Disney Wonder Dry Dock Watch - 11/10 Wonder departs on first cruise out of Galveston

[Disney Divva]

Just disembarked yesterday...witnessed a few minor maintenance repairs along my cabin corridor and few other places (industrial blowers/dryers). Anticipating with bated breath a new and improved DISNEY WONDER!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Lastly, there should be more new announcements regarding the re-imagining of the Wonder in the next couple of months. (I asked about the Concierge Lounge and aqua dunk/duck and she mentioned that they at DCL were very surprised that the two were not mentioned in the announcement).

Thanks for adding your updates. Personally I am most excited about new activities for the Very Merrytime Cruises, even if that information is not only Wonder related!

I am keeping the concierge lounge and the waterslide as open question though as I only want to post something as confirmed once it was announced or we see leaked plans or pictures or such.

Supposedly later this month.

The new locks open later this month. They have been taking reservations for 2 months now.

Thanks to both of you for pointing out that the Panama Canal opens this month! I went ahead and added the duck tail as open question and put the Panama Canal non issue in that point as well.

Was told that a concierge lounge was going to be added.

Thanks for your information. As I mentioned above, I will keep it as an open question until there is official information though.

There was a lot of chatter among the Wonder employees about the changes!! They confirmed that a "duck tail" is being added to the Wonder. And we met one of the new BBB cast members...she loved my daughter and gave her a Magical Moments certificate. She is very excited to be opening the new BBB.

I think the duck tail is likely as well. Where was the new BBB cast member working currently? Is she moving into that position from something else or is she a new hire that is already on the Wonder (which would seem odd to me).

You would have thought something as big as adding a concierge lounge would have been noticeably included in the grand announcement. Seems odd they wouldn't add one.

I am not sure, it is not really that big as it only affects a small minority of the passengers. Also, I am not sure whether they announced it at all before the last Magic dry dock when they added it.

So if a duck tail is being added, then can we still hope for another water slide?

There is always hope!!

Nobody has addressed the most important question. Will the Wonder have the shawarma like the Magic does?

You know what, I was even thinking whether I should include this! But ultimately I saw it more as a menu change than a real change to the ship.

You can't believe all that the employees tell you. My assistant waiter on this years WBPC told me they were definitely going with Cariocos on the Wonder. This just days before the announcement of the Tianas restaurant. But I do believe they will install the ducktail even without the addition of the slide. It is simply needed for stabilization in the rougher waters of the Caribbean.

I guess that ultimately it does not matter if you are a bus driver at WDW or a server on the Wonder. The likelihood of having in detailed insider information is slim. And who knows, there might have been two proposals put out there, one Cariocas and one Tianas and no one expected Tianas to win out.

 

[AquaDame]

Thank you for waiting on official word, flossbolna! I think it will help in the long run as you just don't know whats rumor and whats not with Disney CMs... shoot sometimes they even make a major announcement with "certainties" like the opening date of Rivers of Light and it STILL gets changed!

 

[cruisehopeful]

I saw this thread while on the Wonder. I told my daughter about it and asked her if she will say, "they ruined it," when things change. She is sure it will be ruined. Both of my daughters get attached to things being a certain way. I am looking forward to some of the changes, but will be sad to see some things go. I can't imagine Route 66 being different or Beach Blanket being named something else. I'll get over it, but I'll probably still call those areas by their former names.

 

[Malia78]

Recently off from the first Alaska cruise of the season and keeping a close eye on this thread for sure--booked the San Diego to Vancouver next year just to sample the new "Wonder"

 

[su_A_ve]

Off the Wonder this past Monday. Only thing for sure I got was Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique going in place of the Arcade.

Having been to all four ships (with the Magic post reimageneering) , I do welcome the change from Beach Blanket to Cabanas. I prefer the openness of Cabanas and not having to be stuck in a line.

The single staircase in the atrium makes it so much bigger. I surely will miss Route 66. That was very unique and the decor looked nice. The arcade has not much use today so...

One of the changes originally rumored for Edge last time was that Vibe would be moved to the front of the ship, taking over the crew pool. Edge would then moved over to where Vibe is now. Maybe is work being done with updated technology only.

 

[Misty V]

that sounds amazing

 

[KateMW]

Just booked our first Wonder sail for next Spring Break...4 nights in the Bahamas. My first cruise ever and my husband and daughter's second. They're on the Fantasy right now. Excited to watch this thread!

