Disney to Sprinkle Pixie Dust on Magic

You've Probably Heard the News...

Disney Magic will be 

Re-Imagined This Year

We thought we'd take a different approach to the latest news coming out of Disney Cruise Line by looking at Disney Magic then (1998) and now (2013).

First, the News...

Disney Cruise Line has announced that they will sprinkle some pixie dust on the 15 year old Disney Magic vessel which will transform the ship into something closer to the more recent additions to the line, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

The ship will be taken out of service from September 7 to October 10 for its biggest-ever refurbishment. The operation, being done in Cadiz, Spain, will cover restaurants, bars, the spa, the atrium, cabins and kids' spaces, and will include the addition of an AquaDunk water attraction that can be seen in the photo above. It will be similar, but quite different to the AquaDuck on the Dream-class ships.

It's 1998...

When the Disney executives decided to enter the Cruise market in the 90's, they set about bringing the on-land Disney family experience to sea. Obviously, there were some standard features that are needed on a cruise ship that they started with, but they made some changes geared towards family entertainment and the Disney culture.

Most notably missing was the casino, which could be found on most other ships of the same size, currently sailing the seven seas. Disney wanted to have entertainment for the entire family to enjoy throughout the day and into the evening. Therefore, they added an entire deck's worth of space devoted to kids and family activities, and two technologically advanced theaters which featured evening entertainment appropriate for all ages. 

Cabins were another area that needed attention for families traveling together. The standard outside cabin (with or without balcony) was clearly designed with families in mind. Beds convert from twins to queen and are placed in the middle section near a curtain that divides the bedroom area from the sitting area, which is particularly useful at night, after the kids are asleep. In the sitting area, there's a sleeper sofa, coffee table, desk and color television. Balcony cabins are plentiful at 44 percent of outside staterooms.

After the Pixie Dust Settles...

Guest this Fall will be amongst the first to see the changes that occur during the month-long dry-dock including the following: 

• AquaDunk on the Disney Magic is a thrilling three-story body slide that begins with a surprise launch, sending guests on a near-vertical drop and through a translucent tube that extends 20 feet over the side of the ship.
• The grand atrium lobby on the Disney Magic, inspired by elegant art deco and elements of the sea, features a palette of vibrant coral, blue and aquamarine, a dazzling new chandelier and a grand staircase.
• The vibrancy of Rio de Janeiro creates an energetic atmosphere in Carioca's, a new restaurant on the Disney Magic. During the day, buffet meals feature a festival theme before night falls and the atmosphere transforms into an after-hours scene of Rio de Janiero, with city-side windows softly illuminated and lanterns flickering overhead. 
• Disney Cruise Line's popular adult-exclusive Palo restaurant receives a makeover on the Disney Magic, with stylish wood fixtures, glass artwork panels, decorative lighting and hand-tufted carpet.  
• Animator's Palate on the Disney Magic, one of the most popular restaurants on the Disney ships, is updated with all-new, animation-adorned walls and larger high-definition flat-screens to provide the best views of the animation magic that takes place all around. 
• Cabanas on the Disney Magic, drawing inspiration from Australian influences with uniquely Disney touches, includes a beach-themed dining room that has beach umbrellas and teak Adirondack chairs to create a sunny "down under" décor for guests. 
• Fathoms on the Disney Magic is a night club inspired by the excitement of the sea that utilizes special effects, lighting and sound to create different atmospheres from early evening to night. 
• The youngest (and smallest) cruisers --- ages three months to three years --- can enjoy the new It's a Small World Nursery on the Disney Magic. 
• Mickey Mouse Club is a new youth area in Disney's Oceaneer Club on the Disney Magic where kids can create crafts and play games on custom, ear-shaped tables, in a room splashed with Mickey's signature colors of red, yellow and black.  
• Keys on the Disney Magic is a piano bar and lounge perfect for guests wanting a low-key nighttime experience. 

These are but a few of the many changes onboard the re-imagined Disney Magic, which will emerge following the completion of its dry-dock in October.

To learn more about the changes and see an album with the Disney Imagineers renderings, become a fan on our Facebook Page and click the Disney Link on our Welcome Page.

Click on this image to go there now.

The newly reimagined Disney Magic will sail from Miami this fall! Enjoy 3-, 4- and 5-night Disney Cruise Line sailings to the Bahamas, or 5-night Western Caribbean cruises, all departing from this vibrant South Florida city. Explore the Everglades by airboat, stop by Little Havana, soak up the sun on South Beach and more!

