As I’ve learned in my quest to sail on all the Disney ships, when you ask an experienced Disney cruiser what ship in the fleet is their favorite, odds are they’ll say Disney Fantasy.

For years, I wondered what about this ship (the only one I hadn’t sailed on until recently) made it such a common fan favorite.

For those unfamiliar with the nuances of each of the six currently sailing Disney ships, Disney Fantasy being a favorite is particularly interesting given it’s not the newest in the fleet, the most recent to be majorly overhauled in dry dock (though one is scheduled), the biggest in the fleet nor the smallest Disney ship. There’s really not that much on this ship that you couldn’t find on one of the other Disney ships, either.

But as Goldilocks may have said at one point, after sailing on Disney Fantasy, I can now understand some of the appeal. It is, in many ways, just right.

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Disney Fantasy has fun, playful art nouveau styling that you see as soon as you enter the three-story atrium, where a peacock-inspired chandelier and carpeting immediately catch your eye.

It’s a Disney ship that is comparatively light on specific character or story themes in many of its restaurants, bars and other spaces relative to the two newer ships — Disney Treasure and Disney Wish — but is heavy on things to do and spaces to enjoy and explore.

Disney Fantasy first set sail for Disney Cruise Line on March 31, 2012, and has capacity for 4,000 passengers spread across 1,250 staterooms. This puts it at the same size as Disney Dream, which came out just one year earlier.

For years, Disney Fantasy pretty consistently spent the majority of its time doing seven-night Caribbean sailings while Disney Dream did shorter cruises to the Bahamas. This translated to a more relaxed pace for the passengers (and crew) on Fantasy, rather than the quick-turn pace of the three- and four-night sailings that were often operated by other ships in the fleet.

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I suspect that’s one of the main reasons why many Disney cruisers have such fond memories of Disney Fantasy.

However, now that Disney’s fleet has expanded, Disney Fantasy operates a pretty wide variety of sailings, ranging from short three-night cruises out of Florida to some transatlantic crossings and even sailings from European ports.

Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?

Disney Fantasy cabins and suites

Disney Fantasy has staterooms ranging from interior and oceanview cabins to verandah staterooms and a selection of concierge staterooms and suites that measure up to 1,781 square feet. The capacity for staterooms hovers between three and five people, depending on the specific room selected.

One rather unusual offering that you’ll only find on Disney Fantasy and its sister ship, Disney Dream, is the inclusion of magic portholes in the interior staterooms, like the one we sailed in.

These electronic portholes have a live feed from outside, so you can “see” what’s going on outside, even without a real window. (If you’re lucky, you may even get to see a character “fly” by the magic porthole on occasion.)

One very handy feature of most Disney Fantasy staterooms is the split bathrooms, which place the tub/shower combo and the toilet in different adjacent rooms so multiple family members can get ready at the same time.

The interior, oceanview and verandah staterooms on Disney Fantasy feature the classic nautical style you’ll find on all four of the original Disney ships (Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy).

The concierge staterooms on Disney Fantasy provide access to some additional concierge-exclusive spaces and perks, such as the concierge lounge, earlier booking of activities and specialty meals, and early entry into the theater at night for the first pick of seats.

Related: Is Disney Cruise Line concierge level worth it? We tested it to find out

Disney Fantasy included restaurants and meals

Disney Cruise Line is unique in how it operates its nightly restaurants. It uses a rotational dining approach where your serving team rotates through the three included restaurants with you. This dining arrangement allows you and your serving team to get to know each other while still experiencing different restaurants.

On Disney Fantasy, the three included restaurants are: Enchanted Garden, Royal Court and Animator’s Palate.

Enchanted Garden

Enchanted Garden is only found on Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream. Inspired by conservatories in the foothills of France, the restaurant’s decor includes a 7-foot-tall fountain and potentially some blooming floors. Pay special attention to the lighting and such in the restaurant, as it may change as you enjoy the different courses of your meal.

