Disney Magic Western Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 4: February 9, 2026

Day 4 brings us to what I’ve been waiting for, arriving in Progreso, Mexico, and a trip to Chichén-Itzá.

We have a fairly long day in port, as we were cleared to go ashore at 10:30, with all aboard scheduled for 7 p.m. This would normally be more than enough time to do an excursion as well as explore the area around the port. However, the trip to the ruins takes just over two hours each way, with about two hours onsite. On the other hand, there is absolutely nothing directly on the pier to see or do anyway. With clear skies and temps reaching around 80°, it’s a perfect day to immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the Mayas.

The pier itself, known as the Puerto de Altura, is listed as the longest pier in the world at over 4 miles long. Yes, you read that correctly, 4 miles! It’s mostly industrial docks along the way, with a small duty-free and shopping market located at the cruise dock.

Chichén-Itzá Mayan Ruins – Adults Only

The excursion we chose was Chichén-Itzá Mayan Ruins – Adults Only. Here’s what the description says to expect:

Travel Back in Time

Yeah, that pretty well sums it up, so we’ll leave it at that and move on to dinner back on the ship.

What? You want to read more about the ruins? Oh, all right!

We joined the excursion group promptly at our 10:15 assembly time, and by 10:30 we were being escorted off the ship to the pier, where we were divided up into busloads and led out into the parking lot to begin the drive inland.

Upon boarding our bus, we were introduced to our driver and guides for the day. As we began the trip, our guides narrated a history of the region and their culture to help pass the time. After about 45 minutes of prelude, we had time to relax to ourselves. I’d like to say sit back and enjoy the scenery, but there was really nothing there to look at. The Yucatán Peninsula is a flat expanse, and this particular section was pretty much undeveloped. Unless you enjoy watching scrub brush pass the window, you’re best off closing your eyes and taking a nap. I can neither confirm nor deny that’s what I did.

The ruins are located within an archaeological site and have strict regulations on bringing in food and waste. With this in mind, we stopped at a trinket market a few miles before entering to get our bagged lunches, have a few minutes to use the restroom, and of course support the local economy.

A Wonder of the New World

Once we arrived at the welcome center and disembarked the bus, we were divided into two smaller groups, each with one of the guides, to be led through the ruins. Our guide, Carlos, was extraordinary in his knowledge and passion for sharing his heritage.

This wasn’t a quick reveal, either, as we had to walk down a limestone road from the welcome center to reach the ruins. As we were led through, Carlos pointed out the pathway beneath our feet and informed us that it was still the original path the Mayas used to enter and exit the city. He explained that not only where we were walking but also the structures we were about to see were all hand-built, as the Mayas didn’t believe in domesticating animals for labor. Keep in mind that Chichén-Itzá was a major city in the Maya nation, not just the temple it is most famous for, with settlement starting around 750 AD and being at its peak between 800–900 AD.

To translate Chichén-Itzá, you need to break it down. In Mayan, chi means mouth, chen means well, as in water well, and Itza refers to a tribe of people in the area who were fabled water sorcerers. So Chichén-Itzá roughly translates to “the mouth of the well of water sorcerers.”

Once we reached the end of the road and stepped into the clearing, it hit you like a ton of bricks. Simply awe-inspiring. The architecture and sheer magnitude were imminent everywhere you looked. You don’t have to question why this was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the New World.

If you’ve ever been to EPCOT, it may look familiar. Yes, this is in fact the inspiration for the Mexico pavilion. In particular, this temple is the Temple of Kukulcan, named for the “feathered serpent,” a deity that represents a blend of the earth (serpent) and sky (feathers).

Before we dig further into this ideology, we need to ask an important question: is it a pyramid or a temple? While from the outside you’d be hard-pressed to tell, the distinction lies within. A pyramid, such as the famed Egyptian structures, is built as a tomb, while a temple holds a place of worship inside.

Bringing us back to Kukulcan. This god was viewed as a connection between the elements of the sky, which bring nourishment and life to the earth, namely in the form of wind and rain. As the Mayas practiced polytheism, the worship of multiple gods, Kukulcan was one of many gods that each had specific roles, similar to Greek and Norse mythology.

So why was this particular temple in honor of Kukulcan?  Let’s dive deeper into the structure itself.  The Mayas were credited with having a more advanced calendar than even the Gregorian calendar that evolved into what we use today. Based on a combination of astronomy and astrology, they devised a yearly calendar of 365 days, just like the Greeks. The difference came in how they broke up the seasons in relation to the equinox. They used an 18-month cycle, each with 20 days, finished off with a 5-day month. 18 x 20 = 360 + 5 = 365, for those counting on their fingers, looking at you, Julie. 😛

Now look back at the picture above. If you count the steps, you’ll find 91. All four sides of the temple are identical. Not visible is the top, which has one additional step into the opening that is only on the north-facing side. So you have 91 x 4 = 364 + 1 = 365. Hmm. Okay, how about the plateaus on either side of the steps? Nine on either side of the stairs, so 18. Eighteen months, with the temple representing the last five days.

