Disney Wish Cruise Review Scorecard

Disney Wish is the first new vessel from Disney Cruise Line since 2012. This 144K gross ton ship offers a variety of activities, entertainment, and dining that is distinctly Disney. We have just returned from one of the first sailings on the ship and can’t wait to share our impressions with you. Get all the details about this magical vessel with our exclusive Disney Wish cruise ship scorecard review.

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Disney Wish Cruise Review Scorecard

Embarkation/Disembarkation

We boarded Disney Wish at Terminal 8 in Port Canaveral. Prior to the cruise, we were able to secure a 12:15 PM port arrival time. However, we opted to purchase a Disney transfer from the Orlando airport. This gave us an even earlier boarding group (boarding group 2).

Our transfer arrived at the terminal around 10 AM. The entire process from screening, to security, and check-in took about 30 minutes. From there, we waited about an hour before we were allowed to board the ship.

The process was efficient, even though we did have to wait awhile.

On disembarkation morning, we did self-assist disembarkation and carried our bags off the ship. Again, we had a pre-paid transfer, but this time, it was to a Walt Disney World resort.

Our instructions were to depart the ship before 7:45 AM. So, we skipped breakfast and left our cabin around 7:15 AM. Again, the process was efficient and took about 30 minutes from our cabin, through CBP, and curbside to our bus.

However, we did have to wait about an hour on the bus before our transfer departed the cruise terminal. With stops at other hotels, it took us about 2 hours to get from Port Canaveral to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Though, the cost was significantly cheaper than the current pricing for an Uber.

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Pool Deck

Disney Wish features the most pools and deck space of any Disney Cruise Line ship. In fact, the ship has a total of 8 pools.

The main pool decks, decks 11 & 12, have six pools. Granted, the pools are small, but they do help to disperse the crowds. The Mickey and Minnie pools are the larger of the group with one at each end of the pool deck. The other four pools are on cascading levels above the Minnie pool.

Forward on Deck 14 is the Chip and Dale pool area. This space is a bit quieter and offers a standard size pool and loungers for families.

For the younger cruisers, there is the Toy Story Splash Zone on deck 12. This Toy Story themed play area features a splash zone and wading pool. There is also the Slide-a-Saurus Rex family waterslide on the portside.

For those looking for something a bit more exciting, the AquaMouse is a first of its kind water attraction at sea. We did test out this new raft ride for ourselves, waiting close to an hour. While the AquaMouse includes 760 feet of winding tubes suspended high above the upper decks, it honestly wasn’t as thrilling as we anticipated.

Finally, adults have a private pool area too. Deck 13 aft is home to the Quiet Cove with an infinity pool, bar, and coffee shop. During our sailing, this was one of the busiest areas on the entire ship!

Sports Deck

Unlike many contemporary cruise ships, Disney Wish does not have an outdoor sports deck. Instead, there is the Hero Zone. This two-story sports arena is located on the starboard side of decks 12 and 13 aft.

This indoor sports court is usually a basketball court that hosts free play and organized activities.

Although, the Hero Zone does also house the Incredi-Games at certain times throughout the cruise. This inflatable obstacle course is a great family activity. The young and young at heart can test their agility as they navigate the challenges to see who comes out on top.

The upper level of the Hero Zone has table games like air hockey, foosball, ping pong, and more. All of these games are included on a Disney Wish cruise.

For adults, there is the Senses Fitness Center. This state-of-the-art exercise and wellness center offers plenty of complimentary cardio and strength training equipment.

Interestingly though, there is not a true dedicated jogging track. The outdoor promenade on Decks 4, 5, and 6 offers a space that can be used for a morning walk. Although, you will have to transverse several stairs and public areas to make a lap around the entire ship.

Daily Activities

Our 3-day Disney Wish cruise ship scorecard review had an itinerary that included two ports of call. Among the stops was the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

While no true sea days, Disney Wish still offered a variety of daily activities for cruisers of all ages. There were several character meet and greets that occurred throughout the ship. These included photo-ops with Disney princesses, Captain Minnie and Mickey, and even Star Wars characters.

