Disclosure: This post is not sponsored by Disney or any affiliate with Disney. Disney doesn’t even know my name. I paid for this entire trip myself. I am also not personally affiliated with any of the people or links that are provided in this post.
Note: Don’t want to read all about my Disney trip? Just scroll to the bottom to grab the recipe. 🙂
Disney Cruise!
During spring break, my family and I went on our very first cruise. We decided on a Disney Cruise and booked a trip on the Disney Dream. In this post I am gonna give y’all my full and honest opinion of the cruise and our experience. Honestly, I was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning of the cruise. There is just so much to take in and experience. I will break up this post into two since I have a couple recipes I would like to share and I don’t want to overwhelm you. So just think of this as part one. Update: Check out PART TWO HERE. This recipe for Coconut Rice Pudding was a highlight for me on the cruise! If you don’t want cruise deets, just scroll down for the recipe. 🙂
Booking our cruise
So, to start, we booked the cruise on our own through Disney’s website. We booked a 4-night (5 day) cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida. It included a couple days at sea, a day in Nassau, Bahamas and a day on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. For the most part, the booking was very easy to do on our own. We only had a couple of small issues setting up an excursion activity for when we landed in Nassau but we called Disney directly and they were able to help us figure it out. If you are not very tech savvy, there are lots of Disney-authorized travel agents who can do it for you and most don’t charge a fee as they are paid by Disney to book your trip.
Disney Dream at Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island in the Bahamas)
Motion sickness?
Think about booking a stateroom in the middle of the ship (midship) and about halfway up. You’ll have the least amount of movement in that area. Too close to the front (forward) or back (aft) of the ship and you’ll definitely feel more movement. If you are prone to motion sickness then chances are you may possibly experience sea sickness. However, my son has motion sickness and was just fine. If you think this might be a possibility for you, then ask your doctor to prescribe you a motion sickness patch (called Scopolamine) before you go. That way you’ll have it if you need it! It works way better than Dramamine and you will see a lot of folks wearing them during the cruise.
Port Adventures
First things first, a lot of people do these cruises regularly so things like special excursion trips when you get into port can sell out quickly. This was our first cruise so we had no idea. For example, not long after we booked the trip, we got an email saying we could start booking our ‘Port Adventures’ – which is basically everything from renting a private cabana while in Castaway Cay to a dolphin experience in the Bahamas. When we logged on that night to book our Port Adventures, half of them were already sold out! It was crazy. We really wanted one of those private family cabanas – but no luck! What was strange was when we got to Castaway Cay, there was only one family in the private cabanas and the rest were empty so not sure why it said they were fully booked every time we continued to check before our trip.
Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island in the Bahamas)
Grab your passport
You’ll need a passport. It can take 4 weeks to 3 months to get your passport so plan ahead accordingly. You will need them. You will also get your luggage tags in advance. Going on a cruise is just like air travel these days. Everything has to be checked by security and the screening process means you have to leave your bags into the hands of the Disney cruise line staff and your bags will be returned to your stateroom later that evening. So, the lesson there is to make sure you pack any essentials into a carry-on bag: baby food, diapers, medications, etc. Your carry-on will be screened just like at the airport and you can carry it around with you. The downside is, you’ll have to carry it all around with you until your room is ready. Chances are, when you first board (you will be assigned a boarding time) your stateroom will not be ready yet. So anything you carry on board, you’ll have to carry around until your room is ready later that day.
Key to the World
You’ll get your boarding card (Disney calls it your ‘Key to the World’ card) when you check in just before your boarding time. Children will get a wristband that will allow them to be checked into the variety of kids clubs and activities on board the ship (don’t lose the kiddos wristbands – you’ll need to turn them in before disembarking the ship or you’ll be charged a fee of $12.95 each) You won’t need to carry any cash or credit cards around with you while on the ship. You will pay for any extras (alcoholic drinks, spa services, shopping, etc.) using that card. You can attach a credit card (electronically) to it for charges or you can settle your bill before leaving the ship (at Guest Services). You’ll need to make sure you always have that card with you. You’ll even need it to turn on the electricity in your stateroom.
