Disney Cruise Line is Growing!!

 Disney Cruise Line is Growing!! 

As of today, August 2024 Disney Cruise line as 5 ships. They are the Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy and Wish. By the end of next year DCL will have 3 more ships added to the line, Treasure, Destiny and Adventure! All ships, other than Adventure will be home ported in Florida, USA. Adventure will call Singapore home for at least 5 years. By the end of 2025 DCL will have 8 ships with 7 in the USA.

 

June 9^th, 2024, DCL announced a partnership with the Oriental Land Company, the owners of Disneyland Tokyo to build a Wish Class ship for them to have based in Japan! Once that ship is up the DCL line will have 9 ships!! OLC has said they will announce more ships at a later date!

 

At D23 Josh DAramo announced the addition of 4 more ships taking the total number of DCL ships to 13!! The 4 new ships will join the fleet between 2027 and 2031. The homeports, itineraries, names and themes of the ships is still unknown. The process has just begun. Hopefully they will move away from the Wish/Triton style or at least make corrections to the design of the ship.

 

With the addition of 4 ships, I believe it will be possible and yes, it is even advisable for DCL to leave 1 or 2 ships on the West Coast of the US year round. They could leave one in Europe, add to the Japan and Asian sailing, or put one in Australia. According to CLIA (Cruise Line Internation Association) a leading Cruise Industry Association, the West Coast of the US is a growing market. Asia is an area that lost a lot of clients during the Pandemic and has yet to recover.

 

No matter what happens or where the ships end up being homeported the next fw years are exciting for DCL fans!!

Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic - My Thoughts

 

Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic - My Thoughts 

While I find the concept of seeing Walt Disney in a lifelike form interesting, I also find it creepy and disrespectful. I have multiple feelings about this project.

 

First off I think it is disrespectful to Walt’s memory and his family. In fact I know that his family is upset by this development. Here is a post from Walt’s granddaughter, Joanna Miller.

Everyone PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS>>>Do not let them turn Grampa into a ROBOT!…………..My Mom tried to stop this years ago and they respected her wishes. There is plenty of film so people can see him and hear him talk. He has told you everything on TV show lead ins and specials. EVERYONE WHO STEPPED FORWARD when Uncle Robert’s House was going to be destroyed and YOU DID IT . Thank you we have that protected because of all of you. Please help protect the memory and legacy of GRAMPA.

From the personal Facebook page of Joanna Miller

I will add my voice to Joanna’s and stand with the Disney Family on this. When I say I’m standing with the family I am saying this because Joanna Miller is the eldest granddaughter of Walt. She iss passionate in keeping the memory of Walt alive and honored. She is passionate about keeping his memory alive and stopping misinformation about her grandpa..

 

What can you do? Write Disney Corporate and Disneyland! Let your voice be heard. Share the pain this is causing the Disney Family.

The other thing that upsets me is displacing the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Walt wanted to keep his memory alive. Disney Corporate is doing a lot to take away American History that Walt put into the park. If you truly wish to honor Walt, then maintain that history! In fact, add more!

Three Things Everybody Wants to Know about Disney Destiny

 Three Things Everybody Wants to Know about Disney Destiny

 

The most anticipated items during the revivals are the Bow Filigree, the Lobby Decor and the Lobby Statue Character and the Stern Character.

On the Disney Destiny Captain Minnie in her Adventures outfit will adorn the Bow! This was announced much earlier but as part of the main 3 highly anticipated items I’ve added it here.

 

The Grand Hall Lobby will be themed after Wakanda with a statue of Black Panther King, T’Challa with a Panther standing next to him. The imagineers worked with the costumers of the Black Panther movies to come up with the design using layers and multiple rings on the pillars to represent the banded armor and stacked jewelry. The Grand Hall Chandelier will invoke the amazing feeling of Vibranium, found in Wakanda.

 

The Stern of the ship will have a Marvel Superhero for the first time! Spider-Man and his Spider-bots are attempting to paint the filigree and name on the back of the ship. The webslinger himself and his amazing spider-bots will be attempting to paint the ship name and stern filigree.

Disney Destiny – Main Dining Rooms & Other Eats

Disney Destiny - Main Dining Rooms & Other Eats

Disney Destiny will have the same Rotational Dining Plan as all the other Disney Ships. Destiny will have 3 Main Dining Rooms. You will rotate through the restaurants. On a 4-night cruise you will go to 2 restaurants once and the 3^rd restaurant twice. On a 5-night cruise you will go to 2 restaurants twice and the 3^rd restaurant once. You will not know your rotation until you get on the ship.

 

Disney Destiny will have 2 of the same restaurants that the other Triton/Wish class ships (Wish & Treasure) have. 1923 and World of Marvel. The 3^rd restaurant is Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King.

1923: This restaurant evokes the glitz and glamour of Hollywood in the 1920’s. It will have display cases showcasing artwork and other things from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Lucas films. It is a walk back in time of Movie History.

