Need Help Deciding Between Wonder and Fantasy

We are avid cruisers but first time Disney cruisers.

We are booking a Concierge Family Stateroom. There is about a $3500 difference in price between Wonder and Fantasy. (Wonder is cheaper). TA guessed it was because Fantasy will be doing Star Wars. $3500 is a big difference for us and we're wondering if its worth the extra money to go on Fantasy. Now, DH and 3yo DS love Star Wars. DS calls it "Daddy's movie." LOL. I'm basing this on an Eastern itinerary.

Here are the pros that I can think of for Fantasy:

• It has the AquaDuck ride on the Sun Deck
  
• I personally prefer larger ships. I'm worried that there will be less to do on a smaller ship.
  
• The Concierge Lounge will be right outside our cabin - makes it easier for early morning coffee runs
  
• $550 OBC from TA
  
• Better technology
  
• Last week of February
  

Pros for Wonder:

• Classic Ship
  
• Maybe less crowded?
  
• $3500 less money
  
• $400 OBC from TA
  
• First week of March
  

What other things should we consider? I appreciate your help in advance!!

I have sailed on both but not concierge. I do know that the concierge lounge on the larger ships is considered better but don't have personal experience as to why. In looking at what you pay for the concierge level, it wouldn't be worth it to me to pay the higher price for it. As far as technology goes, the only thing I can think of that the Fantasy has but the Wonder doesn't would be the magic portholes and the midship detective agency.

For the price, I would definitely choose the Wonder. It is smaller but there is still tons to do (but with less crowds). The service on the Wonder is great (good on the Fantasy also) and it was recently updated with new shows and a new restaurant too. I wish we could sail on the Wonder again too but our next cruise is on the Fantasy on a star wars cruise in Feb 2018. We have done a prior star wars cruise and its really only one day of the trip so IMO you won't be missing much.

I am sure you will love whichever you choose!

when i was on the wonder, she didn't have a concierge lounge yet, but i think that the lounge they've put in has an ocean view, which is very nice..

the fantasy's concierge lounge is internal (has no windows) which i really don't like...

on the other hand, the concierge lounge on the fantasy is right by the rooms (especially if you're on deck 12)..

whereas on the wonder, the lounge is not near the staterooms, but from the pictures i've seen, the wonder has a really nice concierge lounge (both the indoor and outdoor areas)......

personally, i prefer the smaller disney ships, but each person is different..

why do i prefer the smaller ships? i feel less crowded on them....also i find i bump into the same people more which makes the cruise more friendly to me....

i enjoy the 'ride' of the smaller disney ships better (however others disagree with me)

i just noticed you sailed on the allure of the seas..

so let me make this comparison for you..

i NEVER felt crowds when i was on the allure (and we were on a fully booked cruise on the allure).

meanwhile, i did feel very crowded when i was on disney's big ships...

so perhaps that gives you an idea?

We just came off the Fantasy in Concierge for one of the Star Wars Day at Sea (SWDAS). It was the western Caribbean itinerary...regardless...it was AWESOME. We also did the family Oceanview and were on Deck 12 right outside the lounge. The concierge were absolutely phenomenal...the ship itself is immaculate. If you really like Star Wars it is well worth it.

That being said, 3,500 is certainly a big difference...I haven't been on any of the other ships so can't compare, but I can tell you that you can't go wrong with Disney.

We have only just sailed the Wonder and are used to larger ship more like the size of the Fantasy. I can say that the ship never felt small, having everything within just a few decks was awesome, and the ship has a lot to do and we were never bored on a 7 day cruise that ended up being 5 sea days due to a missed port.

The Wonder was a great ship, we had a blast and if we ever sailed Disney again I wouldn't hesitate to go on the Wonder.

TA's right in that the big price difference is more due to the Star Wars cruise, as the "theme" cruises tend to be more premium-priced and sell out the cheap cabins quickly.

Apart from ship size--I was only on the Wonder, which was cozy for a 4-day without seeming claustrophobic--some changes of restaurant (Tiana's Place isn't on the Fantasy and Enchanted/Royal isn't on the Wonder), and no Magical Porthole on the older ships, there's no significant difference that might make you rue one choice over the other if you haven't tried any DCL ship yet.

I've done both Dream Class ships and the Magic - though in the peon section (aka not concierge). I really liked the Magic, (which makes me happy since I could not stomach the thought of being on the Fantasy and losing a DISNEY cruise day to something I will NEVER consider Disney) so I happily booked the Wonder for Presidents' Week next year. I had zero issues with being bored - though I am not one who feels the need to be entertained 24/7. The only thing I missed was the Midship Detective Agency.

