The WISH - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Review)

[SL6827]

No shade, Disney doesn't want you in those lounge chairs. They want you in a shop or a bar.

 

[holula]

No shade, Disney doesn't want you in those lounge chairs. They want you in a shop or a bar.

Based on what people are saying about the size of the bars, they don’t want you there either.

 

[asgur5]

That isn't exactly true. The Wish is now the only ship that sails short cruises to Castaway Cay in winter, and the only ship that regularly sails short cruises there at all now. The Dream is now spending summers in Europe. One classic ship spends summers in Alaska and there are rumors another is going to be sent to Australia/Asia. Many of us can't afford those itineraries, at least not more than once.

It feels like the Wish is being pushed on people who like to (or can only) sail out of Florida. I usually don't have a week available to cruise, so I can't always sail the Fantasy.

I do feel that as a whole, the Fab Four are less accessible than they were before. I'm worried about what will happen when the next ships come out. They'll probably be similar to Wish, and I'm afraid that one or more of the Fab Four will be permanently sent far away, leaving those of us who love those ships but can't afford airfare from middle America to Europe/Australia/Asia with fewer choices.

Are there any other states that have more then one disney ship sailing short trips in winter?

what makes florida and florida residents so special that they deserve so much more cruise options then everyone else? There is only one ship sailing out of the entire west coast despite destinations being far more interesting. Its not florida residents that are short changed.

there are now 5 ships instead of 4. disney cruises are now more accessible then they have ever been as a result of this fact.

 

[varkgirl]

I started out on Disney over 20 cruises ago with a young teen who is now married with a 2 year old of her own. I am an older single adult cruiser paying almost double for my fare on top of also paying for my daughter and her family.

Have you tried putting a grandchild in your room and then moving them once on board? Would help you avoid double occupancy for those trips where you travel with them.

 

[varkgirl]

It feels like the Wish is being pushed on people who like to (or can only) sail out of Florida. I usually don't have a week available to cruise, so I can't always sail the Fantasy.

What about the Dream?

 

[Cheburashka]

What about the Dream?

The Dream is in Europe in the summer. She no longer sails the 3-night cruises in winter that I can work into my teaching schedule, as she mostly does longer cruises now and those require a whole week off from work which I can't do. So that leaves Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, or spring break, which are expensive. I guess I'll just end up paying for those, even though it's more of a financial stretch than I'd like.

For me it's a loss that there's no longer a way to do a weekend getaway from the winter cold to Castaway on a Fab Four ship.

 

[Cheburashka]

what makes florida and florida residents so special that they deserve so much more cruise options then everyone else? There is only one ship sailing out of the entire west coast despite destinations being far more interesting. Its not florida residents that are short changed.

I am not a Florida resident. I live in central Texas, so east & west coast are about the same distance for me.

The reason Florida cruises matter is that they go to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, which has traditionally been a key feature of a Disney cruise. The other Bahamian & Caribbean islands also have more family activities available because so many families cruise to them from Florida (on all cruise lines). The Pacific Mexican ports like Ensenada cannot compare to that.

You can't take a short cruise to Castaway Cay from any other state, and even the longer Galveston cruises, for example, usually don't go there anymore. And of course you can't go there from the West coast.

Are there any other states that have more then one disney ship sailing short trips in winter?

No, there are no other Disney ships anywhere offering regular 3-night cruises. There are a few offered in peak hurricane season in Florida (September/October), and a few offered midwinter from San Diego, which isn't a very warm mid-winter getaway and has no private island. One or two offered late spring. Nothing regular and nothing to Castaway in winter.

It IS a loss for those of us who want to continue to sail short cruises to Castaway Cay, and do not like the Wish. There used to be so many options for that and now DCL is taking them away.

 

[BK2014]

So not much chance for a Palo brunch on this ship unless your club level? Sad.

This may be true at the initial booking window, but I have seen several people post that they were able to secure a reservation once on board. What I don't know, and hopefully someone does, is if the waitlist is prioritized by concierge or Castaway Club status.

 

[loislane]

Thats not true. A lot of cruisers complain that its inferior to the other cruise line islands.

A lot of cruisers complain about a lot of things. That doesn't mean other people don't like those same things. I love Castaway Cay because it ISN'T all developed and I can enjoy some natural beauty.

 

[Cruising Girl]

Have you tried putting a grandchild in your room and then moving them once on board? Would help you avoid double occupancy for those trips where you travel with them.

Yes!! already tried that BUT..... A child is only cheaper as the third, fourth etc...... When putting anyone of any age in as a second passenger they pay the same price as he first passenger!

 

[TestingH2O]

Yes!! already tried that BUT..... A child is only cheaper as the third, fourth etc...... When putting anyone of any age in as a second passenger they pay the same price as he first passenger!

Well, yes, but it still saves you the amount of that child fare.

Let’s say an adult fare is $1000 and, as passenger 3, the child is $750.

Room 1: 2A & 1C = $2750
Room 2: 1A = $2000 because of single supplement
Total: $4750

Instead switch the child.

Room 1: 2A = $2000
Room 2: 1A & 1C = $2000
Total: $4000

Yes, the child fare is a bit more expensive, but you still save 100’s of dollars.

 

[Cheburashka]

I love Castaway Cay because it ISN'T all developed and I can enjoy some natural beauty.

Exactly. Disney already offers Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon in Orlando, and big pools at all of their resorts. Disney's private island is special because it feels like just that, an island, not a park or a resort.

 

[Kwami]

No, there are no other Disney ships anywhere offering regular 3-night cruises. There are a few offered in peak hurricane season in Florida (September/October)

To be fair, that's a great time to visit Castaway Cay before the water gets too cold! I've done the September/October short cruises a few times now and they're always been great.

 

[varkgirl]

Yes!! already tried that BUT..... A child is only cheaper as the third, fourth etc...... When putting anyone of any age in as a second passenger they pay the same price as he first passenger!

Right but it would still be cheaper than paying double occupancy on one room!

Well, yes, but it still saves you the amount of that child fare.

Let’s say an adult fare is $1000 and, as passenger 3, the child is $750.

Room 1: 2A & 1C = $2750
Room 2: 1A = $2000 because of single supplement
Total: $4750

Instead switch the child.

Room 1: 2A = $2000
Room 2: 1A & 1C = $2000
Total: $4000

Yes, the child fare is a bit more expensive, but you still save 100’s of dollars.

We do this often when my MIL sails with my SIL and her three (teenage) boys. We put a boy in her room on paper so that she doesn't have to pay double occupancy.

 

[Orange_bird71]

Just got off the Wish yesterday (7/22-7/25 sailing). I had checked out some of the reviews and vlogs of the ship before my sailing, and was not overly impressed. However, I wanted to go into it with an open mind and give it a chance, maybe it would be better in person. Well, I've been on it, and sorry to say, I'm still not impressed. While I understand some may love this ship, it wasn't for me.

Starting with the positives, the bedding was very nice. I wanted to take home those blankets and pillows. Mickey's Barbecue was great! One of the best meals I had on the ship and I highly recommend it.

However, there was much more left to be desired in several areas. I know this is going to sound overly negative, but its just what I experienced.
As many have said, the adult pool/area is way too small. Packed all the time. We eventually did make it into the Quiet Cove pool for a bit but it was while most people were on Castaway Cay. However, most of the time we went to the Chip 'n Dale pool which was not busy at all.

Overall, I though the ship seemed sterile and lifeless. I have been on the Dream and the Fantasy previously and compared to those ships, the best way I can put it is this one feels like it lacks a soul. The Dream class strikes me as "Wow" ships, and this just wasn't. Stark white walls and floor for the atrium with a picture here and there. Walking though the main hall for the theatre show and dinner there was never any entertainment on that giant stage they dedicated so much space to (should have been another elevator in my opinion). If there was, it was not during peak traffic hours and I sure didn't see it. And I'm sorry to say, I thought it all looked cheap in person.
I felt like the overall goal of this ship was they wanted you to drop your kids off in the kids club, then get into a bar or the spa. It didn't have that same family feel like on the other ships to me.
I don't drink, so I'm not their intended demographic. I get that. There also seemed like there weren't as many activities as other ships. No mini-golf or mid-ship detective agency for example. There were times I actually felt bored. I've never been bored on a Disney ship before.

The choice of stores were a head scratcher. Mostly high end watch and jewelry stores. They were almost always empty and I never went in them. Mickey's Mainsail was always packed though.

The movie theatres were also very small, accessed through narrow halls, and seemed like they were awkwardly jammed in there just to say they have them.

We rode the AquaMouse twice, once on Fri. and again on Sat. It broke down both times. The first was while we were still on it, but coming down from the last slide. The second time was after we had waited for an hour and were the next to get on. The crew said it would just be a few minutes to get it up again. 30-40 min. later they had it back up and we rode. Personally, I prefer the AquaDuck. I like the views you get from the AquaDuck as it is a clear tube the whole way, vs. the AquaMouse mostly enclosed black tube. Doesn't live up to the hype in my opinion.

As has already been noted, the walking track is a joke. It seems like it was an after thought and like they don't really want you out there. This was disappointing since we always like to go out for a walk around deck and watch the sunset out at sea before dinner and after the show.

The layout of this ship did not always make sense. The line for Worlds of Marvel for example extended into the deck 4 elevator corridor up the stair well and spiraled up at least the next floor. If you were getting off the aft elevator on any of these floors or were taking the stairs during this time it was a packed bottle neck. You were immediately slammed into the Marvel line. There were also lots of dead ends throughout the ship too. Cove Café for example wasn't super easy to find. You had to be looking for it.

Two elevator/stair wells was a design flaw in my opinion. You're never really close to anything. The elevator situation was also annoying. Only certain elevators go to certain floors. For example, to get to deck 13 you need to get the back two elevators in the aft section and just keep trying until you get the elevator you want. You need to pay attention to the signs above the elevators noting the floors they service. You can't necessarily hop into the first one that comes depending on where you want to go. My husband and I are young enough where we just did stairs the majority of the time to avoid waiting for the right elevator.

Lots of stairs around the upper decks/pool area and pools are far and spaced out (Chip 'n Dale to Quiet Cove for example). If you have mobility issues, this might be something to consider. These stairs between upper decks also seemed much more narrow and steeper than the previous ships as far as I can remember.

No chest of drawers in the room was another annoyance. Lots of shelves but no drawers, and I can't understand what you are supposed to store on all of those open shelves by the mirror. They want you to live out of your suitcase and store it under the bed. Design flaw in my opinion.

The shows were not ready. The first nights show was only 30 min. The second night's (Aladdin) was still in production and the Little Mermaid went down for a while for technical difficulties. I heard several people around me visibly annoyed at the Little Mermaid delay and left the theatre. I know Disney would never do this, but they should have given an onboard credit for this. The entertainment is a big reason many people book these ships. What I did see was just okay. Nothing as good as the shows on the other ships.

The staff were friendly and all working very hard, but needed a bit more training for dinner. While dining at Marvel, everyone at our table received the wrong meals. We eventually straightened it out, swapping plates around the table. We did not have dessert as we had the 8:15 seating, it was after 10 p.m. and our entrée plates had just been cleared and we hadn't gotten desert menus yet. The pirate party started at 10:15 so a choice had to be made. Our entire table left shortly before 10:15 for the pirate party. Dessert would have been nice, but it would have been a 3 hour dinner. 1923 also took similarly long.

Wasn't impressed at all with the new pirate party. I enjoyed the Dream and Fantasy's better. The Pirate party on the Wish was just a screaming head banger rock concert. Nothing special and not my taste, but that's just me. The Pirate party also seemed like an after thought. No Mickey bandannas nor was it listed in the navigator that I saw.

