The Happiest Travels on Earth

Hi Everyone! Yesterday I disembarked the Disney Wish from Port Canaveral. There is so much to say about this amazing experience. I can’t wait to share my review of the Disney Wish. Have you ever been on the Disney Wish before?

We all know Disney- Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Movies, etc. But did you realize that Disney actually operates a fleet of 5 ships, with 3 new ones on the horizon? The current Disney fleet includes the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and the Disney Wish. Disney Cruise Line launched over 25 years ago and since then has been making cruise vacations magical. 

But, Disney also operates two private destinations in the Bahamas. The first is their classic destination, Disney’s Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas. It’s a fan favorite destination for guests. Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point will open in June of 2024 on the island of Eleuthera.

As a cruise line, Disney has experienced growth over the years, shown through the constant additions to their fleet. While they currently only make up about 3% of the cruise market, those who do decide to sail with Disney are in for a treat. 

A little bit of my background with cruising. I’ve been on over 20 cruises, my very first being a Disney Cruise back in 2001 on the Disney Wonder. This was my first Disney Cruise since 2001, still qualifying me as a Silver Castaway Member. 

Our Sailing

I sailed aboard the Disney Wish, on a 3-night Bahamas itinerary, with stops in Nassau and Disney’s Castaway Cay, departing from Port Canaveral in Florida. This review will cover the cruise itself. There will be additional reviews with features of dining, ports of call, entertainment and more! 

Pre-Embarkation (Walt Disney World)

Our sailing departed from Port Canaveral on a Friday. Therefore, my family and I flew down to Orlando on Wednesday to spend 2-nights at Walt Disney World. Since we are Disney Vacation Club Members, we used points to stay at the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. 

We visited Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and EPCOT on Thursday, getting a taste of the parks on this land and sea adventure. 

Disney Cruise Line Ground Transfer

We were booked on a Disney transfer from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa to Port Canaveral. This transfer was between $39 and $45 per person, per way. I’ve seen a lot of questions about this program so here’s how it works. 

The Email

On the Wednesday before our sailing (two days before) we received an email from Disney Cruise Line that stated that they had us down for pick-up at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Our email stated that our bags needed to be ready by 7:00 am the morning that the cruise departed. Luggage tags needed to be on the pieces you wanted transferred and someone would come pick up the bags from your room. 

You are required to put any bags you want taken near the door to your hotel room. The email stated that you needed to meet a Disney Cruise Line Representative in the lobby of the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa by the Grand Piano in the center of the lobby at 9:00 am for a 9:30 am departure. Keep in mind that these meeting times will depend on the resort and the number of people that are heading on a sailing at that resort. Be sure to check for your email prior to sailing. 

The email also states that all individuals 16 and older are required to present a photo ID to the Disney Cruise Line Representative to get on the bus. 

The Process

The morning of, we left our luggage inside our room by the front door and by 7:15 am our bags were picked up. I have an AirTag in my luggage so I was able to track my suitcase throughout the process and it was loaded right into a truck that was located in the front of the resort. 

After breakfast at Gasparilla Island Grill, we headed to the main lobby at the Grand Floridian. Keep in mind if you are staying at DVC or in the DVC Villas area, you will need to go to the main lobby of the resort. At Disney’s Grand Floridian, as the email stated, our meeting place was the Grand Piano in the center of the lobby. There is a piano towards the entrance but make sure you are going to the center one. 

As promised, the Disney Cruise Line Representative was there who checked our ID’s against his system to make sure we were registered for the transfer. It was a quick process and then after a short wait, he escorted us to the bus. 

After a pick-up at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the bus was on its way to Port Canaveral. The ride is about an hour but they do play Disney Cartoons on the bus and it goes quite quick knowing you’re headed on a Disney Cruise. 

Embarkation

Keep in mind that if you are sailing on a Disney Cruise, you will be leaving from the Disney Cruise Line Terminal Building. This building is totally dedicated to Disney Cruise Line and the magic begins the moment you step up to the door. 

