Disney Cruise Line Classic Ships Part 2 of 2 – The Wonder

 Disney Cruise Line Classic Ships – The Wonder

Many people love the Classic-Class of Disney Ships. They are the original ships of the fleet, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. They are the smallest ships of the fleet and many guests feel they are more intimate and less crowded. These two ships are near identical twins.

Fun fact of the Disney Wonder: Take a stroll outside on deck 4 and look closely at the side of the ship when you are mid-ship. There is a weld mark there but no true weld. That "fake" weld is a nod to the Wonder's sister ship Disney Magic. Magic was built in 2 sections and then floated together.

 

Disney Classic-Class Stats:

Gross Tonnage: 83,000 GT

Length 964 feet / Beam 106 Feet / Draft 25.26 Feet

Number of Passenger Cabins: 875

Passenger Capacity: 2,400

Cruising Speed: 23 Knots

 

As of 2025 Magic and Wonder are DCL’s wondering ships. They can and have sailed out of Florida, Texas, Louisiana, California, Canada (Alaskan Cruises) and even Australia. In the past Disney Magic was doing European/Mediterranean cruises as well. In 2026 both Magic and Wonder will be doing Alaskan Cruises out of Vancouver, Canada for the summer months. They do not stick to one home port year-round.

 

Exploring Disney Wonder:

Restaurants:

Triton’s is themed on the movie Little Mermaid. The food is French/American. This is a beautifully themed restaurant but like many “nice” restaurants on land. There is no show.

 

Animator’s Palate is themed like an Animator’s Workshop. The food is Asian, Pacific Islands and Californian Cuisine. The fun starts the moment you enter the restaurant for dinner. There are 4 different possible shows in Animator’s Palate. For the Classic-Class ships it is more likely you will get one of 3 shows.

The normal show for the Classic-Class starts out with the “picture frames” on the wall showing pencil sketches of various Disney Characters being drawn in black and white. As the meal progresses the pictures are colored in and by the end of the meal they are fully animated.

The 2^nd possible show comes from The Dream-Class ships. You will be given a placemat and markers to draw your own character. If you follow directions your character will join classic Disney Characters in classic cartoons shown on the screens around the dining room.

The 3^rd show is Pirate Night! The show is much like the normal show, except the characters drawn are all pirate themed! From Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean and even Treasure Planet the characters bring the Pirate fun to dinner.

The 4^th show is usually on the Dream-Class ships and is like Turtle Talk from Disney Parks. Crush goes around the dining room to every table saying hi and chatting. The Moon Fish from the movies join the fun adding a fun game to the meal.

My suggestion is to request Animator’s Palate as many times as you can for your cruise and make a request for Animator’s for Pirate Night as well. On a 7-Night cruise you can get 3 shows! For a 4 night cruise request it twice with Pirate Night being one. You will get Triton’s  and Tiana’s once and Animator’s twice.

 

Tiana’s Place is themed after the movie Princess and the Frog. The feel is 1920’s, New Orleans at Mardi Gras! It is a place of celebration and fun! Listen to live jazz music as you enjoy your meal in Tiana’s Place. Tiana comes around to visit and there is a little dancing going on as well.

 

Shows:

The 3 Broadway-Style shows are Frozen, A Musical Spectacular, The Golden Mickeys, and Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic.

Frozen, A Musical Spectacular is based on the movie Frozen.

The Golden Mickeys is a fun Oscar type awards show. Walk the Red Carpet and be part of the pre-show! The show looks at all the great characters from past and current Disney movies.

Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic is a romp through the most beloved Disney Stories as a young girl looks for help figuring out her feelings of growing up.

 

All Disney Ships have the Sail a Wave/Sail Away deck party and Pirates Night. Some sailings have a Frozen themed Deck Party if they are not doing Pirate Night.

 

Disney Wonder is the only Disney Ship not to have a large water slide.

 

There is a fun lounge called the French Quarter Lounge. It is always Madi Gras in the French Quarter! It is themed after the movie Princess and the Frog. Stop in and get one of Tiana’s legendary Beignets and a drink! It has a stage so check the Navigator App for the schedule of entertainment there.

