TRAVEL LOG: Day 8 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy
Our final day of our Pixar Day at Sea cruise in January 2023 was not something we were looking forward to. We’d had a fantastic cruise, and it’s never fun saying goodbye. However, after enjoying one last breakfast on the ship and saying goodbye to our servers, we left the ship and headed home. Debarkation, or leaving a ship, is a process that can confuse first-time cruisers because leaving a ship is not as simple as leaving a hotel room when you are ready. Learn more below.
1 – Getting Ready to Leave the Ship
Getting ready to debark a ship begins the day before. You’ll be given instructions and luggage tags the afternoon of the last full day. When we returned from Castaway Cay, we found luggage tags in our room. Instructions on the debarkation process were in the app and also on an information channel that we watched in our stateroom. You’ll want to read up or watch the video instructions because the process will vary by passenger depending on their travel schedule the following day. Other factors include how much you want to carry with you or how early you may want or need to leave the ship.
2 – Pack the Day Before
You’ll also need to spend some time the day before packing. This is true even if you choose the Express Walk-Off option (see #3) because you won’t want to get up early on the last day to pack your bags. Most guests will choose Luggage Assistance with breakfast, and you’ll need to have the bags you don’t want to carry with you out in the hallway by 10:30 pm the night before you leave the ship. The crew will pick up the bags and place them in a temporary hold, and then the next morning, the bags will be at the port in customs. Your color-coded luggage tags (with corresponding Disney characters) will let you know where to pick up your luggage.
When packing, you’ll need to keep some items with you, such as your toiletries, electronics, valuables, and clothing for the day. We’ve found it easiest to keep one carry-on luggage piece with us for last-minute items. DO NOT pack your Key to the World card or passport (or birth certificate and state-issued ID if sailing without a passport). You will need these items to exit the ship and clear customs!
3 – All Ashore That’s Going, Ashore!
There are two options for leaving the ship: leave as early as possible (Express Walk-Off) or leave later in the morning with your assigned group. Either way, plan on a very early morning! There is no sleeping in on your last day! The crew and cast members only have a few hours to turn around the ship for the next cruise, so the morning begins bright and early.
4 – Option 1-Express Walk-Off
Express Walk-Off is a great option for those who don’t have a lot of luggage or have an early flight with a tight travel window. Those choosing this option will need to keep all bags with them, and they will receive no assistance getting their luggage off the ship. If you choose this option, make sure you have enough hands to carry everything off.
Guests using this option still have to be cleared by local authorities and wait for the Express Walk-Off announcement to leave the ship. For our cruise, guests using this option could expect to leave around 7:15 am.
Also, note that if you have left your luggage in the hallway but decide you want to leave early with the Express Walk-Off group, you won’t be able to access the luggage you left out. You can’t have it both ways. You need to either keep everything with you and walk off early or use luggage assistance and walk off at your designated time.
5 – Option 2-Luggage Assistance with Breakfast
The option most guests choose is luggage assistance with breakfast. As mentioned in #2, you’ll need to pack most of your bags the day before and have them in the hallway by 10:30 pm. You’ll be able to enjoy one last breakfast and see your serving crew to say thanks and goodbye. The app will tell you what time and where your breakfast will be, but you’ll be eating in the same dining room you ate dinner the night before. For instance, for our cruise, we ate at Royal Court for the main seating (5:45 pm) the night before. Therefore, our breakfast time was 7:00 am in the same dining room. Guests who had the second seating for dinner are scheduled for breakfast at 8:15 am.
For this option, be prepared to bring all remaining items with you to breakfast. Once you leave your stateroom for breakfast, you won’t be able to go back. After breakfast, you will wait for your color/character to be announced. While breakfast at Cabanas was not advertised, we did find it was open for guests who wanted a more flexible breakfast. We ate at Royal Court because we had the time and because we wanted to say thank you and goodbye to our wonderful servers, who we had gotten to know throughout the week.
6 – Early Flights
Note that those with an early flight do not necessarily need to use the Express Walk-Off option. Guests with flights out of Orlando International Airport before 12:00 pm are considered to be early flights.
If you have an early flight and want luggage assistance, you need to contact Guest Services for an early debarkation luggage tag. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to Guest Services.
Future cruising tip: if possible, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress if you have an afternoon flight. There is a lot you can’t control, like when you will be cleared to leave the ship and traffic getting to the airport. Better to wait at the airport than miss your flight!
7 – US Customs
After breakfast, we only waited about five minutes for our color/character to be called. We lined up and, sadly, left the ship. Our Key to the World cards were scanned. We were then directed to retrieve our luggage. After collecting our bags, we presented ourselves to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Again, you’ll need to have proof of citizenship, such as your passports in hand and ready for inspection. If you have something to declare, that form is also required. Make sure your party is together to expedite the process.
8 – Transportation from Port
Disney has options for guests needing a transfer to the nearest airports, Orlando International Airport in this case. You can purchase transfers ahead of time and be directed to a motor coach to board. There are also plenty of taxis and other transportation options at the port. We drove to Port Canaveral, so after we left the ship, we went to our car for the drive home.
We had a fantastic cruise and can’t wait for the next one. Disney Cruise Line is special, and we had an amazing week!
Learn more about Pixar Day at Sea on the Disney Fantasy
Read about our voyage to hear more about the experience, learn tips and tricks for cruising, and read our reviews of all the unique offerings.
Articles with Cruising Tips and Tricks
Learn more about the Disney Cruise line and our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy!
TRAVEL LOG: Getting Ready to Sail on Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 1 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Arrival Day
TRAVEL LOG: Day 2 Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Sea Day
TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Part 1 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Pixar Day at Sea
TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Part 2 Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Pixar Day at Sea
TRAVEL LOG: Day 5 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – San Juan, Puerto Rico
TRAVEL LOG: Day 6 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Sea Day
TRAVEL LOG: Day 7-Part 1 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Castaway Cay
Instagram Story with Photos and Video of our Cruise
Day 1 – Instagram Story Highlight – Arrival Day
Day 2 – Instagram Story Highlight – Sea Day
Day 3 – Instagram Story Highlight – Pixar Day at Sea
Day 4 – Instagram Story Highlight – Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and Pirate Night
Day 5 – Instagram Story Highlight – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Day 6 – Instagram Story Highlight – Sea Day
Day 7 – Instagram Story Highlight – Castaway Cay
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Editor’s Note: Disney Cruise Line provided a complimentary Pixar Day at Sea Cruise with special media-specific events and tours during the cruise. However, as always, the thoughts and opinions about Disney Cruise Line in this article are entirely our own.