Josh, neurodivergent: I have said before that Disney is my happy place, and am sure I will many more times. They put a lot of work in regarding accessibility and for those with disabilities. I suspect that is a lot of the draw; it’s a place that feels as made for me as much as it is for anyone else.
While the parks are fantastic, they pale in comparison to the Disney Cruise Line for someone like me. There are countless YouTube videos to learn about their cruises, but, I think they lack a perspective that could really benefit someone considering a vacation that includes a person with particular needs. This is just my perception, and I can’t really say what is and isn’t specifically in place for me, but here we go. On the Disney Cruise Line, the staterooms are amazing on their own, but to me were pretty important as a palace of refuge. No matter where your stateroom is, you're never truly far from anything, so access to activities is great. But having 2500+ people in such a small area can get overwhelming. However, our stateroom was always quiet. And should a day get to be too much, room service is included, so that’s cool. Something I also appreciated was how the ship was largely made up of a ton of little areas so people were a bit limited. Though certainly there were areas where everyone could gather like the main deck. Another thing that really stuck with me in particular was the fireworks display. Generally speaking, I don’t do fireworks. Between the noise and mass of people it’s just not my thing. The night they did fireworks I didn’t realize it was going to happen, but was very surprised that it was the first real time I’ve ever really enjoyed it. I suppose it is due to the ocean being entirely open with nothing for sound to bounce off of, but the fireworks were so much quieter that it didn’t bother me and I really liked it. Something else that really stood out was just how much was going on everywhere. When I first got on the ship I was a bit anxious as it was almost a given to be sensory overload, however after exploring the thing that I realized was focus. Sure, there were things going on everywhere you looked and often things inside of things, but I was always so focused on whatever that all the other stuff faded away. I think this also applied to the people as you knew there were a lot of people but there was always something grabbing my attention to detract from that. I wasn’t anxious whatsoever during the entire trip. Like dinner is rotated between various places, and in one of my favorites, Animator’s Palate, the walls are almost all screens with things like the ocean that Disney characters flit around. Works on toddlers, works on me- win and win! Lastly, but certainly not least, was simply how the cast members interacted with people. My primary care physician is through an Autism clinic so everyone acts a little differently than normal. And that is very similar to my experience aboard. I think it felt that everyone has a very familiar demeanor and it was clear they just wanted you to have a great experience. Clear instructions are a great example where some might just say “over there” they would give very detailed instruction to whatever. Even when they were trying to project and were louder I have never heard any that I would consider aggressive. If something can be misconstrued, you can kind of expect I will do so, and this was a pleasant surprise that that sort of thing was removed from it. Sort of related, is the itineraries they would give you daily. I am very focused on time, so it was nice to have everything laid out so well and you could completely plan your day if you liked. For me, these and so many more little things about their cruise was perfect for me and I can’t wait for us to take our daughter on her first!
Kelly, neurotypical: A lot of my educational and professional background involves international travel, so a Disney trip wasn't really on my radar for our honeymoon. I love adventurous travel and immersing myself in another culture. But I've had very few experiences that were as relaxing as our Disney cruise.
The cruise was ideal for both of us because there was plenty to do and explore. Neither one of us can tolerate laying poolside for very long (if at all). And since it was self-contained, we had access to our stateroom whenever we needed it, at even a few moments' notice. After a crowded excursion to a port town, Josh appreciated the quiet of our stateroom. And one evening when I had a migraine, I could lay down, and Josh could enjoy the deck.
Traveling together is an interesting test of any relationship, and I find it interesting that we have always traveled well together. Perhaps it's because Josh has planned all of our trips, and he's known what would work well for him. In any case, the customer service and guest experience at Disney has met our needs every time.
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