Further, there were other daytime, family-friendly activities including trivia, sing-a-longs, and arts and crafts occurring in the Triton Lounge and Luna’s. Additionally, there are two movie theaters showing first run movies. During our cruise, this included the latest Pixar animated film, as well as the two newest Marvel movies.

But, don’t expect to find some cruise classics like the belly flop contest. There is also no casino on Disney Cruise Line; though, adults may be happy to hear that there was Bingo and some up-charge tasting experiences.

The Oceaneer Club, dedicated to kids 3-12 years old, is perhaps the most intricate and well-designed area of the entire ship, so we recommend checking it out during “open house”. This kids area sometimes opens up for family events as well.

Not to mention, the cruise line’s private island is home to several complimentary and up-charge activities for a full day of fun in the sun.

Service

When it comes to making memories, Disney is known for its top-notch service. So, we were ready to be wowed by the onboard staff. However, we thought the service on Disney Wish was pretty average and exactly what we expect from any contemporary cruise ship.

This is not to say it was bad, but we did not feel the service lived up to other premium or luxury cruise lines.

Our stateroom attendant was friendly and made up our cabin twice a day for the most part. However, there was one day he missed the morning service even though we were gone from our room for several hours.

Our dining team of Marvin and Jhoni accompanied us as we rotated through the three dining venues on Disney Wish. The waitstaff were friendly and fairly timely getting us out of the dining room in under two hours each evening. Though, we were mischarged for the entire table’s drinks on night 1, and it was never resolved despite multiple visits to guest services.

The bar service was quick, with plenty of staff taking drink orders, and the drinks were always well made. Yet, we didn’t seem to find any of that Disney magic. The one exception was our server at The Rose who was fun and informative.

At the casual restaurants, there were plenty of servers cleaning tables and helping guests find seats even during peak times.

Overall, the hardworking staff of Disney Wish made sure we had a comfortable and enjoyable cruise.

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Main Dining Room

For this Disney Wish cruise ship scorecard review, we dined at each of the complimentary restaurants. Each of these rotational dining venues is themed with its own signature menu and décor.

Cruisers are assigned a rotation and move to each dining room on the reserved night. Our rotation was 1923, World of Marvel, and Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure.

Overall, our main dining room experience was mixed.

In terms of food, we thought the best meal was night 1 at 1923. My filet mignon was cooked to a medium temperature, with just the right amount of seasoning. The burrata and prosciutto starter and apple cheesecake rounded out a top-notch meal.

When it comes to overall dining experience, the Frozen Dining Adventure was exactly what we were expecting on a Disney cruise ship.

This night 3 dinner started with a perfectly themed dining room enhanced with some live music, character appearances, and special effects. The food here was average, with the ham and cheese tart and the apple cake being the standouts.

World of Marvel was our least favorite dining experience, in terms of both food and overall concept. I did enjoy the fried shrimp appetizer and the desserts, but the ribeye was greasy. Further, the “show” didn’t integrate well with dinner.

Overall, Disney Wish offered exquisitely themed dining rooms with signature Disney elements. Yet, the food and service were mostly on par with other contemporary cruise lines.

Of note, there are two specialty restaurants on the ship; however, we did not have time to experience either of them this trip.

Casual Eats

It wouldn’t be a Disney Wish cruise ship scorecard review if we didn’t test out all of the complimentary food options on the ship.

We are happy to report that we enjoyed the casual dining on this ship, particularly the Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods.

Located on deck 11 midship, this became our go-to spot for casual eats. Disney Cruise Line has taken the usual Lido Deck snack area and supersized it. There are a total of 4 different eateries offering some of the best quick service at sea. Cruisers can choose from pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken tenders, fresh BBQ, or Tex-Mex favorites.

Of course, we had to try them all. It was tough to pick a favorite, but the busiest was certainly Donald’s Cantina, offering tacos, bowls, and burritos with plenty of customizable options.

I was a fan of Mickey’s Smokestack, which is a new concept for the cruise line. Popular items here included the brisket, ribs, cornbread, and mac and cheese.

The Grill remains open for dinner, while the pizza station re-opens for late night snacks, so you can always grab a bite poolside.

