Disney Wonder
They look alike, and they both sail
alike too, but Disney Wonder has a feel all it's own. The 83,000 ton ship
made it's inaugural debut in August 1999, and upon stepping aboard we
immediately took note of the Wonder's Art Nouveau-style lobby, which
features sycamore wood, blue glass and polished nickel railings. Noted
artist and designer Dale Chiluly has created a gorgeous Venetian art glass
chandelier that graces the atrium. The ship is stunning, featuring a
customized artwork designed exclusively for the Disney Wonder.
This cruise, in our opinion, is probably best suited to those traveling
with children, extended families, and true die-hard Disney fanatics.
Setting the industry standard for children's cruising activities, you will
find more square footage designated for different age groups of children
than you'll find aboard any other ship afloat.
Those of you familiar with the resorts at Walt Disney World know their
obsession with iconography, and the Disney sister ships haven't escaped
unscathed. You'll find "hidden" (and not so hidden) Mickeys on the soaps in
the bathroom, curtains, bedspreads, railings, artwork, etc. You get the
idea.
We found a wide variety of adult-oriented activities available during my
latest cruise. I attended a very classy food demonstration, prepared by one
of Disney's executive chefs from Epcot's Germany pavilion; experienced
line-dancing with instruction; attended jackpot bingo; and plunked down an
additional $12 for the wine tasting seminar. I also saw two first-run
movies, enjoyed the rainforest themed sauna, and treated myself to a
beachfront massage on Castaway Cay. There is no library or casino, but I
found many were enjoying adult-only nightspots with live entertainment.
Disney Wonder also has the same innovative dining
concept as Disney Magic. Passengers, along with their table wait staff,
rotate to a different restaurant each evening. Parrot's Cay features
vibrant colors and tastes of the Bahamas serving breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Everyone loves Animator's Palate, a dining room that starts out
black and white, transforming into a rainbow of color. Triton's is the
ship's main dining room and features a hand-crafted sea-inspired wall
mosiac. This is your chance to dress up as you are presented with a
continental menu in a sophisticated setting. An elegant adult-only
restaurant, Palo, does require reservations, and there were problems in the
past in obtaining them. However, the reservation system has been
fine-tuned, and it is rare to hear that adults are turned away from
enjoying this dining experience. Palo offers a panoramic view of the ocean
and an open view of the kitchen. A casual breakfast and luncheon menu is
served each day at the self-service Beach Blanket Buffet. Our favorite
lunches were here, where glass beach balls and larger-than life surf boards
predominate the decor. One may also dine from menus at Triton's during
lunch. Scoops soft-serve ice cream, Pinocchio's Pizzeria and Pluto's Dog
House are great for snacks by the pool.
Portions are ample and menus creative; children's fare is found throughout.
The service was exceptional in its friendliness, with staff throughout
eager to please. On four night cruises, guests are treated to Disney's
Master Chief Series menu. Chefs from WDW's resorts and the theme parks
create their specialties, such as Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Seared Scallops
with Szechwan Beans and Stick Rice, and Praline Cheesecake with Walnut
Crush Topping. You'll only find a midnight buffet of desserts during the
Tropical Deck Party in Nassau, however, stateroom dining is available
24-hours each day with a limited menu.
The Wonder's three-story Art Nouveau lobby, decorated
by famed NY designer Adam D. Tihany, greets passengers with an "under the
sea" theme. Everyone poses for a photo with the bronze statue of Ariel from
Disney's Little Mermaid, located just outside Triton's Dining Room. The
Wonder boasts hundreds of original artwork, including oils, prints and
sculptures by international artists.
Additional facilities include two shops filled with Disney Cruise Line
merchandise including one for adults with pricey clothes and European
glass; self-service laundry rooms; conference rooms, a medical center.
Cabins are among the largest in the industry, and 74%
of them are outside. You'll find them well laid out, and decorated with
hand-crafted wood trim, gray, red and blue fabrics. Once again, you'll find
Mickey ears everywhere. Standard outside cabins have large round windows,
and the verandah cabins have teak-floored private verandahs. Parents will
be happy that these can be locked to keep youngsters from going out
unsupervised. Most cabins have a bathroom with child-size tub, shower and
sink as well additional half bath, a Disney innovation. The staterooms have
ample storage and lovely inlaid-parquet wood furniture, as well as a large
steamer trunk. Additional amenities include swival color TV with movies,
bridgecam, CNN, The Disney Channel, cartoons, and music videos; a mini
fridge; telephone w/voice mail and hair dryer.
