Disney Wonder

The 1999-built MS Disney Wonder cruise ship is Walt Disney's second liner with sistership Disney Magic (1998).

The vessel (IMO number 9126819) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 308457000) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

DCL-Disney Cruise Line is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (shipowner). The company was incorporated in 1996 as "Magical Cruise Company Ltd". Walt Disney also owns the Bahamian private island Castaway Cay (exclusive port of call - for Disney ships only) and an exclusive Cruise Terminal at Port Canaveral (Orlando Florida). Disney cruises are marketed as "family vacations" and feature unique and exclusive activities, such as costumed Disney Characters, adults-only deck areas, dedicated facilities for teens, kids and infants-toddlers, signature (trademarked) shipboard facilities and activities, themed live entertainment.

The 1750-passenger ship Disney Wonder caters mostly to families with small children, so the adults-only "quiet places" and entertainment areas are your special place to be if running and screaming little angels and devils are not your kinds of fun.

One of the best cruise ships for families with kids, the Disney ship Wonder features a classic 1930's ocean liner design - an elongated black hull and two bright red funnels. The Disney cruise ship Disney Wonder is mostly associated with its Art Nouveau decor, Disney characters all around, "Mickeys" everywhere, amazing onboard children's programs with age-proper activities, excellent service and really great family fun cruises for kids.

Probably the best thing about DCL's Wonder ship is that it cruises in Alaska since 2011.

The Disney ship Wonder was launched in 1999 to double company's passenger capacity with another set of nearly thousand of some of the best equipped, largest staterooms at sea. Like all Disney ships, the Disney Cruise Line Wonder ship's primary market is families with small kids (mostly younger than 8). Besides them, the Disney Wonder ship CLIENTELE consists also of an ever-growing number of honeymooners and travelers without kids, simply enjoying the oversized Disney ship accommodations, the adults-only areas, and all the Disney details - both on board and on Castaway Cay.

The Disney Wonder ship DRESS CODE is day resort casual (all ship areas) and evening cruise casual (no shorts-jeans-swimwear), for men pants and jackets (no ties), and summer dresses for women. One semi-formal night (the Captain's Reception), one formal night (not mandatory; most passengers don't participate in it) and one "Pirate Night" (people dress in pirate attire).

Disney Wonder TIPS are the US $12 PP per day (charged to passengers' onboard accounts automatically or pre-payed), given respectively to waiters $8 (dining room servers $4, assistant servers $3, head servers $1) and cabin stewards $4. Additionally, bar drinks and deck service areas have a 15% tipping added to your bill.

Decks and Cabins

Most Disney Wonder staterooms (877 total, in 22 grades) are 225-260-ft2 Balconies. The ship has 22 Suites, 362 Balcony, 235 Oceanview and 256 Inside cabins. The largest accommodations are the Royal Suites (845 ft2 / 79 m2 plus 185 ft2 / 17 m2 terrace).

All cabins boast sizes larger than the industry average, with the majority of them offering a separate bedroom and living room areas, a deep convertible sofa, a bunk bed (folding down from the ceiling, with safety rails, 2 beds convertible to a queen.

Additionally, Disney Wonder family cruise cabins for families of 5 have a Murphy bed (wall-mounted). Plenty of storage space (the suitcases store well under the bed), subtle maple furniture, a closet with a dresser, a desk/dressing table, a smart HDTV with all Disney channels, 2 portable "Wave Phones" (you can text and talk on them throughout the ship), 2 bathrooms (one with toilet-sink, one with tub-shower-sink), a hairdryer. Balcony cabins also have 2 chairs and a small table on the veranda. Standard bathroom amenities by the premium H2O Plus cosmetics (soap-shampoo-lotion, suite guests get additional offerings), Euro-top mattresses, Egyptian cotton linens, luxurious bath towels, upon request - cribs and diaper genies.