 

[CowboyKell]

The new locks open later this month. They have been taking reservations for 2 months now.
AKK

I will be surprised if they are fully operational in the next 6 months. Remember, they were supposed to be open the summer of 2013....then 2014.....then now. I stopped checking about 6/8 months ago when they had a massive failure during testing of the Pedro locks.
I'm sure the DCL folks know exactly what's going on. If they are sure the canal will be operational they will add the scoop/Duck Tail. And the slide (woo hoo!!)

 

[bgetter]

I will be surprised if they are fully operational in the next 6 months. Remember, they were supposed to be open the summer of 2013....then 2014.....then now. I stopped checking about 6/8 months ago when they had a massive failure during testing of the Pedro locks.
I'm sure the DCL folks know exactly what's going on. If they are sure the canal will be operational they will add the scoop/Duck Tail. And the slide (woo hoo!!)

I hear what you're saying, but I have been following it pretty closely. For the official opening, they're inviting heads of state, etc. to come and see. Feels really real this time.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I will be surprised if they are fully operational in the next 6 months. Remember, they were supposed to be open the summer of 2013....then 2014.....then now. I stopped checking about 6/8 months ago when they had a massive failure during testing of the Pedro locks.
I'm sure the DCL folks know exactly what's going on. If they are sure the canal will be operational they will add the scoop/Duck Tail. And the slide (woo hoo!!)

Could you explain your review of the construction status and what particular issues remain in construction that will cause further delay?

Just because they were delayed in the past is no indication they are not going to be ready now.


They have been doing tests on the locks and running trial ships though the locks for quite a while now

They are indeed taking reservations for ship transits and the grand opening evens are being set.

Add to that by accepting slot times, they are making a commitment to the rest of the shipping industry. The cruise ship is a relatively small part of the PC traffic, the container lines are setting up to start running their big new Pan max size vessels though the new locks, and this is alot more then just diverting the ships. It means setting up operations on the gulf and east coast and closing down or at least greatly reducing the mini land bridge/railroad operations.


Disney is not going into the yard with the Wonder until Sept. and the whole summer is ahead for them to get fully operational and the Wonder will not be looking to transit the canal with the duck tial for a year yet.


AKK

 

[Snowwhyt]

Thanks for adding your updates. Personally I am most excited about new activities for the Very Merrytime Cruises, even if that information is not only Wonder related!
.

What type of new activities for Very Merrytime Cruises have you heard about?

 

[CowboyKell]

Could you explain your review of the construction status and what particular issues remain in construction that will cause further delay?

Just because they were delayed in the past is no indication they are not going to be ready now.

They have been doing tests on the locks and running trial ships though the locks for quite a while now

They are indeed taking reservations for ship transits and the grand opening evens are being set.

Add to that by accepting slot times, they are making a commitment to the rest of the shipping industry. The cruise ship is a relatively small part of the PC traffic, the container lines are setting up to start running their big new Pan max size vessels though the new locks, and this is alot more then just diverting the ships. It means setting up operations on the gulf and east coast and closing down or at least greatly reducing the mini land bridge/railroad operations.

Disney is not going into the yard with the Wonder until Sept. and the whole summer is ahead for them to get fully operational and the Wonder will not be looking to transit the canal with the duck tial for a year yet.
AKK

Oh, I defiantly have no "real" info. I was keeping up with the canal changes when they were first proposed as it used to effect me more directly. I quickly became disenchanted with the whole project as the usual problems with anything of that scope arose. Two years ago I personally toured the work on the new locks and wondered if they would finish the project at all. About a year ago I decided to "scale back" my maritime activities and had not actively looked at any news at all till I booked our upcoming Disney cruise. I had also had it in my mind without really thinking about it that the dry dock time was more imminent. The months ahead should be ample time to sort out the last of any problems. I also personally tend to stay somewhat pessimistic when it comes to large scale deadlines.

The marine architectural changes for the Wonder have been in the plans for almost a decade and have only been waiting on the Canal. I probably should not have expressed my negativity till I was better informed. (But how would I continue to look like a horse's A** if I did that??)
I think I am also subconsciously opposed to the adding of the slide as it will disturb the beautiful, classic lines of the ship. But, at the same time I really like riding the Aqua Duck on the other ships.

The only thing that never changes is that everything changes.

 

[Flossbolna]

What type of new activities for Very Merrytime Cruises have you heard about?

I have no info about this, but the poster whom I quoted was writing about it:

(This is my post I had posted elsewhere yesterday!)

I just got off the phone with DCL and they provided an abundance of great information.

New activities for the 2016 Merry Time cruises will be released soon.

The folks who will be going on the Wonder in November and December may have quite the adventure booking certain bookings such as Bippity Boppity because those openings will be booked while the Wonder is in dry dock and they are hoping to have those new accommodations in their system before then!

Additionally, they do not have dining rotations in place yet either because of the addition of Tiana's Place.

She also mentioned that the new changes taking on the Wonder have not shown on their system for those November and December sailings and future sailings.

Lastly, there should be more new announcements regarding the re-imagining of the Wonder in the next couple of months. (I asked about the Concierge Lounge and aqua dunk/duck and she mentioned that they at DCL were very surprised that the two were not mentioned in the announcement).

So, we shall see.

Happy Sailings!



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[Tonka's Skipper]

Oh, I defiantly have no "real" info. I was keeping up with the canal changes when they were first proposed as it used to effect me more directly. I quickly became disenchanted with the whole project as the usual problems with anything of that scope arose. Two years ago I personally toured the work on the new locks and wondered if they would finish the project at all. About a year ago I decided to "scale back" my maritime activities and had not actively looked at any news at all till I booked our upcoming Disney cruise. I had also had it in my mind without really thinking about it that the dry dock time was more imminent. The months ahead should be ample time to sort out the last of any problems. I also personally tend to stay somewhat pessimistic when it comes to large scale deadlines.

The marine architectural changes for the Wonder have been in the plans for almost a decade and have only been waiting on the Canal. I probably should not have expressed my negativity till I was better informed. (But how would I continue to look like a horse's A** if I did that??)
I think I am also subconsciously opposed to the adding of the slide as it will disturb the beautiful, classic lines of the ship. But, at the same time I really like riding the Aqua Duck on the other ships.

The only thing that never changes is that everything changes.

Well now I can actually agree with almost everything you said!

As you said, I agree I never though much of the new lock system. I believe they are going to have more water supply issues then they think.

I only reason I believe they will start opening later this month is because of the bookings and the plans the various shipping lines are starting to put in place.. I was fully in your corner over the pass few years, and watched delay after delay occurred including the cracked sill, which was not fully repaired, it was more like patch.

The wonder and Magic and to a lesser degree the Dream class have those beautiful lines and style of the great liners of the 30'. 40' and 50's and I have to admit theslides do stick out up top. The duck tial itself doesn't bother me as much as. Personal choice I guess.

I am one of the die hearts hoping the Big U comes out ............still not likely, but at least now it is possible.

As to your closing comment I totally agree with, especially anything in the Maritime industry.

I am thinking you have a marine background? I sailed tankers mostly, back in the day...........into marine surveys now, cargo, hull and accident investigation


AKK

 

[OKW Lover]

I think I am also subconsciously opposed to the adding of the slide as it will disturb the beautiful, classic lines of the ship. But, at the same time I really like riding the Aqua Duck on the other ships.

The Aqua Dunk on the Magic is a pale imitation of the Aqua Duck. Almost laughable, IMHO.

 

[RAD]

If my vote counted, if it was between the AquaDunk or no AquaDunk I'd vote no AquaDuck. IMHO it just stand out like a sore thumb on the Magic.

 

[mort1331]

Nobody has addressed the most important question. Will the Wonder have the shawarma like the Magic does?

Are you kidding me, we have our first ever cruise and they might have this onboard. Hook me up now!!!!

Just booked our first Wonder sail for next Spring Break...4 nights in the Bahamas. My first cruise ever and my husband and daughter's second. They're on the Fantasy right now. Excited to watch this thread!

We are on the March 19th sailing, first for all of us.

 

[Flossbolna]

Off the Wonder this past Monday. Only thing for sure I got was Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique going in place of the Arcade.

Thanks for reporting this! I put your information into the first post as rumor.

 

[Flossbolna]

The first post has been updated with @su_A_ve's report that the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will go into the space of the current arcade.

Updates in the first post will always be in red until the next update is being posted. I will also always post on the thread when I updated the first post, like now. These posts will also always be in red, so that they are easier to notice.

Hope everyone is getting excited about hopefully getting more information soon!