New Ship Names per Bob Iger

[Mickeyhugger]

I'm happy with both the names, and really the name of the ship won't stop me from sailing on them. I'm just excited to have them moving forward. I'll be on the Magic over Thanksgiving so it'll be interesting when they do finally allow bookings on the Dream!

Come join our Turkey cruise thread for 2009

Rob

 

[Melrosgirl]

I was hoping they would copy off of Princess cruiselines and name one Disney Princess.

 

[Dreamsoftravel]

I was hoping they would copy off of Princess cruiselines and name one Disney Princess.

That would be cute!

 

[Cindy Girl]

Disney announces names for new cruise ships
03/10/2009

On March 10, at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of The Walt Disney Company, Disney announced the names of the Company's two new cruise ships.

"Last week, steel cutting began on our next two Disney cruise ships. Today I'm pleased to announce their names," said Bob Iger, Disney president and CEO. "The Disney Dream will set sail in 2011, while the Disney Fantasy will hit the high seas in 2012."

Similar to the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the names were chosen to celebrate Disney's unique heritage of creating enchanting places and stories where dreams really do come true.

"The names are very telling of our brand and are part of our history," said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations. "Disney is known for making dreams come true, and for creating worlds of fantasy that go beyond the imagination. The names are a natural choice for our ships."

As noted, Disney Cruise Line began construction on the new ships with a steel cutting ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The first piece of steel cut was part of the art deco inspired scrollwork that will grace the bow of the ships. Similar to the scrollwork on the existing Disney Cruise Line ships, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the intricate pattern is reminiscent of the classic ocean liners of the 1930s, with added touches of Disney whimsy.

Since finalizing a contract with the Meyer Werft shipyard to build the two new ships, Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering have created a truly distinctive design. Over the next few years, construction will continue, bringing the design to reality, with the Disney Dream scheduled for delivery in 2011 and the Disney Fantasy in 2012.

The new ships will be purpose built with families in mind, and specially designed areas and activities for each member of the family to allow for both quality time together and wonderful individual experiences. The focus is to provide a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and kids can immerse themselves in worlds only Disney can create.

The expansion will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms and will each be 128,000 tons.





All I know Is I can't wait to get on board!!

 

[Saratoga Souris]

Dreams and Wishes.........

got one right but

HATE the name Fantasy (BLECH)

 

[mindy327]

I like em!!!! Just wanting to know where they are sailing to now.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Well, I wish there was a 50/50 option in the poll.

I'm good with Dream. We all knew that one was coming for the most part, didn't we?

But Fantasy is just conjuring up images of Baseball, Football, and Adult Pay-Per-View. Boo on Fantasy, Iger.

 

[mhelsley]

I have always like Disney Dream and was wanting it to be Disney Wish.
I'm not crazy for Disney Fantasy but my mind could be change. All they need to do is send JD in full J.Sparrow costume to pick me up on pirate night to wine and dine me then it will truly be a Disney fantasy onboard. I still see myself sailing on both of them.

Melinda

 

[Melcatfish]

I am with the majority on this - Disney Dream is good for me. Disney Fantasy not so much. I *know* there is fantasyland but somehow The Fantasy does not sound like a family orietated crusie ship - as a previous poster commented much like the Carnival Ecstacy. It won't stop me cruising but it wouldn't have been my choice.

Now just waiting for official indication of WHERE all the ships will be sailing.

Mel
x

 

[mmackeymouse]

I do not hate the names. They are perfectly fine names.

I just expected more from DCL. I was hoping that they would take the high road, and come up with new innovative, non-used names.

And to the person questioning why Dream is better than Dreams, can you name any cruise ships with a plural name? I can't. So, I don't know if it is an actual maritime rule, or if it is just the way it has always in. Think about it, wouldn't it be weird if they named a car the Ford Escapes?

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Sadly, they didn't go with my name of "The Hundred Acre Boat" with Captain Tigger. (Yes, I do realize the marketing nightmare since they don't own the Pooh characters the way they do Mickey so it would never happen anyway.) Ahhh well. I think that Pooh would have made a lovely Cruise Director.

I voted that I DO like them because I think they fit perfectly with the Disney brand!

 

[Mouse Mom]

I mentioned to my DH that maybe when we are on the 4 day in August we could book for a cruise on the Dream - he told me with the economy today it will be a nightmare paying for it and Disney is living in a Fantasy if they think that people can afford these cruises still without going bust - especially when they double the size of the ship and offer more amenities - you all know it's going to be even more than the 7 day during high season. My friend made a great suggestion and I would be an advocate of this - why not make the cruise line a bit like DVC - you have an option to buy a week or a four dayer during a certain season, etc. more like a typical timeshare. You could buy in once a year or have an every other year option like Marriott has started. I like this idea and I would give up some of my DVC points and sell them to know that I could cruise every other year. It just starts to get prohibitively expensive - we're a party of 5 = need 2 cabins, yadda yadda, airfare, the after stay is a must once we're down in Orlando .... I think they have to start coming up with creative ways to get people to go and an OBC ain't enough

 

[AlexandNessa]

I would do a DCC (Disney Cruise Club ) in a heart beat! Tell your hubby that's a great idea!

Yes, I know you can use DVC points for a cruise, but they are not exactly the best value. A timeshare specifically targeted towards Disney Cruises, however, has an excellent shot at my discretionary income!

 

[tomspixie]

Have to agree with most....figured Dream would be one...not 100% sold on Fantasy...would have liked Wish/Wishes. The names of the ships will not influence my sailing...I love DCL and the grace and beauty of their ships! I got a special treat...the first cuts of steel on both were done on my birthday! WOOHOO!

 

[piscesborn]

My daughter wants a Disney cruise on one of the new ships for her High School grad present in 2012. Now we wait and see what the itineraries are for the 2 ships. YEA!

Just an FYI for those who are curious, unless Disney changes the itineraries that depart from Port Canaveral in Florida, the Dream and Fantasy will assume the Wonder and Magic itineraries. Atleast for the next 5 years. I wouldn't be surprised if those of you in California welcome a new family member!!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

I know you can use DVC points for a cruise, but they are not exactly the best value.

Tell me about it. We went on the DVC Member cruise last year and used part points/part cash. After everything was said and done, it would have been cheaper to pay for the cruise in cash. My opinion, DON'T use your DVC points for a Disney cruise. As previously stated, it is NOT the best value. Same with using points for Adventures by Disney. It's not the most economical way to go. Save the points for what they were initially intended "Disney Lodging". That IS where it pays off.

We'd be open for a DCC too. Sounds like a great idea. Also, with the two new ships coming. There will be more places to see and go.

Jennifer

 

[allears]

Tell me about it. We went on the DVC Member cruise last year and used part points/part cash. After everything was said and done, it would have been cheaper to pay for the cruise in cash. My opinion, DON'T use your DVC points for a Disney cruise. As previously stated, it is NOT the best value. Same with using points for Adventures by Disney. It's not the most economical way to go. Save the points for what they were initially intended "Disney Lodging". That IS where it pays off.

We'd be open for a DCC too. Sounds like a great idea. Also, with the two new ships coming. There will be more places to see and go.

Jennifer

For fellow readers, this is totally a matter of opinion and personal situations. We feel quite the opposite. We finally got it together and bought into DVC, specifically with cruising in mind. Our intial purchase is just about enough for my DW and I to cruise during a cheap week probably once a year once the kids are gone, two down one to go. We have every intention of adding points in the next few years, to assure we have enough to cruise and do other destinations. For us it has worked out great. We pay the mortgage on the points every month, kind of like a vacation club and have already done two trips on points. Trips we couldn't have done if we had to lay out the cash in a lump. And the big thing for us is this; our points will be paid off in 7 years, if not sooner, we will have only paid for them once, but we will most likely be able to cruise once a year for the subsequent 30 or so years on those points. While it's true the point value for the cruises do change and increase with time, they so far have not outstripped the cash price increase over the last few years.

So again, everyone has their opinion on this and what works best for them, no one can say that there is a hard and fast rule for all of us. Weigh the information, individual situations and options then make conclusions that work for you.

 

[AnnaS]

Another DVC member here who has used a combination of points and cash for cruising. We have done 4 cruises (Eastern, Western, West Coast and 11 N. Med. cruise). Two cabins each time, different categories each time and used a combination of points and cash for each one.

I do not want to bother or want the hassle of renting out my points. That's just me. Our points were all paid w/cash each time and I only say that because for me the value I put on them is the average $4 maintenance fee pp.

Now if the points keep increasing like crazy for cruises and depending on my vacation plans for the year, finances, I might just pay cash myself.

Now I have no idea where I will be with my points when the new ships are ready so I will decide then how much cash I want to pay out that year.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

They didn't copy anyone. Magic Wonder and Dreams are named after the 3 buildings at Disneyland hotel. carnival knew Disney would be using that name later so made sure they had a ship by that name first.

Actually, the Magic and Wonder are not named after the Disneyland Hotel. It's the reverse! Until last summer (2008), the towers were the Marina, Sierra, and Bonita towers. They got "renamed" the Magic, Wonder, and Dreams. Carnival announced the Carnival Dream ship in November 2008. I wonder if they thought perhaps then DCL wouldn't use the name Dream? It seems very coincidental that it is also sailing out of Port Canaveral. While I agree that Dream fits well with Magic and Wonder, I am surprised that marketing didn't balk at it. It doesn't serve the brand well to have the exact same name as another cruise ship that is ALSO brand-new and ALSO sailing out of the exact same port. Brand identity, folks! Carnival is the winner in that. They can only win by being associated/confused with DCL, not the reverse.

And Fantasy has been in service a long time... back in the Carnival-has-really-cheesy-ship-names-period.

 

[WDBRDWLK]

I love Disney Dreams but hate Fantasy...Carnivals Fantasy was the first cruise we ever took and the ship needed a really bad overhaul! Maybe we should band together and send emails to DCL asking them to change the name to Fantasia!

Everytime I hear Fantasy I gasp!