I’ve mentioned before that my family loves the Disney Cruise. We have taken three Disney Cruises and have loved them all. I am often asked which ship I would recommend Disney Magic vs Disney Fantasy, how long to go, what age is too old to go, etc. Having just gotten off the ship a few weeks ago, I thought it would be a good time to give an up to date review.
I am going to review our last two trips – We cruised on the 7-night Disney Fantasy in February 2013 with my husband and three boys (ages 8,11 and 13 at the time) and my parents. We had such an amazing trip that we went again for my parents 50th anniversary on the 5-night Disney Magic in December 2013 with my husband and kids (this time ages 9,12 and 14), my parents, my sister and her husband and kids (ages 13 & 14) and my brother and his wife and kids (ages 18 months and 3).
We had incredible trips both times, but there are some significant differences with the ships. In terms of the cabins, there really isn’t much of a difference – we had deluxe family balcony cabins both times and there was great space. The major recommendation is that on the Fantasy we were in the aft of the ship and we felt an incredible amount of vibration from the ships engines. For this reason we booked mid-ship for the Magic and it was a world of difference. On the Magic we were on the 7th deck – this was great – we were two floors from the buffet and the pools and this was great that we could just walk up stairs and didn’t have to wait for the elevator. Great location!!
Crowds – The Fantasy is a huge ship and with that means a lot more people and we felt the crowds much more on the Fantasy than on the Magic. On the Fantasy, there were times when it was hard to find a deck chair and the pools and hot tubs were jam packed.
Service & dining – You can’t do better in terms of service than Disney – they’ve got it going on. What I adore is that even the crew members that you are not tipping will bend over backwards for you – it is the Disney way. However, our servers on the Magic, in the dining room were just very “meh” – underwhelming even. They seemed like more Royal Caribbean or Carnival servers than the excellent service that we received on the Fantasy (shout out to Alvin and Joe on the Fantasy – my kids still talk about you!!). Regarding the dining, the food was very good on both ships – no complaints – head and tails over other cruise lines! However, Tthe dining rooms on the Magic were not nearly as “cool” as the Fantasy – Even with the Magic just doing a major renovation – my expectations of Animators Palette, which is crazy cool on the Fantasy, was disappointing on the Magic.
Entertainment – Again – score 1 for the Fantasy, I thought the shows were worlds better on the Fantasy than the Magic. Having said that, both ships are worlds above most other lines in terms of the entertainment that they offer (with an exception for the Norwegian Epic – they rocked the entertainment department)
Activities – Both ships offer a ton to do – you can be busy all day long, if you choose! There are tons of things to do on both ships, but if your kids are older, the Fantasy has many more options. The sports deck is more significant, they have sport simulators, mini golf and a full sized basketball court. The kids clubs are also a bit more substantial – they are larger and have more to do, although my kids were pretty happy in both of the clubs. One great thing that the Fantasy had was Mickey’s Detective Agency – this is a “who-done-it” type of game that you play all around the ship. There are interactive paintings that “come to life” when you approach them and give you clues to solve a mystery. This was so cool and the whole family loved playing it when we had a few minutes here and there! Pirate Night is a huge deal on all of the Disney Cruises – however, we were pretty disappointed with the Magic’s Pirate Night – it was more of a Pirate Dance Party, where the Fantasy was more of a show. We basically sat there and watched the crew members dance for about 30 minutes – not too exciting. LOVED the Pirate Night show on the Fantasy.
5 vs 7 nights – I was a bit worried that 5 nights wouldn’t be long enough on the cruise – but honestly, on the smaller ship, it worked well. I think 7 nights may have been too long. Otherwise, I am always a fan of the 7 night cruise.
Bottom line – If you are considering a Disney Cruise – run don’t walk and book it! It is an amazing vacation – the BEST! In terms of what ship is right for you, I never thought my kids would be getting “to old” for the Disney Cruise, but I think for the Magic it is geared a little more to the younger crowd. If you are going with older kids – I would for sure steer you towards the Fantasy. If you are crowd shy, I would say to look closer at the magic. It just doesn’t feel as busy as the Fantasy does.
I am happy to answer any specific questions you have! As I have mentioned before, I am not a travel agent – I just have a passion for travel, planning travel and talking about travel!! As always – I welcome comments and advice from all of you! Tell me about your experiences!
Hi we are looking to book the 7 day cruise on Fantasy but am wondering do they have an alcohol package? I know NCL offers a $50 a day package because I like to have my fruity drinks..lol
hmmmmm – not sure!!! Most of the lines have some type of package!
