As you all are reading this, I am somewhere in the Bahamas on a Disney Cruise! I have been on 14 Disney Cruise sailings over the past 23 years, so I would consider myself pretty well-versed in this area. One thing I see so many people asking is, which Disney cruise ship is the best? I truly believe there are pros/cons to each ship (or sister ships), so I wanted to share my knowledge with you all about what ship would be best for your travel party.
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Let’s start off by saying some things when it comes to picking a Disney Cruise ship – some variables may automatically determine the ship you’ll need to go on. These include the destination you want to sail to, where you are sailing from, and how many nights you want to go. Each ship is on a different schedule, and they are spread throughout the world! Because of these factors, you might not always get many choices if you’re sold on a certain destination.
These schedules tend to change, so I won’t be going into all of that, as it will likely confuse you more. However, what I will do is list the ship classes and the pros/cons of each. Plus, I will touch on the parties and types of people that may value those ships the most.
The Disney Magic & Wonder
The Magic and Wonder are Disney Cruise Line’s oldest ships, setting sail in 1998 and 1999 respectively. They have a capacity of 2,700 passengers in 875 staterooms. The Magic and Wonder tend to sail a lot in Alaska and Europe, as they’re smaller and can dock at smaller and more unique ports.
I think a lot of people are somewhat turned off by the Magic and Wonder any more because they’re the oldest ships. It’s easy for people to want the newest/hottest thing! I personally love these ships, and in my opinion they’ve gotten the proper TLC over the years, especially compared to ships of the same age from other cruise lines! I also recognize I have a lot of nostalgia associated with these ships. But, my husband who has only been on 3 Disney cruises (on the Dream, Magic, and Wish) considers the Magic his favorite ship!
I personally think the Magic and Wonder are great ships across the board. They offer great amenities for kids and adults alike. Plus, because these ships are smaller, they hold less people, so they don’t feel as crowded in my opinion. These ships also play a lot into a nautical maritime vibe, which I personally love. The kids clubs on the ships are fantastic, and have been updated over the years. As for dining, I love that they have Animator’s Palate, unlike the new ships they’re introducing, so that is a huge plus in my opinion.
When it comes to the adults, the spa on these ships will certainly be smaller than the newer ships, but if you’re looking for treatments rather than rainforest room access, you’ll still find what you’re looking for! The adults only pool area is great on these older ships and offers a good amount of space. The adult nightclubs are segregated in one area of the ship, making it more of a nighttime district, which I personally prefer and love.
Overall, the Magic and Wonder are easy to navigate, are great starter ships if you’ve never cruised, are great for multi-generational families traveling together, and are pretty good for adults cruising without children.
Pros:
- Nautical Theming
- Animator’s Palate
- Full-Sized Adult Pool
- Private Dedicated Adults-Only Nightlife Areas
- Less People On Board
- Ship is Easier to Navigate
Cons:
- Oldest Ships
- May Lack Some Bells and Whistles
The Disney Dream & Fantasy
The Dream and Fantasy are Disney’s ships that premiered in 2011 and 2012. They have a capacity of 4,000 passengers and 1,250 staterooms.
I’m not going to lie, the first time I sailed on the Disney Dream I wasn’t the biggest fan. But, I feel like this ship has grown on me over the years. And now having been on the Fantasy, I can confidently say I love it! When you’ve only sailed on smaller ships, it can be alarming to have so many more people on the ship, which is what was originally alarming. I think when they built these ships, there were some things they did right compared to the previous two. Better amenities for adults, a larger teen space, mini golf on the top deck, and the introduction of water coasters at sea. I think these ships offer more for the whole family without sacrificing anyone’s space (unlike the Disney Wish, which we’ll talk about next).
The adult pool deck is great on this ship, featuring two pool areas rather than one, as well as multiple glass-bottom hot tubs. They also really went all-out with The District & Europa, the areas containing the nightclubs and bars. Plus, this ship features two adults-only restaurants, Palo and Remy, rather than just one (Palo) on the previous ships. While Disney Cruises are certainly for the whole family, adult spaces are certainly important, as adults-only travel with Disney is increasing. Plus, as a kid I was always begging to go to the kid’s club, so my parents could relax in the adult areas child-free!
My first sailing on the Dream was when I was a teenager and I was in awe of the new, larger teens area on the ship! It even features two smaller outdoor pools on its own pool deck. In my opinion, the Dream and Fantasy are definitely the best for families with teens craving independence.
They also have more amenities in the outdoor areas, including the AquaDuck, a water coaster at sea! While the Magic is now equipped with the AquaDunk, the AquaDuck is definitely more family-friendly. I also love that these ships have mini golf on deck, which is included with your cruise. Such a fun activity for the whole family.
The Dream and Fantasy are great ships for families with teenagers or adult-aged children. And of course they’re great for younger kids too, especially for those who may want to get outside and enjoy the waterslides or some mini golf. Also, for parties traveling with just adults, this is a great option as well if you want a combination of great nightlife and some relaxation poolside.