Royal Court

The fanciest of Disney Fantasy’s three restaurants covered by your cruise fare — and the only restaurant that’s unique to this ship — is Royal Court. (That said, Royal Palace on Disney Dream is very similar.)

Located just off the grand atrium, this restaurant may make you feel like you’ve entered the castle of one of Disney’s famous princesses, such as that of Belle or Cinderella, as those were some of the stories from which the restaurant took its inspiration.

Animator’s Palate

Last but not least on the list of included sit-down restaurants you’ll find on Disney Fantasy is Animator’s Palate. Available on all four of the original Disney ships, this restaurant is where you go for a fun meal. It’s not to be skipped, especially if you haven’t dined here before.

On some nights in Animator’s Palate, you may get to see your drawings come to life as you enjoy course after course of included appetizers, entrees and desserts.

Cabanas buffet

The included dining options on Disney Fantasy don’t stop at the previously mentioned restaurants.

There is also Cabanas, a buffet that is open daily for breakfast and lunch. What you find on the buffet varies a bit each day, but expect some kid-friendly staples such as muffins, sausage, Mickey waffles, macaroni, chicken tenders and fries, plus a rotation of options like chilled shrimp, sushi rolls and crab legs.

Pro tip: Stay alert (or ask your dining team) for which day of your cruise is “Mickey churro waffle day.” These delectable breakfast treats only appear at Cabanas once per cruise (often toward the end of the sailing) and are quite delicious.

On-deck food

For lunch or even dinner, you can also just enjoy a selection from the on-deck walk-up food counters and grab a soft serve ice cream at places such as Eye Scream and Flo’s Cafe, which are also included.

After the ship’s next visit to dry dock, scheduled for fall 2025, there will be a new on-deck addition called Ramone’s Cantina. It will bring tacos and taco bowls to the dining lineup. After a few days of burgers and fries, trust me, you’ll be thrilled to have this exciting addition.

These on-deck counters are obviously great picks for lunch by the pool, but one of my favorite things to do at least one night of the cruise is to skip the sit-down meal and enjoy a quick burger or chicken fingers out on the deck. This frees up bonus time to do game shows or enjoy the waterslide while most other cruisers are sitting down for a lengthy meal.

Room service

Room service is also available on Disney Fantasy 24 hours a day (until after midnight on your final evening), and there is a complimentary menu that includes options such as fruit, pastries, juice and coffee in the mornings. Later in the day, a small but sufficient list of hot items also becomes available.

Remember that besides the main menu, you can get a few off-menu items, such as Mickey ice cream bars and Uncrustables, which I like to stuff in my bag on excursion days.

Disney Fantasy extra-fee restaurants and meals

Now, let’s talk about the snacks and meals on Disney Fantasy that will cost you a little extra.

Sweet on You

Unique to Disney Fantasy is the Sweet on You shop that’s home to an adorable “life-size” Mickey and Minnie and 20 flavors of gelato, 16 ice cream choices and 32 topping options. Expect one scoop to set you back about $4 and toppings to add around 75 cents additional.

Pro tip: If your kids are OK sharing, you can get a three-scoop size for much less than three individual one-scoop orders.

Adults-only restaurants Palo and Remy

Then there are the high-end, adults-only restaurants: Palo and Remy. These restaurants, which only welcome guests ages 18 and up, are open for reservations for brunch and dinner.

I’d say that the $50 Palo brunch is still the very best money you can spend with Disney at sea, but any meal at these two restaurants is likely to be exceptional. You should try to make your reservations as soon as they open in advance of your sailing (which varies depending on your Castaway Club level). Remember, too, to dress up for your visit.

