Disney Cruise Line continues tradition of dedicated clubs for children of all ages
CELEBRATION, Fla. — Aboard the Disney Wish, kids of all ages find a ship filled with fun — from an immersive wonderland of heroes, princesses and storytellers, to a whimsical nursery for babies and toddlers, to seriously cool hangouts for tweens and teens. In true Disney Cruise Line fashion, the fleet’s newest ship offers dedicated clubs for every age group, each presenting imaginative programs with the care and expertise of Disney-trained counselors. Translation: More fun here than anywhere else at sea.
“There is no doubt that kids are going to have the time of their lives aboard the Disney Wish,” said Danny Handke, senior creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering. “The nursery is a fanciful playground perfect for curious little ones. The tween and teen clubs are so stylish that adults will wish they could hang out there, too! And where else in the world can kids explore a super hero headquarters, a royal kingdom and an Imagineering lab in a matter of steps? Put simply, it’s great to be a kid on a Disney cruise.”
Disney’s Oceaneer Club
Children ages 3 to 12 enter the captivating worlds of favorite Disney stories in the reimagined Disney’s Oceaneer Club, a real-life wonderland of immersive spaces specially designed to unlock their imaginations.
Aboard the Disney Wish, this club features more themed spaces than ever, each filled with endless entertainment — from storytelling, arts and crafts, and dress-up to toys, games and watching Disney movies. It also offers more opportunities for kids to have fun with their favorite Disney friends during an exclusive lineup of interactive games and programs where characters don’t just stop by — they stay to play.
Parents can check in their children from the Grand Hall on deck 3 and then send them “down the rabbit hole” on a twisting slide to land directly and securely into the central hub of Disney’s Oceaneer Club on deck 2. Decorated with black-and-white sketches of Disney and Pixar characters, the hub features a stage and its own slate of special shows, activities and character appearances.
Marvel Super Hero Academy
Marvel Super Hero Academy is a high-tech Avengers headquarters where young “recruits” train to be the next generation of super heroes with the help of Spider-Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and others.
Kids begin by choosing a super hero suit based on those worn by Marvel heroes like Iron Man and Captain Marvel. They then watch their selections form around mannequins as preparation for “Avengers: Mission Training,” a gesture-based game where they put their new suits and skills to the test as they virtually battle bad guys.
Elsewhere in the academy, kids team up with the masterminds from Pym Technologies and Wakandan Design Group — including a special appearance by Black Panther — to thwart Taskmaster’s evil plan to hack into the academy’s system and steal the world’s most advanced hero tech.
New Adventures at Star Wars: Cargo Bay
The peculiar creatures and legendary characters of the Star Wars galaxy take center stage in Star Wars: Cargo Bay. This first-of-its-kind immersive experience inside Disney’s Oceaneer Club places kids in the important role of creature handlers as they learn to manage a mischievous menagerie of exotic beings from across the galaxy, including a porg, Loth-cat, worrt and more.
Throughout the cruise, they use augmented reality-enabled datapads to track and study the creatures on a series of special assignments. But there’s more to this job than meets the dianoga eye: The new crew actually joins an important mission to deliver a pair of secret stowaways, Rey and Chewbacca, back to the Resistance.
During the interactive “Star Wars: Creature Challenge” experience, the newly minted caretakers are put to the test as they help feed the lifelike creatures and encounter some of the most dangerous beings in the galaxy. When things go awry, they’ll need to call on the expertise of Rey and Chewbacca — and even channel the Force — to rescue the ship from destruction.
Fairytale Hall
Fairytale Hall is a royal trio of activity rooms where kids join some of their favorite Disney Princesses and Frozen Queens as they let their creativity shine at Rapunzel’s Art Studio, read and act out stories at Belle’s Library, and test newfound icy powers at Anna and Elsa’s Sommerhus.
- Inspired by her love of expression, Rapunzel’s Art Studio is a creative escape where kids have the best day ever making their own arts and crafts projects, like floating lanterns and paintings.
- Belle’s Library is a cozy corner for reading and acting out stories with the help of Disney characters. An enchanted painting above the fireplace magically transforms to bring the tales to life.
