The Top 10 Letdowns in Disney Destiny (Yep, Really)

#1 Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King

One of the things we were looking forward to the most about the new Disney Destiny was the Lion King restaurant! We’d seen the concept art and have loved every single one of the new dinner shows. We imagined this new disney dining restaurant would be similar, a mix of Boma and the Tusker House’s amazing food with a splash of Animal Kingdom’s Festival of the Lion King show.  Sadly the new Pride Lands Restaurant didn’t deliver either.

• The new Feast of the Lion King delivered mediocre, uninspired food. There was nothing truly exceptional or memorable. No food like the peanut soup or Zebra domes. The food was just okay.
• The restaurant is truly beautiful with the bright cheery yellow in the welcome hallways and gorgous wood carved artwork. Inside the restaurant the windows show images of giraffee that changed from sunset to stary night. The tables were simple and wood – similar to the Coco Restaurant. The columns reminde me of the Animator’s Palate Restaurant with just the top switched from a paintbrush to a simba.
• The tables were so crowded together. We literally had 6″ from our table to the next and were constantly being bonked from behind as the poor wait staff tried to tend to all the guests. It felt more like being in a school cafeteria than a cruise ship dining room.
• The entertainment was perhaps the most dissapointing. After having seen all the Disney dining shows we expected amazing, but this was just mediocre at best. Maybe better than no show at all. The entertainers were dressed very simply, looked more like the wait staff from Tusker House – there are no headresses or vibrant costumes. The show consists of the retelling of the Lion King story through songs and dance with the help of a drum. There is a female vocal that does a good job, a male that was okay, a drummer that was okay, and a girl in a leotard that performed some mondane dance moves.  If you looked around the restaurant no one watched the dancer. There were no characters, which was expected based, but the lack of vibrant costumes or wow element was super dissapointing.

#2 Underwhelming Atrium

The atrium of a ship where you enter is usually the heart of the ship and a sight to behold. While it was most definnetly a hub of the ship, it lacked any real flair. The Blank Panther and Wakanda theme was carried out with a muted color palatte that lacked any real flair. We heard guest after guest remarking how underwhelmed they were with the Grand Hall. It wasn’t beautiful and magical like the Wish or exotic and exciting like the Treasure.

I will note that the seating on th emain deck 3 and deck 4 were comfy and great for guests. This was not a change from the other Wish class ships, but a good feature they kept.

#3 Deck Four Doesn’t go around

One of our favorite things to do while at sea is to take a walk in the ocean breaze and look at the ocean. Well,  that is a little challenging on the Destiny as the main walking deck doesn’t go around completely. You can still go out and catch fresh air (assuming no one is smoking in the aft location), sit on a comfy lounger and read a book, or play shuffle board. But the deck just spans part of the side of the ship. I believe this is a big flaw in the design of Triton Class of ships.

#4 Sana Look & Feel

The main lounge for family game shows, BINGO, and other events is SAGA, a 2-story family lounge takes subtle inspiration from the blockbuster Marvel film Black Panther. While it is a comfortable lounge, we were dissapointed by the bland decor that made this lounge always appear dark. We much prefered the Lion King inspired version on the Treasure that was vibrant, exciting, and full of life. In addition, they have change the railing on the 2nd story, adding bars. It makes it feel like you are in a cage when you sit on the 2nd story, plus you will never get a great view as the bars will block your view no matter your seat angle.

#5 De Vil’s is so small

We had an amazing time at De Vil’s, Cruella’s stylish lounge! This chic venue channels the bold fashionista from Disney’s 101 Dalmatians, and it’s conveniently located near the Grand Hall. With its dramatic flair, De Vil’s is the perfect spot to sip trendy martinis, classic cocktails, or sparkling wines while enjoying the sultry sounds from a black-and-white-spotted piano.

The evening piano music was fantastic, and the show “Treble Making with Cruella” was simply fabulous. However, be prepared for the lounge’s small size—it only accommodates about 50 guests, which can make catching the performances a bit challenging. We found ourselves wanting to enjoy the live entertainment on several evenings, but unfortunately, it was often too crowded. A larger space would have made for a more enjoyable experience!

Just a heads up—De Vil’s is an adult-only venue. While we saw plenty of teens and kids who would have loved the ambiance, it’s strictly for adults.

