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How To Choose A Disney Cruise Stateroom

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How do you choose a Disney cruise stateroom? If you are new to cruising it can seem overwhelming at first when you are faced with the decision of which stateroom to choose.

Our guide to Disney cruise staterooms will help you to understand your choices and make the best decision for you and your family.

The first thing to realize is that whichever Disney Cruise stateroom you choose (with the exception of concierge) you will still have the same experience on the Disney ship as everyone else.

The same access to entertainment, dining, kids clubs, and all the other magical things about a Disney cruise.

However, the price you pay can be very different depending on which Disney cruise stateroom you choose. It is really important to realize this point.

If you are fine with a Disney inside stateroom, you will still have the same experience on the Disney ship itself, as those who have paid a lot more for a verandah.

The good news is that Disney cruise lines have some of the largest and best-designed staterooms in the industry. They are up to 25% larger than average cruise line cabins.

Disney cruise staterooms really are among the nicest and the best designed sailing the seas.

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You may also have heard about the ‘split’ bathroom. Most of the staterooms on Disney cruises have a bath, sink, and shower which is in a separate room from the toilet and sink. This is a great concept for families sharing.

The design of the Disney cruise staterooms is a nice mix of comfort, practicality and of course, some very special Disney touches.

What Disney Cruise Staterooms Are Available?

There Disney Wonder and Disney Magic have the same basic design, as do the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

The classic ships of the Wonder and the Magic have 877 staterooms and a maximum capacity of 2456 passengers.

The newer Disney Dream and Fantasy have 1250 staterooms and a maximum capacity of 3500 passengers.

There are some differences between the two types of ships, so we will describe each in turn with the Disney Magic and Wonder first.

Scroll down if you need to only see information relating to the newer ships the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream. You can also see our comprehensive guide at Disney Fantasy Stateroom Choices

Inside Staterooms On The Disney Wonder and Disney Magic

Generally speaking, prices are the lowest for inside staterooms and these make them a good budget choice.

You will still have the same overall Disney cruise experience – you will just probably want to spend less time in your stateroom than those with a verandah.

We think that this has benefits as you will spend more time using the amenities and fabulous areas on the ship.

There are 2 types of Interior Stateroom on the Wonder and Magic:

Interior Stateroom Category 11A, 11B and 11C

These sleep up to 4 and are 184 square feet. There are 160 of these Disney Cruise Staterooms available.

Wondering what the A, B, and C mean? These relate to the location on board ship – we will talk about this more later.

All of the inside and outside staterooms sleep either 3 or 4 people maximum. There is a Queen bed and a sofa bed in all staterooms.

Some also have a pull-down bed above the sofa so they can sleep 4.

These are the only staterooms which do not have the split bathroom. We have stayed in this category and found it fine as a great choice when you are on a budget.

Everything is well designed, but it is compact.

If you think you are going to spend a lot of time in your stateroom this honestly is probably not a great choice.

However, if this is the only one that fits into your budget then our opinion is go ahead and book.

You still get to enjoy everything everyone else does on the ship – you just don’t pay as much!

Deluxe Interior Stateroom Category 10A, 10B and 10C on Disney Wonder and Magic

These are larger inside staterooms at 214 square feet. They do have the split bathroom so the toilet is separate from the bath and shower room.

There are 96 Deluxe Inside Staterooms available.

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Oceanview Staterooms on Disney Magic and Disney Wonder Category 9A, 9B, 9C and 9D

These are the same square footage at 214 as the Deluxe Interior Staterooms. The difference is they have a window or porthole.

Navigator Verandah Staterooms on Disney Wonder and Disney Magic Category 7A

These are very popular staterooms and are usually the first to be completely booked. This is a design unique to the Disney cruise line as it is a mix of Outside and Verandah staterooms.

The stateroom is 214 square feet and the same design as the Oceanview cabin. The difference is an enclosed balcony of 54 square feet. There is a separate sitting area that looks a lot like a balcony but it not open to the outside.

The Navigator Verandah Staterooms sleep up to 3 guests.

They are not available on the Disney Fantasy or Disney Dream.

Deluxe Verandah Staterooms on Disney Wonder and Magic Category 5A,5B,5C and 6A

These are the same design as the Oceanview and are 214 square feet, with the addition of a verandah of 54 square feet. These sleep up to 4 guests.

This is the ideal choice of many Disney cruise guests as it offers the balcony.

Disney Deluxe Family Stateroom With Verandah

These are a cruise rarity – a stateroom that sleeps 5. For most cruise lines you have to book a suite to have room for 5 but on Disney, these Verandah staterooms are great for larger families.

These Disney cruise staterooms are 250 square feet with a verandah of 54 square feet.

There is a Queen bed, sleeper sofa, and drop down above, with an additional drop-down bed that goes in front of the verandah door.

We have stayed in these staterooms multiple times and they offer great space for families of up to 5.

All of the Deluxe Family Staterooms with Verandah are on Deck 8 of the Disney Magic and Wonder and there are 80 available.

Inside Staterooms On Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy

disneyfantasyinsidestateroom

Again there are 2 different types of inside stateroom on the new ships. The great innovation on these newer ships is the Virtual Porthole in all of the inside staterooms.

The Virtual Porthole is a video screen that projects images of the outside of the ship. And if you watch carefully you may well see some Disney characters swim across the screen.

These staterooms are very popular, and often sell out more quickly than the Outside Categories.

Interior Stateroom Disney Dream and Fantasy Category 11A, 11B and 11C

These are 169 square feet and do not have the split bathroom. They have a Queen bed and sleeper sofa. Some also have the drop-down bed above the sleeper.

There are 131 interior staterooms available on Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Deluxe Interior Staterooms on Disney Dream and Fantasy Category 10A

These are 204 square feet and sleep either 3 or 4. There are 19 staterooms so this Category tends to sell out quickly. These do have the split bathroom.

Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom on Disney Fantasy and Dream Category 9A,9B,9C and 9D

disneyoceanviewstateroom

These Disney cruise staterooms are 204 square feet and have one or two small portholes. They sleep up to 4 guest and there are 91 available.

Family Oceanview Stateroom On Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream Category 8A,8B,8C and 8D

These Family Oceanview Staterooms sleep up to 5 guests and are 241 square feet. They have a Queen bed, sleeper sofa with drop-down bunk bed above, and an additional pull-down bed near the window.

These Oceanview staterooms have a large porthole window which can be used as a window seat.

There are 108 staterooms.

Deluxe Verandah Stateroom on Disney Fantasy and Dream Category 5A,5B,5C,5D,5E,6A,6B and 7A

These are the most plentiful staterooms with 499 to choose from onboard the Fantasy and Dream. They sleep up to 4 and have 203 square feet of living space and a balcony verandah of 43 square feet.

They have a Queen bed and sleeper sofa with some also having the drop-down bunk.

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Family Verandah Stateroom On Disney Fantasy and Dream Category 4A,4B,4C,4D and 4E

disneycruiseverandahstateroom

These are 256 square feet of living space and a verandah of 43 square feet. There are 362 staterooms to choose from. They sleep up to 5 and all have a Queen bed, sleeper sofa with bunk above, and a drop-down bed near the verandah.

Concierge Staterooms On Disney Cruise Line

There are distinct differences between the classic ships the Magic and the Wonder and the newer ships the Fantasy and Dream.

The newer ships were designed to have more benefits for concierge guests than on the Wonder and Dream.

Both the Fantasy and the Dream have a concierge lounge and private deck.

The Disney Magic and Wonder do now how a concierge lounge which is converted from a former adults-only lounge.

Here are the extra benefits for Concierge Guests:

Early Embarkation. Concierge Guests are the first to board the ship. Also depending upon the cruise port of departure there may be a special Concierge waiting area or lounge in the port. Not much of a benefit except you will be assured you will actually get a chair!

Concierge Lounge
This is a nice benefit on all Disney ships.

The Lounge on the Fantasy and Dream is open from 7 am to 10 pm and is always staffed by a concierge who will help you with anything you need.

There are snacks in the lounge as well – as if you don’t have enough eating options already. Alcoholic drinks are served and are complimentary at certain times. 

Concierge Guests Can Book Onboard Activities and Port Adventures Early

This can be a huge benefit for some activities which book quickly such as the cabanas on Castaway Cay. Really your only chance of getting these is if you are a concierge guest as they are in extremely high demand.

Priority Tender Boarding

This is a very nice perk with tender ports as concierge guests can have priority getting to shore on the tender boats.

The Concierge Sundeck is a very nice private area for concierge guests. It tends to be really quiet and there is never a problem getting a lounge chair.

Concierge Dining Choices are available so that you can have your meals served in your stateroom (except Category V on the new ships).

Disney Wonder and Magic Concierge Staterooms

The smallest Concierge staterooms on the Wonder and Magic are the Concierge Family Oceanview Staterooms with Verandah. They are 304 square feet and sleep up to 5 guests.

They are all on Deck 8 and are identical in size and configuration to the Family Oceanview Staterooms with Verandah which can be found on the same deck.

They have upgraded bedding and amenities. They were upgraded when the Concierge Lounges were added to the Classic Ships.

