Disney Wonder: The Gift Your Family Deserves
Written: Mar 17 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Magnificent ship! Great food and entertainment! Castaway Cay!
Cons: Pretty expensive. Not much to do in Nassau. Only 3 or 4 nights!
The Bottom Line: If you love Disney, give the cruise a try. For families there is no better cruise line or vacation on Earth!
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| Plumdogger's Full Review: Disney Wonder |
This review has been a long time coming... It has been almost a year since we experienced the Disney Wonder for the first time. Part of the reason for my delay is the fact that my words can not do justice to the Disney Wonder experience. But I will do my best to share with you my feelings about what my family likes to call "Heaven on Earth." Buckle up its gonna be a long ride!
The Disney Wonder is one of two ships (along with the Magic) currently in the Disney Cruise Line (DCL) fleet. DCL has recently contracted with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to build two more ships set to sail in 2011 and 2012. The Wonder does 3 and 4 night cruises that visit Nassau, Bahamas and Disney's private island paradise, Castaway Cay (pronounced key). On the 4 day you get to enjoy a day at sea after your visit to Castaway Cay (however in Summer 2008 the sea day will be a second day at Castaway Cay!). My family and I have had the pleasure of doing both the 3 and 4 night cruises. The Magic does 7 night eastern and western Caribbean cruises, and specialty cruises throughout the year.
The Ship
The Disney Wonder is built to replicate the old time ocean liners from the hay day of cruising. In my opinion this is the best part of the Disney Cruise experience. The ship is immaculate! The crew keeps it spotless, and if you are ever on the ship during days at port you will periodically see crew members refinishing the decks, and painting the railings.
The ship has 10 decks. Deck 9 is the main recreational deck. This is where you will find the three pools, most of the grab and go food stations, and the complimentary drink stand. There are several lounges and public places spread about the rest of the ship that I'll get into later. Let's just say that there is no shortage of things to do on this ship!
Food
What would a cruise be without food? There is no shortage of it on the Wonder! There are 3 main dining rooms, 1 adults only restaurant, several grab and go places, room service, a buffet, and lounges that serve bar food with the spirits.
Let's start with the main dining rooms. Disney uses a rotational dining system where you eat in a different restaurant each night, but your service team stays the same. If you are on the 3 night cruise you will eat in each restaurant once, and if you are on the 4 night you will repeat on the 2nd and 3rd night, but the repeat night will have a special pirate menu. Arrgh!
Triton's
Triton's, located in the main lobby of the Wonder, is the most formal of the 3 rotation dining rooms. The specialty is seafood. The place is gorgeous! It is decorated in subtle marine colors of teal and green, and on the back wall there is a mosaic of Ariel. There is a definite French flare to the menu here, and if you want to be adventurous try the escargot! I highly recommend the duck but no one in my family was disappointed with anything they got anytime we have eaten there.
Parrot Cay
This is my favorite of the rotation restaurants. It has a very Caribbean flair to the menu and atmosphere. Bold reds and yellows match with the parrots and steel drum music playing. Be ready to get up and limbo, because this is a fun place to eat! If you are a meat eater go with the Prime Rib. It absolutely melts in your mouth. Also try the island chicken wings for an appetizer. Yummy yummy mon!
Animator's Palate
This is the showpiece of the Wonder's restaurants. It is also the only restaurant that is in your face Disney. When you come in the whole place is black and white, decorated with all of your favorite classic characters. As the meal goes on though... Let's just say things change... I won't spoil it for you too much! The show here is such a feat of imagineering that I don't really remember what my favorite dish is. But rest assured, it was delicious!
Cruise casual is the dress code for the main dining rooms. Slacks and nice shirts are expected for the men, and ladies are fine in a casual dress, or slacks and a blouse. There is a formal night, but it is completely optional.
Palo
Palo is the adults only, by reservation only restaurant on deck 10 aft. This place is elegant, serving a northern Italian menu. The food and service here is amazing. A true experience for the senses! I highly recommend reserving a time here, but be aware that the spots fill up quickly on the 3 and 4 night cruises. There is a brunch offered on the day at sea on the 4 night cruise, but I am yet to experience it. Make sure that you try the chocolate souffle, it is the specialty of the house, and must be ordered at the beginning of the meal. Obviously everything here is made to order! Be aware that there is a $15 per person fee to eat here (plus gratuity), and the dress code is more strict.
