Complete Guide to the Gorgeous Disney Fantasy

With five gorgeous, family-friendly cruise ships, it’s hard to choose a favorite. Today, I’m writing about my very favorite Disney Cruise Line ship – the Disney Fantasy. The Fantasy is the first Disney ship that I traveled on, and the one I’ve spent the longest sailing on. If you are planning to travel on the Disney Fantasy, here’s everything that you need to know.

This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing and/or clicking on some of the links in this post may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own. I originally traveled on a complimentary 3-day media cruise on the Disney Fantasy, but have since traveled on two 7-day cruises at my own cost. 

Complete Guide to the Gorgeous Disney Fantasy

The Disney Fantasy is the second newest of the Disney Cruise Line ships and is one of the larger ships in the fleet. It’s very similar to the Disney Dream, with a few differences. It’s definitely a big ship, but it’s so fun to explore but may feel a little overwhelming. It was entered into service on the Disney Cruise Line in 2012.

The Disney Fantasy offers 1,250 staterooms, like the Disney Dream, and can accommodate up to 4,000 passengers (depending on stateroom occupancy). It’s decorated in an Art Nouveau style, and when you walk onto the ship, it looks exactly like you’d expect a ship from the 1930s. It really is stunning. 

Staterooms on the Disney Fantasy

Rooms on the Disney Fantasy are similar to those on the Dream. There are a number of different room types, including concierge rooms (great if you want to splurge on a luxury), verandah staterooms, oceanview staterooms with porthole windows, and interior rooms with magical portholes.

If you have a larger family, connecting staterooms are available. When you book your trip on the Disney Cruise Line, you’ll choose a specific stateroom. The room we typically book (family stateroom with verandah) comes with bunk beds.

Once you cruise on the Disney Fantasy once, you may have a stateroom preference. It’s nice to be able to see exactly which room you’ll be in before you go. Some people like being on the higher decks, while others prefer midship locations.

Like the other Disney ships, most of the staterooms have a split bathroom (two rooms – one with a sink and toilet, and one with a sink and shower/tub), a refrigerator, a closet, a hairdryer, a television, and a safe (note that some of the rooms have a single bathroom).

While irons aren’t available in the rooms, there are laundry rooms located throughout the ship with washers, dryers, and irons. I like to iron my clothes on the first day of my cruise, so they are hanging up and all set for my week. Your stateroom attendant will service the room twice a day, and will bring down the bunk beds (if applicable) nightly.

Passengers on the Disney Fantasy, like the other ships, often like to decorate their doors with stateroom door magnets. I’d recommend doing this because you’ll easily be able to identify your room for all of the other ones. My kids like to go in on the decorating as well. There are lots of options for finding and making magnets before you leave. 

Families also like to participate in a fish extender exchange, where you’ll be able to trade little gifts with other cruisers. This is something you’ll want to sign up for in advance. 

Restaurants on the Disney Fantasy

You’ll find the same rotational dining experience on the Fantasy that you’ll get on the other Disney Cruise Line Ships. When you check in at the port, you’ll receive your dining rotation assignment.

Each night, you’ll visit a different restaurant, but will have the same dining staff. If you have a dining rotation preference, you can call and make a request. They aren’t guaranteed, but the Disney Cruise Line will try to accommodate your request. 

There are three main restaurants on the ship – Animator’s Palate, Royal Court, and Enchanted Garden. So, on the 7-day itineraries that the Fantasy offers, you’ll go to two restaurants twice and one restaurant three times.

At Animator’s Palate, you’ll see a fun show featuring Finding Nemo’s Crush on the first night. On your second night at Animator’s Palate, you’ll draw your own character and see it come to life on the screen.

Enchanted Garden is absolutely gorgeous. It starts out looking like a garden in the afternoon, and by the end of your dinner, changes to nightime in the garden. 

Royal Court is a more upscale French restaurant, located off the main atrium of the ship. My favorite meal here is the escargot appetizer, followed by the Chateaubriand. It’s delicious, and something I always look forward to. 