Disney Wonder suites are of 3 types (1 and 2-bedrooms), featuring dining tables, Jacuzzis, huge balconies. The Walt and Royal Suites are the Wonder ship's biggest accommodations. In addition, suite guests can enjoy a memory foam pillow, comfortable duvets, robes, and slippers, plus the main dining room's menu available as a room service option.

The boat has 11 decks, of which 6 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Disney Wonder ship dining experiences include the Disney Line's rotational dining system pertaining to the ship's 3 main restaurants (you dine each night in a different restaurant, accompanied by the same companions and waiters), with 2 dining times (6:15 and 8:15 pm, table number, and rotations are on your dining tickets). The "Animator's Palate" room features numerous special lighting effects and animations (including the menu holograms, scenes transform from B&W sketches to full-color animated images), the "Parrot Cay" is Caribbean-themed (a delicious seafood buffet and great salad choices) and the most formal of the three is the upscale "Triton's" restaurant (the last two are also open for breakfast and lunch). All main dining rooms offer free drinks during dinner, a wine purchase program.

Disney Wonder food is really wondrous - all is made on the ship, quality ingredients, beautifully prepared, with "light" choices at dinner, a separate kids menu.

"Palo" is the Wonder ship's specialty dining option - an adults-only elegant restaurant (Northern Italian (Med) cuisine), open daily for Champagne brunch and dinner (reservations are required, guests are allowed to book only 1 brunch and 1 dinner per sailing).

On Deck 9 is located the "Beach Blanket" buffet - an indoor/outdoor casual dining venue (breakfast and lunch) with salads, sandwiches, Mickey waffles, cookies, and fruits, with a made-to-order omelet station. Other excellent venues to dine casually are the "Pinocchio's Pizzeria", "Pluto's Dog House" (burgers and hot dogs, chicken tenders) and the Goofy's Galley (wrap sandwiches, a great selection of fruits, ice-cream). The Deck 9 self-serve beverage station offers free juices and sodas.

24-hour room service (Continental breakfast, soups, and salads, cheese, chicken, etc). Suite guests can order from the main restaurant's menus.

Follows the complete list of Disney Wonder restaurants and food bars.

• Triton's Restaurant / Lumiere's (462-seat forward Dining Room, serving Breakfast and 3-course menu for Lunch; with 2 Dinner seatings 5:30 p.m.-6 p.m. and 8 p.m.-8:30 p.m.)
• Parrot Cay Restaurant / Carioca's (462-seat aft Dining Room for Breakfast and Buffet Lunch; with 2 dinner seatings/4-course menu).
• Animator's Palate Restaurant (462- seat aft Dining Room, animator's studio design, features favorite Disney-character dinner shows; serves complimentary drinks; Rotational Dining with two fixed Dinner seatings - at 5:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.)
• Tiana's Place (dinner-only main dining room drawing inspiration from Disney's "The Princess and the Frog.")
• Cabanas (self-service complimentary restaurant with American cuisine, pasta, sushi)
• Pinocchio's Pizzeria (outdoor complimentary restaurant, poolside)
• Beach Blanket Buffet (indoor/outdoor fast-food eatery, complimentary
• Pluto's Dog House (quick service fast food restaurant, complimentary)
• Goofy's Galley (quick service outdoor fast food restaurant, complimentary)
• Palo (130-seat Italian specialty restaurant; adults-only, reservation-only; aft location; bookings via the internet or on board).
• O'Gill's Pub (open from about noon to midnight, sports bar/Irish pub, with English decor, live music, large TVs, classic table games, full bar service, Martini Tastings).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Most of the Disney Wonder kids facilities and public rooms are located on Decks 3-4-5 and are interconnected by its 3-deck high atrium, while the Wonder ship's 3 pools are on Decks 9 and 10. Four locations onboard offer Internet access: the teen-only "Vibe" club (Deck 11), the children-only "Edge" club (Deck 2), the "Promenade Lounge" (Deck 3, all ages, open 24-hours) and the adults-only "Cove Cafe" you can borrow a laptop from the cafe).