Oh never mind… YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN BEER/BOOZE ON BOARD- SAYS IT RIGHT ON THE DISNEY SITE 🙂
I’m treating my family of 15 on the seven day western Caribbean cruise. We r ages from 68 to 22 months old;)!!!! It was Christmas gift so we have had a long time to get soooo excited. We r counting the days;). Any suggestions for our busy family? We r on deck 7 with verandas.
Hey Jeanne – Can I be part of your family? Pretty please!!! You are going to have the BEST time!!! Order coffee in the morning and sit out on your balcony and enjoy the peace and quiet before you start your busy day!!! Then, do the same thing before dinner, but swap coffee for wine and cheese (order cheese and fruit plate from room service). The private island is my most favorite place in the world. Get off early and stay as late as you can – enjoy every minute of your cruise!!!!!
What is the size of the veranda? Can 4 people sit out on it?
They aren’t all that large. If I remember correctly there are usually 2 chairs and a table, but not much more room than that. It is a great place for a cup of coffee, glass of wine, read a book while kids are napping, but I wouldn’t spend the day laying out on it.
Jeanne: just wanted to chime in with an extra little tip. If you have side by side rooms, ask the person who is assigned to clean your room to open up the balcony dividers. We did this on our big family Fantasy cruise & it was awesome. The divider either slides right back or their is a little ‘rabbit hole’. Great for hanging out on the balconies together or for going from room to room without needing someone to open the door for you. We had 4 rooms in a row & it was really nice for all the balconies to be open.
GREAT suggestion, Krista – we did the exact same thing and it was THE BEST!
I have just read your post. It was very informative, thanks! I am looking into booking a Disney Cruise for April 2015 (myself, 15 & 13 year old kids). The two ships we can sail (school vacation week) are the Fantasy & Magic (7 nights). This is our first cruise. Any advise? Have you done any of the add-ons? One cruise has 3 days at sea, the other only has 2. Any thoughts on that? How far in advance should I book? And did you do your flights, etc. through Disney too? Thanks in advance!
Hey Suzy – with your kids ages I would FOR SURE do the Fantasy – ther is much, much more for the older kids to do on the larger ship!! I would look into booking now!!! Don’t wait, especially given that it is a vacation week! I have booked through Costco and they usually give a good Costco Cash bonus because no one can discount Disney Cruises. I have always booked my airfare separate. Let me know if you have any other questions.
You above review is so spot on. We just returned from the Magic cruise with 2 girls-ages 10 and 15. While we enjoyed the ship, my girls were a little antsy on our last day, which was the full day at sea. The Magic’s activities are definitely geared toward a younger aged crowd. And for that reason, more than 4 days would have been too long, but this was a perfect amount.
Having been on the RC Oasis, we felt the Disney rooms were very nice and made full use of the size staterooms.
The pirate party description is completely accurate, it was a show that was not at all interactive.
We liked the movies at the pool and the water slide was being repaired and out of service a large chunk of our trip.
I think I would stick to a cruise that had more activities for older kids/teens in the future. But we had a good time, and it was relaxing, characters present readily throughout!
I am so glad that I found this site! We are actively trying to decide between Fantasy and Magic. My boys will be 6 and 8 and I know they will love all of the swimming and water slides. My concern is over-crowding and long lines. I would love to hear your recommendation for the better option for boys of that age and which ship couples would enjoy most while kiddos are away 🙂 We are looking at the western Caribbean itinerary (Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Cast Away Cay) I am concerned that with so many more people on the Fantasy smaller ports like Castaway will feel too full. Thanks SO MUH!!!!
Hi Katie – If this is the only time you think you will be going on a Disney Cruise – I would totally do the Fantasy. If you think you may do more than one – do the Magic and then the Fantasy. While the Fantasy has many more people, it is also much larger, so the crowds are spread out more. Regarding Castaway Key – there are SO many beach chairs, multiple food areas and tons of beach – you will not feel crowded there AT ALL!
LMK if you have any other questions – the good news is that you really cannot wrong with either!!
I appreciate your prompt response! I certainly hope to be able to go on more than one. My Hubby is balking at the price tag right now :-/ Have you opted for adults only Remy dining? Is it worth it? I hear a lot of people talk about packing very light and doing their laundry on the ship. My initial reaction is-who in the word would want to bother with laundry on a vaca!? But, clearly they have cruised with DCL and I have not. Thanks again!