Related: Is a Disney cruise for adults? Here are 5 reasons why I say yes

Disney Fantasy bars and lounges

When it comes to the bars and lounges on Disney Fantasy, the ship takes a unique approach you won’t find replicated in the quite same way elsewhere in the Disney fleet. In Disney Fantasy’s Europa section, which transforms into an adults-only area each night, you’ll find five different bars that all share a European vibe and sit close to each other, making it easy to hop from one to the next.

Included in the Europa section are:

• Skyline Bar
• O’Gills Pub
• Ooh La La
• The Tube
• La Piazza

Pay attention while in the Skyline Bar, as your view will change from one iconic skyline to another every 15 or so minutes. If you look carefully, you’re likely to find some Disney characters out enjoying themselves in the cities displayed, too.

My personal favorite bar on Disney Fantasy, however, isn’t actually in the Europa district.

Instead, it’s Meridian, found between Palo and Remy. There, you’ll find excellent ocean views and fun, classic ocean liner-inspired decor. As an added bonus, you also get a small taste of the service and vibe from the adjacent adults-only restaurants without the same price tag.

I highly recommend a predinner or postdinner drink here around sunset for a calm, gorgeous toast to the end of another day at sea.

Other noteworthy spots on Disney Fantasy where you can spend a few dollars for a specialty coffee or an adult beverage include:

• Cove Cafe
• Currents
• Poolside bars

Pro tip: If you expect to enjoy several specialty coffees on your cruise, ask for the Cove Fanatic card, which provides a free specialty coffee after you purchase five. Also, know that on Disney Fantasy, the muffins and pastries available in Cove Cafe come at no additional charge.

You can also expect a rotating list of “drinks of the day,” which are noted in the Disney Cruise Line app. Buying these allows you to essentially get a slightly larger portion of the drink in a souvenir cup. If you want to do this, then the earlier in your cruise you do it, the greater the potential value if you use the cup multiple times.

Note that, unlike some other cruise lines, Disney Cruise Line does not offer unlimited drink packages, though you can buy packages that include a select number of bottles of wine or cans of beer.

Related: Disney cruise drink packages: How to save on beer, wine, cocktails and coffee

Disney Fantasy activities

From the AquaDuck and the splash pad to the long list of scheduled activities like trivia, karaoke and bingo, you’re unlikely to ever be bored on Disney Fantasy.

Scheduled game shows, trivia, karaoke and more

The part of a Disney Cruise I underestimated before I tried it was the activities scheduled all throughout the day and night that you can pop into.

This includes options like family game shows, silent discos, karaoke, all sorts of trivia competitions and Disney character drawing lessons. My kids have become obsessed with many of these regularly scheduled activities, so they’re now a cruise highlight for us and how you will find us passing the time for hours upon hours each day.

Pools and waterslides

Another main attraction on Disney Fantasy is the AquaDuck waterslide, which takes you around the top deck of the ship, through the funnel and on a four-deck drop on an inner tube. This is a very popular attraction (open to guests 42 inches and taller), especially on sea days. Try and visit outside peak times if you don’t want at least a 30-minute wait.

But AquaDuck isn’t the only water area to play in and cool off on Disney Fantasy. There are also the AquaLab, some small splash pools, a second (and much shorter and more little-kid-friendly) waterslide, multiple on-deck pools and the toddler-oriented Nemo’s Reef.

Broadway-style shows

Each of the Disney ships has three Broadway-style shows:

• Disney’s Believe
• Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular
• Frozen: A Musical Spectacular

They are all very high-quality productions and worth a watch, though note that none of them are currently unique to Disney Fantasy. Your show time will be opposite your dining time at night (early or late), with open seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Buena Vista movie theater

You can enjoy first-run Disney movies (including Marvel films) while on Disney Fantasy in the Buena Vista movie theater. In fact, if a movie premieres on land while you are at sea, you can see it opening night on the ship, too. While the movies are included, note that unless you are sailing in a concierge-level room, popcorn costs a few dollars extra.

Fitness center

If you want to work off some of that included food you may be eating your fair share of on the ship (to make room for more!), head to the fitness center, which sits next to the spa and is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Guests 18 and up are welcome.