Our Disney Transfer motorcoach left the Disney bubble at 9:55 am. We pulled into Port Canaveral with the beautiful Disney Wish greeting us at around 10:52 am. We were given an embarkation time based on the fact that we had a transfer. When we arrived, our bus pulled up to the front of the building, where the bus transfer guests were escorted into the building and check-in line. 

The time from entering the building to entering the waiting area was 13 minutes. This 13 minutes included a quick wait for check-in and security. Once we enter the main hall for waiting, you have opportunities to take professional photos. Plus, a tip that I love and took advantage of was the fact that there is an observation deck. I highly recommend you go to the back of the hall, to the right of the Mickey ears, where you can look at the beautiful ship that awaits. 

There were plenty of seats available for everyone entering and it was quite comfortable. The family of the day was invited to board at around 11:30 am and then groups 1-4 were invited to board at around 11:50 am. Disney has it all down to a science so the process was so streamlined and probably one of the simplest I’ve experienced. My family and I were in boarding group #4 and by 11:55 am our names were being announced in the grand hall of the Disney Wish. 

Dining on the Disney Wish

I will be doing a whole review with the menus of the three MDR restaurants on the Disney Wish and food photos as well. But, I did want to mention the food in general to begin with. While sailing on Disney, you’ll experience rotational dining. This means you’ll stay with your servers and move to a different restaurant each night. My family and I were so lucky to have Talya and Pringles as our staff (hi guys!) and they made our dining experience even better. 

The three restaurants we rotated between are 1923, Worlds of Marvel and Arendelle. All I have is good things to say about the food and service in the MDR’s. There were lots of delicious options with no limits as to what can be ordered and it was always delivered quickly. 

In addition to these sit-down restaurants, the buffet onboard is called Marceline Market. Poolside guests can enjoy Mickey’s Festival of Foods, which includes Mickey’s Smokestack BBQ, Donald’s Cantina, Daisy’s Pies, Goofy’s Grill and Minnie’s Ice Cream. But the options don’t end there. There is also a variety of coffee shops onboard like Cove Cafe and Wishing Star Cafe. 

For breakfast we ate at Marceline Market and on the final day, Arendelle. The options at Marceline Market were plentiful and delicious. The same is true of the breakfast at Arendelle, which starts with a pastry. 

Lunch on embarkation day was at Marceline Market, which was delicious! From lamb chops to roasted beef, dumplings and more, I really enjoyed lunch on the first day. I also tried some BBQ from Mickey’s Smokestack BBQ. My favorite items there were the ribs and the mac and cheese. 

Our MDR schedule was 1923, Worlds of Marvel and Arendelle. My favorite of all of the restaurants was Marvel. From lighting the quantum cores to meeting Spider-Man and eating some of the best food onboard, the whole experience was just amazing. All of the food I ate while on the Disney Wish was delicious!

We went to Cove Cafe a few times during our voyage as well for specialty coffee and the barista, Kianna was awesome. Every coffee beverage we enjoyed was delicious and created with care. 

Packages Offered

All-Inclusive Photo Package 

For $195, we purchased the all-inclusive digital photo package. Only onboard, connected to the ship wifi are you able to visit the site and download your digital photos. While $195 might seem like a lot for the duration of your cruise, each photo is $7.95 each. If you took around 50 photos, like we did, you are looking at $397.50. It’s a great deal, especially since character photos are included in this. 

Internet

There is no internet package onboard but you are able to connect to DCL-Guest wifi. This wifi allows you to use the Disney Cruise Line App, since no navigators are provided and send text messages. That’s right, you are able to text from iPhone to iPhone. You might see notifications from some of your other apps, like Facebook, come through, but you can’t actually view them. Considering you aren’t paying for any internet and you are able to text, it’s a great perk. 

Types of Drinks Onboard

Free Drinks

Unlike a lot of other cruise lines where you have to pay for soft drinks and things, Disney Cruise Line offers all types of soda, included in the price of your fare. This includes Sprite, Coca-Cola, Vitamin Water and Coke Zero. There are also water spouts at every refill station. You are able to purchase bottles onboard but I did hear they were quite expensive. 

