disney magic wish cruise

Disney Wish Cruise Ship: Complete Guide and Review

Disney launched its fifth cruise ship in July 2022.  After a ten years with no new ships, expectations were high for the newest cruise ship in the Disney fleet.  In many ways, the Disney Wish cruise ship has completely smashed expectations; but there are a few areas where we feel that it may have fallen just a tiny bit short of its potential.

That said, we also know you want to have all the information to make your own decision and determine if it’s the right ship for you.  So, here we’ll present a complete guide to all the facts and figures of the Disney Wish.  We’ll also provide reviews of the ship and its venues. Whether you’re still planning your first Disney Cruise or are a Pearl-level Castaway Club member , there’s a lot to learn about the newest ship in the fleet!

Disney Wish Ship Overview

In many of the big categories, the Disney Wish is exactly like the other Disney Cruise ships. But once you start looking at smaller details, there are a lot of differences.

You still have four main types of passenger staterooms with lots of individual categories and subcategories.  But some of those individual categories include never-before-seen rooms like a Tower Suite that’s actually located inside one of the giant red funnels (smokestacks) on top of the ship.

There are still three main restaurants onboard for your nightly dinner rotation , but two of them feature live entertainment during your meal.

There’s still a gigantic kids club area that takes up almost an entire deck, but it’s much more intricately themed than prior offerings.

There’s still a waterslide-type ride onboard, but it adds some video animation effects to “plus up” the ride.

We’ll go in-depth below about each of these categories — and more — to help you get you bearings on the newest Disney Cruise Ship.

Let’s start with an overview and review by our favorite Disney YouTube channel, The Vacationeer:

How is the Wish Different from Other Disney Cruise Line Ships?

The Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are sister ships to one-another, meaning that they are more or less structurally identical to each other.  Similarly, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are sister ships.  As of 2023, the Disney Wish is distinct from all other Disney Cruise Line Ships.  Disney Wish is expected to eventually have two sister ships: the Disney Treasure is set to begin sailing in December 2024, and the Disney Destiny is expected to be completed sometime in 2025.  Separately, another Disney ship — the Disney Adventure — is also expected to join the fleet in 2025, but it will be different from all the others.

Now let’s look at some of the major elements of this fantastic new ship!

Disney Wish Staterooms

Let’s start by looking at where your own private quarters onboard the ship.  Your stateroom (passenger cabin) is the equivalent of your resort hotel room at sea, and this ship has plenty of them!

The Disney Wish has 1,254 staterooms.  Each of those staterooms falls into one of four primary types of rooms; each of those four types is further divided into multiple categories and subcategories.  Which category you choose will have a rather substantial impact on the cost of your cruise, so it’s wise to research ahead.

If you’ve never cruised before — or you’re just curious to see what the décor of these rooms is like — check out this general overview from The Vacationeer.

Here is a consolidated list of the room types offered onboard.  They are listed here generally from least expensive to most expensive, though there may be some price overlap among categories/subcategories.  (For a more in-depth look at each of these room types, see the descriptions and photos posted on our Disney Cruise Staterooms article).

Inside Staterooms on the Disney Wish

Inside Staterooms have no porthole window or balcony.

• 11C:   Deck 2
• 11B:   Decks 6, 7, 8
• 11A:   Decks 9, 10, 11
• 9D:   Decks 6, 7
• 9C:   Deck 8
• 9B:   Deck 2
• 9A:   Decks 7, 8

Oceanview Staterooms on the Disney Wish

Oceanview staterooms offer an outside view through a round porthole window which does not open.

• 8C:   Decks 6, 7
• 8B:   Decks 8, 9

Verandah Staterooms on the Disney Wish

Verandah staterooms offer private outside balcony which can be accessed through sliding glass doors.

• 7A:   Decks 6, 7, 8, 9
• 6B:   Decks 6, 7
• 6A:   Decks 8, 9
• 5C:  Decks 6, 7
• 5B:   Decks 8, 9
• 5A:   Deck 10
• 4E:   Decks 6, 9, 10
• 4C:   Decks 6, 7
• 4B:   Decks 8, 9
• 4A:   Decks 10, 11

Concierge Staterooms on the Disney Wish

Concierge staterooms offer extra personalized service , concierge staff, and access to an exclusive Concierge Lounge and sun deck.

• 3B:   Deck 11
• 3A:   Decks 12, 13
• 2B:   Decks 12, 13
• 2A:   Deck 12
• 1C:   Deck 10
• 1B:   Deck 13
• 1A:   Deck 14 (Wish Tower Suite)

Our Review of Disney Wish Staterooms

Our reviewers felt that the Disney Wish staterooms were generally a welcome evolution to the staterooms found onboard the Disney Dream and Fantasy.

The rooms struck a nice balance between being a simple “refresh” of the existing stateroom plans versus a more-radical “reimagining” of everything.  There was innovation to be found, but there was not necessarily any change just for the sake of changing.

With the same general features — but updated, fresher decor — they offered a bright retreat that never felt dark or enclosed.  There’s still plenty of room to stow luggage and belongings so you can truly “move in” for the length of your cruise.  Split bathrooms, which are crucial to the morning getting ready routing, remain as a standard feature in almost every category.

Some innovations came with slight drawbacks.  Compared to staterooms on earlier ships, we were happy to notice larger televisions — but with less of an ability to “articulate” them to face toward where you are sitting.  And there’s a new drawer-style refrigerator, which is perfectly fine for cans of soda, but may or may not be convenient for other items you’re chilling.

As far as cons go: the Disney Dream/Fantasy’s “magical portholes” (circular video screens with live video views of outside) sadly did not make their way to the Wish’s inside staterooms, which instead opt for giant mural-style artwork behind the bed.  And one could argue that perhaps just a bit of the “nautical” theme is gone from these stateroom versus those of the prior ships.  None of those is likely to bother you enough to make you rethink your voyage.

Ready to see all that the Disney Wish has to offer?  Get in touch with the Disney Cruise experts at  The Vacationeer .

As diamond-level Authorized Disney Vacation Planners , they book thousands of vacations every year and have agents who specialize in Disney Cruises.

Whether you need help picking a stateroom type or need help understanding what’s included in the price , their Disney Cruise experts can help you plan the perfect vacation.

There’s never any charge for their planning services, and your cruise won’t cost anything more than if you’d booked it yourself.   You might even find you save a bit thanks to The Vacationeer’s knowledge of the latest Disney travel deals (and plenty of other  money-saving tips and tricks ).

So what’re you waiting for?  Make your Disney Wish come true!

Disney Wish Dining and Lounges

Pretty much everybody knows that one of the biggest draws on any cruise ship is the food.  The Disney Wish is no exception, with three outstanding main dining restaurants, two elegant adult-only dining options, and plenty of places to grab a quick meal or a snack on the go.

Cruise Dining Tip: Thanks to the international crew and clientele of Disney Cruise Line, you’ll often find international fare onboard the cruise ships. One of the things I look forward to on every cruise is my daily breakfast; that’s because in addition to the usual bacon and eggs, I can enjoy things I can’t normally get stateside — like a hearty bowl of European muesli with dried fruits and nuts, or even an Asian-inspired breakfast fried rice and miso porridge. At dinner, I’ll eagerly try something new and maybe even a little scary because it doesn’t cost anything extra to try!  Occasionally my suspicions that I won’t like something are confirmed in no uncertain terms, but most of the time I find myself pleasantly surprised.  Turns out I absolutely love escargot — who knew?! Either way, I’ve tried something new and the worst possible outcome is one unpleasant bite that didn’t lighten my wallet by a single penny.  So go ahead… order the pâté and broaden those cultural and culinary horizons!  You might just surprise yourself with how sophisticated your palate can be!

Here’s a video overview of dining onboard the ship; below, we’ll investigate each restaurant more completely.

Rotational Dining Restaurants on the Disney Wish

Like all Disney Cruise Ships, the Disney Wish offers something called  rotational dining during the nightly dinner service — a Disney Cruise Line innovation.  Rotational dining doesn’t mean you’re sitting in a revolving restaurant.  Diners are pre-scheduled to visit a different restaurant on each night of the cruise on a schedule called a dining rotation.

You pick a dining time when you make your reservation, but otherwise there’s no need to pre-reserve your spot.  You’ll always be at (for example) table 29 during the 8:15PM seating on every night of the cruise, no matter which restaurant you’re scheduled to be in.  And you’ll have the same waitstaff for the duration of the cruise, so they’ll get to know you, bring you your favorite drinks right away, and remember how you like your steak cooked.

Dinner at these three restaurants is included in the cost of your cruise.

You may also have a chance to dine at one of these restaurants for breakfast or lunch at no additional cost, but note that the menu will vary and you won’t experience any of the “show” aspects noted in the descriptions below.

Here are the three rotational dining restaurants on the Disney Wish:

• Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure

One of the most eagerly-anticipated experiences onboard is Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure .  At this restaurant, you’re an honored guest of Queen Anna and Kristoff as they celebrate their engagement (right around the time that the movie Frozen 2 ends).

Of course you’ll find Norwegian-inspired cuisine and Frozen-themed items, such as the Frozen Fractals cocktail, Worth Melting For non-alcoholic specialty drink, Elsa’s Royal Baked Scallops, Sven’s Favorite Carrot Soup, Arendelle Kjottkake (meatballs), Queen Iduna’s Potato Lefse, and Norwegian Pancake Roulade for dessert.

But the real star of dinner is the live entertainment.  Thanks to a stage at the center of the dining room, you’ll enjoy a great view of live musical performances from Elsa and Olaf, along with other frozen friends.  Even Wandering Oaken wanders in.  And thanks to a little Disney magic, you’ll feel as if you’re right in the middle of the Aurora Borealis (northern lights)

Our Review of Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure

Our reviewers were blown away by their experience here and ranked it as the top must-see, must-do, do-not-miss-it offering onboard.  The menu offered a nice mix that’s sure to please both those who are more adventurous eaters and those who would rather stick to things they know and love.

The food is good enough, but this experience is all about the show.

Thanks to a theatre-in-the-round setup, there’s a good view from pretty much anywhere in the dining room.  Our reviewers were seated outside of the central ring of tables, but still had a good view (with the exception of an occasional person walking between the tables and the stage).

They felt it was much better than a traditional character meal , even for jaded adults.  Compared to, say, a Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom) or Restaurant Akershus (EPCOT), the quality of the character entertainment and interactions is in a class by itself.  The characters sing and lead interactive activities, but also take breaks from the show to stop by and visit your table.  Even Olaf wheels in on a serving cart to delight diners (somewhat reminiscent of the table visits Remy made at EPCOT’s Chefs de France many years ago).

• Worlds of Marvel

This super hero themed restaurant offers a worldly menu inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Like the Arendelle restaurant, there’s a “dinner and a show” aspect to dining at Worlds of Marvel .  You’ll also get an up-close (and maybe too personal) demonstration of Super Hero technologies, with appearances by Ant-Man and the Wasp.  Fortunately everything turns out alright in time for dessert.

Sample menu items include the Widow’s Bite cocktail, Steamed Bao Buns, Cream of Porcini Mushroom Soup, Berbere Spiced Pork Chop, Ricotta Gnocchi, and Subatomic Sticky Date Pudding.

Our Review of Worlds of Marvel

If you’re familiar with the Animator’s Palate level of interactivity onboard other Disney Cruise Ships, you’ll have the same  general idea about Worlds of Marvel.  Indeed, the Disney Wish is the first Disney cruise ship  not to have an Animator’s Palate restaurant onboard — and Worlds of Marvel is likely the closest to that type of experience you’ll find.

Our reviewers enjoyed the (admittedly limited) interactive elements of the show; much like onboard Mission: Space at EPCOT or Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll find yourself tasked with pushing a few buttons on the Quantum Core device at your table to help solve a minor catastrophe.  You’ll have video visits from several characters in the Marvel Universe (yes, the original cast); you’ll also have a brief “walk-by” visit with Ant Man and the Wasp, but don’t expect any major character interactions here.

Our reviewers felt that overall the restaurant was a slight step down versus the Frozen-themed restaurant onboard.  The décor was impressive and the food was “just fine.”

This restaurant offers a dining experience steeped in the golden age of Hollywood.  Named after the year the Disney brothers founded their first studio, you’ll enjoy the flavors of California while surrounded by relics reminiscent of the early days of animation.  You’ll be seated in either the Walt Disney section or the Roy Disney section, but no matter which you’re assigned to, you’re in for a feast for the eyes and the stomach.

Sample menu items include Hyperion Four-Cheese Tri-Color Tortelloni, Pulled Guinea Hen Corn Chowder, Italian Flat Parsley and Rosemary-crusted Rack of Lamb, Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Kabocha & Butternut Squash, Churros Calientes, and Flourless Orange Almond Cake.

Our Review of 1923

Our reviewers felts that dining at 1923 was like dining in a Disney museum (and that’s not a bad thing).  It was a treat to dine surrounded by historic sketches, tickets, and artwork.  There were lots of nostalgic and historic vibes, with an Old Hollywood menu to match.

They felt the menu was perfectly fine, but conceded that nothing they ordered reached “must do again” status.  Our group also dined at 1923 once for breakfast (as an alternative to Marceline Market) and was pleased with the offerings during that meal period.

There’s no entertainment at this restaurant; that’s not unexpected on most Disney ships — but for the Wish, it’s an outlier as the only rotational dining restaurant without a show.  As such, our reviewers felt that this was the restaurant to skip if you’re on a shorter cruise and need to pick a night to experience Palo Steakhouse or Enchanté.

Adult-Exclusive Dining on the Disney Wish

The Disney Wish boasts two fine dining establishments that are offered solely to passengers age 18+.  These dining experiences are not included in the cost of your cruise, so expect to pay a bit more for these unique experiences.  Dress codes also apply, so be sure to pack something nice to wear!

Chef Arnaud Lallement, a three Michelin Star recipient , brings world class luxurious dining onboard the Disney Wish.  This is the premier dining experience onboard, and is priced accordingly.

Enchanté offers dinner service, along with a brunch service on select days of the cruise.  For dinner, enjoy a six-course prix-fixe offering, or select from à la carte items such as Caviar, Wild Halibut, or Maine Lobster.  Menu offerings are rather limited, with a focus on artisanal quality rather than broad quantity.

• Palo Steakhouse

Inspired by Beauty and the Beast ‘s Cogsworth, Palo Steakhouse is a bit different from the Palo restaurant that is already well-known onboard the four prior Disney cruise ships.  This version takes the Italian cuisine concept and elevates it into a steakhouse.

Sample menu items include an Antipasti, a 6oz Grilled Choice Angus Beef Tenderloin, and of course the famed Palo Chocolate Soufflé.  In addition to dinner, the beloved Palo Brunch is also offered here on select days of the cruise.

Our Review of Adult-Exclusive Dining on the Disney Wish

Our reviewers were somewhat limited in their ability to experience the actual cuisine onboard at these two restaurants during their christening, inaugural, and preview cruises.  They did, however, get a chance to tour the facilities and were impressed by the decor and ambiance.

A real bonus of these two restaurants is their outstanding views.  You’ll have a great chance to enjoy sweeping views of the ocean outside the windows while dining here, something that’s mostly missing in the three main restaruants.

Casual Dining on the Disney Wish Cruise Ship

There are plenty of places to enjoy a low-key breakfast, lunch, or dinner onboard the ship.

• Marceline Market

While you might be familiar with Cabanas on the previous four Disney Cruise Line ships, the large buffet-style restaurant on Disney Wish is called Marceline Market. The overall concept is the same — plenty of variety, already cooked, and ready to serve.  It’s great spot for breakfast or lunch — and even for dinner if you’re not thrilled with the menu at your assigned rotation restaurant.

One distinction versus Cabanas is that Marceline Market is set up a bit more like a farmer’s market in that there are individual “stalls” (stations) for different types of food rather than one long buffet line.  At some of these, you’ll serve yourself — at others, a crew member will dish up your food.

Marceline Market is the go-to spot for breakfast and lunch on the ship (though one of the rotational dining restaurants is usually also open for breakfast and lunch).  Almost everything here is included with the cost of your cruise, including sodas, juices, milk, tea, and traditional coffee.  If you want one of the specialty coffees or other premium drinks prepared at the restaurant’s “cafe,” you’ll need to pay separately for those.

At night, Marceline Market transforms into an alternative option for those not interested in dining at their assigned rotational dining restaurant (especially popular for folks who don’t want to observe a semi-formal or formal night on longer cruises).  During dinner, the restaurant provides a table service experience with entrees made to order (still included in the cost of your cruise).

Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods

Located on Deck 11 near the main pool complex is Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods. Here, you can grab a quick bite to eat without even drying off!  The hours are usually pretty generous, too, so if you miss regular lunch and dinner hours at the other restaurants you can still find food here most of the time.  But note that no breakfast items are served here.

This group of quick-service windows offers several unique options, such as Daisy’s Pizza Pies (pizza by the slice), Donald’s Cantina (tacos and burritos), Goofy’s Grill (burgers/dogs and chicken tenders), Mickey’s Smokestack Barbecue (brisket/chicken/pork), and Sweet Minnie’s Ice Cream (as many soft serve ice cream cones as you can handle!).

Like Marceline Market, most of the items here are included with the cost of your cruise.  But you’ll still find specialty drinks available for purchase.

Our Review of Casual Dining on the Disney Wish

Our reviewers appreciated the variety of food offered at Marceline, and also the fact that they had a wide selection of beverages that were included without having to buy an additional beverage package like on other cruise lines.  (While Disney Cruise does offer drink packages for alcoholic beverages , it’s not necessary to purchase one just for sodas, coffee, tea, or juice — those are all already included in the cost of the cruise) .  The generous hours and wide variety of food offered kept our reviewers returning day after day to Marceline Market.

Our reviewers appreciated the convenience of Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods and also found the setup to be “super cute.”  The tacos met with approval, and others in the group who tried the barbecue were happy with their meals, too.  Both of those cuisines are first-time appearances onboard a Disney ship, so we were happy to hear they were well-executed.  They also found it to be a handy spot to stop for a quick snack when everything else was closed.

Lounges, Bars, and Snacks on the Disney Wish

The number of bars and lounges onboard the Disney Wish are almost too numerous to list (though we do, indeed, attempt to do so in our deck-by-deck guide later on this page).  Here, we’ll point out a few of the highlights.

• Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge

For grown-ups wanting to get their Star Wars fix, Hyperspace Lounge is a great spot.  This adult-exclusive lounge features exotic drinks along with a starfield view out the window thanks to some video technology reminiscent of that used in Skyline onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.  You might even notice a few familiar spaceships jetting by the windows, in between the hyperspace jumps.

Our review of Hyperspace Lounge

Our reviewers placed Hyperspace Lounge among their top three onboard experiences.

The lounge was a bit tough to get into, thanks in part to its small size and big popularity.  When our reviewers visited, there was no reservation system in place and instead it was necessary to wait one’s turn.  Most folks ended up waiting in a de facto overflow space at the nearby Bayou lounge, which was a bit of a thematic “break” from the outer space story.

As such, our reviewers recommended seeing it as early in your voyage as possible… it’s small enough (and highly-anticipated enough) that it might take a few tries to get in.  You definitely don’t wait until 9PM on the last night of your cruise.

Two of our reviewers had also experienced the Galactic Starcruiser on land at Walt Disney World, and couldn’t help but draw comparisons to that location’s Sublight Lounge .  They felt that the land offering was much better because there were fewer limitations (thanks to not being shoehorned into the available space on a ship).  Between the two, Sublight Lounge (on land) felt more real than Hyperspace Lounge (at sea).

Our reviewers noted that while the Hyperspace Lounge was impressive, you might not feel like you have to go back every night… many travelers will probably enjoy it as more of a one-off experience once on their cruise.

• Keg & Compass

Drink up at this Norwegian-inspired bar.  Keg & Compass is designed to feel like a viking ship, but with modern elements including TVs to catch up on the latest sports.  Enjoy three unique craft beers available exclusively onboard.

• Nightingale’s

Fine Wines, handcrafted cocktails, and a shimmering chandelier set the scene at this chill piano bar aboard the Disney Wish.  Your piano player might even know a few obscure Disney parks tunes if you ask politely enough.

The drinkware itself even adds to the theme of this lounge, which is inspired by Cinderella’s rendition of “Sing Sweet Nightingale” from the 1950 Disney classic movie.

Sip a cocktail in an elegant setting, replete with antique mirrors and floating rose petals.  This elegant, adult-exclusive lounge is reminiscent of the enchanted castle from Beauty and the Beast, and is the perfect prelude or postscript to a sophisticated meal at Enchanté or Palo Steakhouse.

New Orleans-inspired cocktails and refreshments are served up in this informal lounge inspired by the magical marsh Disney’s The Princess and the Frog . Among the magnolia blossoms and twinkling fireflies, you’ll find live musical performances and other events.

Room Service on Disney Wish

Many Guests are surprised to learn that Room Service is included at no additional charge on their Disney Cruise.  Almost everything on the room service menu — with the exception of a few items such as prepackaged candies or canned soft drinks — can be brought to your room at no additional charge.  Just don’t forget to tip the Crew Member who brings the food to your door.

You can typically pick from several different salads, soups, burgers, chicken tenders, sandwiches, and hot wings.  You’ll also typically find a couple of flatbreads and pasta selections.  For dessert, cookies and slices of cake/pie are the standard.  A classic DCL favorite item is the  All Hands on Deck , a cheese and fruit plate that is perfect for noshing on as you watch the ocean go by.

If you don’t mind shelling out just a bit of cash, you can add on wines, beer, sodas, specialty coffees, juices, and the like.

Our Review of Room Service on the Disney Wish

Room service on the Disney Wish (or any other Disney Cruise Ship, for that matter) is usually perfectly fine, but there’s very little chance that it’ll be the most memorable meal you have onboard.

Depending on how busy they are, you might have to wait a bit of time for your food; 20-30 minutes is a typical wait time, but it can be longer during traditional meal periods.

Because your food is making an extended trip from the kitchen to your stateroom in a cloche-covered plate — and because your plated meal might have to wait a bit for a runner to become available to bring it to you — some menu items such as french fries and hot wings might not be quite as crisp or warm as you’d like by the time they reach you.

The menu is surprisingly complete, but not necessarily the most exciting.  We’ve never had a bad meal from room service onboard Disney Cruise Line, but none of them have been particularly spectacular, either.  Consider it a somewhat utilitarian option to get food in your stomach without having to change from your bathrobe, and you’ll be set up for room service success.

Best Bets for Each Meal on the Disney Wish

Below we list each of the main meal periods onboard the ship, and your best options for each.

• Primary option: Marceline Market is where most of the ship goes for breakfast.  It offers generous hours, a very wide selection, and plenty of food so you don’t start your day hungry.  The downside of this location is that, well, it’s where most of the ship goes for breakfast.  It can feel a bit hectic at times and might even be a bit of a sensory overload that early in the day.
• Secondary option: One of the three rotational restaurants — typically 1923 — usually offers a table-service breakfast.  The menu is a bit more limited than at Marceline Market, but this can be a less-hectic option than joining the masses there.  You’ll be served at your table — no roaming around to fill your plate or find a table.  And let’s be honest — some mornings, you just need a little more quiet time before you brave all those people .
• Other options: You can opt for room service breakfast, but it’s not the best option.  Room service menu options for breakfast are extremely limited.  You won’t find any “hot breakfast” options — no eggs, bacon, sausage, oatmeal, etc.  You can get juices, coffees, pastries, cold cereals — and not much else.  Does room service breakfast have some merits?  Absolutely.  It’s delightful to have a croissant and a cup of coffee while sitting on your verandah balcony watching the sun rise — but in our view that’s sort of pre-gaming the “real” breakfast.  If you’re looking for a filling meal so you can start the day with a full tank, you’ll need to leave your room.
• Primary option:   Like at breakfast, Marceline Market wins lunch thanks to its wide variety.  You’ll find flavors from all around the world, including some you might not get to experience back home.  Iced jumbo shrimp and crab claws are a favorite item, along with freshly grilled meats and plenty of side items.  And the desserts are not to be missed.
• Secondary option: Should your idea of a perfect onboard experience include lounging by the pool all day, you’ll likely include plans to have lunch at Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods.  No need to dry off and head inside.  Just drip your way on over to the window, get your tacos or barbecue, and enjoy a quick meal.  The options are more limited than Marceline Market, but there’s still a surprising variety — great for families with a wide range of tastes.  It’s also a chance to give kids just a tiny bit of freedom (and feeling grown up) by having them go all on their own to the window to pick up their chicken tenders.  And the extended hours mean you can dine here even if you missed lunch hours at Marceline Market or get hungry before dinner time.
• Other options: Room Service is another good option for lunch, with the obvious caveat that if you’re waiting in your room for your meal, you can’t be out enjoying the ship.  But if you’re taking a midday break, it’s a decent choice.  Your menu options won’t be that exotic, but you can still get a filling meal that won’t cost you anything extra beyond a tip and maybe an optional add-on like candy or soda.
• Primary option: Your assigned rotational dining restaurant is  the place to be for dinner.  It’s the heartbeat of the Disney Cruise dining experience and your dedicated service team that follows you all voyage long can make it into something really special.  Don’t be shy… ask for two entrees.  Order three desserts. Calories don’t count on vacation!
• Secondary option: As an alternative to your pre-scheduled rotational dining restaurant, you might opt to enjoy Marceline Market.  The restaurant will be an entirely different experience than the buffet-style offerings that are the mainstay of breakfast and lunch. You’ll be seated at a table, and a server will present you a menu that features some of the most popular selections from other restaurants. This is typically a rather laid-back meal without quite as much hustle and bustle as the main dining rooms.
• Other options: Beyond the above two options, there are of course the adult-exclusive restaurants to pick from, though we’d hesitate to call them an “alternative” to your regularly-scheduled dinner; they’re a special experience in and of themselves.  Otherwise, you can always grab quick food from Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods up on the pool decks, or order room service.
• Primary option: For those off-schedule cravings, your best bet is Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods. The generous “drop in almost anytime” hours make it a great choice starting around lunch time and going into the later hours around dinner.  And, while it’s still all-you-can-eat, individual portions tend to be a bit more “snack sized,” meaning it’s easy to grab a relatively light bite to keep you going without spoiling your appetite for your next big meal.
• Secondary option: Room Service is the champ of anytime eating onboard, though you’ll certainly find a better variety at Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods.  With 24-hour operation, you’ll be able to order something from room service starting from the time you get onboard the ship all the way until around 1:30 AM on the very last morning of the cruise.  Whether you want a full meal, a midday snack, buffalo wings at 3AM, or just some cookies and milk at bedtime, it’s only a phone call away.

