Disney Destiny — Wins and Misses
- Mollie August
- May 5
- 3 min read
Updated: May 12
I love Disney Cruise Line. At this stage of my life, it’s honestly my dream vacation: pure Disney magic mixed with relaxation and the rare gift of being forced to unplug. There’s just something about not even having to read “we can circle back when you’re back in the office” on Slack that feels downright like I’m in my own fairytale.
Fun fact: I was once on a Disney cruise when a hurricane was headed our way. Did I care? Nope. Nothing could bring me down with unlimited Mickey bars in one hand and a Star Wars–themed cocktail in the other.
All that to say, I’m beyond excited that Disney is expanding the fleet. But with the Disney Destiny, for the first time, I kinda feel like Disney Cruise Line hit the rim instead of nailing its usual automatic swish.
So, after some deep discussion with my Disney business partner — aka my wife and BFF — here’s our rundown of the wins and misses.
Wins
Lion King dinner show → Yes. The different cuisine, the costumes, and even just the music snippet they shared with the media — chills.
Cruella de Vil bar → Honestly, I already want a martini and a cigar just thinking about it — and I wish more spots on the ship brought this kind of energy!
Sanctum Santorum cocktails → Looks like so much creativity packed into the cocktails and food — love seeing more Marvel characters.
Superhero Minnie → Cute AF. Enough said.
Café Megara → This one has me excited. The cafes are often overlooked on Disney Cruise Line, but they’re the quiet gems that still deliver big on theming.
Misses - Needs a little magic
Haunted Mansion bar → Love the concept, but it’s feeling a little copy-paste.
The Rose → Gorgeous, but yeah… been there, seen that.
Pirates of the Caribbean bar → Sure, the IP makes sense on a ship — but with Tortuga Tavern opening, this was begging for something fresh. A Celtic pub spotlighting Merida would’ve been brilliant, yet she’s tucked away in a café?
Where’s the Big Hero 6 love? → A San Fransokyo fusion café would be such a win — and hello, Aunt Cass literally runs a café in the movie!
Male-dominated hero lineup → All the themed restaurants center on male heroes. Would’ve loved to see more female leads outside of a café or Minnie’s new fit.
Destiny vs. Treasure/Wish → The Wish and Treasure feel like bold, polar opposites (in the best way), but Destiny isn’t quite landing that “wow, this is different” energy — yet.
Where are the villains?! → Give me a Hades Underworld bar, an Ursula underwater lair, or Café Yzma! Haunted Mansion is great, but we need more chaos and mischief in the lineup.
No Star Wars? → I know the Wish has the Hyperspace Lounge, but having zero Star Wars presence on a ship called the Destiny just feels a little off to me.
Final Thoughts
Even though I’ve got more notes than praise here, let’s be real — once I’m on board, I fully expect Disney Cruise Line to work its magic and blow me away. The Disney Destiny might not feel as radically different from the other Triton Class ships as the Wish and Treasure do from each other, but I’m still counting down the days to sail. I can’t wait to experience everything firsthand — and hey, I’m totally prepared to eat (and drink) my words once I’m on deck with a cocktail in hand.
