To have the opportunity to go on a Disney cruise is the ultimate in family vacation! It really feels like the trip of a lifetime and once you've sailed with Disney Cruise Line (DCL), you will promise yourself that you will definitely be back at some point in your life! I've been on a cruise before although it was only a 3 night cruise, it sure felt like decadence on a ship! With Disney, the decadence, the service, the attention to detail, the dining, the entertainment, the activities, the staterooms and there is so much more! There is truly something for everyone on a Disney cruise and regardless of age, I guarantee you will find entertainment and enjoyment on a Disney cruise!
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The Disney Wonder is one of 4 ships that Disney sails - Disney Magic, sister ship to the Wonder, and the Disney Dream and Fantasy round out the 4 ships available. Disney sails to many exciting destinations including The Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska and the Mediterranean. On the 7 night cruise to Alaska, we spent 2 days at sea, visited the fjords at Tracy Arm to view glaciers, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan before departing and arriving at Vancouver, BC.
The moment you enter the ship, your family is warmly greeted with a cheerful welcome from the crew, and an announcement is made over the microphone: "The Disney Wonder welcomes .......the Tsang Family!" and all the crew members applaud and give you the grandest entrance onto the ship! You instantly feel the magic of Disney and the feeling never leaves you, even a week after you get off the ship!
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 Deck 4 |  Deck 9 |
 Deck 10 |  Deck 10 |
SAIL AWAY PARTY!
As the ship gets ready to sail off from Vancouver, there is a "Sail Away" Party on Deck 9 to get everyone in sailing mood! Disney Cast members and characters come out for a huge dance party on the top deck to celebrate as we head to sea!
As the ship gets ready to sail off from Vancouver, there is a "Sail Away" Party on Deck 9 to get everyone in sailing mood! Disney Cast members and characters come out for a huge dance party on the top deck to celebrate as we head to sea!
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ROTATIONAL DINING
The dining on Disney Cruise Line is unique from other cruise lines with its rotational dining experience. You dine at a different restaurant each night (3 main dining restaurants rotated throughout the cruise) but your service team moves with you each night. So you have the same servers who get to know your preferences, allergies and other food sensitivity concerns but dine in a different themed restaurant each night.
Animator's Palate
Creativity is abound at Animator's Palate! The restaurant is based on an artist's studio theme, where the creation of animated characters begin. And the food takes on an American and Pacific Rim cuisine menu.
 Animator's Palate |  Sorcerer Mickey visits! |
(Video courtesy of DixielandMomReviews on YouTube)
Parrot Cay
Parrot Cay is a Caribbean-themed restaurant that brings the colourful and relaxed atmosphere of the Caribbean. It's the perfect place for buffet style meals for breakfast, lunch and is one of the three main dining restaurants.
Parrot Cay is a Caribbean-themed restaurant that brings the colourful and relaxed atmosphere of the Caribbean. It's the perfect place for buffet style meals for breakfast, lunch and is one of the three main dining restaurants.
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Triton's
Triton's is named for Ariel's father in the The Little Mermaid and offers fine dining "under the sea". Triton's offers a la carte breakfast and lunch, and dinner options include a slight French flair.
Triton's is named for Ariel's father in the The Little Mermaid and offers fine dining "under the sea". Triton's offers a la carte breakfast and lunch, and dinner options include a slight French flair.
Other dining options include The Beach Blanket buffet on Deck 9, which is a buffet style restaurant serving meals all day long. Quick service restaurants on deck 9 are also available to serve food whenever the hunger strikes! Goofy's Galley offers unlimited free ice cream (one of our favourite stops!) and lots of healthy food options include fresh fruit, salads, wraps and sandwiches. Head across the pool to Pluto's Dog House for hot dogs and burgers, or Pinocchio's Pizzeria for fresh pizza slices all day long.