Most of your meals are included in the price of your cruise; but some specialty meals, alcohol, and the offerings at most bars and lounges cost extra.

Here’s a no-brainer tip on how to save money on those upcharge experiences — let somebody else pay for them!

Booking through a Disney Travel agent like The Vacationeer earns you an onboard credit that can be used to pay for drinks, specialty meals, and even spa activities and port adventures (shore excursions) .  Depending on the details of your cruise, this credit could be as much as $1,000 !

To get your free onboard credit (and free help planning your Disney Cruise), contact the Vacationeer today !

Disney Wish Pools and Water Slides

Perhaps the most-anticipated addition to water activities onboard the Disney Wish is the AquaMouse.  Following in the dripping-wet footsteps of the AquaDuck (Disney Dream & Fantasy) and the AquaDunk (Disney Magic), the AquaMouse is a waterslide-type attraction.

Guests board a small two-person raft.  That raft then slowly carries them up a lift hill, during which time video screens mounted on the wall show very brief animations, drawn in the style of the newer Mickey Mouse short cartoons.

We’ve seen a few different storylines in our rides onboard, including one taking place in an alpine ski village, and another during a scuba diving adventure.

Once you’ve enjoyed your lazy lift to the top of the ride, the lift hill ends and the raft takes off for a brief splashy downhill ride.

Our review of the AquaMouse

Our reviewers felt the AquaMouse was the logical “next step” following the AquaDuck onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

Disney has positioned the AquaMouse as its first ever “attraction at sea,” but it’s important to remember that the logistics of being onboard a cruise ship mean you shouldn’t expect a Pirates of the Caribbean caliber attraction.

Your ride consists of about 60 seconds of “story” (delivered via short video clips while your raft slowly climbs the lift hill), followed by about 35 seconds of riding down a tube of rushing water.  It’s still a perfectly enjoyable waterslide — just don’t hear the word “attraction” and expect audio-animatronics or an it’s a small world soundtrack.

The different storylines that are offered via the video clips help to add a bit of re-ride-ability to this relatively short attraction.  Without that change, most folks would likely ride it once and be on their way.

To some extent, the AquaMouse feels a bit like Imagineers are just starting to dip their toes into the concept of blending land-style attractions with waterslides — all while working within the limitations associated with operating onboard a functioning cruise ship.

We can’t wait to see the next one after they apply the lessons learned building this one.

Pools and Splash Pads

There’s no shortage of pools and water splash zones onboard; ten, to be exact!  Deck 11 is the home to most, though you’ll also find smaller ones scattered about elsewhere.  With multiple smaller pools rather than one or two giant pools, you’re more likely to find one that better fits the vibe you’re looking for… packed with kids so younger travelers can make new friends… secluded and adult-exclusive allowing for a more-relaxing experience… and everything in between.

Note that some pools may be unavailable during portions of the cruise so they can be covered and used as stages/viewing areas for live entertainment.

We offer a full list of every pool on board further down the page in our “deck-by-deck” section.  In the meantime, here are a couple of highlights.

• Toy Story Splash Zone

For little tykes eager to make a splash, Woody, Jessie, and friends present a perfect place.  Much like the fun Finding Nemo splash zones onboard the Disney Wish and Fantasy, young kids not quite ready for the pool can splash in fountains, whisk down slides, and safely bounce around a bit on the soft padded areas while cooling off.

Adults will appreciate this pool, sundeck, and bar that’s made just for them.  We all love our family time, but there’s nothing like a little getaway just for the grown-ups while the kids are spending time at the youth clubs.

Disney Wish Kids Clubs and Teen Clubs

The wide array of onboard youth activity clubs is a big reason why we named Disney Wish as the best Disney cruise ship for kids .  Kids who’ve sailed onboard a Disney Cruise before are no doubt still talking about the time they spent at the kids clubs onboard. In what seems to be a continuing theme of this article, the Disney Wish takes the concept to an entirely new level.  Let’s explore some of these dedicated spaces:

Disney’s Oceaneer Club

To access this exclusive space, kids age 3-10 literally slide down from the Grand Hall atrium into the check-in for the day.  Once they’re here, they can pick from several distinctly themed areas.

• Marvel Super Hero Academy

Children become young Avengers, training alongside their favorite Marvel Super Heroes.  Spider-Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man and The Wasp are regulars here as kids team up, select their super suit, and battle infamous villains of the Marvel Universe.

Star Wars: Cargo Bay

Home to the Star Wars Galactic Creature Keepers adventure, kids here will become intergalactic creature handlers, feeding lifelike, interactive creatures and encountering some of the most dangerous beings in the galaxy. Don’t worry, though — with the help of Rey and Chewbacca (and the Force), everything will turn out just fine.

Fairytale Hall

Fairytales come to life in this royal retreat.  Enjoy visits from the Disney Princesses while making royal crafts at Rapunzel’s art studio, acting out stories in Belle’s Library, and crating a bit of ice magic at Anna & Elsa’s Sommerhus.

Walt Disney Imagineering Lab

This is the place for hands-on learning and fun.  A highlight is the ability to design your own virtual roller coaster, then hop inside a simulator capsule to experience it.

Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck

The youngest Oceaneers will enjoy this nautically themed play space.  Enjoy pipe slides, ship’s wheels, activities and games, and even an occasional visit from Captains Mickey and Minnie.

Our Review of the Oceaneer Club onboard the Disney Wish

Our review crew had no doubt in their mind that kids would fall in love with these spaces — because the grown-ups fell in love with them, too!

Thanks to open houses throughout the voyage, our crew spent probably more time than they’d like to admit playing along with the intergalactic adventures and super hero battles.  The slide to the kids club entrance was a big hit, too.

With so many activities and character experiences in these dedicated spaces, there’s virtually no chance of the kids coming back to the room because they’re bored!

The spot for tweens aged 11-14, Edge is a New York City inspired loft-style hangout.

Teens aged 14-17 will enjoy Vibe, a laid-back space that features movies and games.

• The Hideaway

Older teens and young adults (age 18-20) have a space designed just for them onboard the Disney Wish — the first ever on a Disney cruise ship.  With a dance floor, DJ booth, and occasional karaoke contests, this space is a great “transition” space for those not quite ready to hit the adult clubs.

it’s a small world nursery!

Infants as young as six months old — up through toddlers just shy of their third birthday — are cared for in this secure nursery onboard.  Specially-trained counselors keep everyone fed, changed, happy, entertained, and ready for visits by Disney friends.  Fees apply.

Disney Wish Entertainment and Activities

Your Disney Cruise is only as lazy as you choose to make it — there’s always something going on, so no one will ever get bored onboard!

Broadway-Style Shows

Disney Cruises have long been known for their abundant live entertainment — and especially for the Broadway-style performances staged nightly in the Walt Disney Theatre.  There are three primary shows onboard the Disney Wish, two of which were made exclusively for the new ship .

Disney Seas the Adventure

Start your cruise out right with Disney Seas the Adventure, an embarkation celebration on the first night of your cruise (not to be confused with the sail-away party that happens earlier in the day).  This nighttime performance starts out innocently enough, as Captain Minnie hands the helm over to Goofy.

The ensuing journey features a fabulous musical voyage into favorite films such as Hercules , The Princess and the Frog , Finding Nemo , Moana ,  Frozen II , and Brave .  As the show reaches its crescendo, a cavalcade of Characters leads Guests out of the theatre and into the Grand Hall for an unforgettable sendoff — the ultimate “kiss goodnight.”

Disney’s The Little Mermaid

This one-of-a-kind theatrical adaptation of the beloved 1989 Disney animated film was created exclusively for the Disney Wish.  With innovative theatrical design, dazzling special effects, and artistic choreography, the all-new script and score goes beyond the film to find new ways to delight.

Guests of all ages will delight in seeing the innovative puppets — reminiscent of those which debuted in Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Finding Nemo: The Musical and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! — which help bring favorite characters to life

Disney’s Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular

Already a favorite of those traveling onboard the Disney Fantasy cruise ship, Aladdin is also performed onboard the Disney Wish.  After all, how could you name a ship “Wish” and not have Genie represented?  Spectacular special effects and just a little magic from the lamp bring this timeless tale to the stage with music and comedy.

Pirates Rockin’ Parlay Party and Fireworks at Sea

Pirate Night holds a place of honor on many Disney Cruise itineraries, and the Disney Wish is no exception.  And once again, Disney Wish’s version seems to add just a little extra to the experience you find onboard the other ships.

The Disney Wish’s version of the pirate party features a rollicking rock-and-roll soundtrack of live music, remarkable stunts, special effects, and plenty of surprises.  The show is heralded by Captain Redd, descendant of the famous red-headed icon from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. She and a band of head-banging buccaneers provide the soundtrack for an unforgettable night that includes Captain Jack Sparrow (you have heard of him?) and the industry-first fireworks display at sea.

Wonderland Cinema and Never Land Cinema

A Disney Cruise is a great way to catch up on the latest released from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm.

Onboard most Disney ships, the Buena Vista Theatre is the place to go — but continuing with the bigger and better theme, Disney Wish is home to two movie theaters: Wonderland Cinema and Never Land Cinema.

There’s no need to buy a ticket — just find a seat and enjoy the show.  A nearby snack bar sells popcorn, candy, and soft drinks (for an additional charge).

Disney Uncharted Adventure

Following in the footsteps of onboard interactive experiences such as Midship Detective Agency (onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy), Disney Uncharted Adventure is a new first-of-its kind experience that takes classic Disney storytelling to new heights.

The story goes that an unknown evil force has attacked the Wishing Star, splitting its magic into pieces that land in far-off realms. To bring back the Star’s powers, Captain Minnie needs Guests to help navigate the ship toward these uncharted worlds.

Guests onboard join Captain Minnie, Captain Mickey, and other favorite Disney Characters on a multidimensional search for the magic across storybook worlds.  You might spot Moana, Nemo, Princess Tiana, Peter Pan, and others through your “enchanted spyglass” (which looks suspiciously like your mobile device).  But don’t worry – you won’t be staring at your phone the entire time; rather, it’s a tool used to unlock magic all around the ship.  Just be sure you download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app before your cruise begins.

This versatile venue hosts action-packed physical challenges and game-show-style competitions, and is home to a sports court during other hours.  Check the onboard navigator app to see what’s happening each day!

Disney Wish Spa and Salons

There’s no shortage of places onboard to be pampered.  From spa treatments to salon stylings, you’ll be able to step out in high style on the high seas.

Senses Spa and Salon

Like the other Disney Ships, Disney Wish features a Senses spa onboard .   Unlike the other ships, this one is in a league of its own.  In addition to the expected spa and beauty treatments, you can relax and unwind in the Rainforest — an indoor area with heated lounges, fountains, an aromatherapy steam room, a dry sauna and a calming pool; and an exterior area featuring shade canopies and refreshing outdoor pools.

• Untangled Salon

Untangled Salon is the perfect place to let your hair down.  This high-end salon is inspired by Rapunzel from Disney’s Tangled , and offers a wide variety of hairstyling and other treatments.

Hook’s Barbery

Gents will enjoy getting a haircut, shave, or nail/skin treatment at Hook’s Barbery.  The upscale salon is inspired by Captain Hook’s private quarters aboard the Jolly Roger from Disney’s Peter Pan .  Guests 21 and older can also enjoy a hidden bar featuring the finest whiskies, bourbon, and rum — with drinks served during treatments and during select special events.

• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Fear not, princesses in need of a magical makeover!  The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has made its way to the Disney Wish.  Youngsters can enjoy the same royal treatment they receive on land at Walt Disney World resort, thanks to a few Fairy Godmother’s apprentices who’ve made their way to the ship.

Our Review of Spa and Salon Services Onboard the Disney Wish

Our reviewers were astounded by the experience provided by the facilities at Senses Spa and Salon onboard the Disney Wish.  The unique outdoor relaxation area sets it apart from the Senses Spas onboard any other Disney Ship.  It easily ranked as one of their top three experiences onboard, and our review crew couldn’t stop raving about it.

The Untangled Salon and Hook’s Barbery are somewhat unexpected additions to the cruise, but are nonetheless welcome.  Gentlemen will appreciate getting an old-fashioned shave (not to mention a cocktail) at Hook’s while the ladies are getting coiffed at Rapunzel’s place.  We expect that the appeal of these two locations may be somewhat limited to most travelers, though they’ll certainly be popular for those choosing to have a wedding ceremony onboard the ship.

Spa treatments and salon services cost extra, but you can offset the cost when you book through a professional Disney Travel Planner such as The Vacationeer .

The Vacationeer provides its clients with onboard credits of up to $1,000 to use toward spa/salon services and other purchases on the ship!  What’s more, there’s no charge to use their planning services , and they always make sure you get the best possible price for your cruise.

Free help planning your cruise and free funds to use while onboard — it’s win-win!

Disney Wish Itineraries and Home Port

Image © Disney

Disney Wish Home Port

For the foreseeable future, Disney Wish will sail from Port Canaveral , Florida — one of three Disney cruise departure ports in Florida and the closest port to Walt Disney World.

Disney Wish Itineraries for 2024, 2025, and 2026

For 2024 , 2025 , and 2026 , Disney Wish is sailing on 3- and 4-night Bahamian cruises from Port Canaveral Florida. Most include a visit to Disney’s Castaway Cay and to Nassau, Bahamas.

Does this Disney ship do themed cruises?

Some sailings in Fall and Winter will be themed as Halloween on the High Seas or Very Merrytime Cruises .

Our Review of the Disney Wish Itineraries

As far as itineraries go, we’re somewhat torn as to whether these are a win or a loss.

If we’re being pragmatic about it, we recognize that these shorter Bahamian cruises have been a mainstay of Disney Cruise Line since its earliest days.  We also know that Port Canaveral, FL is Disney’s truest “home port,” with year-round departures that are within an hour’s drive or so from Disney World.

So it’s no surprise that they’d want to have the newest ship, with all its hype, right “next door” to Orlando so people can easily extend their Walt Disney World vacation by tacking on a short cruise.  It also allows Disney to tap into the huge “locals” market of Florida residents who seem to flock to the latest-and-greatest that Disney has to offer.

Let’s also not forget that Disney research recently showed that an astounding 40%+ of their passengers said they wouldn’t have even taken a cruise if Disney Cruise Line didn’t exist; so it obviously doesn’t seem to matter where the ship goes as long as Mickey’s onboard.

But on the other hand, the itineraries are honestly somewhat of a snooze compared to the exotic itineraries you can have on other Disney ships.  We know many frequent cruisers who don’t even get off the ship when it docks in Nassau.

Castaway Cay is a Guest favorite, but for repeat travelers, even it risks becoming a bit too “been there, done that.” Some savvy repeat cruisers use Castaway Cay day as their opportunity to experience onboard activities with lower crowd levels while everyone else is out on the island.  (It should be a good day to ride the AquaMouse with less of a wait).

We’d have loved to have seen some newer itineraries offered for this new ship, perhaps blending a mix of Bahamian and Caribbean nation ports together for a cruise that you can’t get on any other Disney Cruise ship at present.

We’re honestly more excited that using newer ships on these tried-and-true Bahamian/Caribbean routes will now free up the other ships to start doing different itineraries in the future.  For example, it was announced during September 2022’s D23 Expo that the Disney Wonder would begin offering at least some cruises in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific starting in late 2023.

Disney Wish Deck-by-Deck

Here’s a look at what’s located on each deck of the Disney Wish.

• Health Center
• Tender Lobbies (ship exit at ports of call)
• Fairy Tale Hall
• Mickey and Minnie’s Captain’s Deck
• Star Wars Cargo Bay
• Walt Disney Imagineering Lab
• Walt Disney Theatre (wheelchair accessible entrance)
• “it’s a small world” nursery
• Category 9B, 11C
• Grand Hall Stage
• Slide to Oceaneer Club Check-In
• Walt Disney Theatre (main entrance)
• 1923 (Roy Disney side, Walt Disney side)
• Enchanted Castle Jewels
• Once Upon a Time
• Public Restrooms
• Royal Regalia
• Treasures Untold
• Grand Hall (ship atrium lobby; ship entrance/exit on first/last day of cruise)
• Never Land Cinema
• Wonderland Cinema
• Walt Disney Theatre (balcony)
• Hook’s Barbery (also features barbershop services)
• Luna’s Libations
• Wishing Star Cafe
• Disney Vacation Club desk
• Guest Services desk
• Hook’s Barbery (also features drink service)
• Port Adventures desk
• Grand Hall (overlook)
• Shipside Promenade
• Luna (balcony)
• Enchanted Sword Cafe
• Triton Lounge
• Disney Vacation Planning desk
• Mickey’s Mainsail
• Senses Fitness
• Senses Spa Rainforest Room (indoor/outdoor)
• Service Animal Relief Area
• Shutters Portrait Studio
• Shipside Promenade (accessible only from deck 5 stairway)
• Category 4C
• Category 4E
• Category 5C
• Category 6B
• Category 7A
• Category 8C
• Category 9D
• Category 11B
• Category 9A
• Fairytale Fresh Laundry
• Category 4B
• Category 5B
• Category 6A
• Category 8B
• Category 9C
• Category 11A
• Category 1C
• Category 4A
• Category 5A
• Daisy’s Pool
• Funnel Vision
• Mickey’s Pool
• Minnie’s Pool
• Pluto’s Pool
• Inside Out: Joyful Sweets
• Marceline Market Cafe
• Daisy’s Pizza Pies
• Donald’s Cantina
• Goofy’s Grill
• Mickey’s Smokestack Barbecue
• Sweet Minnie’s Ice Cream
• Poolside bar (unnamed)
• The Lookout
• Dory’s Forget-Me-Knots
• Category 3B
• Donald’s Pool
• Goofy’s Pool
• Hero Zone (main entrance)
• Slide-a-saurus Rex
• Trixie’s Falls
• Concierge Lounge
• Wheezy’s Freezies
• Category 2A
• Category 2B
• Category 3A
• Hero Zone (balcony)
• Quiet Cove Pool (adults only)
• Quiet Cove Whirlpool (adults only)
• Concierge Sun Deck (Concierge Guests only)
• Sun Deck (adults only)
• Category 1B
• Chip ‘n Dale’s Pool
• Category 1A

Disney Wish Fact Sheet

Shipyard (ship’s birthplace).

Meyer Werft shipyard – Papenburg, Germany

Maiden voyage

July 14, 2022

Port Canaveral, Florida

Ship’s Registry

Approximately 144,000 gross tons

19.5 knots cruising speed

23 knots maximum speed

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

Crew Members

Maximum capacity.

4,000 passengers

1,254 staterooms (includes 53 concierge staterooms and 23 concierge suites)

• 948 verandah staterooms (70%)
• 185 oceanview staterooms (20%)
• 121 inside staterooms (10%)

Environmental Considerations

Disney Cruise Line says The Disney Wish is estimated to be nearly 30 percent more fuel efficient and emit approximately 20 percent less greenhouse gases. DCL indicates it remains committed to investing in our current fleet by utilizing new technologies, increasing fuel efficiency, and minimizing waste, including the fleet-wide conversion in 2020 to ultra-low-sulfur fuel that exceeds international maritime regulations.

The Disney Wish’s use of Low-Emission Liquefied-Natural Gas (LNG) eliminates nearly all sulfur oxides and particulate matter emissions, reduces the emission of nitrogen oxide by approximately 37 percent, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 20 percent compared to traditional diesel or marine fuel.

Excess heat from the engines is re-purposed to warm the super-cooled LNG so it can be used to power the ship. Cold energy from the LNG tanks is then recycled into the ship’s energy efficient air-conditioning systems. This interconnected system saves 200 tons of fuel per year.

A demand-based heating and cooling system onboard adapts in real time to deliver the ideal amount of temperature-controlled air throughout the ship while saving nearly 700 tons of fuel annually.

The hydrodynamic hull and propeller reduce the engine power needed to propel the ship, saving nearly 1,800 tons of fuel annually and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent.

The ship’s prototype installation of a 1-megawatt fuel cell (to provide additional emission-free energy for onboard systems) will be one of the largest in a marine environment and will help to better understand the feasibility of large-scale fuel cell installations onboard cruise and shipping vessels, potentially driving industry-wide adoption of the new tech.

Final Thoughts on the Disney Wish Cruise Ship

Disney is a cruise line that favors quality over quantity.  While other cruise lines might have dozens of ships with a new one showing up every couple of years, Disney takes its time and works to get it right.

We might have had to wait ten years for a new Disney Cruise ship, but the wait was certainly worth it.  The Disney Wish is in a class by itself, with some innovative design features and guest offerings not found anywhere else.

Are there a few things we’d like to have seen done differently?  Sure.  With ten years of waiting — not to mention all the years of extra anticipation once the ship was announced — expectations are bound to be sky high, and wishing begins to fill in the holes left by an absence of details.  But despite that, even those who are jaded to the point that they’re bored by the same old ports and the same old cruising are sure to find something here that will wow you.

Our reviewers found the Disney Wish to be the ultimate family cruise ship , cementing its spot at the top of our list of the best Disney Cruise Ships .

Then it’s time to contact The Vacationeer !

Get in touch with one of their travel agents for completely free assistance planning your vacation .  They’ll use their expertise to help you pick the best time to cruise and find the best stateroom to book at the best possible price.  They’ll even apply new discounts to your reservation as they become available!

Those benefits are just a few of the reasons to book your cruise with a Disney Travel agent , and The Vacationeer is among the best out there.

So don’t delay — call in the Disney Cruise Experts!  Call in The Vacationeer !

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About the author: jackie steele.

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We’re starting to plan our first Disney Cruise for next fall (2025). I’m a total newbie to cruises in general, and although I’ve been to WDW many times I want to learn as much about the DCL as possible before we pick our destination and ship. I started researching thinking we would definitely sail out of Port Canaveral and end our trip with a couple of days at WDW. Now I’m not so sure! There are so many options for departure ports and destinations. At that time we will have a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old, so I’m looking for information on what would be a good option for them as well as for my husband and I. Any recommendations for kids of those ages on length, destination, or excursions we should look for?

Hi Lindsey — you’re correct that there are a ton of options as far as ships, itineraries, and ports. With this being your first-ever Disney Cruise and your family enjoying Disney World so much, my first inclination is to suggest that perhaps you should “split the difference” and take a combination land and sea vacation. Consider a shorter 3-night sailing out of Port Canaveral, paired with a Disney World stay either before or after. This would allow the entire family, including the kids, to get a “taste” of cruising to determine if it’s their idea of a good time or not. If you love it, you’ll know to book a longer cruise next time. If you try cruising but determine that the parks are more your speed, you will still have a bit of them during your trip and won’t be “stuck” on a longer cruise.

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We compared every aspect of Disney's largest and smallest cruise ships. Here's what it's like to sail on each.

• Jill sailed on the Disney Magic, the Disney Cruise Line's original and smallest cruise ship.
• Amanda sailed on the Disney Wish, the company's newest and biggest ship.
• Our writers compared the cabins, restaurants, entertainment, and overall experiences on both. 

Jill and her family rode on the Magic, the oldest and smallest ship in Disney's fleet.

Disney's oldest ship, the Magic , first set sail in 1998. The boat measures 984 feet long, and can hold up to 2,713 passengers in 875 staterooms — making it the smallest cruise ship in Disney's current fleet.

The ship has three themed restaurants and is focused on a lot of Disney's original staple characters, like Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy. 

Each Disney cruise ship has a bronze statue of a character in the atrium. Since this is the original Disney cruise ship, the Magic's statue is Mickey Mouse dressed as a helmsman steering the wheel of his ship.

In another nod to the originals, Goofy can be found painting on the stern of the Disney Magic.

Amanda rode on the Wish, Disney's biggest and newest ship.

The Disney Wish officially set sail for the first time in 2022. The boat measures 1,119 feet long, and can hold up to 4,000 passengers in 1,254 staterooms — making it the biggest cruise ship in Disney's current fleet.

It's also unique in representing all of Disney's entities: classic princesses, Mickey Mouse and his crew, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel.

The characters can be found through more than 4,000 art pieces onboard, three themed restaurants that are included in the cruise, and Disney's first theme-park attraction found on a boat.

In the main lobby of the Disney Wish, you'll find a bronze statue of Cinderella with her furry friends around her and a glass slipper nearby. In front of the boat, Rapunzel is hanging from her hair while painting the stern.

Jill, her husband, and her two kids set sail on the Disney Magic for $2,570.

One reason I booked this trip is because my goal is to go on all five Disney Cruise ships before the upcoming Disney Treasure is scheduled for delivery in 2024. 

I snagged a last-minute booking on the Magic and selected a standard inside stateroom for myself, my husband, and two 12-year-old sons. This was the cheapest option for a stateroom at the time of booking.

We paid $2,570 for a three-night cruise out of Miami. This price included dining and onboard activities and entertainment .

I splurged on a massage and champagne tasting, but otherwise focused on keeping spending at a minimum.

After a few boarding issues, Amanda and her sister set sail on the Disney Wish for $2,707.52.

My journey to experience the Disney Wish wasn't an easy one.

Shortly after I booked a trip on one of the first Disney Wish sailings for June 2022, Disney canceled because the ship's construction wasn't complete.

I then rescheduled for a date in July, but was denied boarding when my sister tested positive for COVID-19 at the port .

Luckily, I made it onto the ship for a three-day cruise to the Bahamas in early September. My sister and I opted for the cheapest accommodation — an inside stateroom with no window — and paid $2,707.52 for our trip .

We also chose not to purchase any add-ons — like spa services or island excursions — and didn't eat at any signature restaurants where you have to pay for your meals.

This was Jill's first time staying in an inside stateroom.

An inside stateroom has no window and shares three walls with other staterooms.

Fortunately, we received an automatic upgrade to a deluxe inside stateroom, which gave us an extra 30 square feet and a split bathroom . The value of the upgrade was $47.

The stateroom attendant cleaned each morning and did a turndown service at night, converting the couch to bunk beds. Evening turndown service included chocolates and a different towel animal every night.

Amanda said her stateroom felt fit for a princess despite being small.

Our room was decorated with "Cinderella" decor and truly felt fit for a princess — even if it had no window and was small, measuring 169 square feet.

Like Jill experienced on her cruise, staff cleaned our room each morning and turned it down at night with chocolates and towel animals.

Jill was surprised by how much space they actually had.

Room 2601 had a closet, a narrow chest of drawers, and an under-the-bed storage space for suitcases. There were also drawers inside the desk, on either side of the bed, and in the bathroom.

Amanda's room was the perfect size for two people.

The queen bed easily fit two people, though you could also choose to sleep on the pullout couch for more room. 

There was also plenty of space for our luggage both under the bed and in the many cabinets and closets located across from the sleeping area.

Jill's stateroom was narrow, but there was enough room for a family who spent little time there.

The space that felt the most narrow was the area between the bed and the dresser. I liked our location on the second deck because we could go up one flight of stairs and be where all the action was.

Amanda was especially impressed with the bathroom, which felt luxurious for being so tiny.

It was brightly lit with multiple shelves, provided toiletries, and even had a small tub inside.

I'm not sure that we would have loved the stateroom if we were traveling with more people, but for two of us, it was the perfect size.

Jill could choose from three restaurants on the Disney Magic.

The Disney Magic has three main restaurants that are part of Disney Cruise Line's rotational dining system.

Guests are assigned a team of servers, and the servers rotate through the various restaurants with the passengers. Since my family sailed on a three-night cruise, we visited each of the restaurants — Rapunzel's Royal Table, Lumiere's, and Animator's Palette — once.  

Passengers could choose between main seating — 5:45 p.m. — and second seating — 8:00 p.m. — but we chose the latter. We always pick this time because I don't think early dining offers enough transition time between day and evening activities. 

All menus had a "lighter fare" section with a salad, and plainer foods, such as basic steak and chicken. There were also vegetarian options. Each dessert menu also offered a no-sugar-added option and a different sundae each night. My husband is a huge fan of ice cream, so it was fun to see the different sundae concoctions at each meal.

Amanda also had three options on the Wish.

Like other Disney ships, there are three rotational restaurants on board. Guests are assigned a specific restaurant each night of their cruise, and they remain with the same guests and servers at their table.

As for menu options, there are simple dishes for light meals, vegetarian snacks, full courses, and more dessert than you could eat in one sitting.

We had the same two seating options to choose from and we had to choose the latter. The earlier option was filled when we booked the trip.

That said, we ended up preferring the later option. We didn't find ourselves hungry until later in the day because we snacked so much at buffets, and the later spot gave us more time to participate in activities.

Jill's family enjoyed Rapunzel's Royal Table, the Magic's "Tangled"-themed restaurant.

Rapunzel's Royal Table had a ceiling aglow with the sun-embossed lanterns that are the hallmark of the movie the restaurant is named for.

The menu was mostly heavy, German-inspired fare, such as pretzel bread, cream soups, roasted chicken, and prime rib. Sadly, this was my least-favorite menu at the rotational restaurants because it was so heavy, and the dishes weren't plated nicely.

Still, the atmosphere and entertainment made up for it.

Rapunzel's Royal Table dinner entertainment includes skits and songs. The finale was Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder singing their signature ballad as the servers filed through the restaurant with lanterns. My family enjoyed the singing even though we were seated at the rear of the dining room and couldn't see much of the show.

Jill's family also ate at Lumiere's, a traditional, French-inspired restaurant named for the candlestick from "Beauty and the Beast."

The "Beauty and the Beast" theming was so subtle it was almost nonexistent, but I enjoyed the classic, slightly formal atmosphere.

The menu featured tons of French-style dishes, like escargot gratinés, iced lobster and jumbo shrimp, chateaubriand, and crème brûlée.

Lastly, Jill's family visited the Animator's Palette.

Animator's Palette is animation themed, with rudimentary black-and-white drawings on the walls that take shape with more color and detail as dinner progresses.

My favorite menu items were the ginger-dusted Angus beef teriyaki filet with wasabi mashed potatoes, black-truffle pasta pursiettes, and the butternut-squash soup.  

Dinner entertainment was animation magic. Upon being seated, guests were given a coloring sheet and markers and instructed to create their stick figure style drawing.

The waiters collected the sheets, which magically turned into animated characters who moved, danced, jumped, and interacted with Disney favorites on the big screens around the restaurant.

Amanda had a decent experience at The Worlds of Marvel restaurant.

The Worlds of Marvel restaurant celebrates Ant-Man, the Wasp, and other beloved superheroes.

It's originally dark and moody inside, but later lights up with neon lights, giant TV screens, and Quantum Core technology located on each table.

The food is also unique and entirely inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Dishes include steamed-bao buns, "Wakandan" salads, steak, and more.

Though I enjoyed eating there, the restaurant wasn't my favorite. I'm not a huge Marvel fan, and I would only order one of the dishes I ate — the Golden Mystic pasta — again. The entertainment was also mostly shown on a screen, which made it feel less special.

Amanda was blown away by the Wish's Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure.

The Disney Wish is also home to Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure.

From the minute you step inside, you feel as though you've been transported into the animated franchise. Each room is decorated to look like ones seen on screen, and musicians play fan-favorite songs in the middle of the room.

Characters like Oaken, Anna, Elsa, and even Olaf are also present during the Norwegian-inspired dinner. Our table indulged in Frozen Fractal cocktails, scallops with a flaky pastry side, Sven's favorite carrot soup, and a butter cake called Kvafjordkake .

If this restaurant existed at Disney World or Disneyland , I would visit regularly. The food was spectacular, the entertainers were Broadway level, and the opportunities for guest participation were unique.

Our table, which consisted of six girls in our mid-20s, was even chosen to form a conga line and sing "Love Is an Open Door" for the entire restaurant — an experience I'll never forget.

Lastly, Amanda experienced 1923 — she said it was nice but forgettable compared to the other two.

Finally, there's 1923, a restaurant inspired by Walt Disney Studios and the year the company was founded.

Though still casual compared to the signature restaurants on the ship, it's arguably the fanciest of the three rotational options. Guests arrived in evening dresses and 1920s attire during my trip, and the atmosphere was comparable to a giant jazz bar.

The menu, on the other hand, was pretty standard, with appetizers like tortelloni and entrees like salmon. 

I enjoyed the food and calm atmosphere, but would have preferred to eat at this restaurant first if I'd had the choice. The other two restaurants were so exciting and interactive that this one felt almost forgettable when visited afterward.

Jill and her family also visited the Magic's buffet.

Located on deck nine, Cabanas is the ship's buffet.

Its breakfast offerings included eggs, sausage, bacon, Mickey waffles, fresh fruit, cereal, baked goods, an omelet station, and just about anything else you could think of for breakfast.

The buffet food was good but the layout felt crowded and chaotic .

Amanda was also overwhelmed by the buffet.

The main buffet on the Disney Wish is called Marceline Market. To my sister and my's surprise, the location had just about every type of food you could imagine.

There was a breakfast bar, dessert section, and countless lunch options available — from sandwiches and salads to seafood. It was almost overwhelming.

The market was also extremely crowded, with adults and children carrying giant plates of food every which way. That said, it was tough to find a table that wasn't occupied by another family.

So although we weren't overly impressed by the area or dishes we tried — many items were cold — there were so many other options that, if we'd had time, we likely would have found something to our tastes.

Jill also experienced a few quick-service options on the ship.

I was never hungry or had to look too hard or long to find food.

Quick-service food options on deck include Pinocchio's Pizza (pizza), Duck-In Diner (burgers, chicken fingers, and fries), and Daisy's De-Lites (salads, sandwiches, and lighter fare).

Amanda was really impressed by the quick-service meals and beverages.

Surprisingly, quick-service meals at Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods were some of the best my sister and I had during our trip.

I couldn't get enough of the chicken tenders at Goofy's Grill, and my sister loved making her own bowls at Donald's Cantina. 

We also enjoyed the endless free refills of soda, coffee, and ice cream cones that were available for most of the day.

Jill skipped the pools and slides like they usually do because they can get so crowed.

There were two family-friendly pools on deck nine, Goofy's Pool and the Huey, Dewey, and Louie Pool. Goofy's Pool is the largest of the two pools (this is not to say the pool is all that large) and has a Funnel Vision screen where passengers can watch Disney movies.

The Magic has two water slides, the Twist 'n' Spout, and the AquaDunk, which is a drop slide. 

There are two splash pads, Nephews Splash Zone and the Aqua Lab. Kids must be three and potty trained to use all the water amenities except Nephews' Splash Zone.

The adult-only area also has a pool and two hot tubs.

Me and my family did not use the pools or slides on this cruise . We usually avoid pools on Disney Cruise Lines because we don't like dealing with the crowds. 

Amanda also skipped the pools but enjoyed some of the other water activities.

The Disney Wish is home to multiple pools. There are four on the main deck that face a giant TV screen, three pools on the deck above, two adults-only pools, and a "quiet" pool on the top deck.

There's also a children's splash zone inspired by "Toy Story" and the AquaMouse water ride that wraps around the ship.

Like Jill and her family, my sister and I didn't spend any time inside the pools because they were constantly filled with people. We did, however, ride the AquaMouse and highly recommend it.

Jill's cruise stopped in Nassau and Castaway Cay, but they skipped the former port.

We did not get off the ship in Nassau because we'd been there before and wanted to use the time to enjoy the ship's amenities.

My family's Castaway Cay day was a success — we snorkeled, swam, and had a buffet lunch complete with lots of ice cream. We achieved their goal of staying on budget by skipping alcohol and bringing our own snorkel gear.

Amanda's ship also stopped at Nassau and Castaway Cay, and she also skipped the former to enjoy on-board activities.

The Disney Wish currently stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay.

My sister and I didn't visit the former spot because there were so many activities on board that we wanted to experience. Instead, we experienced the Bahamas via Castaway Cay — a spot that we loved.

We snorkeled, enjoyed the adults-only beach, and rented bikes for $10 each that we used to get around the island.

With so many youth activities, Jill said she hardly saw her kids.

My two kids took advantage of the Oceaneer Club, which is for kids 3 to 12, and Edge, which is for kids 11 to 14. There's also Vibe for kids 14 to 17 and a nursery for kids under 3.

Anyone can explore the kids' areas during several open houses, which are listed in the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app.

My entire family agreed that the teen club, designed to look like a New York City loft complete with a smoothie bar, was the coolest space. My tweens participated in joint activities with the teen club, including a flash-mob performance.  

All of the kids' programming except the nursery are included in the cost of the cruise and don't require reservations. The kids' activities happen all day and all night and I saw little of my kids because they were hanging with new friends.  

Amanda enjoyed the activities for adults and felt welcome at a few that seemed angled toward children.

My sister and I were originally nervous to board a Disney cruise as two women in our mid-20s. Would there be more kids than adults onboard? And would there be any activities for people our age?

We did feel overpowered by children at times, but we still had fun. Via our dinner table, we met two other sets of sisters who were in our age range, and we spent time with them throughout the trip.

We also took advantage of adult-catered activities like walking tours and scrapbook classes when possible.

And to our surprise, even the activities meant for kids, like the "Incredibles"-themed obstacle course, welcomed adults, so we got to do that too.

Jill said the Disney Magic had Broadway-quality entertainment.

My three-night sailing included "Tangled: The Musical," "Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic," and a comedy/magic show.

The evening shows are aligned with the assigned dining rotation. Guests who have early dinner go to the show after they eat while guests who have second seating go to their show before dinner. There's no assigned seating but shows fill up early. I suggest arriving 30 minutes before showtime.

The "Tangled" show is exclusive for the Disney Magic and I think it's a must-see. The hour-long stage show is an abbreviated version of the animated movie and manages to hit all the high points and favorite songs, like" I Have a Dream" and "At Last I See the Light" and other popular tunes from "Tangled."

"Dreams" is a montage of favorite Disney songs and characters. The main character is a young girl who learns to believe in herself through visits from beloved characters such as Peter Pan, Aladdin, and more. The production was flawless but "Dreams," which I also saw on another Disney cruise, is not my favorite. 

Other entertainment included comedy, game shows, and trivia, all listed in the Navigator app. There was a mix of both family-friendly events in the D Lounge and adults-only events in the designated After Hours area.

There was also musical entertainment throughout the cruise, such as pianists and singing duos playing various genres of music. I didn't hone in on any of the musical entertainment. It felt mostly like background noise, not something I felt compelled to stop and watch.

Amanda was also impressed by the almost Broadway-level productions on the ship.

A highlight of the Disney Wish is its three Broadway shows — all of which were created for the new ship. Currently, there's "Disney Seas the Adventure," "Disney The Little Mermaid," and "Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular."

We definitely preferred some shows over others — the stage take on "Aladdin" was our favorite. We also spent an hour in line to enter the theater before each show. Seats filled up fast.

But we found ourselves looking forward to each production, and once our vacation was over, we joked about driving to New York City to attend a Broadway show each night.

Overall, Jill enjoyed sailing on a smaller ship and felt the trip was worth the cost.

In addition to the Magic, I've also sailed on the Dream (second-biggest ship in the fleet) and Wonder (second-smallest ship in the fleet).

Still, the smaller ships are my favorite because they feel more intimate and easier to navigate. I was happy with how much I spent , my accommodations, and the ship overall.

That said, the Magic did show a few gentle signs of wear and tear, like peeling wallpaper in some common areas and a broken spring on the couch in my room. It wasn't a big deal to me at all, but I definitely think newer ships will have a fresher look. 

Overall, Amanda had a good time but isn't sure the cruise is worth the high price.

During our trip, my sister and I had trouble moving past the price of our vacation. Though we loved almost every minute of it, nearly $3,000 felt like a lot to pay for a three-day vacation that at times felt very rushed. 

So if we had to pick between a Disney cruise and a stay at Disney World, we'd pick the latter.

That said, our time on the Disney Wish was unlike anything we'd ever experienced, and I find myself growing fonder of it as time goes on. I miss the buffet, the beautiful beach at Castaway Cay, and even the $3 popcorn we ordered before each theater show.

So although I'm not sure if I'd book the same vacation again or regularly, I'd definitely say it's worth taking at least one Disney cruise.

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Disney Wish Cruise Ship

Disclosure: This Disney Wish cruise ship page contains affiliate links. Read  full Disclosure Policy .

Introducing the Disney Wish Cruise Ship

Disney Cruise Line has announced the newest cruise ship to join the existing fleet of DCL cruise ships will be called Disney Wish .

This is the most comprehensive guide to  Disney Wish Cruise Ship  information on the Internet.

Table of Contents

What is disney wish, when was the disney wish completed, when will the disney wish first set sail, what does the disney wish look like.

• What Disney character is the atrium for the Disney Wish?
• How big is Disney Wish?
• Where does Disney Wish sail?
• Who built the Disney Wish?
• How many staterooms will Disney Wish have?
• How is Disney Wish fueled?
• What is the Disney Wish itinerary?
• When can I book a trip on the Wish?

Disney Wish Facts & Trivia

Disney wish deck plans, disney wish dining, disney wish salon & barbery.

• Disney Wish Spa

Disney Wish Entertainment

Disney wish pools & water fun, disney wish shows, disney wish kids clubs, disney wish ports of call, when is the disney wish maiden voyage.

Disney Wish’s maiden voyage will be July 14, 2022.

It will be a special five-night sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida . It will include two days at sea, plus stops at Nassau (Bahamas) and Castaway Cay .

January 2022 was the original expected date of the maiden voyage of the Disney Wish cruise ship. Then, early June 2022 was the target for sailing after some delays at Meyer-Werft shipyard in Germany. Currently the Disney Wish is now scheduled to set sail in July 2022.

Disney Wish is the newest vessel in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. It joins its sister ships, Disney Fantasy , Disney Dream, Disney Magic, and Disney Wonder as the fifth Disney cruise ship. In 2016, Disney announced it would be building two new ships and then, one year later, one MORE ship was announced, bringing the planned total of new cruise ships to three. The Disney Wish is the first of those three new ocean vessels .

The Disney Wish was completed in 2022 and arrived in Port Canaveral, Florida, in June 2022.

Originally planned to be completed and delivered in late 2021, the global travel industry disruptions of 2020 delayed the original schedule for completion of the Disney Wish.

Disney then announced the Wish would sail in June 2022 but that was pushed back by 6 weeks due to construction delays at the shipyard.

The Disney Wish maiden voyage is taking place in July 2022.

Disney Wish as originally expected to make her inaugural sailing in January 2022. However, due to pandemic-related delays of the construction of ship, the maiden voyage of the Disney Wish is now scheduled for July 14, 2022.

On the bow of the ship, Captain Minnie Mouse is showcased.

The exterior of the ship features Rapunzel (from Tangled ) as she dangles from the stern.

The interior of the ship was originally expected to continue the tradition of the existing ships in sporting an Art Deco or Art Noveau style. Disney Imagineers stated they want the insides of Disney’s ships to reflect “the golden age of ocean cruising.”

The look of the atrium is something of a departure from Art Deco or Art Noveau.

The atrium is three-stories, with a bright and airy décor intended to reflect the “beauty of an enchanted fairytale.”

The Grand Hall is billed as Disney’s “Castle on the Sea”. When cruisers step foot on board the Wish, they are met with a full enchantment motif, built to conjure visions of a fairytale castle.

This video highlights the details behind the creative process of Disney Imagineers to create the Disney Wish.

Watch the video:

What Disney character is featured in the atrium of the Disney Wish?

A statue of Cinderella is featured in the Grand Hall (atrium) of the Disney Wish.

How big is the new Disney Wish cruise ship?

Disney Wish is just slightly larger than the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

• Expected Staterooms: 1,254
• Tonnage: 140,000

Where will the Disney Wish cruise ship sail?

The Disney Wish has a home port of Port Canaveral, Florida.

Sailings include 3 and 4 night voyages to Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay .

What is the Disney Wish Itinerary?

After the maiden voyage, there will be two types of sailings – 3 nights and 4 nights.

3-Night Disney Wish Itinerary

• Day 1 – Leave Port Canaveral, Florida
• Day 2 – Nassau, Bahamas
• Day 3 – Castaway Cay
• Day 4 – Return to Port Canaveral, Florida

4-Night Disney Wish Itinerary

• Day 4 – Day at Sea
• Day 5 – Return to Port Canaveral, Florida

Disney Wish Sailing Dates

• Disney Wish Itineraries for 2022
• Disney Wish Itineraries for 2023

When Will I Be Able to Book a Cruise on the Disney Wish?

Disney Wish cruises are available to book now.

First bookings were available to most people to book on May 27, 2021.

Opening Disney Wish Reservations 

The schedule for booking the earliest cruises was made available based on status with Disney Cruise Line:

• May 17, 2021 – Platinum Castaway Club Members with 25+ sailings completed
• May 18, 2021 – Platinum Castaway Club Members with 20+ sailings completed
• May 19, 2021 – Platinum Castaway Club Members with 15+ sailings completed
• May 20, 2021 – All Platinum Castaway Club Members
• May 24, 2021 – Gold Castaway Club Members
• May 25, 2021 – DVC Members & Adventures by Disney Adventure Insiders
• May 26, 2021 – Silver Castaway Club Members
• May 27, 2021 – Bookings open for all Guests

What does the Disney Wish chandelier look like?

Disney Wish has a three-story Grand Hall that is built to enchant guests. In the Grand Hall, you’ll find a statue of Cinderella, and a dazzling chandelier.

The chandelier is a centerpiece for special effects, dramatic show lighting, and shimmers and even showers pixie dust upon those that gaze upon it.

The chandelier is built to represent the movement that is witnessed in the movie Cinderella at the moment that Cinderella’s dress is transformed from drab attire into a glorious gown.

Who built the new Disney Wish?

Disney Cruise Line contracted with reputable German shipbuilding company Meyer Werft to build the three newest ship, including the Disney Wish. Meyer Werft were also the builders of Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream .

Meyer Werft officially turned the ship over to Disney Cruise Line on June 9, 2022, at which point the Wish set sail for Port Canaveral and arrived in port there before dawn on June 20, 2022.

How is the Disney Wish fueled?

The Wish is fueled by liquefied natural gas.

DCL has stated that LNG “is one of the cleanest-burning fuels available,” making the Disney Wish a more efficient and eco-friendly method of providing cruise vacations.

By moving to natural gas propulsion instead of oil-based fuel, cruise ships are able to reduce emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxide and other chemicals.

How was the Disney Wish Revealed?

Disney Cruise Line gradually released information about their newest cruise ship over a period of years. When they finally introduced the ship, they previewed the design of the new Disney Wish ship with this video:

How many staterooms does the Disney Wish have?

Disney Wish has 1254 guest staterooms.

Disney Wish Staterooms

The Disney Wish has 1254 staterooms with the following stateroom types:

• Royal Suites

To learn all the details about Disney Wish accommodations, visit our Disney Wish Stateroom Guide .

• The Disney Wish has 14 decks
• Disney Wish has 1254 staterooms
• 70% of staterooms on Disney Wish have a verandah
• There are 451 staterooms with adjoining rooms for larger families
• Disney Wish weighs 144,000 gross tons
• The interior is decorated in art nouveau style, characterized by geometric designs and bold, solid colors
• Disney Wish’s Statue in the Grand Hall is Cinderella
• Disney was granted special permission by the U.S. Coast Guard to paint its lifeboats yellow – rather than the traditional regulation color of orange – to preserve the Mickey Mouse color palette of red, yellow and black
• Staterooms are 25% larger than the current industry average
• The stern (back end of the ship) features Rapunzel
• The bow (front end of the ship) features Minnie Mouse
• The ship will feature a Frozen-themed theatrical dining experience at a restaurant called Arendelle
• The Wish will showcase a Star Wars themed lounge for grown-ups

Disney Cruise Line provides detailed information about the 14 decks of the Disney Wish.

Click here to see an interactive rendering of the Disney Wish deck plans.

Want to see a full walkthrough of the Disney Wish? This video does a great job of showing most of the ship:

About Dining Options on Disney Wish

Like the other ships in the DCL fleet, the Disney Wish features “Rotational Dining.”

To mix up your dinner dining enjoyment, guests rotate between three main restaurants, offering a  unique dining experience  every night. Your server, assistant server and the rest of dinner staff will move with you.

Here are the Disney Wish restaurants that are part of the rotational dining:

Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure

Worlds of marvel.

Located at the stern of Deck 5 , Arendelle is a Frozen-themed restaurant! This restaurant serves up food from Arendelle.

Home to the royal family of Arendelle, a visit here immerses you in all things Frozen . A winter wonderland awaits at every turn as your journey takes you through thrilling scenes and adventures from Disney’s Academy Award-winning movie, “ Frozen .”

Following the events of Frozen 2 , The Frozen Dining Adventure is a continuation of the Frozen tale.

In a theatrical performance that unfolds while you eat, Anna and Kristoff are celebrating their engagement, and they have invited you to join them as the honored guest.

You can expect a number of musical numbers from Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf, as well as hearty Norwegian-inspired cuisine . Made by Oaken himself!

Family artifacts and paintings, an Arendelle soldier’s suit of armor, the grandfather clock as from original film, busts of Anna and Elsa, and the lantern from Olaf’s Frozen Adventure adorn the walls of Arendelle. Furthermore, during the dinner, the gorgeous windows that look outward undergo a wonderful metamorphosis.

In this first-ever Worlds of Marvel cinematic dining adventure, guests play an active role in an Avengers mission, titled Avengers: Quantum Encounter that takes place all around them during their meal.

