Concierge 4 night Bahamian Cruise on the Disney Wish - Port Canaveral

Pre-cruise stay:

My family and I arrived in Orlando 2 days prior to embarkation. We flew in from Orlando International airport and stayed at the Disney Swan Reserve. We explored Disney Springs that evening and enjoyed dinner at Morimoto Asia. The following day, our family took a 15 min walk across the street to the Disney Swan hotel where there will be a boat dock. We took the complimentary boat that took us to the front entrance of Epcot, which took about 15 minutes as well. We spent the entire day at Epcot. We were lucky enough to get in the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and ride Ratatouille, which are both new rides. To get in the queue, make sure all your tickets are synced. Then sign on to your Disney World APP at 6:55am. Click on the queue for your desired ride and keep refreshing the screen until the queue opens up at 7:00am.

Post-cruise stay:

My family decided to stay a couple of more days after our cruise. We took a private transfer from the port to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge. You can read about our stay by clicking on this link.

4-night Bahamian itinerary

Day 1: embarkation day

Day 2: Nassau, Bahamas

Day 3: Castaway Cay

Day 4: Day at Sea

Day 5: Disembarkation Day

Essentials to bring:

You must bring your passport! You don’t want to be left behind!

The wonderful thing about Disney Cruise Line is that no formal wear is required for dinner (unless you have reservations for Enchante or Palo, which is adult dining only).

There is a pirate night scheduled on the itinerary, so I recommend packing up your best pirate outfit. However, if dressing up is not your forte, Disney will provide every guest with a pirate bandana so you can join in the theme.

Bathing suits and sunblock are a must! Bathing suits are required for the pool and the Aquamouse (deck 13). A thrilling animated water coaster ride on the top deck of the ship.

Exercise clothing and running shoes if you plan to utilize the Senses Fitness Center (deck 5). You will also need exercise clothes if you opt to run or walk the 5k or ride a bike when you dock at Castaway Cay. You will earn a medal after your 5k and you can participate at your own time and pace.

Snorkeling gear and a deflated tube if you do not want, pay additional fees for rental at Castaway Cay

There are plenty of beach chairs to sit on at the family beach side of Castaway Cay. The private beach area is reserved for guests with cabana reservations and for guests at Serenity Bay (adult-only cabanas).

The Disney Cruise Line (DCL) garage and surface lots open at 10:30am and boarding starts at 11am. As a concierge guest, you will not be assigned a specific time on when to check in to the port. We hired a private transport and got dropped off around 10:30am. You will be greeted by a Disney porter who will unload your belongings. You should have received your concierge luggage tag prior to your travels, which will alert the porter to prioritize your luggage. You will have your own designated concierge line for check in at the front entrance of the building. There is no wait since you will have priority check-in. Once you are cleared to enter, you will go through security, which you will also have a priority line for. When you are cleared, you will take the elevators up the second floor and walk all the way to the end of the building where you will see the Concierge lounge and waiting area. There is a refrigerator on the inside lounge where you can help yourself to the drinks provided. Once boarding time opens, each family will be called in and escorted onto the ship.

As you enter the ship for the first time (deck 3), you see the grandeur of the atrium. Cinderella’s bronze statue is on center display and you are greeted with both a prince and princess on the stage balcony to the right. Every guest is welcomed by the staff and a Disney Wish wand is distributed to each guest. The center staircase is welcoming and the crystal chandelier just makes you feel regal. Because the atrium is so open and grand, there is no center ship elevator. The two main elevators are located on the forward and aft of the ship. As you continue to enter the ship, you will be directed to 1923 (Roy or Walt Disney side, both with identical layouts, deck 3) which is one of the three rotational dining rooms. All concierge guests are invited to a special welcome lunch at this time.

Once we completed lunch, we headed up to our Concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom w/ Veranda on Deck 12. We were pleased to see that 4 of the 5 luggages we had were already in front of the door. Our room was spacious and beautifully decorated. We had a king bed, a bunk bed and a murphy bed that fit all 5 of us comfortably. We had a split bathroom and plenty of space to store our luggages. After visiting our room we headed to the concierge lounge (deck 13, forward) to meet the incredible staff.

Concierge lounge:

My family and I love the concierge lounge on the Wish (deck 13). The service is personalized and outstanding! It is significantly larger than the Disney Dream. There are open bar hours when they serve complimentary alcohol and its own kitchen area where you can help yourself to food items, drinks, and coffee throughout the day. In the front of the lounge, you see the private sundeck area with plenty of seating, and a private jacuzzi with a bench next to it where you can dip your feet in the water. Sunblock and towels are provided throughout the day.

Entertainment & activities:

The Disney shows performed in the Walt Disney Theater (deck 3) are the absolute best! They are Broadway shows in quality and worth watching. There were 3 shows during our voyage. The first was Disney Seas Adventures, in which Captain Minnie puts Goofy in charge of the ship. Characters in this show include Tiana, Elsa, Moana, Merida, Hercules, Crush and Squirt. The finale is grand, with dancers walking down the aisle. My favorite show of the cruise! The next two shows are classics and need no explanation. They are The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. As a concierge guest, you have priority entry before each show. You can enter the theater 15 minutes before the doors open to the rest of the passengers. You will have a designated entrance and will be provided with your own bottle of water and bag of popcorn.

Bingo is a favorite for our family. It takes place in the Luna Lounge (deck 5). If you’re interested in playing, make sure to line up at least 30 minutes before the game starts and purchase your cards. The jackpot gets larger daily and the final night of sailing is the mega jackpot. Kids are allowed to play as long as their guardians are with them. If a child wins, the money gets transferred to the guardian’s account.

If you like to draw, throughout the voyage, you can sign up for complimentary lessons on how to draw the Disney character of the day. You will meet at the Bayou Lounge on Deck 3. Pencil and paper will be provided. FYI, the instructions are all in video.

My husband’s favorite spot on the ship was the Hyperspace lounge (deck 3). When you enter through the doors, you truly feel like you are in space. Their specialty drinks are delicious and make you feel immersed in the world of Star Wars.

The Senses Spa and Fitness (deck 5) is massive and luxurious. There are rain baths, an ice room, steam room, sauna, and private lounge area. Reservations are required and treatments include state-of-the-art equipment.

Dining:

• Marceline Market (deck 11) is buffet-style dining located on the aft of the ship

• Mickey and Friend’s Festival of Foods (deck 11, forward) includes the following fast-service restaurants:

• Mickey’s Smokestack Barbecue

• Daisy’s Pizza Pies

• Goofy’s Grill

• Sweet Minnie’s Ice Cream

• Donald’s Cantina

• Inside Out: Joyful Sweets (deck 11, aft) - additional fee

• Wheezy's Freezies (deck 12) - this is where you can find the famous Dole Whip soft serve

• Enchante and Palo Steakhouse (deck 12) - reservations and additional fees apply

The three main rotational dining areas are:

• 1923 (deck 3), named after the year Walt and Roy Disney founded the company (my personal favorite)

• Arendelle (deck 5) - live show with singing and audience participation during dinner service

• Worlds of Marvel (deck 4)

Nightclubs & lounges:

• Currents (deck 14)

• Keg & Compass (deck 5)

• Luna (deck 4 and 5)

• Nightingale's (deck 3)

• Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge (deck 3)

• The Bayou (deck 3)

• The Rose (deck 12)

• Cove Cafe & Bar (deck 13)

• Hook’s Barbery (deck 4) - Yes, they serve alcohol

Cafes:

• Wishing Star (deck 4) - additional cost

• The Enchanted Sword (deck 5) - additional cost

Shops:

• Mickey’s Mainsail (deck 5). Sells exclusive Wish merchandise. As a concierge guest, you are able to purchase exclusive concierge merchandise (it has the Disney concierge key symbol) at Mickey’s Mainsail. On our voyage, we were able to purchase an ornament and a hat. As proof, you will need to show them your gold room key card for purchase.

• Treasures Untold (deck 3)

• Dory's Forget-Me-Knots (deck 11) Sells limited Wish merchandise

• Enchanted Castle Jewels (deck 3)

• 3 Wishes (deck 3)

• Once Upon a Time (deck 3)

• Royal Regalia (deck 3)

• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (deck 4)

Youth activities:

• 1820 Society at the Hideaway: 18-20 y/o (deck 12)

• Vibe: 14-17 y/o (deck 12)

• Edge: 11-14 y/o (deck 5)

• Oceaneer’s Club & Lab: 3-10 y/o (deck 2) Kids can also enter from the slide from on deck 3

• It’s a Small World Nursery: 3mos - 3 y/o (deck 2)

Port calls:

The first stop was Nassau, Bahamas. We did not get off the ship since this is the day there are fewer passengers and we can truly enjoy the water slides without much of a line. Our family also enjoyed exploring the ship without a crowd. There was still plenty to do while the ship was docked.

Castaway Cay is clean and beautiful. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the ship to the tram stop, which will drop you off at Pelican Point Tram stop. If you want to go to Serenity Bay, a beach for adults only, you would have to get off Pelican Point and take another tram to get there. If you are lucky enough to book a private cabana, the concierge staff will provide you with instructions on how to get your specific cabana. There are 27 private cabanas on Castaway Cay. 20 are on the family beach and 6 are on the adult-only beach. Reserving a cabana can be challenging since priority reservations are given to Concierge and Platinum members. Being a concierge guest does not guarantee a cabana reservation, as there are 76 concierge staterooms on the Wish. We were not lucky enough to get a cabana this time around, but when we sailed on the Disney Dream, we were able to book it twice. On one of our trips, we had our 3 parents join us. The concierge team set up a golf cart for all 8 of us to ride in. They took us from the ship directly to the cabana.

On disembarkation day, in order to receive priority disembarkation, you will have to meet a concierge staff member at the lounge by 8am. From here, the staff will escort you from the lounge, then ride with you on the elevator (they have the key card to the elevator to skip all floors but deck 13) and then walk you to the gangway where there will be a specific line for you that leads you to the luggage and customs area. We were able to disembark in less than 30 minutes.

As a concierge guest, your first perk starts before your cruise. You will receive an email from the concierge guest specialist welcoming you on your selected cruise. 130 days prior to your sail date, you will call or email them to book your priority registration for shore excursions, dinner reservations or spa reservations. You will also be given a priority date on when you can reserve a cabana, although being a concierge guest does not guarantee you one. Additionally, you receive Wi-Fi, breakfast on disembarkation day and priority disembarkation. There is so much to do on the Wish. We were kept busy the entire trip. This report only has part of what the ship offers. It wasn’t enough time to do all the activities we wanted. If you plan to extend your trip by visiting the Disney Parks, there is a huge laundry room on deck 8. You can do your laundry mid-trip in order to save your luggage space to bring home souvenirs.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Florida. In need of further inspiration? Check out Amy LaGrow-Rogers' guide, Pre-Cruise Hotel Guide in Miami & Fort Lauderdale.