The Disney Cruise Line is a self-contained vacation all in itself, offering a wide variety of activities, shows, dining, and entertainment. Here we present our Top Ten best things to do on a Disney Cruise:

#10: Read a book in one of the lounge chairs on deck 4 -  All around the exterior deck of Deck 4 are wonderfully comfortable lounge chairs with thick blue padding. Grab your favorite book and kick back in one of these chairs as you watch the sea slip by.

#9: Participate in daily activities - There are many, many more activities planned for each day of your cruise than you could possibly attend. Pick your favorites from the list provided in your daily itinerary, and go! Even if the event may sound a little corny, most of the time the activities and presentations are wonderfully well done and a great use of your time.

#8: Use the kids clubs - Disney is unrivalled in its programs designed for kids. Almost an entire deck of the Disney cruise ships is devoted to the children’s programs. Staffed by well-trained professionals, these kids clubs provide well-needed entertainment for the kids and allow adults some time on their own.

#7: Find the characters - This is a Disney cruise, after all, and the Disney characters are easily found and, unlike at the theme parks, easily accessible. There are several character meet-and-greets each day, so make sure to pick your favorite characters and go get a photo and an autograph.

#6: See the shows - Disney presents wonderful stage shows in the Walt Disney Theatre each night. These Broadway-caliber shows are very well done, and are entertaining for the whole family. The theatre itself is a state-of-the-art facility built right into the cruise ship, and provides great views from all of its comfortable seats.

#5: Get a spa treatment - The Vista spa is an often-overlooked indulgence aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Sign up for a massage, a facial, a manicure or pedicure, or even enjoy one of the spa suites, which includes your own personal hot tub on a balcony overlooking the ocean.

#4: Watch fireworks on deck - Disney is the only cruise line in the world which presents a fireworks show launched right from the deck of the ship. Usually presented during the “Pirates in the Caribbean” party, the fireworks are spectacular because they are so close.

#3: Eat at Palo - This adults-only restaurant located on Deck 10 aft is an exquisite dining experience. The food is absolutely top-notch, and the atmosphere is calm and sophisticated.

#2: Castaway Cay - Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is a must-do for every Disney cruiser. It’s filled with all sorts of fun activities accompanied by Disney-quality service and facilities. Swim, sunbathe, snorkel, bicycle, parasail, water ski, nap in a hammock, enjoy a drink at the bar, or enjoy any of the many other activities available on this private paradise. If you are lucky enough to  be on one of the Disney Cruises that stops twice at Castaway Cay, you are in for a treat.

#1: Relax - You’re on vacation, after all, and on one of the most relaxing vacations anywhere in the world. Make sure you take some time to sunbathe by the pool, or read a book on your verandah, or catch a movie in the theatre, or just sleep in and let the day go by.

Walt Disney World has 23 resorts on Disney property, and there are hundreds of off-site resorts near Disney World. Disney offers many benefits to stay in one of the Disney resorts, and honestly, I can’t give you any benefits to staying off site. While I had a hard time limiting this list to the top 10, I managed to do it finally.

#10: Refillable Mugs - All of the Disney resorts offer refillable mugs for sale, good for your entire trip at your home resort, and can be filled with soda, as well as tea, coffee, hot chocolate and some resorts even have frozen Coke. Mugs run about $13 each with tax, and if you are staying for longer than a few days, the refillable mugs make for a great way to save money on drinks while at your resort, and a great souvenir that you can take home with you.

#9: Free Parking - Disney resort guests get free parking at their resort, as well as at all of the Disney theme parks, water parks, and other Disney resorts. If you are driving to Disney World, or renting a car once there, the free parking is very nice, and a big money saver. Off-site guests pay $10+ per day to park at the theme parks, an expense that you don’t have to pay.

