We have been fortunate to sail twice on the Disney Dream in the past year, and I was thrilled to finally get a chance to try out the Midship Detective Agency, an “interactive ship-wide caper.” Part game, part logic puzzle, this activity is a lot of fun and perfect for all age groups.
You start the game at one of two “offices,” kiosks that look like roll top desks. We chose the kiosk near the Enchanted Garden restaurant on Deck 2. There is another office on deck 5 midship.
Begin your case at one of two “offices” on board.
At the kiosk, you’ll pick up a detective badge, which features a unique barcode, a “casebook” which includes a list of suspects as well as a map of the ship with crime scenes marked, and a pencil.
Tip: You can stop and start the cases at will. You don’t have to do them in any specific order. Just make sure you keep your detective badge with you!
At the desk, you’ll watch a brief video showing how the game works and then you’ll be directed to your first location, one of the many pieces of art on the ship.
There are currently three different cases to choose from: The Case of the Plundered Paintings, the Case of the Missing Puppies, and the Case of the Stolen Show. (note that not all the cases are available at all times – on our first cruise on the Dream, there were only two cases available and the Case of the Missing Puppies was, well, missing. On our May cruise on the Dream, all three cases were available for play).
Tip: You’ll need a pencil or pen to take notes and narrow down suspects.
The Disney Cruise Line site says the game is designed for Guests ages 9 and up, but younger kids could certainly play with some help from an adult.
Keep a close eye out for clues everywhere you go on the ship.
I don’t want to spoil the mystery, but the technology involved in this adventure is pretty amazing. You can use your “badge” to bring paintings to life and then interact with them in various ways.
You can complete the case at your own pace, and the beauty of it is that many people can be playing at the same time, but there are so many different spots to find “clues” that you will rarely have to wait more than a few minutes.
If you are a sharp detective, you may even be able to solve the case without having to visit every single art work on the crime scene map.
During the Case of the Stolen Show, keep a sharp eye out for clues!
Tip: If you want to solve the mystery more quickly, plan out your course using the map. For instance, you could choose to go to all the clues that are on a particular deck, or you could try and knock out all the aft clues or all the forward clues.
The information you find will help you narrow down the list of suspects. In the Case of the Stolen Show, which involves Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the other Muppets, there are additional clues beyond the paintings, so you’ll need to keep a careful eye out as you follow the culprit’s trail.
We managed to finish all the cases during our cruise over the course of a couple of days. My teenage daughter had so much fun that she insisted on completing the cases again with my husband on the next cruise.
Because the clues are randomized, it is possible to grab a new detective badge and have a totally different experience on a case.
It is activities like this that set Disney Cruise Line apart. We really enjoyed playing this, and would love to see this technology put in the classic ships. Right now, this experience is only available on the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream. I’m sure when the new Disney Wish sails her maiden voyage, there will be some equally amazing technology to experience!
Want help planning your Disney adventure? Whether it’s a cruise or one of the theme parks, Patricia at All for Dreams Travel can provide FREE information and a wealth of travel experience.
