Travel with a Navigator: Disney Wish from a Navigator's Perspective

A room fit for royalty.

At least, that was my first thought as I stepped into the Grand Hall- the heart of the Disney Wish. The Cinderella-inspired hall was airy and elegant with a touch of whimsy and magic, and it perfectly set the tone for what the rest of the ship would be like. The Cinderella statue at the base of the grand staircase served as a reminder that a dream that you wish will come true. The idea of dreams and wishes coming true is the fabric that runs through every inch of the ship.

I sailed on the Disney Wish in early February 2023. This is the fifth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. It currently sails out of Port Canaveral for 3 and 4 night sailings to The Bahamas, stopping in Nassau and Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island). The ship has garnered much interest, so today I’m walking you though my thoughts. I traveled with my friend, and we had no children in our party, so this post will be looking at the highlights from my trip from an adult perspective.

Food

During my voyage, I dined at 1923, Worlds of Marvel, Arendelle, Marceline. In true Disney fashion, everything onboard is impeccably themed, and the dining options were certainly no exception.

1923 is on an onboard restaurant that pulls inspiration from the glamour and elegance of 1920s Hollywood. Despite being on a bustling cruise ship, the restaurant managed to feel intimate. The menu is distinctly Californian- bringing together Asian, European, and South American cuisines. I found the food to be equal parts fresh and bold, with unique and exciting pairings. What is enjoyable about 1923 is that they have two sides. The Walt and Roy sides are both different and feature their artwork. My tip for this restaurant is to visit during the day to view both sides.

Worlds of Marvel is an onboard restaurant where superheroes are front and center. This restaurant takes “dinner and a show”, and gives it an exciting technological spin, allowing diners to take an active role in what’s happening around them. This restaurant is for anyone who has ever dreamed of feeling like an Avenger- and let’s be honest, who hasn’t? The menu is inspired by settings in the MCU, like Wakanda, New York City, and Sokovia. The food was slightly more experimental than I would’ve expected, but delicious nonetheless.

Arendelle is, of course, inspired by everyone’s favorite sisters, Anna and Elsa, and their homeland of Arendelle. This restaurant will make you feel as though you left the high seas and stepped into the ever-enchanting Arendelle, perfect for any fans of the Frozen franchise. The menu has a Nordic flare that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall, I found that I most enjoyed the pasta dishes. They all seemed so fresh and like they were made from scratch. My top favorite dish from the entire trip was the Golden Mystic Pasta at Worlds of Marvel because of the freshness and uniqueness of the dish. My favorite dessert was Kvawfjordkake (Butter cake, baked almond meringue, vanilla cream, berry compote) from Arendelle, as it was equal parts cozy and exciting. Arendelle was probably my favorite restaurant because I truly felt like I was transported right into the movies. However, I recommend avoiding this restaurant if you don't love crowds, as the space did feel a bit small and some people did not enjoy the environment.

In addition to restaurants, we also visited several bars while onboard. The ship boasts an impressive over 20 bars, and we were able to visit four of them- Cove Café, Nightingale’s, Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, and The Bayou. I was most impressed with the Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge because of the impressive, elegant design that felt very technologically advanced. All of the bars were exceptionally themed, and I really enjoyed visiting as many as possible. My favorite drink was the Spire Sunset, a sweet and fruity cocktail featuring kumquat, lychee, and coconut.

Onboard Activities

There was no shortage of activities available while onboard, though I regrettably did not get the chance to take part in many of them. However, one attraction I did try that I really enjoyed was the AquaMouse. AquaMouse is a 760 foot waterslide inspired by old Disney shorts. This is a unique attraction that is a slide and a show all at the same time, and it earns riders gorgeous ocean views before landing them into the ship’s lazy river.

The ship also featured many shows. I had the opportunity to watch Disney Seas the Adventure, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin. Disney Seas the Adventure features the classic Disney characters we all know and love and tells the story of Goofy becoming captain in a Broadway-style show. This show is unique to the Disney Wish, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. The Little Mermaid was an updated retelling of a classic story, focusing on Ariel wanting to have legs for herself and her own happiness, not just for love (though the love element is still there!). I was happy to see that the show kept some of my favorite elements, like some classic songs, while still feeling new and fresh. My favorite show was Aladdin. This show truly brought Broadway to the high seas and featured a talented cast to retell this classic story. I especially loved Aladdin because it was so funny. Some of you (like me) may even recognize this show and the props from its time at the California Adventure park. If you’ve ever been to Animal Kingdom and enjoyed the shows there, I think you would really enjoy the shows onboard the Disney Wish, as I found them to be similar.

Another onboard highlight for me was the spa. To put it simply, the spa was absolutely breathtaking. Had it been a longer sailing, I would have absolutely sprung for a cruise pass. Because the day passes sold out somewhat quickly, I was not able to grab one, so learn from my mistake and get a day pass early if the spa interests you. There were so many services in the spa, and while I was unfortunately unable to take advantage of any, they are certainly at the top of my to-do list next time I’m on the Disney Wish. The facials and massages looked especially promising.

Ports

The Disney Wish stopped at Nassau and Castaway Cay. Because I’ve visited Nassau before, I opted to stay onboard and explore the ship further. I highly recommend doing this if your cruise is visiting somewhere that you’ve been before and feel that you’ve explored thoroughly! The ship is often much emptier so you can take advantage of some of the more popular attractions and restaurants.

Castaway Cay is Disney’s private island, and I did get off at this stop. As a Royal Caribbean fan, I couldn’t help but compare Castaway Cay to Perfect Day at CocoCay. While both offer many activities, I found Castaway Cay to be more spread out and require more walking. I did not take advantage of any excursions offered, though parasailing and banana boats looked like so much fun. I did, however, complete a 5k! This has been a longtime goal of mine, and getting to check it off my bucket list in such a gorgeous location was so exciting. It was also a great way to see the island! I did not know about the 5k before my cruise, so I was thankful that it was completely self-paced and I was able to walk as much as needed. I even got an award at the end!

Staterooms

I stayed in an Oceanview Balcony. While the room was very nice, I found it to be a bit cramped when the bunk beds were open. The views were, of course, unbeatable. I loved having my own balcony so that I could enjoy the ocean views in the privacy of my own home away from home.

I also really enjoyed the bathrooms. I appreciated that the shower and toilet were separate, especially since I was traveling with my friend. While one person was in one space, the other was still accessible.

There are a few things I learned while onboard that I think could be useful information. First of all, the top bunk has a charging port where the light is. Plugs are certainly limited, so cruise-approved power devices definitely come in handy! Second, the toilet room has a nightlight that can be turned on which I ended up using frequently.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful cruise. I think it would be ideal for families with young children. While my friend and I were able to fill our time while onboard, it definitely seemed to be more geared toward children. The onboard kids club was huge, and would be perfect for adults to drop their kids off and then go enjoy the available adult activities, like lounges and nightclubs, or go lay out in the sun and get that much-needed relaxation. If you are an adult without a child who is interested in sailing with Disney, don’t let this scare you! There were plenty of adult-only areas to take advantage of.

I felt that the pools left something to be desired. While there were many pools onboard, they were all fairly small. This was not a problem for me, but if you are someone who is very interested in onboard pools, it’s definitely something to note.

My favorite moment on board was watching the wedding that took place. As a Navigator, I was pleased to learn that Disney Wish offers the opportunity for onboard weddings, and as a guest onboard, it was so special to be a part of such a beautiful moment. Of course, the wedding was stunning, as all Disney weddings are. I also really enjoyed the shows and recommend that anyone traveling on Disney Wish take advantage of them.

If you’re considering going on Disney Wish, please keep in mind that there is so much to do. It is impossible to fit everything in just 3-4 days, so take the pressure off of yourself and pick 3 must-do experiences and 5 character meetups and prioritize those. List everything else you’re interested in from top to bottom and get in what you can. If you’re interested in booking a trip on the Disney Wish, fill out the form on our website, and we’ll get you onboard to experience the magic for yourself firsthand!

Until our next adventure...
Your Vacation Navigator
💟 Kathryn Wanzek 💟