If you love Ariel, Tiana, or Elsa and Anna this ship is a special treat for you.

 

Disney Wonder is Accessibility friendly. If you wish to see the live stage show you can sit in the back of the theater or go to Deck 3 to the lounge on the port side and ask for accessible access to the front row of the theater. They will walk you through a backstage area to access the front. For accessible entrance to Triton's use the entrance on the port side hall instead of the Atrium Lobby Entrance.

Watch for future posts on each of the Dream and Wish class of ships!

Disney Cruise Line Classic Ships Part 1 of 2 – The Disney Magic

Disney Cruise Line Classic Ships – The Disney Magic

Many people love the Classic-Class of Disney Ships. They are the original ships of the fleet, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. They are the smallest ships of the fleet and many guests feel they are more intimate and less crowded. These two ships are near identical twins.

Interesting facts: Magic was the 5th largest Passenger Ship at sea when built. She was built at 2 different shipyards and the 2 halves floated out and welded together.

Disney Classic-Class Stats:

Built: 1998

Gross Tonnage: 83,000 GT

Length 964 feet / Beam 106 Feet / Draft 25.26 Feet

Number of Passenger Cabins: 875

Passenger Capacity: 2,400

Cruising Speed: 23 Knots

 

As of 2025 Magic and Wonder are DCL’s wondering ships. They can and have sailed out of Florida, Texas, Louisiana, California, Canada (Alaskan Cruises) and even Australia. In the past Disney Magic was doing European/Mediterranean cruises as well. In 2026 both Magic and Wonder will be doing Alaskan Cruises out of Vancouver, Canada for the summer months. They do not stick to one home port year-round.

 

Exploring Disney Magic:

Restaurants:

Lumiere’s is themed on the movie Beauty and the Beast. The food is French/American. This is a beautifully themed restaurant but like many “nice” restaurants on land. There is no show.

 

Animator’s Palate is themed like an Animator’s Workshop. The food is Asian, Pacific Islands and Californian Cuisine. The fun starts the moment you enter the restaurant for dinner. There are 4 different possible shows in Animator’s Palate. For the Classic-Class ships it is more likely you will get one of 3 shows.

The normal show for the Classic-Class starts out with the “picture frames” on the wall showing pencil sketches of various Disney Characters being drawn in black and white. As the meal progresses the pictures are colored in and by the end of the meal they are fully animated.

The 2^nd possible show comes from The Dream-Class ships. You will be given a placemat and markers to draw you own character. If you follow directions your character will join classic Disney Characters in classic cartoons shown on the screens around the dining room.

The 3^rd show is Pirate Night! The show is much like the normal show, except the characters drawn are all pirate themed! From Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean and even Treasure Planet the characters bring the Pirate fun to dinner.

The 4^th show is usually on the Dream-Class ships and is like Turtle Talk from Disney Parks. Crush goes around the dining room to every table saying hi and chatting. The Moon Fish from the movies join the fun adding a fun game to the meal.

My suggestion is to request Animator’s Palate as many times as you can for your cruise and make a request for Animator’s for Pirate Night as well. On a 7-Night cruise you can get 3 shows! For a 4 night cruise request it twice with Pirate Night being one. You will get Lumiere’s  and Rapunzel’s once and Animator’s twice.

 

Rapunzel’s Royal Table is themed after the movie Tangled. The Thugs from the Snuggly Duckling are there to entertain and play live music as you enjoy your meal. Rapunzel, Flinn Ryder and the Thugs come around to visit the tables!

 

Shows:

The 3 Broadway-Style shows are Tangled: The Musical, Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story and Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic.

 

Tangled: The Musical is based on the movie Tangled.

Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story is truly a twist on the Cinderella Story. It is a look at what might have happened to the evil stepsisters and mother after Cinderella marries the Prince.

Disney Dreams - An Enchanted Classic is a romp through the most beloved Disney Stories as a young girl looks for help figuring out her feelings of growing up.

 

All Disney Ships have the Sail a Wave/Sail Away deck party and Pirates Night. Some sailings have a Frozen themed Deck Party if they are not doing Pirate Night.

