The Disney Wish has a lot of family-friendly areas and activities.
One of the highlights of any Disney Cruise Line experience is the Oceaneer Club children's center, where kids ages 3 to 12 have free rein to explore interactive play spaces and engage in activities and games, without parents.
It's no wonder that the Oceaneer Club on the Disney Wish is one of the top spots on the ship.
During the inaugural Wish sailing, the venue attracted plenty of children and grown-ups alike, with the latter group allowed to explore the kids-only space during dedicated "open house" hours.
Kids are able to discover the secrets of Disney magic at the Imagineering Lab. KentPhillips has a photo
Many adults used the open houses to try out the slide at the club. The entrance slide, an entirely new Disney Cruise concept, was a hit across all ages, designed to enable kids to check in with club staff at a podium, slip down a "rabbit hole" opening and, after a few twists and turns, emerge.
The entrance slide is intended to be practical for parents and is located in close proximity to several adult-exclusive venues, including the "Star Wars"-themed Hyperspace Lounge.
The Oceaneers Club's Star Wars: Cargo Bay is a dimly lit space that transports young guests to a spaceship hold in a galaxy far, far away. The Cargo Bay is full of blinking buttons and rows of knobs and switches, and is also home to fictional creatures from the "Star Wars" universe, which, even upon close inspection, appear realistic.
At Star Wars: Cargo Bay, legendary characters of the "Star Wars" universe will be on display. KentPhillips has a photo
The decision to include both kids and adults-only "Star Wars" themed spaces aboard the Wish was made by Danny Hanke, senior creative director for Walt Disney Imagineering.
"If you have a vacation on the Disney Wish, with a three- or four-day cruise, you might also go to Walt Disney World, where you can get that experience at Star Wars:Galaxy's Edge," Hanke said during the panel. The more luxurious side of Star Wars can be found in the Hyperspace Lounge, while the kids still have their own space.
Disney Cruise Line understands that "Star Wars" is a franchise that can be enjoyed by all ages. The design of the club allows for more flexibility.
Disney Cruise Line's director of entertainment creative said that certain rooms, like the Cargo Bay, can be closed off so that teens and adults can attend. During the open house I attended, the Marvel Super Hero Academy, which was modeled after a high tech hero headquarters, was blocked off for a media filming session.
There is an animal at Star Wars: Cargo bay. The photo was taken by Christina Jelski.
Fairytale Hall is a Disney princess-inspired space located at the Wish's Oceaneer Club and is for younger children. The Walt Disney Imagineering Lab is a brightly lit space with Disney paraphernalia lining the walls and digital tablets scattered on tables, where kids can design their own roller coasters.
The Wish's Oceaneer Club passed our own litmus test. After my 4-and-a-half-year-old was introduced to cruising and the idea of a kids' club, it took a lot of persuasion to get him to leave.
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