CruiseDisneyHalloweentravel

Disney Wonder Halloween on the High Seas Review

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September was crazy busy in the best possible way.

We jumped from coast to coast starting with our first ever Disney Cruise! We were invited guests on the ship and I can’t thank Disney enough for hosting us. 

When we first shared we were going on a Disney Cruise Lines sailing, everyone told me that Disney cruises are like potato chips… you can never stop with just one. About 10 minutes into our cruise I knew exactly what they meant. It was amazing and we are already looking forward to our next one. I don’t have it planned… yet… but I am seriously looking at Alaska and sailings out of Florida. Really, I would be thrilled with any of them. The service, entertainment, food, ship and all the family fun onboard made for an amazing time for everyone!

Our video from day one shows just how much fun we were able to pack into one day, and I’m sharing some other highlights below. For our first Disney Cruise, I still can’t get over how perfect this cruise was. It was themed for Halloween and a two-night getaway, which gives you just enough of a taste for the magic onboard that you want to book another one right away.

The fun starts right when you board.

You are given a boarding number which makes the whole process so smooth. When you step foot onto the ship your entrance is announced to the whole ship and you are personally welcomed on board. What a way to start a vacation!

The first thing on our list was to take a tour of the ship, starting with the top deck.

There was food already being served so we also had our first meal at Cabanas where they were serving a delicious buffet. Emmy was thrilled that her favorite mac n’ cheese was on the ship. Whenever we are at a Disney property it is her go-to meal.

The kid’s clubs on board were having an open house so we all went to Disney’s Oceaneer Club for Emmy to see and play. She loved it and was so excited to spend more time there during our cruise. 

Soon our cabin was ready and we headed down to deck 8 to check it out. We were in love. The cabins are beautiful with wood and ocean blue accents. 

It was quite spacious too.

Our favorite feature was that the toilet and shower are in separate areas that each have a sink. This was a big deal for us. We normally never travel in just one room, because with 4 girls and poor Pete, it can take hours for us to all get ready in the morning. This was a great solution for that and gave us more vacation time during our vacation.

We also had a fantastic veranda to relax on.

Verandas are my favorite parts of cruise cabins. I know some people don’t use theirs much, but we do. From morning coffee to evening snacks, we love having a veranda to relax on.

Ash and Em went and watched a movie in the theater… they ended up seeing 5 of them on our trip. There is just something about having practically around the clock Disney movies being played in beautiful theaters to really help kids enjoy their time on the ship. 

After that, we all met for dinner. Disney does the coolest thing ever. Your wait staff from the dining room is with you throughout the entire cruise, yet each night you move to a different dining room. This is a huge benefit that you can’t even start to appreciate until you experience it. For us, it meant not having to explain our dietary restrictions to a new person each night. It meant having your drinks waiting for you before you even sit down. At the table next to us, the parents were outnumbered like we are, but their kids were a lot younger.

On the second night, the kid’s food was already served in the way that the kids liked to enjoy it and the waiter and assistant waiter cut the food for the kids so that the parents didn’t have to spend their whole meal helping the kids. It was little things like this that happened all throughout the cruise that really elevate the experience. I had read about this general feel before on a Disney Cruise, but then once you experience it, it clicks just how far everyone goes to make sure everything is perfect! 

The dress code was cruise casual, Halloween or Pirate! Ha! Emmy combined them all with her Minnie Mouse dress and pirate bandana hair topper. 

Yes, Mickey came with us almost everywhere!

The food was amazing!

This was a vegan bean cake dish that was so flavorful. As a vegan, I expected and would have been happy with steamed veggies, but to get a dish like this was such a pleasant surprise! 

At the end of our meal, the walls changed from black and white to color! I’m not going to say anything more about Animator’s Palate because it is more fun to experience it without knowing. 

I will say that the dining experiences are just that, experiences. They are very much themed and are very reminiscent of what you would expect at a Disney Resort, but just a tad more formal. Still totally family-friendly, but maybe a little more special? 

After dinner, we strolled along the ship and watched the sunset. 

Well a few of us did. Em was in relaxation mode!

We were really excited to see our cabin transform from day to night and it was everything we could have imagined! There is a curtain that you can draw between the kid area and the parent area and that made it feel even more spacious. With TV’s in both areas the kids had on Disney kids movies and Pete and I watched other Disney movies. It was so much fun having that available all the time too!