 

Disney Magic has The AquaDunk. This is a floor drop plummet water slide that goes over the side of the ship from the funnel and splashes down on the pool deck below.

 

There is a fun lounge called the Soul Cat Lounge. It is a jazz Style lounge based on the move Soul. It has a stage so check the Navigator App for the schedule of entertainment there.

If you love Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel/Tangled, or Cinderella this ship is a special treat for you.

Disney Magic is Accessibility friendly. If you wish to see the live stage show you can sit in the back of the theater or go to Deck 3 to the lounge on the port side and ask for accessible access to the front row of the theater. They will walk you through a back stage area to access the front. For accessible entrance to Lumiere's use the entrance on the port side hall instead of the Atrium Lobby Entrance.

 

Watch for the Disney Wonder post coming soon. Keep watching for posts on the Dream and Wish class of ships coming in the future.

Let’s Talk Disney Cruise Line Growth!!

Let’s Talk Disney Cruise Line Growth!!

Meyer Werft is building the new Disney Cruise Line Ships. This is an exciting time for DCL!

 

Meyer Werft has built all but the original Classic-Class, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder ships for Disney Cruise Line. In 2011 and 2012 Meyer Werft delivered The Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. In 2022 and 2024 Meyer Werft delivered The Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, the 1^st of the Wish-Class Disney Ships.

 

In 2025 Meyer Werft will deliver the Disney Destiny, 3^rd of the Wish-Class and a unique ship called the Disney Adventure, Global-Class Disney Ship. Disney Destiny joins the Disney fleet for her Maiden Voyage, November 20^th, 2025. Disney Destiny will sail out of Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Destiny will be the 7^th ship in the Disney Fleet.

 

Disney Adventure is being built at what is now the second Meyer Werft shipyard at Disney’s behest. Adventure is a ship that was being built for the Hong Kong based, Star Cruise Line. Star Cruise Line commissioned the ship, to be named the Global Dream. Star Cruise Line went under during the Covid Pandemic and the Global Dream sat in the MV Werften Shipyard. The ship builder went under as well. In stepped Disney and they purchased the Global Dream for a good deal and asked Meyer Werft to re-imagine and complete the ship for them. Meyer Werft took over the MV Werften yard in Wismar, Germany and they are in the process of completing her. Disney Adventure will join the fleet, December of 2025. Disney Adventure will sail out of Singapore for at least the first 5 years. Adventure is the 8^th Ship in the Disney Fleet. Disney Adventure is 208,000 GT, length, 1,221 Ft, with a beam of 152 feet. She will be 231 feet tall. She can hold 6,700 passengers.

 

So that brings us current to 2025 with the Disney Cruise line and a fleet of 8 ships. What next?? On the Meyer Werft shipyards webpage, they list the ships that have been ordered until 2031. These ships have not been built or named as of yet. Let me share what is there to know.

 

After The Destiny and Adventure there will be a wait until 2027 for the next Disney Ship. The 2027 ship will be the 4^th Wish-Class ship to be built for Disney. Name and home port has not been released yet. The Wish-Class ships are 140,000 GT and have 1,250 passenger cabins, with a passenger capacity of 4,000.

 

In 2028 the 5^th Wish-Class ship will be completed. This ship is being built for Disney at the request of the Oriental Land Company. She does not have a name as of yet. We do know she will be sailing out of the Port of Tokyo doing 3-5 day cruises there. She will be the same size and layout as the other Wish-Class ships

 

In 2029 there will be a completely new class of Disney Ships starting to be built! The 2^nd will be completed in 2030 and the 3^rd in 2031. Unlike other cruise lines that are going bigger, Disney is going smaller! These ships will be 20% bigger than the Classic ships and smaller than the Dream-Class ships. They will be around 100,000 GT and carry 3,000 passengers. This is approximately 600 more passengers than the Classic-Class ships and 1,000 fewer than the Dream-Class. The ship(s) are being designed to be able to go to more ports that cannot accommodate the larger ships.