In addition to the restaurants there are several other dining options. Beach Blanket Buffet is the largest of the choices. Breakfast and lunch can get a little crowded here, and the food is good by buffet standards. The items change daily so there is plenty of diversity.
Pluto's Dog House serves your typical snack bar foods like burgers hot dogs and chicken strips. Can you figure out what they serve at Pinocchio's Pizzeria? At Scoops you can grab some fresh fruit, wraps, or soft serve ice cream. Food from all of these places is included at no extra cost so don't be shy, but if you order soft drinks (just go to the nearby beverage station for free soda) or adult beverages there will be an extra cost.
My wifes favorite place on the ship is the Cove Cafe. An adults only coffee (and cigar) bar next to the Quiet Cove (adults only) pool. Here you can grab a latte, and watch the news, or read a book, or access the internet (for a fee). There is a fee for the coffee here, but it is the only descent coffee on board, and they only charge us about half the time. There are some complementary pastries and cookies available here as well.
Staterooms
There are 12 categories to choose from here going from Standard Inside Stateroom (cat 12) to the Walt Disney Suite (cat 1). Disney staterooms are about 25% larger than the cruise line standard!
We have stayed in both the inside staterooms (cat 11), and the deluxe ocean view porthole room (cat 9). I will say that having the porthole was nice, but I can live without it. They rooms are spacious and very well designed. There is a safe in each room, and there are plenty of places to store luggage out of the way. My wifes favorite feature is there is a small bathtub! Most rooms have a split bathroom so two people can get ready at the same time. A nice feature you don't see on other cruise lines.
Be aware that if you are a family of 5 you need to book category 4 at the lowest, or get two connecting lower category rooms.
Recreation On Board
There is so much to do you won't have time. There are three pools. The Goofy Pool is for families, and this is where the huge Ariel Vision screen shows movies and special events. There are two hot tubs here as well. The Mickey Pool is for kids only. There is a water slide , and a slash zone for the non toilet trained kids. As I mentioned before the Quiet Cove pool is adults only pool. There are hot tubs, outdoor chair massages (for a fee) and a poolside bar.
In addition there is a half basketball court, fooseball and table tennis tables, and two shuffleboard courts. There is also a small arcade on board.
For people who like to work out (on vacation?) there is an amazing on site fitness area that is attached to the Vista Spa.
Ahh the spa. Here you can get your typical spa treatments and pampering, for a premium. The prices seem high to me, but I don't frequent spas often, so I have no means of comparison. I haven't had the privilege of taking part in any pampering here, but I will say this. The showers in the fitness center are to die for! I highly recommend using them at least once on your trip!
Kid's Programs
Almost the entire 5th deck is dedicated to children.
Flounder's Reef
Ages 3 months-2 years
This is the on board nursery. Here you can hand over your little ones for a little quiet time at the spa or by the pool. The staff here will take care of you little one as if it were their own. our youngest daughter loves it here. Mostly because she gets held while she watches cartoons! The cost for the nursery is $6 an hour for the first child $5 for the second.
Oceaneer Club
Ages 3-7
This place is a blast. Our oldest daughter stated off going to "the club" and she never wanted to leave. It is like a giant playground in there. They have special events that are broken up into age groups, and everyone has a blast!
Oceaneer Lab
Ages 8-12
This is where our oldest goes now. Here she can play video games, play on computer, pretend to steer the ship , and this is just unplanned time! As in the club, the kids in the lab are broken up into age groups and have their own activities. My daughter loves making Flubber and baking cookies. There is never a dull moment, and it is usually a fight to get her to do anything with us!
Aloft
Ages 13-17
This is where the teen crowd hangs out. Here they have a lot of freedom. They can order soft drinks and snacks, listen to music, play games, or just chill. It sounds like a good idea to me!
When you register your kids into the programs you are given a beeper so they can get in touch with you when needed. you have the option of letting your older kids in the lab check themselves in and out, its up to you. Otherwise they ask you for a special password that you must give when you check them out. Your child's safety is their #1 concern.
