Topside on Disney Magic
With lines that echo the steamships of the golden age of cruising, a jet black hull, and two red funnels, Disney Magic is one of the most distinctive cruise ships at sea. But don’t let those classic good looks fool you – she’s also very modern.
While this is one of the best cruise ships for children, particularly young ones, there’s also plenty to please their parents – from Champagne brunches in the adults-only Palo to the two hot tubs at the aptly named Quiet Cove.
Passengers who combine their cruise with a visit to Walt Disney World in Orlando, can check in for their voyage their. The whole experience is seamless, and packages are often a better value.
Since launching in 1998, and being renovated in 2005, Disney Magic has provided countless families with an experience they’ll never forget. From the moment the horn plays “When you wish upon a star” to signal her departure, you’ll know you’re in good hands.
Dining aboard Disney Magic.
If there’s one thing that sets Disney apart from other cruise ships, it’s the fantastic, rotation dining concept. Passengers all get to dine in each of the three main dining rooms at least twice each cruise. Your table mates and waiters accompany you, as you change venues and menus. What a great idea!
Disney Magic
Lumiere was designed to look like a turn-of-the-century Parisian brasserie. Animator’s Palette provides its own dinner show by using lighting and colors to transform itself during your meal. And Parrot’s Cay is a colorful, casual spot where it’s not uncommon for a conga line to break out.
The food in all the dining rooms – they’re served by three separate galleys – is very good and everything is made on board from scratch. A separate kids’ menu lets them choose from a list of proven favorites.
Palo, an adults-only option with a modest surcharge, specializes in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. It’s open for dinner nightly and for brunch a few times each cruise. Reservations can be hard to get, so request them early.
Topsiders serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet style. Pluto’s doghouse grills up burgers, dogs, and chicken. And Pinocchio’s Pizzeria and Scoops ice cream parlor always do brisk business on sea days.
Accommodations aboard Disney Magic.
Bar on Castaway Cay
Designed for families, the staterooms are bigger than most, and the bedroom and living room can be separated with curtains. The full-size sofa can be made into a bed, and some cabins have a fourth berth.
Family cabins have a Murphy bed that enables them to sleep five. There are plenty of drawers and storage space for everyone’s stuff, and the coffee table can be raised to dinner-table height if you order room service.
Bathrooms in mid-range and upper categories have a separate shower, kid-sized tub, and sink on one side and a toilet and sink on the other. Both can be used simultaneously with relative privacy.
Facilities aboard Disney Magic.
As you’d expect, the entertainment on this ship is best in class. Theaters are attractive and elegant, and behind the scenes, state-of-the-art technology makes the shows something really special. Special effects, big casts, imaginative sets and costumes set them apart.
The Disney Theater is large enough to seat half the ship’s passengers, and the Buena Vista Theater has smaller productions and shows movies. New Disney pictures are shown on board at the same time as their theatrical release.
The bars, cabarets, and lounges of Beat Street are adults only after 9PM. Unlike on most cruise ships of this size, there is no casino.
There are three swimming pools — Mickey’s Pool is just for kids – a fitness center, spa, and sports court.
A highlight of the Caribbean cruises is a visit to Castaway Cay. This is truly the best private island experience any of the cruise lines offer. There’s an adults-only section and activities for kids of all ages. A variety of water sports rentals are available, and there’s a 15-acre reef just off shore. The barbecue lunch is fun and filling.
No one knows more about entertaining children than Disney, and their programs for kids, especially young ones, is fantastic. From the pagers that families receive so they can get text messages from counselors to the brand-name baby products you can pre-order and have waiting in your stateroom, Disney goes the extra mile for families. With 15,000 square feet, the area devoted to kids takes up almost a full deck.
If you’re looking for a carefree vacation that the whole family can enjoy, Disney Magic delivers.
Read our list of the Top 10 Cruise Ships for Families here.
Disney Magic Image Flickr: sanctumsolitude
Topside on Disney Magic Image Flickr: flickrized
Bar on Castaway Cay Image Flickr: sigsegv