 

By 2031 there will be 13 ships in The Disney Fleet! This is exciting news for those who love the Magical Cruises Disney provides!

Why Use a Travel Agent to Book Your Disney Vacation? Why Use Pixie Dusted Memories Travel?

Why Use a Travel Agent to Book Your Disney Vacation?

Why Use Pixie Dusted Memories Travel?

The internet has made it easy to book your own vacation. You can even just call any Disney Park or the Cruise Line and book your vacation yourself. So why use a Travel Agent? There are many good agents and agencies out there. Find one that feel right for you.

 

First off you should find an agent who has specifically trained for Disney. They should be able to show you their College of Disney Knowledge Certification if asked. This training is covers every Disney Destination you can think of. You will have access to a wealth of knowledge by going with a Disney specialist. If it is your first time they can tell you the ins and outs of the destination.

Disney sometimes has discounts, free dining or other offers. Travel Agents are notified of these and can apply them, sometimes even after you have already booked. Travel Agents are aware of other ways to save a money and will assist. A great example is using Discounted Disney Gift Cards to pay for your vacation. Another way to save money is when you book and when you travel. Agents see the prices and how they change. They can also offer their experience on when pricing is lowest for where you wish to go.

Besides saving money a Travel Agent can help you understand what you may need to bring on your vacation. Are you cruising? Do you need a passport? What about Trip Insurance? Land or Sea considering Trip Insurance or Trip Protection is important. What does it cover? When do you purchase it? What are the risks of not purchasing?

 

What happens if something goes wrong and you cannot go on vacatin? Do you know the cancelation policy of your vacation destination? How do you get a refund? What if something goes wrong on the trip? Were you disappointed in the service or quality of the experience? Were there issues with your room? A Travel Agent can help you figure out how to talk to Disney to get assistance.

 

Do you need help with accessible accommodation? Do you need information on a destination and what is available for YOU with your accessible needs? A Travel Agent you specializes in Accessibility can be a great asset! Pixie Dusted Memories Travel does this!

 

Here is a big reason to consider using a Travel Agent. It is YOUR time and stress level. When new itineraries for Disney Cruise Line or Booking Opens for new dates at the Parks or Resorts the phone lines get overloaded. There can be a one to four hour plus hold before you can talk to someone to book your trip or make a modification/payment on an existing vacation not in the new booking time frame. Do you want to be on the phone stressing about making your Advanced Dining Reservations, Booking Port and Shipboard Adventures or adding special magic to your vacation? Would it not be wonderful to turn that over to someone else to handle for you? A Travel Agent does the work so you can PLAY!!

 

The best thing about the majority of Travel Agents that book Disney is there is no fee!! The first thing to ask any Travel Agent is do you charge any fees! The answer should be NO! Travel Agents get paid by commission. That commission is built into the price of the vacation. It does not matter if you book with a Travel Agent or directly with Disney, YOU pay that commission! The total will be the same for the exact same booking. Why not let someone else do the work for you?

We are Pixie Dusted Memories Travel. We do not charge any fees for our travel-related services. We do the work so you can play. We are here to answer any questions you may have. We will watch for special discounts that we may apply to any reservation you book with us.

Why Book a Disney Cruise Line Future Cruise or Placeholder? How to Save Money!!

Why Book a Disney Cruise Line Future Cruise or Placeholder? How to Save Money!!

 

Most people that sail Disney Cruise Line want to sail again. A Future Cruise Booking or Placeholder made on the ship while sailing is the best way to save money on a Disney Cruise!

 

Simply put a Placeholder is a deposit on a future cruise that you make while on your current cruise. You have 24 months from the date you make that $250 deposit to sail. An example is if you book a Placeholder while on the ship March 30^th, 2025 you have until March 29^th, 2027, to board using that Placeholder Deposit. You can also just book a Future Cruise that is available before then while on the ship as well. The $250 deposit made for a Placeholder is used towards the original deposit when booking the final chosen cruise!

 

How does this save you money? Disney gives you a 10% discount for Booking a Future Cruise or a Placeholder while on the ship! If you wish to save another 5% or more you can get discounted Disney Gift Cards at places like Target, Sam’s Club, CostCo or even some EBates stores. Follow the Disney Gift Card rules to combine them and use them to pay for the cruise! Combining them together can save you 15% or more! This adds up quickly!

