Info on Wish

[30scruiser]

Hello! I’m super excited that I just won a cruise for 4 on the Wish. It’s on June 5th (right before the official Maiden Voyage). 
 

One of my favorite parts of a cruise is the planning but I’m finding it hard to do because other than the video DCL put out a few months back there’s so little info about the Wish. Anyone know where more info can be found now or when it may come out?
 

I’m also new to DCL and cruising with kids so I would happily take any tips on Disney overall.

 

I am enjoying reading about DCL in general but I don’t have a good sense when I read about one of the other ships what info will apply to the Wish.

 

Thanks

[Modern_Viking]

As you say, Disney hasn't released all of the details for the Wish yet.  Since you are new to cruising with DCL, and asked what might be similar or different to other Disney ships, I will try and give you a summary of some things that I expect based on Disney announcements.  (I don't work for DCL, so these aren't official but are a best guess from someone who has taken 6 Disney cruises.)

 

(1) There will still be rotational dining (at dinner only) in 3 main dining rooms.  The decor of the 3 dining rooms on the Wish will all be completely different than the themes of the 3 dining rooms on the other ships, however.  For example, the existing 4 Disney ships have an "Animator's Palate" but the Wish will not.

 

(2) There will still be 2 fixed dinner seatings with no option to just show up at a random time for dinner or make reservations in the main dining rooms for a time other than the 2 fixed times.  I think there are 3 main reasons for this: (1) efficiency and ease of operations for DCL, (2) to better schedule meals around evening entertainment activities (people who eat early are able to attend the 2nd showing of the headliner entertainment and people who eat later are able to attend the 1st showing of the headliner entertainment, and (3) there are shows scheduled during some dinners, and those shows are timed to coincide to when guests arrive, start eating, start eating dessert, etc. thus the show timing wouldn't work if people weren't all eating roughly the same dinner course at roughly the same time. (Disney is focused on entertainment, so it makes sense to me their dinner schedule is tailored around helping the entertainment cast do their thing.)

 

(3) Some dinner venues will feature some amount of live entertainment.  On the Magic and Wonder, 2 of 3 locations have entertainment during dinner.  On the Dream and Fantasy it is 1 of 3 (maybe 2 of 3 if you count a live pianist at dinner as entertainment, which is certainly nice, but not as big as the other offerings).  On the Wish, it appears 2 of 3 dinner locations will have live shows during dinner.

 

(4) It sounds like the Wish will have 3 headliner, Disney themed nighttime shows in the main theater. I think I heard at least 1 will be brand new for the Wish and at least 1 will be a duplicate of something offered on at least one other Disney ships.  I have not heard the names of the shows yet.  On the nights when one of these 3 shows aren't performing, there could be a movie, a guest entertainer (like a magician, juggler, ventriloquist, hypnotist, etc), or possibly another show by the ship's cast (often a "welcome aboard" themed show).

 

(5) The cabins on the Wish will be quite different in decor and theming,  Out are the darker, primary colors and nautical themes, and arriving is a much lighter color palate.  I don't remember seeing any indication that inside cabins will have "magical portholes" like on the Dream and Fantasy only, or that there will be any "steam trunk" themed furniture/storage items.

 

(6) Instead of having one fairly large movie theater onboard, there will be two smaller movie theaters.  I expect movies will still be free, but refreshments will still need to be purchased.

 

(7) There will still be some quick service, fast food, and/or buffet dining options on the deck with all the pools.  Some or all will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

(8) There will still be an 18+ only pool / sunbed / hottub area on the Wish, but new to this ship, it will be all the way at the back of the ship to reduce the chances of (or need for) some people (including those under 17) to walk through the area on their way somewhere else.

 

(9) The first 4 Disney ships all have an area of one of the lower, interior decks that becomes an 18+ only entertainment district starting at some point in the evening.  I haven't seen such an entertainment district on the deck plans for the Wish, although I suppose some lounges might have an 18+ requirement at night.

 

(10) The Wish has a small pool for concierge cabin guests in addition to a lounge, whereas the other 4 ships only have a lounge.  Also, new on the Wish is that all the concierge grade cabins seem to be clustered toward the front of the ship on multiple decks instead of being more spread out.

 

(11) The Wish has two main stairwells and elevator lobbies per deck whereas the older 4 ships have 3 of each.  Perhaps the hope is clustering the elevators in fewer locations, with more per location, will reduce wait time or otherwise increase elevator efficiency.  It could also mean it is a longer walk to the nearest main staircase, however.  On the Wish, however, it seems like many of the galleys (kitchens) and other crew only areas have been moved to the back of the ship, so maybe that means guests areas are more concentrated further forward in a somewhat smaller area, so maybe the max distance to an elevator might not actually be much or any further on many decks. 

 

(12) On the Wish there still seems to be one deck where most of the kids' clubs are clustered.  New to the Wish it is deck 2 (as opposed to being deck 5 on the other 4 ships).  On the older ships, the kids' clubs are in areas that would have blocked windows due to the placement of the lifeboats.  On the Wish, there is evidently going to be a slide from the main atrium lobby (on deck 3) that goes down into one of the kids' areas on deck 2.

 

(13) There is a deck 13 on the Wish, as there also in on the Dream and Fantasy, but not on the smaller Magic and Wonder.  I guess DCL doesn't buy into bad luck superstitions relating to a 13th floor/deck. Sorry, but I couldn't help but say something quirky for #13.

 

(14) The Wish will have multiple, extra-cost, reservation only, 18+ only dinner and brunch venues.  They will be themed and named differently than on the other 4 ships.  For example, instead of a "Palo" restaurant serving Italian food (as on all 4 ships), the Wish will have "Palo Steakhouse."  Instead of "Remy" on the Dream and Fantasy only, Wish will have "Enchante." Whereas Dream and Fantasy have the "Meridian" bar for cocktails pre and post dinner in those extra-cost restaurants (or whenever, you don't have to eat there to drink there, I think), the Wish will have "The Rose" for that purpose and it will be themed to the movie "Beauty and the Beast."

 

Anyway, those are the topics that came to mind for me.  Hopefully this list is at least somewhat useful to you (and others).  Admittedly, I don't have any breaking news to share, but maybe I noticed some things that others didn't notice.

Edited September 12, 2021 by Modern_Viking

[30scruiser]

5 hours ago, Modern_Viking said:

 

 

.  Hopefully this list is at least somewhat useful to you (and others). 

This is awesome! Thank you so much for typing all this out. I feel like it’s really helpful context