Disney Fans with Kids Mickey has a Great Offer

Kids Sail Free on Select Cruises from Galveston

Disney Magic 6-Night and 8-Night Sailings Kids ages 17 and under can sail FREE on select 6-night and 8-night Disney Cruise Line® sailings from Galveston, Texas. To take advantage of this offer, kids must travel with two full-fare Guests in the same stateroom in categories 4A - 11B on select cruises from January 4 - March 1, 2013. new 8-night Bahamian itinerary sailing from Galveston exciting 6- and 8-night Western Caribbean cruises Check Availability

Castaway Cay With the new 8-night Bahamian itinerary sailing from Galveston, you can visit the Walt Disney World® Resort and Disney’s own private island paradise, Castaway Cay. Walt Disney World® Included in the cruise fare on this itinerary is a 1-Day Magic Your Way® Ticket with Park Hopper® Option for each Guest and complimentary round-trip transportation between the ship and the Resort.

We seldom include cruise offers in our column, but when something like this crosses our desk, we would be remiss if we didn't share this with our readers.   Our Facebook Fans learned about the offer yesterday shortly after we got the notification from Disney Travel.   

Notice that if you take advantage of this and book the 8-night itinerary, you also get a 1-day  Magic Your Way® Ticket with Park Hopper® Option for each Guest and complimentary round-trip transportation between the ship and the Resort.   That alone is worth in excess of and additional $400 savings for a family of four.

Offer Details:

To take advantage of this offer, kids must travel with two full-fare Guests in the same stateroom in categories 4A - 11B on select cruises from Jan. 4 - March 1, 2013. Government Taxes and Fees are approximately $52 per person for 6-night Western Caribbean cruises, $66 per person for 8-night Western Caribbean cruises, and $84 per person for 8-night Bahamian cruises (all amounts subject to change).

Travel Window:

• Most sail dates January 4 - March 1, 2013

Additional Details:

• Must mention booking code KFO at time of booking
• This offer is only available to residents of the U.S. and Canada
• Offer applies only to stateroom categories 4A - 11B
• Excludes suites, category 11C staterooms and GTY categories with restrictions (VGT, OGT, IGT)
• The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited
• Stateroom accommodations for four or more Guests are limited and based on availability at the time of booking
• This offer cannot be combined with any other special offers or discounts
• Additional Terms and Conditions apply

Have you Wanted to Take the Family on a Disney Cruise

Call Us Today to Book this Offer Before it is Sold Out

You may also be interested in:
Current Disney Offers

Disney Cruise 2012 Deployment Includes NYC

Captain Mickey Meets the Statue of Liberty                                                           Credit: ©Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line

Sails Into Big Apple

& Other Destinations for 2012

New Itineraries and Ports for 2012

Great things are happening from coast to coast in 2012! Disney Cruise Line now offers cruises departing from exciting ports like New York, Seattle, Galveston and Los Angeles to a variety of fantastic new destinations. Disney is cruising to more of your favorite vacation destinations than ever before.

Sailing from New York City, Galveston, Seattle, Los Angeles

Fleet expansion is enabling Disney to sail out of ports other than Port Canaveral, Florida.  The Disney Dream entered service in January, and a fourth ship, the Disney Fantasy, is scheduled to launch next April.

Beginning May 25, 2012, the Disney Magic will sail a total of 20 cruises from New York, including eight-night cruises to the Bahamas and five-night cruises up the New England coast to Canada.  The Magic will sail 12 seven-night cruises from Galveston to the Western Caribbean, starting Sept. 22, 2012.

Disney is operating Alaska cruises for the first time starting next month. The Wonder will sail out of Vancouver this year and in 2012, it will sail 7-Night Alaska Cruises from Seattle, Washington.

Disney Wonder will sail 7-Night Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles for the majority of 2012 and four 7-Night Pacific Coast cruises from Los Angeles.  For the first time, the Wonder will operate one 15-night voyage to Hawaii from Los Angeles, visiting the Big Island, Oahu, Maui and Kauai.

READ MORE: Disney Cruise Line Unveils New Itineraries and Ports for 2012 – Disney Ships Bound for New York, Galveston and Seattle (April 6, 2011)

Disney Magic	8-Night Bahamian Cruises  from New York City Port Canaveral, FL (the gateway to Walt Disney World Resort) Nassau Disney's own Castaway Cay And 4 fun-filled days at sea
Disney Magic	5-Night Canada/New England Coast Cruises from New York City Halifax, Nova Scotia Saint John, New Brunswick And 2 glorious days at sea
Disney Magic or Fantasy	7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston Grand Cayman Costa Maya, Mexico Cozumel, Mexico 3 relaxing days at sea
Disney Wonder	7-Night Alaska Cruise from Seattle Tracy Arm Skagway Juneau Ketchikan Victoria, British Columbia Relaxing day at sea
Disney Wonder	15-night Hawaii Cruise from Los Angeles Hilo, Hawai`i Kahului, Maui Honolulu, O`ahu Nawiliwili, Kauai Ensenada, Mexico 9 luxurious days at sea

Photos are courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Disney Dream Conveyance

Disney Dream Conveyance  (Photos Courtesy Disney Cruise Line)

Disney Dream

Lights up the Sky

Fireworks filled the sky in Papenburg, Germany, as Disney Dream departed the Meyer Werft shipyard November 12th on its conveyance down the River Ems.  The ship's horns played “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” thrilling the thousands that had lined the banks to witness the ship's conveyance.