Cruisers will follow Ant-Man and The Wasp as they host a special presentation of impressive Avengers tech:

• Captain America’s shield
• Iron Man’s arc reactor
• Ant-Man’s Pym Particles

Guests are given a high-tech Quantum Core device that make objects grow and shrink. Throughout the meal, guests complete various missions by interacting with their surroundings, Ant-Man & The Wasp, Ms. Marvel, and fellow diners. There is even an unexpected visit from a villain and army that want to steal the quantum tech.

The dining hall itself is decorated with high-tech holographic models of Avengers iconic tools displayed on computerized displays on the walls.

Menus are inspired by Marvel Cinematic Universe locations such as African Wakanda, Avengers home base of New York City, and Sokovia of Eastern Europe.

This one-of-a-kind dining experience is located on Deck 4 of the Disney Wish.

WATCH THE OFFICIAL “AVENGERS: QUANTUM ENCOUNTER” TRAILER

Specially named after the year that The Walt Disney Company was founded, 1923 features a Hollywood Golden Era theme, serving California culturally relevant recipes. Also, it walks you through the history and changes that have taken place in Disney animation .

The decor showcases over 1000 props and drawings from 16 Disney movies, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Fantasia, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid.

Guests at 1923 experience refined cuisine inspired by the blend of cultural tastes prevalent throughout the Golden State and crafted with families in mind.

The menu reflects the region’s distinctive combination of Asian, European, and South American cuisines, with fresh fruit, wild honey, and earthy pistachios among the native delicacies.

All of this is, of course, accompanied by a superb range of world-renowned Napa Valley wines.

This restaurant can be found on Deck 3.

Premium Dining Experiences

Looking for an adult only meal? The Disney Wish offers premium dining experiences to elevate your tastebuds.

PALO Steakhouse

This is a signature Disney dining experience and it is available only for adults. Located on Deck 12 aft.

This is an evolution of the version of Palo that is found on other Disney ships. This elegant, adults-only restaurant takes a theme from the lovable pomp and circumstance of Cogsworth, the enchanted clock from Disney’s  Beauty and the Beast .

Cuisine features premium steaks and Italian recipes .

Reservations are required and there is a dress code as well, please  refer to our Disney Cruise packing list  for suggestions on what to wear.

Another premium dining experience, The Enchanté restaurant is billed as the most elegant dining experience on the Disney Wish.

Menu was created by three-Michelin starred Chef Arnaud Lallement.

Theme is built around Lumiere’s stately presences from Beauty and the Beast . Located on Deck 12.

Casual Dining on Disney Wish

Marceline market.

This is a quick-service experience that features 10 “food stalls”. It’s called “walk-up” dining, meant for casual dining throughout the day.

The name Marceline Market pays homage to Walt Disney’s early childhood hometown in Marceline, Missouri.

The food stalls are themed to match a popular Disney animated film like Zootopia or Alice in Wonderland. Will we be greeted by our favorite characters while we are dining??

Disney adds some credence to that rumor by saying:

This fun design twist presents favorite characters as honorary “shopkeepers,” offering a wide-ranging variety of freshly prepared cuisines for the whole family to enjoy, including American classics, international specialties, comfort foods, seafood, soups and salads, vegetarian and plant-based fare, baked goods, and desserts. – Disney Parks Blog

The menu will change regularly but will include the following types of cuisine:

• American classics
• International dishes
• Comfort food
• Seafood, soups, salads
• Vegetarian & plant-based choices
• Baked goods

Decorated as an industrial loft that has been converted into a food marketplace, each station will have a theme from a classic animated film, such as Ratatouille, Zootopia, Alice in Wonderland, Tangled, etc. A cafe-style beverage bar will be available as well.

Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods

Upper decks

Themed around Disney’s “Fab Five” characters, this series of eateries is themed as an oceanside boardwalk, providing quick bite options for those spending time on Disney Wish upper decks.

Open for lunch, snacks, and dinner, here are the five food stalls:

• Daisy’s Pizza Pies
• Donald’s Cantina
• Goofy’s Grill
• Mickey’s Smokestack Barbeque
• Sweet Minnie’s Ice Cream

Menus feature soft-serve ice cream, American classics, BBQ, and Mexican options.

Hosted under a shaded seating area, there is plenty of space to find a place to step away from the pool and sun for a treat.

Room Service

Brought to your stateroom

Disney Wish room service menu is expansive. The menu is almost completely free, with myriad options available at any time of the night or day.

Our favorite room service items are traditionally chocolate chip cookies and Mickey Mouse ice cream bars!

To get more advice about Disney Cruise room service, read tips 54-59 of my  101 Disney Cruise Tips .

Beverage Stations

Deck 11 (expected location)

The drinks here are FREE. Your options include water, soda, juices, coffee, tea, milk, fruit punch, lemonade, and hot cocoa.

The bars and lounges on board will charge you for sodas, but it is free here. Check out tip #48 on my  Disney Cruise Tips  to enjoy more free soda.

Nightingale’s

Piano bar inspired by Cinderella’s “Sing Sweet Nightingale”. Located adjacent to the Grand Hall and is thematically tied to the atrium decor.

Bayou Lounge

Inspired by The Princess and the Frog , this is an informal bar and lounge for adults. Cocktails, specialty coffees and beignets are offered. Live entertainment include musical performances.

The Rose is an idyllic setting for a pre-dinner aperitif or after-dinner cocktail. There are subtle nods to the film Beauty and the Beast throughout, with the theming dedicated to the fateful flower of the classic movie.

Keg & Compass

Pub decorated to resemble a late 1800’s Norwegian sailor’s map room. Porthole windows accentuate the oldtime maritime style. Live sports, news and major broadcast events are experienced here. Assortment of wines & cocktails are available, along with three custom craft brews.

Star Wars : Hyperspace Lounge

This adults-only lounge is a one-of-a-kind experience for Star Wars fan.

Passengers are able to order cocktails in a high-end luxury bar that is styled as a “yacht-class” spaceship from the Star Wars universe.

As you sip your drink, you gaze out portals to space that showcase different locales featured in Star Wars films and series , including Batuu, Endor, Coruscant, Tatooine and Mustafar.

As you look through the lounge’s prominent widescreen viewport, you have close-up encounters with the following starships from the Star Wars universe as you tour these locales:

• Corellian passenger transport
• Rogue -class fighter
• The  Millennium Falcon
• New Republic prison ship
• The  Razor Crest (from The Mandalorian )
• KGZ-54 Starcrane
• AA-C39 freighter
• Ghtroc 820 Transport
• Lantzant Hybrid Hauler
• Lancer pursuit craft
• Victor-wing fighter
• Dornean gunship
• Imperial arrestor cruiser
• Imperial Star Destroyer
• Imperial  Lambda -class shuttle
• Imperial  Delta -class shuttle
• Imperial TIE boarder
• Imperial TIE brute heavy fighter
• Imperial TIE fighter
• CR70 diplomatic cruiser
• Coruscant AA-9 passenger liner
• Coruscant transport freighter
• Corellian CR90 corvette
• Ibis freighter
• Nukoy freighter
• Marisas freighter
• Naboo N-1 starfighter
• Starspeeder 3000
• Traffic Ships
• Resistance bunkerbuster
• Mining guild freighter
• YT-2400 freighter
• Gozanti cruiser
• Nebulon-B frigate
• Tri-wing S-91X fighter
• Resistance cargo frigate
• Resistance MC85 Mon Calamari cruiser
• First Order TIE fighter
• Drovan freighter
• Razor assault ship
• Resistance X-wing fighter
• Resistance Y-wing fighter
• Resistance A-wing fighter
• Tuggs’ Grub food transport
• First Order Star Destroyer
• Traffic ships
• ZH-40 freighter

“Themed beverages” that are inspired by the films are served, and special “tastings” are also available in the Disney Wish Star Wars lounge.

Disney Parks website describes the lounge this way:

The venue’s sleek interior design and metallic detailing is inspired by lavish star cruisers similar to Dryden Vos’ ship in “Solo: A  Star Wars  Story.” While you sip your galactic concoctions, this space-faring voyage will transport you to iconic locations from the eras of the Republic, Empire and First Order, employing hyperspace jumps to travel from planet to planet while sensational scenes unfold just beyond the ship’s panoramic viewport at each stop. Ranging from serene vistas to action-packed encounters, the spectacles seen through this virtual “window” into the galaxy will feature famous space ships from the films and fan-favorite locales like Batuu, Tatooine, Mustafar and Coruscant. The experience will be amplified by surround-sound audio and a holotube that presents holographic models of nearby ships. Disney Parks Blog

Alcohol is served only to those over 21 years of age.

On other Disney ships, like the Fantasy , we love to tell people about this serene, out-of-the-way spot on Deck 13 that overlooks Quiet Cove Pool.

It’s adults only and you can get your hands on some gourmet coffee (additional charge), enjoy a pastry or surf the internet.

Wheezy’s Freezies

Located on the pool deck next to the Toy Story Splash Zone, this smoothie bar serves blended fruit drinks.

Untangled Salon

Adults hair salon, inspired by Tangled and Rapunzel. Colors are purple and gold with lanterns serving as light fixtures. Haircuts, nails, teeth whitening and skin treatments are among the services offered.

Hook’s Barbery

This a traditional men’s salon pays homage to a scene in Peter Pan where Smee shaves what he thinks is Captain Hook. Get shaves, skin & nail treatments, as well as haircuts and style.

Bonus : the establishment features a “hidden bar” – ask about their bourbons, rum, whisky, and other spirits when you go.

Disney Wish Spa Treatments

Senses spa & rainforest room.

Fitness center, private treatment rooms, and luxury spa treatments including facials, massages, and acupuncture.

Fitness center offers state of the art exercise equipment, dedicate space for cycling, yoga & aerobics.

The Rainforest Room is a sauna, steam room, and aromatherapy showers. Guests are given body scrubs, soothing scents, in a relaxing environment. Exclusive to the Disney Wish, Rainforest includes an ice lounge and an open-air oasis.

Walt Disney Theatre

Decks 3 & 4

Every evening on the Disney Wish, an exciting entertainment event is put on in the Walt Disney Theatre.

Guests get to witness performances that are truly Broadway-level in quality. Also frequenting the stage are musicians, jugglers, ventriloquists, hypnotists, or comedians.

Sometimes they put up a feature movie on a massive screen. The movie is usually a Disney-owned film that is new or due to theaters.

The Walt Disney Theatre is built to resemble a magical forest. Watch this video as Walt Disney Imagineers explain the development process of the Walt Disney Theatre:

Decks 4 & 5

This performance space is flexible enough to host parties, shows, and family games and entertainment during the day, while converting into an adults-only venue in the evening.

Luna lounge on Disney Wish #DisneyWish #DisneyCruise #WishChristening pic.twitter.com/LQWsoTDBlt — Dave Monk (@shipmonk) June 29, 2022

The Luna theater is set to look like a fairytale village and is two decks tall.

Featuring a LED screen wall that takes up two stories, along with a bar, stage, and plenty of seats, Luna should be a buzzy, oft-used place onboard.

Wonderland Cinema & Never Land Cinema

Two lux movie theaters to accommodate first-run feature films, using state of the art technology to play movies all day, every day.

Neverland Cinema is reminiscent of Peter Pan’s flight to Neverland with Tinker Bell and the Darling children.

Wonderland Cinema boasts an Alice in Wonderland theme.

Here’s a look inside Neverland Cinema, one of the movie theaters on the Disney Wish. pic.twitter.com/UDzpAqJpt8 — Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) June 30, 2022

We’ve been told that the  Grand Hall  will act as both a gathering place (aka traditional cruise ship atrium) with a fairytale theme, as well as a functional theatre. from a fairytale gathering space into an environmental theater through the magic of built-in special effects and the first-ever atrium stage on a Disney ship. Dedicated shows and interactive entertainment will come to life all around the hall, putting guests front and center as they play a special role in the magic.

Funnel Vision

Funnel Vision is a giant screen that shows Disney movies while you chill on Deck 12 or swim in the Disney Wish pools.

Called “Funnel Vision” because it is mounted onto the forward funnel of the ship. It’s a massive LED screen, totally state of the art.

It’s the first-ever Disney attraction at sea.

AquaMouse is a water raft ride that sends you through winding tubes that are perched well above the upper decks of the ship.

As guests ride, they see animated shorts, special effects, lighting and scenes from “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse.”

The original story, titled “Scuba Scramble”, is set around Mickey’s ill-fated excursion company called “Port Misadventures”.

Watch this video for a POV of what it’s like to ride the AquaMouse:

Toy Story Splash Zone

Splash pad with a fun Toy Story  theme for kids ages 3 and under. Water spurts all over; coming up from the floor and jetting from replicas of characters from the Pixar short titled “ Partysaurus Rex “.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sams Disney Diary (@samsdisneydiary)

Characters such as Woody and Buzz Lightyear are re-imagined as enormous rubber bath toys. These characters move and spray water.

The space features a waterslide called Slide-a-saurus Rex , a wading pool called Trixie’s Falls , and close by is a smoothie bar called Wheezy’s Freezies .

Quiet Cove – Adult Pool

For ages 18 and up, the secluded Quiet Cove pool area is found at the very rear of the ship. It has been designed to cater to adults with an infinity pool, whirlpool spa, open-air bar, and poolside cafe.

This is one of our favorite areas on any Disney Cruise ship.

Aladdin – a Musical Spectacular

The classic songs and scenes of Disney’s adored  Aladdin  come to life on the stage in the Walt Disney Theatre on every  Disney Wish voyage.  

Seas the Adventures

With the guidance of Tinkerbell, Captain Minnie and an all-star ensemble of Disney and Pixar characters, Goofy discovers his inner captain in Seas the Adventure.

The program will feature characters from ‘Princess and the Frog,’ ‘Frozen 2,’ ‘Finding Nemo,’ ‘Moana,’ and other Disney movies, and will be one of the first live performances on board the Disney Wish.

Disney The Little Mermaid

Disney The Little Mermaid is a contemporary and imaginative retelling of the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic about a little girl discovering the power of her voice.

The production has spectacular special effects, cutting-edge theatrical design, artistic choreography, and a reworked narrative and soundtrack that will excite and astonish audiences of all ages.

Hero Zone: Incredibles Themed Games

The Hero Zone is a game show-style contest in which families compete in a futuristic sports venue against one another.

Inspired by the dynamic characters of Pixar’s “The Incredibles,” this highly interactive, imaginatively produced game show will dare families to take on an incredible obstacle course with over-the-top physical challenges themed to the powers of the Parr family heroes and their good friend Frozone.

Jack-Jack’s Incredible Diaper Dash!, a popular Disney Cruise Line attraction, is now housed in Hero Zone. This renowned contest allows fantastic tots the opportunity to compete for the prestigious status of Diaper Dash Champion as they speed-crawl around a 20-foot track amid the applause (and giggles) of family, friends, and loving fans, with more hoopla than ever before.

Watch this short video of an amazing comeback during Diaper Dash on one of our voyages:

When Hero Zone isn’t dressed up in superhero garb, it is a free-play sports center where guests play basketball, soccer, and a variety of table-top activities including Ping-Pong, air hockey, foosball, and shuffleboard.

Fireworks at Sea

Disney Cruise Line is famous for launching fireworks off the ship, quite frequently connected to a pirate theme .

The Disney Wish has its own fireworks spectacular show.

Watch this video of Disney fireworks show on the Disney Fantasy :

It’s a Small World Nursery

Childcare for your wee ones. You can leave kids ages 6 months to 3 years old at the nursery.

The Cast Members at the nursery are well-trained Disney counselors who will feed your child at the proper time, change diapers, and lead the kids in crafts, activities and games.

Additional charge and reservations suggested.

Disney’s Oceaneer Club

Deck 2 – for ages 3-12

Children ages 3-12 will love hanging out with Disney Characters each day.

With a secret entrance (a slide!) from the Grand Hall, kids can immerse themselves in incredible experiences.

Disney Wish Oceaneer Club features…

Marvel Super Hero Academy

It’s the Avengers headquarters! Your child becomes a new “recruit” and is trained to be a future superhero with personalized guidance by the likes of Black Panther, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Spider-Man.

Young recruits participate in a hands-on training session with Ant-Man and The Wasp at Marvel Super Hero Academy, where they learn how to manufacture and test their own Pym Particles, the technology that allows heroes to shrink and expand items (and themselves). They join forces with Pym Technologies and Wakandan Design Group masterminds — including a special appearance by Black Panther — to stop Taskmaster’s nefarious scheme to hack into the academy’s system and steal the world’s most sophisticated hero technology.

Fairytale Hall

Three activity rooms! Anna & Elsa’s Sommerhaus, Belle’s Library, and Rapunzel’s Art Studio. Kids creativity reign overall here.

Kids enjoy the greatest day ever with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider as they embark on a treasure quest to retrieve the missing parts of the Snuggly Duckling sign when the center of Disney’s Oceaneer Club turns into the Snuggly Duckling pub from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Tangled.”

Children use their imaginations to write a bold, humorous, magical new narrative for their favorite book lover in Belle’s Library. Belle uses her wits and her magical mirror to assist decide the story’s characters, storyline, and ending.

The newest citizens of Arendelle join a special celebration of Queen Anna’s recent coronation at Anna and Elsa’s Sommerhus by acting out the history of how she became queen — taking on the roles and iconic movie moments of characters like Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, Hans, and more — before the queen, her sister, and their snowman friend arrive to join in the fun.

Walt Disney Imagineering Lab

Your kids will become Disney Imagineers in training. Through hands-on activities, experiments, and just good old fashioned play, children can learn what it is like to design Disney theme park rides.

Star Wars: Cargo Bay

Star Wars: Cargo Bay will feature strange creatures and iconic figures from the Star Wars universe. This first-of-its-kind immersive experience will immerse children in the role of creature managers as they learn to control a naughty zoo of exotic animals from all across the galaxy, including a porg, Loth-cat, worrt, and more. Kids will utilize augmented reality-enabled datapads to follow and study the species on a series of special missions during the cruise. But there might be more to this endeavor than meets the eye: the new crew will be undertaking a critical operation to return Rey and Chewbacca, two hidden stowaways, to the Resistance.

Image: Disney Cruise Line

They’ll utilize augmented reality-enabled datapads to monitor and study the critters on a series of special tasks during the voyage. The new crew will be undertaking a vital operation to return Rey and Chewbacca, two hidden stowaways, to the Resistance.

The newly minted caregivers will be put to the test as they assist feed the lifelike animals and meet some of the galaxy’s most deadly monsters during the interactive “Star Wars: Creature Challenge” event. When things go wrong, they’ll have to rely on Rey and Chewbacca’s knowledge — and maybe the Force — to save the ship from sinking.

Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck

Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck is a nautical playground inspired by the colors, iconography, and enchantment of Disney Cruise Line, and is specifically developed for the youngest sailors at Disney’s Oceaneer Club. Pipe slides and crawl-throughs, ship’s wheels, “busy boxes” fashioned as ship controls, and plush life preserver seating spaces will be among the many maritime-themed physical and sensory games and activities available in this brand-new area.

When kids enter the space, they’ll spend time with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The area will be accessible to young ones’ families for group play at various times throughout the trip, and toddlers from It’s a Small World Nursery will have special access to the club to explore, learn, and play with Mickey and Minnie.

“Minnie’s Captain Academy,” a high-energy training session for youngsters to exercise their bodies (via amusing games, dancing, and maritime “drills”) and their minds (through a series of tasks related to STEAM principles), will be the trademark event (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Captain Minnie will examine their accomplishments and formally appoint them as honorary captains!

Don’t be surprised if you barely see your kids during the cruise!

Deck 5, ages 11-14

This New York loft-themed hangout is perfect for the tweens and offers a space for them to watch movies, craft, play games and hang out with other kids their age (ages 11-14).

Tweens ages 11 to 14 will have a blast, meet new people, and play games. The club has comfy seating, nooks for solo gaming and movie viewing, and a soda bar.

The inside solarium area has a sunny overhead skylight effect, a carpet patterned with fresh grass and daisies, a back wall painting of a bright blue sky, and activities inspired by a colorful outside city park.

Graphic art exhibits called as “photo walls” are set up around Edge to allow tweens to take stylish, shareable vacation photos that will be the envy of their pals back home.

Teens 14-17 will have a blast at Vibe, whether it’s listening to music, dancing or competing with other teens to get the highest video game score. It’s a space of their own, themed like a Parisian loft…adults have to stay away and that’s how these teens like it. (Did I mention you might not see your kids that much?)

Teenage passengers will make new friends, watch movies, play games, and participate in fun activities designed specifically for them.

This stylish space features classic architectural elements like regal French columns and paneled walls covered with whimsical pop art murals and colorful graffiti, as well as a traditional French Morris column plastered with Disney-inspired travel posters, and is inspired by a Parisian artists’ loft.

With vivid neon signs and wacky pop art everywhere, the décor has an electrifying vintage touch, which is emphasized by a larger-than-life, brightly painted Mickey Mouse figure.

When you combine all of that with floor-to-ceiling windows that stare out over the ocean, you’ve got yourself a winner.

The Hideaway

The Disney Wish has a third hideaway for tweens and adolescents, The Hideaway, for the first time aboard a Disney cruise ship.

This cool new hangout provides an additional option for older kids and young adults to relax, sip a smoothie, listen to music, and more in a luxury environment replete with a dance floor and DJ booth – ideal for karaoke and dancing competitions.

A vivid color palette, retro-inspired design elements, a stylized “Hiya, friend” mural, and disco ball lighting is featured throughout the Hideaway.

This versatile space, located next to Vibe, may be opened to the teen club, locked off for tween events, or reserved exclusively for visitors aged 18 to 20.

Tweens and teenagers will have “llama” fun with personalized, counselor-led programming geared to engage their specific interests, such as a humorous new competition based on “The Emperor’s New Groove,” which is a fan favorite.

They’ll also have specific activities around the ship during special events conducted in Hero Zone, Luna, and other locations.

Want to know where the Disney Wish will be sailing in 2022 ?

Disney Wish Ports of Call 2022

Disney Fantasy is scheduled to visit the following destinations in 2022 :

• Port Canaveral, Florida
• Nassau, Bahamas
• Castaway Cay  (Disney’s Private Island)

Disney Wish Cruise Ship News

Here’s a Disney Wish update:

JUNE 29, 2022. Disney Wish was christened in Port Canaveral on June 29, 2022. Rather than have one “godmother” for the christening of the ship, as is the company tradition, it made children from Make-A-Wish Foundation the ship’s “godchildren”. Watch the christening ceremony:

JUNE 20, 2022. Disney Wish arrives in dock at Port Canaveral for the first time ever in the early dawn hours of Monday, June 20, 2022. Watch this video of her arrival:

MARCH 23, 2022. Good Morning America video shows current progress of the ship being built, while also announcing a Disney Wish giveaway.

FEBRUARY 11, 2022. Watch the Disney Wish Float Out of the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. DON’T MISS…the fireworks and music at the very end!

FEBRUARY 4, 2022. Disney Cruise Line announces the delay of the inaugural sailing to July 14, 2022, citing building delays at Meyer Werft shipyard.

JANUARY 22, 2022. A time-lapse depicting the installation of both azipods beneath the stern of the Disney Wish was posted by Walt Disney Imagineering.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Walt Disney Imagineering (@waltdisneyimagineering)

SEPTEMBER 8, 2021.  Disney Wish received its stripe at the Meyer-Werft. 

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Ursula & Stefan Meyer (@ems_dollart_media)

JUNE 25, 2021. First sections of AquaMouse installed on Disney Wish.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Ursula & Stefan Meyer (@ems_dollart_media)

JUNE 17, 2021. Funnel arrives at Meyer-Werft.

MAY 8, 2021 . Front bow keel sections arrive at Meyer-Werft.

APRIL 29, 2021. DCL announces that reservations will be available to book cruises on the Disney Wish starting May 27, 2021.

APRIL 8, 2021. Meyer Werft laid the keel for Disney Wish in a German shipyard.

Disney Wishes Cruise Ship

Just a helpful note - the name of the ship is Disney Wish. It is not the Disney Wishes cruise ship as I've seen reported in other places 😉.

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Great coverage, keep it coming

Thanks Carl! Will do. There are some big announcements coming…even tomorrow.

I can’t wait for this! It’s going to be so awesome!

What all exciting things can you do on the Wish ?

I suspect there will be some magical touches that haven’t been added to the other ships yet. Can’t wait to find out.

This is all so great to know! I appreciate how thorough this article is.

Thanks Katie! Glad it was helpful.

This ship looks amazing! The kids are going to LOVE this!

And the grown-up kids too 🙂

Hope they announce when they will start taking reservations.

Yes…maybe even as early as tomorrow?

Cruising with Disney is a complete adventure with smiles, laughter and surprises! Each one we take is Magical! There is so much around you on the ship that has a deeper meaning! Disney pays attention to the small and large picture of a cruising experience. It is cruising luxury at your pace and style! Have a Magical Day!

100% Agree! Thanks Judith 🙂

Bad time. Hopefully you’ll do another at a time we working people can ser

I’ll share the highlights here on this page when I get them.

Bookings open in May 2021!

To get back to cruising!!!!

No doubt – that got me so excited!

The New Adult Only Sections. Especially the Star Wars Bar!…Can’t wait!

That looks incredible!

Wow! I’ve never been on a Disney cruise, but this looks seriously amazing! My kids would go crazy!

They (and you too) would absolutely love it!

Seriously, looks so magical!! Can’t wait & hope to take my family someday!

The time is coming quick enough. The June 2022 sailings will be here before we know it.

