‘First Wave’ sailings and annual Member Cruise among buzz-worthy cruise options
With four charter voyages on tap for 2025, including three with Disney Cruise Line and one with Adventures by Disney, eligible* Members have more opportunities than ever to cruise as a community in the New Year. A limited number of staterooms remain available for each sailing as this edition of Disney Files Magazine hits the press, so call Member Services as soon as possible for reservations. In the meantime, here’s a quick look at the 2025 Member sailing slate:
Disney Vacation Club Member “First Wave” sailing on the Disney Treasure, Jan. 4-11, 2025: Members will be among the “first wave” of guests to experience the new Disney Treasure ship from Disney Cruise Line, sailing from Port Canaveral, Fla., to Tortola in the British Virgin Island, Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Disney Castaway Cay. As a special onboard convenience and commemorative keepsake, Members (and everyone in their traveling party) sailing on this voyage will receive (upon check-in at the terminal) an exclusively designed DisneyBand+ featuring the Disney Treasure and Disney Vacation Club Membership Magic logos. Use it to unlock your stateroom, tap on and off the ship, make onboard purchases and more.
Disney Vacation Club Member “First Wave” sailing to Holland and Belguim, June 28-July 5, 2025: Members will be among the “first wave” of guests to experience this new Adventures by Disney river cruise itinerary through Holland and Belgium, departing from Amsterdam and making six stops in idyllic ports. As an added bonus for this special First Wave sailing, a special Disney guest onboard will help inspire your inner artist.
Did you know? Members booking the June 28-July 5, 2025 sailing with Adventures by Disney have the option of either paying the full price up front or placing a 20 percent deposit (paid with either cash or vacation points) to hold their reservation. In either case, full refunds are available until 120 days prior to the sailing’s departure date.
Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise on the Disney Dream, Aug. 2-7, 2025:
The 2025 Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise will take place aboard the Disney Dream, departing Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and featuring stops in Cozumel, Mexico and at Disney Castaway Cay, along with two special-entertainmentfilled days at sea (one before each port stop).
Disney Vacation Club Member “First Wave” sailing on the Disney Destiny, Nov. 28-Dec. 3, 2025: Members will be among the “first wave” of guests to experience the new Disney Destiny ship from Disney Cruise Line, sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney Castaway Cay. (While reservations for the other sailings listed above are open as this magazine mails, Member Services will begin taking reservations for this Disney Destiny sailing on Oct. 23, 2024.)
What’s the difference between "Member Cruise" and "First Wave?"
While all four cruises described above are charter voyages for eligible* Members and their guests, “First Wave” sailings differ from the annual Member Cruise experience. Simply put, “First Wave” sailings allow Members to be among the “first wave” of guests to enjoy a new experience. The “First Wave” sailings described above, for example, allow Members to be among the first to sail aboard a new Disney Cruise Line ship or to experience a new Adventures by Disney river cruise itinerary. While Disney Vacation Club may occasionally add a touch of extra magic to a “First Wave” sailing as opportunities arise, those sailings tend to be largely unchanged. Being among the "first" is what makes them special. The annual Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise, by contrast, is not about being “first” and is all about the extra magic. From the broad lineup of special entertainment created in collaboration with leading storytellers across The Walt Disney Company to the curated collection of commemorative keepsakes that arrive daily in your stateroom, the Member Cruise elevates the already spectacular Disney Cruise Line experience with the ultimate expression of Membership Magic.
*See important eligibility information at the bottom of page 1.
Add digital Disney magic to your photos: An interactive array of AR (Augmented Reality) lenses available from our friends at Disney PhotoPass through the My Disney Experience and Disneyland Resort apps add a touch of real-time Disney magic to photos and videos you capture from your mobile devices. Whether you use the lens to turn yourself into a blue Genie or blue Na’vi, to unleash your inner villain or to enjoy a silly moment with Stitch, these complimentary lenses are designed to turn standard selfies into standout souvenirs. Some lenses are available for use anytime, anywhere, while others activate only at select locations within Disney Theme Parks and Resorts. And now, eligible* Disney Vacation Club Members who’ve linked their Membership to the app will see a new “This or That” lens created with Members in mind. Available for use anytime, anywhere, the lens playfully prompts Members to choose between two Disney delights simply by nodding their head toward their favorite of the two choices (the lens may ask you to choose, for example, between Dole Whip or Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar as a favorite treat). After playing along and answering a short series of questions, Members will see themselves magically transported through the lens to a Disney Vacation Club Resort inspired by their choices. Scan one (or both) of the QR codes below to connect to this new Disney Vacation Club lens on your chosen app. Note that, in order to access, and fully enjoy, the AR lenses, you’ll need to give your chosen app access to various functions on your mobile device, including its camera (to capture photos and videos), microphone (to capture audio in your videos), library (to save your augmented photos and videos) and location (to unlock location-exclusive lenses), with the latter three being optional. Click on the app in your device’s Settings and toggle on the functions you’d like to allow the app to access.
Make Lightning Lane plans before your
Walt Disney World vacation
Inspired by guest feedback, Lightning Lane entry options at Walt Disney World Resort recently introduced some enhancements, including simpler names (Disney Genie+ service is now known as Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and Individual Lightning Lane is now known as Lightning Lane Single Pass) and the ability to make Lighting Lane plans prior to arrival (you can even plan Lightning Lane passes for multiple vacation days at once). Lightning Lane Multi Pass also allows guests to select experiences and times prior to purchasing so you know what you’re getting before you buy. Our friends at the Disney Parks Blog put together a great rundown of the changes, and you can access that blog post by scanning this QR code with your mobile device. The post includes more details about the updated offerings and process, a helpful video and a link to more details at disneyworld.com/ lightninglane. Guests staying at a Disney Resort Hotel – including Members staying at Disney Vacation Club Resorts – may purchase Lightning Lane passes as many as 7 days in advance of their check-in date and may do so for their entire stay of as many as 14 days. (Other guests may make Lightning Lane plans as many as 3 days in advance.) It’s also worth noting that, while Disneyland Resort now uses the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass names, the way guests purchase, select and redeem Lightning Lane passes at Disneyland Resort remains unchanged.
