Disney Magic
Disney Magic
The Disney Magic was the first ever Disney Cruise Line ship and launched in 1998 and is the first ship in the Magic Class (alongside the Wonder).
The Magic combines classic ocean liner elegance with a distinctly Disney twist. Influenced heavily by an Art Deco style with rich colours and geometric patterns. The Magic Class ships are slightly smaller and more intimate than other ships and offer a cozy, classic cruise feel with all the magic of Disney.
The stern character on this ship features Goofy and the bronze status in the atrium lobby is Helmsman Mickey Mouse.
Staterooms
The Magic has 875 staterooms and are among the most family-friendly and well designed at sea. They are known for being spacious, comfortable and filled with Disney’s signature style .
Inside Staterooms (category 11A-11C - 184 sq ft) and Deluxe Inside Staterooms (category 10A-10C - 214 sq ft) Split bathroom only as part of the deluxe category where the sink and toilet are in one room and the shower/sink in another. Rooms offer a queen bed, single sleeper sofa and some have an upper berth pull-down bed.
Oceanview Staterooms (category 9A- 9D - 214 sq ft) Very similar layout and amenities to inside staterooms but feature natural light from oversized portholes (either one or two).
Verandah Staterooms (category 5A-5E - 268 sq ft) and Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah (4A-4E - 299 sq ft). Similar layout but offer a private balcony with seating. Some rooms sleep up to 5 with an extra Murphy bed which folds down. This ship also offers the slightly cheaper Navigators Verandah (category 7A) which offers an enclosed verandah which whilst it is not as open as the normal verandahs, it can offer privacy and protection from the wind and is a great choice for cooler itineraries such as Alaska.
Concierge Staterooms & Suites
The concierge level on the Wonder features 44 staterooms and suites. Guests receive priority boarding, exclusive access to the Concierge Lounge and sundeck with dedicated concierge hosts. Rooms feature lavish décor, upgraded linens and luxury bath products.
Dining
All Disney Cruise Line ships have rotational dining where guests experience rotational dining where restaurants are pre-booked each night automatically (with two different sittings which you get to pick from when you book - the first sitting generally begins at 5:45pm and the later seatings begins at 8:15pm). Rotational dining works where the guests rotate through the themed restaurants with the same serving team each evening so they really get to know your preferences and things like drink orders - it all adds to the exceptional service!
Rapunzel’s Royal Table
Dine in this Royal Ballroom where glowing wish lanterns adorn the walls and you are treated to a lively dinner show with singing and dancing and appearances from characters including Princess Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
Food here is inspired by both classic American favourites and fresh-food flavours from around the globe. Highlights include tossed angel hair pasta braided in a pesto sauce with caramelised sea scallops and crème brûlée.
Lumiere’s
There is a subtle Beauty and the Beast theme in this elegant and upscale restaurant with French-influenced cuisine.
Dine on French onion soup, snails, lobster and Grand Marnier Soufflé in this wonderful restaurant.
Animator’s Palate
We love this restaurant, on the Magic, the walls start in black and white and gradually transform into colour.
Interactive shows here include an appearance from Mickey Mouse himself and animating guests own drawings up on the big screen!
Additional restaurants and quick-service spots are spread throughout the ship including Cabanas (buffet open for breakfast and lunch), quick service locations next to the pool for options like burgers, pizza and ice cream and then Premium dining at Palo (adults-only and additional charge). Room service is available 24/7 and is completely free as well!
Bars & Lounges
O’Gills Pub
Classic Irish-inspired pub which is a cosy spot decorated in dark wood panelling and serves beer, ciders and classic cocktails with live sport on TVs here.
Fathoms
A deep-sea inspired nightclub/lounge. Family friendly entertainment offered here during the day before switching to adults-only in the evening.
Soul Car Lounge
Enjoy live jazz music in this bar themed after the film Soul - great for a romantic evening.
D Lounge
Sing, dance, play games and enjoy live entertainment as a family.
Cove Café
Adults-only peaceful retreat. Grab a gourmet coffee in the morning or a craft cocktail at night - this is a great spot to relax with gorgeous ocean views.
Signals Bar
Casual, pool side bar located close to the adult pool. This is an outdoor bar offering great cocktails, beers and frozen drinks and is the perfect place to sunbathe and watch the sea with a drink.
Pools
The pools on the Magic Class ships are something which got an upgrade on the later class of ships (with more slides and pools) but as these ships are smaller, we don’t feel like we miss out and still have lots of fun on these ships! The pool deck has funnel vision (a giant movie screen showing Disney films all day) and is also where the Sail-Away Celebration and Pirate Night celebrations take place.
Goofy’s Pool (Main Family Pool): Midship pool which is good for all ages - well positioned for watching movies on Funnel Vision.