I have always wanted to go on a disney cruise with my kids! When everything lifts, it’s the first big trip I want to do! Your info and tips were super helpful!

Thanks Amy! Your family will love it 🙂

This looks so incredible! A Disney cruise is on our vacation bucket list, thanks so much for all the great info!

My kids are going to flip out over this ship!!!

Wow!! What an experience, my family would love this

Disney Cruise Line Planning Guide

This Disney Cruise Line planning guide covers things to do, packing tips, dining recommendations, Castaway Cay advice, and more. Whether you’re setting sail on a Caribbean itinerary aboard the Magic or heading to somewhere else, this will help you prepare. ( Updated March 9, 2023 .)

Let’s start with the good news, which is that as of 2023, Disney Cruise Line is largely back to normal for sailings departing from the United States and Puerto Rico. There are no longer vaccination or pre-cruise test requirements and face masks are now entirely optional.

Beyond that, entertainment is no longer modified, character meet & greets are no longer distanced, and all-you-can-eat buffets are once again self-service. There are still relatively minor ways the Disney Cruise Line experience remains modified, but nothing you’d notice unless you’re actively looking for it. The number of hand-sanitizing stations has increased, but that’s really about it.

The biggest change is that Disney Cruise Line has added a new ship to its fleet! The Disney Wish is now sailing on 3 and 4-night Bahamian cruises from Port Canaveral to Nassau and Disney’s Castaway Cay. We’ve been on this new ship a couple of times, and share whether it’s worth the premium pricing in our Disney Wish Cruise Ship Review .

We also have lists covering the “Best of” and “Worst of” the Disney Wish . Suffice to say, this new ship will be incredibly appealing for some families, and has a number of subtle enhancements that will improve the experience for some families. It also has frustrating and perplexing design decisions, and features that make it less appealing for certain audiences.

While we like the Wish, we prefer the legacy ships. That’s just our  personal  perspective based on our priorities and circumstances. You should read reviews and pros & cons to determine which ship is right for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

A few more ships will be added to the Disney Cruise Line fleet in the next 5 years, but the even bigger development on the horizon is that the Lighthouse Point Private Island Destination Opens to Disney Cruise Line in Summer 2024 . Lighthouse Point will offer beaches for families, adults, and kids–complete with play areas, cabanas, kids’ clubs, and more. One highlight will be the Bahamian art and culture pavilion featuring special programs and local artists will provide visitors to Lighthouse Point opportunities to learn and celebrate the traditions and natural beauty of The Bahamas.

We think Lighthouse Point looks incredible–like a mashup of the best parts of Castaway Cay and Aulani Resort in Hawaii! Only select sailings will stop at Lighthouse Point, so be mindful of that when booking your Bahamian cruises.

To that point, this Disney Cruise Line planning guide focuses on Bahamian cruises aboard the Disney Cruise Line fleet. These are the perfect “starter” cruises to discover whether you’re going to be a certified cruise addict, or if it’s not for you. While some of the specifics in this Disney Cruise Line Guide are tailored towards the Disney Magic, we have sailed on all of the other ships to a multitude of destinations, too.

Most of these same tips apply to the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wonder. This guide applies equally to those ships in terms of the basics of things to know before you go, and recommendations for activities and other things you should try to do once you’re on board the ship.

While we prefer the larger and newer ships, the Disney Magic is arguably the most approachable ship and often has the least expensive itineraries. It’s smaller (964 feet long and holds 2,700 passengers plus ~950 Cast Members), but the spaces feel fresh and modern. By contrast, the Disney Fantasy is 1,115 feet and holds 4,000 passengers (plus ~1,500 Cast Members).

Th overall style and aesthetic of the Disney Cruise Line is evident the moment you step aboard one of the ships and step into its lobby. The lobby is a signature area of each Disney Cruise Line ship, with each having a one-of-a-kind chandelier, beautiful design and detail work, and great use of color and lines. Now, this isn’t unique to the reimagined Disney Magic–the original design was stunning, too–but it just goes to show how well-designed the Disney Cruise Line ships are.

We will cover other elements of Disney Cruise Line in the sections that follow. Let’s get started with planning your voyage aboard Disney’s cruise ships!

What to Pack

One big one for the adults is alcohol. That’s right, you can take alcohol aboard the Disney Cruise Line in your carry-on bag when you board the ship or return from port. This used to be huge, because there were no limits. However, Disney Cruise Line now has a policy significantly limiting the amount of alcohol guests can bring on-board.

Other than that, all you need to pack is “basic cruise stuff.” We always recommend taking a look at our Unique Disney Packing List , which can give you some good ideas of things to pack, but the basics are a pair of quality water shoes and Frogg Togg Chilly Pads . You might want to consider the Frogg Togg Super-sized Chilly Cooling Towel for putting on your lounge chair to keep cool around the pool or on Castaway Cay.

If you plan on getting into the pirate spirit for the Pirate Night deck party, we recommend buying some random pirate accessories before the cruise. We did not do this, and the two of us spent ~$40 on random pirate stuff in the gift shop that we will probably never wear again. It was fun for photos and to just get us in the mood for the party, but lesson learned on that one…

Two more things that might seem obvious: swimsuits and sunscreen. You can buy both of these things on the cruise, but you will pay a significant premium. Make sure to take your sunscreen off the ship at Castaway Cay, as they will really price-gouge you if you need to buy it there!

Getting There

Although Disney Cruise Line sails out of many ports, the most common one is Port Canaveral in Florida. If you’re expecting a simple Disney’s Magic Express-type arrangement to get from Orlando International Airport to the Disney Cruise Line boarding area, you are in for a surprise, as there is no such free service. Instead, you either have to rent a car, take a non-Disney shuttle, or take a Disney shuttle. It’s fairly simple once you figure out which of these transportation methods you’ll be using, but figuring it out is easier said than done.

Disney’s transfer bus costs $39/person per way from either the airport or any Disney hotel, and is the easiest option. However, given the per person nature of the bus, it can be a more expensive option. It also is probably the least efficient option. You are at Disney’s whims in terms of pick up and drop off times, meaning that you may not be able to board the cruise ship as early as you would like. If you are a family of 4, a car service generally charges $200-300 round-trip, which is generally a cheaper option than Disney’s transportation–and it’s more efficient.

Renting a car is another option, and if you go this route, you will want to do a “one-way” rental from wherever your point of origin to Port Canaveral. Then, once you return, do another one-way rental from Port Canaveral to wherever you’re going. The reasons for doing this are two-fold: 1) you avoid paying for rental car days while you’re on the cruise, and 2) you avoid paying $15/day.

Sometimes, one-way rental costs have a higher per-day cost than round-trip rentals, but the difference should be insignificant. Sarah used this strategy when going on a cruise recently, and her one-way rental cost (times two) was only ~$50, as opposed to the $140 round-trip Disney shuttle cost she would have paid for her and her sister, or the ~$200 cost she would have paid to do a round-trip rental plus parking at Port Canaveral. This does require taking a shuttle from the rental car location to Port Canaveral, which Sarah found to be a hassle.

Even if you’re only a party of 2, two separate one-way car rentals are almost always going to be the cheapest option for transportation to and from Port Canaveral. This is a hassle in its own way in having an additional rental car booking plus having to use the rental car shuttle, but we feel it’s a good balance of autonomy, efficiency, and price.

Cruise liners have reputations for having small, claustrophobic staterooms that guests should really only use for sleeping and showering. We are not here to suggest that the Disney Cruise Line ships are large and luxurious, but they have exceeded our expectations. On the one hand, they absolutely are smaller, smaller than even a room at a Value Resort at Walt Disney World.

On the other hand, they use space efficiently, are laid out so that you can use them for more than just sleeping and showering, and are well-designed. (I guess we sort of are going to say they’re luxurious!) They are still small and I wouldn’t want to spend more than a couple hours of free time in the stateroom each day, but the rooms are nice.

Not all of the rooms in the same class are the same! It might seem easy to pick a room since there’s only inside, oceanview, and verandah categories. However, there are actually several “secret” verandah and porthole staterooms, as well as mini-suites and oversized rooms, all of which are priced in a lower tier than you might expect .

As for which class of stateroom you should get, that’s entirely up to you. On our first cruise, the cost of upgrading to a verandah was insignificant, so we did that. We quickly realized that for a short cruise, we weren’t spending enough time in the room to get our money’s worth (and we paid very little for the upgrade). The longer the cruise or the more time you plan on spending in your room, the more worthwhile a verandah or oceanview room becomes.

The Disney Cruise Line ships feature rotational dining, plus adults-only fine-dining restaurants like Palo and Remy, and an assortment of quick service options so that you can grab food on the go or eat while lounging around on the main deck. Here are our quick-hit summaries of the main dining rooms on the Disney Magic–click each name for a detailed review and food photos–which are similar to the restaurants on the other Disney Cruise Line ships.

Animator’s Palate – Animator’s Palate is a restaurant that’s more like a dinner show. Besides the stage shows, this is probably the biggest dose of “Disney magic” that you’ll have aboard the Disney Cruise Line, as it features an animation-centric transformation of the restaurant via some clever Imagineering. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it’s definitely not to be missed. The restaurant is supposedly “Pacific Rim,” but it more or less seemed like standard, American cuisine to us.

Lumiere’s – Lumiere’s is an American and French cuisine fusion restaurant. It combines Art Deco and Beauty and the Beast themes into a stylized restaurant that is elegant, yet full of Disney whimsy and charm. We really liked our meal at Lumiere’s and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The dining room is a bit chaotic and loud, but the food and design are both great.

Palo – This is the adults-only fine dining experience aboard the Disney Magic, with a per guest surcharge. It is soooo worth that surcharge that you should not even hesitate to make reservations here. Seriously, so many people pass on Palo because they already paid a lot for the cruise and want to take advantage of the “free” dining (really dining built into the cost of the cruise), but Palo is worth the added cost as compared to the other restaurants. Do it. You will not regret it.

Carioca’s – We skipped Carioca’s for Palo during our rotational dining, having heard that it was the least impressive restaurant on the Disney Magic. It is themed to be an outdoor marketplace set in Rio, and transforms from day to night as it changes from day to night on the ship. The name comes from Jose, the parrot from The Three Caballeros. We were in here once outside of the rotational dining, and it seemed like an interesting concept.

In addition to the rotational dining, here are the other restaurants on the Disney Magic:

• Cabanas (Table Service)
• Daisy’s De-Lites (Quick Service)
• Pete’s Boiler Bites (Quick Service)
• Pinocchio’s Pizzeria (Quick Service)

Drinking gets its own section because, for a lot of people, getting your buzz on is an essential part of the cruise experience. We aren’t of that mentality, but there certainly is something to be said for lounging on the top deck and having a drink or two.

The big thing to know with drinks aboard the Disney Cruise Line is that their costs vary widely. Drinks in the ‘cool’ hurricane glasses (made of plastic) at the Sail Away Party are weak Miami Vices that are expensive. There’s also a souvenir beer mug, which is also expensive. We’d avoid these both; even if you want a souvenir, put your money towards something better than a cheap plastic glass.

Drinks elsewhere on the ship are less expensive, but we were never really blown away with any of the concoctions at any spot we tried. We’ve heard of drink specials ( Disney Cruise Line Blog’s drinking page lists a few examples), but we didn’t see any. Keep your eye out for these!

Nightlife aboard the Disney Cruise Line ships is…how do we put this…not all that full of life. Each ship has a few options, but in our experience, none are all that popular. Here’s what you can find aboard the Magic…

After Hours is the adults-only entertainment district, and it’s pretty cool in theory. There are three venues here: O’Gill’s Pub, Keys, and Fathoms. The main area here is Fathoms, which is used earlier in the night for hosted interactive shows like “Pops” before becoming a dance club later. O’Gill’s and Keys are variations of the same concept, with one being an Irish pub and the other being a modern piano bar.

In terms of concept and design, all three of these venues are cool. And, so long as you’re fine with your entertainment ending at around 9 or 10 pm, they are fun in practice, too. The problem is, once you get past about 10 pm, the number of adults on any given Disney Cruise Line ship looking for nightlife is minimal, and this already low number is spread across multiple venues. If you like the quiet of having a venue (more or less) to yourselves so you and friends can chat, this is a great thing. If you’re looking for an energetic scene, this is an awful thing.

I am somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. I hate going to dance clubs in our town because they are loud and obnoxiously crowded. Conversely, I am not keen on pubs and other places where no one else is around. At that point, why not just “party” at home? We have found that After Hours skews too close to “empty” to really do a ton for us. In fairness, one night we did see some adults who had overindulged go absolutely crazy on the dance floor…that was a lot of fun to watch!

This is something that will vary to a degree on every sailing, but one thing that appears consistent is that Disney Cruise Line attracts a disproportionate number of families as compared to other cruise lines. Parents are often too tired or have outgrown the idea of nightlife, and aren’t as likely to partake as singles. We’d hazard a guess that these nightlife spots are busier on cruises that are geared more towards adults (like an Alaska cruise or a repositioning cruise). You can still have fun with the nightlife, especially if you’re the one bringing the party (or more importantly, the people).

Family Stuff & Kid’s Clubs

If you are looking for family-friendly entertainment, or just a place to deposit your kids for the day, the Disney Cruise Line has you covered!

D Lounge is the main hangout for family-friendly activities. Lots of different things happen here throughout the day, from trivia to dancing to even Disney Vacation Club presentations. Kids, what’s more family-friendly than convincing your parents to buy into Disney Vacation Club? This is your future we’re talking about! 😉

The Oceaneer Club is for children age 3-12, and has numerous themed experiences that will appeal to a variety of different interests and age levels. We had a chance to tour this club, but since we don’t have kids, we have no first-hand feedback on how the experiences are. The spaces themselves sure look cool, but if anyone has feedback from their kids as to how enjoyable this stuff actually is, please share in the comments.

First, and probably the most interesting is Marvel’s Avengers Academy. There’s also Disney’s Pixie Hollow, Andy’s Room from Toy Story, and Mickey Mouse Club. Each of these areas is pretty-well themed. So, Andy’s Room actually resembles his room from Toy Story, Pixie Hollow looks like it might be inhabited by fairies, and Mickey Mouse Club has a strong Mickey Mouse motif.

The Oceaneer Lab, also for children age 3-12, is basically the activity center. The coolest thing about this, I think, as a Disney fan is that it incorporates the S.E.A. (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) concept found at Tokyo DisneySea and Hong Kong Disneyland and brings it to the Disney Magic! It has a pirate-themed area where kids can steer a pirate ship through the Caribbean, plus Captain’s Workshop, Animator’s Studio, and Craft Studio, all of which offer interactive activities.

Both locations are open from 9 am until midnight, and are connected by a kids-only hallway, so kids can utilize both spaces easily. Truthfully, I’m not sure what the distinction between the Club and Lab is, since both venues offer interactive activities. Maybe they just couldn’t fit the entire kids area into one space, and since there are two locations, they needed two names? No clue.

There’s also Edge and Quarter Masters, both of which are basically places to play video games. Vibe is the teens-only ‘club’ hangout.

The nursery aboard the Disney Magic is called ‘it’s a small world’ Nursery, and is themed to the park attraction. It’s for kids under 3, and has an additional charge. So remember, parents, babysitting is FREE for your kids over age 3, but costs extra for those under 3. Plan accordingly when determining when to book your cruise! 😉

Like all things Disney, the Disney Cruise Line nails themed entertainment. Currently, the Disney Magic has three Broadway-style shows “Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic,” “Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story,” and “Tangled: The Musical” These shows play on Deck 4, Forward in the Walt Disney Theatre (a beautiful theater worth checking out in its own right).

One thing several people have asked us is whether it’s worth it to see the shows. Our answer is always a qualified “absolutely.” We absolutely recommend the shows because these are a big part of what puts the “Disney” into the Disney Cruise Line, and more than anything else aboard the ship, they are something you will only find on the Disney Cruise Line. Why would you skip the entertainment that’s a defining feature of the Disney Cruise Line?!

We qualify that ‘absolutely’ response because we want to make it clear that we don’t think these shows are across-the-board incredible. Each of them has its flaws, but they’re all elaborate, ambitious, and well worth watching at least once. They all have really strong production values, very talented casts, and memorable music. I would say that you will probably like 2 out of the 3 shows if you’re a serious Disney fan. You might even like them all–I suppose it depends upon how critical you are.

The big impediment you might have in seeing all of these shows is dinner. The shows each have two performances on select nights of your cruise, and these occur at 6:15 pm and 8:30 pm (check your Personal Navigator to confirm this). The idea is that if you have an early dinner seating, you go to the late show, or vice-a-versa. For adults traveling without kids, this presents no issue (perhaps unless you’re having a long meal at Palo), but for parents with kids, dinner and a show can be a bit much.

We have two potential recommendations for this: change your meal seating time (you can have it adjusted when you first board the ship) depending on whether you think dinner-first or show-first is better for your kids, or do dinner first and watch the shows from bed on your in-cabin TV. The latter suggestion is less ideal, but possibly more realistic. Obviously, you lose a lot of what makes the shows special by watching them on TV as opposed to in the theater, but if you realistically wouldn’t be able to do both dinner and the theater (and enjoy both), then that’s not really a good option.

Characters & Other Entertainment

It’s impossible to cover every single piece of entertainment available on the Disney Cruise Line. First of all, because there are like 20+ different things to do everyday. Second, because it changes from cruise to cruise, so we could never keep up. For this area, the Personal Navigator is your friend. Refer to the paper Personal Navigator or the iPhone app regularly, and determine what looks interesting to you on a daily basis.

The stage shows covered above are the flagship entertainment aboard the Disney Magic, and those are not to be missed. Additional entertainment consists of activities in the D Lounge (mentioned above), nightlife (also mentioned above), trivia, and other unique seminars and presentations. There’s really so many entertainment options that you could spend your entire cruise “being entertained.” Based upon what we saw, not all of the entertainment options were created equally, and others are advertisements for other Disney offerings.

There’s also recreation like basketball, shuffleboard, ping pong, soccer, and more. The Fitness Center offers weight machines and elliptical. Aerobic and yoga classes are also offered.

Of course, the pools are the most popular places for ‘fitness’ on the Disney Cruise Line, and there are three of them. One for families, one for adults, and one for kids–you can read more about these pools here . Add to that play areas and the AquaDunk, and there’s a lot to do. Our favorite pool was the family pool, although it was always crowded because it’s open to everyone.

However, it’s also in the center of everyone, and it was nice to lounge around. The AquaDunk always had a long wait in the middle of the day–I finally did it in late afternoon and only waited 10 minutes, and didn’t think it was worth even that. It seems like Disney needed something that looked like the AquaDuck water coaster on the other ships, and this was all the Disney Magic could support. It’s fine, but way too short.

Another big thing for many guests is the Buena Vista Theater. This shows first-run Disney movies, and is very popular with guests. To each their own, but we aren’t fans of taking from out of a cruise to see a movie. At home, we can see a movie for ~$15 per person, and while it might seem like a “good deal” to see movies for “free” on the Disney Cruise Line, your per hour waking cost of the cruise is probably significantly more than ~$5. Why not do things that are actually unique to the cruise? That’s just our take, though, and we understand some people might need downtime, or might just want to relax as a family and enjoy the latest Disney film.

Pirate Night is the ‘biggest’ entertainment aboard the Disney Magic. It starts with character meet & greets in atrium, followed by normal rotational dinner (servers and guests seem to get into the pirate mood), followed by the Pirates in the Caribbean deck/dance party, and concluding with fireworks shot over the edge of the ship.

If you have kids, this is probably great fun. We had a blast getting into the pirate mood and dressing up a bit for it, but the actual deck party was a bit of a letdown. Pirate Mickey and the other characters were fun, but the music was pretty dated and it seemed like the whole thing was way too reliant on the dance element. Kids probably won’t know the difference and will have a blast, but we would have liked to see more scripted action from the characters, or a dance party that wasn’t stuck in the past.

In terms of character meet & greets, the scheduled meet & greets in the atrium were without a doubt the most popular ones we saw. This was especially true on Pirate Night, when the characters are dressed in pirate attire. If you want to do meet & greets on Pirate Night, make sure to arrive and line-up just before the meet & greets start. Other scheduled meet & greets drew long lines, but nothing as long as this.

We actually found the shortest lines to be on Castaway Cay, where the characters (plus Jack Sparrow) generally didn’t have much in the way of lines at all. Perhaps this was because people don’t want character photos when they are in swimsuits? Maybe guests forget their cameras? Whatever the case, we think this is the best time for character photos.

We’re not really sure if it’s “entertainment” per se, but we don’t have anywhere else to put it, so…there’s a spa on the ship. It’s called Senses Spa & Salon. We contemplated doing something here for the sake of “research”…until we saw the prices. Sorry, you’ll have to do your own research on this one.

Castaway Cay

Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is the port of call that everyone going on Disney Cruise Line for a Caribbean cruise will see. We love Castaway Cay, and since there are so many tips and recommendations for this stop, we actually wrote a dedicated Castaway Cay Guide that you can reference for planning your day on Castaway Cay.

Overall, setting sail aboard the Disney Cruise Line is an incredibly enjoyable experience. Although the itineraries command premium pricing, but it’s a premium experience, too. All things considered, we feel DCL offers good value for money, Disney quality, and the ships don’t nickel and dime you like other cruise lines.

Since first setting sail with Disney Cruise Line, we’ve since done several additional itineraries, including to Norway, Alaska, and both the Eastern and Western Caribbean (multiple times). Our favorite destination by far was the Norwegian Fjords, which literally felt like a trip to Arendelle from  Frozen . Alaska was also a lot of fun, and of course we love cruising to tropical islands and enjoying Castaway Cay.

Even as Platinum Castaway Club Members, we do not consider ourselves the definitive authority on Disney Cruise Line. There are still far more itineraries that we have not done as compared to ones we have. With that said, we’re working on becoming seasoned cruise pros. If any of you experienced cruisers have additional tips or recommendations as to itineraries, excursions, or anything else, please share them. We wanted to put this guide together as a handy starting point, because we’ve been receiving a lot of questions about Disney Cruise Line.

If you want personalized recommendations for Disney Cruise Line itineraries, ships, and more, click here to get a cruise quote from a no-fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner . If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, we’d really appreciate it if you’d share it via social media to help spread the word. We put a lot of work into making this site a helpful planning resource, and hope it’s useful to you! 🙂

Your Thoughts

Have you ever set sail on the Disney Wish, Disney Magic, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, or Disney Wonder? Do you have a favorite ship or favorite itinerary? Do you think Disney Cruise Line is worth the premium pricing? What did you think of the ships? Any other tips to add or recommendations? If you have questions or thoughts, please share them below and we’ll try to respond!

Written by Tom Bricker

Great advice! we’re looking to book a cruise – any advice on if it’s better to book direct or recommended travel agents?

And don’t ask me why I’m saying like a lot so bye

If you could see like the hall then you would be surprised it looks so pretty. I never went on the cruise ship but like I seen it in pictures and it looks so beautiful and magical And like if you see the entire ship it’s like huge and when I saw it I thought there was like so many places that you could be in there. These are the things that Seriously say about the Disney cruise ship , 1. It’s like so fun and, 2. It’s the most Beautifullest place that I’ve ever seen , and last 3. I’m pretty sure everyone’s having fun So . Bye-bye,thx

You complain a lot

if you are a beer drinker, the beer mug package is 100% worth it, great value and way easier than hauling your own beer. the bottled beer packages are not. the mug package- you pay up front the cost of a 22oz beer and get the mug. you then can refill that 22oz mug for the price of a 16oz beer all cruise long. at the end of the evening, trade your mug in for a token/card at any bar. use that token/mug next time. the best part is at the end of your cruise, you can either take a clean mug home, or better yet, keep the token/card in a safe place to bring back on your next cruise to keep things rolling without needing to buy the package new again. also, this allows you to have any beer on tap, which is so much better than any beer bottled. they often have various seasonal offerings, even local offerings (alaska brewing co on alaska sailings, for example).

Like I will love it too I like the dining table and I like like everything I have on a Disney cruise ship it’s like so fine I don’t know what to say but this is the most best cruise ship I ever in like ever seen in my entire life is so magical if I’d be there i’d be surprised so like…thx

I’m hoping to provide color to the Oceaneer Lab and Oceaneer Club, since I don’t see it anywhere in the comments. We have only experienced these options on the Disney Fantasy, so I can’t speak for the other ships in the line, but I expect that its similar. Kids are issues a wrist band at the beginning of the cruise that looks just like a Magic Band. This is how they are checked in and out, and how they are tracked throughout the different areas. My three year old liked to take his on and off, and when this happened, CMs would just put it back on his wrist or around his ankle. Don’t forget to return this band at the end of the cruise, or you will be charged $12.50, and the bands don’t work a second time around or at the parks. It’s a lame souvenir.

During Registration you’ll say who is allowed to check out with your child, and a CM will confirm the first time you drop off. At pick up they will tell you when you can find your kid so you don’t have to search the whole area.

In the Oceaneer Club each of areas, Marvel, Pixie Hollow, Andy’s Room, etc, have their really creative themeing and themed activities throughout the day. There is always something going on to keep kids engaged and active – our son loved meeting Dr Strange in Marvel and practicing flying an X-Wing in the Star Wars area. If that sounds overwhelming, there are always quiet areas kids can find to chill and unwind – we often found our son in Andy’s room watching a movie or playing with Mr. Potato Head.

Oceaneer Lab had lots of fun activities aimed at different ages and developmental levels. My son loved flying an airplane. I loved that they had CM led science experiments and cooking lessons from Ratatouille. The kitchen lab is also where kids are served lunch. CMs were extra awesome in accommodating my son’s food allergies during cooking labs and meals, as we have come to expect from Disney.

How have you found cheaper rates on DCL cruises? I was under the impression that the only way to get cheaper rates is to book 1.5 years out when the prices first come out. Have you done a post on this yet?

Disney sometimes offers last-minute discounted “guaranteed” rooms which means you cannot choose your room but will be assigned one in a specific category or better. Many of these have additional restrictions–e.g must b paid in full upon booking and aren’t nonrefundable. We are currently trying this out for our first cruise in April on the theory that the room won’t matter much for just a three day cruise. The other thing to note is because it is last minute, many on board activities and port excursions will be sold out (we got some and are happy with out options, but you have to be willing to be flexible and take what isn’t available)

Sorry for all of the typos in my above response! My phone autocorrect was acting pretty weird…

I also just realized Tom has a blog post about this, so check it out here for more/better info:

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/money-saving-tips-disney-cruise-line/

Palo Dining is now a $30 fee! But we are still going to try it on your recommendation.

Hi just an update you are no longer allowed to carry liquor onto the ship. You may carry on 2 bottles of wine per person or a 6 pack of beer person but nothing else. You can however carry the wine and beer limit on at every port. I believe this new rule went into effect this past September. For some people this is not a big deal but for others was one of the draws to a Disney cruise over other cruise lines.

Good point–I’ll update this in the post!

It was a big draw for our family (all adults) and I feel it was great for adults traveling sans kids. Sad to see this change.

Do you have recommendations on when to go? Is there a season when it is typically cheaper? A month where you wouldn’t risk bad weather? We are thinking a Caribbean Cruise from the same port.

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Disney Magic review: What it's like to sail the original Disney ship 25 years later

If cars are often considered classics after 25 years, how does that translate to a popular cruise ship that is sailing toward its 25th birthday?

Having sailed on Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, Disney Wish , which is still in its first year of operations, along with both Disney Dream and Disney Wonder , I was curious how my family would find things on the oldest ship in Disney's fleet: Disney Magic.

Believe it or not, it's been almost 25 years since Magic first set sail in 1998, so it truly is an older ship by U.S. cruise line standards.

However, age is just a number, as they say, so I was excited to experience the Disney ship that started it all. After more than two decades of service, would it be a timeless classic or a less-impressive version of the younger and bigger Disney ships?

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.

On a chilly January morning, my family and I packed our Mickey ears and made the two-hour drive to the ship's winter home port of Galveston, Texas, ready to find out how Disney Magic stands up to the other ships in the fleet.

How old is Disney Magic?

Disney Magic set sail on its maiden voyage July 30, 1998, from Florida to the Bahamas. However, the ship has had work done over the years, and not every piece of it is rapidly approaching 25 years old.

For example, some elements of the ship are just 5 years old because they were added or revamped during Magic's last dry dock, when the cruise line took the opportunity to make some upgrades.

Updated attractions include the teen club Vibe, the adults-only coffee shop Cove Cave and the only "Tangled-" themed restaurant on the ocean: Rapunzel's Royal Table.

Dry-dock refurbishments are a pretty routine occurrence, taking place every five years or so. That means the ship isn't stuck in a 1998 time warp.

Instead, it's quite similar in many ways to all its fleetmates except Disney Wish, which is really a part of the next generation of Disney ships rather than a continuation of the look and feel of the first four.

In other words, don't let the age of Disney Magic scare you.

Related: 26 tips and tricks for sailing with Disney Cruise Line

The size of Disney Magic

Disney Magic may be the oldest (and tied with Disney Wonder for the fleet's smallest ship), but it's still a large ship at 11 decks high and 984 feet long. The 875-cabin vessel holds 3,658 passengers — 2,713 cruisers and about 945 crew members.

The ship features two theaters, five kids clubs, a spa, four restaurants (plus a buffet and quick-service food stalls) and three pools. In other words, you'll stay busy exploring and enjoying the ship for at least several days.

Restaurants and food on Disney Magic

Disney Magic debuted the cruise line's rotational dining system, which is unique in the cruise industry.

Throughout the cruise, passengers rotate through three complimentary dining venues, and your serving team joins you in the different restaurants each night. Other dining options include the extra-fee, adults-only restaurant, Disney Cruise Line's dedicated Italian restaurant. There are also casual grab-and-go venues on the pool deck.

Rapunzel's Royal Table

My favorite of the three included rotational restaurants is Rapunzel's Royal Table, found only on Disney Magic. Here, you get the unique experience of attending Rapunzel's birthday celebration.

Floating lanterns dot the ceiling, and some of the stars of "Tangled" perform a musical show on a central stage while you dine. Eventually, many of the characters work their way around the room, so you can say hi to the movie's villains and heroes. This dinner show was most similar to the Tiana-themed restaurant on Disney Wonder, which is also excellent.

Pro tip: Get the shrimp appetizer if you enjoy seafood — get two if you really enjoy seafood.

Lumiere's

The most non-descript of the three main dining rooms on Disney Magic is Lumiere's, which is "Beauty and the Beast" inspired. However, you'll only know that from the roses on the ceiling and the painting on one wall.

Otherwise, it's just a large restaurant that gives off major art deco vibes. If you need to miss a restaurant in favor of a meal at Palo or relaxing in your room, I'd pick this one as it's the most generic of the three.

Animator's Palate

All original four Disney ships have a version of Animator's Palate, though it varies a bit on each ship.

The one on Disney Magic starts in black and white, but the room and the wait staff gain colorful adornments throughout the course of the meal. A special guest makes an appearance during the grand finale, which is when things really transform into full color, accompanied with exciting music and special effects.

The special guest (spoiler alert: Mickey in his rarely worn Sorcerer's Apprentice outfit) dances his way all around the room, so have your camera ready.

Our turn in Animator's Palate happened on the final night of our cruise, so the entire wait staff came out for a round of well-deserved applause with Mickey, and it was honestly pretty emotional.

You do not want to leave early from this meal, so order extra dessert if you must and stay put until the end.

The most popular dish here may be the black truffle pasta purseittes appetizer, as it has quite the following, though it wasn't my personal favorite. The smoked salmon tartar and vegetarian black bean chipotle cakes were the hits at our table.

The best $45 you can spend onboard a Disney cruise , to me, is unquestionably a meal at Palo.

This adults-only restaurant is open for brunch and dinner, and you can't go wrong with either. There are sometimes last-minute openings. However, this is one meal you'll want to book as far out as possible as it's popular and has limited seating.

This is the only restaurant on Disney Magic where food costs extra, but the cost is reasonable for what you get. The essentially all-you-want-to-enjoy brunch costs $45 with can't-miss items such as chicken Parmesan, wild mushroom ravioli, a seafood antipasti plate and chocolate souffle, along with flatbreads, omelets, waffles and more.

Favorite grab-and-go spots

Out on deck, you'll also find many grab-and-go outlets, which are also included in your cruise fare. These venues serve up such basics as soft serve ice cream, pizza, fries and chicken tenders, but two of these fast-food stations were surprise hits.

Daisy's De Lites mainly offers fruits, salads and cookies, but it also has a build-your-own chicken and rice bowl that was absolutely fantastic. Load your bowl up with everything on offer for the best results.

Another nice surprise was the Duck-In Diner counter that served pita, hummus and gyros — a welcome change from the admittedly also-delicious kid staples of tenders and fries.

Related: 7 ways Disney Wish surprised me

Waterslide on Disney Magic

If you want a thrilling ride on a Disney ship, by far, the winner in that category is found on Disney Magic with its mildly terrifying AquaDunk.

Where the new AquaMouse on Disney Wish is cute and family-friendly, the AquaDunk is something else entirely, making it an alluring attraction for the tween and teen crew.

On this waterslide, you stand in a booth at the highest point on the ship. When it's your turn, the floor drops out beneath you, and you fall 40 feet only to be shot about 18 feet out over the side of the ship.

For this slide, not only do you have to be at least 4 feet tall, but you have to be OK with climbing into an enclosed capsule, having the door shut, hearing that countdown and then dropping and getting soaked.

I tried it once, and that was enough for me to say I've done it. If that's too intense for you or your kids, don't worry. There's a more traditional waterslide on Disney Magic, too. The Twist 'n' Spout slide by the AquaLab was the favorite spot for my 7-year-old.

Related: The best cruise ship waterslides and watery fun zones

Pools on Disney Magic

Disney Magic has a lot of strengths, but the pools are pretty basic.

Options include the AquaLab pool, Goofy's main pool between the two funnels, a small splash area and the adult pool area. If you go during off hours, such as early or late in the day, it's a great experience. However, the pools aren't nearly large enough for the popularity of a midday swim.

The adult pool area was my personal favorite of the three pools, though it's not nearly as cool looking as the infinity pool on Disney Wish.

In the interest of setting realistic expectations, expect pools to look much more like this (or worse) during the heat of the day.

Kid clubs on Disney Magic

Small world nursery.

While most of the kid clubs on Disney cruises are included, the one exception across all the ships is for the Small World Nursery. It's available for little ones from 6 months to 3 years old at a rate of $4.50 per half hour. This was a relatively basic space compared to the other kid clubs, but this age range is the easiest to impress.

Pro tip: There is a one-way mirror so you can check on your little one without them seeing you.

Oceaneer's Club and Lab

The heart of Disney Cruise Line's kid clubs are the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, which are connected and available to kids from ages 3 to 12 who are potty trained. Here, you'll find a "Toy Story-" themed slide, crafts, video games, organized activities, competitions, an Avenger's area and more.

Kids can enjoy free play or color, play video games or go on the slide at their own pace, but the youth staff also lead frequent group activities throughout the day. These may be a better fit for kids who need a little more support and structure to their fun.

My 7-year-old would consistently eat her dinner as fast as possible to head here and keep playing.

There's no fee and no reservations required to come and play in these clubs. However, you will need to get a Magic Band from the kids club that is used to track the kiddos while they are in the clubs. If you return it on the last night of the cruise, you won't be charged for its use.

Once your kiddo turns 11 (or 10 with parent permission and enough space), they can start visiting Edge, which has a submarine-under-the-sea look on Disney Magic.

It's nearly identical to the Edge club on Disney Wonder. Youth staff lead organized activities and games in Edge at certain times during the day, but it also serves as a casual tween hangout spot the rest of the time.

The teen club, Vibe, is open for to those ages 14 to 17, though you can get in a year early with parent permission, which is what my 13-year-old chose. Both Vibe and Edge are come-and-go clubs that don't scan your kids in and out or track them with any sort of band.

The youth staff offer some structured games and activities, but Vibe is largely a place to hang out, play video games and get to know other teens.

Pro tip: If your teen wants to make friends on the ship, have them be active and present in the teen club on the first day when there are ice-breaker activities. Lots of unofficial cruise packs of friends form on day one, and then the teens roam the ship together, not necessarily hanging out in the club.

Related: These are the best cruises for teens

Rooms on Disney Magic

I'm sure there are some differences among the cabins on Disney Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy, but they all look the same to me.

The decor is heavy on navy, white, stripes and wood. Below is our cabin on Magic, which slept the three of us comfortably with the couch converting to a single bed. Unlike in some cabins we've had, this one did not have a bed that came down from the ceiling.

It did feature the split bathroom design Disney Cruise Line is known for. One small bathroom contains the sink and toilet, and a separate little room has another sink and a tub/shower combo. The layout is ideal for getting multiple people ready for the day or for bed at the same time.

Here's a look at our most recent cabin on Disney Dream, as a contrast to Disney Magic (or lack of contrast, as the case may be).

Related: Inside a $10,000 suite on Disney Wish

Adult areas on Disney Magic

In keeping with the approach on the other original Disney ships, the adult bars and lounges on Disney Magic are largely clustered in the same area dubbed After Hours.

Here you'll find Keys, a piano bar and lounge with some top-notch whiskey; O'Gills Pub, which is a great place for a pint or to watch sports; and Fathoms, which is a mixed-use lounge that often serves as a meeting point for excursions or family-friendly activities during the day and as a club at night.

I enjoyed listening to a few songs in Keys after dinner a few nights. However, none of these spaces were fully my cup of tea, mainly because they were dark and not super inviting.

Also, the lounges' layouts were not conducive to social interaction among the guests due to an emphasis on clustered seating rather than communal bar space. Or, maybe it's just the luck of the draw, and the cruisers on Disney Magic were less interested in chatting with their shipmates than on my previous cruise on Disney Wish.

The unexpected upside of this was that I did not feel like I was missing out by ditching the bars for my room, where I could enjoy a glass of wine on my balcony.

Pro tip: This adult area of the ship is where you will find the most comfortable port holes for photos, reading a book or relaxing and enjoying the ride at sea.

Related: 5 reasons why Disney cruises aren't just for kids

Shows on Disney Magic

If you ever get the chance to sail on Disney Magic — or any of the Disney ships — don't miss the Sail Away party that takes place shortly after the muster drill as the ship pulls out to sea. It's the most fun way to kick your vacation into high gear. Arrive a few minutes early to get a spot by the stage, especially if you have little kids.

Disney Magic, like the other Disney ships, has a movie theater where you can see first-run Disney movies. Since there is only one movie theater on Magic, it offers a smaller choice of movies than on the ships with two theaters, but it's still a nice selection.

The evening Broadway-caliber shows currently on Disney Magic are:

• "Tangled: The Musical."
• "Disney Dreams — An Enchanted Classic."
• "Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story."

We skipped "Disney Dreams," as it was a repeat of what we'd seen on Disney Wonder. However, all of these shows are worth seeing, with "Tangled" the strongest of the three offerings. "Tangled" and "Twice Charmed" are unique to Disney Magic, in case you need to prioritize.

Fewer temptations to spend money on Disney Magic

On the new Disney Wish, I found an abundance of temptations to spend money around every turn.

These included alcoholic popsicle drinks, the ice cream shop the kids passed multiple times per day (with see-through glass walls, naturally), the Star Wars-themed bar that jumps through hyperspace , the Bayou with pay-to-eat beignets, Nightingale's next to the kid's club with the cocktails served in balls of ice, the coffee and cocktails in the ship's version of a buffet, Marceline Market and so many other fun and enticing ways to part with your dollars.

While Disney Magic does not lack places to buy a cocktail, it does not have a sweet shop, Untangled hair salon, Hook's Barbery with the "hidden" drink cabinet or specialty snacks like beignets that aren't included in your cruise fare.

I found it easier than on Wish to simply enjoy what comes with the experience instead of feeling like you need to spend $10, $20, $50 or more several times a day to get the full experience.

Related: How to save money on a Disney cruise

How I wish they'd make Magic more magical

I'd love for Disney Magic to add a slide into the kids club, a brighter and airier spa and some other elements of Disney Wish that we liked, but that's easier said than done. I do have a shorter list of more realistic upgrades I'd love to see on Disney Magic in the coming years.

This original Disney ship would benefit from at least one brighter bar or lounge, as the ship can feel cavernous at times. As I mentioned, for me, the bars weren't inviting spaces when compared to my own cabin's balcony. This is in stark contrast to all the beautiful bars and lounges on Wish I was excited to spend time in.

It would also be a real plus if Disney Magic integrated a magical scavenger hunt type of activity that you see on other Disney ships. This would layer in one more thing for the kids to do on a sea day or between other activities.

Also, this is personal preference, but while I enjoy and appreciate the bold nautical theme of the classic Disney ships, I do think there's a way to pull that off without the striped decor in the staterooms that may have sailed a touch passed its prime.

Here's a view of a Disney Wish cabin, showing the updated decor I'd love to see on Disney Magic. It retains the deep blue but steps away from the dated stripes.

Related: The 3 types of Disney Cruise Line ships, explained

Overall impressions

Disney Magic was a fun and thoroughly enjoyable ship. It doesn't feel old, but it is smaller and a touch more quaint than the line's newest ships.

The ship's smaller footprint with fewer onboard temptations to spend money can be a benefit in that it's easier to get around and just enjoy — not only the ship but also where it's going.

Without all the pay-to-enjoy distractions, my family went to more of the gameshows, spent more time at the pools or reading on the balcony and even watched the baby crawling races, which sound bizarre but are very entertaining.

I would not hesitate to sail on Disney Magic again in its 25th year or in the future — no matter how many newer and bigger Disney cruise ships make their debuts.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• Cruise packing list: The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise

Our Honest Disney Wish Review: Is a Disney Wish Cruise Worth It?

This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here .

Disney Cruise Line debuted the Disney Wish in July 2022, and it was the biggest and most modern ship to date. In fact, it was really a complete reimagining of what the Disney Cruise ships could look like . But, let’s start this Disney Wish review out with some honesty: reimagining doesn’t always mean it’s going to get better.

In this review I’m going to dive into all the nitty gritty of the design of the Disney Wish and the guest offerings on the ship. But let’s get right to the main point here: We didn’t love the Disney Wish cruise as much as our previous Disney Cruise experience . Sure, there are some amazing spaces and unique offerings. But overall, this cruise experience wasn’t our favorite. Here’s why.

Disney Wish Stats

Ok, let’s start with some stats. Which, okay, yes, *yawn* I get it. But I want to give you a few of these stats because they give you a picture of *why* we didn’t love this ship.

• Ship class: Wish-class (this is the debut of a new class of Disney cruise ships, which explains why this one is so different!)
• Passenger capacity: 4,000 (this felt like a lot, especially when paired with the poor layout of the ship)
• Number of cabins: 1,254 (which, in what I think is hilarious, is just 4 more than the Dream and Fantasy)

Now, full transparency. We haven’t been on the Dream or Fantasy yet, which has a similar passenger capacity to the Wish. (We have a cruise booked on the Dream in early 2025!) But from what I’ve heard from other passengers, the capacity on the Dream and Fantasy doesn’t feel quite so bad because it has a better layout.

Disney Wish Design and Layout

So let’s get into the design and layout of the Disney Wish. It’s a little hard to explain here without a full map, but let’s see what we can do.

Where Are the Elevators?

Along with so many other people who have been on the Wish, the lack of mid-ship elevators was one of my biggest gripes. Traditionally Disney Cruise ships have had three sets of elevators: forward, mid-ship, and aft. But on the Disney Wish, there are only forward and aft elevators.

It doesn’t seem like it should be that big of a deal, because while there aren’t mid-ship elevators, there are actually *more* elevators in total on this ship than any other Disney cruise ship to date.

But not having the mid-ship elevators creates some problems:

• Traffic jams , as people crowd in the hallways and stairwells trying to access the only two elevator banks on each level. That third bank would have made a big crowded difference!
• Missing out on the Grand Hall (atrium), because unless you are going there for some specific purpose, you don’t find yourself there much. Which is kind of a bummer. Whereas, when we were on the Magic, we found ourselves in the Atrium all the time because the mid-ship elevators would be most convenient to wherever we were going, and then we could check out all that was going on in the Atrium (which was usually a lot!).

I also had issue with how the hallways to the elevators were designed. Many of the elevator banks were only accessible from one direction of the ship. Which means people lined up in the stair wells in front of the elevators (not wanting to go to deep into the bank and miss out on the first available elevator to someone else), which blocked both the hallways and the stairs.

The Grand Hall

The Grand Hall on the Disney Wish is BEAUTIFUL , but as I pointed out with the elevator issue, we just didn’t find ourselves there enough . It wasn’t really on the way to anything else, unless we were going to eat at 1923.

And while the presence of the stage is nice for events, I don’t think having the stage here is worth losing out on the elevators.

Hallways and Doors

Ok, let’s talk about the hallways on the Disney Wish and how confusing they are. In fact, even after getting off the ship I’m not sure I understand them enough to explain *why* they were confusing. They just were. Like, why is the Hero Zone in such a weird spot? And why do the hallways near the theater feel like a maze even though they look straightforward on a map?

I also had issues with the placement of doors going out to the promenades outside. Because they were hard to find! WHY are some of the main doors out to the outside of the ship not windowed? In fact, several of them look like “Cast Member Only” doors until you read the sign and realize it’s inviting you outside.

There were also several instances where double doors to the outside on the pool deck had only one side open, causing some major traffic jams as people were trying to go both ways through a single door during busy times. And it wasn’t even possible to open the other side! We saw someone try and break the door by accident!

And then there is the whole Deck 4 debacle. If you like to run laps around the promenade, there is no way to do so without going up and down stairs!

Cramped Quarters

Ok, I’ve already talked about hallways and elevator banks being cramped, but lets talk about other areas that were cramped.

First of all, Marceline Market, the buffet restaurant on the Wish, was poorly designed. Maybe it’s super spacious back in the kitchen or something, but there is just not enough room in Marceline Market for all the traffic of people getting food at the buffet and other people walking behind them.

I also thought the entrances into and out of the pool deck were particularly crowded . Part of the problem is that the doors lead right to the elevator banks, where people tended to crowd waiting for elevators. (Do you notice a theme that I don’t like the crowds on the ship? And that elevators were the crux of the problem here?)

Planning a Disney Cruise? Make sure you’re prepared with a Disney Cruise packing list !

Disney Wish Staterooms

Ok, let’s get a more positive part of this Disney Wish review: the staterooms. The staterooms on the Wish are a big change from the staterooms on the other Disney Cruise ships. They are much more modern and bright, with lighter colors and custom theming.

Things I Loved About the Disney Wish Staterooms

• Disney continued there double bathroom design , with one bathroom housing a toilet and sink and they other bathroom housing the shower and another sink.
• Disney-themed murals above the beds. They are SO pretty!
• The lighter, airier feel.
• The TV moved to the front of the bed , which makes more sense for parents and children sharing a room (at least in my opinion!).

Things I Didn’t Love About the Disney Wish Staterooms

• There is less drawer space than on the other ships. There’s a big closet with a lots of shelving. But I prefer having the drawers.

And that’s really the only complaint I have about the staterooms!

Dining and Restaurants on the Disney Wish

As always with Disney Cruise Line, your dinner is at an assigned restaurants while for breakfast and lunch you are free to eat at either a sit-down restaurant or at the buffet. There are also two adults-only dining experiences on the Wish that you can add on for an extra charge.

Generally, I thought the food on the Wish was great! But I also think it depends on the dishes you order. Pay attention to what the specialty is (usually what your server recommends) at each restaurant!

Here’s our full guide to dining on the Disney Wish!

Rotational Dining on the Wish

Disney assigns you a restaurant each night on a rotational basis (so you rotate to all the restaurants during your cruise). And the best part is that your servers rotate with you, so they really get to know you. Here are the three rotational restaurants on the Wish:

• 1923 — Themed to Disney animation and 1920s glamour (1923 was the year the Disney company was founded).
• Worlds of Marvel — An interactive restaurant themed after the Marvel universe.
• Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure — Dinner and a shower with Anna and Elsa.

Overall, I thought the food at each restaurant was pretty solid. It does depend on what you order though. My steak at 1923 and the meatballs at Arendelle are some of the best dishes on their respective menus. And my mother-in-law ordered the gnocchi at Worlds of Marvel and it was incredible (even though I don’t think that’s necessarily the dish they are known for).

Buffet Dining on the Wish

There are two options for buffet dining on the Wish. Marceline Market is the main restaurant and is open for breakfast and lunch, while Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods on the pool deck is open for lunch and dinner.

• Marceline Market — The food here was a pretty standard Disney cruise buffet. There were good things, there were mediocre things. Although I was disappointed that there were no Mickey churro waffles for breakfast and the ham and cheese croissants were only offered one morning.
• Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods — This is where you can grab lunch on the pool deck. There is BBQ, burgers, pizza, ice cream, and more. The food was fine, but the lines (especially for ice cream) could get LONG.

Adults-Only Dining on the Wish

The Wish has two adults-only dining experiences that you can book for an additional cost. (The rotational dining and buffets are included in your cruise).

• Enchanté — French food and subtly themed after Beauty and the Beast. We had brunch here and it was FANTASTIC and we actually though it was a pretty good value for what we got.
• Palo — You’ll find this Italian-themed restaurant on the other Disney cruise ships as well, and it’s a perennial favorite.

More Dining on the Disney Wish

Here are more places where you can get food and drinks on the Disney Wish:

• Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge — A SUPER fun Star Wars bar experience! You really have to experience it in person because the videos don’t do it justice.
• The Bayou — A Tiana themed lounge with drinks. It’s beautiful, but the beignets (for an extra cost) were NOT good. And I don’t really love that it feels like it’s in the middle of a hallway.
• The Rose — A hidden gem of a bar! It’s outside Enchanté and Palo and it has the BEST views!
• Nightingale’s — The piano bar on the Disney Wish.
• Keg and Compass — Very nautically themed, this is also where you can usually catch sports on TV.
• Triton’s Lounge — Mostly used for games and family-friendly activities, but they do have a small menu.
• Luna Lounge — Like Triton’s, Luna mostly used for entertainment, but Luna Lounge offers drinks.
• Preludes — Where to stop for pre-show drinks and popcorn (for an additional cost).
• Cove Cafe — In the adults-only section, and where you can get coffee.
• Enchanted Sword and Wishing Star Cafe — Two small bars on the ship (they aren’t even separate rooms) where you can get drinks, including specialty coffees.
• Inside Out: Joyful Sweets — A sweets and ice cream shop, but remember everything in here is an additional cost.
• Pool Deck Bars — There are lots of bars and drink options out on the pool deck, both in the family and the adults-only section.
• Room Service — Remember you can always get food delivered to your room! And most standard things are included in the price of your cruise! (Including Mickey Premium Bars!)

