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Disney Dream vs Disney Magic
The Disney Dream was built in 2011. It was renovated in 2024. Disney Dream's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Sorcerer Mickey painting the name on the stern. It's 13 years newer than the Magic, which was built in 1998 and renovated in 2013. Disney Magic's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Goofy painting the name on the stern.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Dream is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,115 feet long and 121 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Disney Magic, the Dream is 55% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Dream holds 43% more passengers than the Magic based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Dream has more space per person compared to the Magic. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Disney Dream | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Magic |
| Gross Tonnage | 130,000 | 84,000 |
| Length | 1,115 | 984 |
| Beam/Width | 121 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,500 | 1,750 |
| Crew | 1,458 | 950 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 52 | 48 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Dream has ten different dining options like Palo, Animator's Palate, and Royal Palace. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Magic has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Daisy's De-Lites, Palo, and Duck-in Diner. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other two have an additional fee.
The Disney Dream has about the same number of dining options as the Disney Magic.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Magic might be a better choice then the Dream. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurants on Disney Dream & Magic
| Restaurant | Disney Dream |
Disney Magic |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Animator's Palate | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cabanas | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Daisy's De-Lites | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Duck-In Diner | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Enchanted Garden | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Eye Scream Treats | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Flo's Cafe | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Lumiere's | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Pinocchio's Pizzeria | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Rapunzel's Royal Table | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Royal Palace | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| A la carte | |||
| Preludes | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Remy | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Vanellope's Sweets and Treats | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Flat fee | |||
| Palo | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Disney Dream has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs.
The Disney Magic has the same number of pools as the Dream and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Dream.| Disney Dream | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Dream. Only 77% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Magic, 83% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Disney Dream | Disney Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Virtual Sports Simulator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water Coaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Disney is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Disney Dream will likely be more expensive than on Disney Magic.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Disney ship.
| Disney | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% |
| Soda Price | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.50 |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
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