by Cynthia Cruz
| August, 1, 2019
Disney lovers rejoice! If you love all things Disney, then you must add a Disney cruise to your bucket list. We discovered there is no better way to travel to Alaska than via a luxury cruise ship. And cruising aboard the Disney Wonder is the ultimate family vacation experience.
Anyone who has ever had a Disney experience knows that Disney is all about the details – they are, after all, the masters of creating the happiest place on Earth. The same goes for creating the happiest place at sea. No detail is overlooked – from the service to the décor, the food, the activities and entertainment – everything is … perfect.
From the Bay Area, our trip began in Vancouver, B.C. This in itself was an exciting experience. We had an early morning 6 am flight and we landed in Vancouver just before 8:30 am. That left us all day to check out the city.
First things first, we checked into our hotel, The Fairmont Waterfront, which is directly across the street from the cruise ship terminal and central to many interesting neighborhoods, restaurants and shops. True to its name, the luxury hotel sits on the waterfront and the views of the harbor, the sky and the mountains can’t be beat. Best of all, the hotel is in close proximity to Stanley Park which is where we decided we would spend our single day in the city. So, after breakfast at the hotel, we set out via rented bicycles to see the sights at Stanley Park. This is by far the best way to explore this vast urban oasis. The bike path at Stanley Park edges along the seawall making for a very scenic bike ride and you can detour and stop at any point that you think warrants further exploration. There are tons of things to see and do at the park including horse-drawn carriage rides, train rides, sunning and swimming at the beach, checking out the totem poles, strolling through the gardens, grabbing a bite to eat at one of the panoramic restaurants, and the list goes on!
After a restful night at the Fairmont, we were ready to cruise! All you’ll need to take with you to the terminal is a small bag with incidentals that you might need during the day. The hotel
transported our larger suitcases to the ship which made it unnecessary for us to drag our luggage to the terminal. I do suggest packing a bathing suit and sunscreen and anything else you feel you might need for the few hours aboard the ship before your luggage is delivered to your stateroom. Swimming is a good way to spend those few hours while you wait for your stateroom to be ready.
The process for boarding is organized – as to be expected from Disney. They are well-staffed, and the staff is eager to help, making your vacation as stress-free as possible. Just when you think you might have a question about what to do/where to go next, someone is there to guide you.
Once aboard, guests are enthusiastically welcomed by a bevy of crew members (“Welcome Insert Name Here Family!”). The fun commences shortly thereafter with a special welcome cocktail (for an additional charge) served in a commemorative Disney cocktail glass which you can keep as a souvenir. Vacation has officially begun!
FOOD FOOD FOOD!Not long after boarding the ship, the first of many gut-busting feasts begins at Cabanas where the daily breakfast and lunch buffet is served. The food choices are endless here. At Cabanas you can feast upon anything from crab legs to prime rib carved to order and all the sides you can imagine—macaroni & cheese, potatoes every which way, rice, veggies, and on and on. And then there are the dessert and pastry choices—cakes, puddings, ice-creams and gelatos and more! It is truly mind-boggling the amount and variety of food that is served on the ship. And that’s just at Cabanas. Down by the pool, there are pizzas, sandwiches, shawarma, hamburgers, hot dogs, soups and salads, and the ever popular soft-serve ice-cream machine, which kids and adults of all ages enjoyed to the extreme. Each of us consumed at least one soft-serve cone a day, and some of us way more than that. Many years from now, if my kids remember anything about this very memorable trip, that soft-serve ice-cream machine will be one of their fondest memories of all.
Needless to say, the food on a cruise vacation is one of the greatest attractions. Aside from the buffet extravaganza at Cabanas, Disney cruises feature nightly “rotational dining.” Each evening, guests dine at one of three unique fine dining restaurants throughout the duration of the trip. What is extraordinary about the rotational dining on a Disney cruise is that the waitstaff rotates with guests each night. This is a special touch, indeed, because the staff becomes familiar with each person’s food and drink preferences, allergies, etc. So, no matter which restaurant we dined on rotation, special care was taken to ensure that our preferences were regarded; our favorite drinks, lemon slices, extra butter were at our table without us ever having to ask.
On the Disney Wonder, the rotating dinner restaurants are Tiana’s Place, the Animator’s Palate, and Triton’s; all serve beautifully presented gourmet meals and offerings include shrimp jambalaya, beef Wellington, and lobster tails. And you can taste them all if you want!
Not on rotation but by reservation is Palo’s, an upscale, adults only (!) restaurant. Reservations at Palo’s is highly recommended for at least one dinner. Palo’s is a refreshing adult dining haven – very peaceful and romantic (definitely dine at Palo’s if you want a night away from kids!). The dinner menu features Northern Italian fare including antipasti, fresh housemade pastas, and steak and seafood dishes. If you truly want to indulge, the brunch at Palo’s should not be missed: caviar with all of the accoutrement, fancy imported cheeses, seafood galore, antipasti, fresh baked breads, and gorgeous desserts. Culinary delights served with an incredible ocean view? Yes please!
There are activities galore for all ages aboard the Disney Wonder. The “Imagineers” at Disney have outdone themselves when it comes to the Kids’ clubs. They’ve created Toy Story, Marvel, and Frozen themed spaces just to name a few. And there is no shortage of kids activities – there are art projects, cooking projects, science projects, games, movies, “outings,” or they can just play in the worlds created just for them. And of course, there are the Character Meet & Greets when the kids get to see their favorite Disney characters in person! One of the highlights is a photo opp 
with Mickey and Minnie in their Eskimo outfits – adorable!
