The Ultimate Disney Cruise Outfit Guide (From Someone Who Overpacked)
- Ashlie & Lauren
- Apr 13, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 2
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Jump to the Fits
When we went on our first Disney Cruise, I was completely overwhelmed. I hadn’t been on a cruise since the 3rd grade and didn’t even know where to begin with packing or what to wear. (Now that I have experience, I would love to plan the perfect looks for you. Just click the button below!)
So I started doing some research and watching vlogs and TikToks. I even reached out to a few people who had been on a Disney Cruise. From all of the information, I had determined that I needed to pack...TWO OUTFITS PER DAY. I thought that I would need one outfit for during the day and a separate outfit for dinner. While you can do this, it’s totally not necessary! We just booked a cruise on the Disney Wish, and here is what I will be packing this time around!
Pack One Casual Outfit Per Day for a Disney Cruise
As a magical outfit planner, I wanted to theme each outfit to the dinner rotation. From watching influencers and vlogs, it looked like this is what most people did. However, I quickly realized that I had gone to a lot of trouble and extra packing for no reason.
While it is super fun to theme your outfit to your restaurant, it does NOT have to be dressy! You can easily still be in theme for your dining rotation and just remain in that outfit the entire day, no need to change. Personally, I think the ships are a little chilly no matter what time of year you cruise so packing a light layer like a sweatshirt is also a good idea!
For example: If you’re on the Wish and want to theme your outfit for the Marvel dining rotation, you still can! You just don’t need to pack or wear two totally different Marvel outfits! If you would like to wear something a little more fancy for dinner, I would just swap out a skirt for shorts.
Disney's dress code for cruises just states that you cannot wear tank tops or swimwear to dinner. I will also add that on our cruise, the lighting in the dining rooms was pretty dark, so you may not be able to get that picture-perfect photo you wanted!
Pack One Dressy Option for a Disney Cruise
Even if you don’t have reservations at Palo, Remy, or Enchante before you board, you might be able to grab one once you set sail. These restaurants are amazing, but do come with strict dress codes. Knowing what to wear to these extra dining options can be stressful.
Knowing what to wear to these extra dining options can be stressful. You can watch our video on these dress codes here, so you know what to wear! While these dining options do come at an extra cost, I really do think they are worth the splurge.
Not only is the food phenomenal, but for us, this was a rare chance for a date. We took advantage of the incredible kid’s club on board and were able to spend a couple of hours by ourselves. It was heavenly. But what you don’t want is to get turned away for not meeting the dress code of these restaurants. So, I would recommend packing one outfit that meets the requirements just in case. And if you are on a 7 night cruise, they have one formal night, so you will want to have a nice outfit for that night too!
Pack Two Swimsuit Options for a Disney Cruise
This is the only item I would recommend doubling up on. Someone in a Facebook group recommended this, and I was glad that we listened. If you or your family plans to swim daily, your swim attire may not dry in time in your room for the next day!
That way, you’re not wearing wet suits to your day at Castaway Cay! Just wear what you would for any beach or pool day. We of course liked adding Disney touches to our outfits, even on the island! Our Amazon storefront also has some fun items for your Castaway or pool days!
Pack One Pirate Night Outfit for a Disney Cruise
Most Disney cruises have a pirate night, and people go all out! While it’s not required to dress up, it’s certainly half of the fun. Special characters come out for these themed nights, and fun activities are provided. We have previous post that you can read with all the pirate night information!
Why not immerse yourself and enhance your experience? It’s up to you how much you want to theme, but if you need help, you can check out our blog post for even more outfit ideas!
Pack One Themed Night Outfit for a Disney Cruise
Disney offers special themed cruises for select sailings. These are called Marvel Day at Sea and Pixar Day at Sea. Make sure to check with your travel agent or your itinerary to see if your cruise offers this full-on themed day for your cruise.
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Even if you aren’t sailing on a specialty cruise, I would still recommend what’s offered on your ship, as Disney has truly stepped up their game with immersive theming on the Disney Destiny. Black Panther, Loki, Cruella, Maleficent and Spider-Man all make appearances throughout your cruise. Black Panther is a really big theme on the Destiny, so if you love this character and movie, it wouldn’t hurt to pack one outfit to represent T’Challa!
We have an entire playlist on YouTube if you need any more info! Disney Cruises are really unlike any other vacation I’ve ever experienced. It genuinely was the first time that I was able to relax on a family getaway. If you are headed to a Disney Cruise anytime soon, we would love to help you plan your outfits and make it truly the most memorable vacation. You can check out our Custom Services here! As always, let us know if you have any questions.
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