For those looking for a quiet dining alternative, there are several adult
only (18+) areas on the ship that caters to adults only for a relaxing and
quiet experience onboard the ship. Palo, is an adult only restaurant,
open only on sea days featuring high end Italian cuisine. Located on
deck 10, adults can enjoy a fine dining experience with outstanding service, gorgeous views, Italian specialties in a cozy and intimate atmosphere.
Palo is available for supper and brunch and is an experience that is not
to be missed upon a Disney cruise!
The Cove Cafe is an adult only cafe where guests can enjoy specialty coffees, cocktails and cigars in a quiet, relaxing cafe overlooking the gorgeous ocean views. Coffee at the beverage station is included with your cabin fare however the Cove Cafe serves specialty coffees including cappuccinos, espressos, and the like.
[DCL Travel Tip: Make sure you obtain a coffee card when you purchase coffees at the Cove Cafe as you will receive the 6th drink free! ]
[DCL Travel Tip: Make sure you obtain a coffee card when you purchase coffees at the Cove Cafe as you will receive the 6th drink free! ]
ACCOMMODATIONS
Disney Cruises have a variety of different stateroom options to suit all ages and family sizes. Beginning with inside staterooms, rooms include a queen size bed, single convertible sofa and a pull out bed upper berth (in some). Standard inside staterooms (184 sq ft) do not include windows and can sleep 3-4 people. Deluxe inside staterooms offer an extra 30 sq ft for a more comfortable fit for a family of 4, with rooms at 214 sq ft. The layout is similar however it does include a split bath with tub and shower.
Disney Cruises have a variety of different stateroom options to suit all ages and family sizes. Beginning with inside staterooms, rooms include a queen size bed, single convertible sofa and a pull out bed upper berth (in some). Standard inside staterooms (184 sq ft) do not include windows and can sleep 3-4 people. Deluxe inside staterooms offer an extra 30 sq ft for a more comfortable fit for a family of 4, with rooms at 214 sq ft. The layout is similar however it does include a split bath with tub and shower.
 Standard inside stateroom (184 sq ft)  Split bath, available in all stateroom categories, except the standard inside staterooms. |  Deluxe inside stateroom (214 sq ft)  Pull out upper berth for the 4th passenger on top, single convertible pull out sofa on bottom. |
Oceanview rooms include the following:
- Deluxe ocean view staterooms (204 sq ft, sleeps 3-4)
- Deluxe family ocean view staterooms (241 sq ft, sleeps 3-5)
- Deluxe ocean view stateroom with verandah (246 sq ft, including verandah, sleeps 3-4)
- Deluxe family ocean view state room with verandah (299 sq ft including verandah, sleeps 4-5)
- Deluxe ocean view staterooms (204 sq ft, sleeps 3-4)
- Deluxe family ocean view staterooms (241 sq ft, sleeps 3-5)
- Deluxe ocean view stateroom with verandah (246 sq ft, including verandah, sleeps 3-4)
- Deluxe family ocean view state room with verandah (299 sq ft including verandah, sleeps 4-5)
 Deluxe ocean view stateroom (204 sq ft) |  Deluxe ocean view stateroom with verandah (246 sq ft) |
[DCL Travel Tip: If you're celebrating a special occasion during your cruise, make sure you let Disney know and they will help make it extra special for you!] They will decorate your door and/or cabin to welcome you when you first arrive! Repeat cruisers will also receive special Disney gifts when they arrive as well!
ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES
You may wonder, "What is there to do on the ship? We're at sea for a couple of those days, what do you do? Will I get bored?"
The answer is an unequivocal "NO!!"
If you have ever been to Disneyland Resort in California, or Walt Disney World in Orlando, you may be familiar with the "busyness" and "so much to do!" aspect in the parks! Disney has designed their parks with so many offerings, and options that you simply cannot do everything you want to to do, and when you want, thereby securing a future visit to do the things you didn't get to do. Well, on a Disney cruise, they have succeeded to offer the same with their activities and entertainment. On a 7 day cruise, there were so many things to do that we did not get the chance to do even half of what we had originally planned! And there truly is something for everyone on a Disney cruise!