World of Marvel: This restaurant takes you into the Marvel Cinemania Universe. This restaurant has a different story line than the other ships. Groot is trying to throw a birthday party for Rocket. So join the fun and see what happens!

Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King: This restaurant has Broadway style entertainment and storytelling to entertain you while you dine. You will hear the Lion King story and enjoy the music from the Lion King Movie.

Just off the Grand Hall there are 2 walk up Cafes. One is Megara, with a Greco-Disco theme. Megara from Hercules is the inspiration of this dining establishment. Merida of Brave is the inspiration for the Celtic themed location.

Edna A La Mode Sweetshop is a location to treat your Super Sweet Tooth! Edna took her sewing equipment and redesigned it to make sweets! Here you can buy candy, cookies, ice cream and gelato.

 

Coming back is Marceline Market and Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods for casual foods and buffet dining. These areas are on the Pool Deck and most items are included with your cruise fare.

For adults only Palo Steakhouse and Enchante by Chef Arnaud Lallement are returning! These are very popular getaways and do cost extra. Platinum and Pearl Castaway Club Members get one meal at Palo for free each cruise.

 

Disney Destiny - THE IMPORTANT STUFF!!

 Disney Destiny - THE IMPORTANT STUFF!!

 

Here is the MUST KNOW information about the Disney Destiny!

 

Disney Destiny will join the fleet in November 2025. The exact date will be released later. Booking opens September 12^th, 2024for the general public. Castaway Club Members can book according to their Club Membership Level.  Dates for Castaway Club Members are: Pearl, September 6^th, 2024, Platinum September 9^th, Gold September 10^th, and Silver September 11^th. Some people have been sharing another date but that is not correct. This is the official date released by Disney Cruise Line.

 

Disney Destiny will sail 4-5 Night Western Caribbean or Bahamian itineraries with the home port of Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, Fl.

 

Disney Destiny is the 3^rd of the Wish/Triton Class Disney ship. She will have the same basic design/layout as Disney Wish and Disney Treasure. There will be returning favorites and new offerings in the way of dining and lounges.

 

If you are interested in being on a list to be notified of the Maiden Voyage and Inaugural Season itineraries feel free to contact us.

 

Carolyn-Tinky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Scott-Sparky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

 

Keep following the blog for more information on the Disney Destiny. There is much more information but I’m breaking it down into smaller posts.

 

 

 

Discovering Disney Destiny!!

 Discovering Disney Destiny!!

 

Disney Cruise Line is having a 3 day reveal of their 3^rd Wish/Triton Class ship, the Disney Destiny!!! July 30^th to August 1^st go to the Disney Parks Blog (DisneyParksBlog.com) to find the link. Each day at 10 am ET (7 am PT) hey will have a new piece of information about the new ship being built!

 

Disney Destiny is all about the Heros and Villains of Disney Stories. So there is a lot of fun to be had!

 

Disney Destiny will join the Disney Cruise Line Fleet in December of 2025.

 

Check out the video below for a teaser about the Disney Destiny!

Disney Destiny Hero & Villian

How to Tell if a Travel Agency is Legitimate

You may of heard of a recent arrest in Florida of a Con-Artist pretending to be a TA stealing thousands of dollars from her clients. This was a huge problem in the past but the government, Travel Industry, and Travel Agencies/Agents have taken steps to stop this. But Bad Actors still do Bad things. I will be honest, this upset us as owners of Pixie Dusted Memories Travel. It hurts the Travel Professional Industry at large and is offensive. Our hearts break thinking about the hundreds of people that lost money and missed out on a vacation.

 

How do you tell if an agency is legitimate? This is especially true if they are selling Disney Travel! That seems to be a huge and easy market for thieves in the past. Ask if they have passed the CDK (College of Disney Knowledge) if your destination is anything Disney Related. Ask for references, ask if one of their past clients will share their experience with the agency. Ask if they are IATA (International Air Travel Association) or CLIA (Cruise International Association) members and check their status with these two organizations. Most Agencies are part of one or the other. These two organizations are Travel Associations that work at improving the aspect of travel they are associated with.

The best way to know if they are trustworthy is to watch for what information they ask for. TAs should only ask for what is required to book your travel. These are the things that will be needed besides the where and when of your vacation. Name, Address, Birthday, email, phone number or every member of your travel party and ID information such as State ID, and Passport. These are requested at booking and are necessary for the agent to have.

Also important is what forms to they require you to sign, and how do they make payments. A trustworthy agency will NOT take cash or make charges that are paid to the Agency, other than any MINOR fee they may charge above the cost of the trip. The most trustworthy way to make payments is for the Agent to have you sign a Credit/Debit Card Authorization Form and the Agent makes the payment for you. Any charges will state the name of the destination or the booking site the tickets/package where booked with. In other words, the charge will say Disney or something like Expedia. NOT the Agencies/Agent's name! If the agent accepts cash/checks most states require them to be bonded or have a Trust Account.  Ask about the Bond or Trust Account if the agency asks for Cash/Check or charges your card to themselves. Any dispute can be charged against the Bond or Trust Account if there is a problem.