 

If you book a cruise that costs $3,500 and use a Future Cruise or Placeholder for it that is a savings of $350! If you make that Future Cruise or Placeholder payment with Discounted Disney Gift Cards at 5% off that is $525 saved! That $3,500 cruise ended up costing $2,975! It is always worth looking into.

 

How to combine and use Disney Gift Cards:

•  Go to DisneyGiftCard.com and log in using your Disney log in.
• Add 2 – 6 cards.
• Transfer the funds from all cards onto just one card. You can dispose of the empty cards.
• Maximum allowed to be on 1 card is $1,000.
• Use this card to make payments for your Disney Vacation (parks or cruise).
• Only use this card to the $1,000 max.
• If the total payments are over $1,000 use multiple cards.
• SAVE the cards you used to make payments. If money is refunded it will go back onto these cards so you may need them later!

 

Here are some rules about Placeholders/Future Cruise Bookings made on the ship.

1.      Placeholders must be used within 24 months of booking it on the ship.

2.      If you wish to transfer your Future Cruise or Placeholder booking to a Travel Agent it must be done within 30 days of booking it!

•   If booked on March 29^th, 2025 you have until April 25^th, 2025 to transfer it to your favorite Travel Agent. The sooner you do it the better! If you wait until the 30^th day DCL may not have enough time to transfer it.
• You cannot transfer a Future Cruise Booking that is Paid in Full.
• You cannot transfer a Placeholder/Future Cruise Booking from one agent/agency to another without just cause. This is nearly impossible to do because of Disney’s policies designed to stop agencies from taking clients from each other. You cannot just decide to change agencies at whim.
• Exceptions:
• If you agent/agency changes pricing policies and now charges a fee.
• If the agency is not working in your favor. They are grossly mishandling your reservation.
• Be ready to have documentation of this.
• If you agent/agency no longer wishes to service your reservation.
• The agency you were working with informs you they are no longer in business and transfers the booking back to you.
• Be aware that, for legal reasons, both the old and new agencies will need to be required to sign forms from DCL documenting the fact both agencies agree to the transfer.

Disney Destiny Updates!! Latest News from the Heroes and Villains Ship! What Next?

 Disney Destiny Updates!!

Latest News from the Heroes and Villains Ship!

What Next?

By Disney Destinations

February 11^th, 2025 - Bow Art

With the final block of the Disney Destiny  in place, the team at Meyer Werft shipyard can turn their attention to installing the unique exterior features that will distinguish the ship. First on the list is a whimsical art piece on the Disney Destiny’s bow, which depicts Minnie Mouse striking a valiant pose in her new heroic ensemble. With her cape billowing behind her, Minnie Mouse’s outfit symbolizes the Disney Destiny’s first-of-its-kind “Heroes and Villains” design theme.

 

The elegant, hand-painted filigree continues a longstanding Disney Cruise Line tradition dating back to the fleet’s first ship, the Disney Magic, with every Disney Cruise Line vessel having a distinct character-inspired image embossed on its bow. In the lead up to the Disney Destiny’s maiden voyage in November of this year, the team at Meyer Werft Shipyard will continue to add details to the ship’s exterior and interior.

 

March 24^th, 2025 – Float Up!

Last week, the Disney Destiny completed another exciting construction milestone at Meyer Werft Shipyard when it touched water for the first time. The process known as “float up,” by flooding the building dock with water from the Ems River in order to lift the Disney Destiny from the floor of the chamber. The ship was then guided to another position in the hall, where the team will begin testing different systems onboard, including the main engines. In the coming months, the shipyard team will continue to focus on building out the legendary interior spaces coming to the Disney Destiny.

 

My thoughts:

Looking back at the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure I have an idea of the upcoming timeline. So far, I do believe The Destiny is ahead of schedule and will not miss her Maiden Voyage. Something unexpected would have to happen now to delay Meyer Werft handing the ship over.

