On April 1st, I opened my email and saw what I thought was for sure an April Fool’s joke. As I looked closer at the email, I realized it wasn’t a joke at all. Instead, it was an invitation to go on a media cruise aboard the second ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Wonder. The cruise would take place in just a couple of weeks out of San Diego. It would see the ship visiting Catalina and Ensenada. I was thrilled about this opportunity and immediately RSVP’d.
The Disney Wonder in San Diego
Just a couple of weeks later, I found myself looking at this beautiful ship in San Diego. While I have cruised multiple times on other cruise lines, this would be my first voyage with the Disney Cruise Line. I will admit, I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I have lots of friends who have cruised aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Daps Magic has also covered what is happening with the cruise line for years. However, hearing from others, reading/writing articles, and watching videos are different than experiencing something firsthand. All of this to say, I was excited but also recognized I had no clue exactly what it would be like.
Boarding the Disney Wonder
We arrived at the port bright and early on Monday morning. We parked in a lot right across the street from the port at a hotel. After a short walk, we found ourselves under the bow, snapping away photos and video. As we began our entry process, it was clear that this would be the easiest embarkation that we had experienced to date. From the moment we walked up to the first checkpoint, a sense of friendliness was very present. There was also great care to overcommunicate and make the process as easy as possible. We soon found ourselves dropping our luggage off and then heading to security after a brief detour due to lost glasses. We’ll save that for another post, though.
Getting on Board
The security process was straightforward. The check-in process was also very easy with very little wait. During this, a lovely lady also made sure our magic bands were activated and connected to our accounts. Shortly after checking in, our number (number 2) was called, and we found ourselves having our picture taken and heading on board the ship. With each person we came into contact with, there was a friendly greeting paired with a warm smile. We walked up the ramp and soon found ourselves walking aboard the Disney Wonder.
Magic on the Wonder
Walking aboard the Disney Wonder is an absolutely magical experience. After quickly being scanned aboard, we found ourselves just inside the Atrium. Across the room, I immediately saw Captain Mickey Mouse waving and welcoming guests as they came aboard. This immediately caught my eye as I grew up on boats, and Captain Mickey reminded me very much of sailing with my Grandpa on his boat and later mine. I noticed there was also a statue of Ariel from The Little Mermaid in the Atrium as well.
At about this time, I realized a crew member was asking for my name to introduce us as we came aboard. Moments later, the “Daps family” was being welcomed aboard the Disney Wonder. As crew members clapped, we walked into the ship and all of the new adventures that would come with it. Most of this moment was a blur; I do remember seeing Captain Mickey waving at me.
As I passed under Mickey Mouse, I had the realization that I had zero clue where to go or where anything was. I also knew I had a smile on my face, and I really didn’t care. My first adventure aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship had begun, and I was excited to see what would happen!
The First Impression
As I think back to those first moments of our first Disney cruise, I can’t help but acknowledge the power of a first impression. In this case, the crew of the Disney Wonder and those who support the ship made a very good first impression. This first impression wasn’t something that just happened, however. It was intentional and made up of a lot of little things that were done very well.
A Warm Smile
The power of a warm greeting and a smile cannot be underestimated. From the moment we arrived at the Port of San Diego and began the process of checking in for the cruise, people were being welcomed with genuine smiles and happy greetings. I will admit I had a little bit of stress about getting checked in (our baggage tags hadn’t arrived in the mail yet, I had lost my glasses, and there were several unknowns that I was probably overanalyzing). I found that any stress I had was melting away through the friendliness of the team at the port and on the ship.
Clear Communication
Another element that added to this positive first impression was how clear the communication was everywhere. From the moment we arrived at the port terminal, things were made very clear to us. This was done in multiple ways. It seemed that each sign we came across was accompanied by at least one person who also communicated what the sign said. This helped in getting into the right queues, getting to the luggage drop off, and the rest of the process. It was ridiculously straightforward. It was also all paired with the warm greetings I referenced above.
This took away any anxiety over where to go or how to get on board the ship. You simply followed directions to the next checkpoint that ultimately led to boarding the ship. Not all of my cruise boardings have been so simple. In fact, I can think of other cruise lines where the process has been downright chaotic. This was not the case with the Disney Cruise Line.
An Organized Process
Coupled with the warm smiles and the clear communications was also a very organized process. The process of getting on board the Disney Wonder is a well-oiled machine. Because of this, it runs very smoothly. People progress through this system and the cast and crew who are facilitating this know exactly where things are and how things work. This organization helped make for a calm environment and also helped avoid the chaos that I had experienced before. This helped me get into the spirit of cruising and pivot away from the craziness of the day and daily life.
A WONDERful First Impression
Many other elements went into creating this WONDERful first impression. However, I don’t want to turn this post into a book. What I do want to note is: the Disney difference was alive and well as I boarded the Disney Wonder for my first Disney cruise. In fact, it isn’t just alive and well; it is thriving. It was wonderful to feel like the people we encountered who were helping us board our first Disney cruise were genuinely happy to be there and happy that we were there too.
All of these little details and extra efforts built towards a magical moment with Mickey Mouse as we made our way across the Atrium. It started the cruise off with a memorable moment that I predict will stick with me for many years. In that moment, I didn’t just enjoy the Disney magic; I also began to understand the difference between watching, reading, or hearing about the Disney Cruise Line versus experiencing it.
More Wonder
In the coming days, I will be sharing about different elements of our cruise aboard the Disney Wonder. This includes an excursion on Catalina to see Bison, incredible entertainment, culinary experiences, and more! Subscribe to Daps Magic and then also check back on our Disney Wonder page to see these new posts. I will also be sharing them at the bottom of every post that is connected with this cruise. They will be seen here:
