Disney Magic vs. Disney Dream- Which Disney Cruise Ship is Best?

Disney Cruise Line has an impressive assortment of ships in their fleet all offering stellar levels of Disney customer service along with varying levels of entertainment, dining, and themes unique to each ship. The Disney Magic is the original Disney Cruise Line ship and just recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The Disney Dream is one of the newer ships, although not quite as new as the Disney Wish ship and upcoming sister ships, but it is much larger in size and offers different levels of amenities.

I recently sailed on both the Disney Dream and the Disney Magic which gave me good insight into the differences between the more classic, original ships vs. the newer versions and why guests might prefer one over the other.

You can also see our guide to the different Disney Cruise ship classes and which one ranks best here.

Disney Magic Ship Offers Easy to Navigate Layout

Disney Magic is the original Disney Cruise Line ship that first set sail in 1996. It is one of the smallest out of the Disney Cruise Line ships. The benefits of a small cruise ship is how easy it is to navigate which makes the entire experience more seamless. Just because the Disney Magic is the oldest ship doesn't mean it's outdated either! The entire cruise ship has undergone a full refurbishment which introduced refreshed lounge spaces and dining options.

The theme of the Disney Magic also leans into the classic history of the ship with the staterooms being filled with classic photographs and artwork that remind guests of the Disney legacy. My stateroom had classic photographs of Walt Disney and concept art from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Many guests prefer a smaller size cruise ship as it makes it easy to navigate the ship and quickly get from place to another. Waiting in long elevator lines, something that is common on the newer ships, isn't much of a worry here since the ship is small enough to get around using the stairs.

Larger Size of the Disney Dream Offers Expanded Areas

While I did enjoy the easy to navigate size of the Disney Magic, the Disney Dream just offers great expanded areas because of its large size. The benefit of a large ship is there is just more space to offer more entertainment or increase the space of existing amenities like the salons and youth clubs.

The atrium, the main gathering space on the Disney Cruise Line ships, is much smaller on the Disney Magic when you compare it to the large, grand staircase on the Disney Dream. This was one of the first areas I noticed the smaller size. The atrium is the first impression you have of the ship when you board and I immediately clocked the smaller size of the Disney Magic when entering this room. The Disney Dream offers a far greater wow factor in their gathering space.

This was one of the most notable differences between the two ships but only because I had the experience of being on a larger ship. For first time cruisers, I don't think they would even notice that the Disney Magic is a smaller ship because at the end of the day all of these ships are extremely large!

Each Disney Cruise Ship Offers Different Entertainment

I would argue that one of the biggest factors when deciding which Disney Cruise Line ship is a fit for your family is to look at the Broadway-caliber shows that are offered. One of the things Disney Cruise Line does best is the entertainment!

Each Disney Cruise Line ship will have its own main event Broadway show that typically follows the storyline of a popular Disney animated classic. These shows often have their own unique songs added to the show and are just simply stunning. This is my favorite part of a Disney Cruise Line experience.

On the Disney Magic, their feature show is Tangled the Musical and on the Disney Dream their feature show is Beauty & the Beast. Both of these shows were simply fantastic when it came to stage effects, musical scores, and the talent of these amazing actors. It's hard for me to pick a favorite between the two because I loved them so much. But when comparing which is best, think about what movie is your favorite! If you prefer Tangled, then the Disney Magic is the place to be especially since there's also a Tangled themed restaurant onboard too. For Beauty and the Beast fans, the Disney Dream is a no brainer.

Newer Ships Offer Better Pool Recreation 

All the Disney Cruise Line ships have water slides but only the newest ships, like the Disney Dream, have slides that go around the top deck of the ship like in the picture above. The AquaDuck is the Disney Dream waterslide that twists and turns all around the top of the ship. The Disney Magic has water slides but they are more simple slides that go from an upper deck down onto the main pool deck, there are no grand views of the ocean or the ship from those enclosed water slides.

This is also where the larger space of the Disney Dream shines because the pool areas are far larger and there is generally more space for seating as opposed to the Disney Magic. Since the top pool deck also acts as a gathering space for fun activities like Pirate Night and Marvel Day at Sea, this extra space makes those experiences a bit better.

Disney Magic Offers Best Themed Dining Options

Disney Magic blows the Disney Dream out of the water when it comes to themed dining experiences. This ship features Rapunzel's Royal Table which is the hit dining experience on the Disney Magic. As you enjoy a full course dinner of a “Regal Banquet” you will watch a celebration of Rapunzel's birthday and her anniversary of her return home.

The restaurant is themed to be the royal ballroom from the Tangled film filled with glowing wish lanterns and Rapunzel's drawings. This is one of my favorite Disney dining experiences, even when I compare it to the theme parks, and was a highlight of my experience on this cruise.

Animator's Palette is Superior on Disney Magic

Another win for the Disney Magic, their version of Animator's Palette tends to be a bit more superior in design although they do lack the interactive Crush talking screens that the Disney Dream version has. The Disney Dream's version offers interactive (think “Turtle Talk with Crush” from the theme parks) screens in the restaurant with Crush interacting with the guests. Kids love this and it is a fun feature.

However, the design of Animator's Palette on the Disney Magic is simply stunning with the way it pays homage to animation in such a historical and elegant way. As you dine, the colors of the restaurant and sketches being shown will transition from black and white to full color as it encompasses the history of animation. I found this restaurant's design to be a beautiful blend of Disney theme and elegance.

Youth Clubs Vary From Ship to Ship

Youth Clubs on the Disney Cruise Line ships tend to vary in theme and size from ship to ship. If you have kids traveling with you, it might be worth researching the themes of these kids clubs before deciding on a ship.

On the Disney Magic, we noticed the youth club for school aged children had large interactive Marvel displays, Toy Story slides, and more. But on the Disney Dream, the teen aged youth club puts all the others to shame with its own private teen pool deck and outside space. You will see a lot of variation from ship to ship in some cases so often it really depends on the age of your kids. My teenage son prefers the Vibe (the teen youth club) on the Disney Dream because of the pool deck and more spacious lounge it offers. In comparison, he felt the teen club on the Magic was small and underwhelming.

Disney Dream Tends to Be Fan Favorite

After experiencing both the Disney Magic and Disney Dream, the Disney Dream just continues to win out. While I loved all the presence of Tangled on the Disney Magic, nothing could really top the size and offerings the Disney Dream provided.

The Disney Dream is a popular ship amongst many guests and many even still prefer it in comparison to the newest ship, the Disney Wish. The Disney Dream has the advantage of newness and size on its side which can make it hard to stack up against the oldest ship in the fleet, the Disney Magic.

However, the Disney Magic has underwent recent renovations and updates that you honestly might never even tell it's the first ship of the fleet. So in the end, so much of this comes down to personal preference. For me, I would personally choose the Disney Dream over the Magic in the future although I loved the Tangled references that were so present on the Disney Magic.

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