- Anna and Elsa are never far from snow, even in their summer cabin. Here, kids unlock icy powers during “Frozen Fun,” a series of gesture-based games hosted by Olaf, which include snowball fights with friendly trolls and a hunt for mischievous Snowgies — the tiny, playful snowmen created by Elsa in the animated short “Frozen Fever.”
Walt Disney Imagineering Lab
Walt Disney Imagineering Lab is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for kids to discover the secrets of world-renowned Disney Imagineers — the creative minds behind Disney theme parks, resorts and cruise ships — with hands-on activities and inventive experiments. Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey, the ambassador of Walt Disney Imagineering, may even stop by to lend a wand to the newly minted magic makers.
One of the most exciting things Imagineers get to do is design roller coasters. At the Ride Studio, kids create a coaster along the lines of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain or Matterhorn Bobsleds — and then climb into a capsule where they virtually ride their imaginative masterpiece.
A Celebration of Exploration at Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck
For the youngest sailors at Disney’s Oceaneer Club, Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck is a nautical playground inspired by the colors, icons and magic of Disney Cruise Line. This brand-new space is filled with an array of maritime-themed physical and sensory-style games and activities, such as pipe slides and crawl-throughs, ship’s wheels, “busy boxes” fashioned as ship controls and cushy life-preserver seating areas.
When little cadets enter the space, they set sail on a fun-filled adventure and enjoy quality playtime with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. At select times throughout the voyage, the space opens to little ones’ families for group play.
“Minnie’s Captain Academy” is the signature experience here, a high-energy training session for kids to exercise their bodies (through playful games, dancing and maritime “drills”) and their minds, testing their imagination and ingenuity during a series of challenges tied to STEAM principles (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). Captain Minnie inspects their progress and officially declares them honorary captains!
It’s A Small World Nursery
For the littlest cruisers ages 6 months to 3 years, It’s a Small World Nursery offers babysitting services in a whimsical environment inspired by the classic Disney attraction of the same name. Here, little ones play games, make crafts, watch movies, read books and even spend time with special Disney friends — all under the expert care of Disney-trained counselors.
In the nursery, toddlers take a playful trip around the world in the company of Disney, Pixar and Marvel characters reimagined as “it’s a small world” dolls. Each section of the space is themed to different areas of the world, with characters grouped by their homelands.
In the play room, magical murals feature interactive hand cranks that trigger delightful effects. Little ones can spark a cascade of ice magic from Elsa’s hand, send Aladdin and Jasmine swaying on the magic carpet, uncover Flynn Rider as he clings to Rapunzel’s enchanted tresses, and more. A toy train chugs along the ceiling, filling the space with colorful lights, playful sounds and kinetic energy.
Edge and Vibe
Older kids ages 11 to 17 can chill and play in their own way aboard the Disney Wish, with trendy hangouts and counselor-led programming designed to engage the specific interests of tweens and teens. Featuring all-new looks combining sophisticated design with youthful Disney touches, these clubs offer customized fun and, for extra cool points, secret entryways accessible only to the VIPs.
Edge
At Edge, tweens ages 11 to 14 have fun, make friends and play games in a bright, colorful hangout inspired by a chic New York City loft. A faux-grass picnic area and graphic art displays called “photo walls” provide ample opportunities for tweens to capture cool, shareable vacation pics that will be the envy of their friends back home.
Vibe
At Vibe, teens ages 14 to 17 can meet new friends, watch movies, play games and participate in activities created just for them. Inspired by a Parisian artists’ loft, this stylish space features classic architectural elements with an electric retro twist, including vibrant neon signs and funky pop art. Combine those with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean, and every angle in Vibe offers a selfie-worthy backdrop for the trendiest teens on the high seas.
Maiden Voyage and Inaugural Season
The Disney Wish will sail its maiden voyage on July 14, 2022, followed by a season of three- and four-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, from Port Canaveral, Florida.
To learn more about the Disney Wish or to book a vacation, guests can visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact their travel agent.