Between the classics and the newer ships, I prefer the classics. The newer ships, at least on the dates that I cruised, were too big with too many unsupervised tweens. Yes, I'm that person who believes that a child either needs to know how to behave in public or needs supervision--tossing supplies from the beverage station or making a mess at the ice cream station isn't proper behavior....and obviously the parents don't have a clue that their little angels were making these messes. It may have been the luck of our days. Most of our 30+ cruises are Magic and Wonder, and we rarely have seen such acting out on those ships.

As to the ships themselves, while there are nice things on the Fantasy, I still prefer the Magic. Would love to go on the Wonder soon to see the new upgrades, but that's not on our schedule right now.

The one thing I didn't hear addressed was what the two itineraries are and if there's any difference, which is more appealing to you. Also bigger isn't always better. We love the classic ships for their intimacy. Another thing to consider is if you and your spouse are considering getting away for alone time one evening, WHile all four ships have Palo, only the Dream and Fantasy have Remy.

The one thing I didn't hear addressed was what the two itineraries are and if there's any difference, which is more appealing to you. Also bigger isn't always better. We love the classic ships for their intimacy. Another thing to consider is if you and your spouse are considering getting away for alone time one evening, WHile all four ships have Palo, only the Dream and Fantasy have Remy.

Actually, OP said that they were both Eastern Caribbean. But the Wonder cruise they are looking at has St. Maarten an San Juan while the Fantasy has Tortola and St. Thomas. I really liked Tortola, so that would be a plus for the Fantasy. The "saints" each have things to recommend them. St. Maarten has (or had) a unique shop called "That Yoda Guy" operated by one of the people involved with Yoda on the original Star Wars. I've read somewhere that it has been turned into a museum, but can't verify this. That might satisfy the family Star Wars angle if you opt for the Wonder. I've not done a port of call at San Juan, but both of my stays there left a lot to be desired. I would not choose to return there. The old forts are neat, so it might be OK for a one day port of call.

This has been an incredibly difficult decision!! LOL. We have decided on Fantasy 2/24-3/3!! It is a Star Wars itinerary but also the AquaDuck. Ultimately, we choose it because even though it's more expensive for us it's actually about $400 cheaper for my in-laws. My MIL also told me that they may be paying for my BIL and his two daughters.... so, it seemed better to go with the cheaper option for them. We should be booking within the next day or so and I'm super super excited!!!!

Step 2 - booking our Disney hotel for two days pre-cruise. This is going to be amaaaaazing!

Actually' date=' OP said that they were both Eastern Caribbean. But the Wonder cruise they are looking at has St. Maarten an San Juan while the Fantasy has Tortola and St. Thomas. I really liked Tortola, so that would be a plus for the Fantasy. The "saints" each have things to recommend them. St. Maarten has (or had) a unique shop called "That Yoda Guy" operated by one of the people involved with Yoda on the original Star Wars. I've read somewhere that it has been turned into a museum, but can't verify this. That might satisfy the family Star Wars angle if you opt for the Wonder. I've not done a port of call at San Juan, but both of my stays there left a lot to be desired. I would not choose to return there. The old forts are neat, so it might be OK for a one day port of call.[/quote']

 

I wasn't sure if when the OP said they were basing it on the Eastern itinerary if they were just using that as a price comparison guide or not. I agree with Tortola and St. Thomas over St. Maarten and San Juan. St. Thomas gives you the option of heading over to St. John too, which is where we will be heading when we sail that itinerary in October.

Well my FIL threw a wrench into our plans. He decided that he wanted a concierge cabin too, sooooo we decided on Wonder because the concierge cabins were $3500 cheaper. In fact, because it's cheaper and we were prepared to spend more, we decided to get a 1-bedroom suite! So excited..... and I'm still happy with Wonder. We'll try to find the Yoda museum or shop or whatever. Wonder is probably the smallest ship I will have ever been on.

We'll try Disney's newest ship in 2021 next. LOL.

Well my FIL threw a wrench into our plans. He decided that he wanted a concierge cabin too, sooooo we decided on Wonder because the concierge cabins were $3500 cheaper. In fact, because it's cheaper and we were prepared to spend more, we decided to get a 1-bedroom suite! So excited..... and I'm still happy with Wonder. We'll try to find the Yoda museum or shop or whatever. Wonder is probably the smallest ship I will have ever been on.

 

We'll try Disney's newest ship in 2021 next. LOL.

the wonder has a very nice concierge lounge - they only just built the lounge during the recent dry dock...

the pictures of it look really nice..

.

Yea, I think the concierge lounge on Wonder will be so nice with the windows!!

We are avid cruisers but first time Disney cruisers.

 

We are booking a Concierge Family Stateroom. There is about a $3500 difference in price between Wonder and Fantasy. (Wonder is cheaper). TA guessed it was because Fantasy will be doing Star Wars. $3500 is a big difference for us and we're wondering if its worth the extra money to go on Fantasy. Now, DH and 3yo DS love Star Wars. DS calls it "Daddy's movie." LOL. I'm basing this on an Eastern itinerary.