Character Fun
You can't go on any Disney vacation without meeting any Disney characters! The beauty of a Disney cruise is that there are plenty of opportunities to meet with Disney characters and the line ups are not very long!! So many photo opportunities are abound and sometimes you may even "bump" into characters as they stroll the ship! Here are only "some" of our character meet and greets!
You may wonder, "What is there to do on the ship? We're at sea for a couple of those days, what do you do? Will I get bored?"
The answer is an unequivocal "NO!!"
If you have ever been to Disneyland Resort in California, or Walt Disney World in Orlando, you may be familiar with the "busyness" and "so much to do!" aspect in the parks! Disney has designed their parks with so many offerings, and options that you simply cannot do everything you want to to do, and when you want, thereby securing a future visit to do the things you didn't get to do. Well, on a Disney cruise, they have succeeded to offer the same with their activities and entertainment. On a 7 day cruise, there were so many things to do that we did not get the chance to do even half of what we had originally planned! And there truly is something for everyone on a Disney cruise!
Character Fun
You can't go on any Disney vacation without meeting any Disney characters! The beauty of a Disney cruise is that there are plenty of opportunities to meet with Disney characters and the line ups are not very long!! So many photo opportunities are abound and sometimes you may even "bump" into characters as they stroll the ship! Here are only "some" of our character meet and greets!
 Goofy! What a goof! |  Captain Jack Sparrow |  Princesses galore with Anna and Elsa (Frozen), Ariel (Little Mermaid), Rapunzel (Tangled) and Cinderella. |
And of course you can't forget about Mickey and Minnie! Mickey and Minnie are present on the ship as Sorcerer Mickey, Alaska Mickey and Minnie, Captain Mickey and Minnie and formal night themed "Golden" Mickey and Minnie!
 Dancing with Golden Mickey & Minnie  Alaska Mickey |  Golden Mickey & Minnie (formal night)  Alaska Minnie |
The biggest bonus of this cruise was the opportunity to meet Anna and Elsa from Frozen! After getting a scheduled meeting time with Anna and Elsa, the wait time was MAYBE 5 minutes before you got to meet the princesses! FIVE MINUTES!! That's it!! Compared to 2 to 3 hour line ups in the Disney parks?? Well worth the cruise! My daughter is the biggest Frozen fan (as is almost any child these days, boys included!) and I couldn't help but skip a beat when I met the princesses themselves! Here is one of my favourite photos from our meet and greet - you can't help but feel the Disney magic and the memories they create with that GRIN!
Kids Clubs
Disney cruises are designed for kids and for families. They have different clubs for different age groups to ensure that there is something for everyone. Parents can register their children for the kids clubs, which include plenty of scheduled programs to keep kids busy and entertained. Once the kids are dropped off, parents can enjoy the cruise activities however they wish!
Flounder's Reef Nursery is an area for babies and toddlers, ages 3 months to 3 years. Children are cared for by trained counsellors to tend to young babies and toddlers. For kids ages 3 to 12, the Oceaneer Lab and Oceaneer Club are 2 different areas for kids to play, learn and have adventures. Themed programs are offered daily so kids will never be bored! Edge, is a tween-inspired play space for kids ages 11 to 14 where kids can interact with other tweens, lounge in a high-tech environment and sing karaoke, go on scavenger hunts and so much more. Activities designed for the tween age group! Vibe, is the next club up for ages 14 to 17 with similar themed activities in a lounge area that is designed for this age group as well. Teens can watch TV, play video games and make new friends in the Vibe!
There is an additional cost to use Flounder's Reef Nursery. There is no additional cost to use the other kids club programs and facilities. They are all included in the basic cabin fare. Kids clubs are open all day until midnight, and there is no limit on how often you utilize the kids clubs. All the Youth counsellors are properly trained to look after and entertain your children so parents can freely enjoy some free time without the kids!