#8: Room Key Charging - Staying at a Disney resort, at check-in, you get the option of setting up your room key as a virtual credit card. You will be able to use your room key to charge at all Disney restaurants, resorts, gift shops, well, basically everywhere on property that accepts a credit card, and is Disney owned (some of the restaurants in Downtown Disney do not accept room keys as payment). This is a great convenience, as you don’t have to carry your entire wallet or purse, just your room key and a few bucks in cash. Each charge is itemized and can be checked out at your front desk at any time. At check-out, you can confirm all charges, and they will be charged to your credit card in one lump some.

#7: Resort Deliver of Package - Image, if you can, walking down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, and your daughter falls in love with a life size Pooh bear in one of the shop windows. Remember, it is 9 AM. What are you going to do? Staying at a Disney resort, you can go ahead and buy Pooh and have it sent back to your resort, you will be able to pick him up when you return from the parks, and only have to carry him up to the room. A much better option that having to carry Pooh around the Magic Kingdom all day.

#6: Disney Resorts - Disney has some of the most unique resorts around. Staying off-property, you may get a nice pool, but it will be basically a hotel. Disney has a resort surrounded by live animals (Animal Kingdom Lodge), one that makes you feel like you are really in the South Pacific (Polynesian) and a near replica of the Old Faithful Lodge from Yellowstone (Wilderness Lodge). All Disney resorts offer great theming, and really give you a unique vacation experience.

#5: Disney Transportation - Whether it is one of the Disney buses, Disney boats or the monorail, Disney offers a fast and fun way to get from your Disney resort to any part of the Walt Disney World kingdom. All of the Disney transportation is included in your Disney resort stay, and most kids have just as much fun getting to the parks as they do once they are in the parks. There is just something magical about riding the monorail back to your room.

#4: Disney Dining Plan - Disney World offers a great dining plan that can be used in the resorts and theme parks, but the only way to get it is to stay at a Disney resort (you must also purchase a Magic Your Way package including your resort room and park passes, but that is a small requirement). The Dining plan is a great money saver, and a great way to budget, as you know the cost of all that theme park food in advance. It also allows you to be able to go to restaurants you normally would not, as everything is paid for in advance. I no longer will go to Disney without the Disney Dining Plan, it just make my vacation just that much better, I can’t imagine going without it.

#3: Extra Magic Hours - Each day, at least one Disney theme park is open one hour early, and at least one is open three hours late, in addition to the hours the parks are open to the public. So, by staying with Disney, you can enjoy the Disney theme parks for 4 hours longer each day. Not only are many of the day guests gone once the parks close, but all of the Disney theme parks are beautiful at night, it is a real treat to be able to walk around a non-busy park and just enjoy the sites.

#2: Disney’s Magical Express - All Disney resort guests, who fly into Orlando International (MCO) receive free airport transportation to and from their Disney World resort. In addition to the transportation, Disney will also handle all of your luggage, so you just hop off the plane and onto the Magical Express, and your luggage will show up in your room later on in the day. A great convenience for those flying in, and a huge money saver, as you no longer have to rent a car at the airport. The Magical Express is fast, convenient and best of all, free.

#1: Disney Magic 24 hours per day - Kids and adults alike feel the Disney theme parks are magical. Staying at a Disney resorts means you never have to leave the magic. Whether it is the fantastic Disney resorts, wonderful Disney service or the special events going on at each resort, you never have to leave Disney on your Disney vacation. Watch the Water Parade from the beach at the Polynesian, release lady bugs into the gardens at the Grand Floridian or take a resort tour at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Do you have any other reasons why you stay on Disney property?

Epcot hasn’t always been associated with rides. Great food and education was the name of the game for years. In recent years, Walt Disney World has spent millions, if not billions, or dollars to upgrade the park and install state of the art rides. Here are our top 10 rides in Epcot:

#10: The Seas with Nemo and Friends - Located in what used to be the Living Seas pavilion, it has now been turned into a Nemo themed pavilion. The Seas with Nemo and Friends takes you underwater with Mr. Ray in search of his class. Great special effects, you get to go through the giant aquarium that is the center piece of the pavilion. Fun for everyone.