There are only 3 restaurants on the Disney Dream (included with your cruise) so you can see we went to one of those restaurants twice because we were on a 4-night cruise.
Permission to come aboard
When you first board, the Disney crew greets everyone by announcing your family’s name and there are additional cruise staff there to clap for you as you board (you can see my video clip below). Honestly, I think the kids really love it (and maybe I did a bit too – ha!) but it does slow down the boarding process and the smaller kiddos tend to have a meltdown from waiting to be announced and there really is no way around it. You just have to wait. They do their best to keep it moving quickly but it’s just something you need to be prepared for.
Buffet, here I come!
After boarding, you are encouraged to head to the buffet (on the Disney Dream, the buffet area is called ‘Cabanas’) to grab something to eat and to tour the ship since your stateroom will most likely not be ready. Also, you can board the ship while wearing your bathing suits and swimming trunks and you can head to the pools too while you wait. When you initially check-in and get your ‘Key to the World’ card, they will let you know what time your stateroom will be ready and you’ll also get a sheet called ‘The Navigator’. This sheet will tell you everything that is going on in the ship for that day and at what times. You’ll get a new one everyday that will be delivered into your room by your stateroom host/hostess. See tweet below to see an example of ‘The Navigator.’ You can also download a Disney Cruise Line Navigator app on your phone that will also give you details. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t tell you all the activities for the following days, only the current day (just like the paper Navigator.) I hope Disney gives complete schedules for the entire cruise in the future. It would help in planning out your days ahead of time.
— Scott Sanders (@TheDCLBlog) March 18, 2018
Scott at The Disney Cruise Line Blog is an amazing resource for first time cruisers and experienced cruisers alike. I definitely recommend following him!
Take the ship tour
There are several ship tours you can take that first day and so we attended that tour and were glad we did! We had a lovely young British gal named Simone as our tour guide and she really gave us all so many little tips and tricks and we were fortunate enough to keep bumping into her throughout the cruise and she continued to provide us with helpful tips! If you’d like, you can check your kids into the ‘It’s a Small World Nursery’ or the Oceaneer Club and/or the Oceaneer Lab (ages 3-12), the ‘Edge’ (ages 11-14) or the ‘Vibe” (ages 13-17) and you can take the tour with just the adults to make it easier (but not necessary.)
I ordered birthday decorations and a birthday cake ahead of our cruise (for my husband’s birthday – at an additional charge.) When we arrived, our stateroom was already decorated! Behind me, but not pictured, is the sliding glass doors to our outdoor balcony.
Claustrophobic?
There is a lot of room to move around on the ship and it’s very open and airy but the staterooms are small. There is just no way around it. I am a little claustrophobic so we got a stateroom with a balcony (veranda.) It really helped to be able to open the curtains and step outside. It gives the room a feeling of being larger than it is. Also, I highly recommend bringing along some sort of white noise to help everyone sleep. The staterooms are quiet but you will hear the occasional running up and down the halls and people chatting loudly. So if you have an app on your phone or a white noise machine, definitely bring it. We ended up purchasing a fan in the Bahamas because we had a hard time sleeping (see my photo below!) Everyone laughed as we brought it on board and they all wanted one too! Hilarious! But it totally helped us sleep much better!
Rotational Dining
Last note: the rotational dining is included as part of your cruise package. You’ll be assigned first-seat dining (5:45 pm) or second-seat dining (8:15 pm). You can usually request a seating time change if you are not happy with the one you were assigned after you board the ship. The ship also has some fancier dining options for adults that you can pay for. I didn’t try those restaurants (one is called Palo and the other is Remy – on board the Disney Dream) but I am told the food is amazing. The food at the rotational dining is good and they have kid-friendly food as well. Pro tip: go with the food options that your server suggests. It makes a difference – trust me! And be sure to tell your server of any food allergies or preferences. They will remember and honor these requests each evening to make sure you’re happy and cared for because they will be your servers throughout the entire cruise!
