Disney cruises to Alaska in 2027: the Magic or the Wonder, the ports, and what to book

Which Disney ships sail to Alaska in 2027, and when?

Two, from Vancouver, as in 2026. Disney Parks Blog's summer 2027 announcement puts both the Magic and the Wonder on seven-night sailings, with a six-night and an eight-night option on the Magic. The Wonder has sailed to Alaska since 2011 and was Disney's only Alaska ship until the Magic joined it in 2026.

The Magic for Less lists the full 2027 schedule. The Wonder sails on Mondays from 10 May to 13 September, returning 20 September; the Magic sails on most Thursdays from 13 May to 9 September. The exceptions are the Magic's eight-night cruise from 22 to 30 July, which adds Sitka, and a six-night cruise from 30 July to 5 August.

What is the difference between the Magic and the Wonder in Alaska?

One port, and the ship around it. On The Magic for Less's 2027 schedule, the two alternate by ship like this:

Juneau is the real choice. Tom Bricker calls it his favourite of the three ports, with the most to do, including the Mendenhall Glacier.⁸ Icy Strait Point on the Magic is known for its wildlife. The ships themselves are sisters of the same size; our older-ships guide compares their fares.

What is the glacier day on a Disney Alaska cruise?

A day spent sailing up a fjord to a tidewater glacier, which Disney's itineraries label Glacier Viewing (Stikine Icecap). Disney Parks Blog names Dawes Glacier, over 600 feet tall, on most sailings.

A planDisney panellist's trip report on the Wonder describes the approach through Tracy Arm: the ship moving very slowly for several hours to avoid thousands of icebergs, then closer to the glacier face on a clear day. Weather and ice decide how close you get, so it is not the same day twice.

A verandah earns its money here, which is Disney Tourist Blog's point below.

What does Disney add on an Alaska cruise?

A Frozen day. Disney Parks Blog describes Frozen-inspired storytelling created for the Alaska sailings on both ships, built around For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, a live show on the upper deck with Anna, Elsa and Kristoff and the lyrics on screen.

Around it: Anna's Frozen Fun Hunt, a family scavenger hunt; Oaken's Maypole Swirl & Twirl, a dance party in the atrium; and a Frozen-themed dinner with Nordic dishes.

Disney also sells Alaska Port Adventures you cannot book elsewhere. Disney Parks Blog highlights a gold-rush camp at Liarsville near Skagway, with gold panning, characters and a salmon feast, plus bear and whale watching.

What should you book and pack for a Disney Alaska cruise?

Book more Port Adventures than you think. Tom Bricker's biggest regret, in Disney Tourist Blog's seven mistakes from his first Alaska sailing, was a budget too small for them: the walkable downtowns are touristy, and the highlights lie beyond them. He recommends the White Pass Scenic Railway in Skagway and anything involving the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

Ketchikan, he warns, is the rainiest city in America.

A verandah is worth more here than in the Caribbean. With two sea days and a glacier day he wished he had one, though if forced to choose he would take the Port Adventures instead. Disney's own packing advice for northern itineraries is a light jacket, a sweater and socks, and he adds some nicer evening clothes than he packed.

Bring a passport. Vancouver is in Canada, and Disney says everyone entering or re-entering the United States by air must have one.