Paid Drinks

There is no beverage package onboard Disney Cruise Line. All drinks are required to be purchased individually. Guests can carry some alcoholic beverages onboard themselves but there is a corkage fee attached to that. Disney offers special drinks of the day, which are only $6.95. I know that the first day it was a Mai Tai and the second day it was the Sunken Treasure, which I tried and it was delicious. 

Activities and Shows

It’s Disney so you know there will be amazing entertainment and shows onboard. The cruise director, Christiaan, was great and always around. He made himself known through the voyage which I think is important for a cruise director.

Shows

Each night in the Walt Disney Theater was a different Broadway level show and they were all great. The first night, Seas the Adventure, was about Goofy wanting to become captain and the adventures he embarked on.

The second night was The Little Mermaid and the third night was Aladdin. All of them featured amazing singers, dancers and sets. Guests are not able to use photography or video in the theater during these productions.

Activities

Throughout the cruise, different entertainment and activities were available. From trivia to karaoke, to a quest game and first-run movies in the theater, there was always something to do. I’ll provide more information on the activities the ship had to offer in another post. 

Pirate Night

One of the most popular nights onboard any Disney Cruise is Pirate Night. Featuring two pirate themed shows, photo opportunities and pirate music piped throughout the ship, you’ll be singing Yo-Ho the whole night through. Plus, during the day, your room steward will leave pirate squares to wear in the most piratey way possible. 

The coolest part of pirate night? Fireworks at Sea! That’s right. My best tip is to stand on the upper part of the pool deck to the right side of the ship. You’ll be able to see the fireworks, without the AquaMouse slide in the way. It’s one of the most unique and exciting experiences you’ll have when onboard the Disney Wish. 

Kids Club

The Disney Wish is the perfect place to bring your children on vacation. During select times onboard, you can enjoy open house hours as an adult, where you can view all of the kids fun for yourself.

The Oceaneers Club is broken down into various sections. From the Star Wars Cargo Bay to the Avengers Campus, Fairytale Hall, Walt Disney Imagineering and Mickey and Minnie’s Captain’s Deck, there is something for every Disney fan. Plus, the smallest kiddos can nap the day away at the Small World Nursery.

Star Wars Cargo Bay looks like an interactive version of the Star Wars attractions in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The Avengers Campus is also home to some of the coolest superhero gear and the ability to make your own uniform. Others will love Fairytale Hall with rooms like Belle’s Library, Rapunzel’s Painting Room and even a scene from Arendelle.

Your kids favorite part will be the entrance to the club! They can slide down from the top into the club! How cool is that?

Characters

If you are doing anything with Disney, you will expect characters. And there is no shortage onboard the Wish. Whether you just see Mickey walking around or visiting one of the organized meet and greets, you’ll be sure to have your shot at a character. On embarkation day, about an hour after being on the ship, I even met Captain Mickey! Be sure to keep up to date on your Disney Cruise Line App and Navigator to see all character times. 

Bars and Lounges

Just because you are on a Disney Cruise doesn’t mean that adults can’t have fun! There are a multitude of bars and lounges around the ship. 

Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge takes your taste buds on a galactic voyage around the galaxy. You’ll watch as you travel around visiting other systems and planets. The drinks are super immersive and you can even get one with a bubble on top! I mean come on! I had a delicious drink there as did my family and we even got a bubble too! 

The Bayou, themed after The Princess and the Frog, is located right across from Hyperspace Lounge and offers a gorgeous backdrop with live music and some yummy beignets. 

That’s not where the lounges end. You can also visit Keg and Compass, Nightingale’s, The Rose and Luna. 

Shopping

While there’s no casino onboard, you won’t have a problem spending money at one of the gift shops onboard. The shop names include 3 Wishes, Dory’s Forget Me Knots, Enchanted Castle Jewels, Once Upon a Time, Royal Regalia, Treasures Untold and Mickey’s Mainsail. 