So you’re thinking this is just happenstance, right? Fair enough. Now I’ll point out that the temple is perfectly aligned with the solar equinox. On March 21 and September 22 of each year, the setting sun hits the western hemisphere of the temple in such a way that it almost glows, while the other three sides are in complete shadow! Check out the graphic below:

Now let’s take a closer look at the picture above for one last little detail. The only area on the northern side that is not shadowed is a sliver of the steps and a carved figure at the bottom. Here is another look that I took. While we were a month ahead of the equinox, the shadow is larger, but you can still see it fairly well:

Scroll back up to the picture taken on the equinox. It is the spine of a snake, with the head at the base, representing the serpent god coming down from the heavens, thus bringing new life. Spring. Meteorologists today can’t even get the forecast right more than 50% of the time. The Mayas had it down to the Earth’s rotation!

Impressed yet? Fine. One more little tidbit on the Temple of Kukulcan. Remember, this was a god associated with rain as a means of bringing new life. The temple itself is built directly on top of a cenote, an underground limestone sinkhole filled with water. This was not discovered by the archaeological team until 1997 using radar, as it’s approximately 20 meters below the temple. They still have not discovered any direct access to this underground aquifer. While there are an estimated 6,000+ cenotes in the Yucatán Peninsula, what are the odds that it’s just a coincidence the Mayas built a temple to their water god on top of one?

That’s just the temple. There is an entire city that was built around it. Next up, we’ll take a look at the Temple of the Warriors. Built in the 10th century, this pyramid is surrounded by the “Group of the Thousand Columns,” with a reclining Chac Mool statue featured at the top.

Once again, you can see the influence of the sun’s alignment as it rises behind the temple, illuminating the Chac Mool, as seen in the graphics below. The columns stretching out from the base of the temple are representative of past warriors and priests.

The Chac Mool is flanked by two pillars that have a familiar presence to them, the descending winged serpent with his head at the base. Here you can also see the influence of the Toltec and Aztec cultures being integrated into the Mayas. As the different tribes engaged in commerce, you can see carryover, such as the use of circles in hieroglyphics that is attributed to the Aztecs and adopted by the Mayas.

The Temple of the Warriors was used as a gathering place for rituals and celebrations, including offerings to their gods. Evidence of human sacrifices has also been uncovered.

Moving on to our final area of exploration is the Ball Court. Chichén-Itzá is home to the largest known ball court in Mesoamerica, measuring 70 meters wide and 170 meters long. This was a place of sport where they played a game called Pitz. Using forearms, hips, and knees, players would pass a rubber ball through goals at either end, similar to soccer, but the use of hands and feet was prohibited. Vertical stone rings were also placed high up on the sides of the theater that were worth higher points. Similar to ancient Greece, this game was played by warriors as a way to hone their skills in combat and strategy. Pitz is considered to be the first team sport and typically consisted of two- to six-person teams. It was a fairly cutthroat game, literally. In high-stakes games, it was not uncommon for the losing team’s captain to be beheaded in sacrifice!

I’ll finish off with just a few of the pictures I took of the stonework and hieroglyphics, which are simply astonishing. If you look closely at each, you’ll notice common themes of serpents and winged creatures.

You don’t need to ask if I’d recommend this excursion, I think that’s fairly obvious. Costing $159 per person for the adults-only group, it’s one of the higher-cost excursions for this particular port. It is also offered for family groups at the same cost per adult and $129 for ages 3–9. Spending the majority of the day on a bus is not ideal, but the payoff is well worth it once you arrive onsite. There is also an additional fee if you use any type of video recording device, like GoPros or handheld video cameras, costing $5–10. Phone cameras and recording incur no additional cost.

I could have spent the entire day exploring and taking it all in. Unfortunately, with only about two and a half hours, we didn’t have any free time to wander. Carlos was a non-stop treasure trove of information. He pontificated seamlessly for the duration as we made our way between key points within the city. I have no doubt he had plenty more in reserve as well. I will say I think our daughter would have been over it about fifteen minutes in, too much history and learning. I suspect the family groups had a slightly different vibe and maybe didn’t get as deep a dive into the historical details to keep it more engaging for the youngsters. We did notice other groups doing some clapping and small chants, possibly reenacting a ritual or testing acoustics.