Entertainment
This is what Disney does best! Each night in the Walt Disney Theater there are family friendly, Broadway quality shows. Disney Dreams is the signature show, and it is a must see! Don't feel bad if you tear up at the end, you won't be the only one! The other two shows are The Golden Mickeys- which is an award type show with spectacular scenes- and a new Toy Story Musical which just started this year. These shows are worth your time, you will not be disappointed.
The Buena Vista theater shows first run Disney movies throughout the cruise. When we cruised in November we saw Ratatouille on its opening night! There are usually 3 or 4 different movies that show on a daily basis, so check it out!
There are also several lounges that offer different types of entertainment. Diversions is a sports type bar. Wavebands has a lot of singers and dance parties , and well as game shows. The Promenade Lounge is very spread out with lots of seating. Here you can play board games or get on the internet as well. The Cadillac Lounge has a piano bar type feel. There is also bingo on board, but there is no casino.
Ports of Call
You mean there is more to do off the ship? You bet!
Nassau, Bahamas
Welcome to the capital of the Bahamas. Here you can get off the boat and explore for yourself, or you can book a shore excursion through Disney. By far the most popular thing to do in Nassau is go to the Atlantis Resort. There is a casino, a waterpark, an aquarium, there is almost as much to do there as on the Wonder! you can also book snorkeling excursions, glass bottom boat tours, and stuff like that. I recommend going into town and hiring a carriage ride. It costs about $10-15 a person, and you get a guided tour by a local. If it is tourist season the tour will be pretty quick, but if you go at off times, you can really get a feel for the city and country. A lot of people like to go shopping here as well. Honestly Nassau isn't the best port of call, if you have been there before, you might just want to stay on the less crowded ship. Be aware that the Bahamas is a poor country. You will be hassled by the locals to buy their goods. They are not pushy, and they will leave you alone if you say no, but it will happen.
Castaway Cay
This will be the highlight of your vacation. Disney's private island paradise is just what it claims to be! Just like on the ship there are places for everyone. A family beach, a teen beach, and Serenity Bay an adults only beach on the other side of the island. While you are here you can snorkel, swim, ride bikes, or just find a hammock and relax. Lunch is served on the island at Cookie's Barbecue. The kids clubs move off ship to Scuttle's Cove. You can book a sting ray experience or you can rent boats. You can parasail or go on a banana boat ride. You options are limitless! Our favorite thing is to rent bikes and explore the abandoned landing strip and bike trails. Be sure to ride to the overlook for a great view of the ship! Be sure to get off the ship early, this day goes by fast, and you want to experience as much as you can before you leave paradise.
Plumdogger's Tips
1. Get to the cruise terminal early. You can register your kids at the programs before the rush after boarding. Also the sooner you get on the ship the quicker you can get used to the layout. Just know that your room will not be ready until at least 1:30, so pack a day bag so you can enjoy the pools while you wait.
2. Driving to the port is easy, parking is plentiful and safe ($12 per day). When you leave your car don't leave any food open in it, there is an ant problem.
3. Don't be afraid of the second dinner seating. You will feel less rushed on port days. If you worry about your kids getting hungry, refer back to the food section of this review. They won't go hungry for long!
4. To avoid crowds stay away from the buffet after boarding the ship. Parrot Cay has a nice lunch (buffet style) on embarkation day and Castaway Cay day. The food is better and it is less hectic.
5. Book your next cruise on board. You will just have to pay a deposit, and you will get a nice discount, and some added bonuses. It is no problem to change your dates later or transfer your reservation to your travel agent.
Two hours of typing and now I'm at the end. I know there is stuff I forgot, so go to www.disneycruise.com for more information. Or pick up a copy of Passporter's Guide to Disney Cruise Line.
I can't tell you how much we love this ship. Since our first cruise finished we have a constant countdown until our next cruise. As I write this we have 52 more days until our next one! I hope to see you there!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
Plumdogger
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Member: Jeremy Plumley
Location: The Nation's Capital
Reviews written: 118
Trusted by: 33 members
About Me:
A man surrounded by his three beautiful girls... And now a son!
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