TRAVEL LOG: Day 2 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy
On the second day of our Pixar Day at Sea cruise on the Disney Fantasy in January 2023, we enjoyed our first day at sea. These sea days allow guests to explore and enjoy what the ship has to offer. For many, including us, sea days mean a chance to enjoy the activities on the upper decks. In the evening, we enjoyed our first Broadway-style musical show and had a fantastic dining experience at Palo, one of the specialty dining restaurants on board for adults. Learn more below.
1 – Hey Howdy Breakfast with Woody and Friends
One of the new exclusive offerings on the Pixar Day at Sea cruise is a new interactive character dining experience hosted by Sheriff Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye. While the actual Pixar Day at Sea fell on the third day of the cruise, the Cast Members who worked on Pixar Day at Sea knew that with all of the activities offered, it would be better for guests to enjoy the breakfast on different days. So, for our cruise, we had the option to reserve a dining time for either day two or day six of our cruise (both sea days). Our reservation was for day 2. We really enjoyed our breakfast and the show the characters put on. A singing cowboy with a guitar, more cow folk, and Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye entertain guests with four different songs that are about fifteen minutes apart. The food is what you would expect for breakfast at one of the table service restaurants during your cruise. We highly recommend not skipping this breakfast!
2 – Upper Deck Fun
One of the best things to do on a sea day is to enjoy the upper decks of the ship. Like all Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Fantasy boasts separate pools for children, families, and adults. Other fun in the sun includes:
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- AquaDuck is a 765-foot-long twisting-and-turning water coaster.
- AquaLab is a water area where families can play among pop jets, geysers, and bubblers.
- Nemo’s Reef a special splash-and-play area for little ones up to age 3.
- Goofy’s Sports Deck featuring a nine-hole miniature golf course and sports simulators.
3 – AquaDuck
The first thing my sisters wanted to do was to enjoy the AquaDuck. The AquaDuck is a water coaster, an exhilarating flume ride featuring twists, turns, drops, acceleration, and river rapids. The ups and downs of the 765-foot-long course cover 46 vertical feet and are equivalent to 4 1⁄2 stories. Coaster thrills are supplied by high-powered water jets that send 10,000 gallons of water per minute through the attraction and accelerate guests upward and forward through the ride. A “swing out” loop takes riders 12 feet beyond the side of the ship, with guests surrounded only by a clear acrylic flume that provides a thrilling, unobstructed view of the ocean surface …150 feet below. A stretch of river rapids 335 feet in length provides a stunning panorama of the ocean and the ship’s upper decks before a whooshing splashdown on Deck 12. It’s a whole lot of fun, and definitely, a must-do!
Tip: It was a warm but not hot January day, and the water was very cold. Have extra towels so you can warm up quickly!
4 – AquaLab
While we didn’t join in, we saw many children splashing and playing in the AquaLab—a water play area on Deck 12 near the entrance to the AquaDuck water coaster. Families can play among pop jets, geysers, and bubblers in this fun 1,800-square-foot space. As the story goes, AquaLab was created by Donald Duck’s nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, and features a variety of water “experiments” designed to drench the whole family.
Children entering the AquaLab will see that the nephews are away for the time being, leaving the young cruise guests in charge of the AquaLab. Through hand-painted notes left by the nephews, kids are put in charge of the AquaDuck water coaster. By turning wheels and moving levers at three wacky aqua stations, kids “control” the speed and temperature of AquaDuck.
At a leaky wall, the water fun is all hands on deck as kids try to keep the water circulating by covering holes in squirting and spurting pipes with their hands. In another area, kids scramble to stop leaky pipes from filling Uncle Donald’s rowboat with water. Water leaks and sprays from the Ducky Dinghy suspended overhead, and as the boat fills, a fish pops his head out of a bucket while everyone gets delightfully drenched.
5 – Exclusively for Adults
One area where we spent quite a bit of time was the Quiet Cove Pool and Cove Bar. This space is a retreat exclusively for adults to sunbathe and swim, indulge in a cool drink, or enjoy a relaxing dip in a nearby hot tub overlooking the ocean.
Satellite Sun Deck includes a water feature called Satellite Falls, a circular splash pool with benches, and a gently falling rain curtain that provides cool comfort. Around this upper deck, adult guests can soak up the sun in loungers or relax in the shade under a canopy.
6 – Pools on the Disney Fantasy
There are a variety of pools on the Disney Fantasy that guests can enjoy.
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- Mickey’s Pool for children continues a Disney Cruise Line favorite feature. An oversized version of Mickey’s hand supports a yellow winding slide that splashes down near the pool.
- Children discover oceans of fun at Nemo’s Reef, a water-play area featuring colorful, interactive figures that move and spray water, including Nemo, Dory, Marlin, and a pint-sized water slide shaped like Mr. Ray.
- Donald’s Pool is a place where families gather to enjoy all of the activities up on deck. Overlooking Donald’s Pool, the giant Funnel Vision LED screen—more than 30 feet wide and 18 feet high—shows Disney films, television shows, and live broadcast events.
