We have been lucky to have been on three Disney Cruise ships with extended family. As part of Disney Social Media Moms Celebration Land and Sea 2017, my son, mom and I went from the Disney Parks to the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship to check out the must-see upgrades for a three-night cruise.
You have a young family and are debating on what cruise line to take a family cruise. Disney is by far our recommendation for a Family Cruise for 5. The Disney Wonder was upgraded in the last few years and has proven to be an even better cruise experience.
I should justify my statement, if you are a Disney lover and looking for an amazing cruise line, then Disney Wonder and their other Disney Cruise ships are the way to go for any Family Cruise Vacation.
Must See Upgrades of the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship
Disney Wonder Deck Plan
This was the third time on the Wonder and the first time seeing the upgrades after an extended dry dock.
Be sure to read the bottom of this post as we are sharing more Disney Cruise Tips from A Disney Travel Advisor who books tons of these trips.
Wonder is a Smaller Ship Size
The Disney Wonder is one of the smaller cruise ships on this line, but unless you are used to massive cruise ships, you don’t feel overwhelmed.
I find this size ship is great for first-time cruisers as well as those with small children. There is nothing worse than having to drag tired children 1/2 mile to get to dinner on a large cruise ship.
Cabin Upgrades
The upgrades were not obvious to me when we entered to cruise nor got into our room. Disney cruise cabins are designed for families. With separate bathrooms and shower areas, multiple family members can get ready at the same time.
Room For Kids in Cabins
The kids’ area, or bunk beds, is separated with a curtain if mom and dad like to stay up later than the kids. In our case, that side stayed up later than me watching endless Disney Cartoons and movies you will find on TV on a Disney Cruise.
Disney Wonder Cabin Review
We did experience one major issue with our Disney Wonder Cabin 6122. In fact, this is the first time we experienced a large ongoing noise in our room, causing us to sleep poorly on our first night. It was a hydraulic pipe going off loudly every 20 minutes throughout the night.
After reaching guest services several times the next day, we were finally offered another room that we declined for other reasons and then provided earplugs. Thanks to large bourbon drink and earplugs, I was able to sleep the second and third night of our cruise.
New Pool Areas:
The wonderful Disney Wonder Upgrades first became evident when we hit the pool deck. With a brand new water slide and water play area was definitely an improvement from the last time we were on the boat.
Now, little kids have a sun-free water play area and the kids have a larger slide.
ADULT ONLY AREAS ON DISNEY CRUISES:
Don’t forget to find yourself on the adult side of the ship too!
Disney Wonder Cruise Ship Updated and New Restaurants:
Another welcomed change to the Disney Wonder is Tiana’s Place. A New Orleans themed restaurant is a great addition. With live music, a gracious host and parade, you can not help being in a Mardi Gras mood.
All the guests are given Mardi Gras Beads as well, a great touch.
Be sure to check out the adorable menu in the video below as well.
Animators Palette has had a makeover too. Available on longer cruises, you can experience life on an animator. OK maybe not the real-life but a fun activity brings your drawing alive in front of your table.
Be sure to use multiple colored markers to really light up the experience. Check out this quick video for a sneak peek into the Animators Palette.
Disney Cruise lines also have special themed sail days you might want to research, such as Star Wars Day, Avengers Day and many Holiday-themed cruises that are even more magical, if that is possible.
My family always recommends a Disney Cruise vacation to friends. It is truly a vacation for all ages. From sending kids to the fun kids’ camps to adult-only sections everyone has a great time.
Castaway Cay:
Of course, Castaway Cay is the ultimate private island stop on most itineraries. One day I will make it to Serenity Bay, an adult only area! There is plenty of areas for families to hang out for the day, enjoy activities and a BBQ lunch.
Updated Kids Areas:
The kids camp areas have all been remodeled since we last went on a Disney Cruise. You will find areas showcasing the Avengers, video games and a lot more fun activities for the kids.
The bands for the kids remind me of magic bands too. Just remember to return them at the end of your cruise or they will charge you about $13 per band.
More for Teens:
- The spa has been expanded to allow Teens and there is a place to transform yourself into a princess. This was a little annoying to find glitter in our room from previous guests.
- Upgraded Teen Only Areas the Edge.
Frozen Show!