The Credit/Debit Card Authorization Form protects YOU the Client and the Agent/Agency. It will clearly state the total amount of the trip. The dates and details of the trip and list payments made. Keep a copy of each Authorization Form. Note changes and make sure changes are noted or if the amount changes without your knowledge/permission.

 

All Agents that are part of Pixie Dusted Memories Travel use the Credit/Debit Card Authorization Form and will not accept Cash payments. We also allow clients to pay with Disney Gift Cards because there are ways to save money by doing that. We have an Authorization Form for that. We strive to be completely aboveboard and honest. Feel free to ask us questions! Feel free to ask for our CLIA # to verify we are members in good standing.

Why Cruise?

 Why Cruise?

More people are choosing Cruising over other types of vacations. It is becoming so popular that 71% people who have sailed once decide to make it their vacation of choice. The reasons are simple.

1 Cruising is easy to budget. Do your research and you know what is included and what is not. Much of what you want is included in your cruise fare. Usually you only have to add Port Excursion Fees, Alcohol (some lines have packages some do not), and merchandise.

2 There is always something to do! On the ship or on the shore, when in Port there is always something to do. Much of what is on the ship is included in your fare.

3 If you want a vacation to just sit and chill by a pool, a cruise definitely has that to offer.

4 You unpack ONCE and see many new cities/countries.

5 You can sample many locations that you may want to visit again and spend more time.

6 You can explore places that are both interesting and educational, like the artic or Galapagos Islands. Some lines offer special tours that help protect nature.

Cruising can offer many different kinds of things. From Family Friendly to Adult Centered you can find a cruise for you.

 

Do you like to see new places yet don’t want the stress of moving from hotel to hotel every couple of days to see all the places you want? Let your “hotel” move with you! Take a cruise! Wake up most mornings with a different country to explore. No tiering travel by train, bus, car, van or air! Just enjoy the evenings entertainment, meal and sleep in your comfy cabin while you travel!

Want to have a multi-generational family reunion? Worried about how the kids will tire out the grands and older family members? Want adults to have adult time and not worry about who will watch the kids? Don’t want to chase the kids around an amusement park but still want them to have age-appropriate fun things they will love to do? Check out a cruising!! The kids can spend time in the kids club while the adults enjoy adult time. Families can mix and match who is together at any time during the day. Kids have the clubs all day and until late at night. Pull the kids out for pool and game time with the grands during the day. This gives the parents a chance for some private time! Dine together at night as a family, with no worries about cooking or adding extra cost! Enjoy the evening show as a family, then the kids can go back to the kids clubs while the adults go for a drink or some adult entertainment. It is truly a vacation for EACH member of the family!

 

Again this can all be very cost effective giving you more for your travel dollar! It is also a priceless way to make memories that will last forever.

 

 

Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point!

 Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point!

In just a two weeks Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point will be accepting it’s first official visitors!! The Inaugural Cruise will leave June 8^th and stop at Lookout Cay. The ship will be the Disney Fantasy sailing out of Port Canaveral. June 10^th and 13^th they will make stops at Lookout Cay with a stop at Castaway Cay on the 12^th!! So, what are the differences between Disney’s original Private Island, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay, Disney’s newest Private Destination?

 

Both locations have areas for specific age groups. There are areas for the kiddos to enjoy without their parents, Teen Activities, Family Fun from Snorkeling, Swimming to other free and for a fee activities that are amazing for families. They both also have Serenity Bay, an Adult Only beach area with a bar and BBQ. Both have amazing Port Adventures from paddle boats, parasailing, water play areas, bike riding and more. Castaway Cay has swimming with Sting Rays and some other Port Adventures that Lookout Cay does not.

 

Lookout Cay has some totally wonderful things to do!! Lookout Cay is on the island of Eleuthera, Bahama. You can choose to stay in the Disney Bubble and inside Lookout Cay. You can also take excursions outside of Lookout Cay and explore the culture, beauty, and history of the island!

 

Unlike Castaway Cay where the characters are only there to take pictures with on Lookout Cay there are performances! Join a local Junkanoo Group as they call guests to join a Junkanoo Celebration at Disney Lookout Cay! There will be a colorful parade with dancing while you enjoy a Rush Out as performers parade to the Goombay Cultural Center, where Mickey, Minnie and the gang will dance along! This is a vibrant celebration that brings the heartbeat of the Bahamas to life.

 

Over at the Sun Beach Bash on Lookout Cay you can join in the fun with your favorite Disney Pals as they play Goofy’s Good Day Limbo, Pluto’s Pineapple Ring Toss and cool off splashing at Chip-Dales Water Brigade! Enjoy Bahamian renditions of Disney tunes as you play! Fun for the entire family!

