For those who have been on the wonder...

[hayesfamof4]

Will I be disappointed after the Dream and Fantasy? Not with the activities... but with the way the ship looks? Just curious how well the older ships are taken care of.

[Meghatron]

Originally Posted by hayesfamof4

Will I be disappointed after the Dream and Fantasy? Not with the activities... but with the way the ship looks? Just curious how well the older ships are taken care of.

We love the Wonder! I have no issues with how she looks.

[lilpooh108]

I think so, yes. The 1st 2 days you might think the lobby atrium is small (it is). It's also darker. The rooms are also older and it smells worse than the newer ships.

That said, the Wonder if my favorite ship because it was my first Disney Ship. I've been on the Dream and did not like it half as much even though its shiny and glittery.

Obviously it doesn't have all of the Dream/Fantasy's technology or amenities (Nemo splash zone, aquaduck, interactive screens, super spacious and fast elevators and newer/fancier adult spaces)

You'll be fine if you manage your expectations. It is an older ship but the service and CMs on the Wonder are awesome. Can't say the same for the Dream.

[pyramid2000]

I think the only ones who can answer this would be ones who sailed on the Dream or Fantasy first, the on a classic ship. If the classics weren't awesome ships, you wouldn't see people on here that have sailed them numerous times. The only thing my daughters like better about the new ships is the AquaDuck. I was not happy the first few hours on the Dream. Just too many people in the terminal put me in a sour mood, Cabanas set up seemed odd, and the stateroom seemed too narrow. But I loved it after my initial sourness and loved the Fantasy even more with Satellite Falls! I'll be going back on a classic(Wonder) in a few months and am anxious to see how it "feels." The amazing thing to me about the ships is that the new ships were so similar to the classics that I felt I knew where everything was quite easily. Besides all of us forgetting the pool deck wasn't deck 9.

Edited to add: You may be a little disappointed by the "look." The newer ships definitely are more beautiful. You may find the Wonder a little "tacky" in some of the color scheme.

[scootch]

I have sailed B2B Dream and the Fantasy... and also did the Wonder(our first cruise). I can't go back to the smaller ships, unless it was a great itinerary that I was looking for. But... going on any disney cruise is better than staying home... so try not to worry about it and just concentrate on having fun.

[neg58]

The staterooms are pretty dated on the Wonder. I noticed things like cracked tile, sagging mattresses, not enough electrical plugs. I liked Cabanas much more than BBB (facilities and food). The elevators on the Wonder are terrible, small, and aggrevating to wait for. Also, the adult pool is right in the middle of the deck so there are constantly kids walking by and I didn't consider it very private or adult.

But I liked the Wonder very much. The Dream has SOOO many people on the pool deck that I never wanted to be on it. I thought the MDR on the Wonder was just a little nicer, maybe because they are smaller.

Don't compare them. Look at the good things about each ship.

Nancy

[hayesfamof4]

Would you say the wonder isn't as crowded then? The one thing I hated about the Fantasy and Dream is that they were so extremely crowded. How are the crowds on the wonder, even if it's a full ship?

[Melissa S]

We sailed the Dream first and now only sail the classic ships. I will take less crowds over technology any day. The Crush show is nice so is the aquaduck but not having to search for a table and high chair during lunch while holding a toddler is priceless.

[lilpooh108]

Originally Posted by pyramid2000

I think the only ones who can answer this would be ones who sailed on the Dream or Fantasy first, the on a classic ship. If the classics weren't awesome ships, you wouldn't see people on here that have sailed them numerous times. The only thing my daughters like better about the new ships is the AquaDuck. I was not happy the first few hours on the Dream. Just too many people in the terminal put me in a sour mood, Cabanas set up seemed odd, and the stateroom seemed too narrow. But I loved it after my initial sourness and loved the Fantasy even more with Satellite Falls! I'll be going back on a classic(Wonder) in a few months and am anxious to see how it "feels." The amazing thing to me about the ships is that the new ships were so similar to the classics that I felt I knew where everything was quite easily. Besides all of us forgetting the pool deck wasn't deck 9.

Edited to add: You may be a little disappointed by the "look." The newer ships definitely are more beautiful. You may find the Wonder a little "tacky" in some of the color scheme.

This sums it up. We cruised the Wonder first, then the Dream twice, then back to the Wonder.

On the 1st day back, I was really disappointed with the lobby atrium. I forgot how dark and small it was. The elevators are also disappointing and we ended never using them.

By the 3rd day, I had "settled" into the ship and other than our stinky stateroom, nothing really stood out to me as "old." The sewage smell is much more prevalent on the Wonder though, as compared to the Dream.

[lilpooh108]

Originally Posted by hayesfamof4

Would you say the wonder isn't as crowded then? The one thing I hated about the Fantasy and Dream is that they were so extremely crowded. How are the crowds on the wonder, even if it's a full ship?

The lobby atrium is really small, and so it always feels crowded. The decks never feel crowded but the pools are.