Pool Deck & Water Slides

So, I’ve seen some complaints about the pool deck on the Disney Wish. But for the most part, I LOVED the pool deck on this ship . This is something I think they managed to change and actually make better.

While most of the other Disney Cruise ships have one or two main pools to enjoy, the Disney Wish has six pools for families on the main deck, plus an adult-only pool and a quiet pool.

I LOVE how many pool options there were. Because if one pool is crowded, it’s pretty easy to find another pool that isn’t as crowded.

There are also several water slides on the Disney Wish. Overall, I give the waterslides a mediocre review though.

The AquaMouse was the exciting news for the Wish, since it is Disney’s first “attraction at sea.” To be honest though, while it’s fun and cute and has a storyline, most of the time is spent going up the ramp and watching the Mickey and Minnie videos. Which means your actual sliding time is relatively short, especially compared to the AquaDuck on the Dream and Fantasy.

The slightly tamer yellow slide on the Wish is called Slide-a-Saurus Rex , a callback to the Pixar short Party-Saurus Rex (a favorite in our house). It’s a pretty standard slide , though I did feel like it moved pretty slow.

There’s also a great Toy Story Splash Zone for the younger kids. And I love how it is enclosed behind a clear wall which means a) it’s harder for little ones to run off and b) it blocks some of the wind.

Activities & Entertainment

There is definitely no shortage of activities and entertainment on the Wish! And honestly, I thought all of it was fantastic! Even better than what we had seen on our previous cruise.

Broadway Style Shows

There are three Broadway style shows on the Disney Wish. And while I sometimes feel ambivalent about these shows, I thought all three were incredibly done.

• Seas the Adventure — A short (just about 30 minutes) show, which is mostly a way to have a medley of Disney songs and characters appear on stage. It’s cute, especially for kids! But for just adults, I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it.
• Aladdin — This show was fantastic! Normally I’m not a big fan of Disney-movie-retellings as shows. But I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the acrobatics of Magic Carpet and the updated humor of Genie.
• The Little Mermaid — Again, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this show, but I LOVED it. It’s just different enough from the movie, has some fun effects (especially how the lights indicate whether you are underwater or not) and the actress who played Ariel on our cruise was phenomenal.

Pirate Night

Pirate Night is a Disney Cruise staple. And while it was fun on the Wish, I didn’t find it was as fun as our previous cruise. They didn’t give us pirate bandanas at dinner, and the serving staff wasn’t dressed in pirate outfits, which I felt was a bit of a disappointment.

And while both of the stage shows on the pool deck were fun, I do wish fireworks had been included in the earlier kid-friendly show so that there was more than one opportunity to see them.

Day Time Entertainment

As usual, there are tons of entertainment options going on throughout the day around the ship. Cast members facilitate all kinds of events, from trivia, to animation classes, to whiskey tastings and more . My only complaints is that our favorite trivia (Disney Tunes Trivia) was only offered once on our sailing.

Also, don’t miss the Diaper Dash in the Hero Zone! It’s basically just a race of crawling babies, which didn’t sound that exciting to me, but it was so hilarious and an absolute blast!

You can also find live music around the ship during the evenings. We didn’t get to catch a lot of it, but what we did see was great! You’ll find musicians on the stage in the Grand Hall (atrium), and throughout the bars and lounges. Just check the Disney Navigator app for times.

Kid’s Club & Activities on the Disney Wish

The Oceaneers Club on the Wish is really unlike the kid’s clubs on any other ships. First of all, there is a SLIDE to get down to it from the Grand Hall. I mean, what kid doesn’t love that?

There are also tons of great areas in the kid’s club, including a Star Wars room, a Marvel room, a Princess Fairytale Hall, and a play area for toddlers. (Which, toddlers can’t go to the Oceaneers Club on their own, but there are lots of open house events where the whole family can enjoy the spaces!)

Everything was absolutely pristine in each section. And of course, I’m sure the Cast Members have great activities going on for the kids all the time.

The Edge and Vibe for tweens and teens are also new on this ships and look fantastic. We didn’t get to spend as much time in these spaces, but they’ve done a great job with them.

Service on the Disney Wish

Service on Disney cruises is always top-notch. However, I did feel like like our service on this ship wasn’t *quite* as good as on our cruise on the Magic.

Don’t get me wrong. It was great! But there were little details I noticed when we were on the Magic (like the fact that they cleaned our stateroom’s balcony handrail every day) that weren’t present on the Wish.

There were also some kinks in our service (like our stateroom getting skipped one evening during turndown, which I think was a dinner schedule snafu) that I’m thinking are things they will get worked out eventually. But they are also things that seem like they should have been worked out by now, over a year past the ship’s debut.

Disney Wish Itineraries

For the foreseeable future, the Wish only has two itineraries to choose from . A 3-night sailing from Friday to Monday, and a 4-night sailing from Monday to Friday.

Both of these itineraries go to Nassau and Disney’s Castaway Cay .

One of the drawbacks to the Wish is these limited sailings. To me, a 4 night cruise felt a little short. And I definitely wouldn’t choose a 3 night cruise if I had another option. I do wish they offered longer cruises and itineraries with more variety. I especially feel like slightly longer cruises would give the guests more time to get used the ship’s unusual layout.

Would I Sail on the Wish Again?

So, what’s our overall Disney Wish review? Honestly, the Wish wouldn’t be my first choice for another cruise.

The confusing ship combined with the higher price and the shorter itineraries just doesn’t feel worth it to me at this point. For our next cruise, in 2025, we’ve booked the Dream and I’m looking forward to being on a ship that is more classic Disney Cruise Line.

The Disney Treasure is going to debut in 2024 and I also won’t be rushing to book this. It’s going to have the same layout as the Wish, and while I’m sure the spaces will be awesome, the inflated price (because of the newness of the ship) isn’t worth it to me.

So, for now, you’ll find me on the older Disney Cruise ships more often than the newer ones!

More Disney Cruise Resources

• 101 Disney Cruise Tips & Tricks
• Disney Cruise Complete Packing List
• What To Do on Castaway Cay, Disney’s Private Island

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I’ve Sailed on the Disney Wish and the Disney Dream – Here’s the One I Preferred.

by Tatjana Lazar | Jun 14, 2024 | Disney Cruise Line , Disney Cruise Line Food , Disney Dream , Disney Wish

The Disney Wish vs Disney Dream. Take a deep dive into two Disney Cruise Line ships, to learn about the differences between them.

When you’re booking a sailing aboard the Disney Cruise Line, you have so many options and choices! From your itinerary to shore excursions to onboard activities to your rotational dining schedule, you can customize your cruise experience in countless ways – but it all starts with the ship itself. The ship you sail aboard can make your cruise, shaping the details of your daily dining, your onboard entertainment, and even how your stateroom is decorated and designed. So, how do you decide which cruise ship is the best choice? Are some Disney cruise ships better than others?

I’ve had the chance to sail on two ships within the Disney Cruise Line Fleet: the Disney Dream and the Disney Wish . Which did I prefer? Here’s my overview of what the Disney Dream does well and where the Disney Wish excels.

Disney Wish vs Disney Dream: Which is the Better Disney Cruise Ship?

While it’s tough to compare – and choose between! – different Disney Cruise Line ships, the experience is different on different sailings. And I’ll just tell you right off the bat that overall, I preferred the Disney Wish to the Disney Dream .

Yes, it’s true! I have only ever been on two Disney Cruise Line sailings, and I’ve only experienced the Wish and the Dream. I was not expecting to prefer the Wish, to be honest, because the Dream and the Fantasy are such classic ships, and they’re so beloved by Disney Cruise Line fans. I was kind of surprised that I liked the Wish more, and by how much more I liked it. Here’s an overview of my experiences on both the Wish and the Dream, and where I think each ship really shines.

The Food is Better on the Disney Wish vs the Disney Dream

The biggest detail that was so much better on the Wish – like, leaps and bounds better – was the food. I’m talking about the regular rotational dining and the buffet dining; while on the Dream all of that food was unremarkable, on the Wish it was great.

Photo by Danny Shuster

The detail I was really shocked by on the Wish versus the Dream was the difference in the quick service food options. Both The Wish and the Dream have a quick service area on the pool deck. However, on the Disney Dream, these quick service windows are offering pizza, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and similar items. On the Disney Wish, the options are more varied and interesting. There’s a Mexican buffet and a barbecue buffet, for example. I enjoyed these quick service options on Deck 11 of the Wish so much. I wasn’t expecting to, but they were fantastic!

Photo by Jimmy Taylor

And when it comes to the buffets – Cabanas on the Dream and Marceline Market on the Wish – Marceline Market was so much better. I found the quality of the food there better, and it seemed more organized. The Cast Members really took the time to serve Guests the food instead of it being more of a free-for-all. Plus, there was a really nice omelet station!

However, there was one detail that stood out to me on the Dream that the Wish couldn’t match: the Mickey waffles! If you’re a fan of Mickey waffles like me, I found these to be better on the Dream. I think the Wish was still maybe a little new and working out its Mickey waffle recipe. So, while the food was generally better overall on the Wish, those Mickey waffles won on the Dream.

Rotational Dining Wins on the Wish

Rotational dining is a huge part of your Disney Cruise Line experience, and when it comes to this key detail, the Wish was far and away superior. The rotational dining on the Disney Wish outdid what was available on the Disney Dream. This is because of the theming, first and foremost. Outside of the quality of the food, the rotational dining on the Wish is better because it’s much more immersive. You don’t get nearly the same level of immersion and theming on the Dream. While rotational dining is themed, it’s much more subtle – and when I’m on a Disney cruise, I want immersive dining experiences.

Dining at Worlds of Marvel on the Wish is truly immersive! Photo by Danny Shuster

What does the rotational dining onboard the Disney Wish include? There are three locations: Worlds of Marvel , Arendelle , and 1923 . Those three restaurants were really so much more interesting than the dining options and thematics on the Dream (which are Enchanted Garden, Royal Palace, and Animator’s Palate). While Animator’s Palate is up there in terms of immersion, it was more for the kids. The rotational dining on the Wish still appeals to kids, but these restaurant options are better suited for every age, I would say, and appeal to both kids and adults. 

A look at Animator’s Palete onboard the Dream. Photo by Julie de la Fe

The Disney Wish Offered More Entertainment Choices

If you’re hoping to satisfy the interests of your entire family on your Disney Cruise Line vacation, the Wish offers entertainment that appeals to both kids and adults. I personally found the entertainment options on the Wish much more appealing for my age bracket. I’m in my 30s and I don’t have kids, and I am a Disney girl; I love Disney stage shows, and I enjoyed the shows offered on the Wish. 

The stage shows weren’t of the same caliber as on the Dream. I found this ship’s stage shows quite dated. They were cute, but I felt they were really built for kids. And in my opinion, the thing about Disney that’s so special is when the entertainment appeals to everyone. The Wish, I feel, really encapsulated that. On this ship, the available shows were able to appeal to all age groups. 

Staterooms Are Bigger (and Theming is Better) on the Disney Wish

Let’s talk about rooms . After all, it’s where you’ll be staying (albeit for short periods of time, since you’ll be out enjoying all Disney Cruise Line ships have to offer!). The rooms on the Wish are better – they’re a little bit bigger, and they’re themed. You can stay in rooms themed to  Frozen ,  Cinderella, or The Little Mermaid , and you’ll also spot different themed hallway art and lighting throughout the decks. The rooms and their theming are so stunning!

A look at a Frozen-themed room on The Wish. Photo by Danny Shuster

While you can stay in themed rooms on the Wish, you can’t really get that same perk on the Dream. Your Dream room will either include a veranda or no veranda. But otherwise, all of the rooms aboard the Disney Dream look the same. And hallway or deck theming is pretty consistent ship-wide.

A look at the theming in hallways on The Dream. Photo by Bill Ryan

And when it comes to comfort, the Wish won for me! I slept on a pull-out couch on both the Wish and the Dream, and let me tell you: The pull-out couch on the Wish is so much better. It’s so much more comfortable! It came with actual bedding and blankets. On the Dream, this wasn’t the case.

To learn more about the different Disney Cruise Line ships you can explore and experience for yourself, keep reading:

Revealed: The New Disney Treasure Ship: Inside and Details

Disney Wish Pools and Slides: A Complete Guide

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Authored by Tatjana Lazar

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Disney Magic vs Disney Wish

The Disney Magic was built in 1998. It was renovated in 2013. Disney Magic's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Goofy painting the name on the stern. It's 24 years older than the Wish , which was built in 2022. The Disney Wish is inspired by stories of wish fulfilment. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after a castle with a large statue of Cinderella and a display of her glass slipper. Outside the ship, you'll see Rapunzel painting the name on the stern.

Comparison Overview

Number of passengers, food and restaurants.

• Bars and Drinks

Pools and Hot Tubs

Ship features and activities, cruise costs, onboard costs.

The Magic is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 984 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Disney Wish, the Magic is 42% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Disney Magic holds 56% fewer passengers than the Wish based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Magic has more space per person compared to the Wish. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Magic has 10 different dining options like Animator's Palate , Cabanas , and Pinocchio's Pizzeria . Of those options, 8 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 2 options have an additional fee.

The Wish has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Marceline Market , Worlds of Marvel , and Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure . 5 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 5 have an additional fee.

The Disney Magic has about the same number of dining options as the Disney Wish.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Magic might be a better choice then the Wish. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Restaurants on Disney Magic & Wish

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.

There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Disney Magic has a total of 3 pools and 4 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Disney Wish has more pools than the Magic and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Wish. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On both ships, 83% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare.

Disney is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Disney Magic will likely be cheaper than on Disney Wish.

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Disney ship.

With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.

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I Was On The First Sailing Of The Disney Wish, Here Are My 10 Favorite Experiences On Board

• Cruises and Sailing
• Destinations
• Disney Cruises
• Types of Travel

Note: The Travel Awaits team regularly updates content to provide the latest, and most accurate information to our readers. The updated content in this article may not reflect the views or opinions of the original author.

For the first time in forever, the Disney Cruise Line has added a brand-new ship to its fleet. The 4,000-passenger Disney Wish is the cruise line’s first new ship in 10 years, and it was worth the wait. Disney Wish is filled with magical experiences, innovative technology, cinematic dining adventures, and immersive storytelling that brings much-loved Disney characters to life.

Joining the rest of Disney’s fleet, Disney Magic , Disney Wonder , Disney Dream , and  Disney Fantasy , is Disney Cruise’s newest ship, the Disney Wish . This vacation experience is designed to please families and multigenerational groups as well as adults traveling without kids. This floating luxury resort is packed with boatloads of fun, superb family-friendly staterooms , and some royal suites. Disney Wish sails 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s island in the Bahamas. Guests often combine these sailings with a few days at Walt Disney World to get the best Disney vacation on both land and sea.

I was invited by Disney Cruise Line to be their guest on the Disney Wish christening cruise. Several attractions and experiences still needed a little pixie dust to be fully ready, but we were able to sample nearly all of them during our 3-night sailing.

Here are my 10 favorite experiences on the new Disney Wish :

1. Making A Grand Entrance

There’s something special about stepping aboard the Disney Wish . The ship’s theme is “enchantment.” The magic comes alive when entering the dazzling fairytale-inspired Grand Hall. While boarding, a crew member announces your name to all those in the Grand Hall, and clapping ensues. While this occurs on every Disney Cruise Line ship, the Grand Hall’s opulent setting made me feel like I was being formally welcomed to Cinderella’s castle at sea.

The Grand Hall’s magnificent chandelier features a spectacular wishing star that comes alive at certain times through the wonders of technology. Children receive their own wishing wand upon boarding so they can make their first vacation wish when entering the Grand Hall. Make sure to return to the Grand Hall in the evening to experience the mesmerizing “Kiss Goodnight” during your  Disney Wish  cruise.

Pro Tip: Look for Disney princesses appearing on the balcony of the Grand Hall as you enter. Disney characters can often be seen in and around the Grand Hall during sailings. Check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app for scheduled appearances. 

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2. Feeling Like A Kid Again

The Disney Wish is an exceptional vacation destination for kids, teens, and adults who love staying connected with their inner child. Guests become immersed in a wonderland of familiar stories and beloved Disney characters. I always look forward to seeing the magic through kids’ eyes on a Disney cruise , and the Disney Wish kid’s and teen’s clubs are out of this world. Adults will be jealous, and kids won’t want to leave.

Disney’s Oceaneer Club

Disney’s Oceaneer Club is the best cruise ship area I’ve seen for children ages three to 12. The kids club features more extraordinarily well-themed areas than ever, including Fairytale Hall, Star Wars : Cargo Bay, Marvel Super Hero Academy, Walt Disney Imagineering Lab, and Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck. The attention to detail in these spaces is mind-blowing, particularly in Star Wars: Cargo Bay. Children can check in to Disney’s Oceaneer Club in the Grand Hall, then slide “down the rabbit hole” directly to their club on Deck 2.

Pro Tip: Adults can access Disney’s Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Club slide at the open house on embarkation day and during select Oceaneer Club open house events throughout the voyage. Ride the slide — your inner child will love it!

“It’s A Small World” Nursery

Plus other kids’ and young adult areas.

Kids of all ages have their special place on the Disney Wish . “It’s a small world” nursery caters to young cruisers ages six months to three years, while tweens and teens have their own hangouts. Edge is for tweens aged 11 to 14 and teens aged 14 to 17 have stylish Vibe. There’s also The Hideaway, a multi-purpose area that hosts events for young adults aged 18 to 20.

3. Riding AquaMouse

Disney calls AquaMouse its “first Disney attraction at sea,” and this first-of-its-kind water coaster delivers tons of family fun. As an avid lover of waterslides and coasters, AquaMouse was a must-do on my Disney Wish voyage. Based on The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse series, the ride includes 760 feet of tubes winding around the ship’s top deck, over 60 water features, special lighting effects, an entertaining cinematic show, and spectacular ocean views.

Guests board their two-seat ride raft and are conveyed through the lift hill tunnel while watching one of two new Disney animated short cartoons. Then, you’re off on a wild ride up around the ship’s upper decks, jetting up and down via speed blasters. It’s a cute ride — and you will certainly get wet. 

AquaMouse age and height requirements make the attraction accessible to many families with kids. The water ride is fun and adventurous without being too scary or overwhelming for younger kids. The Disney Wish family area also features six pools, plus a Toy Story Splash Zone for little ones.

Pro Tip: AquaMouse lines can be lengthy, so go first thing in the morning or during dinner seatings. If there are long lines, check out Chip ’n Dale’s Pool on Deck 14. It offers covered loungers and incredible views.

4. Adults-Only Restaurants

Palo Steakhouse

Palo Steakhouse is one of two exquisite adults-only specialty dining venues on Disney Wish . It’s an elegant Beauty and the Beast -inspired setting with wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, cozy booths, and spectacular views. The service and cuisine are exceptional. Our meal at Palo Steakhouse was one of the best we’ve had on a cruise and included antipasti, Japanese A5 Wagyu beef, pan-seared salmon, and butternut squash agnolotti. The tiramisu and six-layer carrot cake are decadent and delicious.

Enchanté By Chef Arnaud Lallement

The ship’s second adults-only dining experience is Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement , a celebrated gourmet restaurant created by three-star Michelin French Chef Arnaud Lallement. 

Pro Tip: There’s an additional charge to dine at both restaurants . Guests must be 18 or older, and reservations should be made as far in advance as possible.\

5. The Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party

Disney’s parks are famed for their spectacular nighttime events, so it’s no surprise this floating theme park at sea has an amazing celebration as well. The “ Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party ” is a brand-new version of Disney Cruise Line’s pirate-themed nighttime deck party featuring live rock ‘n’ roll music, stunts, amazing special effects, and even a fireworks show at sea.

Inspired by Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, the pirate night extravaganza features Captain Redd and her pirate band along with an appearance by Captain Jack Sparrow. Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line that includes fireworks shows regularly on its voyages, and I always look forward to their dazzling displays.

Pro Tip: The fireworks launch over the Disney ship’s starboard side. We watched from Deck 12, and the views were incredible.

6. Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge   

I couldn’t wait to experience Disney Wish’s Star Wars -themed bar at sea, and the immersive experience lived up to the hype for me. Yes, there’s a $5,000 drink on the menu, but this venue is so much more. The lounge is designed to feel like a lavish starcruiser where guests can sip creative intergalactic concoctions while enjoying the panoramic vistas of galaxies far, far away. I was completely mesmerized watching the action-packed encounters and stunning views of places like Endor and Tatooine. The viewport’s scenes blur as the ship periodically “jumps” to a new location via hyperspace, and it’s hard to get bored.

The highly themed cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks here are great. Some of our favorites included the zero-proof Temple Twist, The Golden One from the Moons of Endor, Berken’s Flow, and The Chancellor — complete with an added bubble of cinnamon smoke.

Pro Tip: This sought-after experience is currently limited to 45 minutes. Guests can make reservations using the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app on embarkation day once they are on board. Families can access the lounge during the day, but the space converts to adults-only at 9 p.m.

7. Disney Wish ’s Rotational Dining

Disney Wish offers three rotational specialty quality dining venues for guests, including the first and only Frozen and Marvel-inspired restaurants at sea. No surcharges are involved, and your wait staff moves dining rooms with you each night.

Worlds Of Marvel

Worlds of Marvel is an interactive cinematic delight featuring Avengers: Quantum Encounter starring Ant-Man and the Wasp. The dining experience is filled with mission-intensive storytelling, Marvel-inspired menu items, and character appearances that will keep both adults and kids engaged. Each table has a quantum core, and we had fun interacting with it to help save the day.

Pro Tip: It’s great to attend the Marvel Super Hero Academy open house to get the backstory for the Worlds of Marvel cinematic entertainment show. 

Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure

Celebrate the engagement of Queen Anna and Kristoff at Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure . This entertaining dinner theater-type experience stars favorite characters from Disney’s blockbuster hit Frozen . Guests will enjoy the character interactions, live band, great food, and fantastic entertainers who bring the world of Frozen to life. The Nordic-style cuisine is excellent here, particularly the seafood.

Disney Wish ‘s third restaurant, 1923 , offers a classy entertainment-free dining experience where the food is the star of the show. One half of the restaurant is dedicated to Walt Disney and the other to Roy Disney.

8. Adults-Only Areas

The Disney Wish was designed to cater to adults sailing without children as well as parents and grandparents traveling with kids. As a result, there are plenty of adult-only spaces spread across multiple decks, and the cocktail lounges are superb. My favorites were The Rose, Nightingale’s, and The Bayou , a stunning magnolia-canopied lounge inspired by Disney Animation Studios’ film The Princess and the Frog .

Additional memorable adults-only spots on the Disney Wish include the Quiet Cove’s aft-facing infinity pool, the Moana- inspired Cove Café, and the Senses Spa’s Rainforest experience featuring a brand-new outdoor oasis. Purchase rainforest passes as far in advance as possible.

Pro Tip: There’s live jazz music in the evenings at The Bayou and live piano music at Nightingale’s. If you want to have more time for evening entertainment, it might be best to choose the early dinner seating.

9. Enchanting New Shows

Disney Cruise Line ’s entertainment is Broadway-caliber, and the Walt Disney Theatre’s immersive performances bring the magic to life. We saw previews of Disney The Little Mermaid and Disney Seas the Adventure , two brand-new shows making their debut on the Disney Wish . Both were outstanding. Guests will also be able to enjoy a reimagined adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular on future Disney Wish sailings.

Entertainment choices abound on the Disney Wish , including free first-run movie showings in the Never Land and Wonderland cinemas, shows and interactive features on the Grand Hall’s atrium stage, and programming in the new Luna entertainment hub. This wealth of indoor entertainment options will help keep families happy, even in inclement weather.

Pro Tip: Wheelchair-accessible seating is available in Disney Wish cinemas and the Walt Disney Theatre. Starting 30 minutes before show times, crew members are available at the Deck 3 entrance to the Walt Disney Theatre to assist guests to wheelchair-accessible seating.

10. Incredible, Interactive Games

Disney Uncharted Adventure

Disney Uncharted Adventure is a first-of-its-kind interactive game played through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. We previewed this free immersive experience on our sailing, and it takes storytelling to a new level. Guests can create their own avatars then head out on themed quests throughout the ship. The multidimensional journey features augmented reality and special effects, unlocking hidden layers of magic around the ship. I loved being immersed in this adventure, and the technology is amazing.

Pro Tip: Disney Uncharted Adventure is a fantastic experience to play with family and friends. Families can play together by linking up to six mobile devices at once or team up by using just one or two devices at a time.

More action-packed games are available in Disney Wish’s Hero Zone sports arena. Don’t miss running through The Incredibles -themed inflatable obstacle course, which is featured in the ship’s Incredi-Games experience. It’s lots of fun, and it’s not just for kids. Time slots are pre-announced, so check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to see when the obstacle course will be available.

Nancy is founder of the Family Travel Network, launched in partnership with America Online. She serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association and is a consultant and frequent presenter at top travel industry conferences and events. Nancy is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association. She was honored with the Family Travel Association's Mike Janes Media Member Award in 2022.

Disney Cruise Line Announces Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 Itineraries

Disney Cruise Line has announced a new block of itineraries, covering September 2025 to May 2026. This announcement covers sailings on the Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy, Wish, and Treasure. We expect information about sailings on the upcoming Destiny and Adventure ships to come at a future date.