There are also some quick-serve options in addition to the three main restaurants. For breakfast and lunch, you can head up to Cabanas, a buffet restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. There are other quick-service locations located near the pool, offering soft-serve ice cream, pizza, salad, and sandwiches.

One of my favorite spots on the ship is the adults-only Cove Cafe, which offers delicious premium coffees. You’ll usually find me there once or twice a day. You do have to pay extra for this premium coffee, but it’s worth it if you like coffee. 

Room service is always available – 24-hour a day (except for disembarkation day). Then, on your Castaway Cay day, you can eat at one of the two family BBQ restaurants, or the adult-only BBQ restaurant at Serenity Bay. I always enjoy the BBQ – it’s delicious. 

For a special treat, you can choose to dine at one of the adult-only restaurants – Palo or Remy. Palo offers Italian food, and Remy offers French food. I’ve been to Palo a few times, and have always enjoyed it.

Make reservations before boarding, if possible. If you aren’t able to get one, you can visit in person when you get on the ship to check availability or get on the wait list. There’s also a bar in between the two restaurants called Meridian that offers great drinks in a beautiful environment. Grab a drink before your dinner and sit outside if possible. 

Adult Areas on the Disney Fantasy

The bars and clubs on the Disney Fantasy are my favorites of all the Disney Cruise Line ships. The adult area, which is family-friendly during the days, is called Europa. Clubs and bars include the Tube (themed for the London underground), O’Gill’s Pub (the Irish pub), Ooh La La (champagne bar), and the Skyline Lounge. There’s a whole schedule of fun shows and game shows that take place in the Tube – perfect if your kids are enjoying the kids clubs.

There are also some adult pool areas on board, including Satellite Falls (pictured above). When my kids are in the kids clubs, you’ll usually find me on a sun lounger in Satellite Falls reading a book and sipping on a drink.

Activities on the Disney Fantasy

There are many fantastic activities on board the Disney Fantasy. Those traveling with kids will love the five separate kids clubs – separated by age. Options include a nursery, the Oceaneer Club, the Oceaneer Lab, Edge, and Vibe. While kids can go to the clubs throughout the day, there are also specific schedules of activities. My kids are old enough now that they can check themselves in and out of the clubs, so they really enjoy the freedom. 

Of course, the ship also offers lots of fun outdoor activities, including the famous AquaDuck, pictured above. This watercoaster is definitely a must-do – my kids love it. We usually go right when it opens, when the lines are short.

If you are staying on the ship during a port of call, you’ll find that the lines are shorter as many leave the ship. There are also two pools in that area, with the FunnelVision TV, offering movies throughout the day.

In addition, the Buena Vista Theater offers a variety of first-run Disney movies, including 3D movies. On a 7-day cruise, my kids usually want to go to at least one movie – especially when there’s a new blockbuster that they haven’t seen yet. 

There are also a number of family-friendly game shows and activities each day. Check the Disney Cruise Line app for a full schedule. There are also a variety of character greetings throughout the day. These are also listed in the app.

For those kids who love to dress up, there’s a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on board, which shifts to a Pirates League on Pirate Night.

Shows on the Disney Fantasy

Each night, the Disney Fantasy offers a new family-friendly show. There are three Broadway-style shows that play during your sailing. On the other nights, there are other shows offered, including ventriloquists, a welcome show, and a farewell show.

Itineraries on the Disney Fantasy

The Disney Fantasy leaves from Port Canaveral (for the night before sailing, we recommend a stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport – Check prices and reviews here), and offers 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. The itineraries change each year.

There’s so much to do on the ship, so you’ll definitely want to make sure that there are a few days at sea when you can enjoy the ship. 

If you want to take a cruise on the Disney Fantasy, be sure to book with Get Away Today. When you mention Family Travel Magazine, you get an extra $25 on board credit! Give their agents a call at 877-510-2929.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship

Check out these additional Disney Cruise Line tips:

Disney Cruise Line Tips for First Timers

Things to Do Before a Disney Cruise

Delicious Treats on the Disney Cruise Line

How Much Does a Disney Cruise Cost?

More Disney Cruise Ships Resources: Click to read more about the Disney Cruise Line ships including restaurants, tips, itineraries, activities, and more.