Families who choose the second dining seating can opt to utilize the "Dine and Play" Program. Servers will serve the kids meals first and once they are finished their meals, Youth Counsellors from the kids clubs can take the kids to the clubs and entertain them while the adults can enjoy their dinner quietly and comfortably without kids, if they so choose.
Adult Only
Without having to entertain kids on vacation, adults have plenty of opportunities to enjoy some adult only time in many adult only activities and spaces. Diversion and Cadillac Lounge are 2 adult only lounges where adults can enjoy drinks and cocktails, music and entertainment. The Quiet Cove Pool is a pool area for aunts only where they can enjoy pool areas and activities in a relaxing and quiet atmosphere.
Disney cruises are designed for kids and for families. They have different clubs for different age groups to ensure that there is something for everyone. Parents can register their children for the kids clubs, which include plenty of scheduled programs to keep kids busy and entertained. Once the kids are dropped off, parents can enjoy the cruise activities however they wish!
Flounder's Reef Nursery is an area for babies and toddlers, ages 3 months to 3 years. Children are cared for by trained counsellors to tend to young babies and toddlers. For kids ages 3 to 12, the Oceaneer Lab and Oceaneer Club are 2 different areas for kids to play, learn and have adventures. Themed programs are offered daily so kids will never be bored! Edge, is a tween-inspired play space for kids ages 11 to 14 where kids can interact with other tweens, lounge in a high-tech environment and sing karaoke, go on scavenger hunts and so much more. Activities designed for the tween age group! Vibe, is the next club up for ages 14 to 17 with similar themed activities in a lounge area that is designed for this age group as well. Teens can watch TV, play video games and make new friends in the Vibe!
There is an additional cost to use Flounder's Reef Nursery. There is no additional cost to use the other kids club programs and facilities. They are all included in the basic cabin fare. Kids clubs are open all day until midnight, and there is no limit on how often you utilize the kids clubs. All the Youth counsellors are properly trained to look after and entertain your children so parents can freely enjoy some free time without the kids!
Families who choose the second dining seating can opt to utilize the "Dine and Play" Program. Servers will serve the kids meals first and once they are finished their meals, Youth Counsellors from the kids clubs can take the kids to the clubs and entertain them while the adults can enjoy their dinner quietly and comfortably without kids, if they so choose.
Adult Only
Without having to entertain kids on vacation, adults have plenty of opportunities to enjoy some adult only time in many adult only activities and spaces. Diversion and Cadillac Lounge are 2 adult only lounges where adults can enjoy drinks and cocktails, music and entertainment. The Quiet Cove Pool is a pool area for aunts only where they can enjoy pool areas and activities in a relaxing and quiet atmosphere.
 Diversions Lounge |  Cadillac Lounge |
There are many activities for adults to enjoy without the kids including wine tasting, champagne tastings, whisky tastings, chocolate and liquor tastings, cocktails, etc. If you don't drink, you can choose to participate in other activities including animation classes and game show trivia activities that don't include kids. If you want to participate in these activities as a family, they also have family friendly options so kids don't miss out if you want to participate together!
 Mixology class - cocktail making class |  Wine tasting |  Animation class - learn to draw characters! |
Family Friendly Areas
Family vacations are all about spending time with the family and there are lots of areas and activities for families of all ages and sizes to go and take part in. Wavebands and Studio Sea are two lounge areas that often have activities for trivia games, dance parties, and other family friendly entertainment.
Route 66
Family vacations are all about spending time with the family and there are lots of areas and activities for families of all ages and sizes to go and take part in. Wavebands and Studio Sea are two lounge areas that often have activities for trivia games, dance parties, and other family friendly entertainment.
