We counted down with everyone else for the first blast of the ship's horn playing "When You Wish Upon a Star," and it was impossible not to get swept up in the excitement. I squeezed my kids' hands, soaking in the moment together.
When the revelry shifted into dance party mode and Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" came on, my kids hit the deck to dance. And instead of documenting the moment, I joined them; I’d made a conscious choice to be present, and it felt wonderful. A Disney photographer caught a photo of us, and that image is one I'll treasure forever.
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Why I Decided to Unplug Before Even Boarding
The author and her family before boarding the Disney Wish cruise ship in Port Canaveral.Photo by Linnea Bailey
But looking back at different eras of my life, I miss the spontaneity of the 2000s. It was the decade when pocket-sized digital cameras suddenly started taking fabulous photos, and I loved mine. I backpacked through Europe with a small Sony Cyber-shot, then a sleek Canon ELPH that eventually met its end in the Danish sea (prompting an emergency dash to a Copenhagen camera shop for a replacement).
Even with the digital camera power of the era, I still carried a disposable film camera well into the mid-2000s. At the time, it felt completely normal. And looking back, I'm nostalgic for the anticipation that came with not knowing exactly how every shot would turn out. Some photos were a surprise—and that was part of the fun.
Packing for the 2000s
The two primary cameras used for this vacation were a Sony Cyber-shot RX100 compact digital camera and a Camp Snap screen-free digital camera.Photo by Linnea Bailey
So I picked up a Sony Cyber-shot RX100, a digital camera barely bigger than a deck of cards. I also packed the Camp Snap camera we'd used on our screen-free Disney World trip (which takes digital images but functions like a film camera) and a waterproof disposable camera for anything involving water.
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The One App I Allowed Myself
Character meet-and-greets are one of the many daily activities that can be found on Disney Cruise Line ships, such as this meeting between the author's children and Donald Duck.Photo by Linnea Bailey
You can't see the full daily schedule until you're onboard, but once you are, there are plenty of options: rotational dining and a Broadway-style show every night, character meet-and-greets, trivia, first-run movies and so much more.
My routine: a quick morning check-in on the Navigator app for the most up-to-date info (mostly to confirm dinner plans and showtimes), a mental note of which activities sounded fun—Disney trivia, family crafts, Moana on the pool deck—and then I'd leave my phone behind for the day. Guest Services also keeps a limited supply of printed schedules each morning, which is another option if you'd rather skip the app altogether.
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What Happens When You Stop Scrolling
Disney Cruise Line's private island destination Disney's Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.Photo by Matt Stroshane, courtesy of Disney
Our four-night sailing included stops in Nassau, Disney's private island Castaway Cay and a sea day. We ended up having so much fun onboard that we skipped going ashore in Nassau entirely and saved our energy for Castaway Cay, where we snorkeled, swam and lingered over lunch under swaying palm trees.
Somehow not having my phone with me made me feel freer to do things I normally wouldn't, too. I swam with my kids in turquoise water during an afternoon shower at Castaway Cay, then joined them to ride the ship's AquaMouse water coaster repeatedly before dinner instead of rushing back to the stateroom to get ready. A cruise is for living, after all, and I needed the reminder.
Cruising Like it’s 2006
Mickey and Minnie's Pirates in the Caribbean is a high-energy deck party that takes place on the Disney Wish cruise ship during Pirate Night, in a photo taken with a 2000s-style compact digital camera.Photo by Linnea Bailey
One morning, we turned a corner and ran straight into Donald Duck. My high-energy six-year-old son adores Donald Duck, so watching the two of them giggle over the phrase "quack attack" was a sweet, unplanned moment. Later, from the upper decks of the Grand Hall, we caught a glimpse of a wedding taking place onboard, as picture-perfect as anything out of a Disney movie.
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The Best Souvenir Was Time Together
The Bayou is one of the signature lounges found aboard the Disney Wish, in a photo taken with a 2000s-style compact digital camera.Photo by Linnea Bailey
My kids also got to spend precious time with their grandpa. Over Mickey waffles with real maple syrup at Marceline's Market, my dad told them stories from his time in the U.S. Navy and taught my nine-year-old the NATO phonetic alphabet, used throughout the maritime world to distinguish letters when spelling out words.
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How My Kids Reacted When I Put the Phone Away (Spoiler: Better Than Expected)
The author's children loved taking photos aboard the Disney Wish with a screen-free digital camera, as seen here in front of one of the ship's art displays.Photo by Linnea Bailey
My six-year-old twins, especially, loved the novelty of looking through a real viewfinder, and between the two of them they snapped nearly 500 photos. Some of my favorites are the ones that gave me a glimpse of the vacation through their eyes: their "secret" hideout behind couches in the Grand Hall, photos of stairwell artwork and blurry, gleeful selfies with Goofy and Pluto.
In true 2000s fashion, I also gave my nine-year-old more independence to explore the ship than she's had before. The 2000s were a decade when people still found their way around without GPS, and Disney Cruise Line's reputation for safety made it an easy place to test that out. Letting her lead her siblings from our stateroom to the kids' club gave her a sense of purpose, and she appreciated the chance to find her way from place to place.
Here’s What I’m Changing for Next Time
The author with her children on the deck of the Disney Wish cruise ship, as seen during the ship's sail away party.Photo courtesy of Disney
I also underestimated how useful the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App really is. Even without a Wi-Fi package, it lets you message other family members onboard and on Disney's private island stops. The ability to send a message as simple as "we're at the pool" turned out to be more valuable than I expected.
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How to Plan Your Own 2000s-Era Disney Cruise
Donald Duck, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Pluto are seen in front of the Disney Wish at Disney's Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private island destination in The Bahamas.Photo by Kent Phillips, courtesy of Disney
Lock up your phone—really. A stateroom safe works, but the psychological trick is treating it like it's not an option, not just leaving it "nearby."
Buy the photo package and utilize the Disney cruise photographers. They're stationed all over the ship and at every port; letting them do the work means you'll end up in the photos instead of just behind the camera.
If using film, remember to keep it out when going through security. X-ray scanners at the airport or when boarding the ship can damage undeveloped film, so carry it separately and ask for a hand inspection instead of sending it through the machine.
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