This is just the news that we have been waiting for! Disney Cruise Lines has announced that there will be two new Disney Cruise Ships. It is thought that the addition of the two new ships will effectively double the capacity of the Disney fleet. There are already four ships. The original Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. The newer, larger ships are the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy.
It was announced that the newest Disney ships will be 135,000 gross tons which means that they will be larger than both the Dream and the Fantasy. They will add around 1,250 staterooms on each ship.
We only have a few actual details right now but it is fun to speculate on what the new ships which be like. Unfortunately we do have a while to wait. The first new ship will sail in 2021 and the second in 2023.
The new Disney ships will be built at the Meyer Werft ship yard in Germany. This is the same ship yard which build the Disney Dream and The Disney Fantasy. Looking at the concept art it seems as though the ships will be built with the same kind of look as the existing ships. The two funnel design was originally important when Disney were designing the original Disney Magic, as it gives the cruise line a very traditional look.
Disney cruise lines are well known for their innovative concepts. The Disney Dream introduced the first water coaster at sea, the Aqua Duck. Those with a keen eye have noticed that the new ship concept art does not include an Aqua Duck. Obviously this doesn’t actually mean there won’t be one on the final design, but maybe Disney has some new ideas of what a new attraction should be.
Here is the official announcement:
“The expansion of Disney Cruise Line only adds to our excitement for the unprecedented growth taking place across our vacation destinations, from new Star Wars experiences coming to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts to the 25th anniversary of Disneyland Paris and the grand opening of our newest park, Shanghai Disney Resort,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
Does this give us any hints as to what we can expect to see on the new Disney ships? We wonder just how large a role Star Wars will play. It seems like a given that there will be a lot of Star Wars influence in the kids clubs, but we wonder if there will be some other features on the ships. There is a large demographic of the parents who take their kids on Disney cruises who grew up with the original movies, so it would seem like a possibility that something more specific to the grown ups will be included too.
Where will the new Disney ships sail? We are sure that at least two and possibly three of the Disney ships will remain in Port Canaveral. This is the traditional Disney cruise port home and it makes sense for many reasons. Perhaps the Disney Magic will find a permanent home in a European port. The European cruise season can last year round and the Disney Magic sailings over the summer in Europe have always been very popular, and attract premium prices.
We hope that one of the Disney ships finds it’s way to being permanently on the West Coast. If this is going to happen we would guess the this would be the Disney Wonder. She is perfectly suited to the Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coastal and Alaskan cruises. It would seem likely that there would be a couple of Hawaiian cruises each year too.
The expansion of the Disney fleet would also give the opportunity to expand into other markets further afield. Will we see the Disney ships in Australia, Japan and Asia? Will there be a Disney World Cruise?
Of course Bob Chapek’s statement could just have been a general reference to the expansion of the whole of the Walt Disney Company rather than a specific reference to what is in store for the new ships. Whatever they have in mind it is sure to be exciting and unique.
If you want to see just what the existing Disney cruise ships offer click on the link below to get your free DVD!
What do you hope that the new Disney cruise ships have to offer?
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Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando. In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.