This is one of Disney's newest ships. It is an awesome experience. Disney Does everything first class, and this is no exception. First, getting to and on the ship is very easy. They have it down to a science. Your boarding time is based on how early you complete your online registration. The lines move relatively quickly, all things considered. They board you by group number, as if you are boarding a plane, but they have many more boarding groups. Before you board, your party will have the opportunity to take a picture against a backdrop. You can skip it though. Then you walk through the large yellow Mickey Mouse ears and you are onto the ship where your family is introduced and you board the ship. This part is a bit chaotic, because everyone is running around and exploring the ship while their rooms are getting prepared.
You can go to your room at 3PM and while you are waiting to get to your room you can tour the ship and/or eat. If you are traveling with kids, I recommend dropping by the kids club to pre-check them in. I would also visit the 11th deck where you can grab something to eat and jump in the pool, if you brought your swim suit in your carry on. Lunch is packed, but it moves quickly. You may have to seek out a table. I recommend getting the first table that becomes available. They are at a premium.
In addition to the pools on the 11th and 12th deck, there is one on the 14th deck forward that is nice. Forward on the 12th deck is where you will find the enclosed splash pad for the littles and a nice water slide.
The ship also features the Aqua mouse ride. It is a lot of hype but not that exciting a ride. A few kids that I overheard, compared it to a lazy river. I did it once and was good. There is a huge screen on deck 11 that towers above the stage, which converts to the Mickey Pool. They play Disney movies throughout the cruise on the screen. It is very nice. They periodically close all the pools for 10 minutes breaks.
For special events on the 11th deck, the remove all the chairs on the 11th and 12th decks, close all the pools and cover the Mickey Pool with a stage. This is the site for the world famous Pirate Party and the Debarkation Party.
They kids club is 1st class. I always had to fight with my littles to get them to leave.
Lunch is pretty simple on board. There is a Marceline Market, on the 11th deck, which is more of a sit down area and can get kind of busy. Also on the 11th Deck, near the pool, you will find Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods which is a collection of food options including Mickey's Smokestack Barbecue, Donald's Cantina, Daisy's Pizza Pies, Goofy's Grill, and Sweet Minnie's Ice Cream. The free soft serve here is very popular. There are self-serve drink machines in that area as well.
Dinner is rotational. You are assigned a different themed dining room each night. You rotate between Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, Worlds of Marvel: Avengers Quantum Encounter, and 1923. 1923 is the only dining option without a show and is more formal and based off of classic Disney.
They host games and other activities on the ship where you can win ship swag, and medallions. Some of the games include 80s music trivia, 90s music trivia, Sports Trivia, Name That and Know my Mate. They also have silent Dance Parties, where you jam with headphones and karaoke. They are pretty fun and the host are all awesome.
The ships has some nice bars such as, Luna, the Bayou and the Star Wars Themed Hyperspace lounge, which I all love. But if I had to pick one, I would choose the Hyperspace lounge. it is a very unique experience and you have to see the bar to believe it. It is an experience. They just request that you limit your time there so that others can enjoy it.
The ship has a few movie theaters where they play Disney movies throughout the cruise. They are very nice theaters that would put AMC to shame. The large theater, the Walt Disney Theater, is where they hold the ship's plays. The plays are amazing. I saw the Little Mermaid and Aladdin. The cast is awesome. It is the same cast for all the plays. It is Broadway quality. I would recommend getting their 30 minutes before the show to get a good seat because the shows get packed and the frown upon holding seats.
This ship has many character and backdrop photo opportunities. We left with so many photos. The photo package is a must. The photographers are everywhere. They take great photos and are so friendly.
I will admit that this ship comes at a premium price, but it is more than worth it. The entire staff was very friendly, helpful, warm and welcoming, from the waiters, bartenders, entertainment staff, stateroom attendants to characters. The ship is very clean and still has the new ship smell. They are constantly cleaning the entire ship. Disney hit every detail with this ship including the ships whistle that plays Disney Tunes and the line handlers waving goodbye with Mickey hands. read more