Midship Detective Agency

A really fun (and complimentary) game you’ll find only on Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream is the Midship Detective Agency, which will take you on one of multiple cases to solve by collecting clues at interactive “paintings” all over the ship. It’s the perfect game for kids who want a little bit of freedom to run around the ship and solve a caper — though, of course, you can also join in on the fun.

Senses Spa & Salon

Whether you want to buy a pass to relax in the “Rainforest Room” on a heated stone lounger or book a treatment, the Senses Spa & Salon is one of my favorite areas of the ship. If you go to the spa raffle on embarkation day, you can enter a raffle to win a spa credit and often get the opportunity to book some discounted treatments for port days, which can save you 30% or more on retail prices.

Some areas within the spa will be getting a fresh look when Disney Fantasy undergoes a visit to dry dock later in 2025.

Goofy’s Sports Deck

If a game of basketball, miniature golf at sea or even a sports simulator sounds fun, then you’ll want to make your way to Goofy’s Sports Deck on Deck 13 to enjoy all these activities and more. There is no charge for minigolf or the basketball court, but if you want to use the sports simulator for something like football, soccer or baseball, you will need to make a reservation for a 30- to 60-minute session.

Characters and Bibbity Bobbity Boutique

Whether you want to meet a princess or become a princess, Disney Fantasy has you covered. You can find a list of scheduled character appearances in your DCL app while on board. You can also make a free reservation for the princess gathering in the Grand Hall to meet four princesses at once, at a scheduled time with a minimal wait.

However, my favorite DCL character interactions are usually the ones that aren’t scheduled or available for advance reservations. Whether that’s Donald out on deck taking in the sunset or Goofy perhaps roaming in his pajamas at night, keep your eyes peeled for character moments you won’t find on an itinerary.

If your kiddo wants to “become” a princess, Captain Minnie or even a pirate, you can book them a reservation at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique to get outfitted with a costume, a princess hairdo and more by “fairy godmothers.”

Disney Fantasy kids clubs, teen club and nursery

Disney Fantasy doesn’t just have a “kids club” — it has five dedicated kids spaces, divided by age group.

For the smallest cruisers, there is the nursery, which is available for little ones ages 6 months to 3 years old and costs $4.50 per half-hour. This is the only youth activity room that carries an additional fee, and you can make reservations once you get on board the ship.

Kids between the ages of 3 and 10 (assuming they are potty trained) get to head to the Oceaneer Club and Lab on Disney Fantasy. In these spaces, you’ll find some scheduled activities, games, drawing supplies and themed areas (think: “Star Wars” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”). Sometimes, Mickey and friends even pop in to play.

There are some open play hours for any member of the family to come in, but during the hours reserved just for kids ages 3 to 10, do know that those ages are strict — you can’t have an 11-year-old pop in (outside of open play areas) just because their sibling or cousin is 10 or under. As a result, pay close attention to the club rules if you’re sailing with kids of similar but different ages.

Next up is Edge, open to kids ages 11 to 14. However, unlike in the Oceaneer Club and Lab, there is sometimes flexibility to “age up” to this club at 10 years old with parental permission (if space on the sailing permits). Also note that Edge doesn’t have a sign in and out process the way the younger clubs do, so kids can come and go here without parents picking them up.

Edge is heavy on video games, hangout spots, foosball and activities that involve the counselors and the kids. Edge on Disney Fantasy is also going to be moving starting this fall when the (false) funnel that it is in right now becomes a two-story funnel suite, similar to other Disney ships. So, expect what Edge offers to stay the same, but it will be moving locations later in 2025.

Last but absolutely not least is Vibe, which was created for teens 14 to 17 years old. Like at Edge, you can potentially “age up” to Vibe one year early, at 13, if space on the sailing permits. Vibe is a big, cool space with lots of places to hang out, watch a movie, play video games or even get a tan at its own private pool area on its own private deck.