 

Here are the pros that I can think of for Fantasy:

 

 

• It has the AquaDuck ride on the Sun Deck
  
• I personally prefer larger ships. I'm worried that there will be less to do on a smaller ship.
  
• The Concierge Lounge will be right outside our cabin - makes it easier for early morning coffee runs
  
• $550 OBC from TA
  
• Better technology
  
• Last week of February
  

Pros for Wonder:

 

• Classic Ship
  
• Maybe less crowded?
  
• $3500 less money
  
• $400 OBC from TA
  
• First week of March
  

What other things should we consider? I appreciate your help in advance!!

Hello!

An updated review of Disney Wonder is on our site, with details about Frozen and the new themed kid spaces, as well as Tiana's restaurant. I sailed in November!

If you didn't catch it, details about the new spaces on Fantasy were just released yesterday. New Dr. Strange and Star Wars spaces, which if your family is a fan, we would recommend!

Either way, enjoy your cruise! Thank you for being a Cruise Critic member.

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

The other addition to the Fantasy, announced yesterday, is a Tiffany gift shop. That's right, DCL will actually be allowing an outside company to open a shop on their ship.

Yes, other lines already to this, so why should DCL not get a share of the profits as well? It's just another step from featuring merchandise by other companies in their store which has been happening for years.

The other addition to the Fantasy' date=' announced yesterday, is a Tiffany gift shop. That's right, DCL will actually be allowing an outside company to open a shop on their ship.

Yes, other lines already to this, so why should DCL not get a share of the profits as well? It's just another step from featuring merchandise by other companies in their store which has been happening for years.[/quote']

 

Assuming it's meant to boost the Duty-Free merchandise, as the upscale-conspicuous duty-free selection on the Wonder's ship was good, but just a corner of the existing goods shops.

Hello!

 

An updated review of Disney Wonder is on our site, with details about Frozen and the new themed kid spaces, as well as Tiana's restaurant. I sailed in November!

 

If you didn't catch it, details about the new spaces on Fantasy were just released yesterday. New Dr. Strange and Star Wars spaces, which if your family is a fan, we would recommend!

 

Either way, enjoy your cruise! Thank you for being a Cruise Critic member.

 

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

Hi Brittany, The updated Wonder review refers to the option of having a queen or two twins. Is that accurate? I haven't been on the The Wonder in several years, but my prior experience has been that all of Disney ships only offer a queen size bed with the couch that transforms to a single as well as a pull down bunk. Is this a result of the reimagining of the Wonder?

The ships now offer a large bed that is designed to sleep 2 as well as the couch that flips to a single bed. In cabins that sleep 4 on the Magic and Wonder, there is a ceiling bunk that drops down and if a cabin sleeps 5, there is a murphy bed that folds out from a wall. This did not change with the re-imagination of the Wonder as their beds were changed a couple years ago to conform with the other ships.

On the Dream and Fantasy, the 4th person's bed can be either the ceiling bed or a murphy bed depending on the cabin configuration.

What did change on the Magic and Wonder is that the large bed can NOT be divided into two smaller beds. The beds that could separate were removed several years ago on the Magic and a little more recently on the Wonder. They were never on the Dream or Fantasy.

The ships now offer a large bed that is designed to sleep 2 as well as the couch that flips to a single bed. In cabins that sleep 4 on the Magic and Wonder' date=' there is a ceiling bunk that drops down and if a cabin sleeps 5, there is a murphy bed that folds out from a wall. This did not change with the re-imagination of the Wonder as their beds were changed a couple years ago to conform with the other ships.

 

On the Dream and Fantasy, the 4th person's bed can be either the ceiling bed or a murphy bed depending on the cabin configuration.

 

What did change on the Magic and Wonder is that the large bed can NOT be divided into two smaller beds. The beds that could separate were removed several years ago on the Magic and a little more recently on the Wonder. They were never on the Dream or Fantasy.[/quote']

Thank you. That is what I thought, too. That main CC review of the Wonder really needs to be corrected.

I just came back from a Fantasy SWDAS cruise (western in a 1BR Concierge suite) and I'm booked on the Wonder cruise you are looking at next year, also in a 1BR. We had the option to book the Fantasy again with the same price difference you were quoted We chose to go on Wonder. Here's a few reasons why :

- We already did SWDAS full out, with the entire family in costumes from morning to night. While it was really really fun, it took a lot of prep and took over the entire ship. We didn't think it would be as much fun the second time around without the novelty. We are SW geeks, not just fans.

- We prefer the smaller ships in general because everything is closer. We also prefer the pool setup on them, including the fact you can watch funnel vision from a table while lunching, something impossible on Fantasy.