 

Keep watching this blog as we will be there and have more 1^st hand information and will share our experiences and pictures next month! We will be sailing on this Inaugural Cruise to Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point! We will explore both Disney destinations and share the different offerings!

Disney Cruise Line has 3 new ships coming out by the end of 2025!

Disney has 3 new ships coming out by the end of 2025!!

That will bring the fleet to 8 ships!

Let me start off by telling you the ships in order of build.

Magic (1998) was 1st and then Wonder (1999). These 2 ships are nearly identical twins and are called the Magic or Classic Class. One being Art Deco and one Art Nuevo. They are the smallest of the Disney ships and carry 1,750 passengers. Magic sails out of various ports. She moves around filling in where needed. Wonder usually does spring and fall West Coast cruises and summers in Alaska. For the last couple of years she has also headed to Australia during their summer our winder months. Wonder may go to the Gulf and East Coast as well.

Dream (2011) and Fantasy (2012) are the 3rd and 4thships in the fleet and are once again nearly identical twins. They are called the Dream Class of ships. This class of ship carry 2,500 guests. At this time Dream is sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Fl and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Fantasy is going out of Port Canaveral Fl and then headed to Europe for the summer months.

All four of the original ships have Animator’s Palate Restaurant. Magic also has Lumiere’s and Rapunzel’s Royal Table. Wonder has Triton’s and Tiana’s Place. Both Dream and Fantasy have Enchanted Garden. Dream has Royal Palace. Fantasy has Royal Court. Really there is not much difference between Royal Court and Palace. The restaurants that have shows on these ships are Animator’s Palate, Rapunzel’s Royal Table and Tiana’s Place. The rest are just fancy sit down restaurants in my opinion. Beautifully themed but easily found on land.

Magic has the AquaDunk. It is a short drop waterslide off the forward funnel. Wonder has no big waterslide. Dream and Fantasy have the AquaDuck, the first Water Coaster at Sea!

Wish joined the fleet in 2022 and is the 1st of a new class of Disney ship, the Wish or Triton Class. Her theme is a Royal Castle at sea. She is the first of a set of triplet ships! This class of ship can carry 2,508 passengers. For the main restaurants it has 1923, Worlds of Marvel, and Arendelle a Frozen Dining Adventure. There are shows in Marvel and Arendelle. 1923 is a fancy sit down with the glitz and glam of 1923 Hollywood, honoring the starting date of the Walt Disney Film Company. Wish only sails 3 and 4-Night Bahamian itineraries so you get shows once in the 2 restaurants with shows. Wish has some fantastically themed lounges! It has the Hyperspace, Star Wars lounge that is a big hit as well as the Bayou. AquaMouse is the Triton Class ships version of the AquaDuck. AquaMouse is the first Disney Attraction at Sea. Think Fantasyland Dark ride crossed with Water Coaster! There are two themes on the video screen that that make up the ride. Wish has an AR game that is a search for the Wishing Star.

December 21st, 2024 the Disney Treasure will join the fleet. Her theme will be Adventure. She will be sailing out of Port Canaveral on 7-Night Caribbean itineraries. The main restaurants will be 1923, Worlds of Marvel and Plaza de Coco. Both Marvel and Coco will have 2 different shows during the 7-Night cruise. There will be Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and 20,000 League Under the Sea lounges! The major construction of the Treasure is complete once completed she will do her sea trials in the next few months before being turned over to Disney Cruise Line.

Treasure will have the AquaMouse! She will keep the 2 themed runs from the Wish and add her own! We are waiting for announcement on the status of an AR game.

Destiny is the 3rd of the triplets! She will join her sisters in the fleet in 2025. Destiny’s theme is Heroes and Villains. The build was started late last year. Not much is know about her as they just released her name and theme. It is guessed she will have 1923 and Marvel restaurants but the 3rd is an unknown. We can assume she will have the AquaMouse and maybe even add a new show! We do not know where she will call home port, but I can guess it will be Port Canaveral.

Disney Adventure has the most interesting story. Adventure started her life being built for a Chinese Cruise Line. Both the Cruise Line and Shipyard building her went bankrupt during the Covid Pandemic. With both Line and Shipyard going under the ship, then called the Global Dream was going to be sold for scrap. DCL stepped in and purchased the ½ built ship and asked the Meyer Warf, the shipyard that has built every Disney ship from the Dream on to take over the closed shipyard and finish her, fixing her to be a Disney Ship. Really, we know nothing more about this massive ship, other than she will carry a staggering 6,000 passengers.

Disney Adventure will join the fleet sometime in 2025 she will be sailing out of Singapore for her first 5 years, she will cover the South Pacific. Covering the South Pacific I think she can do the Asian Pacific countries and maybe even Australia and New Zealand. After 5 years she can stay there or maybe come to the West Coast of America. This is completely unknown.