The conveyance process is a unique maneuver for ships built by the Meyer Werft shipyard, the only place in the world where this process occurs. The journey involves moving the ship some 26 miles down the winding River Ems.  In some areas, railroad bridges have been dismantled with sections lifted out to allow the ship’s passage. 

“With the conveyance of the Disney Dream, we have reached yet another milestone for the third ship in our fleet,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line. “It won’t be long before our guests finally experience the inspired innovation and extraordinary creative content that makes this ship so magnificent and so unique. From an exhilarating ride on the AquaDuck to dazzling stage shows and exquisite French cuisine at Remy, the incredible offerings on the Disney Dream will delight everyone who steps aboard.”

“All of us at MEYER WERFT and throughout the community of Papenburg are very proud to see this ‘Dream’ ship through its historic conveyance,” said Bernard Meyer, managing partner of MEYER WERFT. “As the largest ship this yard has built, our entire community feels a tremendous sense of achievement and a deep connection to this exceptional vessel.”

What dreams do you have?  If you are dreaming of far away places, warm breezes blowing as you recline by the pool, being able to see your favorite Disney Characters up close while sailing on the oceans...  Disney Cruise Line has probably already thought of a way to fulfill your dreams.   Even this sailing from Meyer Werft's shipyard had an element of Disney flair with the fireworks and music sounding from the ship's horns.   

With the passing of this milestone, Disney Dream is one step closer to completion and delivery to Disney Cruise Line and fans across the world.   Here is a list of milestones before the delivery.

Construction Milestones

• Float Out - Completed October 30th
• Testing on the ship’s functional features - Completed last two weeks
• Conveyance - November 12
• Sea Trials (test and adjust phase) - following Conveyance
• Short Final Dry Dock in Hamburg, Germany
• Delivery Ceremony in Bremerhaven, Germany  

Disney Dream will have several new notable innovations for guests to enjoy.

• AquaDuck, a first-of-its-kind water coaster, is an exhilarating, high-speed thrill ride that combines all the ups and downs of a roller coaster with all the twists and turns of a water slide. 
• Magical Portholes offer a “virtual window” to the world for inside staterooms, with a real-time view outside the ship where high-definition cameras feed live video to each stateroom.
• Enchanted Art immerses guests in Disney storytelling and looks like other hanging art pieces around the ship, but is actually a framed LCD screen with technology that recognizes a guest is present.
• Remy, an exquisite top-deck restaurant, only for adults, with incredible ocean views and French-inspired, gourmet cuisine by two award-winning chefs.

The Disney Dream will sail three-, four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Fla., while sister ship Disney Fantasy, is set to sail seven-night alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, also from Port Canaveral, beginning in 2012.

The Disney Magic will continue sailing seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, before returning to the Mediterranean for another summer of cruising in this region in 2011.

The Disney Wonder will begin 2011 by repositioning to the West Coast of the U.S., sailing seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles, while spending the summer sailing first-ever Alaskan itineraries from Vancouver.

Watch for more news about Disney Dream as it is made ready for inaugural events.

Disney Virtual Destinations Night

Please Join Me For A Very Special
Disney Hour!

Get the SCOOP on Disney!
Find Out About the Magical Moments and Exciting Adventures
Awaiting You and Your Family on Every
Disney Cruise and Fun-Filled Destination!

Where? Webinar
When? Thursday, March 11th, 9 PM Eastern
Why? Because we like you !

By Invitation Only - call or email me for invite

1611860601|/travel/display_editorial.do?edOid=1611860600

You're Invited - Virtual Disney Cruise Night March 11th

Double the Magic in the Mediterranean

Introducing The Adventure Disney Cruise Collection: Mediterranean Magic

Disney Cruise Line® is teaming up with Adventures by Disney, to offer a new way to experience the Mediterranean. Beginning May, 2010, enhance your 10- or 11-night Mediterranean Disney Cruise vacation with the extra magic of Adventures by Disney. Include
this add-on package with your cruise vacation and benefit from special onboard activities and privately guided port experiences that will immerse you in the cultures and sights of the Mediterranean region.