To be continued…
I will continue with our Disney cruise adventure in another post so this one doesn’t drag on! This first recipe I am sharing was a dessert from our first night on board. This Coconut Rice Pudding was on our first night at ‘The Animator’s Palate’. I love a good rice pudding and this was probably one of my favorite desserts at all the places we ate.
Crock Pot Coconut Rice Pudding
Let’s get to this recipe! This is my own version of it. I might be tooting my horn a bit here but I think my version turned out a bit better than the one on board. Mickey would be proud! 😉
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. salted butter (or margarine), divided use
6 cups milk (2% or higher)
1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
2 cups instant rice, uncooked (like Minute Rice)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
toasted coconut, for topping (optional)
Cream of Coconut can usually be found in the alcohol-aisle of your grocery store. It is non-alcoholic and is usually used to sweeten and add flavor to Pina Coladas. So, you will usually find it on the same shelf as the other drink mixes (for margaritas and daiquiris, etc.)
Click on the play button below to watch a video on how to make it!
Directions:
Butter a 5-quart slow cooker. Make sure to rub the entire interior with the butter (or margarine.)
Pour milk and cream of coconut into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Then pour in rice.
Stir in salt, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract and stir well.
Top mixture with remaining butter (that you used to grease the crock pot.)
Cover slow cooker and cook for about 3-4 hours on low. Make sure to stir occasionally. This will help the rice soak up all of those delicious flavors as it cooks.
Top with additional cinnamon before serving.
If you’d like, you can top individual servings with toasted coconut flakes. Place sweetened flaked coconut on a nonstick baking sheet. Place in a preheated 350f degree oven for about 10 minutes (making sure to rotate the pan every couple of minutes) until lightly golden brown.)
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Enjoy!
Check out more of my Disney Cruise Line Tips HERE.
- 3 tbsp. salted butter (or margarine) divided use
- 6 cups milk 2% or higher
- 1 15 oz can cream of coconut*
- 2 cups instant rice, uncooked like Minute Rice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- toasted coconut for topping (optional)
- Butter a 5-quart slow cooker. Make sure to rub the entire interior with the butter (or margarine.)
- Pour milk and cream of coconut into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Then pour in rice.
Stir in salt, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract and stir well.
- Top mixture with remaining butter (that you used to grease the crock pot.)
- Cover slow cooker and cook for about 3-4 hours on low. Make sure to stir occasionally. This will help the rice soak up all of those delicious flavors as it cooks.
- Top with additional cinnamon before serving.
- If you'd like, you can top individual servings with toasted coconut flakes. Place sweetened flaked coconut on a nonstick baking sheet. Place in a preheated 350f degree oven for about 10 minutes (making sure to rotate the pan every couple of minutes) until lightly golden brown.)
Recipe Video
*Cream of Coconut can usually be found in the alcohol-aisle of your grocery store. It is non-alcoholic and is usually used to sweeten and add flavor to Pina Coladas. So you will usually find it on the same shelf as the other drink mixes (for margaritas and daiquiris, etc.)
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I’m still on the fence about a Disney cruise (I just don’t like boats) but now I kinda feel like I went on yours so I’m off the hook, right?
This pudding looks amazing!
I totally get that. I think if you had a nice, calm trip (like down to the Bahamas) you’d feel better about it. They are so huge that you don’t really feel so much like you are on the water. I think the real factor is the stateroom. It’s tight for sure. But you can totally live vicariously through me! LOL. I have second post coming on Wednesday to wrap it all up!
It has been a bit since we were on a real family vacation. I didn’t want to have to plan the fun around nap time, but Little Dude is finally old enough to start thinking about it. A Disney cruise would be a fun way to get our sea legs back! 😉 and I love the idea of coconut rice pudding in the slow cooker!