I hated the decks on the Dream. I felt like I was at a mall. Ugh.

[kcashner]

Originally Posted by neg58

The staterooms are pretty dated on the Wonder. I noticed things like cracked tile, sagging mattresses, not enough electrical plugs. I liked Cabanas much more than BBB (facilities and food). The elevators on the Wonder are terrible, small, and aggrevating to wait for. Also, the adult pool is right in the middle of the deck so there are constantly kids walking by and I didn't consider it very private or adult.

Nancy

This part has me puzzled. On the Magic and Wonder, the Quiet Cove pool is forward. There is really no reason that a child or family has to get off the forward elevators and walk thru the adult only area (although many do and DCL doesn't do anything to stop it). They could just as easily cross on any higher or lower deck...like the deck they are living on.

On the Dream and Fantasy, on the other hand, there are guests living on the decks that have adult only areas. The only logical way for them to get to the midship area is to walk thru that adult only areas. I don't like this, but I can see how they should not be inconvenienced; they need to be allowed to walk from their cabin to a location on the same deck without being required to use stairs or an elevator to take a round about way.

The classic ships are well maintained. If something in your stateroom needs attention, notify your host, guest services, or one of the officers--it will be fixed. We've had cabins with the sewer smell--again, your host can treat that.

We've heard that the guest rooms on the Magic will be totally re-done this fall. While there is nothing WRONG with them (or wasn't the last time we were on board), some major refurb will be nice.

BIG differences--fewer crowds on the classic ships; it feels a lot more friendly. Better decor on the new ships, and obviously more high tech.

Our last DCL cruise was on the Fantasy. Our next is on the Magic. I have no problem with cruising the classics.

[pyramid2000]

Originally Posted by hayesfamof4

Would you say the wonder isn't as crowded then? The one thing I hated about the Fantasy and Dream is that they were so extremely crowded. How are the crowds on the wonder, even if it's a full ship?

Mostly you will find crowds at one of three places: shows, dinner, and character signings. We take our time leaving the shows so that most have already dispersed when we leave (or sit near the back and book out). We get to dinner a few minutes after the allotted time and walk right in. We don't do the "official" character greets any more. The kids go to see who they want if we happen to come upon them and lines are minimal or nonexistent. Oh, I forgot about the pools. My kids are old enough to do them or not themselves, but it is best to do them early on a sea day or while in port.

The Wonder gets crowded at these places the same as the new ships. Not as many people, but not as big a space. I think the pool set up on the classics is better, but I may change my mind when I see them again. Our next cruise will be a little different since we will be going with family who has never done anything Disney before so characters will be very important, but we don't have any sea days so all should be good.

[neg58]

Originally Posted by kcashner

This part has me puzzled. On the Magic and Wonder, the Quiet Cove pool is forward. There is really no reason that a child or family has to get off the forward elevators and walk thru the adult only area (although many do and DCL doesn't do anything to stop it). They could just as easily cross on any higher or lower deck...like the deck they are living on.

.

The Quiet cove pool is forward, but so are the sports areas, the spa/elevators, the observation area off that deck. There were kids running back and forth in this area all the time. It wasn't closed off from view like it is on the Dream.

Since the smoking section is right across from the Cove pool, we always walked closer to the pool to avoid the smokers. There were adults sunbathing in thongs and with their bikini tops untied (as at many pools and beaches) and a sudden shift left nothing to the imagination.

I just found with the walls separating the Dream adult pool from the rest of the deck there was more adult privacy, and the noise from the Mickey/goofy pools was at least muffled.

My next cruise is on the Wonder, so obviously it didn't bother me that much.

Nancy

[NFLDERS]

If you don't mind me asking. Which Cabins did you have? Any pictures?
We cruise on the Wonder Feb 21st.

[pyramid2000]

Originally Posted by neg58

The Quiet cove pool is forward, but so are the sports areas, the spa/elevators, the observation area off that deck. There were kids running back and forth in this area all the time. It wasn't closed off from view like it is on the Dream.

Since the smoking section is right across from the Cove pool, we always walked closer to the pool to avoid the smokers. There were adults sunbathing in thongs and with their bikini tops untied (as at many pools and beaches) and a sudden shift left nothing to the imagination.

I just found with the walls separating the Dream adult pool from the rest of the deck there was more adult privacy, and the noise from the Mickey/goofy pools was at least muffled.

My next cruise is on the Wonder, so obviously it didn't bother me that much.

Nancy

I'm still confused by this also. On the Dream, you have to walk right by the pool to get to the forward elevators. On the Wonder, there is an outer area, separated by a small wall, most would use if they had kids to get through. It seems to be one of the larger complaints adults have with the area on the new ships. I am not sure what walls you are referring to on the Dream? Now Satelite Falls on the Fantasy ( and the same space on the Dream) was more easily kept adults only. My kids were having a fit wanting to get to me, but they couldn't. But they wouldn't come into the pool area either. I told them they just had to ask a CM...geesh!