Prevue recently had a chance to sail on the maiden voyage of the brand-new Disney Wish. Here are some highlights.
With the debut of Disney Cruise Line’s fifth ship in the fleet, the Disney Wish—sailing her maiden voyage on July 14—everyone’s talking about the AquaMouse, the first Disney attraction at sea; the onboard Broadway-caliber shows at the 1,274-seat Walt Disney Theatre; the theatrical dining extravaganzas such as Arrendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure; and the immersive, high-end bar, Hyperspace Lounge. But … there are so many other gems on board.
The art pieces—everywhere. From tapestries to tile work, the art pieces are whimsical, imaginative and provide such glorious eye candy around every corner. Don’t miss the colorful, playful piece on Deck 3, right around the corner from the 1923 restaurant and the Grand Hall on the way to the elevators. And of course, while in the Grand Hall, make sure to peek under Cinderella’s dress to see what Lucifer is chasing.
Where to find another famous cat on board the Disney Wish? The Cheshire Cat…. That’s easy, stroll over to Deck 4, home to the Wonderland Theatre, an ode to “Alice in Wonderland,” where you’ll find him with glowing eyes hanging out. This is a beautiful, intimate space—seating about 80 persons. Right across the way, passengers will find the Never Land Cinema, inspired by Peter Pan’s flight from London to Never Land. Here, the venue’s night-sky color palette lights up with the flutter of Tinker Bell’s wings.
As we strolled from venue to venue, we came upon the Hero Zone on Deck 12, a sports venue that hosts one of the coolest onboard activities—the Incredi-Games, a game show featuring an elaborate obstacle course of over-the-top physical challenges, each inspired by the characters of Pixar’s “The Incredibles.” This is ideal for competitive families and friends—challenging, but out-of-this-world fun.
Skip on down to Deck 11 and you’ll find one of our favorite hangouts—Inside Out: Joyful Sweets. Yes, the imaginative desserts might’ve lured us in, but the ingenious design is what had us coming back for seconds…and thirds. Here, aside from 40 flavors of gelato and ice cream, candy and novelty treats, your clients will find sculpted figures of the film’s five main characters and glowing Memory Orb light fixtures. When it comes to its tasty treats, there are signature treats inspired by the film including colorful cupcakes representing the five emotions—Joy (lemon), Sadness (blueberry), Disgust (pistachio), Anger (red velvet) and Fear (bubble gum)—and chocolate Memory Orbs.
Coffee lovers won’t want to miss out on Cafe Cove, in the adults-only Quiet Cove Pool District. Here, they’ll get to choose how their coffee is brewed—from syphon to press to moka, and choose their bean as well. And although we were unable to dine at Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement, we did take a tour and it’s an exquisitely designed restaurant. Enchanté is part of a suite—along with Palo Steakhouse and The Rose—of adults-only venues inspired by “Beauty and the Beast.” We toured during the day, but the views are out of this world and we could easily imagine how this could turn into a romantic setting come evening with its soft blues and metallic embellishments as well as shimmering light fixtures and intimate vibe. There’s also a private 10-seat dining room for groups. As with all Disney vessels, there are a variety of venues on board that can be used by groups during the day, and ways to create an exclusive group experience.
Disney Wish will sail on 3- and 4-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, from Port Canaveral, Florida.
This article previously ran in Prevue’s sister magazine, Recommend
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