I went on my first Disney cruise once I was 9 years previous. In all my years of cruising since then, I’ve by no means been as excited to get on a ship as I used to be to board that one … till I booked a crusing on the brand new Disney Wish. I could not wait to expertise its brand-new eating places, state-of-the-art Broadway-style reveals and tastefully designed staterooms.
As a Platinum Castaway Club member (Disney’s loyalty tier for cruisers who’ve been on 10 or extra cruises), I’ve sailed on all of the Disney ships. My final Disney cruise was in 2020. Although I’ve tried each different main cruise line, Disney Cruise Line has remained my go-to as a result of I am keen on the model’s distinctive meals, top-notch leisure and enjoyable excursions in port.
Disney Wish promised to supply all that and extra. I could not wait to expertise this long-anticipated new Disney cruise ship.
To my shock, Disney Wish did not convey the magic for me the best way the road’s older ships do. Here’s why.
For cruise information, evaluations and ideas, join TPG’s cruise publication.
Crowds all over the place
1 of 3
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Between its company and crew, Disney Wish carries 5,500 individuals. Although the capability of the ship is roughly on par with Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish would not appear to deal with the crowds the best way the opposite ships can.
Narrow walkways all through the bustling public areas on decks 3, 4 and 5 and on the Marceline Market buffet create bottlenecks that I did not expertise on the road’s different ships. In explicit, the hall main from the aft elevators into the foyer atrium, which is not more than 10 ft vast, will get clogged when passengers attempt to move via whereas different company are ready for his or her turns for character appearances. The location of the elevators in relation to key lower-deck public areas is completely different on Dream and Fantasy, with out as many tight passageways to impede site visitors circulation.
The different downside on this space is that the centrally positioned lounge referred to as The Bayou, the foyer on Deck 3 and the world round visitor providers on Deck 4 lack enough seating. The end result was that passengers would migrate away from these areas and sit on the ship’s grand foyer atrium stairs as they waited for his or her households to ask a query or decide up one thing in a store. Not solely did these individuals block others from passing on the central stairs, but it surely created a security hazard that the employees failed to deal with.
Up on the outer decks, wait instances for the favored AquaMouse waterslide reached 60 minutes on my cruise. Devoted cruisers eagerly awaited their turns for the 760-foot thrill trip in 20-plus mph winds. That’s a very long time to attend, particularly when there are such a lot of different actions you will wish to match into a fast three-night cruise.
Sign up for our every day publication
If you wish to strive the attraction, do not make an impromptu go to. You’ll must strategically plan when traces would be the shortest and resolve whether or not it is well worth the wait. It’s a calculation that jogged my memory of many journeys to Space Mountain. But in contrast to at Disney World, there aren’t any Lightning Lanes, and the Disney Cruise Line app would not show wait instances.
Even port days did not relieve the crowding as a result of so many passengers stayed on board Disney Wish, prioritizing the ship’s points of interest over land-based excursions.
The points prolonged into the principle eating rooms, too. With no various inches between my household’s desk and the desk adjoining to us, a passenger from the desk subsequent to me inadvertently positioned her elbow on my armrest — a testomony to simply how shut dinner tables are to 1 one other. Plus, servers have been routinely bumping into tables and knocking over glasses as they negotiated the tight areas.
These points aren’t merely resulting from the truth that the ship is large. I’ve sailed on comparably sized Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line ships the place crowds have not dampened the cruise’s enjoyment and passenger circulation isn’t an issue. In the case of Disney Wish, the ship’s explicit format, with slender hallways and an insufficient ratio of venues to passage house, doesn’t go away sufficient room for individuals to stroll and sit in its most trafficked public areas.
Related: The final information to Disney Cruise Line ships and itineraries
The eating and leisure did not mesh properly collectively
As a complete, the meals on board Disney Wish was wonderful. High-quality choices within the buffet included Alaskan crab legs, rooster tikka masala and falafel salads. The pesto gnocchi and lobster pappardelle on the cruise line’s adults-only Palo restaurant have been top-notch, as was the service. While my crusing did not supply Disney’s lobster tails in the principle eating room, the duck confit was a strong upscale alternative.
Further, the night leisure within the Walt Disney Theatre was a few of the finest I’ve seen on a ship. In explicit, “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” have been showstoppers.
Entertainment within the eating places? Not a lot.