We did the adult dining for the brunch on the Magic and the dinner on the Fantasy – it was amazing, but honestly, the food is really good in the dining room, I don’t know that I would pay the extra again. I would NOT do laundry on the ship – there is ample room to unpack and I would just go and enjoy and not worry about laundry. There will be enough time for that when you get home!!!
Hi Jennifer, I just discovered your blog and appreciate the content! With regard to crowds on the Fantasy, would you say fewer people cruise when school is in session? I’m thinking of booking a Western Caribbean cruise during January and hoping it’s a bit less crowded. Do you have any thoughts?
Hi Georgia – Honestly, the ship is always at capacity. No matter when you go! The best thing about going not during a break, is that the prices will be better!! That being said, the Fantasy is a really big ship and we never felt like it was horribly crowded. The only thing we really waited for was the Aqua Duck water slide, and we would either come back early from some of the ports or not go off ship and we basically had the pool deck to ourselves!
MUCH….oops 🙂
Would like to know how your brother made out with the three year old. My granddaughter is 15 months and wondering at what age is good to plan a trip like that with her. Thanks
My niece (3) and nephew (1.5) both did great! They were amazing with them in the restaurants and all over the ship! The ONLY problem was that she was not potty trained and could not go in the pool or the kids club!
If the kids arent potty trained they cant get in the water? We are going next spring with a 1 and 2 year old and i will not be going if they can’t swim too. That would be a nightmare!
The Disney website actually says that children must be potty trained to enter the pools, due to US Health Dept regulations regarding cruise ships. Instead, little ones in swim diapers can use the splash zones–fountains in the ground, sprinklers, etc.
How were the ports of call?
I just got back from a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas on the Dream. My family loved it. Looking forward to booking another trip. We would really like to do the one that stops at the Florida Keys. This would be on the Magic. I was concerned with the ship being so much smaller. Sounds like I should stick to the Fantasy or the Dream.
How do you find the best deals for pricing?
Hi Lynn, Disney doesn’t really discount, so the prices will all be the same pretty much everywhere…. however, we have always booked through Costco. They usually will offer a shipboard credit AND Costco cash card!
We have a trip booked on the Fantasy and I was wondering about dress codes for dinner. I have two sons,9 and 4, and I want them to be comfortable. Can they wear shorts to dinner with us? This is our first, and I’m worried about getting to do everything. Any suggestions?
Tracy – we were very, very casual! My boys wore either khaki shorts and sport shorts every night. We brought a pair of khaki pants and I think they maybe wore them one night, but we were not interested in getting dressed up…. just not what we were looking for on vacation! You will see everything – formal wear to cut offs. Just do what is right for your family! Regarding getting everything done… it is vacation, just relax, have fun and don’t try to do everything. The last thing you want to be is stressed on vacation. It is an amazing trip – enjoy every second!!!!
LMK if you have any other questions.
Is there a formal dinner night on the Disney cruises. On all of the ones I’ve been ( haven’t been on a DCL one yet) there has been at least one formal night, but I haven’t seen any details of that on the DCL website or blogs.
I believe there is one formal night – but honestly, anything goes. I think my kids wore khaki pants and a polo those nights.
Hi!! You explained perfectly everything, just a questuon. What about the Disney dream?
Thanks
We haven’t gone on the Dream, but it is the sister ship to the Fantasy and I would think it would be very similar. The Fantasy is a little bit newer, but probably a very similar ship.
hey so I have a question I’m not sure how or where to write this but I figured I would try to hear so I’ve been on the disney wonder we had an amazing time it was so cool I was thinking why do another 1 either to the fantasy or the magic. the only thing that I really wasn’t too thrilled with about the fantasy is puerto rico and saint thomas to me seem kinda lame I know maybe you’re cool but I like the fact that the magic was going to mexico and jamaica and the cayman islands and castaway cay. the fantasy only does three destinations while the magic does 4. however I did go on the wonder already so if you think the wonder the magic are kind of the same then maybe I’ll just do the fantasy anyways I’m so confused and would appreciate some input
Hey there! So if you have done the Wonder, I would try the Fantasy – there is a huge difference with this ship – SO much to do and some really cool features. I am never too concerned with the ports as they are all pretty touristy. We like to walk around the port for a few and then take advantage of the empty ship. The only port I LOVE is Castaway Cay – it is our favorite place ever!
Puerto Rico is amazing!!!!
We have been on both and they are essentially the same ship in all meaningful impacts. I couldn’t tell the difference in as much as it impacted my vacation. Both are amazing.