This is not a drill. ICYMI, we finally have confirmation that for the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line is making its way to our shores in Australia and New Zealand.
Like many of us, Disney is an extended childhood fantasy that mostly exists on my screens. As a mum, I love introducing my daughters to the stories and characters (new and the OGs). We sing the songs, eagerly await new releases to see at the movies or on Disney+, and school Book Week is an indulgent excuse for Disney dress-ups.
But given our distance from the rest of the world, and the horror of long-haul flights with small children, I had assumed we were a few years away from fulfilling my dream of a Disney holiday. So you’ll excuse my excitement when Disney Magic at Sea is literally pulling up on my doorstep in October next year until February 2024.
No long flights. No layovers. No jet lag. Just the opportunity to experience all the magic and nostalgia of Disney on a cruise holiday, straight from my city.
In a nutshell, Disney Cruise Line is everything that you love about Disney storytelling, at sea. Literally all of the kid, teen, family and grown-up activities and entertainment you’d expect from a Disney holiday… on board a state-of-the-art cruise liner.
And they’ve got the street (sea?) cred to back it up, named Best Cruise Line in three separate major awards in the last two years alone, including #1 Top Large Cruise Line in the World for ten consecutive years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards.
So here’s everything you need to know about Disney Magic at Sea as it makes its way here for the first time ever.
Cruises will depart from Australia’s east coast and Auckland, New Zealand.
There will be between 2 to 6 night sailings from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland, but with so much to actually do and experience on board, you’re unlikely to actually want to get off the ship.
All of the entertainment on board is included.
I repeat. All entertainment! Is included! The main showplace for entertainment on board is the Walt Disney Theatre. The massive theatre spans three decks and can seat 977 guests at a time. This is where you’ll see some of your favourite Disney stories be brought to life in Broadway-quality shows, including Frozen, A Musical Spectacular, based on the hit Disney animated movie, Frozen.
There's also plenty happening from sun-up to well after sundown: deck parties, kids clubs, live music throughout the ship, trivia, karaoke, and even fireworks on most sailings over three nights. Incredibly, Disney Cruise Line was the first cruise line to present a fireworks display at sea!
There’s a huge water slide on board.
As well as three separate pool areas, the Disney Wonder includes a sprawling water playground designed to entertain the whole family. There are dedicated play areas for under threes and the Twist 'n' Spout water slide for big kids and adults.
And if all of that sounds a bit too much like hard work, you can claim a sun lounger by Goofy's Pool and watch a movie on the massive Funnel Vision LED screen, so called because it's a big screen…. on the slide of the funnel. I’ll be saving my spot immediately.
The food, as you’d imagine, is next level.
There’s plenty of restaurants you can work your way around over your trip. In true Disney fashion, there are three lavishly themed main dining restaurants: Tiana's Place, Triton's and Animator's Palate. Plus, there's themed quick-service dining options and 24-hour room service for days when you want a lazy lie-in.
Almost everything is included in your trip, but you have the option to splash out for special occasions like an adults-only fine dining experience at Palo. For the ultimate Disney Character experience, you absolutely cannot miss the Royal Court Royal Tea where little kids (and big kids) can have a special meet-and-greet with some of your favourite Disney Princesses.
There are adults-only exclusives designed just for guests over 18.
Kids aren’t the only ones having the fun here. Adults have their own dedicated spaces to rest and relax, including the adults-only Quiet Cove Pool, Senses Spa and Salon and fitness centre. There are exclusive restaurants (like Palo, serving up Northern Italian cuisine and ocean views from every table) and nightclubs, with live music, variety shows and karaoke. The French Quarter Lounge is a New Orleans-inspired watering hole, and a must-do for grow-up fans of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog.
You guessed it: there will be plenty of Disney Characters on board.
Basically clear your camera roll, as there’ll be non-stop photo ops. Each voyage will include a mix of the characters you love from some of Disney’s most loved franchises, from classics like Captain Mickey and Captain Minnie, to Disney royalty, plus many of your favourites from Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. There’s even a dedicated statue in the atrium lobby celebrating Princess Ariel, arguably the ~coolest~ Disney Princess. Kids can meet Princess Tiana herself at Tiana’s Place, and while adults taste New Orleans cuisine and enjoy live jazz music.
Guests can attend movie premieres while at sea.
Disney also releases first-run feature films on board, with movies premiering at sea on the same day that they're released on land.
It’s an eco-friendly experience.
Each Disney ship has an on board Environmental Officer dedicated to overseeing all environmental systems and procedures, like shipboard recycling, waste minimisation and water reclamation. More than 1,000 gallons (about 4,500 litres) of used cooking oil are offloaded in ports around the world each week to be converted into biodiesel fuel. How awesome.
Meanwhile, condensation from the ship’s air conditioning units is collected and re-used to wash the decks, saving more than 30 million gallons (or 136 million litres) of water each year.
The rooms on board are each decked out with a nautical Disney theme.
There are 10 different types of rooms to choose from, and yes – every stateroom is of course designed with families in mind, and decked out with a nautical Disney theme. I obviously can't wait for the Instagram content to see every inch of this (before I inevitably make my own booking 😂). You can also opt for an inside retreat or go all out with an extravagant Concierge room featuring private balconies. Fancy!
The Disney Wonder is longer than Main Street, U.S.A.
At 964 feet (294 metres) in length, the Disney Wonder is longer than Main Street, U.S.A. (the themed street at the main entrance at Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World Resort, Florida). Which is lucky really, because on board there is an incredibly big team of around 950 crew members (and representing more than 86 different nationalities). That is approximately one crew member for every three guests, guaranteeing that famous Disney level service experience.
It’s all only for a limited time.
As far as we know right now, Disney Magic at Sea will only be in our waters down under for a limited time next year, so the spots on board to experience all the magic of Disney are very sparse. All the more reason to start rounding up the group/booking in a dog sitter/checking your passport is in date!
They're the first cruise line to have yellow lifeboats.
We love a niche Disney fact. Disney Cruise Line was actually the first cruise line to have yellow lifeboats, instead of the traditional regulation orange. Disney was granted special permission from the U.S. Coast Guard to paint the lifeboats yellow, to keep with the special colour theming of the ship.
The Disney Wonder is also Disney Cruise Line’s second ship. Its birthplace was Marghera, Italy, and its maiden voyage took place on August 15, 1999, but the ship has undergone a huge renovation since then. Like all of Disney’s ships, it’s painted in Mickey Mouse-inspired colours – black hull, white superstructure, yellow trim and two giant red funnels, and Mickey Mouse logo – so even landlubbers are in for a treat when it pulls into our harbours.
Don't miss out on experiencing Disney Magic at Sea from Australia and New Zealand, sailing from October 2023 until February 2024.
Limited bookings are available, check online or contact your preferred travel agent for more details.
Feature Image: Disney Cruise Line.
Ships’ Registry: The Bahamas © 2022 Disney © 2022 Disney/Pixar © 2022 Marvel © 2022 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.