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Word on the theme park beat is that those looking for a Disney fix are foregoing the crowded and pricey parks and splurging on a Disney cruise instead.
After all, it’s got it all — the theming, Broadway-level entertainment, inventive food, astounding kids’ facilities and sunny foreign shores, including two private destinations. They even have the only fireworks at sea (there’s fish food in the rockets, apparently.)
Best of all, grandparents treating the family — because let’s face it, that’s often who’s paying — can kick their feet up poolside with a Hippopotomai-tai cocktail rather than slog 20,000 steps around Magic Kingdom (yes, I’ve counted.)
Judging from the park-inspired direction on the newest ship in the fleet, Disney Treasure, the designers have taken note.
Launched this week and sailing seven-day Caribbean voyages from Florida as of Dec. 21, the 1,246 stateroom, 144,000-ton Disney Treasure is the first of Disney’s six ships to bring much beloved park rides right onboard the ship.
The Haunted Mansion Parlor, painstakingly recreating the much-loved theme park ride, will welcome mortal guests to enjoy smoking spirit libations while everything kicks off around them — thunderstorms, ghostly happenings, Madam Liotta, melting statues, even skeleton fish appearing in the aquarium. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that this will be crammed to the cobwebbed rafters, perhaps leading to the first Virtual Queue at sea, too.
Another watering hole, Periscope Pub, evokes the retro 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride, sporting diving helmets and vintage submarine taps with specialty ales. Shadowy sharks and rays, filmed at Epcot’s Coral Reef, swim overhead.
There’s even an atrium-style bar, Skipper Society, that echoes the vibe (and bad puns) of the Jungle Cruise. Sit by the old-timey radio and you may hear some of the hokey ride commentary.
Elsewhere, it’s all super heavy on the theming, hidden Mickeys and attention to detail, and you could lose all your vacation time looking for them all.
Restaurants include Plaza de Coco, where mariachi, Miguel and friends hold court, to the Guardians of the Galaxy in the Worlds of Marvel dining space.
The kid’s clubs offer spacious areas themed on classics like “Star Wars” and “Frozen,” plus some techy wizardry — build-your-own rollercoaster on a computer and then ride it in a special car parked in front of a giant screen.
The teen’s club Vibe lives like an urban penthouse, complete with a soda fridge, plus an indoor basketball court (er, no pickleball for the aforementioned grandparents?) also doubles up as space for silent discos.
Adult luxury does not escape the Treasure, either, with a Senses spa complete with indoor and outdoor rainforest, and the quiet cove and adult pool is always welcome. Signature upgraded dining includes Enchante, from three-Michelin-starred Chef Arnaud Lallement, and offers a non-themed escape (wait, there is Beauty’s rose in a glass terrarium outside.)
The outdoor deck is lapped by the Aqua Mouse flume ride or watch a (Disney) movie in the pool. Later, keep the water theme going in the theatre with the ship’s signature show, “Disney The Tale of Moana.” End up at the Scat Cat Lounge piano bar.
For sure, Disney cruises do not come cheap — prices for the Treasure itineraries start at $4,466 for two, as per the web site, and there aren’t the Wi-Fi freebies or drinks packages of other lines — but if you’ve got princess and pirate kids, or are a huge Disneyphile, this is where you’ll want to be all at sea.