That night was the famous Fireworks At Sea during the Pirates in the Caribbean party on the deck!

During the first day, there was also crafts for families to do, exemplary stage shows, trivia for adults, snacks galore and so much more. I went into this first day thinking we could do everything even if we didn’t sleep. I really told the rest of my family that this was going to happen. That night I accepted the fact that there was absolutely no way to do even 25% of the fun that is available. I don’t even think that if we were on a 2-week cruise we would be able to do it all, and that is okay. It just means we need to take more Disney Cruises, right?

Part two is coming soon!

Have you been on a Disney Cruise?

Pete Reese
the authorPete Reese
Pete is a Dad of 3, travel enthusiast, and online entrepreneur who brings the adventure to our lives! He constantly encourages us to take risks and be the best we can be! He loves sharing tips to help others earn an income online so that they too can travel and spend more time with their families.

34 Comments

  • That looks amazing! We are Disney Vacation Club members but haven’t done one of their cruises yet! Our 3 girls are 5, 8, and 10 and I want to go soon! We just got back from the Oasis by Royal Caribbean and LOVED it but I think the kids would adore this.

  • This is so fun! I like the design of rooms, the food looks delicious as well… Kids are just beautiful! Hope you’re had even better day!

  • Looks like so much fun! Thank you for sharing your experience and day. WE are hoping to do a Disney Cruise in the next couple of years with our kids. We went to Disneyland last year and they loved it. I have heard that the Disney Cruises are so much fun. I am looking forward to planning our trip soon!

  • I am a Disney fanatic so this would be the ultimate for me! I love that room and love how it changed to accommodate you guys! I am all about having magical experiences and Disney has the most magical of them all! I felt like I was there with you guys! Did they have any adult activities?

  • Every time I’m doing anything Disney is a blast. The cruise seems amazing. The cabin look pretty. The food looks delicious, you children seem extremely happy.

  • I haven’t been on a Disney cruise but I have been on many others. After reading your post and looking at the pictures I think I need to go soon!

  • We’re going on our first Disney Cruise next month and reading your post made me even more excited about it!! So glad you and your family had such a great time.

  • What a fun family trip! I’d love to make another Disney Trip. I haven’t been since I was 8 (I’m 21). The food looks delicious too!

  • i love san diego. the cruise looks like a blast! i would love to go on one. def on my bucket list.

  • I have heard so much about these cruises. Living here in Florida they are all around. Love this and it sounds like so much fun. Should take the grandkids.

  • This looks like so much fun! We love doing anything Disney but have yet to go on one of their cruises. We really need to just do it since we’re in Florida, and they are close by. Looks like you guys had a blast!

  • That looks like a lot of fun! I love the idea of being on a cruise for the food and activities but I am still hesitant to try one. I like the looks of this one but I fear that I would not be able to get over my anxiety in order to enjoy it. I do love to live vicariously through your post though, thanks for sharing!

  • Oh wow! What a really amazing experience for the kids especially! The rooms also look so roomy and beautiful! And wow, what a really beautiful vegan dish! I can’t believe they’ve put that together! How wonderful!

  • Okay, you’ve made my entire family’s day here. My daughter loves Halloween. I am dying to go on a cruise. My son loves Disney. Combining all three, we can have a great experience!

  • Anything Disney is always a great idea! I can’t wait to take my kids on their first Disney cruise ! I am just waiting until they can also enjoy it! TY for this review!

  • I love the concept of a Disney Cruise! I never knew something like this existed. The entire atmosphere looks cozy and welcoming 🙂

  • A Disney cruise seriously sounds like the best trip ever!! Ahh Loving all these photos and this seems like an amazing vacation!!

  • This seems like such an incredible trip! I am yet to experience my first disney world trip, having only been to the paris one for short breaks and I can’t wait so I can’t imagine how amazing a disney cruise would be!

  • It sounds like you all had a blast on the Disney Cruise. The room looks so comfy and gorgeous. Hopefully some day I can go on one. EmI have always loved Mickey and Minnie Mouse ever since I was a kid. Those dolls are adorable. Thanks for sharing your awesome experience.

  • I’ve never been to Disney Cruise before but would love to go someday. I’m fascinated by all the activities in this ship. I’m feeling only good vibes. It looks like you guys had tons of fun. Adding this to my wishlist.

  • Going to Disney and taking one of their cruises is on my bucket list. I(t looks and sounds like such a amgical time! I can’t wait until we finally get to go.

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