The Short Version
I am 34, married to Alan (36), and we have two kids: Gracie is three and Rory just turned two. I work full time. Alan works full time. We are tired in the way that all parents of toddlers are tired, which is to say: constantly, but with occasional bursts of enthusiasm that we channel directly into vacation planning.
Disney Cruise Line is our thing. It started as a "let's try it once" idea when Gracie was barely one, and now we have sailed three times. We are not wealthy people who cruise constantly. We save, we plan, we research obsessively, and then we make one big trip count. That research process is how Knots and Naps was born.
Why This Blog Exists
When we started planning our first Disney cruise with a baby, I could not find the kind of resource I needed. There were plenty of glossy cruise review sites run by people who sail twelve times a year and always have concierge suites. Good for them. Not helpful when you are trying to figure out whether a standard inside stateroom can physically fit a pack-and-play and two suitcases at the same time.
I wanted someone to tell me which stateroom was actually worth the money when you have a kid who wakes up at 5am. I wanted someone to explain the dining situation for a toddler who eats approximately four foods. I wanted the truth about port days with a one-year-old, not the Instagram version.
I could not find that blog, so I started writing it.
What You Will Find Here
Stateroom guides with actual dimensions and "can a pack-and-play fit here" answers. Dining write-ups that include what Rory ate and what he refused. Packing lists that mention when I learned something the hard way. Ship news filtered through the lens of traveling with a three-year-old and a two-year-old who are both in a phase.
I write about things I have done or researched until I felt confident. If I haven't been somewhere or tried something, I say so. The Wish review took me six weeks to finish because I kept going back to my notes to make sure I had the details right.
No sponsored content. Nobody pays me to write this. Affiliate links are labeled and they help keep the site running, but they don't change what I recommend.
Our Cruise History
Get in Touch
If something I wrote was wrong, or if you want to argue with me about whether the deluxe oceanview is actually worth it (it is), or if you just need a real answer to a question before you finalize your booking, reach out. I try to respond within a few days. I'm slow but I do actually respond.