Our First Disney Cruise: Disney Fantasy 4-Night Halloween on the High Seas Cruise

At the end of our September, 2026 7-day Walt Disney World trip, we surprised the kids with a cruise on the Disney Fantasy. They thought we were going home…but SURPRISE! Instead, we boarded Our First Disney Cruise: Disney Fantasy 4-Night Halloween on the High Seas Cruise!

The cruise itinerary for our four-night sailing was:

Day 1: Board the Disney Fantasy

Day 2: Castaway Cay (Halloween Night)

Day 3: Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point (Pirate Night)

Day 4: Day at Sea

Day 5: Disembark the ship

Day 1: Boarding the Disney Fantasy

We spent the night before the cruise at a nearby hotel in Port Canaveral and used an Uber to get to the port. Our scheduled port arrival time was 12:45–1:00 p.m. We arrived at 12:30 p.m., dropped off our suitcases at Disney’s curbside luggage drop-off, and were immediately allowed to get in line for security.

Going through Security

At security, they checked our passports, activated our MagicBand+ devices, and sent us and our belongings through a metal detector, similar to what you would experience at an airport.

I wouldn’t have purchased MagicBand+ devices specifically for the cruise, but since we already had them from our Disney World trip, we figured we might as well get some more use out of them.

Once we completed the security process, we immediately boarded the ship. From the time we arrived at the port to boarding the Disney Fantasy, the entire process took about 30 minutes.

Boarding the Ship

We’ve been to Walt Disney World four times now, so we’re very familiar with the parks and resorts. But this was a brand new Disney experience for us, and we walked onto the ship completely overwhelmed…in the best possible way!

Lunch at Cabana’s

Since we hadn’t eaten since the free breakfast at our hotel, food seemed like the best place to start! We headed to Cabanas for the buffet lunch.

We had heard that the sit-down dining room was a good alternative to Cabanas, but it was SLAMMED by the time we boarded, with about a 30 minute wait for a table. So, buffet it was!

Surprisingly, the buffet itself wasn’t very busy. We easily got our food and found a table without any trouble.

Exploring the Ship and Sailing Away

By the time we finished lunch, it was past 1:30 p.m. and our room was ready. We found our cabin, Key to the World Cards, and two of our suitcases waiting for us. The other suitcases arrived shortly after.

We left our room to check out both Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Edge, the tween club, and then attended the mandatory safety drill. We followed that up with our first ice cream cone (of many!) of the trip.

Because of the rain, the Sail Away Party was moved indoors, so we decided to skip it and headed to the top deck to have our own private sail away party.

We didn’t want to squeeze into the indoor party because we knew it would be packed. One of the things I personally loved about this cruise was that even though we were on a ship with thousands of other people, we could still find little moments to ourselves. This was one of them.

There were very few people up on the top deck as we watched the ship pull away from land. A few pelicans even flew alongside us as we sailed away, giving us a proper send off. It was the perfect way to start our cruise!

Our Disney Fantasy Cabin

After we made it out into open water, we headed back to our room for a bit, and I unpacked our things for the next few days. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of storage in the room. There was plenty of space for everything to fit comfortably and stay organized, which made unpacking and finding a place for everything much easier than I expected!

The layout of the room was designed for a family. It included a queen bed as well as a couch that turned into a twin bed with a bunk tucked into the ceiling that could be lowered by our state room attendant above it.

It also had a split bathroom. One small room contained the toilet and sink and the other a shower and additional sink.

Aladdin and the Pumpkin Tree

After we unpacked, it was time to head to the theater for the first show of our cruise, Aladdin. We absolutely loved it! The production was so much fun and was a great way to kick off our first night on the Disney Fantasy.

Immediately following the show was The Pumpkin Tree lighting. This is exclusive to a Halloween on the High Seas cruise. They make a whole event out of it, with someone telling a story about the tree before the Disney characters come out. There’s a song, lots of excitement, and then the Pumpkin Tree is lit. It was such a fun way to officially kick off Halloween on the High Seas!

Dinner at Royal Court

Our first dinner on the ship was at Royal Court, one of the Disney Fantasy’s rotational dining restaurants. Disney assigned us the 8:15 p.m. dining time, and we quickly learned that late dining is not for our family!

By the time dinner rolled around, we were falling asleep and our digestive system just weren’t up for eating so late. By 8:15, the kids were so hungry and honestly, so were we. On our next cruise, we’ll definitely work harder to get an earlier dining time.

The food at Royal Court was great though, and one of the things I ended up loving most about the cruise was how much it encouraged our kids to try different things. With the caveat of if you don’t like it you can get something else, they were much more willing to step outside their usual comfort zones and order something new.

It was fun watching them look through the menu, debate what to try, and discover foods they might not have chosen at home. For a family with picky eaters, that was a really unexpected perk of cruising!