#9: Maelstrom - Located in the Norway pavilion, Maelstrom takes you on a Norwegian adventure through the history of Norway. Complete with a visit through a historic town, evil trolls and a big water fall, Maelstrom isn’t to the level of most Disney rides, but it is fun, and usually easy to get on. There is also a beautiful movie after you get off the ride that presents the wonderful areas of Norway. You can bypass the movie if you wish, but you must wait for the doors to open, which is every 10 minutes or so.

#8: Living with the Land - My long time favorite in Epcot, I would have listed it higher but many find it boring. Take a gentle boat ride through a Jungle, desert and prairie before entering Epcots greenhouses. Check out the innovative ways Disney grows food for many of their restaurants, including growing food without soil. Very informative, and relaxing. Little kids and teens may find some of the ride boring, while other parts hold their interest pretty well.

#7: The American Adventure - Located in the American Pavilion in the World Showcase, the American Pavilion was long the center piece of Epcot. Fantastic animatronics, wonderful historic footage and unique technology are used to tell 200+ years of American history in 30 minutes.

#6: Turtle Talk with Crush - Located in The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk was a unique attraction for Disney that has now been reproduced at Disneyland (California Adventure) and more recently the Monsters Inc.Laugh Floor in the Magic Kingdom. Crush, while completely animated on screen, interacts with audience guests, including answering questions and poking fun of adults. Great attraction for kids, and different every time, so you can easily see it several times during your trip.

#5: Honey I Shrunk the Audience -  The original 4-D Disney Movie (if you don’t count Captain EO), it has kicked off a few other versions including It’s Tough to be a Bug and Mickey’s Philharmagic. Watch as Professor Szalinski, the star of the Honey I shrunk the “blank” movies receives an award for the inventor of the year, and accidentally shrinks the audience. Fun, action packed “movie”, with a few scary parts. Some little kids may be scared, but you an always leave if needed.

#4: Mission: Space - Located in Future World, Mission: Space is a great ride, taking you to Mars, complete with full G-Forces and troubles galore. Great ride, including guest interaction required to get you to Mars.  Mission: Space isn’t for everyone, and several people have actually died after riding it. Disney now offers a non-spinning side, which isn’t quite as fun, but if you suffer from nausea, you might want to consider that side.

#3: SpaceShip Earth - The original attraction of Epcot, SpaceShip Earth takes you on a history of the world, specifically, a history of communication. Great animatronics , complete with sound and smells to match the scene, SpaceShip Earth is entertaining and educational at the same time. A recent update has added to many of the scenes. If there is a line, come back later in the day, usually by late afternoon, you can walk right on.

#2: Test Track: Located in Future World, Test Track was Epcot’s original thrill ride. Replicating a car testing grounds, Test Track takes you through the testing of a new car, including the high speed banked turns. The single rider line is a great way to bypass the line if it is long, but be warned, your party will be separated.

#1: Soarin’ - Located in The Land pavilion, Soarin’ is basically a duplicate of Soarin’ Over California that opened in California Adventure. Soarin’ replicated a hang glider ride over California, including a visit to Disneyland. Fun for kids and adults, the sights, sounds and smells are amazing, just a fantastic family ride.

Epcot features some great rides, and really shouldn’t be missed on your Disney World vacation. Give it a try, you will be amazed how fun and beautiful the park is. Oh, and lines for Soarin’ and Test Track are often very long, so make good use of the Fast Pass system early in the day.

Walt Disney World has same fantastic restaurants, many are known far and wide for the great food and great views. While you don’t normally associate great food with theme parks and thrill rides, Disney World is the exception. You can easily eat at some of the best restaurants in Florida minutes after riding the Jungle Cruise.