Out of this list, Mickey’s Mainsail is the spot where you’ll find a lot of Disney Cruise Line merchandise, especially Disney Wish specific merchandise. Dory’s Forget Me Knots also sells swimsuits and t-shirts too. The additional stores sell a variety of jewelry, handbags and other Disney specific merchandise. 

Pools

The Disney Wish is home to quite a few pools. These include the Quiet Cove Pool, which is in the adults-only section and offers some quiet and relaxation. The pool located directly beneath the screen is Mickey’s Pool. There’s also Minnie’s Pool, Daisy’s Pool, Pluto’s Pool, Trixie’s Falls, Donald’s Pool, Goofy’s Pool, Chip & Dale’s Pool and the Toy Story Splash Zone for Kids. 

The Disney Wish is also home to the AquaMouse, a water coaster at sea. You ride in a raft and are taken through one of two story lines that play out on screens before you hit the actual slide. Wait times can be high, so maybe consider visiting while in Castaway Cay, since a lot of people get off the ship then. 

Senses Spa

The Spa onboard the Disney Wish is called Senses Spa. It is absolutely gorgeous. From earthy hallways to calming rooms, it’s the ultimate relaxation location. A lot of guests like to purchase day passes for the relaxing Rainforest Room. I took advantage of a massage, which felt amazing. My massage therapist listened to my concerns and focused on the areas I mentioned specifically. For 75 minutes it was $229 but if you are a DVC member, you receive a 20% discount while in port, which is a great deal! 

Oceanview Cabin

Onboard the Disney Wish, we had an Oceanview Cabin #9012. The room was spacious, offering a split-bathroom configuration and could sleep up to 4 guests. Plus, this room also had a space, which might have occupied a balcony normally, that offered a sitting area as well as a full length mirror. It was the perfect place for storage of luggage and there was still room to look outside the window. 

As I mentioned, the stateroom had a split-bathroom configuration, meaning the first door featured a sink and toilet while the second offered a shower and sink. This made it easy for two people to get ready and have access to a sink at the same time. 

Our room steward, Von, was awesome. He introduced himself right away, kept on top of making sure our room was clean and stocked and was a really nice person. If you like to hang things in the closet, there is ample closet space as well as drawers and space under the bed for a suitcase. 

One thing I think is important is outlets in the room. You can’t bring extension cords but there are outlets next to each bed and on the wall unit with the mirror too. 

The window in our cabin was huge, floor to ceiling circle window. It offered enough light like the balcony would and was very quiet which was nice. They also still turn down your beds on Disney and make “blanket” animals each and every night of the cruise. It’s still that Disney touch. 

Crew 

I have all wonderful things to say about the crew on the Disney Wish. Every single person was so nice and helpful. From Sharon in the gift shop, to Talya and Pringles in the MDR, Von as our Cabin Steward, Davida and Jordan at the DVC Desk and all of the countless other cast members, one was nicer than the other. 

You’ll notice the second you board the ship that her employees are so proud of what they are doing and the service that they are providing. 

Disney Vacation Club Booth 

For those of you who are DVC Members sailing on the Wish, listen up! There is a booth/alcove on Deck 5 where you are able to pick up a free gift each day. I won’t spoil those gifts for you but just know, they are pretty awesome. We met Davida and Jordan onboard and they were just the sweetest. We loved stopping by and visiting them each day. 

Final Thoughts and Opinion of the Disney Wish

I’m Disney Cruise hooked, what can I say? It’s that Disney difference you know and love. From the transfer to the ship and then back to a WDW resort, the food, the entertainment, the cast members, the room, I honestly have nothing bad to say about the Disney Wish. While it might be more expensive than other cruises, you are getting the value for your money based on the food, staff and entertainment.

Well, I’d say maybe the only bad thing is that the cruise was too short! Here are a few more pictures of this gorgeous ship!

If you haven’t sailed on the Disney Wish, you most definitely need to!

Let me know your experience on the Disney Wish below or if you have any other questions about the sailing!

Head over to @thehappiesttravelsonearth on Instagram and follow me to see more and stay tuned to the blog for more on the Disney Wish!