Disney Parks Blog posts a Ships Log for the Treasure Build and I believe they are starting to do one for the Destiny. So you can follow along!

I hope this helps you pick your next Disney Cruise Ship to sail on!! If you have questions do ask us, Pixie Dusted Memories Travel to help!

Carolyn-Tinky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Scott-Sparky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Do Adults Bound or Dress Up in Costume on a Disney Cruise?? HECK YES!!!!!!

 

Do Adults Bound or Dress Up in Costume on a Disney Cruise?? HECK YES!!!!!!

 

When going on a Disney Cruise many people ask if it is ok to dress up in costume for dinner and shows. The answer is YES!!! Not everyone does dress’ up but many do. Many dress up for Pirate Night. They do everything from simple Pirate Themed t-shirts to full on pirate gear. Some even dress up as pirates from Disney movies.

 

Pirate Night Fun!

Some people dress up for the theme of the restaurant. Going to Tritons? How about a t-shirt, bound or costume from Little Mermaid? Tiana’s or 1923? Get the 1920’s vibe going and dress up with a 20’s feel!! A flapper dress for the ladies and an appropriate dress shirt, pants and vest for the men works well. In Tiana’s add a bit of Mardi Gras! Do you have beads or an appropriate mask or boa? Animator’s Palate we go for a Disney cartoon themed. Something Disney sketchbook themed is good. Enchanted Garden, Royal Court and Palace a Princess and Prince bound is great. Lumiere’s a Beauty and the Beast theme outfit is appropriate. Arendale has a Frozen theme, so Let it Go!! World of Marvel is all about Super Heros so let your inner superhero out to play! Plaza De Coco is themed after the movie Coco. Dress up as your favorite character from the movie or just go with a Mexican themed outfit If it makes you happy DO IT!! We are still waiting for the restaurants for the Treasure and Adventure to be announced.

 

Triton's Night

Tiana's Place for Celebrating!

Rapunzel's Table - Ulf's Mime Troup

Instead of dressing up for the restaurants you can dress up for the show you are going to see. Formal Attire is great for the Golden Mickey’s! Frozen, Beauty and the Beast and other Disney Movies have Live Stage Plays you can dress up for! At minimum you can always go for a Mickey and Minnie bound no matter where you are.

 

Showing our love of Mickey and Minnie!

Do not feel bad if you are the only one dressed up, or if there are just a few others are dressed as far as you. Nobody judges! People are as excited to see a fun t-shirt or nice simple regular nice clothes as much as people dress up. Cruise Casual is the standard dress code in all main restaurants, except the Adult Exclusive restaurants.

 

So dress up, dress down or BOUND!! It does not matter as long as it makes you happy!

What NOT to Put in Checked Luggage

Someone asked me if they could pack their laptop in their checked luggage. I responded, NO!!!! Well, yes you can but really NO!! Listen to why I am so adamant.

1. Your bags are handled by both port workers and Disney crew. The bags are out of your site for hours. Anything can happen!

2. Your bags are tossed into luggage trollies and taken onto the ship. There is not gentle handling.

3. Your bags are tossed into a large room on the ship to be sorted and taken to your cabin.

Anytime during steps 1-3 your bag can be damaged and maybe pop open, spilling the contents.

4. Unexpected things can happen to your bag! Listen to the next story.

As we were leaving the hotel to board the Wonder last month we ran into a family that had just gotten off the ship. A dock worker accidently DROPPED one of their bags into the ocean! Divers were sent in to get the bag. I still don't know if they got their suitcase, and their child's blankie and much loved Mickey Mouse back along with all the other contents of that bag. I do not know if they have gotten their items back yet.

We boarded the ship and enjoyed brunch, settled into our cabin, walked around the ship and then went to dinner. While at dinner an announcement was made that departure was delayed due to an "unforeseen" incident. Departure was delayed for over 3 hours! The next day we found out a lift, being used to load luggage onto the ship broke and dropped an entire trolly of luggage into the ocean! Again divers were sent down to get the luggage. 1 family had all of there luggage take a swim!! It took the crew 2 days to launder the clothes and return them. All their FE/Pixie Dust items and gifts for their kids were destroyed!!

To be clear twice in one day luggage went into the ocean! They were dropped by Port Workers NOT Disney Crew.

So be smart when packing. If it is fragile or something you do not want to take the risk of being lost, broken or you just can't do without put it in your carryon!

What NOT to Pack in Your Checked Luggage When Sailing

 What NOT to Pack in Your Checked Luggage When Sailing

 

No matter what Cruise Line you sail on there is a list of Prohibited Items and Items that you must pack in Carryon Bags instead of Checked. For Disney Cruise Line you can take up to 2 bottles of Wine or 6 bottles of Beer per adult. This MUST be in your Carryon and cannot be in Checked Luggage.