- My son won't ride the Aquaduck, so we don't miss it. The only thing he misses on the small ships is the detective game but he did all the stories twice already so it's not a big draw for him anymore.

- Tiana's is our favorite MDR. It's only on Wonder

- This year, Fantasy was packed, with even more kids than usual if that's possible. The ship was at full-capacity (not only sold out but the staterooms were all filled with max guests) and it showed in public spaces. It surely had to do with SWDAS. It made getting around less enjoyable at times. We skipped a lot of character signings because the lines were so long.

- We truly prefer the lounge on Wonder. On Fantasy, because it lacks windows, we take things and go in our room to enjoy them. On Wonder, we could hang out in the lounge all day.

- The lineup of shows on Wonder is better than on Fantasy.

- This might sound strange but we prefer the way food it setup in Cabana's on the smaller ships, most notably at breakfast. That's minor but we noted it.

All in all, the Wonder cruise will be more relaxing for us. Also, we haven't done those ports in a while, so we'll get to experience new things.

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I just came back from a Fantasy SWDAS cruise (western in a 1BR Concierge suite) and I'm booked on the Wonder cruise you are looking at next year, also in a 1BR. We had the option to book the Fantasy again with the same price difference you were quoted We chose to go on Wonder. Here's a few reasons why :

 

- We already did SWDAS full out, with the entire family in costumes from morning to night. While it was really really fun, it took a lot of prep and took over the entire ship. We didn't think it would be as much fun the second time around without the novelty. We are SW geeks, not just fans.

- We prefer the smaller ships in general because everything is closer. We also prefer the pool setup on them, including the fact you can watch funnel vision from a table while lunching, something impossible on Fantasy.

- My son won't ride the Aquaduck, so we don't miss it. The only thing he misses on the small ships is the detective game but he did all the stories twice already so it's not a big draw for him anymore.

- Tiana's is our favorite MDR. It's only on Wonder

- This year, Fantasy was packed, with even more kids than usual if that's possible. The ship was at full-capacity (not only sold out but the staterooms were all filled with max guests) and it showed in public spaces. It surely had to do with SWDAS. It made getting around less enjoyable at times. We skipped a lot of character signings because the lines were so long.

- We truly prefer the lounge on Wonder. On Fantasy, because it lacks windows, we take things and go in our room to enjoy them. On Wonder, we could hang out in the lounge all day.

- The lineup of shows on Wonder is better than on Fantasy.

- This might sound strange but we prefer the way food it setup in Cabana's on the smaller ships, most notably at breakfast. That's minor but we noted it.

 

All in all, the Wonder cruise will be more relaxing for us. Also, we haven't done those ports in a while, so we'll get to experience new things.

 

 

 

I completely agree with all of the above! Excellent analysis.

I just came back from a Fantasy SWDAS cruise (western in a 1BR Concierge suite) and I'm booked on the Wonder cruise you are looking at next year, also in a 1BR. We had the option to book the Fantasy again with the same price difference you were quoted We chose to go on Wonder. Here's a few reasons why :

 

- We already did SWDAS full out, with the entire family in costumes from morning to night. While it was really really fun, it took a lot of prep and took over the entire ship. We didn't think it would be as much fun the second time around without the novelty. We are SW geeks, not just fans.

- We prefer the smaller ships in general because everything is closer. We also prefer the pool setup on them, including the fact you can watch funnel vision from a table while lunching, something impossible on Fantasy.

- My son won't ride the Aquaduck, so we don't miss it. The only thing he misses on the small ships is the detective game but he did all the stories twice already so it's not a big draw for him anymore.

- Tiana's is our favorite MDR. It's only on Wonder

- This year, Fantasy was packed, with even more kids than usual if that's possible. The ship was at full-capacity (not only sold out but the staterooms were all filled with max guests) and it showed in public spaces. It surely had to do with SWDAS. It made getting around less enjoyable at times. We skipped a lot of character signings because the lines were so long.

- We truly prefer the lounge on Wonder. On Fantasy, because it lacks windows, we take things and go in our room to enjoy them. On Wonder, we could hang out in the lounge all day.

- The lineup of shows on Wonder is better than on Fantasy.

- This might sound strange but we prefer the way food it setup in Cabana's on the smaller ships, most notably at breakfast. That's minor but we noted it.

 

All in all, the Wonder cruise will be more relaxing for us. Also, we haven't done those ports in a while, so we'll get to experience new things.

 

 

 

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This is about as good a direct comparison as you can get! Nice work, and thank you!

Just popping in to say that A) we LOVED the Wonder 10 years ago. I can only imagine that she has gotten better with age. And B) we LOVED our day in St. Maarten a couple of years ago. Check out Maho beach and watch the planes land - you will NEVER forget that experience.