Since introducing its first ship, the 1,750-guest Disney Magic, in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has gained a loyal clientele of adoring families and “Disney adults” who enjoy pairing a visit to Disney World in Orlando with a three-or-four-night cruise to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral. Disney’s cruise product matched its theme parks in quality and consistency across its first four ships, which also include 1,750-guest Disney Wonder and 2,500-guest Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, and commanded much higher fares than other contemporary large-ship lines.
Enter 2022’s Disney Wish, the line’s first new ship in 20 years, which like Dream and Fantasy accommodates 2,500 to 4,000 passengers (at capacity). With Wish, Disney opted to change up the ship’s layout — creating design flaws that have irked some loyal Disney cruisers. One obvious change is the main pool deck, which on Wish features six smaller pools of varying depths, with some set on tiered decks accessible via stairs. The adults-only spaces on Wish have also been haphazardly scattered rather than being located in a central area; there are only two elevator banks, not three; and the ship’s layout is a bit maze-like, requiring passengers to traverse many long hallways to move between public spaces. Expect long lines, excessive waits for elevators, and crowds everywhere.