Pack your bags and set sail on a Disney adventure packed with double the magic. Onboard you'll find something special for every member of your crew – like uniquely themed restaurants, worldclass entertainment and unsurpassed service. In the ports, two Disney trained Adventure Guides give VIP treatment and authentic experiences you might miss on your own.  You won’t have to worry about planning your excursions, or missing the best your destination has to offer. Adventures by Disney will take care of the details for you!

Each evening, and during days at sea between destinations, you will enjoy exclusive special activities and the dedicated VIP service of two Adventure Guides traveling with the group onboard the ship. You will explore the ports of call with the same two Adventure Guides. Destinations will come to life in the most imaginative and personal way possible through the storytelling of renowned local experts, special access and VIP entrances to major sites, unique story-based meals, and special surprises that only Disney would think of.

Package Features

• Two (2) Adventure Guides – experts in the history and culture of the locations Clients visit who serve as concierge, guide and storyteller, providing personal attention and historical insight throughout the trip
• Welcome reception in Barcelona
• Private reception with historian
• Private animation drawing lesson and Disney Character meet-and-greet
• Palo dinner and wine tasting for adults
• Unique tour experiences in each port of call created especially for Adventures by Disney Guests
• Bypassing lines at popular museums and attractions such as the Accademia di Belle Arti Museum in Florence, Italy to see Michelangelo’s “David”
• Privately guided tours such as the Water Temple of Zaghouan in Tunisia, the Vatican City Museum and Sistine Chapel, historic Rome and the palace apartments in Monte Carlo
• Fun thrills for Junior Adventurers such as their own tour of the Coliseum in Rome
• Costumed historical characters bringing stories to life, such as Napoleon Bonaparte in Corsica, and a private entertainment experience at the medieval village of Eze (at the Villefranche port of call)
• Farewell reception
• Fun surprises and gifts
• Gratuities for shipboard staff (stateroom host, server, assistant server and head server)

Available on the following Disney Cruise Line Departure Dates

(where available)
10-Night sailings: May 5, May 26, August 18 and September 8, 2010
11-Night sailings: May 15, August 7 and August 28, 2010

Pirates in the Caribbean

Happy Halloween

Halloween is a magical time where children of all ages dress up, and for one day, enter the world of make believe. The children wander through the neighborhood and chant "Trick or Treat" with hopes of getting treats that they will enjoy for days to come.

Forget your worries for one day and enter the world of make believe enjoying some time together with your entire family. Hopefully that is exactly what you were able to do on this Halloween. Wouldn't you like for the family fun to continue? Well, that is possible ...

Yoho Yoho a Pirates Life for Me ....

Disney Cruise Line brings that Halloween spirit to life on every voyage with the Pirates in the Caribbean Party. The party begins at dinner with the wait staff dressed in their pirate outfits and continues on deck later where everyone is invited to don their finest pirate gear and come to the party for food, entertainment, and even fireworks.

Calling all prospective Pirates .... Visit my website to learn more about Disney Cruises and make plans for your entire family to enjoy a magical Disney cruise vacation this year or next.

Kids Sail Free this Winter on Disney Magic & Wonder (click for details)

Visit me on Facebook - Become a Fan

Disney Wonder to Get New Home in 2011

Disney Wonder Getting New Home at Port of Los Angeles

Cruise Ship Will Arrive for Extended West Coast Stay in 2011

Disney Cruise Line® has announced plans to reposition the Disney Wonder® Cruise Ship from its base in Port Canaveral, Fla., to the West Coast in 2011. A two-year agreement, with a three-year extension option, was considered by the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners on April 2, 2009.

With the port's proximity to the Disneyland® Resort, you'll be able to enjoy even more magical Disney vacation choices - both on land and sea! The addition of a new homeport for Disney Cruise Line is part of the overall expansion plan for The Walt Disney Company. Two new ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, will arrive in Port Canaveral, Fla., in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Disney Cruise Line successfully tested the West Coast market with two summer seasons of Mexican Riviera cruises in 2005 and 2008. Disney Cruise Line has not yet announced the details of its itineraries for 2011. As soon as they are announced, I'll share that information with you.

Known for establishing family travel in the cruise market, Disney Cruise Line continues to be a leader in the industry. The Disney Wonder was recently named the top large cruise ship experience by readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the 9th annual “Reader’s Cruise Poll.”

The Disney Magic Cruise Ship, which was also ranked in the top five cruise experiences in the poll, will embark on a season of limited itineraries exploring Northern Europe and the Mediterranean in 2010. Salings for Disney Cruise Line