Cast Member Spotlight: Stephanie, Youth Activities Manager Aboard the Disney Dream

Stephanie, a Youth Activities Manager aboard the Disney Dream with nine years at Disney Cruise Line, has built a career combining her two great passions — working with children and traveling the world. Raised in a family daycare run by her mother, she found her professional home managing the Oceaneer Club and Edge program for kids, tweens, and teens across the Disney Wonder and Disney Dream.

Stephanie, a Youth Activities Manager aboard the Disney Dream, has spent nine years with Disney Cruise Line creating magical experiences for young guests at sea — a career she describes as the perfect fusion of her two lifelong passions: working with children and exploring the world. Raised in a family daycare environment and captivated by Disney storytelling from childhood, Stephanie now leads the youth activities team managing the Oceaneer Club and Edge programs aboard the ship.

A Passion for Working with Children

Stephanie grew up in a home daycare center established and run by her mother, making childhood development a core part of her identity from an early age. Years of working alongside her mother and observing the growth of toddlers and young minds made working with children second nature — and deeply meaningful.

"Children are hilarious, creative and curious. Being part of their growth and development is very rewarding," Stephanie said. That foundation provided the professional DNA she would later bring to one of the most dynamic youth programs at sea.

A Career Traveling the World

Alongside her passion for children, Stephanie always dreamed of seeing the world. When she learned about the youth activities spaces aboard Disney Cruise Line ships, a career at sea clicked into place as the ideal intersection of both ambitions.

"The idea of traveling the world and being able to see many different places that I had never been exposed to inspired me to begin my career at sea," Stephanie said. "To be able to bring these two parts of my world together, both a love for travel and a passion for childcare, and successfully make a career out of it, it's like a dream come true."

Over nine years, Stephanie has sailed aboard both the Disney Wonder and the Disney Dream.

A Love for Disney Storytelling

Stephanie's love for Disney began early. As a child, she owned VHS tapes of nearly every Disney film she could name. "I was so mesmerized by the stories and the enchantment of Disney characters," she recalled. "It's funny now, but at five years old, you couldn't tell me I wasn't Ariel or Jasmine. I was so infatuated with their stories, and I believed I could be them!"

Now, she gets to help tell those same timeless stories and craft magical moments for young guests inside the Oceaneer Club and Edge aboard the Disney Dream. In her current role, Stephanie and her team are dedicated to creating memorable experiences for kids, tweens, and teens throughout the ship.

"It's one of the greatest feelings to walk through the youth spaces and see the excitement and really hear the spaces come to life," Stephanie said. "The laughter that the kids are sharing with each other and the counselors when playing games, having a dance party with the characters and making new friends, is the kind of laughter that lets you know they're genuinely having the best time together. When guests stop me to tell me how special and magical their experience has been in our youth spaces, that's so rewarding for me."

The People Behind the Magic

For Stephanie, the best part of working for Disney Cruise Line is the global community of crew that forms a kind of family across borders. "I've been able to meet so many different people from so many different walks of life. People like me, people different from me, people I would have never otherwise met. I can truly say that I now have family around the world and a couch to crash on in at least 10 different countries. It's amazing! I know these friendships and bonds will last the rest of my life, and I'm so grateful for that."

A Memorable Moment: Her Mother's First Cruise

After nearly a decade at sea, Stephanie counts one sailing as especially close to her heart — the voyage when her mother joined her aboard the Disney Dream for the first time.

"It was her first time on a Disney cruise and her first time meeting Mickey Mouse! It was such a magical experience for both of us, and I was very proud to show my mom the Disney Dream and for her to meet all of the amazing people who I've gotten to know on board. My family is very proud of all that I've accomplished at Disney Cruise Line over the years, and they love to share my stories with anyone who will listen."

Why This Matters for Families at Sea

Youth programming is one of the defining features of a Disney Cruise Line vacation, and it is cast members like Stephanie — with nine years of dedicated experience, genuine passion for childhood development, and deep love for Disney storytelling — who make it exceptional. Families sailing the Disney Dream encounter a youth activities team whose commitment extends far beyond the job description. Guests can explore upcoming Disney Dream sailings at DisneyCruise.com.