Buena Vista Theater, Disney Cruise Movies, Movies at Sea, Feature Length Films, PremEAR, Aboard Disney Cruise, Finding Dory, Solo, Watch Movies on a Cruise, diapersonaplane, diapers on a plane, creating family memories, traveling with kids, family travel
Buena Vista Theater on the Disney Fantasy

Do you know what a premEAR is aboard a Disney Cruise Line? It’s when Disney releases a new movie while you are cruising the high seas! No need to wait until you get home to see the new Star Wars, Marvel or Disney feature length animation film! You can see it in the ships huge Buena Vista theater! We had no idea when we booked our first Disney Cruise aboard the Disney Magic that Disney Cruise Line ships offer free first run movies in their onboard movie theater! We saw three new movies that had just been released, and one that premEARed while we were on the cruise!

Ranking: #cleandiaper

Buena Vista Theater
Disney Cruise Ships
Deck 5

Buena Vista Theater, Disney Cruise Movies, Movies at Sea, Feature Length Films, PremEAR, Aboard Disney Cruise, Finding Dory, Solo, Watch Movies on a Cruise, diapersonaplane, diapers on a plane, creating family memories, traveling with kids, family travel
Buena Vista Theater Aboard the Disney Fantasy

Aboard the Disney Magic we watched the premEAR of Pete’s Dragon! Gabriel and I staked out our seats in the Buena Vista Theater well before midnight and then snuck back upstairs to gingerly woke the kids up just before showtime. We were so excited to watch a premEAR of such a highly anticipated classic. However, only little Widmore was able to stay awake. Give that kid some popcorn and he’s raring to go. He loved every minute, but after about a half hour Pie begged to go back to bed.


Although the release date of a particular movie might not be during your sailing, you’ll still get to watch current and first run movies running throughout the day in the Buena Vista Theater. During the same cruise aboard the Disney Magic, we also enjoyed watching Finding Dory, Alice Through The Looking Glass, Zootopia, The BFG, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Captain America: Civil War, Inside Out and the live action version of Jungle Book!

 

You can even see movies in 3D options!

Buena Vista Theater, Disney Cruise Movies, Movies at Sea, Feature Length Films, PremEAR, Aboard Disney Cruise, Finding Dory, Solo, Watch Movies on a Cruise, diapersonaplane, diapers on a plane, creating family memories, traveling with kids, family travel
Technically she’s wearing these 3D glasses to watch Captain EO

Sometimes movies will even take the place of the featured entertainment for the night due to their popularity or being the highly anticipated summer movie of the year. This was the case with Finding Dory on our Disney Magic Cruise, and Solo: A Star Wars Movie on our Disney Fantasy Cruise. Technically, both these movies came out the before our cruise departed so while it wasn’t a premEAR necessarily, it was great timing for us! During these events, the cruise features the films in both the Walt Disney Theater and the Buena Vista Theater allowing more viewing options for all guests aboard the cruise.

Buena Vista Theater, Disney Cruise Movies, Movies at Sea, Feature Length Films, PremEAR, Aboard Disney Cruise, Finding Dory, Solo, Watch Movies on a Cruise, diapersonaplane, diapers on a plane, creating family memories, traveling with kids, family travel
Finding Dory (image courtesy of Disney)

Along with Solo, during our sailing on the Disney Fantasy we were also able to watch Avengers: Infinity War, Born in China, Black Panther, A Wrinkle in Time, Thor Ragnarok, and Coco. We were a little disappointed in the movie options considering the wide variety we’d partaken of during our Disney Magic cruise, and the fact that rather than rotate through the movie options they seemed to play just one movie back to back each day. Or, maybe it was just that we’d seen all these films, with the exception of Solo.

Buena Vista Theater, Disney Cruise Movies, Movies at Sea, Feature Length Films, PremEAR, Aboard Disney Cruise, Finding Dory, Solo, Watch Movies on a Cruise, diapersonaplane, diapers on a plane, creating family memories, traveling with kids, family travel
Buena Vista Theater on the Disney Wonder

Maybe your favorite film is a throwback to the 1990’s era like Hercules, or Mulan? Or maybe something not quite first run but still relatively current like Wreck it Ralph or the Original Avengers movie? Up on the pool deck is a giant 24 × 14 foot screen that runs Disney classics all day, and virtually all night, back to back. It’s conveniently located directly in front of the main pool so you can watch while swimming or supervising your kids in the pool, or grabbing snacks. You’ll find a full schedule in your Navigator.

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AquaDuck and Funnel Vision Disney Cruise

For Kids: Depending on your sailing, and depending on your kids ages, the Buena Vista could be your home away from home while aboard your home away from home on your Disney Cruise. Our kids are old enough to love the Marvel films, but the atmosphere on the Disney Magic was more family friendly for nearly all shows and showtimes. If you are sailing within a month or two of a release date, you can bet the film will be shown aboard your cruise.

As for snacks, you can pick them up just outside the theater at Preludes or a Preludes kiosk depending on the ship. You’ll find reusable popcorn buckets to use during your entire cruise, or you can buy popcorn on a case by case basis. You’ll also find cool refillable drink mugs! There are also tons of candy options, including every kid’s favorite cotton candy. Alternatively, you can head up to the pool deck and grab soda from the self service fountain and bring in your own packed treats. 

Buena Vista Theater, Disney Cruise Movies, Movies at Sea, Feature Length Films, PremEAR, Aboard Disney Cruise, Finding Dory, Solo, Watch Movies on a Cruise, diapersonaplane, diapers on a plane, creating family memories, traveling with kids, family travel
Preludes Snack Bar for the Buena Vista and Walt Disney Theaters

Nap-Time Version: The Buena Vista Theater aboard your Disney Cruise features first fun feature length films during the duration of your cruise! You may even get to watch a premEAR of a Disney or Marvel film if you plan your vacation at just the right time!

Check out our other posts on Disney’s featured entertainment aboard a Cruise such as Broadway Style Shows, Twice Charmed, and The Great Dubois (coming soon!).