Disney Dream: Creativity, Innovation Take the Helm

Disney Dream: Creativity, Innovation Take the Helmbr /br /br /The new Disney Dream™ will take family cruising to all-new heights, embracing the spirit of innovation, magical entertainment and immersive experiences that have made Disney Cruise Line® the preeminent cruise of choice for families since 1998.br /br /Family-Friendly Innovationsbr /The Disney Dream™ will introduce a number of cruise-industry firsts and family-friendly innovations designed to make your Client's experience even more magical. Among the highlights:br /AquaDuck — Disney Cruise Line® debuts the first-ever shipboard water coaster! This exhilarating high-speed flume ride featuring twists, turns, drops, uphill acceleration and river rapids — all while traversing the upper decks of the ship. br /br /Virtual Porthole – A cruise-industry first for all inside staterooms! Virtual Portholes offer a "window" to the world with a real-time view outside the ship using high-definition cameras. As Guests observe the view, they may glimpse a magical surprise: animated characters like Mickey Mouse may pop by the Virtual Porthole. br /br /Enchanted Art — Around the atrium lobby and throughout the ship, Enchanted Art will immerse your Clients in Disney storytelling in a completely new way. Enchanted Art magically comes alive as Guests pause to admire individual pieces. br /br /Living Characters — In youth spaces, Disney Characters come to life and interact with children in one-of-a-kind experiences. Crush, the animated sea turtle from the Disney•Pixar motion picture "Finding Nemo," or the mischievous animated alien Stitch make scheduled appearances to chat, play and joke with kids in live, unrehearsed conversations. br /br /A Modern Classic Vesselbr /br /Like her sister ships, the Disney Dream™ continues the tradition of blending the elegant grace of early 20th century transatlantic ocean liners with contemporary design to create one of the most stylish and spectacular cruise ships afloat.br /Signature Design — The ship's exterior color scheme matches the iconic Mickey Mouse with a black hull, bold red funnels and vivid yellow striping and lifeboats. Silhouettes of Disney Characters are scrolled into the signature filigree ornamentation. Inside, the elegant décor is influenced by the Art Deco style with a dash of Disney whimsy. br /br /Atrium Lobby — The magical voyage begins upon entering the expansive three-deck atrium lobby, highlighted by a sweeping grand staircase, oversized portholes and stunning, three-story fluted columns with glowing capitals. Cast in bronze, Admiral Donald Duck graces the atrium lobby. br /br /Staterooms and Suitesbr /Catering to the unique vacation needs of families, Disney Dream™ staterooms offer comfort and style synonymous throughout the Disney fleet.br /150 inside staterooms featuring Virtual Portholes, a cruise-industry first. br /br /1,100 outside staterooms br /br /860 verandahs br /br /199 ocean views br /br /20 concierge family ocean view suites with verandah br /br /19 concierge one-bedroom suites with verandah br /br /2 concierge royal suites br /br /To accommodate larger families and groups traveling together, there are 500 connecting doors adjoining staterooms. Most staterooms feature a split-bath — a concept that Disney introduced to the cruise industry.br /Dining on the Dreambr /Elaborately themed restaurants, distinctly Disney touches and world-class cuisine will please the palate and satisfy all of the senses — making dining aboard the Disney Dream™ a memorable experience for your Clients.br /Animator's Palate — A re-imagined version of the signature Disney Cruise Line® restaurant will bring the magic of Disney animation into the dining room for a one-of-a-kind experience that will captivate the entire family. br /br /Royal Palace — An elegant restaurant inspired by classic Disney films such as "Cinderella" and "Beauty and the Beast." Splendid décor includes ornate marble floors and luxurious carpets plus a magnificent, hand-blown chandelier made of glass slippers. br /br /Enchanted Garden — A whimsical, casual restaurant inspired by the gardens of Versailles. Your Clients will feel as though they've arrived at a lovely conservatory, with white trellises, custom glass "flower" light fixtures and cascading fountain. The dining environment will magically transform from day to night during the meal. br /br /Magical Youth Spacesbr /Disney Cruise Line® revolutionized the cruise industry with elaborately themed youth areas. On the new Disney Dream™, the celebration of children's creativity rises to a new level with extraordinary youth spaces designed to inspire, entertain and spark the imagination of children in nearly an entire deck created just for them.br /Andy's Room — The world of the Disney•Pixar "Toy Story" films comes to life. Kids experience the feeling of being toy-sized as they play among larger-than-life characters from the animated film. br /br /Monster's Academy — A fun, interactive space fashioned after the scare floor from the Disney•Pixar film "Monsters, Inc." br /br /Pixie Hollow — Children are transported to the enchanted land inhabited by Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, complete with a pixie tree, twinkling lights and fairy houses. br /br /Explorer Pod — Inspired by the Disney•Pixar animated film "Finding Nemo," a bright blue and yellow submarine surfaces in the center of the room, offering an interactive play area for children. br /br /It's a Small World Nursery — Infants and toddlers are welcomed by cheerful, three-dimensional facades and artwork inspired by the classic Disney Theme Park attraction. br /br /Edge — Located inside the forward funnel, this lounge is just for tweens ages 11 - 13 and is filled with a multitude of hi-tech entertainment including the ability to create and star in photo postcards and video karaoke. br /br /Vibe — A "teens-only" swipe card provides access to this trendy, indoor/outdoor space created especially for teens ages 14 - 17. br /br /Just for Adultsbr /With a spectacular nighttime entertainment district, exquisite dining, a deluxe spa and tranquil private pool, the Disney Dream™ provides adults with endless ways to unwind, rejuvenate and pamper themselves.br /The District — Located on Deck 4 aft, this adult-exclusive nighttime entertainment area features sensational venues like a sophisticated lounge, modern pub, upscale cocktail lounge, metropolitan "sky bar" and dynamic nightclub. br /br /Senses Spa amp; Salon — Spanning two decks, the 16,000-square-foot spa provides private treatment rooms, rainforest, lavish spa villas and ocean-view gym. br /br /Palo — A redesigned version of the Disney Cruise Line® signature restaurant, Palo invites adults to indulge in a menu of delectable Northern Italian cuisine, an extensive wine list and superior service. br /br /2011 Itinerariesbr /On Jan. 26, 2011, the Disney Dream™ is scheduled to depart Port Canaveral, Fla., for a four-night maiden voyage. Important booking detailsbr /For the majority of 2011, the new ship will alternate three- and four-night sailings. During the summer months, the ship will alternate four- and five-night itineraries. The schedule also includes special five-night holiday cruises during Christmas and New Year's.br /In preparation for the arrival of the new ship, Castaway Cay is undergoing some new enhancements including an expanded family beach, new floating water platform with slides, two water play areas, private beach cabanas and many other upgrades.br /For more information, contact Travel Direct Online at www.traveldirectonline.com Travel Direct Corporation/Cruise Direct Online™ is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner*, offering family vacations to the Walt Disney World® Resort, and Disney Cruise Line®.div class="blogger-post-footer"img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9902695-8723810794143693728?l=cruisenews.blogspot.com' alt='' //div