There are One Bedroom Suites that sleep up to 5 guests in 614 square feet of space. there are 18 of these on the Wonder and Magic.

Also available on the classic ships are Two Bedroom Staterooms with 945 square feet of space and sleeping up to 7 guests.

For the ultimate in luxury and space, guests can enjoy the Walt Disney or the Roy Disney Royal Suites. At 1029 square feet you have enough room for 7 guests.

Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream Concierge Staterooms

There are more concierge staterooms available on the new Fantasy and Dream than there are on the classic ships.

Disney realized the high demand and designed the new ships to accommodate more guests in concierge with better facilities.

Concierge Family Verandah Stateroom Disney Fantasy and Dream Category V

There are 20 Concierge Family Verandah Staterooms to choose from and each are 263 square feet with a 43 square foot balcony.

The basic design is the same as the Family Verandah Staterooms but with upgraded furnishings and bedding and of course access to concierge facilities.

These staterooms sleep up to 5.

Concierge One Bedroom Suite Stateroom on Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream Category T

Concierge Suite

There are 19 One Bedroom Suite Staterooms with 536 square feet of space and 86 square foot verandah.

There is a Queen size bed in the bedroom and a double sofa bed in the living area. There is also a single pull down wall bed in the living area.

The living area has a dining table and you can order from the dining room menus.

Concierge Royal Suite Stateroom on Disney Dream and Fantasy Category R

These are the most luxurious suites on the Disney ships and there are only 2 of them. They usually book on day one when booking opens.

The Suites sleep up to 5 guests in 898 square feet of space with an additional 883 square feet of the wrap-around curved verandah.

There is a master bedroom with a Queen bed. There is a pull-down wall double sofa bed and a pull-down single bed in the living area.

If you want the ultimate in luxury and have no budget considerations then this is the one for you!

Which Deck Is The Best on the Disney Fantasy and Dream?

This is a question which people spend a lot of time over but really it isn’t that big of a deal. The lower the deck the cheaper the price is the usual idea.

There can be hundreds of dollars difference between the same design stateroom if one is on a higher deck.

We have sailed on many of the decks and decided it really does not make any difference to your enjoyment of your cruise.

The advantage of the lower decks is they are nearer to restaurants, shopping, and the theatre.

The higher decks are closer to the pools, the spa and the adult areas – and of course the buffet.

The general idea of cruise ships is that the lower, midship rooms are more stable so if you think seasickness may be an issue.

But we have sailed on rough seas on the Disney Wonder on Deck 8 and really not been affected at all. This just depends on your personal preference.

Another consideration is what is above your stateroom. In our opinion, this doesn’t matter that much on the Disney ships.

We have sailed on Deck 8 of the Disney Wonder many times and it is true that you can hear some activity, sometimes, on the pool deck above.

But we have never found it loud enough to be a problem.

Do You Really Need A Balcony Stateroom?

The simple fact is that balcony staterooms cost more than inside or outside ones. The difference can be quite considerable.

If you can afford it then definitely choose the verandah stateroom.

It is nice to sit outside on your own balcony overlooking the ocean or getting excited about your port arrival. On cruises to Alaska, Europe and The Panama Canal a balcony is particularly nice.

But if the choice is a balcony cabin or waiting to book the Disney cruise because you need to save up more, then I would choose an inside stateroom and go on a cruise!

Where Are The Disney Cruise Staterooms To Avoid?

This is always a big question for anyone going on a Disney cruise. If you start to research this there are a lot of opinions about things to avoid.

Most people say to avoid staterooms under the pool deck – but our experience on Disney ships is that this really isn’t good advice.

We have stayed many times on Deck 8 of the classic ships and have experienced only very occasional noise from the pool deck above.

If you are still concerned about this then avoid the lowest decks because of possible noise from the anchor when arriving at tender ports (so likely to happen only once on your cruise) or engine noise.

We have never experienced this but have read many reviews and some guests do seem to experience it.

Really there aren’t any bad staterooms. One of our most enjoyable Disney cruises was when staying on Deck 2 in one of the least cost staterooms available.

We heard no noise, felt no motion, and had a great time.

What About Single Travelers On A Disney Cruise?

There are certainly many people who travel on Disney cruises as singles. Unfortunately, they will pay as much for a stateroom as 2 guests though – Disney does not give a price concession to singles.

There are sometimes singles lunch events on Sea Days but Disney is not concentrating on the single market.

We would love to see more encouragement of single cruisers but for the moment we guess that Disney really doesn’t need to pursue this market.

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Which is your favorite Disney cruise stateroom? We would love to hear from you, so just leave us a comment!

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