The Disney Lines Disney Wonder ship spa, sport, and fitness fun starts with Deck 9's pool area (3 age-specific swimming pools) and the 200-ft long waterslide. The "Mickey's Pool" (aft) is kids-only, with a 385 sq. foot pool extension for not yet toilet trained kids in swim diapers). The "Goofy's Pool" is for families (located in between the funnels, alongside the big LED screen), 2 adjacent Jacuzzis and the "Quiet Cove" (forward) is adults-only, with 2 large hot tubs, and a specialty coffee house). Deck 10 has a basketball court and a volleyball area. The "Aft Overlook" (Deck 7) is another "quite" place on the ship (unless when a wedding is officiated there by the captain).

Ship's promenade (Deck 4) offers a walking-jogging track and lounge chairs. The Vista Spa & Salon complex offers massages, facials and treatments, and its "Tropical Rain Forest" area has a sauna and steam rooms. The Wonder ship also features 3 new spa villas for the most expensive spa services (a spa suite with its own private veranda and a Jacuzzi). The recently expanded fitness center is well equipped (Life Fitness equipment) and also has a small room for personal training sessions.

Disney characters appearances are one of the highlights of all the best Disney Wonder cruises for kids with the ever best age-specific activities at sea. The Disney Wonder kids cruise programming and the unique Disney-themed entertainment are the main reasons for the Disney Wonder line's high popularity and loyalty passengers ratio. Like all Disney ships, Wonder has no casino, instead, it has innovative offerings, like the "Studio Sea" (family dance parties and karaoke, scavenger hunts and funny game shows) and the "Buena Vista Theatre" (all the newest Disney company releases and the best Disney 3D movie experience). Another popular day activities for families are the basketball and karaoke tournaments and the ship tour. Some of the greatest advantages on board are the "Wave Phones" (2 per cabin, with text-messaging capabilities and ship-wide coverage).

Unique for MS Disney Wonder Alaskan kids specials are the "Junior Ranger" programs (about Alaskan wildlife, environment, etc, held in the children's clubs, Studio Sea and in the Disney Theater) and the "Base Camp" held whenever the ship sails into Tracy Arm Fjord (all kids programs move on deck for Alaskan themed games and crafts).

All Disney ships also feature the Little Mermaid-themed "Flounder's Reef" nursery (babies and toddlers up to 3 yo), the "Oceaneer's Club" (3-7 yo), the "Oceaneer's Lab" (8-12 yo), the "Edge" club (11-13 yo) and the "Vibe" club (teens ages 14-17).

Singles and couples may attend wine or martini tastings, Alaska seafood-themed cooking classes and demonstrations or a sophisticated art auction. The main area for the Wonder ship's adult-only evening entertainment is "Route 66" (located Deck 3 forward). This dance club features video dance parties, karaoke, and dancers from the crew performing skits to certain songs. Deck 3 also has its "Cadillac Lounge" piano bar and the "Diversions - the sports bar with large comfortable chairs and huge plasma TVs. The "Overlook Cafe" is a unique Disney ship venue (located upstairs from "Cove Cafe") for adult guests to quietly enjoy all the amazing views during an Alaskan voyage.

The 3-decks high Walt Disney Theatre (capacity 977 most comfortable seats) boasts some of the best large production shows at sea, like "The Golden Mickeys" (with all the famous and infamous Disney characters) and "Toy Story The Musical". Another great hit is the "Pirates in the Caribbean" deck party, beginning in the dining room (a pirate scroll menu and bandannas for all), then follows the pool deck party - and all is on camera and on the huge LED screen (24x14 ft, located on Deck 9, the forward funnel, near the Goofy Pool). Know that the law forbids fireworks on all Disney Wonder Alaskan cruises.

Follows the complete list of Disney Wonder lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Walt Disney Wonder Theatre (977-seat, 3-decks high; offers live shows, aerial acrobatics performances, grand-style productions, 3D movies; with two evening shows - at 6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.)
• Wonder's Atrium (3-deck high central ship area, with "The Little Mermaid"'s Ariel bronze statue)
• Route 66/Beat Street (3 clubs' entertainment district, adults-only after 9 pm; Cadillac Lounge, Diversions, WaveBands)
• WaveBands Lounge & Bar
• Studio Sea (kids & families entertainment)
• Diversions Pub (adults-only sports bar, with large TVs and live music)
• Mickey's Mates (Disney brand logo shops for postcards, souvenirs, DVDs, toys, clothes, games)
• Treasure Ketch (duty-free crystal, brand jewelry, watches, precious stones, Disney merchandise, underwear, sport, and swimming apparel)
• Radar Trap (duty-free brand jewelry, perfumes, liquor, and tobaccos)
• Promenade Lounge (104-seat family venue with full bar service, specialty coffees, and drinks; with the Internet Cafe)
• Buena Vista Theatre (268-seat 4D cinema, features 3D movies, Dolby Surround 7.1, and Dolby 3D movie technology)
• Fathoms / WaveBands Lounge Disco & Nightclub (family- in the day and adults-only in the nightclub)
• D Lounge (family day bar and nightclub, games, dancing, shows, karaoke; full bar service)
• Keys (adult-only piano bar, live piano and vocals music, full bar service/additional charge)
• Preludes Bar (quick wait-service snacks & beverages bar)
• Shutters PhotoShop (photo packages, accessories, photographic services); Art Gallery
• Vibe Disco & Club Lounge (teens only)
• Flounder's Reef Nursery (for 3 months to 3 yo infants and toddlers; reservations required)
• Wonder's Oceaneer Club (kids 3-12 yo; with four play areas with themes from Disney films); Wonder's Oceaneer Lab (play area for kids 3-12 yo)
• Vista Spa & Fitness Complex (with Treatment Salon, Thermal Bath, Sauna, Relaxation Room, Garden Area; Fitness Centre /health and wellbeing seminars; Beauty Salon)
• Vista Spa Villas (private suites with own hot tub, private verandah, Roman bed with canopy, open-air shower)
• Quiet Cove Pool (adults-only swimming pool, served by Cove Bar; with 2 Whirlpools)
• Cove Cafe (adult-only, with big TV screen; Wi-Fi spot)
• Signals Bar (adults-only bar for snacks and beverages, poolside)
• Scoops (ice cream parlor)
• Goofy's Family Pool; Mickey's Pool; AquaDunk Water Slide; AquaLab (kids interactive water play area)
• Quarter Masters (video games arcade)
• Edge Lounge (11-14 yo teens-only club area, with a giant video wall, interactive games, Internet)
• Outdoor LED movie-screen (24x14 feet)
• Wide World of Sports Court (basketball, volleyball, soccer); Shuffleboard, Walking/Jogging Track
• Radio Studio (live radio programs for Disney Wonder itinerary-related news and onboard events)
• Outlook Bar (retreat area with a piano and full bar; hosts weddings receptions).

Itineraries

Disney Wonder itinerary program is based on 7-day Alaskan voyages (departing from homeport Vancouver BC Canada), Mexican Riviera roundtrips (out of San Diego CA), Bahamas with Western-Eastern Caribbean roundtrips (from Galveston TX). Port destinations also include DCL's private Bahamian island Castaway Cay.

Wonder is also the DCL ship that operates Panama Canal transition cruises (on repositioning) before and after its Alaskan deployment during summer.

In Spring 2020, for the first time from New Orleans, DCL scheduled a total of 5x roundtrips on the homeported there Disney Wonder.

• The 7-day Bahamian Cruise (Feb 7-14) visits Nassau, Castaway Cay Island, Key West FL.
• The 7-day Western Caribbean Cruise (Feb 14-21) visits Mexico (Cozumel), Grand Cayman (George Town), Jamaica (Falmouth).
• The 6-day voyage (Feb 21-27) visits Cozumel and Grand Cayman.
• The 4-day voyages (Feb 27 - Mar 2, and March 2-6) visit Cozumel.
• Followed a 14-day Panama Canal repositioning to San Diego.