AquaLab: Super fun sprawling water playground with a great slide called the Twist ‘n’ Spout which is 250 feet long and lots of fun!
AquaDunk: This is exclusive to the Magic and is a thrilling drop-out waterslide the launches from Deck 13. You stand in a capsule and the slide starts when the floor disappears from beneath you!
Nephews’ Splash Zone: An interactive kids water play area designed specifically for toddlers and infants in swim diapers. It features fountains, jets, water sprays and small slides.
Quiet Cove (Adults-Only): Open from 8am to midnight daily, features a pool and 2 whirlpool spas. Surrounded by a tranquil lounge area with padded loungers and offering bar service, this has no loud music, kids or activities - just peaceful vibes!
Family Fun
There is always a jam-packed schedule of onboard activities for every age when onboard Disney Cruise Line. Many of these can be pre-booked on the app (and some are an extra charge) but others are completely free and require no reservation. These include things like trivia, drawing classes, character meets, live music and plenty of pool deck activities. We have highlighted some of the best spaces below:
Walt Disney Theatre: This shows Broadway-style Disney musicals such as Tangled: The Musical, which is not to be missed.
Buena Vista Theatre: This is a free cinema onboard showing the latest Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies.
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: Book a makeover appointment for your child at this magical salon where kids arrive as themselves and leave as a princess, knight or sea captain! On Pirate Night this space turns into the Pirate League offering pirate-themed makeovers.
Wide World of Sports Deck - Open-air arena featuring basketball courts and ping-pong tables. Other deck activities include Shuffleboard and a running track (both on Deck 4).
Kids Clubs
The kids clubs on Disney Cruise Line are absolutely exceptional - they are themed play spaces for kids overflowing with Disney magic and a packed schedule of organised activities. All of these spaces offer ‘Open House’ hours where families can look around and enjoy the spaces together which can be great for children who are unsure if they want to join in without their parents nearby.
‘It’s a Small World’ Nursery (ages 6 months - 3 years): Space is limited here so book your reservations as soon as possible, there is an additional fee for this service. Broken down into two distinct areas - the main play area and a separate quiet room for naps.
Disney’s Oceaneer Club (ages 3-10): Youngsters will be absorbed for hours in this activity centre full of magical surprises. Themed areas on the Wonder include Andy’s Room, Marvel Super Hero Academy, Disney Junior and Pixie Hollow.
Disney’s Oceaneer Lab (ages 3-10): This is connected to the Oceaneer Club space so kids are free to go between the two. The great spaces here include an Animator’s Studio, Craft Studio, Captain’s Workshop and The Wheelhouse where you can do things like use large navigation simulators to steer your very own Disney ship through to Caribbean Sea!
Edge (ages 11-14): Tweens have their very own place to play onboard, it’s packed with all of the high-tech goodies you can imagine and features things like a dance floor and video game stations
Vibe (ages 14-17): This open-plan lounge is a great spot to socialise with other teens and features multiple flat-screen TVs, video games and boardgames.
Adult-Only Activities
Senses Spa & Salon: Provides tranquility, pampering and relaxation with a multitude of spa and beauty treatments. You can book for a specific treatment or book a Rainforest Pass for the length of the cruise which allows you access to the spa area to enjoy things like the steam room, sauna and speciality rain shower experiences.
Fitness Centre: Expansive, state of the art exercise club offering stunning ocean views and everything you need to work out during your sailing.
Beverage Tastings: Book onto an informative beverage tasting (such as mixology class, rum tasting, stem-to-stern wine tasting and many more) for a fun afternoon!
Adventures x Paradise Review
We absolutely adore Disney Cruise Line! All of our ship reviews begin this way as the whole Adventures x Paradise gang agree that any time onboard a Disney ship give us some of the most magical memories and vacations.
The Magic will always hold a special place in our heart as it is the first cruise we all did together (in 2021) and we had the best time! We are all booked to go back on (as a group of 9 rather than 8 now!) in the summer of 2025 which we are counting down the days to!
The Magic Class ships are a great introduction to Disney Cruise Line as the original ships are smaller (so less daunting for first-timers) and definitely seem less busy because of this. They are also great ships to visit the private Disney Islands on as they hold far less guests so means the islands are quieter too! The service we have received on these ships is always absolutely exceptional too.
Because they are older ships, the demand is less meaning these ships are often some of the least expensive ways to cruise with Disney. They also have the most interesting itineraries for this reason too whereas some of the newer ship just do a continuous cycle of Caribbean cruises. It might not be as big or as new as some of the other ships but it more than makes up for this in charm, service and typical Disney attention to detail!
Our vlogs below show some of the fun we got up to when we all sailed together on the Magic at Sea Staycation cruise.
TOP TIP - This is the only ship you will find the AquaDunk slide - definitely the most thrilling of all the slides on any Disney ship! If you’re a thrill seeker then this isn’t to be missed!