#10: Jiko - Located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jiko features food you are used to influenced by African flavors and cooking. Go out on a limb and try something new, you will love it. Great atmosphere, and usually very easy to get into, Jiko, while expensive, is fantastic:

Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with macaroni and cheese and red wine sauce: $37.00

#9: Flying Fish - Located on the Boardwalk, Flying Fish is my favorite place to dine at Walt Disney World. With an open kitchen, and a small restaurant, Flying Fish is intimate and just a bit loud. Just a few minute walk from Epcot, and on the always fun Boardwalk, Flying Fish has great fish entrees, and oddly enough, one expensive steak:

Char Crusted New York Strip Steak with roasted fingerling potatoes, root vegetables, broccolini and classic sauce Foyot: $38.00

#8: Citricos - Located in the Grand Floridian, Citricos has a mediterranian theme, and flavors of Italy to North Africa abound. Wonderful views of the Magic Kingdom from most tables, and wonderful food on every table. A bit stuffy, but still a great, romantic restaurant:

Braised Veal Shank with carrot-potato puree and roasted vegetables: $39.00

#7: Portobello Yacht Club - Located in Downtown Disney near the entrance to Pleasure Island, the Portobello Yacht Club is a top notch Itallian restaurant. Good food, especially before a night out at Pleasure Island:

Filet Portobello, a grilled center cut of Angus beef, topped with gorgonzola cheese, caramelized red onions and served with roasted garlic whipped potatoes and tomato oreganata: $39.95

#6: Artist’s Point - Located in the Wilderness Lodge, Artist’s Point brings out the old West in Disney. Many entrees are unique to Artist’s Point, such as Buffalo and pork belly hash. Don’t mark this one of your list, it is one of the best at Disney. The Plank Salmon is to die for.

Grilled Buffalo Sirloin Steak with sweet potato-hazelnut gratin and sweet onion jam: $42

#5: Yachtsman Steakhouse - Located in the Yacht Club, just steps from Epcot, the Yachtsman Steakhouse features some of the best steaks around. This is a meat lovers paradise.

Oak-fired Rib-Eye, a 16-oz Rib-Eye served with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes and Red Wine Butter: $42.00
Porterhouse, a 24 oz. center cut porterhouse, served with fingerling potatoes and roasted garlic butter: $42.00

#4: Bistro de Paris - Located in France in the World Showcase of Epcot, Bistro de Paris is small, and hidden. Run by three great chefs of Paris, this restaurant is not your normal theme park fare. High quality food and a tiny restaurant make for a fantastic experience.

Maine Lobster sauteed with asparagus, ricotta gnocchi, creamy bisque sauce: $43.00

#3: Narcoossee’s - Located in the Grand Floridian resort, Narcoossee’s may have a funny name, but there isn’t anything funny about the food. Fantastic location, overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom, you get fantastic food to go along with the fantastic view.

Steamed Whole Maine Lobster served with California asparagus and potato gratin: $55

#2: Fulton’s Crab House - Located in Downtown Disney, Fulton’s flies all of their crab and fish in daily, and even posts a list of the daily shipment at the door. Fantastic crab in a unique restaurant (it is shaped like a giant steamer ship). Too bad the inside of the ship is not as good as the food. Great place for a meal, not as fancy as many of the other restaurants.

Lobster Narragansett, a whole Maine lobster, oven roasted, stuffed with shrimp, scallops and served with red skin potatoes: $55

#1: Victoria and Albert’s - Located in the Grand Floridian, Victoria and Albert’s is unique in that it is a fixed menu restaurant, with a fixed price. Also, each table has a waiter and waitress, all appropriately named Victoria or Albert. Fantastic restaurant for a special occasion, a coat and tie are require for men, so don’t plan on stopping by right after a day at the Magic Kingdom. Menu Prix Fixe $115.00 per guest, wine pairings $60.00 per guest.