After dinner we headed back to our cabin to find that our lovely state room attendant had been there to get our room ready for the evening. She was incredible. She got the kids bunk beds all set up, turned down our beds, left out towels and bathmats, made towel animals and left chocolate. She tidied up the room, neatly folding Jamies’ dirty clothing that he had left on the floor. She even organized my phone charging cord and wrapped it up and secured it with a velcro wrap. I told Jamie that this must be what it’s like to have a wife. 🤣

Day 2: Castaway Cay & Halloween on the High Seas

The next morning we were up bright and early for sunrise on our balcony and Mickey waffles! After breakfast we grabbed our stuff from the room and headed out to Castaway Key. 

We stepped off the ship at 8:30 a.m., and getting off couldn’t have been easier. Disney scanned each of our MagicBands and sent us on our way.

First Look at Castaway Cay

As we left the ship, crew members handed us towels, and we each grabbed two. These are the towels provided by Disney for your day on Castaway Cay, so you don’t need to bring your own from the ship. This is the only spot on the island to get towels, so make sure you grab them!

From the ship, it was about a 10 minute walk to the main beach area. We took our time, stopping along the way for pictures and taking in the scenery. Even the walk felt exciting because we were finally getting our first real look at Castaway Cay.

Beach Time, Water Slides, and Climbing

We found some beach chairs to leave our things on and headed straight for the water. The kids started by checking out some of the floating climbing structures before deciding that the water slides were calling their names.

Exploring Underwater

After the kids had their fill of climbing and sliding, we decided it was time to explore what was happening underneath the water. We grabbed our snorkeling gear (and picked up free life jackets) and headed out to see what we could find.

Lunch at Cookies

After snorkeling, we rinsed off and headed to Cookies for lunch. At that point, we were all more than ready for some food!

Bellies full, we spent a little while relaxing in our beach chairs, soaking up the last bit of our time on Castaway Cay. Eventually, we decided it was time to head back to the ship.

We hopped on the tram for the ride back and made our way through the security checkpoint. Crew members checked our IDs and MagicBands, and we quickly made our way back on board.

Back on the Ship and Straight to AquaDuck

Once we were on the ship, Jamie and the kids headed up to the pool deck so they could ride the AquaDuck. The line was long and moved painfully slowly. They ended up spending a solid 45 minutes waiting for their turn.

After spending the morning swimming, snorkeling, and riding water slides, I was perfectly happy to let them wait in line while I enjoyed a little downtime!

When the were done with the AquaDuck we headed back to the room to shower and change for Halloween night.

Halloween Night

We didn’t book this cruise because it was a Halloween themed sailing, so we weren’t going into it with huge expectations for Halloween. We were actually happy it was pretty light on Halloween because we were hoping for a traditional Disney Cruise.

There were a handful of Halloweens specific activities throughout the cruise and a large majority of them happened this evening.

Trick-or-Treating: A Little Chaotic

Then there was trick-or-treating, which was probably the Halloween activity we were most excited about. Unfortunately, this was where the experience really fell flat for us.

We were lined up and handed out an adorable trick or treat bag before being filed through Cabanas. Along the way, there were about five or so tables where you stopped to collect candy from a cast member.

The whole thing felt rushed. Instead of enjoying a fun trick-or-treating experience, we felt like the crew was moving us through the line as quickly as possible. At one stop, a cast member actually spoke sternly to my daughter when she stopped to get her candy, telling her, “One per station!” even though she hadn’t received candy from that station. It definitely took some of the fun out of the experience.

Personally, my thoughts were trick-or-treating could definitely use some work. We had expected it to be one of the more memorable Halloween moments of the night, but instead it felt a bit cold and a little chaotic. This would have been so easy to create a cool experience. Like set up trick or treat stations around the ship or something! Extend the timeline when you can trick or treat so people can go more at their leisure! It felt more like Disney was checking the box on something, rather then giving it priority.

All my complaints aside though, the kids couldn’t have been happier. They got to wear a costume and get free candy on a Disney Cruise ship so they were living their best life.

Mickey’s Masquerade Party

Trick-or-treating was immediately followed by Mickey’s Masquerade Party. This was a dance party with the characters dressed in Halloween costumes. It was cute and the kids enjoyed seeing the characters in their costumes.

After trick-or-treating and watching the show, that was pretty much the end of the Halloween specific activities for the night. The only other Halloween option was watching Hocus Pocus in one of the theaters.

A Little Time at Edge

Anika and Jake wanted to check out the open house at edge so we stopped there and they did the free cells animation activity which came out so cool. 

Dinner at Animator’s Palate

We had dinner at Animators Palate. Jake got super sea sick towards the end of dinner so I took him back up to the room. Anika and Jamie were able to bring our desserts up to the room for us and they even gave Jake a green apple all cut up because our assistant server that night said that helped with sea sickness. So nice of him. 