Route 66
   Wavebands Lounge |    Studio Sea |
Of course you can't forget the pools! Mickey's Pool and Mickey's Slide is perfect for kids of all ages. Mickey's Splash Zone is for infants and toddlers who are not potty trained. Goofy's Pool is for kids and adults who want to be within visual distance of their kids, but yet not within splashing zone!
 Mickey's Pool and Mickey's Slide |  Goofy's Pool |
Theatre and Broadway-style Shows
While on a Disney cruise, it is imperative to take in all the entertainment and shows options they put on each day. Each night, a Personal Navigator is delivered to your stateroom (and can also be accessed on the DCL app if you download to your phone), which outlines all the daily activities scheduled for your enjoyment. On a 7 night cruise, there are three Broadway-style shows not to be missed! All shows are in the Walt Disney Theatre, a grand theatre that provides an impressive setting for their shows and movie experiences. There is also the Buena Vista theatre that shows movies throughout the day if you wish to get away from the busyness of the cruise activities.
Shows included the "Welcome Aboard" show which was an amusing welcoming show for the cruise experience. The Golden Mickeys was our formal evening, and showcased the Mickey awards to the strengths of what Disney has brought us in movies and theatre. Toy Story: The Musical was a live on stage reproduction of the movie for the Pixar-themed evening. And Enchanted Dreams was the closing Broadway-style show, which showcased that if you believe, you can make your dreams come true! The music, the choreography and talent of the performers made the shows an unforgettable live theatre experience!
While on a Disney cruise, it is imperative to take in all the entertainment and shows options they put on each day. Each night, a Personal Navigator is delivered to your stateroom (and can also be accessed on the DCL app if you download to your phone), which outlines all the daily activities scheduled for your enjoyment. On a 7 night cruise, there are three Broadway-style shows not to be missed! All shows are in the Walt Disney Theatre, a grand theatre that provides an impressive setting for their shows and movie experiences. There is also the Buena Vista theatre that shows movies throughout the day if you wish to get away from the busyness of the cruise activities.
Shows included the "Welcome Aboard" show which was an amusing welcoming show for the cruise experience. The Golden Mickeys was our formal evening, and showcased the Mickey awards to the strengths of what Disney has brought us in movies and theatre. Toy Story: The Musical was a live on stage reproduction of the movie for the Pixar-themed evening. And Enchanted Dreams was the closing Broadway-style show, which showcased that if you believe, you can make your dreams come true! The music, the choreography and talent of the performers made the shows an unforgettable live theatre experience!
 Buena Vista Theatre |  Walt Disney Theatre (lounge area) |  Welcome Aboard! |
If you like movies, there is an endless supply of Disney movies you can watch. In the comfort of your stateroom, there are Disney movies playing in different channels throughout the day. Order some room service and enjoy movies in your cabin! Movies also play in the Buena Vista Theatre and the Walt Disney Theatre. Check the Personal Navigator for movies and showtimes. If there is a new Disney movie that is being released while you are onboard, you get the opportunity to watch the movie at the release time! On our cruise, the movie "Guardians of the Galaxy" was being released so it was offered to us on the cruise and playing at the same time the movie was released in Los Angeles!
Why cruise with Disney?
- There is really something for everyone. It is the perfect vacation for families of all ages, multi-generational families, kids and adults alike.
- Unique dining experiences with themes and unforgettable cuisine
- Outstanding and excellent customer service. Once you've been pampered by the service of Disney crew, other cruise ship experiences will not compare.
- Cleanliness - the attention to detail for cleanliness completely exceeds even the most cautious micro-germophobe! Sanitizing stations are abound everywhere and sanitizing wipes are required before any entry into a restaurant or foodservice area. Attendants are present in or outside the public washroom to clean and sanitize the washrooms after customer use. The food buffet counter areas and the beverage counter areas were always wiped down and there is never a drop of food or drink on the counters. Supplies were always stocked and trash bins were never overflowing. The amount of attention paid to cleanliness is one of the primary reasons people and families sail with Disney.