 

June or July 2025 The Disney Destiny will do her Float Out where she will leave the shipyard building and move to the dock outside.

 

After the Float Out the ship will spend 1-2 months at the shipyard outside dock while they finish the inside of the ship and complete testing of all essential systems.

 

August-September 2025 the Disney Destiny will sail away from the port for Sea Trials. Sea Trials is where they that the ship out and test all systems under working conditions. They will take her up to full speed and do an emergency stop. They will test all navigational and emergency systems.

 

Sometime in September-October I expect the Disney Destiny to officially handed over to Disney Cruise Line. At this point she will make her Transatlantic Crossing for the first time. While they are doing the crossing they will be finishing any last minute things like specialty lighting, installing sound and other equipment for the theater and other venues, and maybe installing some carpet. During the crossing the crew members of the ship will be learning about her. They will practice serving in the main restaurants by serving the crew, and their families who are finishing installing things. The Cabin Stewards will be learning how to clean and set up cabins, by again taking care of those who are finishing the ship up. The entertainment crew will be practicing for the shows and the kids club will be open for the kids traveling with their parents. There will be a lot of things happening in the couple of weeks it will take them to arrive at their new home port in Fort Lauderdale. Fl.

 

When and where will the Christening of the Disney Destiny happen? That has not been announced yet. All the ships, except the Treasure were Christened at Port Canaveral, Fl. The Disney Treasure was Christened at Port of New York, NY. Keep your eyes open for the announcement!

 

Where will Disney Destiny call home Port? Fort Lauderdale, Fl.

 

When is the Disney Destiny’s Maiden Voyage? November 20^th, 2025.

Disney Cruise Line WEST Coast News!!

Disney Cruise Line WEST Coast News!!

 

Do you live closer to California than Florida? Would you enjoy a Land and Sea Vacation that included Disneyland and a Disney Cruise? Well, there is great news coming in the future!!

 

In 2011 DCL sailed out of the Port of Los Angeles. They did this for a few years and then stopped coming to the west coast for several years. Then they moved to San Diego for their West Coast Cruises.

 

We already know that Disney Magic is joining Disney Wonder in Alaska next year for the summer months in 2026. It is still to be seen if there will be more cruises out of California or beyond 2026. We are still waiting for the fall of 2026 Itineraries to let us know if Wonder is going back to Australia for Fall and Winger 2026 or coming back to San Diego. Were Magic will go has still not been announced.

 

What is the exciting news for the West Coast?? DCL and entered into an agreement with Santa Catalina Iland, Avalon officials starting September of 2027!! This will secure the preferred port location for the Disney ships to port there. This is a 5-year agreement with a built-in offer to extend it another 5 years twice for a total of 15 years!! It looks like Disney will be sailing to Catalina Island MORE in the coming years!!! This does not mean they are only going to Catalina they are going to have cruises that do not go to Catalina out of California as well.

 

What will happen to Catalina with DCL arriving more. Avalon is a small port city. You can easily walk the entire city during the time you have in port. There are fun and informative Port Adventures to be done in Avalon. DCL stopping there means increased tourism that brings jobs and increases money coming in. DCL has already pledged to help with additional costs for infrastructure, water, and waste management project improvements. It will add to the conservancy funds that help protect nature on the island.

 

With the new ships joining the fleet almost yearly between now and 2031 there is the possibility of the West coast getting a ship left on the West Coast most of the year! This means that those living closer to West Coast that East will have to travel less distance to get to the cruises. This will make Disney Cruises more affordable for West Coast fans.

 

Will any of the new or older large ships, such as the Dream or Triton/Wish class ships come to California? Sadly no. The Dream and Triton/Wish class ships are too large to fit through the Panama Canal. At this time only the Disney Magic and Wonder can do it. It is possible that the fourth unnamed class of ship will fit. We do not know yet. It has been announced that the next class of ship will be 25% larger than the Classic Class (Magic/Wonder) and 25% small than the Dream Class (Dram Fantasy).

 

No matter if it is just the Magic and Wonder or one of the fourth class of ships to come, we know DCL is investing in heading to the West Coast!