Carlee, this is really where Disney shines. I talked to so many parents who gushed about how good the onboard nursery is (as well as the clubs for the kiddos that are over 3 years old.) Disney is really unique in this area. They want to make sure the whole family has a good time. It gives you a lot of options to spend time one-on-one with older siblings and also some one-on-one time with your spouse. You will also have a ‘Wave phone’ that comes standard in all the staterooms. This will allow any Disney crew member to call you if anything comes up. It works anywhere on the ship (since your cell phone service will be sketchy).
Also, I do appreciate that Disney caters to singles, couples without children, and teenagers. Teens have their own pool area and adults do too. This is great for people, like me, whose kids are getting older and tend to think of Disney as “baby-ish” – LOL.
I made this recipe exactly as it states…OMG it was soooooo delicious!!!!! Family is going to FLIP! This was my first time making rice pudding. It is one of my favorites! I will definitely be making it again! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Hi Alissa! Woo Hoo!!! Thanks you SO much for coming back to let me know. And I applaud you for trying to make something that you’ve never tried to make before. So happy this was a winner for you!
Would this recipe turn out the same if you use a non-dairy milk like coconut or almond?
That is a good question but I’m not sure. Possibly. I just haven’t tested it out yet and I’m not familiar enough with coconut or almond milk to really make an educated guess. I bet someone else on here will know!:)
I used to make rice pudding with soy milk, years ago and it was always really good. No change in recipe, just sub the non dairy for the dairy. Now I use almond or coconut milk and it works just the same. Although I use stove top and not crock pot.
Love, love, love rice pudding! Can I ask what size crock pot you used? Thank you so much. ❤️💐
Hi Dietta! This was a 5-quart crock pot. 🙂
Brandie, I love your recipes! They are easy and down to earth, no fancy ingredients. Thanks!
Thank you for saying that Joann! I am so thankful that you love them!!
This looks so yummy! Do you serve it warm and then reheat it later?
Hi Stacy! Yes! I wouldn’t freeze it but you could certainly keep it in the fridge for a couple of days without any issues. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave. I actually don’t mind eating it cold. I like it but I’m not sure if I’m just weird like that but it’s good to me! 🙂
Instructions for the instapot?
Sorry Shari, haven’t tested that out yet!
Hi Brandie! Love this coconut rice pudding recipe. Any idea if evaporated milk would work in place of 2% milk? I’m glad your family had fun on your Disney cruise. Do you know if they have cruises for senior citizens? I really enjoy your posts.
We’ve done 2 Disney crises and LOVED them both!
Disney is the best!
We will definitely do it again. I’d really love to do the Panama Canal one or even an Alaskan cruise!
I couldn’t find the cream of coconut, so bought regular coconut milk, but it is not sweetened. Can i use that and add some sugar? and how much>
Thanks.
Yes you can add sugar. I didn’t find cream of coconut and used coconut cream and milk in the recipe and added 1/4 cup sugar. It was great. After shopping in 6 stores I finally found some at Bulk Barn and am making a batch just like Brandis tonight. 🙂
Just wondering since there is no sugar what makes it sweet? My can of cream of coconut has no sugar listed in the ingredients.. Can’t wait to give it a try 🙂
Are you sure it’s cream of coconut and not coconut milk? Cream of coconut is thick like sweetened condensed milk and definitely has sugar in it.
Could you use Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice? I do not cook with minute rice.
HI! I’m going to try these yummy recipes, but they both say to cook on low 3-4 hours…my crockpot settings are high 4-6 hours and low is 8-10 hours…which one should I use? I don’t want to overcook it lol…thanks! 🙂
I wonder if you could use brown rice for this recipe?
Can you add pineapple to the recipe — fresh or canned?
I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why not!
Looks like a great recipe and I love coconut anything. Have you tried it with regular uncooked rice? I honestly don’t like minute rice (or instant tapioca, but that’s another story) (and yes I was a difficult child long ago and far away – didn’t like minute rice then either)
I have not but I believe some others on here have tried it. Sorry I’m not more help!
I love coconut and will definitely try this recipe, but am thinking about adding coconut to the pudding as it cooks. Any thoughts?