Pros:
- Great Larger Adults Areas
- Amazing Teens-Only Hangout
- More Pool Deck Amenities
- Animator’s Palate
Cons:
- Can Feel Busy Compared to Smaller Ships
The Disney Wish & Treasure
The Disney Wish premiered in 2022 and holds up to 4,000 guests in 1,254 staterooms. There are two more “sister ships” of the Wish setting sail, the Treasure and Destiny.
We went on the Disney Wish for the first time last year, which you can read more about here. I decided to give it a second chance and cruised with them again in fall 2024 – giving them plenty of times to iron things out. Don’t get me wrong, this ship is stunning! However, it is probably my least favorite ship by far in terms of layout, logistics, etc. I think a lot of people are quick to go on the newest ships because well, they are the newest! It should be the best, right? While I think there are a handful of great things they did on the Wish, there are a lot of not-so-great things. And in my opinion, the bad outweigh the good. After having recently went on this ship a second time, my mind as not changed a bit.
Let’s chat about what I truly loved about the Wish. I of course enjoyed the aesthetic; it’s beautiful, as it should be since it is brand new! While some details look a little cheap compared to Disney’s other ships, overall it’s very light and airy, which is appealing to many people.
One highlight for us was the Rainforest Room, located in the Senses Spa. This was an extra charge, but I think if you’re adults going alone on this ship, or if your kids will be in the kids club a lot, this is a non-negotiable to get (and I’ll tell you why in a minute). We also really enjoyed the more quick-service style dining at Mickey’s Festival of Foods! We loved the variety of foods, and everything was delicious. Also – this goes without saying on all Disney ships – the kid’s facilities are awesome! But with this ship being newer, the kids clubs definitely have some more bells and whistles.
Now, what about this cruise ship was not our favorite? All of the elevators are mainly in one place. So if your room isn’t close to the elevators, you’re hiking it if you don’t want to take the stairs. Plus, during busy times the elevator areas are congested and chaotic. This ship also has a lot of dead ends, which is confusing and not normal for a Disney ship. Disney typically has an outdoor space to walk (or jog) around the entire exterior of the ship on deck 4 or 5 – this ship does not have that, which is really unfortunate.
Meeting characters on this ship is also a complete nightmare. We waited 45 minutes to meet Moana, 30 minutes to meet Mickey, etc. On other Disney Cruise ships you rarely wait more than 15 minutes to meet any character. Their events and shows on the ship are also overcrowded. For the stage shows we would arrive 15 minutes before the doors open (45min before show time) and were still fighting for good seats. Again, I have not had a similar experience on any of Disney’s other ships – whether the sailings were sold out or not. The shows and character experiences are a big part of what makes DCL special, and having to wait absurd amounts of time for those make for a poor experience.
The adult’s only pool deck is also incredibly small. This was extremely disappointing to us, and while I know it’s Disney so it should primarily be about the kids, there are many parents who send kids to the kids club or people who sail without children. Depending on how full your sailing is, the pool can easily be too crowded for comfort. This is why I recommend the Rainforest Room pass.
The adult nightclubs that are normally in one area of the ship are now spread out, most not even having walls or doors to isolate them. Additionally, all of these areas are now family areas most of the day, and then convert to adults-only for certain events. This created a lot of confusion with families and kids walking into adults-only events, and it made the hallways outside of these venues louder (and much harder to enjoy the events going on inside of the venues).
Another “no” for us was for the Worlds of Marvel dining. This restaurant is part of the rotational dining, and if we were to go on this ship again, we’d certainly skip it. If you don’t know Marvel well, you’ll probably be confused. The ceilings were low, it was very warm in there, and there were lights and TVs everywhere. This made for a super overwhelming experience (especially if you get seasick easily).
I think the Wish or Treasure is only the best option if you have a strong desire to go on the newest ship, but be prepared to wait for everything and be in crowded places a lot. Parties with only adults and those who value spa services over nightlife and a pool deck, I would consider the Wish or Treausre. The spa was the best part of the ship. I would not recommend this ship for parties traveling with strollers or wheelchair users, as the limited elevators will likely be a pain and venues get crowded easily.
Pros:
- Beautiful Spa
- Brand New Ship
- High-End Hotel Feel
- Great Quick-Service Options
Cons:
- Confusing Layout
- Congested Elevators
- No Nightlife Privacy
- Limited Adults-Only Areas
- Louder/More Overstimulating Overall
- Long Lines
Recap
So overall, what are my thoughts? I think kids will have a great time, no matter what ship they’re on! However, I think the ship can dictate how much fun adults and/or teens may have on their vacation.
If you have teens, I’d recommend the Dream or Fantasy.
If you’re traveling with adults that want a combination of relaxation and nightlife, I’d recommend any ship but the Wish. For adults who value a beautiful spa and a range of adults-only dining, the Wish may be a good choice for you.
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I hope this post offered you some valuable insight into the world of Disney Cruise Line! I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions down below as well.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Jayme
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