Friends told us that if you are going to the Disney cruise, you will make another Disney cruise reservation as you walk out the cruise. Families with young kids seemed to love them. The entertainment, the food, the characters, the kids' clubs, the shows, everything sounded almost too good to be true.
So when we finally booked one, we really had pretty high expectations.
In April 2025, our family of four took a four-night, five-day cruise on the Disney Wonder, sailing from San Diego to Ensenada, Mexico. Our boys were four and six years old at the time, and we traveled with a neighborhood family who had two daughters who were five and seven years old.
The cruise cost us a little over $6,000 for our family of four. After all the excitement, we came home with a surprisingly complicated feeling.
We had a great time. The kids loved it. There were magical moments, but if you ask me whether I would take the same cruise again, my answer is probably no.
And that's not because Disney Cruise Line was bad.
Getting Ready for the Cruise
On the way to San Diego, we felt that we needed some appropriate attire to get in the ship. We had plenty of kids clothing, so my friend stop by at the Target and got ourselves Mickey Mouse T-shirt. That was not the only thing that we bought. The adults were already thinking about one important part of the trip: drinks.
We had brought the amount of beer and wine we were allowed to bring on board, but somehow it didn't feel like enough. So we stopped at Ralphs on the way and bought a bottle of Jim Beam Apple.
We put it in a Thermos and brought it with us.
It may not have been the most sophisticated way to start a Disney Cruise, but we were ready. We parked our vehicles at the Fox Auto Parks. It was only $58.55 for 5 days and they provided us with the shuttle service to the cruise ship. The shuttle service took only 15 minutes to the ship, and it was very convenient.
We arrived early at the port, and fortunately, check-in was quick. There wasn't much waiting around, which was nice. We thought we had to drop our luggage to be delivered to your room, but if you want, you might as well carry your own luggage to your room. I personally do not recommended though.
I also heard that you may get a room upgrade, if you go early and ask when you check in. But, we weren't quite that lucky.
When I first saw the Disney Wonder, one of my first thoughts was actually, "It's smaller than I expected." I had imagined a much larger ship. But once we got inside, that impression started to change.
Disney characters were there to welcome us as we boarded, and we were wondering around and walking toward our room. The walk to the cabin seemed surprisingly long. The ship suddenly felt much bigger than it had from the outside.
And when we finally opened the door to our room, I had another surprise.
We cruised once before, and a room with window, not patio, seems to be bigger than the patio room that we were staying with Norwegian Cruise Line.
Before we could really settle in, we had to do the safety drill. This is mandatory drill that all the cruise line do at the very first hour before the sail begins. It was our first reminder that, despite all the Disney magic, this was still a cruise ship.
The Kids Were Having a Great Time
Once everything was settled, the kids headed to the pool. This quickly became one of their favorite parts of the cruise. The waterslide was surprisingly long, and our kids absolutely loved it. They could ride it again and again.
While waiting on the stairs to get to the top of the slide, the kids would get really cold. I saw them shivering their body as they were waiting in line. I kept thinking that there should be some kind of heating system in that waiting area.
But once they got on the slide, they didn't care about the cold anymore. All I can see and hear is their smile and scream.
The kids also loved the Kids Club. They loved it a little too much for us. Kids club hours was from 9AM to Midnight everyday.
They spent around six or seven hours a day there, sometimes coming out only because it was time to eat. They seemed to enjoy being there more than hanging out with us.
For parents, that was obviously convenient.
Since our friends' family was traveling with us, each adult get a turn to check the kids at the kids club. While the kids were playing, the adults could relax, have a beer, and enjoy some time together.
In that sense, the cruise worked exactly as advertised. But there was one thing about the Kids Club that really disappointed me.
The PlayStation Problem
The Kids Club had plenty of activities. On paper, it sounded great. But there was a PlayStation.
That became a problem.
The kids would sometimes wait 30 or 40 minutes just to get a turn. Older kids would sit there for a long time, basically occupying the system while younger kids waited. I felt that the staff should have limited play time so that more kids could use it.
But honestly, my bigger disappointment was that there was a PlayStation there in the first place.
When I think about a Disney Kids Club, I imagine activities that kids can't easily do at home. I expected Disney to create something more special and immersive.
Instead, there was a group of kids waiting around to play video games. The kids still had fun, so it wasn't a disaster.
But it wasn't what I expected from Disney.
Movies Were a Pleasant Surprise
One thing we really enjoyed was the movie theater. They showed several Disney movies, including newer releases, and watching a movie together as a family on the ship was surprisingly memorable.
