Cruise Spotlight
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Disney Wish vs Disney Fantasy
The Disney Wish is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. The Disney Wish is inspired by stories of wish fulfilment. You'll enter the ship through the Grand Hall which is themed after a castle with a large statue of Cinderella and a display of her glass slipper. Outside the ship, you'll see Rapunzel painting the name on the stern. It's 10 years newer than the Fantasy, which was built in 2012. Disney Fantasy's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Nouveau styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Dumbo 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 Wish is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,119 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Disney Fantasy, the Wish is 11% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Wish holds 60% more passengers than the Fantasy based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Wish has less space per person compared to the Fantasy.
| Disney Wish | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Wish | Dream |
| Gross Tonnage | 144,000 | 130,000 |
| Length | 1,119 | 1,115 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,000 | 2,500 |
| Crew | 1,555 | 1,458 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 1.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 36 | 52 |
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 Wish has 10 different dining options like Enchante by Chef Arnaud Lallement, Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, and 1923. Of those options, 5 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 5 options have an additional fee.
The Fantasy has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Royal Court, Cabanas, and Palo. 6 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 4 have an additional fee.
The Disney Wish has about the same number of dining options as the Disney Fantasy.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Fantasy might be a better choice then the Wish. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurants on Disney Wish & Fantasy
| Disney Wish | Disney Fantasy | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Animator's Palate | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Cabanas | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Enchante by Chef Arnaud Lallement | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Enchanted Garden | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Enchanted Sword Cafe | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Eye Scream Treats | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Flo's Cafe | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Inside Out: Joyful Sweets | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Marceline Market | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Palo | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Palo Steakhouse | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Preludes | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Remy | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Royal Court | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sweet on You | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Wishing Star Cafe | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Worlds of Marvel | ✓ | ✗ | 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Disney Wish has a total of 8 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Disney Fantasy has fewer pools than the Wish and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Fantasy. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Disney Wish | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 8 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
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. On the Wish, 83% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Fantasy, only 77% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Disney Wish | Disney Fantasy | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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 Wish will likely be more expensive than on Disney Fantasy.
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) | $14.50 |
| 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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