Booking for these sailings begins on Monday, June 24, for Pearl level Castaway Club members with progressive openings until booking becomes available to the general public on Friday, June 28.

For the ships in this itinerary release, there are few surprises. DCL continues to use Port Canaveral and Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) in Florida as year-round home ports.

The Magic will make sailings from Port Canaveral, Galveston, and San Juan Puerto Rico, with several Bahamian and Caribbean itineraries. She will cross the Panama Canal in April 2026, repositioning to San Diego.

The Wonder will again visit the Hawaii, the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as Mexico and Baja, California itineraries.

The Dream will be based at Fort Lauderdale, primarily alternating three and four night Bahamian sailings, with a few five night sailings in the mix.

The Fantasy will undergo a dry dock in fall 2025, followed by a return to Port Canaveral where she will sail four and five night Bahamian trips from Port Canaveral.

The Disney Wish will sail alternating three and four night trips from Port Canaveral. And the Treasure will make seven night sailings in the Caribbean.

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Erin Foster

Erin Foster is an original member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel (now PlanDisney), a regular contributor to TouringPlans.com, and co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line. She's been to WDW, DL, DL Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Aulani, DVC Vero Beach, and DVC Hilton Head. She's a Platinum DCL cruiser and veteran of 10 Adventures by Disney trips. Erin lives near New York City, where she can often be found indulging in her other obsession - Broadway theater.

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Disney Wish Cruise for Adults: A Guide to Grown-Up Magic at Sea

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When we think about Disney cruises, images of family-friendly adventures and Disney characters usually spring to mind. And that a Disney Cruise is really for kids.

Whilst there is no question that a Disney cruise is a great option for families, increasingly over the years, it has become a wonderful choice for adults sailing without kids.

Arguably, Disney Wish is perhaps the most geared towards the adult guest in this rapidly expanding fleet.

As you will see when we begin to explore Disney Wish, there are plenty of features and experiences to keep the adult cruisers happy.

Overview of Disney Wish

Disney Wish is the newest addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet, offering a unique experience for adult guests.

She will soon be joined by her sister ship Disney Treasure , who will start sailing 7 night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral.

Vessel Specifications

Theming and design.

Disney Wish is simply stunning.

The theme of the the ship is Enchantment. And to use a cliche Disney word yet again, there really is something very magical about Disney Wish.

From the moment that you step into the Grand Hall you know that you are going to be experiencing the very best that the Disney Imagineers have created at sea.

Make sure that you take some time to explore all the finer details of the design.

Classic Disney storytelling is combined  with luxurious amenities to create a sophisticated environment. 

• Grand Hall : A fairytale-inspired atrium with a bronze statue of Cinderella.
• Adult-exclusive Areas : The Rose lounge, Quiet Cove Pool, and specialty dining experiences like Enchanté and Palo
• Staterooms : Elegant accommodations with attention to detail, ensuring a cozy retreat for adult guests.

The Imagineers have intertwined Disney narratives throughout the ship, ensuring adults are immersed in the magic of Disney in an upscale setting. This really isn’t just for the kids!

Disney Wish Adult Pool

One of the most important features of any cruise is the pool deck. On Disney Wish, as with all the ships in the fleet, there is an adult only pool deck.

A first for Disney Cruise Lines is the infinity pool in the adult section of the Disney Wish pool deck right at the aft of the ship.

On each side of the infinity pool, there are two wading pools, each with a waterfall feature at the sides.

This is a nice place to sit and cool off with a drink – although be careful to not spend too long in the sun as there is no shade here.

You will also find the Cove Bar here, just steps away from the infinity pool.

The pool deck on Disney Wish is somewhat contraversial, with some people feeling that the area at the aft of the ship, with the adult pool, really isn’t big enough.

Disney Wish Pool Deck – Hit or Miss?

If you are looking for a relaxing place to enjoy a coffee, a handcrafted cocktail or a glass of wine, then head to Cove Cafe on Deck 13, just behind the infinity pool.

Adult-Focused Amenities

The Disney Wish cruise ship ensures that adult guests can enjoy exclusive experiences tailored to their preferences, from tranquil spa retreats to gourmet dining options.

Exclusive Restaurants

Disney Cruise Line has become known for its fine dining at sea with restaurants exclusively for those aged 18 and over.

The original classic ships introduced Palo, which is a feature of all the Disney fleet. Then Disney Dream and Fantasy introduced the fine dining experience Remy.

Disney Wish has Palo, but with a different menu to the other ships, and the notable change in name to Palo Steakhouse. It combines the sophistication of an authentic Italian dining experience with the excellence of a classic American steakhouse.

Palo Steakhouse on Disney Wish Dinner Review

Having experienced both Palo Brunch and Dinner on Disney Wish I would say that this takes the experience up a notch.

Disney Wish also introduced a new fine dining restaurant, Enchante. If you are looking for the ultimate dining experience on the ship, this gourmet restaurant curated by Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Lallement, provides a more intimate and upscale dining affair.

There are three dining experiences available in Enchante:

• Enchante Brunch
• Enchante Just Desserts
• Enchante Dinner

Even if you don’t plan to dine at one of the restaurants, make sure that you take a look at the Deck 12 adult exclusive area. It is one of the most beautiful on the ship.

Themed after Beauty and the Beast, you enter by way of a long corridor, lined with portraits of the beloved characters from the movie. The corridor leads to the enchanted rose and then ultimately to The Rose Bar.

This is one bar in the ship that many people miss. However, it is one of my favourites. From the incredibly talented and friendly bar staff, to the wonderful hand crafted cocktails, this is the place to be if you want to relax in an exclusively adult space.

This may sound strange, but even make sure you visit the bathroom while you are here! They are just beautiful.

If these adult exclusive, extra charge restaurants are not for you, then you are sure to enjoy the main dining restaurants on Disney Wish:

• Arendelle – A Frozen Dining Experience
• Worlds of Marvel

Spa and Wellness Facilities

All of the Disney ships have Senses Spa, which offers a variety of treatments such as facials, massages, and body wraps.

Disney Wish also has the Untangled Salon, inspired by Princess Rapunzel. The salon offers a full range of hair and nail treatments.

The men also have their own salon, Hook’s Barbery, inspired by Captain Hook’s private quarters aboard the Jolly Roger. Here you will find a range of treatments for hair, nails and skin.

A unique feature is that at certain times, adults 21 and over can enjoy a hidden bar featuring the finest whiskies, bourbon and rum for tasting during treatments and at special events. Certainly an interesting addition to a shave and a haircut!

For those looking to stay active, the  Fitness Center  provides modern exercise equipment and a selection of fitness classes catering to all levels of experience.

The Rainforest Room

All of the Disney ships have a Rainforest Room, but Disney Wish takes it to a whole new level.

The Rainforest Room on Disney Wish is located on Deck 5 in Senses Spa.

It is the only Rainforest on any Disney ship that has both an inside and an outdoor area.

In the Rainforest Room inside area you will find eight hot stone chairs, a sauna, steam room, showers and a cold room.

The part that I think really elevates the experience is the outdoor area. Here you will find two hot tubs and plenty of luxurious outdoor seating.

Disney Wish Rainforest Review

Entertainment and Activities

Whilst there are many activities that families can enjoy on Disney Wish there are plenty of things to entertain the grown ups too.

Disney Cruise Line is known for its Broadway style production shows. On Disney Wish you will see:

• Disney The Little Mermaid
• Disney Seas the Adventure

You can also enjoy Disney movies in the Wonderland Cinema and Never Land Cinema.

Nightlife and Bars

You are spoiled for choice with a fabulous selection of bars to choose from on Disney Wish – all with different themes and atmospheres:

Disney Wish Bayou Bar

This stunning space is inspired by Disney’s Princess and the Frog Movie. This beautiful design evokes the magical marsh where Tiana and Naveen take refuge in the movie.

Here you can listen to live jazz, or take part in one of the many trivia events.

Keg & Compass

This Nordic inspired pub offers traditional craft beers and televised sports.

There is a fabulous view of the ocean from the large portholes. Look at the detail around the portholes. There are intricate carvings of compasses, barnacles, and tentacles around the portholes.

Luna Lounge

This is a unique space on Disney Wish, that was inspired by the Pixar short La Luna. It is on two levels, with a stage area on the lower level.

Luna Lounge is used for a lot of the adult entertainment in the evenings, as well as trivia and other family events. There is a bar at the back of the lounge on the first level.

Each venue boasts a unique vibe, ensuring there’s a perfect spot for every taste.

Nightingale’s Bar

This is one of my favorite bars on Disney Wish. The atmosphere in this piano lounge is just very relaxing and welcoming. Don’t miss the live piano playing every evening.

Hyperspace Lounge

This was certainly the most highly anticipated Disney Wish bar. And in the early sailing days you used to have the equivalent of a fast pass to even get in!

Fortunately the hype of Hyperspace has now died down and you can usually get a table – although the space is surprisingly small.

The bar is of course Star Wars themed. With some fabulous themed cocktails including the infamous $5,000 Kaiburr Crystal , this may be the bar that you have been looking for.

The Rose Bar

Another one of my favourites, The Rose Bar is located on Deck 12 as part of the space with Enchante and Palo Steakhouse.

This is a great place to enjoy a pre dinner drink, or just take in the views from the floor to ceiling windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve gathered some of the most common inquiries about the Disney Wish to help you plan your adult-only adventure at sea.

What onboard activities are available for adults on the Disney Wish?

The Disney Wish boasts a variety of adult-centric activities, such as themed bars and lounges, live shows, and the Senses Spa. Adults can also engage in tasting sessions for wine, whiskey, and other beverages, and participate in cooking classes or mixology courses.

Does the Disney Wish have exclusive adult-only pool areas?

Yes, the Disney Wish features the Quiet Cove, an exclusive retreat for guests 18 and older, complete with a tranquil infinity pool, a whirlpool spa, and a dedicated bar.

This area is designed for adults looking to relax away from the family-centric areas.

How can adults book onboard activities on the Disney Wish Cruise?

Adults can book onboard activities through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, the website, or by visiting the Guest Services desk once aboard the Disney Wish. It’s recommended to book as early as possible, as some activities may fill up quickly.

What are the itineraries for the Disney Wish that appeal to an adults

Disney Wish sails on 3 and 4 night itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida. Each sailing has port stops in Nassau and Disney’s Private Island Castaway Cay.

Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando.  In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.

Disney Cruise Line reveals ship deployment plans for late 2025, early 2026

P ort Canaveral, Florida, will get to keep three Disney Cruise Line ships in late 2025 as the sailing plans for six of what will be eight ships in the fleet were revealed.

That includes Disney Treasure, set to debut this winter, and 2022’s Disney Wish as well as older ships Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy trading off sailing duties.

The new homeport and sailing plans for Disney Destiny, a sister ship to Wish and Treasure, were not announced, but they're slated to be delivered to the line at a yet-to-be-revealed date in 2025 and could end up at DCL’s new second Florida home in Port Everglades.

Also debuting in 2025 will be the Asia-bound Disney Adventure, but for now, DCL only revealed sailing plans for its two original ships, Magic and Wonder, its two decade-plus-old ships Dream and Fantasy and its two most recent ships, Wish and Treasure.

Port Canaveral will continue to host Wish sailing short three- and four-night Bahamas trips, while Treasure will continue with seven-night Caribbean sailings.

Disney Magic, which arrives to the port in summer 2025, will remain through October and then be replaced with Disney Fantasy in November, doing a four- and five-night set of itineraries through May 2026.

Wish, Magic and Fantasy all have some trips that visit Disney’s newest private Bahamas destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, which welcomed first guests this month. Some sailings visit both Lookout Cay and the line’s original Bahamas private island, Castaway Cay.

Many of the September and October sailings will take on the popular Halloween on the High Seas theming while November and December sailings will have the Very Merrytime holiday theme.

Disney Magic has not sailed from Port Canaveral since 2016, and as the line’s oldest ship has been tasked with bouncing around the world for short-term stays at various markets. It will do so again after October, first heading to Puerto Rico for a series of seven-night Caribbean sailings, and then making its way to Galveston, Texas, for four- to seven-night western Caribbean trips through May 2026.

Disney Dream will keep sailing from its new year-round home in Port Everglades, which opened for business last fall. It will tackle three- to five-night Bahamas trips visiting either Lookout Cay, Castaway Cay or both, as well as some stops in Nassau through May 2026.

After a summer of Alaska sailings, Disney Wonder will continue its late 2025 duties in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, returning to the West Coast homeporting in San Diego beginning in March 2026 for three- and four-night Mexican Riviera sailings. This will be the third season Disney Wonder has sailed from Australia.

Bookings for the new itineraries open to the public June 28, with earlier dates available for the line’s variety of club-level members, but details can already be found on disneycruise.com.

©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Disney Cruise Line 2025-26 Deployment Breakdown

• June 24, 2024

Disney Cruise Line’s winter 2025-26 program will have ships based in North America sailing to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico, plus a third season in Australia/New Zealand.

After entering service in late 2024 , the new Disney Treasure will be joined by the Disney Wish and the Disney Fantasy in Port Canaveral.

In addition to itineraries from San Juan and Galveston onboard the Disney Magic, the company will also offer cruises departing from Fort Lauderdale onboard the Disney Dream.

Down Under, the Disney Wonder will spend a third season in Australia and New Zealand before heading to San Diego in March 2026.

Cruise Industry News has examined the company’s recently announced plans for the season . Here’s the breakdown:

Caribbean and Bahamas from Port Canaveral

Disney Treasure Capacity: 2,500 guests Built: 2024 Homeport: Port Canaveral (United States) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Caribbean and the Bahamas Season: October 2025 to May 2026

The Disney Treasure will offer seven-night cruises to the Caribbean that depart from Disney’s cruise terminal in Port Canaveral.

Additionally, the itineraries include visits to the company’s private island destination, Castaway Cay, and sail to various destinations in both the Western and Eastern Caribbean.

Disney Wish Capacity: 2,500 guests Built: 2022 Homeport: Port Canaveral (United States) Length: Three to five nights Itineraries: Short cruises to the Bahamas Season: October 2025 to May 2026

After debuting in mid-2022, the Disney Wish will continue to offer short cruises to the Bahamas throughout the winter of 2025-26.

According to Disney Cruise Line, the ship’s itineraries, which range from three to five nights, include stops at both of the company’s private island destinations in the area: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Disney Fantasy Capacity: 2,500 guests Built: 2012 Homeport: Port Canaveral (United States) Length: Three to five nights Itineraries: Short cruises to the Bahamas Season: October 2025 to May 2026

The Disney Fantasy is also scheduled to sail short cruises to the Bahamas departing from Disney’s main homeport in Port Canaveral.

Offering three- to five-night itineraries, the 2012-built vessel will visit both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Caribbean and Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale

Disney Dream Capacity: 2,500 guests Built: 2011 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Thee to five nights Itineraries: Short cruises to the Bahamas Season: October 2025 to May 2026

The Disney Dream is set to return to Fort Lauderdale for another winter season in 2025-26. Sailing from Port Everglades, the 2011-built ship offers a series of short cruises to the Bahamas.

The three- to five-night itineraries include visits to both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Mexico from Galveston

Disney Magic Capacity: 1,750 guests Built: 1998 Homeport: Galveston (United States) Length: Four to seven nights Itineraries: Mexico and the Western Caribbean Season: November 2025 to April 2026

The Disney Magic will spend most of the 2025-26 winter offering cruises to the Western Caribbean departing from Galveston.

The ship’s program in Texas features four- to seven-night itineraries that visit destinations in Mexico, such as Cozumel and Progreso.

Bahamas and Caribbean from San Juan

Disney Magic Capacity: 1,750 guests Built: 1998 Homeport: San Juan (Puerto Rico) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Caribbean and the Bahamas Season: October to November 2025

Before repositioning to Galveston, the Disney Magic will be based in Galveston between October and November 2026.

Sailing from Puerto Rico, the 1,750-guest ship is set to offer week-long cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Mexico and California from San Diego

Disney Wonder Capacity: 1,750 guests Built: 1999 Homeport: San Diego (United States) Length: Three and four nights Itineraries: Mexico and California Season: March to May 2026

Following a season in the South Pacific, the Disney Wonder returns to the West Coast in March 2026 for a series of short cruises.

Ranging from three to four nights, the itineraries are highlighted by visits to destinations in California and Mexico, including Catalina Island and Ensenada.

Australia and New Zealand

Disney Wonder Capacity: 1,750 guests Built: 1999 Homeports: Australia and New Zealand Length: Three to ten nights Itineraries: Mexico and California Season: October 2025 to February 2026

The Disney Wonder is returning to the South Pacific for another season of sailing from Australia and New Zealand.

The deployment will extend from October 2025 to February 2026 and will include three- to ten-night cruises to destinations such as Hobart in Australia’s Tasmania and Wellington in New Zealand.

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Disney announces where its cruise ships will be sailing during late-2025, early-2026

Disney Cruise Line is preparing to debut its new cruise ship, the Treasure, at Port Canaveral later this year.

But it also is planning ahead as far as 2026, with the cruise line's latest announcement of ship schedules out of Port Canaveral and other ports.

Disney's just-released ship schedules for October 2025 through May 2026 ― Disney's winter and spring cruise seasons ― shows that the cruise line will have three ships based on Port Canaveral during that time.

Disney currently bases two ships at Port Canaveral — the Fantasy and the Wish. But it will have three, starting when the Treasure starts sailing in December.

Where Disney ships are headed

What you'll discover on Disney Treasure: Here's a lineup of some restaurants, entertainment and lodging on Disney's Treasure ship

Here are the newly announced plans and itineraries for Disney ships that will be based at Port Canaveral:

• The 2,713-passenger Disney Magic will have four- and five-night sailings from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas in October 2025, before switching home ports to San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the end of October, then to Galveston, Texas, in November 2025.
• The 4,000-passenger Disney Fantasy will sail out of Port Canaveral on three-, four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas starting in November 2025, replacing the Magic on the port's schedule. Before coming to Port Canaveral, the Fantasy will offer a special 13-night trans-Atlantic cruise sailing leaving Oct. 20, 2024, from Southampton, England, to Port Canaveral, with two port-of-call stops in Spain and one in Portugal.
• The 4,000-passenger Disney Treasure will offer seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral.
• The 4,000-passenger Disney Wish will offer three- and four-night cruises to the Bahama from Port Canaveral.

All the cruises out of Port Canaveral will include a port-of-call stop at one or both of Disney's private islands in the Bahamas — Castaway Cay and the new Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, which had its first port-of-call visits this month.

"That's a lot of options out of Port Canaveral," said Scott Sanders, owner of the Celebration-based Disney Cruise Line Blog , which is not affiliated with Disney itself.

The Fantasy and the Magic will be switching places at Port Canaveral. The Fantasy currently is based at Port Canaveral, but will leave in May 2025, replaced by the Magic, before the Fantasy returns in November 2025.

The addition of a third Disney ship at Port Canaveral at the end of this year means Disney will be using two cruise terminals there, rather than one. Currently, when they are in port, Disney ships dock at Cruise Terminal 8, a terminal primarily used by Disney. But the third home-ported ship will result in Disney also using Cruise Terminal 10, which now currently is used primarily by MSC and Norwegian.

This is where Disney's two other ships will be during the fall 2025 to spring 2026 time frame:

• The 2,713-passenger Disney Wonder will have multiple home ports, including Vancouver, British Columbia; Honolulu; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; and San Diego.
• The 4,000-passenger Disney Dream will sail out of Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades with three-, four- and five-night sailings to the Bahamas, as well as five-night sailings to the Western Caribbean.

Disney will offer themed holiday sailings on some of it 2025 cruises, with Halloween on the High Seas cruises in September and October, then Very Merrytime sailings in November and December.

Bookings for the general public will open Friday for the winter 2024 through spring 2025 Disney cruises. Bookings for members of various Disney Cruise Line clubs open earlier this week.

Sanders said it is unusual for Disney to announce cruise ship schedules for two seasons at once. But he believes that is related to Disney planning a special announcement with the next few months about itineraries for two other Disney ships now under construction that will joining the fleet in 2025 ― the Disney Adventure and the Disney Destiny.

The 6,000-passenger Adventure will sail out of Singapore. Disney acquire that ship — partially built and then known as the Global Dream — from another cruise company. No home port has been announced for the 4,000-passenger Destiny.

Dave Berman is business editor at  FLORIDA TODAY.  Contact Berman at  [email protected] , on X at  @bydaveberman  and on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

Details on Disney's new private island: Here are 5 things to know about the new Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

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• FULL TOUR: See a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom With Verandah on the Disney Magic Cruise Ship!

By Jordan-Paige Sudduth Leave a Comment

Who’s ready to take a cruise?

The Disney Magic docked at Lookout Cay

Well, maybe not physically (although if you are getting ready for a Disney Cruise , we’re immensely jealous!), but we just got off the Disney Magic and need to tell you ALL about it. One of the most important things when planning a Disney Cruise is deciding what stateroom category you’d like to stay in, as they’re all priced differently. We got to stay in a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with a Verandah on our last cruise, and it was BEAUTIFUL — let us show you around!

We were staying in room 7024 on the 7th deck, and you know we had to decorate our door !

Our decorated door!

Right when you walk into your stateroom, you’ll look directly through a narrow hallway into the rest of the room.

Looking into the room

Immediately on the back of the door you’ll find the safety information — always take a few minutes to read over it!

Safety information

Facing back into the room to your left, you’ll find the  closet !

This will have hangers available to you to hang whatever outfits you’d like to keep wrinkle-free during the cruise, your life jackets are at the very top shelf…

Know where those life jackets are!

…and the safe towards the bottom of the closet can be used for whatever valuable items you’d like to ensure stay safe and secure.

The first door off to your right is the commode room .

Commode Room

In most staterooms on Disney Cruise Line ships, you’ll find that the commode room and the shower/bathtub room are separate from each other . In this room, you’ll find the commode , a sink with soap and hand towels, and  a hair dryer attached to the wall.

Sink in the Commode Room

The second door off to your right is the shower/bathtub room — yes, you can take a bath on this cruise ship!

Shower Room

While the shower and tub are certainly smaller than what you might find in a hotel, it’s not super tiny, which is nice.

There’s a decent amount of space here!

You’ll also find complimentary hair and body wash products to use if you’d like.

Complimentary Products

And off to the right side of the room is another sink , this one complete with more amenities. You’ll find washcloths, hand towels, and body towels, as well as a shelf jutting out from the mirror to place some of your belongings.

Shower Room Sink

Coming back out into the main part of the room, immediately to your right , you’ll find a full-length mirror to admire your amazing outfits .

Full-Length Mirror

And to the left of that, you’ll find the main bed near the center of the room!

This bed sleeps two people comfortably, and we even had a little towel art surprise when we arrived!

We love the details on the lamps on either side!

Detailed lamps

On the right side of the bed , when you’re looking at it, you’ll find the  phone that allows you to call  Guest Services for whatever you need.

And to the left of the bed, you’ll find a bedside table with storage.

Charging Station

Continuing to the left of the bed, you’ll find the couch …

…which also turns into a twin bed !

You can also pull the curtains on both sides to allow for more privacy, which we appreciated.

Hooray for privacy!

And at the very back of the room, you’ll find the door that leads out to your balcony or verandah !

To the verandah!

The verandah consists of two simple chairs and a table .

Chairs and table

It’s not the coziest, but it gets the job done! And you can see some pretty amazing views straight from your room when you’re out at sea.

It can be a pretty sight!

Back inside the room, we’re continuing on to the right side of the room (if you’re facing back towards the entrance door). Here, you’ll find a desk that can double as a vanity for getting ready!

Coming back into the room

Not only does this area have a great mirror, but there’s also TONS of storage in the cabinets .

So much storage

You’ll also find a traditional hairdryer in one of the drawers , which can be very helpful.

Immediately to the left of the vanity, you’ll find the cabinet that houses the mini-fridge .

Mini Fridge

And above that is the TV !

To the right side of the TV, you’ll find outlets to use.

There’s a bit of free space against this wall right where the bed comes out, so you have room to walk (very important), but to the left of that empty space is some more cabinets for your storage needs in a small alcove.

Storage galore

And we love the photo above this cabinet, too!

Finally, to the left of that cabinet , you’ll find another cabinet with more storage ! We’re not complaining—you don’t realize how much you packed until you’re trying to fit it all in a stateroom with two  other people.

You can never have enough storage

And that’s the stateroom tour! Looking for more recent Disney Cruise Line news? Check out our posts below!

More DCL News!

• 4 Staterooms To AVOID on the Disney Treasure Cruise Ship
• REVIEW: How’s the Food at Disney’s New Private Island Destination?
• NEWS: TONS of NEW Disney Cruise Line Itineraries Revealed for 2025–2026!
• FULL TOUR of the Adults-Only Area at Disney’s NEW Island Destination

Stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news!

Check out our ultimate list of Disney Cruise Line tips for 2024!

What you need to know about disney cruise line, learn all about disney cruise line and its various ships, explore disney’s mega cruise ship – the wish, a full list of what you can’t bring on a disney cruise, these are the best times to book your disney cruise, the best ways to save space in your tiny cruise cabin, 10 things you need on your next cruise (that you won’t think to pack), what it’s like to live on a cruise ship for 6 months, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest disney news delivered right to your inbox click here to subscribe.

What Disney Cruise Line ship is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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