Disney Cruise Line: 6 Differences Between Classic and Dream Class Ships

When you plan your next Disney vacation, don’t forget about their first-rate cruise ships! With award-winning, Broadway-style entertainment, stellar dining options, and beautiful staterooms, Disney Cruise Line offers something for every group size and demographic. Whether you like to vacation with friends, your kids, or other family members, Disney knows how to provide the best vacation possible.

Simply deciding to book a Disney Cruise, however, is only half the battle. There are still so many decisions to make! From which port should you sail? What kind of itinerary is most exciting to you? And finally, which ship is going to provide the best experience for your group?

Currently, Disney Cruise Line boasts two classes of cruise ships – Classic and Dream. (A third class will begin sailing with the addition of the Disney Wish in January 2022.) While both classes offer amazing vacation destinations, there are some significant differences between the two categories. It’s important to consider these distinctions to make sure you are picking the right option for your family!

Size

The Disney Wonder and Disney Magic (Classic ships) are 964 feet long with a passenger capacity of 2,400. Dream Class ships (Disney Dream and Fantasy) are 1,115 feet long with a passenger capacity of 4,000. An obvious and major consequence of this size difference is the crowds you will encounter both aboard the ship and on Disney’s private Bahamian island, Castaway Cay. While the larger ships generally do a fine job of spreading crowds throughout more numerous and larger venues, there is a HUGE difference once you arrive at the private island. I can tell you that finding a beach chair at the adult beach, Serenity Bay, is near impossible when I’m sailing on the Dream Class ships. However, on a Classic ship voyage, I can easily grab a great chair – even if I don’t arrive at the beach for a couple hours after docking.

Atriums

On all of Disney’s cruise ships, your vacation will begin with a walk through the atrium as your family name is announced and a line of Cast Members applaud your arrival. While this is a fun experience regardless of location, the Dream Class ships offer an expansive atrium that really adds to the feeling of grandeur as you enter. The smaller ships, by necessity, have a much smaller atrium. This makes your initial introduction feel a little awkward (especially when they have to bring you in on another level and funnel you through the atrium), and any other time you might spend in this area just doesn’t feel quite as impressive as on a Dream Class ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pools

Signature Slides
The pool areas are one of the biggest and most noticeable differences between these ships. Let’s start with the signature slide options. Dream Class ships boast the AquaDuck – a water coaster surrounding the entire upper deck. This ride is accessible and enjoyable for most guests. There’s a height restriction of 46’ but otherwise, most kids and adults will be excited to participate. As an added bonus, AquaDuck rafts hold two people, so families or friends can ride together.  

On the other hand, the Disney Magic has a slide called the AquaDunk, an intimidating trap-door slide that scares as many adults as children. While the height restriction is still 46’, this ride is much less accessible and family-friendly than its Dream Class counterpart.  

 

Splash Pad and Wading Areas
The Classic ship splash pad, called the AquaLab, is themed after Donald Duck’s nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. It includes several interactive water features, a wading pool, and another large slide called the Twist n’ Spout. While non-potty trained children are only allowed to play with the water features, it’s pretty large and provides lots of fun for all. 

The Dream Class ships offer a splash pad called Nemo’s Reef. It is far more colorful than the AquaLab with a larger variety of features for small children. Apart from the Reef, Dream Class ships also offer a second slide (though it’s much smaller than the Twist n’ Spout) as well as a wading area for potty-trained kids. Dream Class ships also offer a bonus Funnel Puddle where kids can wade and adults can dip their feet in cool water. 

Adult Pool Areas
While the Quiet Cove pool area offers similar amenities in both classes (hot tubs, a bar, the Cove Café serving specialty coffees and snacks, and of course a large, freshwater pool), the entire deck feels more upscale on the Dream Class ships. Firstly, the hot tubs for the Classic ships are attached to the pool in the center of the deck. On Dream Class ships, these hot tubs are on the sides of the deck, overlooking the water (this is true in the family areas as well). Secondly, Dream Class pools include a swim-up bar and an overall more pleasing aesthetic.

