Trying New Ships

[KaystotheKingdom]

Hello!

We have only been on one cruise to date, on the Dream. Now we are looking to plan the next trip.

Has anyone sailed the newer class of ships first, and then the older ships afterward?

Was there any disappointment with the smaller ships? Or are there benefits I might not be considering.

I’d like to try the wish but the 3 night itinerary is not the most appealing for us at this time.

My kids loved the midship detective agency. I know that is not on the magic but wonder if there is something else unique on the older ship the kids might find equally fun (6 and 9 yo)

Between the fantasy and the dream, is there anything that differs between those which you prefer? Or are they so similar that there is little daylight between them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[soniam]

We did 3 cruises on Fantasy and then one on Wonder and one on Wish. We loved Wonder. We even liked Wish just not some things about it. Just go with an open mind. They all have their unique charms.

 

[Mommb]

Lack of the Midship Detective Agency is the disadvantage I’ve noticed most on the Magic/Wonder compared to the Dream.

The advantage of the older ships is fewer passengers, which is apparent at deck parties and especially on Castaway Cay.

I found the Dream and Fantasy almost identical. I preferred the adult lounge area on the Fantasy, because the theming was better, but that’s not a major difference.

 

[Marthasor]

I've sailed on the Magic, Dream and Fantasy multiple times and the Wish once. My favorite remains the Magic - I love how small it is. The Dream is my second favorite. I found the Wish to be too big and very confusing.

 

[TheChanClan]

Our first Disney cruise was on the Dream and we were blown away at how beautiful the ship was. A few years later we sailed on the Wonder and appreciated that it was smaller and there were less people on board. Yes, there were things that showed it's age, but nothing so much so that detracted from our experience. It's also a beautiful ship. We certainly weren't disappointed.

 

[jdb in AZ]

The Fantasy is gorgeous but it was so much bigger than the Magic and Wonder I almost felt like I needed to pack a lunch to get from one end of the ship to the other.

 

[RedHead0186]

Unless you're reallllllly looking to see a particular ship, then I'd pick the itinerary you want and let the ship fall second. FWIW, Fantasy is my favorite ship, and she also (currently) does nice 7-night itineraries. The Fantasy and Dream are pretty similar in structure, though the decor and some layout is a bit different.

 

[KaystotheKingdom]

Unless you're reallllllly looking to see a particular ship, then I'd pick the itinerary you want and let the ship fall second. FWIW, Fantasy is my favorite ship, and she also (currently) does nice 7-night itineraries. The Fantasy and Dream are pretty similar in structure, though the decor and some layout is a bit different.

We are interested in a cruse that goes to both castaway and lighthouse. For the dates we can do, both the fantasy and magic will have that itinerary.

I guess I’m trying to decide if I should a different class ship from what we’ve done ( the magic) or the sister ship to the one we’ve tried (fantasy)

Decisions decisions.

 

[soniam]

We are interested in a cruse that goes to both castaway and lighthouse. For the dates we can do, both the fantasy and magic will have that itinerary.

I guess I’m trying to decide if I should a different class ship from what we’ve done ( the magic) or the sister ship to the one we’ve tried (fantasy)

Decisions decisions.

Pick the longer itinerary. You won’t regret it. Your wallet might though

 

[brentm77]

We have done the Fantasy many times and the Magic once. We started with the Fantasy. I prefer the Magic. It doesn't have the grand-sized lobby that is impressive on the bigger ships, but other than that, it really didn't feel much smaller in any negative ways. I like the smaller number of guests and how easy it is to get around the ship. We liked the smaller capacity for port stops too, since it means less people. And I think the adult district is slightly superior to the Fantasy too. The only thing I didn't love is that two of the MDR's have loud shows, which I am not a fan of during dinner (but many prefer). Overall, it was a very similar experience on both ships, but the Magic felt a little more special for some reason.

 

[Dug720]

I've been on the OG 4 and loved them all. Have not done the Wish left.

As for the Dream class being "SOOOOOOO MUCH LONGER" - the Magic is 131 feet shorter and the Wonder is 151 feet shorter. Hardly necessitating packing a lunch to walk from one end to the other - there's not even the difference of a football field in that length.

 

[Carohs]

No detective agency, mini golf, Remy, or AquaDuck. On shorter itineraries we don't have time for that anyway. Less passengers means less lines for character m&g, and less crowding at the islands. If you're looking to book for the CC and LP the smaller ships would be advantageous imo. As much as the other stuff is great, we don't miss it on the smaller ships at all.

 

[Jsoenning]

Not sure if still the same but our experience on Disney Fantasy x2 versus Wonder / Magic was more variety of characters on board. Lots of Pixar that aren't on Wonder / Magic but may be different today.

 

[Louise97]

We've been on the Magic and the Dream, I think the main difference for me was fewer decks on the Magic meant we could get up to Cabanas and the pool quicker - I felt like we were climbing so many stairs on the Dream!

If your main goal is to see Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay, I'd go for the smaller ship to enjoy those stops with fewer people. Otherwise I'd pick the longer itinerary!

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We've done all 5 (and are booked on Treasure when she is available). Each ship is awesome in it's own right. The smaller ships are sooooo much easier to get around. Dream/Fantasy have great adult areas. Wish has wonderful theming. This is all my opinion, of course, but even those who disagree on the particulars will agree that each ship has it's own charm

 

[OKW Lover]

We've been on all five ships and I can't say that any of them disappoint us. They are just different. Not better/worse than the others.

 

[MushuHill]

I sailed the Dream 1st and then the Magic.
I loved the Disney Magic. It was a quicker walk and felt way less crowded even though the cruise was completely booked. We had a blast I’m on that cruise.

 

[JM_97]

Dream/Fantasy and Magic/Wonder are basically the same ship. There are minor differences in theming and their own quirks but they are essentially laid out exactly the same.

I don't think you'll be disappointed by going from the Dream/Fantasy to the Magic/Wonder. They are all fantastic and all have their pros and cons. Magic and Wonder are the true originals for DCL and while you can tell they were built in a different era of cruising, they are spectacular.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

the Magic is 131 feet shorter and the Wonder is 151 feet shorter.

Why are they different? They were built identically, I thought.

 

[JM_97]

Why are they different? They were built identically, I thought.

I believe it's because the Magic was given a "tail" during a dry dock a couple years back.