Ultimate Guide to Cruising on the Disney Wish

So you’re thinking of going on a Disney Cruise Line vacation? Exciting!

Let’s cut to the chase: Disney Cruises are VERY different from Disney park vacations, so if you’ve only done the latter, there’s a lot you need to know. In some ways, Disney Cruises are less stressful, but there’s a different type of planning involved that you need to keep in mind. Specifically, if you’re sailing on the Disney Wish soon, here’s what you need to know.

Book With A Travel Agent

Honestly, between all the special deals Disney drops for cruising, discounts you may have from cruising before, and everything in between, to get the best deal on your sailing, it’s best to just book with a travel agent.

Travel agents know the ins and outs of cruises and can help you save money you had no idea you could! They’re also great for recommending things to do on board, or port adventures to do at your stops. Travel agents don’t cost you a dime (YES, THEY’RE FREE!), but can help save you tons. We love our friends over at MEI Travel personally, and they’re who we’d recommend.

Don’t Overpack OR Underpack

Don’t worry, this one is way less confusing than it sounds. We recommend making a list of all the things you’ll need during your vacation before you pack. It should look something like this:

• Bathing Suit (1-2, depending on how much you like to swim)
• A day outfit, and Dinner outfit for each night
• 1 extra outfit in case of an emergency
• 1 pair of shoes for the ship/excursions, and 1 pair of shoes for dinner (you do NOT need more than 3 pairs of shoes, we promise)
• Toiletries and medication (including motion sick medication if you’re prone to it)
• Chargers and electronics

Overpacking can be very overwhelming when you’re in such a small stateroom with other people. Pack your stuff normally, then take 30-50% of it out, if you’re an overpacker like we are. Disney cruises do have a medical station if you have an emergency, and you can purchase basic medications on board as well.

Pack Essentials in Your Purse

When you board a Disney Cruise, you’ll pull up to the terminal before you park and drop off your bags. Disney Cruise Line Cast Members will take your bags and drop them outside your stateroom, and while that’s wonderful, it means you’ll be without those bags for hours.

That’s why we recommend packing any and all essentials — electronic chargers, a book, a swimsuit, medication — in a bag you’ll keep with you as you step on the ship. This way, you can immediately start swimming, exploring, etc. without needing to wait for your bags to show up.

Take Advantage of The Food!

When you pay for a Disney Cruise, all your food (with the exception of a few fine dining restaurants and add-ons) is included in the price you paid. So take advantage of that as much as you can!

When you’re at your rotational dining, if you see two entrees you want to try, go for it! Want to eat two desserts? You’re on vacation, why not? Craving a Mickey Bar at midnight but you’re already cozy in your room? Not a problem, ROOM SERVICE IS FREE! You’ve already spent so much to be cruising with Disney, take advantage of all the meals and snacks you can.

You Don’t HAVE To Pay For Extras

Unlike many other cruise lines, lots of entertainment and dining is included on Disney Cruise Line (hence why the price tag is usually so much more expensive). However, there are a few experiences that cost extra, and while they’re pretty cool, they’re 1000% not necessary to have a great cruise.

Some of these additional charges are the signature dining restaurants Palo and Enchante, while others are port excursions you can do at your stops. If dining at one of the restaurants is a bucket list item, then go for it! Otherwise, you can have a perfectly amazing experience without spending an additional cent aboard the ship.

EXPLORE. THE. SHIP.

Every Disney Cruise Line ship is massive, but the Disney Wish is another story entirely. You will absolutely get lost, we guarantee it, and that’s okay, but that’s why you need to explore the ship as soon as you can.

There are 15 decks on the Disney Wish and most of them are open to guests exploration. We suggest that you acquaint yourself with the ship, especially the spots you plan to frequent the most (i.e. your stateroom) as soon as you can after stepping on board. And it’s not a race, you don’t need to do it as fast as you can, but if you choose to attempt to find a spot only when you need to get there, you very well may get lost and miss whatever experience you were hoping to attend.

Check Your Disney Cruise Line App

Unlike My Disney Experience, where you can check what’s going on in Disney World from hundreds of miles away, your Disney Cruise Line App won’t really come to life until you’ve started sailing. 

At that time, you need to check out EVERYTHING that the app offers. YES. EVERYTHING. One of our writers went on a Disney Cruise 3 years ago when she was at that weird age of “older than 18” but “under 21,” and she had no idea until her LAST DAY that there was a set of excursions and opportunities on the app for that EXACT age range! Disney truly does think of everything, so be sure to check out everything on the app each day!

Check Out The Kids Clubs When You Can

As adults, you will have very few opportunities to check out the Kids Clubs on board the Disney Wish before they close to the adults for the duration of the cruise. TAKE ADVANTAGE of that!

Listen, you may think that as an adult, you’ll have the most fun on the cruise. WRONG. These kids clubs are some of the coolest things we’ve ever seen, and they could entertain US for hours. Which is why we’re so glad they’re available to kids on board, but why we’re also so jealous. So please, when you get the chance to explore the kids clubs on your sail away date, DO IT!

Take A Walk At Night

Now normally, this is not something we’d recommend ever because, uh, safety, but on a Disney Cruise, there’s nothing like taking a walk around a quiet ship in the middle of the night.

Is it terrifying to realize that the ocean is spreading out before you and you can’t see the end of it because it’s pitch black outside? Yeah, for sure. Does it also remind you that you’re a small human on the monstrosity that is Earth, and that you live in a time where you can BE on a boat in the middle of the ocean at night and not worry about sinking? YES, and it’s amazing. So take a midnight walk and thank us later. 

Do What YOU Want To Do

Just like a Disney parks vacation, there are a lot of things to do on board the Disney Wish. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to make it the best cruise ever, and the way to do that is by doing what YOU want.

If you’re traveling with a group of adults, or your kids are having the time of their lives in the kids clubs, then it’s time to break off from the others and do whatever your heart desires. Swim all day? Sure. Watch movies in the giant theatre or play trivia all day? Sounds amazing. Want to sit on the deck all day tanning and reading a good book. Sign us UP. Whatever you want to do, don’t let others get in the way of that (unless its your kids, please don’t forget about your children).

Planning a Disney Cruise can be intense, but that’s why we’re here to help. We’ve sailed on the Disney Wish a few times and can help guide you with what you need to know and how to prepare — this isn’t All State, but you are in good hands!

As always, stay tuned to AllEars for the best planning tips and tricks!

Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know about the Disney Wish!

What’s your favorite part of a Disney Cruise? Tell us in the comments!

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