For tweens and teens, there are group activities and socials; they can shoot hoops, play arcade and board games, watch movies, sing karaoke, or just chill out in the spaces especially designed for them. There’s even the Chill Spa where they can have their own spa treatments. And of course, there’s the pool and the waterslide to be enjoyed by all kids no matter how old or young.
The Disney Wonder now has some very cool Adults Only areas including Senses Spa, the Cadillac Lounge, Crown & Fin Pub and Azure, plus a grown-ups only pool area. There are trivia games, bingo, comedy shows, and other adults only activities for those who crave a few hours of kid-free time. For some true adult R&R, purchase a Rainforest Spa Pass for less than $20 and enjoy day use of the dry sauna, steam sauna, rain showers, and – my favorite – the heated ceramic lounges. These passes do sell out, especially on the days at sea – so the best time to go is during excursion days when people are off the boat – either early in the morning or later in the evening. The best thing is, you can use the pass all day, so you have some flexibility there.
Activities everyone will enjoy are the live shows and current in-theater feature movies. On our cruise, we got to see Marvel’s Endgame, Aladdin, and the premier of Toy Story 4 – all in 3D. The live shows are first rate – make sure to get into the theater early for the popular shows like Frozen: A Musical Spectacular and The Golden Mickeys so you can secure a good seat.
We also all enjoyed the simple things like strolling around (and around) the ship’s walking/jogging deck (necessary to work off the many calories consumed at every meal) , playing shuffleboard, or just sitting on our verandah in our bathrobes watching the scenery go by.
Our favorite all-ship activity was the glacier viewing and navigating through Endicott Arm fjord. This is a big event on the ship! Everybody dresses up in their warmest clothes and grabs their binoculars before heading out to the ship’s decks or private verandahs to view nature’s majesty while sipping on the hot chocolate or soup being passed around on deck. You can see brilliant blue icebergs, rushing waterfalls, and wildlife. At the end of the fjord is Dawes Glacier – at 600 feet tall and a mile wide, it is an awesome sight to behold – especially from thisclose! Have your camera ready!
There are lots of things to see and do at each port of call on an Alaskan cruise. You can visit the Port Adventures desk aboard the ship for help pre-arranging excursions – Disney will handle everything and all you have to do is show up. Choose from ziplining, glacier hiking, fishing, kayaking, shopping, wildlife viewing, dogsledding and so much more.
The ports of call on our itinerary included: Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Here’s what we did:
In Juneau we spent the day whale watching. After a short, fact-filled ride on the bus, we boarded a whale watching boat which took us out on the bay. We spotted at least three different whales bobbing in and out of the water (including whale tail sightings), several bald eagles (actually a rather common sight in Alaska), and sea lions frolicking on a buoy.
In Ketchikan, “The Salmon Capital of the World,” we explored the town’s many shops, bought gifts and souvenirs, and feasted on King and Snow crab legs and claws and, of course, fresh salmon at one of the local restaurants. Then we caught Disney’s exclusive Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show where Goofy makes an appearance dressed in his lumberjack flannels before real world-champion lumberjacks put on a show slinging axes and chainsaws. The highlight is the log-rolling contest as the grand finale.
In Skagway we hiked Meade Glacier which can only be reached via helicopter. This was by far our favorite excursion and one of the most awe-inspiring experiences we’ve ever had. After donning ice boots and safety gear, we took off in a helicopter up toward the sky and the rugged mountain peaks and got eye-popping views of the terrain below before landing on the glacier. The mild weather on the day we took this excursion allowed our pilot to land the helicopter high on the glacier, and we saw views that would not normally be seen due to weather. We saw shades of blue that really cannot even be truly captured on camera, sipped ice-cold crystal-clear water from a flowing “river” and breathed in the freshest air possible with the magnificent glacier as the background. This excursion is definitely a splurge, but if you do only one excursion on your trip, this one should be it.
At the end of each day, we would end up back in our cozy stateroom. It’s true that you will rarely spend time in your room considering how many shipboard activities there are that will keep you busy and out and about. But for the Alaska itinerary, a room with a view is a nice upgrade because there is more to see than just open water on this itinerary, as opposed to cruising in the Caribbean where you can spend days without seeing anything but water. There are mountains, glaciers, and wildlife to see as the ship makes its way through narrow passages, and it’s nice to be able to enjoy the landscape from your window or private verandah.
The staterooms, no matter which category, are nicely decorated and cleverly designed to maximize the limited space. All staterooms also have “split baths” with a toilet and vanity in one bath and a “second” bath with a vanity and tub/shower combo. This is super convenient when traveling with a family of four as multiple people can get ready at the same time!
Our stateroom had a King bed and a sitting area with a couch which was converted into a bunkbed each night. There is plenty of closet and storage space, and the beds are elevated high enough to be able to stow large suitcases below. We rarely felt crowded, if at all.
Overall, cruising with Disney is an unforgettable experience. Without a doubt, Disney has taken great care to create a magical world at sea with beautiful surroundings, impeccable service, and incredible destinations. We were always impressed with how the Disney Wonder stood out as the most beautiful ship at harbor at all of our ports of call.
The impeccable attention to detail, the personalized service, the immaculate care and neatness of the entire ship, and the well-thought out and executed shows, entertainment, and activities make a Disney cruise an ideal family vacation. So, if you’re pondering on where to take the whole family on your next vacation, consider a cruise to Alaska on the Disney Wonder!