- Most of the ship's activities, food and beverages are included in the cabin fare so there is no "extra" to pay when you board. Disney also permits guests to bring their own alcohol onboard (as long as it is in their carry on and not checked in) so you are free to drink your own alcohol (in your stateroom). Alcoholic beverages are additional cost if purchased onboard.
- Organization - everything is organized to the last minute detail. The embarking and disembarking process was a breeze! On another cruise, I remember the disembarking process taking hours and was incredibly frustrating, but a part of the process. Disney had all guests disembarked by 9:00am on the day of arrival and getting ready for the next wave of guests beginning to embark by 11:00am. If that is not efficiency and productivity, I'm not sure what is!
Year after year Disney Cruise Line continues to win numerous awards for vacation experiences. Disney has one of the highest repeat cruisers than any other cruise line. Once you've sailed with Disney, you will know why! :) With the next cruise you take, Disney will have little gifts to give you for being a loyal customer and you join they Castaway Club the minute you book your second cruise with them. Castaway Club members receive lanyards indicating their status in the club. Silver members have been on 2 to 5 cruises, Gold members are in the 5 to 10 cruise category and Platinum members have silted with Disney 10 or more cruises! They offer fantastic bounce back offers if you book your next cruise with them before you disembark.
If you have any questions regarding Disney cruises or Disney vacations, please contact me! There is so much information that it is difficult to include it all in one blog post but there will be more to come so please stay tuned! Also, there are lots of photos on my Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/ReneeTsangTravel) so please feel free to check it out and give me a quick "like" to stay updated!
- There is really something for everyone. It is the perfect vacation for families of all ages, multi-generational families, kids and adults alike.
- Unique dining experiences with themes and unforgettable cuisine
- Outstanding and excellent customer service. Once you've been pampered by the service of Disney crew, other cruise ship experiences will not compare.
- Cleanliness - the attention to detail for cleanliness completely exceeds even the most cautious micro-germophobe! Sanitizing stations are abound everywhere and sanitizing wipes are required before any entry into a restaurant or foodservice area. Attendants are present in or outside the public washroom to clean and sanitize the washrooms after customer use. The food buffet counter areas and the beverage counter areas were always wiped down and there is never a drop of food or drink on the counters. Supplies were always stocked and trash bins were never overflowing. The amount of attention paid to cleanliness is one of the primary reasons people and families sail with Disney.
- Most of the ship's activities, food and beverages are included in the cabin fare so there is no "extra" to pay when you board. Disney also permits guests to bring their own alcohol onboard (as long as it is in their carry on and not checked in) so you are free to drink your own alcohol (in your stateroom). Alcoholic beverages are additional cost if purchased onboard.
- Organization - everything is organized to the last minute detail. The embarking and disembarking process was a breeze! On another cruise, I remember the disembarking process taking hours and was incredibly frustrating, but a part of the process. Disney had all guests disembarked by 9:00am on the day of arrival and getting ready for the next wave of guests beginning to embark by 11:00am. If that is not efficiency and productivity, I'm not sure what is!
Year after year Disney Cruise Line continues to win numerous awards for vacation experiences. Disney has one of the highest repeat cruisers than any other cruise line. Once you've sailed with Disney, you will know why! :) With the next cruise you take, Disney will have little gifts to give you for being a loyal customer and you join they Castaway Club the minute you book your second cruise with them. Castaway Club members receive lanyards indicating their status in the club. Silver members have been on 2 to 5 cruises, Gold members are in the 5 to 10 cruise category and Platinum members have silted with Disney 10 or more cruises! They offer fantastic bounce back offers if you book your next cruise with them before you disembark.
If you have any questions regarding Disney cruises or Disney vacations, please contact me! There is so much information that it is difficult to include it all in one blog post but there will be more to come so please stay tuned! Also, there are lots of photos on my Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/ReneeTsangTravel) so please feel free to check it out and give me a quick "like" to stay updated!
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