When I used to sail Disney as a child, the one dinner reveals have been in Animator’s Palate, one of many three major eating rooms on the road’s older ships. Passengers might design their very own cartoon characters, and following the meal, the cartoon characters would seem on the displays positioned all through the restaurant. It was enjoyable, putting the appropriate stability between having fun with the meals and collaborating within the leisure between programs.
Fast ahead to 2023. In the “Frozen”-themed Arendelle restaurant on Disney Wish, the stage present is the principle occasion. While I’ve no downside with dinner theater, I discovered that the meal was handled as an afterthought, which affected meals high quality and repair. For occasion, all of the servers disappear when the singers and dancers take the stage. My dinner arrived chilly, however I had no likelihood of discovering my waiter to ask for a warm-up or alternative.
I anticipated that Disney would know how you can create an expertise that mixed nice (or at the very least acceptable) meals and repair with a energetic present, however on my cruise, it did not get the stability proper.
Some households beloved the Arendelle dinner, however personally, I did not really feel just like the present made up for the underwhelming meals. After all, I did not have many different choices for dinner; should you skip your rotational eating venue on Wish, your solely options are a sit-down meal within the buffet or paying to eat at an adults-only restaurant. At the identical time, I had loads of different alternatives to catch wonderful reveals and films elsewhere on board.
Unfortunately, I do not know if I can escape this phenomenon by returning to my beloved older Disney ships. Much to my chagrin, the dinner present is a pattern taking on Disney’s eating places. During a refurbishment, Disney Magic’s Parrot Cay was changed by Rapunzel’s Royal Table, one other instance of the cruise line’s deal with dinner leisure as an alternative of meals. I’ll must sail that ship once more to see if that venue strikes a greater stability.
Related: A newcomers information to selecting a cruise line
A less-functional format
I often study my approach round a cruise ship in a day or two, but I could not grasp the format of Disney Wish on my long-weekend cruise.
For instance, the adults-only part of the ship is on Deck 13 aft. Although there are eight elevators within the aft elevator foyer, not all go to Deck 13. Additionally, the aft staircase mysteriously ends at Deck 12. As a end result, I needed to stroll via the youngsters pool and AquaMouse space and head up a flight of stairs to entry the adults-only space. I could not get there straight.
The identical elevator mix-up holds true for the Chip ‘n Dale pool on Deck 14 ahead. I needed to switch from one elevator to a different on Deck 12 to get to Deck 14.
Another format challenge is that Disney Wish would not have a strolling observe that circles across the ship. The smaller Disney Magic and Wonder supply a 0.3-mile strolling circuit on Deck 4, which I get pleasure from for uninterrupted exercises on sea days between indulgent journeys to the buffet. The Disney Wish gives a gymnasium, however every time I went in to work out, the employees needed to take my foot impressions to promote me orthotics. I’d have most well-liked a observe to stroll or jog in peace.
Related: The 5 most fascinating cabin places on any cruise ship
Is this the brand new Disney Cruise Line?
I notice I’m a unique cruiser than I used to be on my first Disney cruise.
Nowadays, Disney Cruise Line would not earn my patronage for Mickey Mouse. Instead, a cruise for me is about allure, nice meals, superior service and a spotlight to element — and Disney Cruise Line usually excels in all these areas.
But my expertise on Disney Wish did not reside as much as expectations. While I beloved the mouthwatering dishes at Palo and the Broadway-style night reveals, the cruise ship primarily felt like a floating theme park — however one during which the crowds, lackluster mealtime leisure and barrage of stores overpowered the attract of the points of interest.
I could not get my bearings on the ship. Some passengers and crew members have been visibly overwhelmed by the crowds, which modified the temper on board. I missed the frequent, impromptu exchanges with the cruise employees and fellow company that I’ve grown to get pleasure from on the opposite ships.
Subsequently, my crusing did not really feel like a stress-free trip. Disney Wish is clearly a Disney ship, but it surely’s not the previous Disney Cruise Line I do know.
I missed the relative calm and allure of Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. On these ships, the cruise line has mastered the stability of pixie mud and a household trip.
Disney remains to be my favourite cruise line, and I do know I’ll be again on board earlier than lengthy. But the following time I cruise with Disney, you may guess it will be on one of many line’s smaller, older ships.
Planning a cruise? Start with these tales: