2 Years since my last cruise - What's changed

[canadiandisneyfamof4]

I feel really out of the loop as it's been 2 years since my last cruise and due to issues with the disboard app I haven't been keeping up to date on all things DCL.

I know that Princess Gatherings are now ticketed events, but has anything else changed.

We sailed 2x on the Fantasy previously and this year are doing a 4 night on the Magic out of Miami.

 

[Patinmn]

That is a tough question, you need to be more specific on your question. The Fantasy and the Magic are 2 different classes of ships, so basically there are a lot of things different.
So, I will say most everything has changed.

I am not trying to be a smart a##, but we would definitely need to know more of what you are looking for.

 

[Ofinn]

I can't think of anything that's changed except the prices going up(Palo too) and they auto- charge your tips now... Oh yeah OBB has changed too.

 

[ej119]

It was two years between my first cruise on the Dream (2012) and the Fantasy (2014). We'll be hitting up the Magic next year.

I didn't find too many changes between my two cruises -- except for some obvious differences in price and the ships' layouts and bars. However, after each trip, I was left wanting more and determined to sail DCL again.

As Patnimn stated, there are a lot of differences between the Dream class and Classic classes of ships. One of the reasons we were determined to go on the Magic next year is because every CM we talked to raved about the Magic -- many of them saying its their favorite of the 4 ships.

 

[wilma-bride]

Just so you know the Disboards app no longer works. You can access the DIS via your browser and it will work perfectly well, no need for an app

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I last sailed in October 2013.

Some of the things that have changed that I've kept track of:

Tipping is automatically charged to your on board account (changed happened April 2012 I believe so you may or may not be aware);
Princess Gathering, Disney Junior and Anna and Elsa are now ticketed events;
Palo is $30 for brunch and dinner;
A Shwarma place was added to the Magic;
New waterslides (Aquadunk and a yellow twisty slide) were added to the Magic;
Avengers area added to the kids club on the Magic (actually, the whole are was re-imagined) WDWInfo pictures http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showgallery.php/cat/1624
Carioca's replaced Parrot Cay on the Magic (new look and new menu);
The buffet was redone and renamed to Cabana's (style is now similar to Dream and Fantasy);
Adult areas were redone;
Tangled the Musical will be starting in November 2015 aboard the Magic
Changes to Castaway Cay - new Cabana's (opened early 2012), summertime freeze stand opened recently;
New health questionnaire;
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has very recently been added featuring Anna & Elsa’s Boutique
Some small menu changes to the main dining room menus over the past couple of years;
The beds no longer split and are now a queen bed with a wooden frame;
Prices for basically everything onboard or at Castaway Cay have gone up.

That's about all I can think of.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just so you know the Disboards app no longer works. You can access the DIS via your browser and it will work perfectly well, no need for an app

Ah drat, you beat me to it. There aren't issues with the app, it just doesn't exist. The Dis is now a "mobile friendly" message board so you just save the URL to your phone. I hated it at first but now I'm fine with it.


Speaking of apps, though, to me (we don't do character meetings and things like that and have had tips autocharged since our first DCL Feb 2013) the biggest change is the Navigator app. Download it to smartphones or anything mobile you might bring that gets wifi (even an ipod, even an old phone without a SIM that gets wifi), launch it while still docked at the port, and it gives you ALL the Navigators for the sailing. That makes it easy to prioritize for things; if you KNOW that Jack Sparrow will meet today at 5 AND tomorrow at noon, you can do that other thing today and just meet him tomorrow...that's my main example of how it's useful.

Not sure if it has rolled out on Magic, but at least on D&F the app also has a very convenient messaging feature. DS has his ancient Samsung without a SIM and he takes it to the Oceaneer's Lab and just texts when he's ready to be picked up (we're not quite to the point of letting him sign in/out on his own). Much better than the Wave phones for us.

 

[canadiandisneyfamof4]

That is a tough question, you need to be more specific on your question. The Fantasy and the Magic are 2 different classes of ships, so basically there are a lot of things different.
So, I will say most everything has changed.

I am not trying to be a smart a##, but we would definitely need to know more of what you are looking for.

I think I was pretty specific as I provided the example of the princess gatherings now being a ticketed event.
I'm well are that the Fantasy and Magic are different classes of ships.

My question was about what if anything has changed with DCL in the past 2 years.
I got some great responses re: price increases on Palo, gratuities being auto applied.

Thanks to the people who responded.

 

[FantasyDisneyFan]

I last sailed in October 2013.

Some of the things that have changed that I've kept track of:

Tipping is automatically charged to your on board account (changed happened April 2012 I believe so you may or may not be aware);
Princess Gathering, Disney Junior and Anna and Elsa are now ticketed events;
Palo is $30 for brunch and dinner;
A Shwarma place was added to the Magic;
New waterslides (Aquadunk and a yellow twisty slide) were added to the Magic;
Avengers area added to the kids club on the Magic (actually, the whole are was re-imagined) WDWInfo pictures http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showgallery.php/cat/1624
Carioca's replaced Parrot Cay on the Magic (new look and new menu);
The buffet was redone and renamed to Cabana's (style is now similar to Dream and Fantasy);
Adult areas were redone;
Tangled the Musical will be starting in November 2015 aboard the Magic
Changes to Castaway Cay - new Cabana's (opened early 2012), summertime freeze stand opened recently;
New health questionnaire;
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has very recently been added featuring Anna & Elsa’s Boutique
Some small menu changes to the main dining room menus over the past couple of years;
The beds no longer split and are now a queen bed with a wooden frame;
Prices for basically everything onboard or at Castaway Cay have gone up.

That's about all I can think of.

Great information! Thank you....this is our first cruise!

 

[Saamh]

You now need to select a port arrival time (many refer to it as a PAT). This can be done during the online check in process a certain # of days out. (I think it's 90 days in advance for a Silver Castaway Club members).