Dream Class ships offer a bonus adult pool area known as Satellite Falls. Featuring small, circular pools with tile seats and waterfalls, this is a truly beautiful area for adults to relax and connect. I really miss it when I’m on a Classic ship. 

Dining

While I believe that the Dream Class ships offer far better pool areas than the Classic options – The Classic ships win when it comes to included dining rooms and quick service restaurants.

Rotational Dining Options
Both classes include rotational dining, meaning that guests rotate between three dining rooms throughout their voyage. Both classes include a French-style, Princess themed restaurant (Royal Court/Palace, Lumiere’s, or Triton’s depending on the ship) and Animator’s Palate (though the style of this restaurant differs greatly between the classes – we’ll get into that in a moment). The Dream Class ships both offer Enchanted Garden as the third restaurant option. This dining room offers a fresh vegetable and seafood-heavy menu in a relatively quiet and peaceful setting. 

However, the Classic ships offer much more exciting and themed options for their third dining room. On the Disney Wonder, you can visit Tiana’s Place, featuring Creole and Cajun fare. On the Disney Magic, you can dine at Rapunzel’s Royal Table where you can celebrate the lost princess’ birthday! Both restaurants include an actual show with live music, character meet and greets, and lots of fun! 

Animator’s Palate
Back to Animator’s Palate – while this restaurant is offered on both ships, the style is very different. On the Dream Class ships, Animator’s offers a “Turtle Talk” show during the first rotational meal of the voyage. Screens throughout the restaurant turn into “aquarium windows” and families can talk to Crush (from Finding Nemo) and his friends throughout their meal. On longer sailings, guests receive another unique experience during their second rotational meal called “Animation Magic.” Everyone receives a special sheet of paper to create a drawing/character of their own. After the meal, you get to watch your drawing dance among other diner’s creations in a spectacular show. 

While these shows are entertaining, I prefer the experience on the Classic ships. When you enter, you are surrounded by black and white drawings of beloved Disney characters. As the meal progresses, the walls and drawings around you begin to take on more and more color until the entire restaurant explodes into a celebration of Disney animation. The screens on the wall play clips from Disney movies, music swells, and the finale even includes a special visit from the one who started it all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick-Service Options
Each ship’s pool deck is home to a variety of quick-service snack and meal options. The Dream Class ships have Flo’s V-8 Café serving standard fast-food fare like burgers, chicken fingers, and wraps. Pete’s Boiler Bites on the Classic Disney Wonder offers similar food, but the Disney Magic offers some very unique options. In their popular Duck-In Diner, you can find all the standard options as well as Middle Eastern inspired chicken or lamb shawarma. For a lighter bite, you can swing by Daisy’s Delights to make-your-own quinoa bowl. 

Upgraded, Adult-Only Dining
All Disney Cruise ships include Palo, an upgraded dining option serving gourmet Italian food in an intimate setting. Only aboard Dream Class ships, however, can guests experience Remy. This French-inspired restaurant features a chef’s tasting menu and decadent wine pairings.

Interior Staterooms

If you’ve cruised before, you know what to expect from an interior stateroom. It’s cheaper than other stateroom options, and, as the name implies, there are no windows to the outside world. On the Classic ships, this expectation remains true. However, interior rooms on Dream Class ships include a perk called the Magical Porthole. This feature uses a screen to show a live feed from the ship’s exterior, giving guests the feel of having their own window. As a bonus, Disney characters appear from time to time to wave hello!

Adult Areas

Both classes include plenty of bars and nightlife to keep all adults entertained. There’s beverage tastings, themed club nights, and other adult entertainment throughout your voyage – no matter what sailing you’ve booked. However, the Dream Class ships do have larger adult districts with more variety. While all four existing ships have a nightclub, sports bar, and at least one additional adult lounge, the Dream Class ships include these areas plus Skyline – a chic martini bar, and Ooh La La/Pink – champagne bars.

 

Final Thoughts

No matter which ship you choose, you’re bound to have an amazing time aboard a Disney Cruise! Each boat offers unique experiences and plenty of fun for every member of your family or group.

Don’t forget, if you are planning your next Disney vacation to be sure to reach out to Welcome Home Travel Co, the official travel agents of The Disney Nerds Podcast!