In all the cruises we have taken and places we’ve visited, I can’t say we’ve ever been on an excursion we wanted to repeat. Even the ones we enjoy are usually a matter of wanting to experience different options on return trips. This, at least for me, is an exception. I’d go back tomorrow!

Dinner at Lumiere’s on Disney Magic

Arriving back at the pier at 5:15 didn’t leave us any time to look around in the shops, as we had a 5:45 dinner, but based on the glances we took while passing through, we didn’t miss much there. There was just enough time to get cleaned up a bit and changed before grabbing a glass of Cloudem Blue from the lounge and heading to the dining room.

Lumiere's

This Beauty and the Beast–inspired restaurant channels full fairy-tale energy, with elegant touches that make dinner feel like a scene from the movie. Between the French-inspired dishes and polished American favorites, it’s one of those meals that feels a little magical from start to finish.

Available on: Disney Magic

Cocktails +

Double Crowned

Crown Royal, Chambord, Cointreau, Cranberry Juice, Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

Imperial Illusion

Absolut Mandarin, Apple Pucker, Blue Curaçao Liqueur, Pineapple Juice

Princess Delight

Passion Fruit Juice, Mango Purée (Non-Alcoholic)

Appetizers +

Duck Confit

Slow-cooked Duck Leg pulled and Garnished with dried Cranberries and Walnuts

Iced Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp

With Green Asparagus, Horseradish Cream and a Dill Dressing

Gaston’s Escargot Gratinée

Herb-marinated Snails with Finely Chopped Mushrooms topped with Garlic Butter

Breaded and Deep Fried Brie

With an Orange and Cranberry Chutney

Soups & Salads +

French Onion Soup

With Gruyère Cheese Crouton

Potage Parmentier

Leek and Potato Soup

Farmhouse Salad

Baby Spinach, Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, and Fingerling Potatoes served with a Goat Cheese Crostini and an Olive Vinaigrette

Red Wine Bosc Pear Salad

Arugula, Sliced Red Onions and Crispy Lardons dressed with a Sherry Wine Dressing and served with a Red Wine poached Bosc Pear

Bread Selection +

Warm French Country Bread

With an Olive Spread

Main Course +

Conchiglie Pasta

With Buttered Lobster, tossed in a Tomato Shrimp Tarragon Brandy Sauce with Lemon Basil

Oven-Baked Salmon Royale

Crowned with a King Smoked Salmon Horseradish Crust accompanied by Sautéed Swiss Chard, Truffled Cauliflower Purée and White Wine Beurre Blanc

Crispy Roasted Duck Breast

With Cabbage, Shallots, Honey Parsnip Mash and a Duck Red Wine Jus

Roasted Rack of Lamb Medium

With Dauphinoise Potatoes, Buttered Brussels Sprouts and a Burgundy Rosemary Sauce

Chateaubriand-Roasted Filet Steak

Roasted Filet Steak, Crushed New Potatoes with Shallots, Buttered Green Beans, Red Wine Jus, and a Béarnaise Sauce on the Side

Vegetarian +

Wild Mushroom-Stuffed Pasta in a Vegetable Broth

Topped with Watercress, Shaved Parmesan Cheese and Paprika Oil Drizzle

Grilled Marinated Tofu, Roasted Zucchini, Eggplant and Red Peppers

On Israeli Couscous with a Lime-Cilantro Drop

Lighter Note +

Ahi Tuna Niçoise

Seared Ahi Tuna with Green Beans, Potato, Olives, Red Onions, Sliced Egg, and Parsley-Garlic Vinaigrette

Grilled Grain-Fed Sirloin Steak

Served with Garden Vegetables and your choice of Steamed White Rice or Baked Potato

Slow Roasted Breast of Chicken

Served with Garden Vegetables and your choice of Steamed White Rice or Baked Potato

Oven Baked Filet of Salmon

Served with Garden Vegetables and your choice of Steamed White Rice or Baked Potato

Coffee +

Espresso

Cappuccino

Caramel Pecan Chai

Oregon Chai, Caramel Pecan Syrup, Steamed Milk

Tiramisu Mocha Latte

Tiramisu Syrup, Chocolate Sauce, Espresso, Steamed Milk

Adventurous After-Tinis +

Espresso Martini

Absolut Vanilla, Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Frangelico, Espresso

Crème Brûlée

Grey Goose, Baileys Irish Cream, Amaretto, Caramel Syrup, Half & Half

After Dinner Spirits +

RumChata

Baileys Irish Cream

Sambuca

Grand Marnier 100 Cuvée

Hennessy V.S.

Courvoisier V.S.O.P.

Rémy Martin X.O.