- The Disney Fantasy features another new area for guests of all ages to cool off. On Deck 12 forward, a wading pool with a fountain water feature, ample seating, and lounge chairs under the canopy offers a respite in the shade.
7 – Goofy’s Sports Deck
Goofy’s Sports Deck features full-court basketball, table tennis, and foosball tables. One more deck up, you’ll find Goofy’s Golf—a nine-hole miniature golf course where “lessons” featuring Goofy and his son, Max, lead guests through nine themed holes of wacky fun. Finally, two digital sports simulators offer virtual game experiences where guests participate in high-action sports, such as golf, hockey, soccer, rugby, baseball, and football.
8 – ‘Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular’
On day two, we enjoyed our first Broadway-style production, “Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular.” In this fast-paced musical comedy, Aladdin is back as the “street rat” of Agrabah, meeting a Genie who grants him three wishes, battling the evil Jafar, and falling in love with Princess Jasmine. Classic scenes and songs from the movie are re-created on stage—and some of the action even spills out into the aisles, like Prince Ali’s jubilant arrival in Agrabah on the back of a stallion. Magic lamps, wise-cracking genies, princesses, and evil wizards are all part of this musical production. Of course, an Aladdin production would not be complete without a magic carpet scene. In this spectacular, mechanical wizardry and state-of-the-art projections combine to send Jasmine and Aladdin soaring as they perform a heartfelt duet of “Whole New World.”
Many of the songs from the movie are featured in the musical production, including “Friend Like Me,” which is performed as a lively, Las Vegas-style production number featuring special effects, illusions and more than a dozen dancing genies. We thought the additional genies were quite interesting. They didn’t quite look like genies and could be a bit scary for younger children. So, keep that in mind. Finally, composer Alan Menken, who created the original soundtrack with songwriters Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, composed an original song for the stage production entitled “To Be Free.”
Like all Disney Cruise Line productions we’ve enjoyed, that cast makes the show, and this production was no different. Standouts for us were Carpet and, of course, Genie. Genie was hilarious and had many more jokes for the adults than he did for the kids. We thoroughly enjoyed the show and highly recommend it.
Tip: The doors open thirty minutes before showtime. We highly recommend getting there early to get the best seats. Disney discourages saving seats, so have your whole party with you. Before the show, you can get popcorn, snacks, and drinks outside the theater at Preludes.
9 – Modern Italian Cuisine at Palo
We ended our busy first day at the Palo, a dining experience reserved exclusively for adults. At this elegant restaurant, guests are invited to indulge in a menu of delectable modern Italian cuisine, classic reserve wines, and superior service. We ordered from the Prix Fix menu, which is currently set at $45 and offers four courses: Antipasti, Insalata, Il Secondo, and Dolce. You can choose an item from each course. Alternatively, you can choose to order off the menu and pay a la carte.
Our server, Ian, was knowledgeable and fantastic. He provided the service you expect when visiting Palo. He made suggestions and guided our choices. The food was cooked perfectly and was delicious. If you’ve never dined at Palo, we highly recommend it. The kind of service and food you will experience is valued way more than $50. Don’t let the cost scare you away. You’ve already paid thousands of dollars to be on the cruise, and a meal at Palo is totally worth the extra cost. While dining, your children can be supervised at the kid’s clubs, so be sure to save a night for just adults!
Tip: Reservations are required for all Palo dining experiences. We recommend you make your reservations as soon as possible. If no times are available before you sail, once onboard, you may find additional availability in the app, so be sure to check!
We ended our first full day at sea and were ready to enjoy Pixar Day at Sea the next day!
Learn more about Pixar Day at Sea on the Disney Fantasy
Read about our voyage to hear more about the experience, learn tips and tricks for cruising, and read our reviews of all the unique offerings.
Articles with Cruising Tips and Tricks
Learn more about the Disney Cruise line and our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy!
TRAVEL LOG: Getting Ready to Sail on Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy!
TRAVEL LOG: Day 1 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Arrival Day
TRAVEL LOG: Day 2 Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Sea Day
TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Part 1 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Pixar Day at Sea
TRAVEL LOG: Day 3-Part 2 Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Pixar Day at Sea
TRAVEL LOG: Day 5 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – San Juan, Puerto Rico
TRAVEL LOG: Day 6 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Sea Day
TRAVEL LOG: Day 7-Part 1 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Castaway Cay
TRAVEL LOG: Day 8 of Our Pixar Day at Sea Cruise on the Disney Fantasy – Debarkation Day
Instagram Story with Photos and Video of our Cruise
Day 1 – Instagram Story Highlight – Arrival Day
Day 2 – Instagram Story Highlight – Sea Day
Day 3 – Instagram Story Highlight – Pixar Day at Sea
Day 4 – Instagram Story Highlight – Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and Pirate Night
Day 5 – Instagram Story Highlight – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Day 6 – Instagram Story Highlight – Sea Day
Day 7 – Instagram Story Highlight – Castaway Cay
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Editor’s Note: Disney Cruise Line provided a complimentary Pixar Day at Sea Cruise with special media-specific events and tours during the cruise. However, as always, the thoughts and opinions about Disney Cruise Line in this article are entirely our own.