One thing you will notice is that California Grill, probably Disney’s most popular “fancy” restaurant is not included on the list. While expensive, it doesn’t have any really expensive entrees. All of the restaurants listed, with the exception of Victoria and Albert’s, has much less expensive entrees available. Don’t be scared off by the prices listed above, all of these restaurants are fantastic, and you should experience one or two of them each time you visit Disney World.

A great way to see Disney World is via one of the fantastic tours that are offered throughout the parks. All of the parks, with the exception of Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers year round tours, most of which go backstage, so you get a great view of the workings of Disney World. Disney World also offers tours of the resorts, the Animal Kingdom Lodge tour in particular is fantastic.

#10: Wild by Design - Located at the Animal Kingdom theme park, the Wild be Design tour gives you a close up look of the animals, buildings and artifacts used to build the Animal Kingdom theme park. The downfall is that there are no backstage areas seen on this tour, but you do get a fantastic view of Harambe Village and surrounding areas.

#9: Backstage Safari - Also located at the Animal Kingdom theme park, this tour gives you an entire backstage experience of the animal care area of Kilimanjaro Safaris. While you really don’t get to see many animals, you do get to see where they live and eat when the parks are closed, the animal hospital and a chance to meet many of the caretakers.

#8: Epcot Seas Aqua Tour/Dolphins in Depth - These two Epcot tours are sister tours. The Aqua Tour gives you a backstage look at the Living Seas pavilion, including time in the Living Seas aquarium. The Dolphins in Depth tour is similar, with a backstage look at the Living Seas pavilion, as well as hands on experience with the Dolphins.

#7: Behind the Seeds - Located in The Land pavilion in Epcot, the Behind the Seeds tour takes you on a walking tour of the greenhouses of the Land. If you are interested in gardening at all, this tour is fantastic, giving you a close up look of the unique was of growing food, the pests they use to fight other pests and a look at the fish farm, full of alligators and fish to be used at Walt Disney World restaurants.

#6: Family Magic Tour - Located in the Magic Kingdom, this tour is fun for kids of all ages. The tour takes you through Main Street, Liberty Tree Square, Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. The tour is presented as a treasure hunt, which helps keep the little kids interested for the two hours. While you don’t get to go backstage, you do get to pick up interesting facts about the Magic Kingdom.

#5: Dive Quest - Located in the Living Seas Pavilion at Epcot, Dive Quest is a unique tour for certified divers. Divers get a 30 minute dive in the Living Seas Pavilion, with full interaction with all the sharks, fish, stingrays and turtles in the aquarium. The best thing about the tour is those who cannot dive can watch the divers through the aquarium windows.

#4: The Magic Behind our Steam Trains - If you, or anyone in your family loves trains (and who doesn’t?), the Magic Behind our Steam Trains gives you an up close look at the Steam Trains that operate in the Magic Kingdom. You start early, before the park opens, and get you watch as they prepare the trains for their daily work, and also get a look at the roundhouse, along with a view of the history of the trains, and all the trains used at Disney parks.

#3: Around the World at Epcot - A unique tour of two parts, the first part learning how to ride a Segway, the second half a tour on your own Segway through the World Showcase. Fortunately, the World Showcase is closed to the public while you are ridding, so you don’t have to worry about avoiding park guests. A great way to see the World Showcase before it opens to the public.

#2: Keys to the Kingdom Tour - Located in the Magic Kingdom, the Keys to the Kingdom Tour gives you backstage look at the Magic Kingdom, including a trip into the Utilidors that run under the Magic Kingdom with views of the wardrobe area. You also get to visit the Magic Kingdom production center, where all the parade floats are stored when not in use. Includes lunch at the Columbia Harbor House. Kids are not allowed, as you often see characters backstage that are not in full costume.

#1: Backstage Magic - The Granddaddy of all theme park tours, this 7 hour tour gives you a backstage look at Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom, including lunch at Mama Melrose’s. You get to see just about everything, from the Disney Florist to Storage areas and views of attractions from the inside give you an unique view of the Disney theme parks.