Truth be told, one reason you should always consider a Disney cruise is the on board experience, entertainment and activities. They really do take things to a whole other level in so many ways.
As I highlighted previously, Wish has been designed from the ground up around creating experiences and memories. And this includes adults too, with everything from how drinks are made to the actual entertainment on board.
Entertainment
Let’s start with the Walt Disney Theatre. This gorgeous Art Deco space is where you will watch the main shows on board Wish. And let me tell you, Disney does some of the best production shows at sea, of course with Disney sparkle thrown in for good measure.
On our voyage there were two theatre shows, firstly there is Disney Seas the Adventure which sees Goofy take command of Disney Wish from Captain Minnie and takes the ship on an adventure for him to find his inner captain. There’s a whole host of characters that Goofy visits on the way including Crush and Squirt (Finding Nemo), Princess Tiana, Hercules, and many other of the Disney Princesses with special renditions of songs by Elsa, Moana and Merida. The quality and style of Disney shows really are something else, and this is no exception.
The second show (which unfortunately we only got to see a few minutes of) was a retelling of The Little Mermaid. This is a modern an innovative take on a young woman learning the power of her voice. Favourite characters all come to life in the show including Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian, Flounder, Ursula and many more. It promises to be a really cool show. And that’s the tip of the iceberg, as further shows will feature in the future on board Wish.
Then there is also two cinemas on board. One great thing about Disney is the fact you can get brand-new cinema releases on board. On our sailing we had the latest Disney movies, together with the new Thor movie (literally on the day of release).
Of course, another staple of a Disney Cruise is the opportunity to meet your favourite Disney characters, including classic characters, princesses, Marvel and Star Wars. Throughout the day you’ll find various opportunities to meet your favourites and make memories. I have to say it’s quite intoxicating and you can’t help but want to have a photo taken with them – you really are drawn into the Disney spirit of things (I managed to get a mild obsession with Daisy Duck through my time on board!).
On the top deck, you’ll find that throughout the day there will be movies shown on the big screen around the main pool. And there will be parties during events such as sail-away where your favourite Disney characters will make an appearance and get you into the Disney Cruise spirit.
Something not to be missed is the evening deck parties on board. I’ve seen a couple of these in the past, but none compare to the new Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party on Disney wish. Featuring live rock music, many a pirate (including Captain Redd, who is a descendent of Captain Redd from the Pirate’s of the Caribbean ride at Disney World) and of course Captain Jack Sparrow making an appearance by jumping from on top of the funnel – it’s such good fun. And of course, the highlight is the fireworks finale. It’s such a unique experience that cannot be missed.
If you click here, you can see the full show in all it’s glory – just swipe through my Instagram Highlights.
Activities on board
You’ll find a plethora of activities taking place all day long on board Disney Wish (and of course on top of that you have a whole multitude of activities for kids and youngsters of all ages). In the day, this mostly is focussed around family friends activities, quizzes, trivia and the like. So, venues like Luna, which is a multi-functional activity space really do come into their own. This space is very large, with tiered seating overlooking the main stage. The design is clever as the upper tier is open and is closely linked with other venues (such as the Keg & Compass Pub) allowing for plenty of onlooking.
The AquaMouse
Then there is of course the mouse in the room, the AquaMouse water coaster. This Disney’s first attraction at sea. There will be multiple stories and we exprienced the “Swiss Meltdown’ story (which you can watch below). The experience includes animated scenes, interactive elements, special effects and of course the water coaster itself including inside and outside elements and portions where you hang off the side of the ship. So. Much. Fun.
Adults are not forgotten on Disney and in fact so much around the ship has been designed for adults. Whether that’s the adult venues on board serving craft and out of this world cocktails (more on that later), parties on deck, adults-based trivia or of course a silent disco (a must on a cruise!). You can read more widely about the adult experience on board here.
So, what do you think of the opportunities for experiences on board Design Wish? Let me know in the comments and on social media.
To return to the start of our review of Disney Wish, click below.