#6 – 1923 Restaurant

When we first visited the 1923 restaurant when the Disney Wish was launched, we thought it was so clever.  It boasts a world of nostalgia at 1923, where you can travel back in time while enjoying a meal surrounded by captivating storyboards, charming sketches, and iconic props from beloved Disney animated classics. This enchanting dining experience pays homage to the year The Walt Disney Studios first opened its doors and offers a taste of California’s fresh and delicious culinary delights.

In reality it is not as elegant as the large dining rooms in the older ships. In addition the fact that it splits the space in two is a little odd and quircky is odd to know which side your space is in, and makes the dining rooms feel more like you are in a zephyr train from the golden era.  Still, it was fun on one ship. But then Disney brought it back again for the Treasure, and for a third time on the Destiny. I wish they would have shown a little more creativity and done at least a new theme for the third time.

The menu is good, but not great. This shorter cruise skips the deep fried bree, escargot, creme brulee, and other favorites. Still, it is where you can get a delicous filet mignon.

#7 Marvel Menu continues to be a Miss

For the third consecutive time, you’ll find the Marvel dining room aboard the Disney Cruise Line’s Destiny. This experience brings back the Groot-themed trivia activity that first debuted as the second show on the Treasure. While it’s enjoyable, it doesn’t quite reach the same excitement level as the Ant-Man and Wasp show featured on both the Wish and Treasure.

Unfortunately, the dining experience itself seems to fall short. Many guests find the food choices puzzling and lacking in appeal. Common complaints about Disney’s Worlds of Marvel restaurant include inconsistent food quality, with dishes that are sometimes under-seasoned or too fishy. Additionally, some diners feel the menu misses the mark, failing to offer standout items that truly reflect the Marvel theme. It’s not uncommon to hear guests planning to book a dinner at Palo as a more appealing alternative to their Marvel dining experience.

#8 Storage in Stateroom

The Triton-class ships, such as the Disney Wish and Treasure, feature standard 1.5 bath staterooms that might remind some cruisers of older ships, but the experience is markedly different. Many guests have noted that storage options, especially drawers, are more limited in these new vessels compared to their predecessors. This has led some cruisers to rely on under-bed luggage storage and packing cubes to keep their belongings organized. However, the good news is that there’s often plenty of closet space with shelves, which helps alleviate some of the storage concerns, according to users on Reddit and Facebook.

Here are some key points about storage on these ships:

The main issue many have raised is the reduced number of built-in drawers for smaller items like socks and underwear. On the flip side, the newer ships typically offer more hanging space and shelving in the closets, making it easier to store larger items. The beds are also elevated, allowing most suitcases to fit underneath, which adds additional storage capacity.

#9 Shop Locations

We all go on cruises for different reasons, it may be the food, the shows, the free childcare, spa, and so on. And for many – shopping is part of their trip.  That is evident by the long lines especially on the first day of the cruise and guests try to secure the limited number of various popular onboard only offerings.

The Disney Destiny reserved prime spots for the luxury jewlery stores and banished the typical cruise merchandise to deck 5. At first glance it might seem like a good location, it is in the Grand Hall space, but it is way up on deck 5 where most guests just simply don’t pass by. It has to be an intentional stop; there is no browsing. I would think Disney would be sad about the lack of impulse buying. Guests who plan to shop will easily find the shops, make their lines, buy their merchandise, and then move on with their cruise. But the average cruiser will miss the shops entirely. There is no more walking by after a broadway show and seeing something in the window that calls to you.

So what has taken it’s place on the traditional deck 3 aft location by the Walt Disey Theatre – luxury shops. You know the jewlery locations with all the diamonds that most of us don’t want, need, or can’t afford. The shops are mostly empty except when they are giving out free charms or host a raffle. Not only do they have the prime spot, but they’ve expanded to 2 large shops on the rear starboard and 1 large shop on the rear port side!

#10 Missing Middle Elevators

Fans continue to be frustrated with the lack of the middle elevators. Not only does it make navigating the ship more difficult, but it creates a crowded bottleneck in the fwd and aft areas – especially at key entertainment times.

Is Disney Destiny Worth Sailing on?

So, knowing all the things the Disney Destiny cruiseship falls short on, is it worth sailing on this ship? That is really a personal choice. I’m glad I got to enjoy the new broadway production of Hercules, De Vil’s was super fun, and the stortelling involving Loki, Dr Facilier, and Maleficent was excellent, Some may choose to sail on the ship  once to try it out, but with the cost of Disney cruises that is expensive. For my family, this ship just took the bottom place on our list of favorite Disney ships. But again, all Disney ships are great.

You can read our compete Disney Destiny review here.