Mouse Extra

For today’s posting I thought I would show you some of the artist renderings presented in yesterday’s press event of the new Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream.  Be careful however, as these pictures may cause an unexplained and uncontrollable urge for fruity drinks.

As you can see from the picture, the new vessel will be much like the old ones, especially on the exterior.  The feeling of a classic ocean liner is kept, and the colors and design seem almost identical…

The picture below is of the Atrium Lobby, the first place you see upon boarding a Disney ship.  Again, this looks very similar to the existing ships.  We have a grand staircase, iconic statue, and an entrance to one of the dining rooms all in about the same location.  What you can’t really tell from this is the comparative scale.  I can only assume this will be somewhat bigger than those on the Magic or Wonder…

If you walk beyond the Atrium Lobby’s staircase, you will enter the Royal Palace dining room, pictured below.  According to the press release, the Royal palace is will be “an elegant restaurant inspired by the classic Disney films “Cinderella,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Sleeping Beauty.”

Our next stop is another new dining location.  This one is the Enchanted Garden.  It is described as “a whimsical, casual restaurant inspired by the gardens of Versailles and featuring a dining environment that magically transforms from day to night.”  This “magical transformation”, something clearly inspired by the Animator’s Palate restaurant found on the current ships, is a popular theme and one used in many locations aboard the Disney Dream.  Those who have been to the Animator’s Palate know that really does work well…

The adult section of the ship, better described as the “bar area”, is called the District.  Below we see a rendering of the Skyline, which in its conceptual form really looks like an inviting place.  Disney calls it “a cosmopolitan sky bar boasting sweeping—and magically transforming—views of some of the world’s most famous cities, where adults can savor a selection of the world’s finest beverages.”  (There’s that “magical transformation” again.)

Next we head to the staterooms for some more virtual magic.  Often times you see dazzling photos of suites that I could never afford during presentations like this.  But this time Disney has focused some attention on their least expensive offerings, the inside stateroom pictured below, with a terrific innovation called a “Virtual Porthole”.    Yes, that window above the bed is actually a screen projecting real-time views from outside the ship in high-definition.  And don’t be surprised to see a character or two come floating by.  I really have to applaud Disney on this.  What a great idea!

Finally we head to the place that is sure to capture the most attention aboard the Disney Dream.  Seen below is the AquaDuck, the ship’s water coaster.  From this rendering you can really see how impressive this will be.  (My wife says she would have to close her eyes in order to ride it…)

So what do you think of the Disney Dream?  Frankly, I was expecting to be impressed but this exceeded those expectations.  I can’t wait to experience this ship first hand.