Day 3: Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point & Pirate Night

The next morning started much like the previous one. We grabbed breakfast at Cabanas and then headed off the ship to explore Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Exploring Lookout Cay

The walk from the ship to the tram is LONG. Like, really long. 😂 But honestly, I didn’t mind. The scenery was absolutely stunning. The pathway through the middle of unbelievably teal blue water, makes the walk feel like part of the experience.

Once we finally made it to the tram, we rode over to the beach and found some beach chairs.

And Then… the Skies Opened Up

At first, the kids and Jamie continued swimming, figuring the shower would pass quickly, but….it turned into a serious downpour. We grabbed our things and took cover in one of the covered seating areas near the lunch restaurant.

Around 11:30, the restaurants opened for lunch, so we headed over to eat. By the time we finished, the rain had moved on and the skies were beginning to clear.

We headed back to the beach, and the rest of the afternoon we swam, played in the water, and stretched out on the beach, enjoying the gorgeous blue water.

After about three hours it was time to head back to the ship. Despite the soggy start, Lookout Cay ended up being a beautiful afternoon.

Back on the Ship

Back on board the ship the kids wanted ice cream and to swim in the pool while watching the Disney movie playing! We did that for a bit then headed back to our room to get ready for Pirate Night.

Pirate Night

Pirate Night was probably my favorite night of the trip.

After two nights of 8:15 p.m. dinners, we needed a break from the late dining time. We also weren’t particularly excited about the restaurant we were scheduled to visit that night ( Animators Palate, which we had already been to) or the menu, so we decided to skip our regular dining rotation and do our own thing.

Instead, we grabbed some food from Donald’s Cantina before our show. It was an easy, casual dinner, and honestly, it was exactly what we needed.

That night’s theater show was Frozen, and we absolutely loved it. The kids were completely into it, and once again, Disney packed an incredible amount of entertainment into a single hour.

After the show, we headed up to the deck for the Pirate Night festivities. There was a quick “How to be Pirate” training session with the characters dressed up in their pirate gear. It was cute, fun, and a great way to get everyone in the pirate spirit.

A Movie, Pizza, and a Very Lucky Spot

Afterward, Muppets Treasure Island was playing on the giant outdoor screen. We decided to grab some soda and pizza, find a spot, and settle in for the movie. Friday nights at home our pizza and a movie night and I think its safe to say this was our most epic pizza and a movie night ever!

And this ended up being one of my favorite moments of the entire trip.

We were basically watching the movie by ourselves, away from the biggest crowds and the hustle and bustle of the main activities. It was one of those completely unplanned moments that somehow turned into a favorite memory.

Accidentally Getting Front Row Seats

And then something funny happened.

By staying put for the movie instead of following the crowds to the next big activity, we accidentally ended up in an amazing spot for the Pirate Night show. Basically front row.

At first, we had no idea why people were suddenly starting to gather around us. Then it became pretty obvious that we’d somehow picked the perfect place to watch the show.

Pirates and Fireworks

And the show was fantastic.

We had an incredible view from where we were sitting, and the kids loved being so close to all the action. Then, almost immediately after the pirate show ended, the fireworks began.

And we had an awesome view of those, too.

Sometimes the Best Moments Aren’t Planned

It was one of those nights where everything just happened to work out perfectly. We hadn’t planned on getting front row seats or watching the movie almost entirely by ourselves, but it made me realize something about cruising that I really loved: sometimes the best moments happen when you skip the activities that everyone else is rushing toward and simply do your own thing.

That quiet pizza and movie moment ended up setting us up for what was probably my favorite evening of the entire cruise.

After the fireworks, we headed back to our room, tired and very happy, and called it a night. 

Day 4: A Day at Sea

Today was Mickey Churro Waffle day at Cabanas! We had heard about these and were excited to give them a try. They were good, but I quickly discovered that one was plenty for me. 😂 As we sat eating breakfast, we looked out and spotted a rainbow over the ocean. Not a bad way to start our last full day on the Disney Fantasy!

Since today was our day at sea, we had nowhere we needed to be and plenty of time to explore the ship. Before the cruise, we had gone through the Disney Cruise Line app and hearted pretty much everything that looked remotely fun. Throughout the day, the app sent us reminders when activities we had saved were about to start, which made it really easy to decide what to do next without having to constantly check the schedule.

Coffee, Crafts, and Wandering the Ship

After breakfast, we headed out for some fancy coffee. They even put the cutest little designs on top of the drinks, which made our morning coffee feel a little more special.

We wandered around the ship for a while, enjoying the fact that it felt surprisingly quiet. We found some comfortable chairs and settled in for a bit before heading to our first activity: making our own Mickey magnets.

