Glacier Day on a Disney Alaska Cruise: Characters, Views, and Tips
- Ashlie & Lauren
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
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Glacier Day on a Disney Alaskan Cruise is known to be one of the most exciting on your voyage. It was by far our favorite day of the cruise, as it was filled with stunning scenery, incredible character moments, and an opportunity to touch ice from the glacier!
There is a lot to take in on this unforgettable day, so we wanted to share some key information with you. We will break down what to expect, character meets, timeline tips, and of course, what to wear. We also have this day vlogged if you want to watch our experience through our eyes.
What is Glacier Day on a Disney Alaskan Cruise?
Your Disney Alaskan Cruise will include a Glacier Viewing day where you are able to get an up-close experience of one of Alaska’s three largest icecaps in the state and cruise through the Stikine Icecap.
Typically on the day of the viewing, Disney decides which fjord to enter based on weather conditions. You will either get to view the Dawes Glacier or the Sawyer Glacier. Once you arrive at the glacier, they slowly rotate the ship, giving everyone plenty of opportunity to view this natural wonder for about 2 hours.
The day also includes special character meets with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip, Dale, and Pluto in exclusive costumes for this day. Koa from Brother Bear can also be found wandering the ship on Glacier Day.
This is also typically when they celebrate Freezing the Night away on the ship, which includes Frozen themed activities, performance, and a meal.
What to Expect on Glacier Day for Your Disney Alaskan Cruise
On Glacier Day, you will not wake up to those stunning ice cap views. However, you will still be greeted with some beautiful scenery. The mornings are very busy because of character meets. Characters start meeting at around 9:00 am, but guests start lining up around 8:00 am, as this tends to be the only day to see them in their Alaskan Cruise outfits.
Disney does a great job of making announcements throughout the day to let you know which fjord they will be choosing and what time to expect for arrival at the glacier. If you aren’t into meeting the characters, Disney offers live lectures from naturalists that you can attend. You can learn more about the glaciers, the Tongass National Forest, and wildlife native to Alaska.
Naturalists also talked over the PA system, but it was difficult to hear at times.
We actually had reservations for Palo Brunch (our favorite restaurant on any Disney ship) for 11:00 am and loved the views during our meal. We finished with plenty of time to change and head to the deck for our glacier arrival time, which was scheduled for 2:30 pm.
I would recommend heading out to the decks 30 minutes to an hour before arrival to take in all of the sights. We spotted so many gorgeous waterfalls and wildlife as we approached the glacier.
Characters are also out during this time, so it’s another time to snag some photos if you missed them during the morning. Hot cocoa and blankets are available on the decks too to make it an even cozier experience.
You don’t need to spend hours scoping out the best spot for viewing. We stayed on Deck 10 almost the entire time and never had an issue finding a spot for viewing or photos. Deck 4 offers views that are closer to the water, and it’s covered if it’s raining. Because Disney slowly rotates the ship, there really isn’t a bad spot for viewing.
We did not do the Glacier Explorer excursion. I have read many wonderful reviews about this excursion, but we found staying on the ship was enough for our family. We had two kids under 10 at the time, so we chose to not get off the Wonder. That doesn’t mean it wouldn't be worth it, it just means it ended up working out for our family dynamic.
After you start to leave the glacier, Disney brings a piece of the ice on board for everyone to see and touch it. This was very cool and my husband’s highlight of the day. The entire viewing takes about 2 hours, so if you have early dining, you’ll have more than enough time to change and make it for dinner!
Meeting Characters on Glacier Day for Your Alaskan Cruise
I wanted to make this a separate topic, as this was the most stressful day for meeting characters. Because of the exclusivity of these costumes, the lines are extremely long in the mornings. My husband went to get in line at around 8:15 am for Mickey, and the line was already packed.
It was very cold and windy during the morning on Deck 10, but the free hot cocoa and blankets helped keep us warm. Mickey was our most important for the day, so we set out to make him the priority.
Once he started meeting at 9:00 am, the line moved quickly. During our time, Disney didn’t allow autographs and only allowed for two photos. I hadn’t planned on that, as I wore a special outfit to grab a photo with Mickey solo after my family took theirs, but I understand why they limit the session.
They have to get through so many families in a very limited amount of time. This photo op felt rushed, so just know that before you decide to stand in long lines.
However, our experience in the afternoon was much different.
When we headed up to Deck 10 for our glacier viewing around 1:30 pm, we were pleasantly surprised to see friends of Mickey meeting families. In the 2 hour timeframe of the viewing, we met Donald, Goofy and Pluto with much shorter lines, better backdrops, and longer interactions.
I am unsure if Koda had a designated meeting spot this day, but I was lucky enough to run into him while exploring Deck 4 as we left the Glacier. We also came across Minnie at the very end of the night, wearing her exclusive outfit inside Grand Hall with little to no line.
What to Wear to Glacier Day on an Alaskan Cruise
What to wear on Glacier Day truly depends on when you’re going and what your plans are for the day. While Alaska is cold, some months are colder than others. We sailed the first week of June, and this day was cold, but not unpleasant. The morning was a bit rough with the wind, but during the viewing it wasn’t too bad. I wore fleece-lined leggings, a flannel shirt, hat, and a heavy lined jacket and was very comfortable.
This is also a great time to dress up if you have a specific character you want to match for photos. I wanted my outfit to match Mickey’s, and I only needed to change the skirt for the rest of the day. It’s a great day to really theme your look and grab some fun photos.
If you need a guide on what to pack for Alaska, you can check out our blog where we break down the basics.
Glacier Day was truly the most magical day of the trip. I wasn’t really prepared for how a chunk of ice was going to make me feel, but my emotions got the best of me, and I think I cried tears of joy three times. I hope in some way this has helped you plan for your best day ever at the Stikine Icecap.
As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments, and I hope you have the most magical cruise!
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