By Sinaiyouth 
As my wife and I raised our two daughters, Disney played an important role in their lives. My girls have sailed on every Disney cruise ship, visited many Disney theme parks, watched their favorite Disney movies on repeat, and taken comfort in Disney character friends as cozy stuffed animals at bedtime. Now that we’re empty nesters and our young adult daughters are making our own way in the world, it’s this nostalgic memory of Disney’s past joy that has me boarding the line’s new ship, Disney Destiny.
I was invited by Disney Cruise Line to experience a sneak peek of the Disney Destiny, and my daughter Maggie jumped at the chance to take a break from college and join me. We flew from our separate homes in New York and Massachusetts to meet in Ft. Lauderdale and board the Disney Destiny at Port Everglades.
Maggie’s direct flight from Boston went smoothly, while my connecting flights were caught in a quagmire of delays and cancellations. When I boarded the ship moments before departure, I went straight to our cabin, opened the door and was greeted by cheers and hugs from my daughter. It was our destiny to sail together, and a little Disney magic came together to make it happen.
As we got our bearings navigating the ship, we noticed the hero and villain theme throughout. The front elevator bay featured Maleficent in her malevolent dragon form, while an enthusiastic and courageous wizard Mickey served as a counterpoint near the rear elevators. A mosaic of Black Panther flanked by the mighty Dora Milaje warriors lined the walls surrounding the great room. And The Incredibles adorned the walls of our cabins. This short cruise would definitely be a hero’s journey.
We headed to the upper deck to get some food and grabbed a burrito bowl from Donald’s Cantina at the Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods. Afterwards, we collected our death certificates with an adult beverage in the haunted mansion lounge, and began to relax after one or more long days of travel. When it came time for the going away party on the upper deck, Spider-man made a quick appearance and we all said goodbye to Ft. Lauderdale. Already, the well-known Disney Friends sites and nods to favorite theme park attractions have helped put us at ease amid the stress of travel.
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Aboard the Disney Destiny
My family enjoys the routine of DCL dinners and shows. There are elaborate and immersive venues aboard the Disney Destiny, such as the Worlds of Marvel cinematic dining experience, the Pride Lines: The Lion King’s Feast dinner theater and the Broadway-style shows “Disney’s Hercules” and “Frozen: A Musical Spectacular.”
Yet where have we ended up spending most of our time? Play quizzes, watch live game shows and make crafts. With all the theming and technological wizardry on board, Maggie was equally impressed with the giant box of brand new markers available for adult crafts in the pirate-themed bar Cask & Cannon. What I discovered was that the familiarity and comfort of Disney Cruise Line allowed us to disconnect from the outside world and connect with each other. We made time for each other to play games, and the fun and laughter that resulted spilled over into other spaces.
I struck up a conversation with Chewbacca and Rey from Star Wars: Cargo Bay during an open house in the Oceaneer’s Club kids’ area. I wished Chewie a “Happy Life Day” and when Rey asked me if I could sing the song Life Day, I sang along until Chewie burst out laughing. Later, Maggie challenged me to a race on the Incredi-Games inflatable obstacle course in the Hero Zone. I agreed and we both laughed hysterically the whole way until we were out of breath by the time we slid down the final slide.
After dining at Pride Lands and watching “Hercules” on stage, we had just enough time to put on our pirate costume and head to the Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party followed by fireworks. Yes, Disney Cruise Line created conditions and spaces that allowed us to put our seriousness aside and simply enjoy each other’s company.
On our last evening, my daughter and I dined at Palo Steakhouse, one of the upscale adults-only restaurants on board (available for an additional fee). We chose the four-course prix fixe meal (for $55 each) and had a leisurely dinner that lasted between 90 minutes and two hours. Because of our relaxation and the bond we formed throughout the cruise, we were able to have an in-depth conversation and meal as two adults. Maggie explained to me the intricacies of her graduate thesis and we connected in a way we never had before. After finishing our chocolate soufflé, we returned to the Great Hall for one final character-filled farewell show.
Disney Destiny immerses families in epic tales of heroes, villains and good versus evil that fill in familiar stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and more. During our short journey, we thoroughly enjoyed playing in these worlds and shedding our more serious natures. The spaces, characters and people aboard Disney Destiny created the conditions for our family to reconnect.