It was one of those simple experiences that didn't require much planning.
We could just walk into the theater, sit together, and watch a Disney movie while we were literally in the middle of the ocean. But the best entertainment on the ship wasn't the movie theater.
It was the live show.
Disney Dreams Was the Highlight
The absolute highlight of our cruise was Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic.
I wasn't expecting it to affect me as much as it did. The show brought together stories and characters from classic Disney movies and turned them into one big stage production.
I didn't know anything about it and expect to get goosebumps. And I definitely didn't expect to almost cry at the end.
But that's exactly what happened.
There was something about seeing those familiar Disney stories come together on a stage, surrounded by a theater full of families, that hit differently.
For a moment, I completely understood why people rave about Disney Cruise Line. If someone asked me, "What was the one thing on the cruise that made you think it was worth it?"
That show would be my answer.
Pit Stop: Ensenada
This is where the itinerary started to feel a little less exciting to us. We didn't have much interest in doing an excursion in Ensenada. Part of it was the cost. We'd already spent more than $6,000 on the cruise, and we didn't really want to keep spending more money once we got there. We also had some concerns about getting off the ship with our young children.
So instead, only our wives got off the ship. Their mission was simple: buy water and beer and come back. That's pretty much what they did. We didn't feel like we were missing out on a huge beach experience.
And that's partly because this wasn't the kind of itinerary where we could get off the ship and spend the day enjoying a beautiful Caribbean beach.
That's one of the biggest differences I think about when I compare this cruise with the Disney cruises that leave from the East Coast.
If I'm going to spend that much money on a cruise, I'd rather visit destinations where getting off the ship is part of the experience.
Pirate Night and Fireworks at Sea
Getting dressed up and having our faces painted like pirates was fun, especially with the kids. I had expected some kind of special pirate event designed specifically around the kids, though, and there wasn't quite as much as I had imagined.
Still, the night ended with something much more memorable: fireworks.
Watching fireworks is one thing, but experience it in the middle of the ocean was something else. There were no city lights around us. No buildings. No traffic. Just darkness and the ocean.
And then suddenly, fireworks appeared above the ship. That was one of those moments when I understood why people love cruising.
It was simple, but it was beautiful.
Was It Worth $6,000?
This is ultimately the question I kept coming back to. Our kids had a magical time.
They loved the Kids Club, waterslide and buffet.
We dressed up for Pirate Night.
We watched Disney movies and fireworks in the middle of the ocean.
And we saw one of the best live shows I've ever seen on a cruise.
So yes, there were plenty of things we loved. But the cruise was only four nights. Our family of four paid a little over $6,000. It could be not much money for some people, but we had to save up and planned it for some time.
And when I think about the overall experience, I can't help asking myself whether we got enough out of those four nights for that price.
By the last day, I wasn't thinking, "I don't want this to end."
I was actually thinking, "I'm ready to go home."
That doesn't mean we had a bad trip.
It just tells me that the experience wasn't quite as addictive as I had expected.
Would We Take Another Disney Cruise?
I wouldn't say never.
In fact, I'd like to try Disney Cruise Line again someday.
But if we do, I'll do it differently.
I'd rather travel from the East Coast on one of Disney's larger ships and choose an itinerary with destinations that are a bigger part of the experience—places where we can actually get off the ship, go to the Disney beach, explore, and spend the day somewhere beautiful.
I'd also want a longer cruise.
If I'm going to spend more than $6,000 on a family cruise, I want to feel like we're getting more than four nights out of it.
So, would I recommend a San Diego Disney Cruise?
Yes—but with some conditions.
If your kids absolutely love Disney, and you're short on vacation time, and San Diego is your only realistic option, I wouldn't tell you not to go.
Your kids will probably have an amazing time.
Ours certainly did.
Just know what you're getting.
The Kids Club may not be exactly what you imagine. Ensenada may not be the highlight of the trip. You'll probably spend more money than you initially planned. And four nights can go by very quickly.
But you might also find yourself sitting in a theater watching Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic, getting goosebumps and wiping away a tear.
You might watch your kids fly down a ridiculously long waterslide for the tenth time.
And you might stand on the deck at night, looking out at a completely dark ocean, when fireworks suddenly explode above you.
Those moments were real.
We loved them.
We just don't think we need to spend another $6,000 to experience the same version of them.
If we take another Disney Cruise, we'll go farther, stay longer, and choose a better itinerary.
LET'S GO!
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