Additionally, there is the Marceline Market at the aft of deck 11. This venue is a typical cruise ship buffet.

For breakfast, there were selections like eggs, waffles and pancakes, breakfast meats, and even custom omelets delivered to your table.

Lunch offered some chef selections, like roasted chicken, as well seafood options from grilled shrimp to a raw bar. There were also pre-made salads and sandwiches, along with the kids corner.

We dined here once for breakfast and once for lunch. We thoroughly enjoyed breakfast, but we were not impressed with lunch. Honestly, we are not fans of having a big meal in the middle of the day. Thus, we preferred the quick-service options at the Festival of Foods over the Marceline Market.

During our sailing, the Marceline Market was not open for dinner.

Main Theater Entertainment

There are three signature productions created exclusively for Disney Wish. However, Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, was not ready for our cruise.

With our early dining time of 5:45 PM, we attended the 8:30 PM showtime. The pre-dinner showtime for late seating was 5:30 PM.

On night one, The Walt Disney Theatre presented Disney’s Seas the Adventure. This 40-minute production felt like a show you would see at a Disney theme park, complete with Disney Princesses and some live singing and dancing. As Disney fans, we didn’t mind that Captain Minnie and Goofy were the main characters of this revue show.

Honestly, it felt like the perfect Welcome Aboard show for a Disney Cruise Line ship.

On night 3 of our cruise, we enjoyed a reimagined rendition of the Little Mermaid. This 60-minute production included a cast of talented signers, dancers, and puppeteers. It was entertaining, with great set pieces, choreography, and some Disney magic.  

We will be sailing on Disney Wish again in a few months, and we have our fingers crossed that the Aladdin show will be up and running by then.

Instead of a headliner act or another production show, the main theater featured a Marvel movie on night 2. This felt like a missed opportunity to showcase more of the great entertainers on the ship.

Nighttime Activities

The main theater is not the only venue offering nighttime entertainment.

Disney enthusiasts will be happy to know the Neverland and Wonderland theaters on Deck 4 offer continuous showings of movies day and night.

Pro Tip: If you have a refillable popcorn bucket from the parks, bring it along and you can get a discount on the freshly made popcorn.

Additionally, some of the bars and lounges on Disney Wish feature live entertainment. You can find intermittent musical sets in the Bayou and Nightingale’s on Deck 3. Although, it would have been great to have some live pub music at the Keg and Compass too.

Luna’s on Decks 4 and 5 transitions to an adult-only venue in the evenings featuring some traditional cruise game shows and events.  

Among our favorites was the Match Your Mate game show (a version of the Love and Marriage show). There was also karaoke, the cruise line’s take on popular games like Name that Tune and Majority Rules, and even a Silent Disco. While these were “adult-only” shows, they were pretty tame. Still, we enjoyed popping in and watching the fun.

Further, there is also family-friendly evening fun occurring in the Triton Lounge on Deck 5.

One of the highlights of the nighttime activities on Disney Wish is the Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party on the pool deck. This signature event occurs on night 2, complete with a live rock show and fireworks. No matter your age, this is a fun outdoor party that you shouldn’t miss! You might even want to pack some pirate attire for the event!

Bars and Lounges

To ensure our Disney Wish cruise ship scorecard review was complete, we sampled at least one drink from every bar and lounge on the ship. This was not an easy task given the number of venues with signature drink menus.

Nightingale’s is the piano bar on deck 3. This venue serves its own bubble-inspired libations that couple well with the glittering chandelier. Nightingale’s is a wonderful extension of the fairytale-inspired Grand Hall. Our drink selections here included the Step Mother and the Crystal Slipper.

Not far away is one of our favorite venues on Disney Wish, The Bayou. This New Orleans inspired midship lounge has live music, some lush surroundings, and a Southern-inspired menu. You can’t go wrong with a signature Hurricane while listening to some tunes.

Across the way, there is the Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge. Reservations are required and can be made once onboard the ship via the app. As a big Star Wars fan, I was bit let down here. The drink menu is fine, but the theming is a little lack luster. In fact, it is nowhere near as elaborate as the kid’s Cargo Bay area.

