Disney cruises are popular for many reasons, including their family-friendly amenities, attention to detail, and commitment to providing family magic. If you are considering a trip on the Disney Cruise Line, you may be wondering what the best ship is for your family vacation.
It’s difficult to answer that without looking at the various itineraries and comparing the sizes, restaurants, amenities, and more on the Disney Cruise ships.
If you are a regular reader here, you know that I’m an avid cruiser on the Disney Cruise Line. After three sailings on the Disney Fantasy, one on the Disney Wonder, eight on the Disney Dream, and one on the Disney Magic, I’ve had the chance to experience Disney’s newest ship – the Disney Wish, three times. Here are our comparisons.
Disclosure: I’ve been on one complimentary media preview cruise and two cruises as part of Disney Social Media Moms. The rest of my cruises were at my own cost. All opinions are my own.
Check prices of Disney Cruise Line Sailings here.
Comparing the Disney Cruise Ships
Itineraries on the Disney Cruise Ships
Before deciding which ship to sail on, you’ll want to look at the various itineraries offered. After all, a Mediterranean cruise is much different than an Alaskan cruise. Itinerary and ports of call should be your first consideration when deciding which ship on the Disney Cruise Line fleet you’ll want to sail on.
The Disney Fantasy leaves from several different locations, including Port Canaveral and Southhampton. In the past, that ship always stayed at Port Canaveral, but that has changed in recent years.
The Fantasy’s sister ship, the Disney Dream, used to leave from Port Canaveral but now departs from Fort Lauderdale for part of the year. The Dream also has sailings from San Juan, New York, and Europe, although these are always subject to change..
The other two ships, the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic, typically travel around. Itineraries (especially in the winter) change year by year, but the Wonder typically goes to Alaska, while the Magic, in the past has had itineraries departing from San Diego, Miami, Galveston, New Orleans, and San Juan.
Once you look at the itineraries, you’ll have a good idea of which Disney Cruise Line ship you’ll want to be on, especially if you plan to travel on an itinerary that only one ship offers.
Size of the Disney Cruise Ships
There are currently three different classes of Disney Cruise Ships. The original ships, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, are called the Magic class and are smaller. These ships accommodate a maximum of 2,700 passengers.
The Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are Dream class ships, which can accommodate a maximum of 4,000 passengers. The new Triton Class ships (the Disney Wish) can also accommodate 4,000 passengers but are a bit bigger in Gross Tonnage.
The smaller ships do feel more intimate but don’t have as many amenities.
Restaurants on the Disney Cruise Ships
While all the dining rooms on the Disney Cruise Line are fun and offer many delicious food options, they vary by ship. Animator’s Palate and the premium, adult-only Palo are offered on all original four ships.
Each of the original four ships has a French-themed restaurant, although the names and themes differ. There are also three incredibly fun-themed restaurants – Tiana’s Place on the Disney Wonder, Arendelle on the Disney Wish, and Rapunzel’s Royal Table on the Disney Magic. In addition to dinner, you’ll also be entertained while eating at these three restaurants.
Each ship offers free ice cream and a premium coffee bar. Various snack options are available throughout the day, including pizza, sandwiches, and salads. The Disney Dream also offers a premium ice cream/dessert spot called Vanellope’s. Everything in Vanellope’s is offered at an additional fee.
Some of the ships have adult-only restaurants in addition to Palo. The Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream offer Remy, while the Disney Wish has Enchante.
Each of the four original ships has the Cabanas buffet for breakfast and lunch, with indoor and outdoor seating. On the Wish, there’s Marceline Market, similar to a buffet but with servers plating the food.
Bars and Lounges on the Disney Cruise Ships
While most people travel with kids on the Disney Cruise Line, there are still bars and lounges that adults can enjoy. Since many kids will likely spend much of their time in the phenomenal kids’ clubs on board, adults will have lots of opportunities to visit the adult-only areas.
The Disney Fantasy offers a whole area of the ship called Europa, filled with European-themed bars and lounges. My personal favorite is Ooh La La, a champagne bar.
The Disney Dream ship features the District, which is similar to Europa. It’s located in the same area of the ship and has similar bars. Instead of Ooh La La, their champagne bar is called Pink. My favorite bar of all the ships is the Meridian Lounge, located between Palo and Remy on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
The Disney Wonder and Disney Magic also have bars and lounges. The Wonder has the After Hours adult area with several lounges. In most cases, the bars and lounges are open to kids during the day, but are adult only in the evenings.
On the Wish, two of my favorite bars are the Bayou, and Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge. These two themed, unique lounges are great for a drink before or after dinner.
Programming at these bars, including games and entertainment, is sometimes offered – check your Disney Cruise Line app for details.
Staterooms on the Disney Cruise Ships
While there are some differences between the staterooms on the ships, they are very much alike. They offer similar features, and while small, they are also comfortable.
My family of four regularly stays in a Deluxe Family Stateroom with Verandah, and we find it to be enough room. We don’t spend too much time in the room because there’s so much to do on the ship.
The Disney Wish, Disney’s newest ship, offers even more concierge rooms than any other Disney cruise ship.
Amenities on the Disney Cruise Ships
All of the ships offer several amenities that families will love. These ships were clearly built with families in mind.
Each ship offers a pool deck with splash areas and the Funnel Vision signature television screen showing Disney movies throughout the day. On the Disney Fantasy and Dream, you’ll also be able to go on the Aquaduck water coaster. It’s so much fun, and you’ll want to go more than once.
While the Disney Magic and Wonder don’t have the AquaDuck, the Disney Magic does have the AquaDunk, a high-speed water slide tube. The Disney Wish has a new coaster, called the AquaMouse.
Depending on the ship, there are also sports decks with various amenities. The Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy have sports simulators, but you’ll need to make reservations for them in advance.
The ships also all have kids’ clubs, Senses spas, hot tubs, shops, and much more. I also recommend walking around the ship when you first arrive so you can learn about everything that is available to you.
Activities on the Disney Cruise Ships
Each ship offers lots of activities, including first-run Disney movies in the movie theater (the Wish has two theaters) and Broadway-style stage live shows in the Walt Disney Theater. The shows vary by ship, but I’ve seen all of them, and everyone is fantastic.
My favorite show is currently Frozen, which plays on the Wonder. A close runner-up to that is a new Beauty and the Beast show that runs on the Disney Dream. Other newer shows are Aladdin on the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Wish, the Little Mermaid on the Disney Wish, and Tangled on the Disney Magic.
Other activities include family and adult game shows, beverage-tasting seminars, Bingo, and animation classes. Every ship also features Disney character greetings. Check the Navigatornapp for the full schedule of events.
Ships typically have a pirate night during one night of the cruise. It’s so much fun – go to the fireworks if there’s a pirate night during your cruise.
Kids will love the Midship Detective Agency on the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream. This free game lets you become a detective while finding clues throughout the midship section of the boat. When my kids were younger, we’d accompany them on their quest. Once they were a bit older, they loved the freedom to do it independently.
Disney Wish has a new augmented reality experience called Disney Uncharted Adventure. It works with the app and ends with a live event.
So, what is the best Disney Cruise Line ship?
My favorite is the Disney Fantasy, the second-newest ship in the fleet (for now). However, that was the first Disney ship I traveled on, so I’m not sure why it’s my favorite.
Others love the Magic. As a smaller ship, it’s definitely quaint and easier to walk around. I do love the shows on the Magic, as well as the restaurants.
It’s really hard to say which is the best Disney cruise ship because they are all great!
What is your favorite Disney Cruise ship?