 

Other things, like electronics, valuables like jewelry you can, by policy do in either Carryon or Checked Luggage. So, what should you do? In my opinion and experience it is best to take things you would never wish to lose or have damaged in your Carryon. Do not put laptops, camera’s, tablets, phones, jewelry, or cash in your Checked Luggage! Besides it being both the cruise line and customs policy that you must carry wine and beer on and off the ship you would not want your bottles of wine or beer to break open in your suitcase damaging your clothes, other contents of the bag and the suitcase itself!

 

Why am I so adamant? There are many reasons. Theft is always possible. You don’t want valuable item lost to theft.  Not only is Disney Crew handling your bags, Port Employees, Porters and Long Shorman also handle your bags. They are tossed together in Luggage Trollies and then dumped into large storage rooms on the ship. Suitcases can be accidentally damaged and pop open, dumping the contents. Accidents happen and Luggage can fall overboard while being transferred from shore to ship and ship to shore. Yes, I’ve been on a ship when it has happened! Thankfully not to my luggage. You would not want your Medication, Laptop, Tablet or Camera to end up in the Ocean! So, keep those valuables with you!

First Look at “Zootopia"-Inspired Character Statue for Jumbeaux’s Sweets

 Disney Travel News

Latest Updates from the Disney Treasure: First Look at “Zootopia"-Inspired Character Statue for Jumbeaux’s Sweets

By: Disney Destinations

April 25, 2024

Welcome to the official ship’s log for the Disney Treasure! Follow along for an exclusive look into the complex ship building process as we document all the important milestones of the Disney Treasure’s journey. The Disney Treasure’s story began with the start of construction in January of 2023 and has continued to evolve ever since. Return here for the latest developments in the Disney Treasure’s progress as the world patiently waits for Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship to officially set sail in 2024. The adventure is just beginning!

First announced during the Grand Reveal of the Disney Treasure last year, Jumbeaux’s Sweets is a fanciful new dessert destination set to debut onboard the ship later this year. 

 

How does a space go from concept to reality? It’s all in the details! And Jumbeaux’s Sweets, which will draw inspiration from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning “Zootopia,” is just one example of how Disney Imagineers are collaborating with Disney Animation to turn beloved Disney stories into real-life experiences at sea onboard the Disney Treasure. 

From the precise shade of bubblegum pink-striped wallpaper to the vintage-style light fixtures, each décor element inside Jumbeaux’s Sweets was thoughtfully chosen by Imagineers to transport future Disney Cruise Line guests into the colorful world of Zootopia. The venue’s central design feature will be an eye-catching statue of the film’s unlikely crime-solving duo, Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. 

 

The statue-building process began with sketched designs and a collaboration between Imagineers and the Walt Disney Animation team to create a one-of-a-kind digital model of the piece. The precise measurements from the digital model were used to cast the statue in bronze. Finally, the statue was transported to Florida to be painted. 

 

Jay Abruzzese can be seen adding the finishing touches to both characters. Soon the statue will be ready to be installed inside Jumbeaux’s Sweets and complete the vision Imagineers dreamed up long ago for the venue. 

Don’t be a Pier Runner!!! - AKA Why You Should Book Port Excursions/Adventures with the Cruise Line you are on!

 Don’t be a Pier Runner!!!

AKA Why You Should Book Port Excursions/Adventures with the Cruise Line you are on!

What is a Pier Runner? A Pier Runner is someone who gets off a cruise ship in port and does not return to the ship on time. They go running down the pier to catch the ship at the last moment. Sometimes they miss the ship! Cruise ships pay for the time they are at the Dock. They must leave on time or be charged penalties. Besides the fees they have a schedule to keep. They have a set time to be at the next port that sets them up for the next port and so on. They cannot and will not wait for you. You will be left behind and need to find your own way to the next port or home if you miss the ship. It is YOUR responsibility to be back on board on time. So, make sure your watch, phone or whatever you are keeping track of time with is set to LOCAL Port time! Best yet, be back early!

We all know it is tempting to book the “same” Port Excursion/Adventure with a Non-Cruise Line provider. Hey, it goes to the same place and costs LESS!! Who does not want to save money?! Why is that not a good idea? There are 2 reasons. 1 How trustworthy is the company you find online or the person you find on the dock? Are they real or could then take your money and run or will they take you into danger? Yes, that is a possibility. Still there are good services available that you can trust. 2 Will they get you back in time to make the ship before it leaves? You have no guarantee they will.

Why should you book with Disney or other Cruise Lines when it costs extra? When you book Excursions with the Cruise Line the Port Adventure Company will notify the Cruise Ship of any delay. There is communication there that is not possible with non-cruise line booked excursions. Cruise Lines will delay leaving as long as possible when they know a Port Adventure booked with them is delayed in returning. They will delay even if they don’t get a call as they check on their guests. If you are on a Cruise Line Booked Excursion the Cruise Line is responsible for helping you get to the next port or home.