From there, we stumbled into a Halloween craft activity and decided to give that a try, too. Then we learned origami was immediately after, so we stayed for that as well.

This was one of the things I really enjoyed about having a day at sea. We had a general idea of what we wanted to do, but there were constantly little activities happening around the ship that we could wander into. We didn’t have to plan every minute.

A Little Downtime and Lunch

After a busy morning of crafts, we headed back to the room for a little downtime. I needed to start packing, so I got to work while the kids watched Mickey cartoons and Jamie relaxed on the veranda with a book.

We ordered room service for lunch. We kept it classic with chicken tenders, fries, and Mickey Bars.

An Unexpected Diaper Dash

After lunch, we were planning to do the detective agency game, but on our way there we stumbled across The Diaper Dash. We had no idea what it was, but we stopped to watch and oh my goodness, it was hilarious!

I’m so glad we happened to walk by at exactly the right time. It was one of those completely unplanned moments that ended up being one of the funniest things we saw all cruise.

Solving Mysteries and Testing Our Disney Knowledge

After Diaper Dash, we finally made it to the detective agency, and it was so much fun. The kids really got into solving the clues and completing the mission.

Next up was Disney Music Trivia, which was my choice. We didn’t win, but we managed a respectable score of 20, and I was pretty proud of us!

Mini Golf, Swimming, and Our Final Show

The kids, meanwhile, had their own agenda. They really wanted to play mini golf, so we headed up to Deck 13 for a round. After that, they decided they still had enough energy for a swim, so they spent about 30 minutes in the pool while I enjoyed watching them burn off the last of their energy.

Then it was back to the room to get changed for our final show of the cruise, Believe.

And wow. Believe was so good. I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be my favorite of the three shows, but it was. The story, music, and production completely pulled us in, and it ended up being a fantastic way to finish our theater experiences on the ship.

After the show, we went back to the room and relaxed for about an hour while I finished packing.

Then it was time for our last dinner of the cruise at Enchanted Garden. This was probably my favorite sit down meal of the trip. I ordered the prime rib with a twice baked potato and roasted parsnips and carrots, and every bit of it was delicious.

After dinner, we headed back to the room for one last relaxing evening. We watched some TV, hung out together, and enjoyed our final night on the Disney Fantasy before calling it a night.

Day 5: Saying Goodbye to the Disney Fantasy

One Last Sunrise

We woke up to our last sunrise at sea, packed up the few things we had left, and then said goodbye to our room before heading down to Enchanted Garden for breakfast.

Our Last Breakfast

Disney has you eat your final breakfast in the same restaurant and at the same table where you had dinner the night before. In theory, I liked the idea of one last meal in our dining rotation. In reality, breakfast felt very rushed.

Part of that may have been because our server was finishing her several month contract that morning and would be heading home to the Philippines as soon as she was allowed to leave the ship. I honestly don’t blame her one bit for wanting to get off as quickly as possible. But the result was that we felt a little forgotten at breakfast. We weren’t really asked what else we wanted, and before we knew it, all four of us were walking away still hungry.

The kids ordered chocolate chip pancakes. They only received two small pancakes each. And when I say small, I mean really small. 😂 One thing I learned is that you can order multiple entrées at breakfast (anytime actually). I absolutely would if you want a more substantial breakfast before getting off the ship, don’t be afraid to order more than one thing. I definitely would have ordered more food, but honestly thinking about it we weren’t even given all the food we ordered so I don’t know if it would have made that much of a difference.

Leaving the Ship

After our very quick breakfast, we decided to leave the ship rather than hang around and wonder how long the disembarkation process would take. As it turned out, it was incredibly easy.

We walked off the ship, went through security and customs, and didn’t even need to show our passports. Facial recognition handled that part instead. From the time we left the ship until we were outside, it took maybe five minutes.

Then came the slightly less exciting part: hauling our luggage around and waiting for our Uber.

And Just Like That, It Was Over

We headed to the airport, and just like that, our first Disney cruise was over.

After four nights of ocean views, Disney shows, endless food, ice cream cones, snorkeling, fireworks, pirate night, and more activities than we could possibly fit into one trip, it felt strange to suddenly be standing in an airport again.

I am so so grateful our family got to have this experience. A cruise is not something I ever dreamed that I would enjoy as much as I did. I love a good road trip, but it come with the added work of constantly packing up, moving on, seeking out food, snacks and bathrooms. On a cruise ALL of this is taken care of for you. I was told multiple times by Disney Cast members to just relax.

Our first Disney cruise definitely wasn’t perfect, and there are a few things I’d do differently next time. But somewhere between sail away, the shows, the quiet moments on deck, and watching the kids experience an entirely new kind of Disney magic, we were already talking about when we could do it again.