All cabins accommodate three or four passengers and family suites (291 sq.
ft) hold five. These family suites feature queen or twin beds, convertible
sofa and pulldown beds. Basic inside cabins are 173 square feet and cabins
with private verandahs are 253 square feet with convertible sofa as well as
queen/twin beds. One bedroom suites (591 square feet) holding four or five
people and two bedroom suites sleeping five with two and a half bathrooms,
whirlpool tub, TV/VCR, walk-in closets, wet bar are also available. Suite
accommodations have a private concierge service which assists in booking
shore excursions, spa appointments, dinner at Palo and bring a full
breakfast each morning.
The adult entertainment district, Route 66, consists of
WaveBands, a live music and dance club; Barrel of Laughs for a popular
dueling pianos show; and The Cadillac Lounge, an intimate piano lounge. The
family entertainment area called Studio Sea was hopping every night, with
lots of scheduled activities. We found the adult-only areas more crowded
than on the Magic. Different theme nights were offered, including Rock 'n
Rolly Party. Sports fans will enjoy multiple screen viewing of the latest
sports events at the ESPN Skybox. First-run movies as well as Disney
classics are featured in the Buena Vista Theater. Broadway-style
entertainment, ala Disney of course, are presented nightly in the Walt
Disney Theater. Disney fans will not want to miss Disney Dreams. Rounding
out the performances was Hercules, The "Muse"ical", another Disney
extravaganza.
While the ship is in port in Nassau, Disney's throws a "Dancing Under the
Stars" deck party. First a DJ, then live music....the deck was crammed with
folks have a grand old time. From time to time on the cruise, you'll find
different bands playing on the pool decks, along with interactive games and
prizes. On our day at sea, Goofy threw a Pool Party, with streamers and
gifts for everyone.
You'll find three pools onboard Disney Wonder: one for
children with a long water slide, one for families with a whirlpool, and of
course an adults only with two whirlpools. The Vista Spa and Salon is
operated by Steiner's of London. The 9,000 square foot spa offers eleven
different therapy and treatment rooms, ranging from relaxing "Tropical
Rainforest" hydrotherapy treatments as well as standard massage treatments.
The fitness center has all the latest excercise equipment, including
lifecycles, free weights, and treadmills. The spa and fitness areas are for
adults only. Visit The Wide World of Sports Deck and to find basketball,
paddle tennis, volleyball, badminton and walking/jogging course, and plenty
of deck chairs.
The children's program is organized and run by dozens
of caring youth counselors, along with scheduled character greetings (and
many surprise visits too) throughout the day. The inclusion of a brand-new
nursery, Flounder's Reef, fills a void for parents looking for childcare
for their infants through age three. Spanning nearly an entire deck,
Disney's Oceaneer Club is a supervised programs for children aged 3-7 spilt
into age groups of 3-4 and kids 5-7. The Oceaneer Lab; split into groups
for kids aged 8-9 and kids 10-12, where they will expereience high-tech
interactive programs, hands-on science experiments, and ship-wide treasure
hunts. Kids 11-12 can compete in a marine biology knowledge quest game show
and send digital post cards to friends. Teens (13-17) have their own
private club, Common Grounds, a New York-style coffee house plus
competitive sports and nighttime activities. Children's facilities are open
from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Flounder's Reef Nursery is for the infant set,
with afternoon and nightly hours available on a first-come, first-served
basis according to babysitter availability. Rates are $6.00 per hour for
the first child ($5.00 for additional children).
Once signed in onboard the ship, your children are automatically enrolled
in the children's programs on Castaway Cay. There are supervised games for
the individual age groups and bike riding. However, take note they do not
take the children swimming. Disney character appearances are scheduled
several times daily to appear in children's area on the private Island.
Rates for children three and under are $99 on both 3- and 4-night sailings.
Primarily families, with a mix of adults ranging from
the 20's on up. Since Walt Disney World is the honeymoon capital of the US,
there were plenty honeymooners on board. I was also told that up to 45% of
passengers on my cruise were part of an extended family holding family
reunions on board. You'll find children onboard throughout the year.
The attire is casual for the most part. No shorts,
T-shirts or jeans are acceptable in any of the restaurants in the evening.
On the new seven-night Caribbean cruise two formal nights will be added
requiring "black-tie optional" attire and tuxedo rentals will be available
in advance.
Disney's brochure recommends a per person, per cruise
tipping amount of $31 for a three-day cruise and $41.50 for a four-day
sailing and $114 for a seven day cruise.
Disney Magic - Stats - Schedule - Itinerary - Ship Features