Grappa Gianduia

Grappa Fior di Latte

Tawny Port 10yrs – 20yrs

Knob Creek

Woodford Reserve

Johnnie Walker Odyssey

Glenmorangie Signet

Desserts +

Grand Marnier Soufflé

Served with Grand Marnier Crème Anglaise

Apple Tart Tatin

Caramelized Baked Apple served with Vanilla Ice Cream

Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brûlée

With Almond Biscotti

Strawberry Shortcake Sundae

Strawberries, Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and Shortcake

Signature Dessert +

Classic Opera Gateau

Layers of Joconde Sponge, soaked in Coffee Syrup, Chocolate Ganache and rich Buttercream

No Sugar Added Dessert +

Duo Chocolate Slice

Layers of Brownie and Truffle Mousse with a Berry Crème

Tonight was the one night of our rotation at Lumiere’s, and it featured one of my favorite menus, which is mirrored in the Royal dining rooms of the Dream-class ships. This is the menu I don’t need to spend any time looking at, as the order is the same each time: Iced lobster and shrimp, Fried Brie, Duck confit, French onion soup, and Chateaubriand.

Clean plate club all around. Since testing the duck confit as an experiment last fall, even to my surprise, it has quickly become a must-order. The fried Brie has long been on that list and never disappoints. This was also one of the best cuts of steak I’ve had. Just look at that color! Tender and full of flavor. While I had some hollandaise sauce on the side, I didn’t even waste the meat with it. It did, however, mix extraordinarily well with the mashed potatoes for a nice, creamy side dish.

Another thing I’ll mention is the consistency of the presentation throughout the fleet. If you go back and look at previous sailings with this menu on the Magic, Dream, or Fantasy, you could do a side-by-side comparison and not tell the difference. I’m sure some will think that’s a bit boring, and I’ve touched on the fact that some of the menus could use a refresh. But have you ever gone to a Chili’s or Texas Roadhouse (insert chain restaurant here) and ordered the same thing you had a previous time and had this type of continuity, even at the same location? Now go to the same chain in a different city and see how close they are. Major props to the DCL culinary team!

The only thing I ever struggle with on this particular menu is the dessert. Choosing between the crème brûlée and Grand Marnier soufflé is never easy. To be fair, I’ve been known to order both and take the crème brûlée to go.

I ended up going with the soufflé, and it proved to be the perfect finish to another great meal.

Twice Charmed- Seriously

The post-dinner entertainment started off in the Walt Disney Theater with Twice Charmed. Admittedly, I think this was our least favorite of the shows on the Magic when we saw it in November, but I wanted to give it another chance. You never know, we may have caught it on a night when we just weren’t feeling it. I will say I walked out of this showing with a better impression of it than the first time. It seemed like mostly the same actors playing the main parts, but for whatever reason, it struck differently. Maybe just because I went in with a baseline.

Unlike Tangled, which is a stage production of Rapunzel and stays true to the story, this is not the traditional Cinderella. Rather, it follows the theme of “What if.” In this case, Madame Tremaine alters the story by enlisting the help of Franco, the Evil Fairy Godfather, to make the glass slipper fit Anastasia instead of Cinderella in order to win the prince’s foot, er, hand. A few original songs mixed with the classics make it an interesting twist. I’d still rank it as number three of the week’s featured shows, but the gap was closer, and it was worth seeing again. I’ll look forward to our daughter seeing it on our next sailing to get her perspective on it.

Fathoms Of The Deep.  Seriously.

I wrapped the night back in Fathoms to watch Seriously, another of the adult game shows that can test how well you really know your travel companion.

Tonight’s show offered three rounds of contestants of various relationships to see what they really think of each other. The premise is simple: take a pair of siblings, friends, or significant others and have them declare which one of them is most likely to XXX. Here’s the twist: first, they both take off their shoes and trade one with their partner, leaving each with one of their own and one of their partner’s. Then they are positioned back to back and hold up the shoe of whom they think best describes the answer to the question. For example, “Who had the messiest room growing up?” for the siblings round. If they respond with the same shoe in the air, they get a point. If not, then the host usually digs in to have them rat each other out. After five questions, the team with the most points wins a prize.

While not as much tea as the Match Your Mate game, it was still entertaining, and for the final round they invited any pairs up that wanted to participate and did it elimination style. After each question, the teams that matched moved on to the next round. If not, you took your seat. The last team standing was declared the winner.

Don’t get too excited about the prizes won. It was mostly small DCL items like luggage tags or refrigerator magnets. It’s more about the memory of playing and the bragging rights.

After a long day of history and cultural immersion, it was time to call it a night. I hope you enjoyed the Cliff Notes version of Chichén-Itzá half as much as I enjoyed experiencing it. Until the next installment, thanks for checking in and good night.

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