Negatives of Disney Wish

[auntlynne]

thank you so much, everyone. I truly appreciate all of you taking time to respond to my question. After reading all your posts, I am relieved that even if I choose the Wish, I will be fine. I also read someone saying to look into maybe 4-5 nights since 3 nights will go quickly. So might even look at the Disney Dream for the 1st week of May.

That’s what I would pick. It’s a great week, weather-wise, with fewer guests (or maybe just fewer middle schoolers.

But it is only 4 nights, Wed-Sun. Wish offers 4 nights, also (but is often more expensive).

I enjoy the closeness of FLL airport to the port v. the drive from MCO (Orlando).

Recommendation: look for hotel availability and cost in Fort Lauderdale before booking cruise. And airfare. At this point, you are paying in full for cruise when you book.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Wife, adult son, and I were on the Wish (our first back to back) over Christmas 2022. And while I can say it was not my favorite DCL ship, I can definitely say we would sail the Wish again, if it's back to back (3 & 4 night are too short for us).

I really hope they fixed the elevator buttons, what a pain they are/were. The promenade deck makes no sense, they really couldn't design a continuous track around a deck. And while the layout is a little wonky, as long as your not navigationally challenged, you keep running into the same dead end over and over and over; that is not a deal breaker. I'm not a pool person so I can't speak to the complaints about them. And I'm on a Disney ship, so the heavy Disney theme did not bother me.

Don't change your plans because of the negative threads you have read.
It is possible you may not like/love the Wish.
But it's possible that you will have missed out on one of the best family vacations ever!!! You should make the final decision on if the Wish is the right decision for your family.

We will be on the Disney Fantasy this fall and I can't wait to make a placeholder reservation for a future Disney Treasure cruise.

 

[Cfabar1]

I didn't realize people found the wish too heavily disney themed... I personally think that's one of the best things it has going for it.

 

[MrMagoo]

Wife, adult son, and I were on the Wish (our first back to back) over Christmas 2022. And while I can say it was not my favorite DCL ship, I can definitely say we would sail the Wish again, if it's back to back (3 & 4 night are too short for us).

I really hope they fixed the elevator buttons, what a pain they are/were. The promenade deck makes no sense, they really couldn't design a continuous track around a deck. And while the layout is a little wonky, as long as your not navigationally challenged, you keep running into the same dead end over and over and over; that is not a deal breaker. I'm not a pool person so I can't speak to the complaints about them. And I'm on a Disney ship, so the heavy Disney theme did not bother me.

Don't change your plans because of the negative threads you have read.
It is possible you may not like/love the Wish.
But it's possible that you will have missed out on one of the best family vacations ever!!! You should make the final decision on if the Wish is the right decision for your family.

We will be on the Disney Fantasy this fall and I can't wait to make a placeholder reservation for a future Disney Treasure cruise.

YES they did fix those stupid elevator buttons!!!

 

[MrMagoo]

I didn't realize people found the wish too heavily disney themed... I personally think that's one of the best things it has going for it.

It is not the Disney theme. I believe we all like that or else we probably wouldn't cruise Disney.
We see things beyond that.

 

[MrMagoo]

I didn't realize people found the wish too heavily disney themed... I personally think that's one of the best things it has going for it.

I am sorry and sincerely apologize! I was just rereading through the thread and saw CamColt post that stated that.
I guess that part of the post didn't register with in my brain. I hope you can forgive me!

 

[bakerworld]

We enjoyed the Wish. We felt the motion of the sea the least and we always stay Aft. In all the other ships we avoided the mid elevators so that wasn't an issue on the Wish. What I did love about the Wish was the 8 elevators instead of 4 but you do have to keep an eye out for which ones show cause we missed a few. We didn't have an issue with the adult areas being small. The Wish is the only ship I can enjoy the Funnel Vision because they have mastered the sound issue. The other ships the people in the pool are so loud and the surrounding walls make the noise worse but somehow the Wish fixed this.

 

[CamColt]

I am sorry and sincerely apologize! I was just rereading through the thread and saw CamColt post that stated that.
I guess that part of the post didn't register with in my brain. I hope you can forgive me!

Since it's me who said this let me clarify. The Wish was my 25th Disney Cruise. I've been on all 4 other ships. When I board them I feel like I'm walking on a ship and going on a cruise...LOVE that excitement! The crew in their cruise costumes, welcoming us aboard and cheering for my family. Then there was the Wish, which felt like I was walking into Fantasyland, with the medieval type costumes, the little show (nothing cruise related). and no cheering...just our name and on to the next family.

Marceline Market would be a cool restaurant in WDW, or even more so in DL, that would be neat! But I prefer Cabanas with the beach theme, getting me in cruise mode, ready for the beach.

And with every nook and cranny being Disney themed, overall I felt like I was in a floating MK, not on a cruise ship. But again, as I said in my OP, this did not ruin the cruise for me, just a little annoyance that I didn't love. I do think I'm too used to the other ships that I love, which makes something different not as enjoyable. If I were a first time cruiser I probably would have felt much different.