Just remember, it does not matter if you just hop off to walk around the port/town, book an excursion with the cruise line or on your own with an outside vendor or just grab a taxi at the port. It is YOUR responsibility to be back on board the ship at the time announced by the cruise line! Don’t be a Pier Runner and get left behind!

Thoughts on Disney Cruise Line Late 2025 and Beyond!

 

Thoughts on Disney Cruise Line Late 2025 and Beyond!

 

This post has no official information on what will happen with Disney Cruise Line Ships after the current itineraries. (This includes the just released Summer 2025 Itineraries.) This is completely my thoughts and hopes for the future of DCL Cruising. 

Between 2022 and 2025 DCL will double its fleet from the 4 ships to 8!! There are 3 left to be completed and join the fleet in 2024 and 2025. In order they are Disney Treasure (Maiden Voyage will be 12/21/2024), Disney Adventure (Maiden Voyage not yet announced but will sail from Singapore.), and Disney Destiny (Maiden Voyage and placement not yet announced but we know it will be based in the USA.)

 

DCL’s Main Homeport is Port Canaveral, Florida. This has always been the homeport of Disney Cruise Line Ships since the line started in 1998. In June 2024 DCL will start sailing out of a second dedicated terminal at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. These are the year-round ports that Disney sails from. The terminal buildings are Disney themed and dedicated to DCL alone. From late spring and through the summer of 2025 Disney Magic, Disney Wish and Disney Treasure will sail from Port Canaveral.

 

DCL has been sailing from Miami, Florida for part of the year, but will no longer be doing so as of 2024. They would sail from Miami before sending the ship to Europe for Meditation cruises. Instead of Miami Disney will now sail from a dedicated Terminal at Fort Lauderdale. Disney has made a commitment to being in Fort Lauderdale and a financial commitment to setting up a terminal for those ships. Disney Dream will be sailing from this homeport through Fall 2025.

 

Disney ships also have regularly sailed from New Orleans, Louisiana, Galveston, Texas, San Diego, California, with a summer stay at Vancouver, Canada for the Wonder to do Alaskan Summer Cruises. In 2023 and 2024 Disney Wonder has or is scheduled to sail to Australia for the US Fall/Winter and Australian Summer Season. We do not know if this will be repeated in 2025 as of yet.

 

In Summer 25 the Miami, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Galveston, Texas are not on the itineraries. We do not yet know what will happen at the end of 2025 when the Disney Destiny is planned to join the fleet in the US and the Disney Adventure is to be introduced in Singapore. This is sad for Miami, New Orleans and Galveston DCL cruisers!!

 

So with this information what do I see happening and what do I hope happens at the end of 2025 and beyond.

 

I can see 2 Disney ships homeported at Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale year-round, offering Caribbean and Bahaman cruises. Not much will change there as we usually have 2 ships there. It is only what ship that will change. I believe Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, and Disney Destany along with either the Dream or Fantasy will homeport between Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. Either the Fantasy or Dream will go to Europe for the summers.  The ship that does not go to Europe may go to the other ports, New Orleans, Galveston, and maybe additional Gulf Coast ports. Unsure if this will be the case.

 

I can see one ship, most likely the Magic or Wonder having a homeport on the west coast. This could be San Diego (where Wonder usually ports) or maybe a port in Oregon or Washington. I am sure Wonder will continue to do its Alaskan Summer cruises from Vancouver, Canada. Maybe Disney Magic will do a Panama Canal trip twice a year and be in San Diego while Wonder is in Alaska. That would be a joy for West Coast Disney Cruise Fans! I can only hope Disney Cruises will start adding northbound Pacific Coast Cruises touching into Canada before returning to a port on the West Coast. Maybe put the Magic in San Diego doing Mexico Baha cruises and the Wonder further North heading to Canada is an option. This is truly my hope and dream for beyond 2025.

Why is it always Disney Wonder doing Alaska? Wonder has had some extra design work done to make the decks a little more comfortable in the cool Alaskan Summer. They have more glass around the decks to shield the decks from the cool breezes of the Alaska waters.

 

Why can’t one of the new ships come to the West Coast? Great question!! It is one I asked and hunted for the answer for. The only Disney Cruise Line ships that can make the Panama Cannel crossing are the Magic and Wonder. All the others are too tall to go under the Bridge of the Americas. Because of this I don’t see any of the newer ships coming to the West Coast. It would be a very long cruise to bring one of the newer ships to the West Coast. I think that will only happen if they decide to leave her on the West Coast after that trip.

 

Disney Adventure will be homeported in Singapore for at least the next 5 years. From there she can do a lot of cruising to Asia and even Australia/New Zealand. We will have to wait and see where exactly she goes. It will truly be an Adventure!

A little information about the Disney Adventure. Disney Adventure was not originally being built for Disney. A Chinese cruise line ordered the ship before the Covid pandemic. The ship was around 1/2 built when both the cruise line and the shipyard building her when under due to the financial burden of Covid. Disney came in and purchased the ship and asked Meyer Werft Shipyard to take over the shipyard and continue building the ship. This ship will carry around 6,000 guests when completed.