Guest services was also an insanely long line. I made an appointment on the app as they ask you to do. Regardless, we waited over an hour.

Overall, I did not love the Wish and won't be sailing it again. In my opinion, it doesn't live up to the expectation set by the other ships and was an overall disappointment. If I sail DCL again, it'll be on the Dream or Fantasy. Sorry to anyone who loves this ship, but it just wasn't my thing.

 

[auntlynne]

.

 

[NaturalNine]

A lot of cruisers complain about a lot of things. That doesn't mean other people don't like those same things. I love Castaway Cay because it ISN'T all developed and I can enjoy some natural beauty.

CC looks like a snooze fest, haven't experienced it myself yet but on Wish next week and considering it as a sea day

No drink packages doesnt help either - Would be fine to perch up at the bar with a few dozen Pina Colada's for $50 a day like other cruise ships offer, take that, add some good music and some dancing girls with bikinis on is a great day!

 

[Mickey'sTown]

I’m cruising Wish in February for a Back-2-Back to see it for myself luckily my dad and I are pretty lucky and cruise a bit, so will get back on other ships after. While I’ve read negative reviews I’ve also heard great things

We were so disappointed with the Wish that we switched our Feb B2B on the Wish to a 7 night Fantasy cruise. The issues we have with it are not fixable. (Cove non-pool pool; lack of shade; broken up spaces, etc)

 

[Mickey'sTown]

It seems to me that anything on the Wish comes at a premium.... you want to look at the ocean, buy and ocean view room. You want hot tubs? Buy concierge or a rainforest pass. You want to look out at sea? Come into expensive shops - hopefully whilst there you will buy a diamond. It's interesting many of the bars don't have views- but I guess they want you to pay for drinks and move on, rather than sit and look pit a window whilst nursing your cocktail. Also it would seem the pools are small - simply to stop people staying in them all day. You are worth so much more to Disney spending time in Hyperspace Lounge than in the pool.

It seems there has been some real nickel and dining going on with the guest experience on this ship. Its sad, but I genuinely think the business model is to get new guests on the Wish - this castle at sea - a slow transition to ocean vacations by way of more a resort/theme park experience so you realise you like cruising and then book one of the more exciting/more expensive vacations with more of a cruise ship vibe/experience.

The future of cruising very much seems to be more a "resort at sea" - just look at Celebrity Edge class/Virgin Voyages/pretty much any Riyal Caribbean ship. They are more like city centres or Vegas resorts than any older ships - you only need to see people on here as first time cruisers asking "if it's for them" to understand why they want to make you feel you are in a resort rather than on a ship.

It's hilarious that Disney didn't look back at their experiences with the Dream to remember that people want pools and better adult spaces with space to move around. This was a clean slate - they could have built any size ship they wanted, but they decided for just a little more space and a tonne of premium rooms.

We are Platinum and on opening day was unable to book a Palo or Enchantė brunch. I shouldn't complain. We have been lucky to do both on every cruise we have done (obviously not enchants on our Magic and Wonder cruises). I was told that because of the extra concierge rooms, and reduced space in both, this was the reason. Why not have a concierge only restaurant? I hardly call it a benefit of Castaway club if I can't get in the restaurant to redeem my Palo credit.

As for uncharged food in the lounges? I don't know why people need to spend money on this stuff when you are on a ship with an abundance of food. Again, seasoned Disney Cruisers will remember all the snacks in O'Gills and the nachos in Promenade Lounge. It's not all that to write home about, but it's there should you require. I can kind of get it in somewhere like The Rose as it's an opportunity to try something a little more gourmet and decide if you want to book Enchantė... if you can get a reservation anyways. But paying for fish and chips or chicken wings?!?!

I agree.

 

[Mickey'sTown]

No shade, Disney doesn't want you in those lounge chairs. They want you in a shop or a bar.

You are correct: chairs, not like the fab 4 chaise’s