 

[auntlynne]

What? I thought a common perspective was that the Wish looked like a conference hotel. It is definitely up for personal interpretation. No one needs to feel bad or apologize - other than the person who hired a never-cruised person to design the thing.

No doubt, these ships do scream Disney. That’s why I hear people say they are not interested in cruising on them.

Sadly, it’s not just the castle of the Wish’s atrium that is different, there’s something off/ different when you are announced. It started with the circles on the floor after Covid, but it hasn’t felt the same even with restrictions lifted. Maybe it’s just old hat and doesn’t elicit the same excitement for me?

 

[ShaneDJ]

...hired a never-cruised person to design the thing.

Is that true?

Someone who had never cruised before designed the Wish ship?

 

[Husker Mike]

I think Wish defenders overreact to criticism. Some people may say they hate certain aspects of the Wish (such as the lack of a promenade deck), but I don't know that I've heard anybody say they hate the ship. What you hear instead is that people PREFER the other ships in Disney's fleet. And, of course, others prefer the Wish as well. (And some people dislike the itineraries that the Wish is on, and what Disney is charging for them. And the price indicates that the Wish is, overall, a hit.) Some people like Coke, others like Pepsi. And most people are fine with either, especially if they don't know what they're actually drinking.


LIkewise, first time cruisers will probably be happy with whatever ship they sail on.

 

[MrMagoo]

Is that true?

Someone who had never cruised before designed the Wish ship?

Yes it is true.
I tried to find the article about the designer but have been unable to so far.

 

[SuperJ]

Yes it is true.
I tried to find the article about the designer but have been unable to so far.

In that “making the Wish” show/“documentary” on Disney+, she says it. It’s a clip of her saying it during a panel of some sort (D23 maybe?).

 

[JulieBeeRN]

We really enjoyed the Wish and were going again in 2025. But after just going on a 5-night on the Dream; we changed our cruise to a 5-night on the Fantasy next year bc it was cheaper and we get an extra day.

 

[MrMagoo]

In that “making the Wish” show/“documentary” on Disney+, she says it. It’s a clip of her saying it during a panel of some sort (D23 maybe?).

Thank you.
I did find this article from National Geographic where she said she knew nothing about cruise ships in the interview.
The main designer was Laura Cabo

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/overheard/article/meet-an-imagineer-who-built-a-wish

COHEN: All right. So to someone who doesn’t know anything about cruise ships, how would you describe a cruise ship?

CABO: Oh my gosh. OK. I was someone who knew nothing about cruise ships five years ago. So how would I describe that? I was stunned when I walked into a shipyard hall for the first time, and it just struck me like I’m standing in front of the pyramids. It’s huge. It’s just inconceivable how people can build this and put something so gigantic together. And then how does the weight of it not plunge through the concrete floor of the dry dock? I don’t understand that. It should just dissolve.

 

[ThinkTink91]

but I don't know that I've heard anybody say they hate the ship. What you hear instead is that people PREFER the other ships in Disney's fleet.

Former crew member here! People definitely hated it and we heard about it I transferred to the Wish 2 weeks after it's inaugural cruise and the first 3 months were interesting.

Of the gold + cruisers I'd say the response was 50/50. And it was either love or hate.

First time cruisers was mostly love.

I definitely had people tell me they hated it, had one near tears telling me all the things they disliked.

Personally I love the Wish, I think it's very beautiful (and the crew areas blow the other ships out of the water) the worst thing about the Wish is it's itinerary

 

[Cfabar1]

We are sailing a non-Wish cruise for the first time with DCL.... I am curious to see how we are going to feel about it. I think it is entirely possible we long for the return to the Triton class ships given their emphasis on great dining, theming, and interactivity.

 

[ThinkTink91]

We are sailing a non-Wish cruise for the first time with DCL.... I am curious to see how we are going to feel about it. I think it is entirely possible we long for the return to the Triton class ships given their emphasis on great dining, theming, and interactivity.

Oh, the Wish is great but so are the others. I worked on the Dream for 3 years so I have a great love for that ship. I love the restaurants there, my fave is animators. The adult only areas being mostly together and aft is something I like too.

I did one contract on the Magic, and it was my first ever ship as a guest, so again a special place in my heart. It's MUCH smaller but I think that adds to its charms, you can get anywhere pretty quickly and Rapunzel is my fav princess so I loved going to her restaurant. Very similar idea to Arendelle where the characters are out and singing and dancing.

They're different from the Wish but mostly in layout, still lots of Magic.

Also the Wish has my least favourite theatre show (sorry little mermaid) but the shows on the other ships are spectacular.

Also if you're doing a Dream Class ship you have to do the Midship Detective Agency.

 

[Cfabar1]

Yes, Little Mermaid is a terrible show... I'd love to see the Hercules show!

 

[ThinkTink91]

Yes, Little Mermaid is a terrible show... I'd love to see the Hercules show!

Do you mean Villains Tonight with Hades? That one retired in 2017 for Beauty & the Beast. Villains was cute but ranks a little low for me (was still good and I would watch it whenever I could but compared to others of a similar style I prefer Believe and Dreams way more)