They look alike, and they both sail alike too, but Disney Wonder has a feel all it's own. The 83,000 ton ship made it's
inaugural debut in August 1999, and upon stepping aboard we immediately took note of the Wonder's Art Nouveau-style lobby,
which features sycamore wood, blue glass and polished nickel railings. Noted artist and designer Dale Chiluly has created
a gorgeous Venetian art glass chandelier that graces the atrium. The ship is stunning, featuring a customized artwork designed
exclusively for the Disney Wonder.
This cruise, in our opinion, is probably best suited to those traveling with children,
extended families, and true die-hard Disney fanatics. Setting the industry standard for children's cruising activities, you
will find more square footage designated for different age groups of children than you'll find aboard any other ship afloat.
Those of you familiar with the resorts at Walt Disney World know their obsession with iconography, and the Disney
sister ships haven't escaped unscathed. You'll find "hidden" (and not so hidden) Mickeys on the soaps in the bathroom, curtains,
bedspreads, railings, artwork, etc. You get the idea.
We found a wide variety of adult-oriented activities available
during my latest cruise. I attended a very classy food demonstration, prepared by one of Disney's executive chefs from Epcot's
Germany pavilion; experienced line-dancing with instruction; attended jackpot bingo; and plunked down an additional $12 for
the wine tasting seminar. I also saw two first-run movies, enjoyed the rainforest themed sauna, and treated myself to a beachfront
massage on Castaway Cay. There is no library or casino, but I found many were enjoying adult-only nightspots with live entertainment.
Disney Wonder also has the same innovative dining concept as Disney Magic. Passengers, along with their table wait staff,
rotate to a different restaurant each evening. Parrot's Cay features vibrant colors and tastes of the Bahamas serving breakfast,
lunch and dinner. Everyone loves Animator's Palate, a dining room that starts out black and white, transforming into a rainbow
of color. Triton's is the ship's main dining room and features a hand-crafted sea-inspired wall mosiac. This is your chance
to dress up as you are presented with a continental menu in a sophisticated setting. An elegant adult-only restaurant, Palo,
does require reservations, and there were problems in the past in obtaining them. However, the reservation system has been
fine-tuned, and it is rare to hear that adults are turned away from enjoying this dining experience. Palo offers a panoramic
view of the ocean and an open view of the kitchen. A casual breakfast and luncheon menu is served each day at the self-service
Beach Blanket Buffet. Our favorite lunches were here, where glass beach balls and larger-than life surf boards predominate
the decor. One may also dine from menus at Triton's during lunch. Scoops soft-serve ice cream, Pinocchio's Pizzeria and Pluto's
Dog House are great for snacks by the pool.
Portions are ample and menus creative; children's fare is found throughout.
The service was exceptional in its friendliness, with staff throughout eager to please. On four night cruises, guests are
treated to Disney's Master Chief Series menu. Chefs from WDW's resorts and the theme parks create their specialties, such
as Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Seared Scallops with Szechwan Beans and Stick Rice, and Praline Cheesecake with Walnut Crush Topping.
You'll only find a midnight buffet of desserts during the Tropical Deck Party in Nassau, however, stateroom dining is available
24-hours each day with a limited menu.
The Wonder's three-story Art Nouveau lobby, decorated by famed NY designer Adam D. Tihany, greets passengers with an
"under the sea" theme. Everyone poses for a photo with the bronze statue of Ariel from Disney's Little Mermaid, located just
outside Triton's Dining Room. The Wonder boasts hundreds of original artwork, including oils, prints and sculptures by international
artists.
Additional facilities include two shops filled with Disney Cruise Line merchandise including one for adults
with pricey clothes and European glass; self-service laundry rooms; conference rooms, a medical center.
Cabins are among the largest in the industry, and 74% of them are outside. You'll find them well laid out, and decorated
with hand-crafted wood trim, gray, red and blue fabrics. Once again, you'll find Mickey ears everywhere. Standard outside
cabins have large round windows, and the verandah cabins have teak-floored private verandahs. Parents will be happy that these
can be locked to keep youngsters from going out unsupervised. Most cabins have a bathroom with child-size tub, shower and
sink as well additional half bath, a Disney innovation. The staterooms have ample storage and lovely inlaid-parquet wood furniture,
as well as a large steamer trunk. Additional amenities include swival color TV with movies, bridgecam, CNN, The Disney Channel,
cartoons, and music videos; a mini fridge; telephone w/voice mail and hair dryer.
All cabins accommodate three or
four passengers and family suites (291 sq. ft) hold five. These family suites feature queen or twin beds, convertible sofa
and pulldown beds. Basic inside cabins are 173 square feet and cabins with private verandahs are 253 square feet with convertible
sofa as well as queen/twin beds. One bedroom suites (591 square feet) holding four or five people and two bedroom suites sleeping
five with two and a half bathrooms, whirlpool tub, TV/VCR, walk-in closets, wet bar are also available. Suite accommodations
have a private concierge service which assists in booking shore excursions, spa appointments, dinner at Palo and bring a full
breakfast each morning.
The adult entertainment district, Route 66, consists of WaveBands, a live music and dance club; Barrel of Laughs for
a popular dueling pianos show; and The Cadillac Lounge, an intimate piano lounge. The family entertainment area called Studio
Sea was hopping every night, with lots of scheduled activities. We found the adult-only areas more crowded than on the Magic.
Different theme nights were offered, including Rock 'n Rolly Party. Sports fans will enjoy multiple screen viewing of the
latest sports events at the ESPN Skybox. First-run movies as well as Disney classics are featured in the Buena Vista Theater.
Broadway-style entertainment, ala Disney of course, are presented nightly in the Walt Disney Theater. Disney fans will not
want to miss Disney Dreams. Rounding out the performances was Hercules, The "Muse"ical", another Disney extravaganza.
While
the ship is in port in Nassau, Disney's throws a "Dancing Under the Stars" deck party. First a DJ, then live music....the
deck was crammed with folks have a grand old time. From time to time on the cruise, you'll find different bands playing on
the pool decks, along with interactive games and prizes. On our day at sea, Goofy threw a Pool Party, with streamers and gifts
for everyone.
You'll find three pools onboard Disney Wonder: one for children with a long water slide, one for families with a whirlpool,
and of course an adults only with two whirlpools. The Vista Spa and Salon is operated by Steiner's of London. The 9,000 square
foot spa offers eleven different therapy and treatment rooms, ranging from relaxing "Tropical Rainforest" hydrotherapy treatments
as well as standard massage treatments. The fitness center has all the latest excercise equipment, including lifecycles, free
weights, and treadmills. The spa and fitness areas are for adults only. Visit The Wide World of Sports Deck and to find basketball,
paddle tennis, volleyball, badminton and walking/jogging course, and plenty of deck chairs.
The children's program is organized and run by dozens of caring youth counselors, along with scheduled character greetings
(and many surprise visits too) throughout the day. The inclusion of a brand-new nursery, Flounder's Reef, fills a void for
parents looking for childcare for their infants through age three. Spanning nearly an entire deck, Disney's Oceaneer Club
is a supervised programs for children aged 3-7 spilt into age groups of 3-4 and kids 5-7. The Oceaneer Lab; split into groups
for kids aged 8-9 and kids 10-12, where they will expereience high-tech interactive programs, hands-on science experiments,
and ship-wide treasure hunts. Kids 11-12 can compete in a marine biology knowledge quest game show and send digital post cards
to friends. Teens (13-17) have their own private club, Common Grounds, a New York-style coffee house plus competitive sports
and nighttime activities. Children's facilities are open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Flounder's Reef Nursery is for the infant
set, with afternoon and nightly hours available on a first-come, first-served basis according to babysitter availability.
Rates are $6.00 per hour for the first child ($5.00 for additional children).
Once signed in onboard the ship, your
children are automatically enrolled in the children's programs on Castaway Cay. There are supervised games for the individual
age groups and bike riding. However, take note they do not take the children swimming. Disney character appearances are scheduled
several times daily to appear in children's area on the private Island.
Rates for children three and under are $99
on both 3- and 4-night sailings.
Primarily families, with a mix of adults ranging from the 20's on up. Since Walt Disney World is the honeymoon capital
of the US, there were plenty honeymooners on board. I was also told that up to 45% of passengers on my cruise were part of
an extended family holding family reunions on board. You'll find children onboard throughout the year.
The attire is casual for the most part. No shorts, T-shirts or jeans are acceptable in any of the restaurants in the
evening. On the new seven-night Caribbean cruise two formal nights will be added requiring "black-tie optional" attire and
tuxedo rentals will be available in advance.
Disney's brochure recommends a per person, per cruise tipping amount of $31 for a three-day cruise and $41.50 for a four-day
sailing and $114 for a seven day cruise.
Copyright 2004, The Independent Traveler, Inc. All rights reserved.
Passengers: 2,400