The Frozen Show is as good as anything you could find on Broadway. Even my son was amazed by the wonderful Disney Production. We were not able to take any photos of this production, but it is a bucket list item that will have you singing “Let It Go” the rest of your cruise. The theatre on the Disney Dream Ship will be the Beauty and the Beast Musical starting March 17,2017.
Better Communication with your family
With the new Disney Cruise Navigator App, anyone with a device can download the app, use the ship wifi to communicate with others in their family.
With the app you can also search the day’s activities if you don’t want to carry around the ship’s paper navigator.
Easy Photo Viewing
Unlike the days of rows and rows of printed photos, you had to look thru to find ones of your family, Disney Ships now offer an easy way to find photos. Simply scan your card at one of these photos kiosks and all the photos associated with the members of your room will show up.
Be sure to check out our previous Disney Cruise Tips and ways to save money on a Disney Cruise.
Pin this when you are planning your next Disney Cruise on the Wonder
Interested in the ideal itinerary for a Disney Park trip? Check out our Ideal 5 Day Disney Trip.
This was the third time on the Wonder and the first time seeing the upgrades after an extended dry dock. Be sure to read the bottom of this post as we are sharing more Disney Cruise Tips from A Disney Travel Advisor who books tons of these trips.
Must See Upgrades of the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship
The Disney Wonder is one of the smaller cruise ships on this line, but unless you are used to massive cruise ships, you don’t feel overwhelmed.
I find this size ship is great for first-time cruisers as well as those with small children. There is nothing worse than having to drag tired children 1/2 mile to get to dinner on a large cruise ship.
The upgrades were not obvious to me when we entered to cruise nor got into our room. Disney cruise cabins are designed for families. With separate bathrooms and shower areas, multiple family members can get ready at the same time.
The kids’ area, or bunk beds, is separated with a curtain if mom and dad like to stay up later than the kids. In our case, that side stayed up later than me watching endless Disney Cartoons and movies you will find on TV on a Disney Cruise.
We did experience one major issue with our Disney Wonder Cabin 6122. In fact, this is the first time we experienced a large ongoing noise in our room, causing us to sleep poorly our first night.
It was a hydraulic pipe going off loudly every 20 minutes throughout the night. After reaching guest services several times the next day, we were finally offered another room that we declined for other reasons and then provided earplugs.
Thanks to large bourbon drink and earplugs, I was able to sleep the second and third night of our cruise.
New Pool Areas:
The wonderful Disney Wonder Upgrades first became evident when we hit the pool deck. With a brand new water slide and water play area was definitely an improvement from last time we were on the boat.
Now, little kids have a sun-free water play area and the kids have a larger slide.
Don’t forget to find yourself on the adult side of the ship too!
New Restaurants on Upgraded Disney Wonder:
Another welcomed change to the Disney Wonder is Tiana’s Place. A New Orleans themed restaurant is a great addition. With live music, a gracious host and parade, you can not help being in a Mardi Gras mood.
All the guests are given Mardi Gras Beads as well, a great touch.
Animators Palette has had a makeover too. Available on longer cruises, you can experience life on an animator. OK maybe not the real-life but a fun activity brings your drawing alive in front of your table.
Be sure to use multiple colored markers to really light up the experience. Check out this quick video for a sneak peek into the Animators Palette.
Disney Cruise lines also have special themed sail days you might want to research, such as Star Wars Day, Avengers Day and many Holiday-themed cruises that are even more magical, if that is possible.
My family always recommends a Disney Cruise vacation to friends. It is truly a vacation for all ages. From sending kids to the fun kids’ camps to adult-only sections everyone has a great time.
Castaway Cay:
Of course, Castaway Cay is the ultimate private island stop on most itineraries. One day I will make it to Serenity Bay, an adult only area! There is plenty of areas for families to hang out for the day, enjoy activities and a BBQ lunch.
The Disney Wonder looks stunning and seems to offer such a great cruise experience. Our family of 5 would certainly appreciate those spacious rooms!
I wish we had taken the time to book a future cruise while we were on board. Just didn’t have the time!
What a large ship and amazing upgrades! I love it. Looks like the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship can certainly be a comfortable home away from home setting to travel with the family!
My family really wants to go on a Disney cruise. Right now, that’s our dream vacation. We are aiming to go one day when we’ve saved up enough money. The Disney Wonder looks amazing and I love how so much is included in the cruise! It’ll be a great family vacation.
We debated on this for spring break this year but just couldn’t get it to work in the budget this year. Hoping for next year. Looks like sooo much fun!