On deck 5 is the ship’s pub, the Keg and Compass. This nautically themed venue celebrates stories of the sea with its décor and theming. This bar has an extensive beer list, including exclusives found only on Disney Wish, and some English inspired snacks for an up-charge.

Next to the specialty restaurants on deck 12, you will find The Rose. Featuring champagne-inspired cocktails, this elegant space offers the perfect backdrop for a pre-dinner or post dinner drink.

Finally, you can get a “spiked” slushy or a dole whip at Wheezy’s Freezies while the kids enjoy the Toy Story Splash Zone. Is there anything more Disney than a Dole Whip with rum?

Stateroom

For this cruise, we booked a guaranteed deluxe oceanview verandah stateroom. About two weeks prior to our sailing, we were assigned cabin 8194.

Note, this aft cabin was a handicap accessible stateroom. So, it was more open than a traditional stateroom in this category. It also had a larger aft balcony.

Not surprisingly, our cabin had plenty of space and storage for an entire family. There were three separate closets offering a combination of shelves and clothes bars with hangers.

On each side of the queen bed, there were USB and power outlets. Off to the corner of the bed was the flat screen television. It was minimally adjustable, so it was not the prime angle for viewing from either the bed or sofa.

The desk had additional storage with a shelving unit and a variety of outlets for charging all our devices. This cabin also had a single sleeper sofa and an optional upper-berth pull-down bed.

The balcony might have been one of the largest balconies we have ever had on a cruise ship as well. There was enough room for two chairs and a table, as well as two loungers. This outdoor space offered great views for sail in and sail out of our ports of call.

Keeping in mind that this was an accessible stateroom, our bathroom was not your typical cramped cruise ship quarters, nor was it the traditional DCL split-bathroom setup.

We had a fully walk-in shower stall, with a shower curtain. There was also an oversized vanity and mirror including enough counter space for both his and her products. Like Disney resorts, the cruise line provides its signature H20+ bath products, so there is no need to pack your own.

For our next cruise, we are booked in a Deluxe Family Oceanview Verandah and are looking forward to comparing it to this room.

Overall Disney Wish Cruise Ship Scorecard Review Recap

Surprisingly, this was our first Disney cruise ever. As big fans of cruising (obviously) and Disney, the Disney Wish was an enchanting combination of the two. It seamlessly blended Disney design with traditional cruise ship elements to offer something that is truly unique.

The interior spaces reminded us of a Deluxe Disney Resort. These public venues had a modern and elegant feel. Not to mention, the glamourous Grand Hall and all the other Disney touches throughout the ship.

From the theming in the restaurants and bars, to the elaborate kids areas and the character meet and greets, Disney fans will enjoy all the extras that make this ship different than other family-friendly cruise lines.

Not to mention, there are plenty of entertainment options for both children and adults alike. Disney Wish features a number of activities that adults will enjoy as well. From the adult-only Quiet Cove, to the Senses Spa, to cruiser favorite game shows, trivia, and even a silent disco, the question becomes how will you fit everything into this short cruise.

Disney Wish’s main theater also features great Broadway-caliber productions. We enjoyed the two shows and would certainly watch them again on a future sailing.

Of course, if you are a big kids like us, you will be equally excited to see Captain Minnie and Mickey dressed as pirates and rock out at the Pirates Party complete with fireworks. You also will find yourself marveling at the Oceaneer Club during its open house hours.

When it comes to the cruise itself though, it was pretty much on par with other contemporary cruise lines. Yes, the youth areas are top-notch, and we really enjoyed the casual eats at the Festival of Foods.

However, the main dining room food was pretty standard, as was the service throughout the ship. The bars and lounges were well themed, with some excellent hand-crafted cocktails. But, with drink prices on the higher end, and no drink package, your bar tab can add up quickly.

When it comes to Disney, like anything, you are paying a premium for this cruise experience. The base fares are close to double its competitors. So, for those who are ready for that sprinkle of pixie dust, you will love Disney Wish.

However, if you don’t need all the magical touches that come along with a Disney cruise vacation, you can certainly find a comparable cruise on other lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, or Carnival at a much cheaper price point.

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