 

Again, these are only ideas I have for what may happen once Disney has 8 ships in the fleet!!

 

 

 

 

How do You Choose a Disney Cruise??

 How do You Choose a Disney Cruise??

 

There are several ways to pick a Disney Cruise. First, I’ll say no matter where or what ship you sail on you will enjoy yourself. Here is the main questions to consider.

Are you more interested in what the ship has to offer or the Ports of Call? Personally I’m more interested in the ship but do enjoy the ports as well!

 

If you are more interested in what the ships have to offer, make sure you consider the following:

Restaurants – Some of the ships have 2 restaurants with shows during meals while others have only 1. The one with no show is more of an elegant restaurant with beautiful Disney theme but no real show.

Shows – Do you have a favorite Disney movie you would love to see in a live show? Check your ship!

Additional Offerings - Such as AquaDuck/AquaMouse and Incredible Sports area, AR Game on the app or Muppet Detective Agency, Kids Club offerings are slightly different between ships as well.

Length of Cruise – Some ships only offer 3 & 4-Night cruises while some offers 7-Night+ cruises.

 

If Ports of Call are what you are interested in make sure you look to see if the itinerary you are heading for has places you wish to go to.

Do you want a taste of Europe? Consider the Mediterranean cruises offered during the summer. Want to see Alaska? Go on the Wonder during the summer! Want an Island get away?? Any of the Bahaman or Caribbean Cruises are fantastic and will include a stop at one of Disney’s Private Ports, Castaway Cay, or Lookout Cay. In 2025 and beyond you can go on the Disney Adventure and check out ports in Asia and the South Pacific.

 

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are the Classic Ships. They are twin sisters and very similar in style and build. Magic was the 1^st of the Disney Ships and Wonder was the 2^nd. These are the 2 smallest ships of the fleet. They do not have the AquaDuck or AquaMouse. Magic does have a much smaller slide called the AquaDunk that is fun. It is nothing like the AquaDuck or AquaMouse. They are beautifully themed and have a nautical design. 2 of the 3 main restaurants you will enjoy in the evenings have shows while you dine! You will see the Black and White walls of Animator’s Palate go colored and pictures on the wall come to life while you dine. In Tiana’s Place and Rapunzel’s Royal Table get ready for live music and entertainment while you dine! Shows are different in the Walt Disney Theater on the two ships. So you will see something different between them.

 

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are the second set of twins for the Disney Cruise Line. They are s little larger than the Magic and Wonder. They both have the AquaDuck, the first Water Coaster at sea. They have mini-Golf and the Muppet Detective Agency where you can solve a Muppet Crime! This is lots of fun for everyone. Only Animator’s Palate has a show. It will either be a version of Turtle Talk where Crush and friends come to talk to you during dinner. You may be asked to your own character, you will be given instructions to follow and you may see it come to life on the screens with classic Disney characters.

 

Disney Wish was the last ship to join the fleet in 2022. Her triplet sisters, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny will be joining in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and we assume Disney Destiny will have 2 restaurants with live shows during dinner. Wish and Treasure have the Marvel Cinematic Dining Adventure that has a show. Wish has Arendale a Frozen Dining Adventure and Treasure has Plaza Da Coco. Disney Destiny’s restaurants have not been announced as of yet. You will not find Animator’s Palate on these ships. The Wish and Treasure have the AquaMouse (The first Disney Attraction at sea. Part Water Coater like the AquaDuck and Part Dark Ride.) We can assume Disney Destiny will also have a version of AquaMouse. Wish has 2 story lines for AquaMouse. Treasure has 3 story lines planned. We have not even heard if Destiny will have AquaMouse or not, but can assume she will. I’m guessing she will get the 3 stories from the Treasure and add one of her own.

 

Little is known about Disney Adventure. What we do know is she was not purpose built for Disney. Disney found the ship sitting abandoned in a closed shipyard over ½ built. She was being built for a Chinese Cruise Line that went under during Covid. The shipyard also closed down due to Covid. Disney purchased the ship and had the shipyard that is building the Treasure take over completing the build and changing it to fit Disney design. We know she will be ported in Singapore for at least 5 years after she is complete. She is much larger than any of the other Disney ships. That is all we really honestly know about Adventure.

 

I’m going to tell you what I choose. I look at the restaurants and shows first. Then I look at the other onboard offerings. After that I look at the ports to see if I want to go there. If the ship is interesting, I don’t care about the ports because I’ll just stay on the ship, enjoying myself. I look for at least 2 restaurants with “shows” so Dram and Fantasy are lower on my list. I love longer cruises and only do short ones that leave from a local port.

 

I hope this helps you pick a cruise!!

 

Need more information and help picking a cruise?? Let us know!

Carolyn-Tinky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Scott-Sparky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com