Disney Dream Arrives in Port Canaveral

Thousands of local residents and visitors to the area lined the shore and fireworks filled the pre-dawn sky as the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream, sailed into its homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida, yesterday morning after a 16-night trans-Atlantic voyage from Germany, where it has been under construction for nearly two years.

Accommodating up to 4,000 guests, the 130,000-ton Disney Dream takes Disney’s special brand of family cruising to a whole new level with industry firsts such as the AquaDuck water coaster and Magical Portholes that transform inside staterooms into rooms with magnificent views. All of the ship’s new features–combined with Disney quality entertainment, unique dining experiences and age-specific areas for children, teens and adults–create an unforgettable cruise experience for the entire family. A sister ship, the Disney Fantasy, is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, and will arrive in early 2012. It will sail 7-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries, also from Port Canaveral.

In addition to expanding its facilities at Port Canaveral prior to the arrival the new Disney Dream, Disney Cruise Line has also made enhancements to its private island Castaway Cay in the Bahamas, to further accommodate the new ship and more guests. From extended beaches and more dining locations, to the addition of private beach cabanas and Pelican Plunge, a new floating water play structure with water slides, the island boasts even more offerings and activities for families to enjoy.

Disney Cruise Line established the blueprint for family cruising when the business launched in 1998. The first two ships, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, which set sail in 1998 and 1999, respectively, were purpose built for families to reconnect, adults to recharge and kids to immerse themselves in worlds of fantasy only Disney can create. With the addition of two new ships, Disney Cruise Line is offering a wider variety of itineraries and will sail to more destinations around the world, including a repositioning of the Disney Wonder to the West Coast of the United States, sailing Mexican Riviera and first-ever Alaskan itineraries in 2011. Meanwhile, the Disney Magic will spend another summer sailing European itineraries in 2011.

Now that the Disney Dream has arrived in its Florida homeport, preparations are underway for its inaugural cruises and events, including the traditional christening of the vessel. Other Disney Dream inaugural events include a Benefit Preview Cruise in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, sailing Jan. 21-23. Beginning with a maiden voyage on Jan 26, the Disney Dream will sail 3, 4, and 5-night cruises to the Bahamas, calling Port Canaveral home.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line, visit DisneyCruise.com.