Magic vs Wish

[JM_97]

The Fantasy is in Europe this summer that’s why Magic is doing sailings from PC during summer. Dream is out of Ft Lauderdale so you have to switch your departure port but also have DVC cruise first week of August.

Haven’t been on the Magic, but have been on the Wish and to Lookout. I liked 2 of 3 rotational dining rooms on Wish and the pool deck food is amazing. I didn’t like the adult pool area but if you don’t need the pool there plenty of loungers in adult area and you can go up to deck 14 in the front- it’s not adult only but pretty quiet with lots of free loungers normally. The Chip and Dale pool is up there but has limited hours. Nassau is a stay on ship port for me. Lookout is nice beach (Atlantic Ocean) with waves that you normally don’t get at Castaway. That pier to ship is long and the vegetation isn’t as developed as Castaway. Magic will have less people that Wish.

If you have Disney +, there is a documentary on how they built the Wish and shows what’s on the ship. So you can watch it and see what it has.

The Wish/Treasure have grown on me but I overall like the Dream/Fantasy the best. I go back and forth if I like a ship that is IP heavy and since I don't have children, I'm not sure if I'll like the smaller adults area.

 

[Disneyworldlocal]

Hi BMILL

This Disney Wish is heavily geared to first time Disney Cruisers and you will have an amazing time on either ship. I'm not sure where you are traveling from or if Disney cruising works out to your liking. However, if you are close to the Florida area doing the Magic would make a lot of sense. The Magic hasn't been in this area recently and based on future itinerary's it doesn't look like it will be back this way anytime soon. If you catch the Disney Cruise bug you will most certainly want to check out as many ships as possible as they are all different. We live in Orlando and have been on the Dream, Wish, and Fantasy. The Wish will be going out of Port Canaveral for a LONG time so you could always circle back to that one in the future. We are doing the Magic at the end of August (Wife and I) and I recently booked a surprise (for my wife family cruise) on the Magic. My Wife and I have not been on the Magic before and the other three people for the surprise cruise have not done a Disney Cruise (Sister In-Law, Daughters 23, 17). I chose the Magic for the surprise one as that was 4 days vs 3 days for the Wish. They were basically the same price. I used the thought on this one also in favor of the Magic in case this becomes a tradition and we could do the Wish anytime we wanted to.

Have a great time with whatever you choose.

 

[_19disnA]

Relatives just returned from their cruise on the Magic. It was their first Disney cruise and they were invited by some other relatives who went last year. They never mentioned any sort of maintenance issue and were very pleased with the cruise. I believe the cruise/ship they chose related to cost/number of days and the itinerary. All of those things are listed on the Disney Cruise website.

 

[Disneyworldlocal]

We did our Magic cruise in early May and absolutely love the ship. The rotational dining is great. The shows are great. LC is amazing. The ship was in great shape and looks clean and fresh to me.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Another vote here for the Magic. It will always be special for us because it was our first with DCL. We have been on all of them multiple times except Wish class ships. We actually prefer the Magic/Wonder due to their much smaller passenger capacity. You can really feel the difference on CC when there is 4000 guests vs. 2400.
I think the Magic is a great size for first-time cruisers. It's relatively compact and easy to navigate. The entertainment in the WD Theater is top notch. We still love Twice Charmed and that's only shown on the Magic. We just sailed on her in late April-early May and felt the ship still looks beautiful. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!! Go and enjoy it!

 

[jwalk03]

Magic is fantastic. We sailed her in March. (On the cruise where it was raining in the atrium) still wouldn’t hesitate to sail her again. The ship is great, the staff is great, the shows are great. Just a wonderful experience.

I still believe the Magic & Wonder have another ~15 years in them.

 

[Cheburashka]

I prefer the Magic to the Wish, so I would sail her. Here are some pros for the Magic:

• Better style: The Magic's theme is a classic oceanliner with Disney touches smoothly integrated vs. the Wish's somewhat tacky and disjointed Disney princess/superhero hotel on the water theme.
• Better practical design: The Magic has more intuitive deck plans (Wish doesn't even have midship elevators), more space for each passenger, and its single-deck promenade wraps around the ship for easy walking laps.
• The Magic has a better adult pool area with a relatively spacious pool, multiple hot tubs and lots of loungers. The Wish's adult pool deck area really suffers in comparison.
• Better shows: Tangled and Twice Charmed (on the Magic) are two of DCL's very best shows.
• The Magic's version of Animator's Palate restaurant is DCL's most creatively themed MDR restaurant.
• Palo on the Magic is better than Palo Steakhouse on the Wish imo.
• Stateroom storage is in normal closed drawers on the Magic, whereas the Wish mostly gives you open shelves instead, for some reason. Drawers are pro for those who don't want to constantly gaze at their folded pajamas and medication.
• Nicer indoor adult spaces imo.
• Staterooms and bathrooms are slightly bigger on the Magic.
• Better shops: The Magic features several shops selling Disney merchandise, whereas the Wish features empty high-end jewelry and watch stores, punctuated by only one or two overcrowded Disney shops.

One pro to the Wish:

• Prettier stateroom bathrooms. I'll give credit where credit is due.

DCL is good at remedying temporary maintenance issues. I wouldn't let past reports of an issue that is probably already handled stop me from sailing a better ship.

 

[OKW Lover]

Palo on the Magic is better than Palo Steakhouse on the Wish imo.

This is so true. Not that Palo Steakhouse on the Wish isn't good, but it's really a different restaurant that shouldn't share the Palo name.

For those that didn't know, the name Palo, derives from the poles you see when in Venice where all the boats tie up. Palo on the original four ships has lots of homages to Venice in its decor. That went away on the Wish, and the Treasure.

 

[Dug720]

I've been back and forth on similar cruises for August and ultimately decided on the Magic.

Why?

1 - In my case the Magic is 5-nights and the Wish is 4-nights. Longer always wins for me.
2 - Lookout on the Magic. Yes, the 5th night means I'm subjected to Nassau, but that's a ship day for me anyway, so no biggie.
3 - I understand that mechanical/plumbing/sewage things can happen on ANY ship no matter how old or new. The age of a ship doesn't really factor into my plan. (well, other than my number 7 reason)
4 - I love that the adult bars are in ONE area on the Magic. Not spread all over and open to any family walking by like on the Wish.
5 - I'm a fan of the atriums on the Magic Class and Dream Class. Not a fan of them being shut off with a stage on the Triton Class.
6 - I will actually go to all the evening production shows on the Magic. I don't like either Aladdin or The Little Mermaid, so I'd be skipping 2 of the 3 shows on the Wish.
7 - While no announcements have been made - and there are older ships sailing - it is more likely than not that the Magic and Wonder's days are numbered. I'd rather enjoy them before my choice is designed-by-someone-who'd-never-been-on-a-cruise Triton class or change cruise lines.

And thanks to my parents going on the Wish and talking about how beautiful she is, I changed (before final payment). LOL.

 

[Bmill]

Thanks everyone. We ultimately decided to stay on the Magic. It’s coming up quick!