Disney Ups the Ante on Entertainment… Again

Disney Cruise Line today revealed the first set of features for its new Disney Dream, inaugurating in 2011. And in typical Disney style, they're not just playing follow the leader. The new features are innovative and definitely Disney.Gene Sloan of USAToday's CruiseLog has done an excellent job in summarizing the details. There are several articles at CruiseLog's main page, including this

Can’t They Think of New Names?

There must be some pretty deep layoffs in the Disney creative department these days, as there is a bit of industry redundancy in the new names they announced today for their next two new ships.

Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean have been repeating names between one another for awhile now (Carnival Freedom vs. Freedom of the Seas for example, or Jewel of the Seas and Norwegian Jewel), and of course Princess and Holland America re-use their own ship names frequently and for generations, but I didn't expect that Disney would expand the trend. After all, it's Disney we're talking about. The place where dreams come true and a true fantasy land... the birthplace of imagination for generations of youngsters across the world, and creative innovators for 50 years.

But, despite the redundancy with other lines, I do have to admit the names are well suited to the line which currently consists of the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic.

Oh, did I forget to mention the new names? They'll be the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, planned to set sail in 2011 and 2012, respectively. In announcing the new name, Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations said, "the names are very telling of our brand and are part of our history. Disney is known for making dreams come true, and for creating worlds of fantasy that go beyond the imagination. The names are a natural choice for our ships."

This just means you'll have to be even more careful when you tell your agent which ship you'd like to book. If you're wanting the Disney Fantasy, you want to be sure you don't end up on the Carnival Fantasy instead.

And anyone want to bet if Disney orders a third new ship that it will be the Disney Imagination?