Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy: What is a Magical Porthole?

Some Disney Cruise Line staterooms include a Magic Porthole. Magic Portholes, variations of which may be called virtual portholes on other cruise lines, are essentially computer screens fashioned to look like a window. On DCL, you can find Magic Portholes on most inside staterooms on the Dream and the Fantasy. Disney’s other ships do not include this feature.

Found in inside staterooms, those with no real porthole or window looking to the outside world, the Magic Porthole provides an illusion that you are seeing outside. For some guests, this can help ease a sense of claustrophobia they might otherwise have when staying in an inside cabin. The default view “out” the Magic Porthole is a view from the outside the ship, at approximately the location you would see if your room did have a window. Adding to the magic, periodically you might see that view enhanced by animation, such as a Disney character waving to you. Some guests are so enamored of the Magic Porthole animations that they prefer inside staterooms to larger cabins with actual portholes. (Click photos to enlarge.)

Don’t worry if Magic Portholes aren’t your thing. You can turn it off at any time to darken the room or just to have a break from the view.

Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy is an offshoot of our “Disney in a Minute” posts. Both are bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic, but here we’ll be focused on all thing Disney Cruise Line (DCL). Have a question about a DCL term that is unfamiliar to you? Suggest it here for an upcoming segment.