I’ve Been on Both Disney Wish and Disney Treasure. Here’s the One I Would Book for My Next Cruise
When Disney Cruise Line introduced the Wish in 2022, it was a fantastical step up for the already lauded cruise line. Wish was the first Disney ship to feature immersive character dining as part of its nightly dinner rotation, had its own original Broadway-quality musical and offered special, magical touches, like Cinderellas lobby, which transforms at midnight. Treasure, which launched at the end of 2024, matches Wish one-for-one on each of those measures and then some.
Wish was the first new Disney Cruise Line (DCL) ship in 10 years and the fifth added to the fleet after Fantasy, which set sail in 2012. Though its completion and inaugural sailing were delayed due to COVID-19, the wait was more than worth it.Disney Treasure followed in 2024 and has nearly the exact same deck plan as its predecessor: While Wish has 1,254 staterooms, Treasure has 1,256, and both can accommodate 4,000 passengers.
As a travel writer, I took a three-night sailing with my family on Wish before its maiden voyage in 2022, and I previewed Treasure last November before it embarked on its first public sailing.
Read on to find out which Disney Cruise Line ship I prefer and why.
GetReaders DigestsRead Up newsletterfor more travel, tech, cleaning, humor and fun facts all week long.
Dining on Wish and Treasure
Both ships have three main dining rooms that guests rotate through on each night of their sailing. Youll find 1923 and Worlds of Marvel on each ship. The former is named after the year the Walt Disney Company was founded and serves fresh and flavorful California cuisine. The wood-paneled restaurants are billed as a celebration of Disneys long history of animation and feature original framed sketcheslook for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Frozen II on Wishand The Lion King and Tarzan on Treasure.
Worlds of Marvel, on the other hand, highlights the future with Avengers: Quantum Encounter featuring Ant-Man. I dont want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that things dont always go as planned when Ant-Man is around. At least you can count on the globally inspired cuisine to be a hit. And dont worry, parents of picky eaters, chicken tenders and fries are always an option when youre sailing with DCL.
Wish and Treasure both offer immersive character dining thats the most entertaining dinner theater youll find at sea. On Wish, it’s Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, and on Treasure, it’s Plaza de Coco. In Arendelle, youll meetwho else?Olaf, Anna, Elsa, Sven and Oaken. Singing along is encouraged, as the dining room gets in on the fun. The restaurant serves up hearty, Scandinavian-inspired fare, such as smoked salmon and braised meatballs.
At Plaza de Coco on Treasure, youll meet Miguel, Hector, Mama Imelda and the rest of the Rivera family as you venture into the Land of the Dead. While its hard to pick a favorite between Arendelle and Plaza de Coco, Mexican food has always been a favorite of mine, so Plaza de Coco, with its croquettes and guacamole, takes the win in my book.
Bars and lounges on Wish and Treasure
For those who like their cocktails with a side of playful theming, both Wish and Treasure deliver. Wish is home to Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge, where guests are transported to a galaxy far, far awayand thats even before they have a sip of one of the intergalactic cocktails!
Meanwhile, on Treasure, those brave enough can visit the Haunted Mansion Parlor, an ode to the classic Disney World attraction, for spiritsin both senses of the word. Madame Leota is just one of the beloved ghosts who greet hapless guests.
Both the Hyperspace Lounge and Haunted Mansion Parlor are open to guests of all ages in the afternoon, so kids can experience the fun too. But once the sun sets, the lounges become adults-only spaces.
Another adults-only hot spot on each ship is the piano bar. On Wish, you’ll find Nightingale, inspired by Cinderellas song Sing Sweet Nightingale, while on Treasure, youll swing into the Scat Cat Lounge, worthy of the ultimate cool cats from the 1970s, the Aristocats.
Shows on Wish and Treasure
This will come as no surprise to any Disney lover, but once again both Wish and Treasure knock it out of the park when it comes to their marquee musicals. Wish features The Little Mermaid, developed exclusively for the ship, which takes guests under the sea and back again to kiss the girl. Treasure offers The Tale of Moana and uses puppetry similar to Broadways The Lion King to bring the world of Moana and Maui to life. Both are breathtaking and will keep even the youngest kids (or crankiest adults) enraptured.
Grand Hall, staterooms, kids clubs and more
The theme may be different on each ship, but the overall deck plans are the same. Though youll find Cinderella and crew on Wish and Aladdin and Jasmine on Treasure, provided you know your fore from your aft, if you can find your way around on Wish, youll be able to find your way on Treasure.
Average staterooms on each ship are the same size: Deluxe ocean-view staterooms are 218 square feet, and deluxe family ocean-view staterooms are 237 square feet.
The Oceaneer Clubs on both ships are nearly identical, each featuring Marvel Super Hero Academy and Star Wars Cargo Bay. If your kids are like mine, theyll be begging to go the second they wake up!
On both ships, youll find AquaMouse Water Slide, the at-sea attraction featuring Mickey and Minnie. The storyline is different on each, but the thrills are the same.
Both Wish and Treasure, like all ships in the DCL, have an onboard Senses Spa and Salon for spa services. But going a step beyond the other Disney ships, these two have a Hooks Barbery for Men and an Untangled Salon for nail and specialty hair services, plus services for women. And like all DCL ships, both have a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where younger guests can transform into the prince or princess of their dreams.
Disney Wish vs. Disney Treasure
With so many similarities, how is it possible to choose a favorite? It was simple for me, and it has nothing to do with the Treasures Mexican fare (OK, maybe a little).
The Wishoffers only three-night sailings out of Port Canaveral, with a day at Disneys private Castaway Cay. While my family of four absolutely loved our cruise and would go back in a hot second, it was exhausting trying to fit all the experiences into three nights. With so much to do, we were always busy trying to have fun and making sure we didnt miss a single thing, so we werent left with much time to unwind and relax.
Treasure, meanwhile, offers seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings, also out of Port Canaveral. While I only spent a day exploring Treasure, I know a week of sailing would be the perfect mix of family-friendly activities and dining mixed with time to chill without any pressure.
Dont get me wrong, both ships are a dream, and shorter itineraries might work better for your familys budget or vacation schedule. But if three nights are good, seven nights are just that much better!
Why trust us
Readers Digesthas published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. Were committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about ourteam, our contributors and oureditorial policies.
The post I’ve Been on Both Disney <i>Wish</i> and Disney <i>Treasure</i>. Here’s the One I Would Book for My Next Cruise appeared first on Reader's Digest.
from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/gYk8JOr
Comments
Post a Comment