Adults-only areas

The kids and teens don’t get all the fun on Disney Fantasy, as the adults have their own space and own pool, too. Cruisers ages 18 and up can enjoy the pool, pool bar, lounge chairs and hot tub in a section just for them.

However, unlike on Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, where the adults-only area is all the way at the back of the top deck, on Disney Fantasy, it is somewhat more midship, so there will be through traffic from kids and families of all ages.

Disney Fantasy itineraries and pricing

As previously mentioned, Disney Fantasy has a wide variety of itineraries, which means there is a wide variety of prices. Currently, Disney Fantasy offers three- to five-night Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral in Florida, as well as some European sailings in summer 2025.

Right now, the least expensive sailings with double occupancy for sale are the four-night sailings out of Port Canaveral that stop in the Bahamas at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and its new island destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. We did the same itinerary, and it was an excellent way to spend four days with a mix of sea and sand.

These rates start at around $2,000 for two guests in an inside cabin during the most off-peak dates.

For a family of four, the starting price for the least expensive season, which is currently weekday sailings in the early fall, costs $3,437.

If you want to book a verandah stateroom for a family of four, those prices start at $3,861 for four-night sailings to Disney’s two Bahamian destinations in early fall.

While Disney Cruise Line is one of the more expensive family-focused cruise lines, a great perk of the itineraries that visit both of Disney’s island destinations is that your cruise fare covers your meals, beach chairs and more at these stops. That means it is 100% possible to spend no additional money on those shore days and still have a great time.

Pro tip: On these island days, I highly recommend creating your own ice cream sandwich using cookies and soft serve ice cream machines.

Related: 11 ways to save money on a Disney Cruise

If you want to hop on board as Disney Fantasy enjoys its first European sailings since it was delivered to Disney Cruise Line, then consider booking one of the sailings to Italy, France, Spain, Norway and beyond for summer 2025. In summer 2026, it will return to doing closer-to-home sailings out of Florida.

Related: Traveling with kids to Europe? Why including a cruise might be better than just staying on land

Disney Fantasy accessibility

Disney Fantasy offers accessible cabins in all of the main cabin categories: inside, ocean-view, balcony and concierge accommodations, including one-bedroom suites. Accessible cabins generally have more space in them for assistive devices and maneuvering and also include features such as bathrooms with roll-in showers, toilet grab bars, lower towel bars and accessible vanities. Doorways in these cabins have ramped thresholds.

These cabins also have visual indicators and bed shakers for doorbells, phone calls and emergency alarms.

The theaters on Disney Fantasy offer wheelchair-accessible seating, and the line’s website says you must request pool lift access in advance from guest services.

Common ports of call for Disney Fantasy — Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay — also have beach-friendly wheelchairs available for use.

Bottom line

After four nights on board, it’s safe to say that Disney Fantasy is indeed a special ship that does lots of things just right.

You can jog or walk the full circular track in the morning (which is not true on the new Wish Class ships), hit up the Rainforest Room in the spa before lunch while your younger family members are in the kids clubs, enjoy the pools or waterslides in the afternoon, have a predinner drink with an epic view in Meridian and enjoy the rotational-style dining for dinner. And that’s all before seeing a Broadway-style show at night, among other things you can see and do on Disney Fantasy.

However, now that I’ve sailed on all of Disney’s ships, I’m not sure that I can say I think any one crew (or ship) is really better than the others.

And while Disney Fantasy isn’t a carbon copy of Disney Dream due to some different styling, restaurants and shows, my hunch is that some of the reputation of Disney Fantasy being the best is a holdover from when it exclusively did seven-night sailings and likely had a different vibe and pace from the rest of the fleet.

That said, we absolutely loved our days on Disney Fantasy — as we have on Disney’s other ships — and hope to be lucky enough to find ourselves on board again one day.