In September 2022 (at D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim CA) DCL announced the company's inaugural season in Australia and New Zealand (Nov 2023 thru Feb 2024). Disney Wonder's 2-3-4-6-night itineraries in the region depart from 4 homeports - 3x in Australia (Brisbane QLD, Melbourne VIC, Sydney NSW) and 1x in New Zealand (Auckland NZ). Disney's maiden Australian voyage departed on October 28, 2023, out of Sydney.

The Walt Disney ship Wonder is the company's second vessel, with sistership Disney Magic. They are each 40% smaller in size compared to the newer Disney ships (Dream and Fantasy). Wonder's first cruise was a Transatlantic crossing from Italy to Florida - leaving from the shipbuilding yard Marghera (Venice) to Port Canaveral (Orlando) with 2 stops - in the UK (Southampton England) and the Azores (Ponta Delgada). Liner's Godmother was Tinkerbell - a popular Disney character from the "Peter Pan" movie (1953).

The vessel (Fincantieri Marghera yard/hull number 5990) is powered by Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (model 16ZAV40S) with total power output 58,25 MW. The propulsion system is diesel-electric.

Wonder has Disney's signature sleek design, black hull, two matching red funnels and yellow Disney insignias. The indoor decoration is in both Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. Wonder is among industry's best family-friendly passenger ships, with numerous entertainment and dining options and regularly scheduled programs targeting not only the kids but the whole family. Families can go together to the evening stage revues, game shows or themed workshops.

On August 15, 1999, the vessel started its Caribbean cruise service with 4-night itinerary from homeport Port Canaveral (Orlando) Florida to Bahamas. The ship originally operated on 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises, but in 2011 was relocated through Panama Canal from the Caribbean Sea to the US Pacific Coast. There, it operated on 7-day Mexico Riviera cruises leaving from Californian homeports (mainly Los Angeles, but also out of San Diego and San Francisco) to call ports Vallarta, Cabo and Baja Ensenada.

In 2012 (April through October), MS Disney Wonder became DCL fleet's first to visit Hawaii (ports Hilo, Kahului, Honolulu). In 2012 (May through September), this was again the first Disney ship with Alaskan cruise itineraries (leaving from homeport Seattle WA) to Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau, and Victoria BC (Canada).

This Walt Disney ship has as namesakes the cruise liner Wonder of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International) and the cruiseferry Moby Wonder (MOBY LINES).

Disney Wonder refurbishments review

The list of deck plan changes after the 2016 drydock refurbishment in Cadiz Spain (September 9 through October 23) included:

• Upper decks were redesigned, adding AquaDunk (new waterslide), AquaLab (interactive water play area with the Twist n' Spout waterslide), Dory's Reef (splash zone for toddlers).
• Animator's Palette restaurant (ex-Studio C) with new HDTVs, lights, walls, speakers
• new Carioca's (Brazilian-themed restaurant replacing Parrot Cay)
• Tiana's Place is a new restaurant named after Princess Tiana from the Disney animation "The Princess and the Frog". The new eatery is Disney Wonder ship exclusive and features a stage for live jazz-swing-blues performances and street party style events. The themed decor includes Tiana's family photos and framed culinary awards on the walls, water lily-shaped candleholders. The menu is influenced by southern USA cuisine (Louisiana bayou).
• new Cabanas (replacing Topsider Buffet, hugely enlarged)
• new lounge (D Lounge) is dedicated to family games and themed entertainment.
• On deck 10, Palo Restaurant was renovated (new fixtures, glass artwork, stone floor, new Venetian decor).
• Mickey's Mainsail (new shop)
• (Deck 3) After Hours (adult district) receives Fathoms (new disco nightclub), Keys (piano bar, replacing Cadillac Bar) and O'Gills (new English pub). The new pub has an authentic tavern menu (incl selection of specialty and British beers, draft beer, cocktails), dark wood paneling, brass accents, plush leather furniture, artworks (incl scenes from Disney movies set in London).
• (Deck 4) Animator's Palate Restaurant (dining room) was updated with two dinner shows - "Drawn to Magic" and "Animation Magic".
• expanded Senses Spa and Salon (by 725 ft2 / 70 m2), now with Barbershop, "Chill Teen Spa" and "Smile Spa".
• "Small World Nursery", "Nephews"
• renovated and redesigned passenger rooms (elevated beds for more storage space)
• Lobby Atrium changes (2nd staircase removed, the Chihuly chandelier replaced with an Art Deco one)

Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab changes - now with Marvel's Avengers Academy (Marvel Super Hero Academy/the first at sea), Andy's Room (Toy Story-themed, now has the Slinky Dog slide, Mr Potato Head, Hamm the piggy bank, regular Woody and Jessie character visits, scavenger hunts), Club Disney Junior (Disney Junior characters, games, storytelling, Doc McStuffins character visits), Frozen Adventures (play and activities, via digital screen Olaf leads games and singalongs, Anna and Elsa character visits). Also changed are the interiors of the rooms Pixie Hollow and Mickey Mouse Club. The upgraded programming offers more live interactions (Disney character visits).

Disney Wonder's next drydock was at Damen Shiprepair Brest France (conducted in October 2020). The project included mainly general/routine maintenance works and minor upgrades.

The ship's last drydock was in 2023 (September 17 through October 3) conducted at Seaspan Victoria Shipyards in Victoria BC Canada. The 2-week drydocking project was mainly for regular maintenance (technical overhaul and hotel upkeep).

Itineraries review

Follows the ship's concise service history (former itineraries):

• [1999-2011] sailed on 3- and 4-day Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral (Orlando) Florida
• [2011] relocated to Los Angeles CA for round-trip departures to Mexican Riviera, Baja Ensenada, and the Hawaiian Islands. During summer, Disney Wonder operates on 7-day round-trip Alaskan cruises leaving from Vancouver BC (Canada) or Seattle WA.
• In 2016, the ship was home-ported in Galveston TX (November 14 through January 20) and in 2017 relocated back to Orlando. Galveston departures offered 8-day Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises to Key WestFL, Castaway Cay, Nassau, Mexico (Cozumel, Costa Maya), Jamaica (Falmouth), Grand Cayman.

On April 30, 2017, Disney Wonder became the world's first-ever cruise vessel that passed through Panama Canal's new locks.

Disney Wonder was on a 14-night repositioning voyage from Florida to California (Port Canaveral to San Diego). From San Diego, the ship operated several Baja Mexico itineraries before its summer Alaskan season with departures from Vancouver BC Canada.

Disney cruises in Australia 2023-2024 (inaugural season)

In September 2022 (at D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim CA) DCL announced its inaugural season in Australia and New Zealand (Oct 2023 thru Feb 2024).

Disney Wonder's voyages (2- to 6-night itineraries) departed from 4 homeports - 3x in Australia (Brisbane QLD, Melbourne VIC, Sydney NSW) and 1x in New Zealand (Auckland NZ).

Disney's maiden Australian voyage departed on October 28 (2023) out of Sydney Harbour.

Most departures are from Sydney (12x), followed by Melbourne (10x). The homeporting in Brisbane and Auckland was scheduled for Nov-Dec 2023.

The program also included Transpacific crossings (RepositionCruises.com) from Alaska to Australia via Hawaii (Vancouver-Hilo-Nawiliwili-Kahului-Honolulu-American Samoa-Fiji-New Caledonia-Sydney) in 2023, and on the reverse route (Australia-Hawaii-Alaska) in 2024.

Call ports included Eden (NSW AU), Hobart (Tasmania), and Noumea (Grande Terre/New Caledonia) visited on the longest sailings. Cruises to Nowhere (portless roundtrips) were offered as 2-night voyages from the Australian homeports as well as 3-night roundtrips from Auckland.

Bookings for Disney's Australia and New Zealand voyages opened on Sept 26, 2022.