star Wars Day at Sea? And, how could the day be improved? How can you make the most of your Star Wars Day at Sea?
How to make the best of your Star Wars Day at Sea:
Sign Up For Jedi Training
There is no additional charge for this fun activity. If you have Padawan wannabes in the age range of 5 to 12, sign them up in advance for the Jedi Training Academy. If it is full, get on the wait list at guest services after boarding the ship. From what I’ve read this particular activity may have evolved for the better. Every child is provided with a Jedi robe and light saber. They then participate as a group to train and then fight the empire. Then they each have a brief opportunity to take on either Darth Vader or Darth Maul individually.
Our nine-year old was disappointed that the battle was only three swings and one duck. But she also said her heart was pounding so hard it almost jumped out of her chest. Our five-year old was about to tell Darth Vader that he’s his favorite character when Darth Vader started swinging. Seeing as they have a Jedi Training game going now at home with friends I still think it was a hit, despite any minor disappointments.
Stalk the Star Wars Characters
You can hang out at the pool to see and interact with Star Wars characters. Every hour characters made appearances. Mostly these were Storm Troopers. But once Rey made an appearance and probably others we didn’t catch. Other characters roam floors three through five throughout the day. We just happened to explore this area and bump into Imperial Officers. All the Star Wars characters are really well done. They do not stray from their roles.
Star Wars at the Oceaneer Club
Throughout the day the Oceaneer Club hosted lots of Star Wars themed events. We joined an open house with our kids. They got to talk to BB-8 and show off some of their Star Wars knowledge. There was a full day’s schedule of Star Wars themed events at the Oceaneer Club.
Make the Show
One of the best parts of the Disney Cruise is the shows. These are Broadway caliber original performances. They performances are at two different time slots each evening. Pirate Night and Star Wars Day at Sea are different as you get a bonus show out on the pool deck. This bonus show happened late for Star Wars Day, at 10:15 p.m. Our youngest struggled to make it through the late 8:15 dinner seating. So we really had a hard time with this one. We skipped out right as the fireworks started. If you have younger kids it might be a good idea to get to bed early the night before. Or perhaps you find time for a midday nap to rest up so they can make it through the late night show.
Sign up for the character meets
Character meets are brief. But they allow you to dress in costumes and pretend to be a part of the cast. Even when you pre-register, which you’ll want to do, there will be a line. But it moves quickly. Organization and efficiency are two traits of Disney. I only wish we’d had the kids wear their costumes for this one.
So was the Star Wars Day at Sea Worth It?
Just as they accomplish in their films, Disney somehow manages to please children and adults of all ages. It is hard to cater to such a varied demographic and Disney does it with flying colors. The Star Wars Day at Sea is a unique experience. We are glad that we included it in our itinerary. But know that you can experience one of the highlights, Jedi Training, at Hollywood Studios. And there is Stars Wars Galaxy’s Edge to enjoy at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World as well.
ANN says
The Star Wars Day at Sea itinerary works best for us in terms of timing but my daughter is a bit scared of stormtroopers, Darth Vader, and Chewbacca. Are there ways to avoid most of the Star Wars hoopla if you want on that particular day?
Liana Moore, Mountain SheBuysTravel says
Hi Ann, Interesting question. The entire day is Star Wars themed starting with the music playing throughout the ship. Of the three characters that you mention only the storm troopers are out en mass. They come out on the pool deck every hour. And, of course, they are all out at the evening show. You can also download the Disney Cruise app to see where characters are but I’d hate so see you planning your day around avoiding Star Wars characters. We went to an open house at the Oceaneers Club (kids club) and then our kids spent some time there that day. We only saw BB-8 there. If you decide on the Star Wars itinerary that might be your best bet — to check character schedules with the kids club and have your daughter spend a fair amount of time there that day. Also most of the kids dress up in their Star Wars costumes starting that morning so there may be random kid storm troopers, Darth Vaders and Chewbaccas running around the ship and kids club. They are told not to wear masks though, so may not be scary to your daughter. If it is a real concern then I would certainly look at other itineraries where your daughter can fully enjoy every day of what Disney has to offer.