News: New Orleans and Princess Tiana Take Center Stage in Enhancements Coming to the Disney Wonder

Lesley Wake

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 16, 2017
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...-in-enhancements-coming-to-the-disney-wonder/
The world of “The Princess and the Frog” will come to life in new ways on the Disney Wonderthis fall with the addition of an exciting New Orleans-themed lounge that will transport guests deeper into the heart of the city’s iconic French Quarter. A perfect complement to Tiana’s Place Restaurant on the Disney Wonder, the French Quarter Lounge will feature live music and themed activities for everyone in the family. Also debuting on the Disney Wonder will be a sleek new space for teens and a redesigned café just for adults.
At the French Quarter Lounge, guests will get a touch of bayou hospitality as they enjoy live music on the gazebo stage and sip specialty drinks at an updated whimsical bar. This natural precursor to dinner at Tiana’s Place Restaurant is the perfect destination for entertainment and libations before or after dinner, while the space will come alive throughout the day with New Orleans-themed family activities, trivia and character encounters.
The jazzy atmosphere of the French Quarter Lounge, also inspired by the Disney animated feature “The Princess and the Frog,” will evoke an airy outdoor space in New Orleans, surrounded by touches of iconic architecture such as wrought-iron balconies, classic brick walls and shutter-framed windows. Decorative details including a life-size trolley car and nods to the film in the form of signs and facades on the walls add to the ambiance of the space.
Meanwhile, teens and adults will also discover redesigned spaces on the Disney Wonder meant just for them. Vibe, a club reserved for teens ages 14-17, will transform into a contemporary place to hang out with friends while at sea. The space will be given a timeless feel with an open, bright redesign, a light color palette and industrial metal work, while a new coffee bar and updated virtual reality technology add to the list of activities for teens to enjoy during their family vacation.
Adults will have an updated space all their own in the Cove Café, after a redesign that will transform the look and feel of the café into a local coffee shop, complete with warm, comfortable and trendy décor. Ample seating and a relaxed atmosphere will invite guests to indulge themselves in this peaceful retreat, which is the perfect place to sip specialty coffee or tea throughout the day or partake in wine, cocktails and light bites during the evening. Just steps away, Signals Bar is also undergoing a transformation with a similar look.
The new enhancements debut on the Disney Wonder’s four-night sailing from Vancouver to San Diego on Sept. 30, 2019
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How exciting! It didn't say which lounge is getting re-done. The Wonder is my favorite ship, so just another new thing to enjoy on her.
 


Fun! I wonder if the Snuggly Duckling will make a more permanent appearance during the Magic's 2020 drydock. I love the Promenade Lounge space. New theming would be a nice change.
 
I wonder if the additions will make it feel less cramped or more so. Maybe it was just very busy every time I passed through during the day. I often didn't see a single free seat. Toddler time was so packed I gave up and left. The only time it seemed empty was during dinner.
 


Really hoping this is the Promenade Lounge as it is long overdue for a re-imagining. Love Tiana’s Place and so glad Disney is going “all in” on the Princess and the Frog / New Orleans theme! Everyone is going to love it!

Now, maybe this means eventually the Magic will get a Snuggly Duckling in the same space???
 
I'm kind of attached to the current Cove Cafe, but I'm sure I'll get used to the new one. I have land cafes on land and think I'll feel let down by a land cafe on the Wonder.

Looking forward to the new lounge, though.
 
"Adults will have an updated space all their own in the Cove Café[...]" We'll see about that... :duck:

Seriously though, I do hope Vibe getting a coffee bar means the adult space will be better enforced. I know a lot of folks don't like when kids go in there.
 
My daughter is thrilled about the Vibe remodel... we love the Wonder, but she was a little tired of the decor in there.
 
I’m relieved it looks like the Crown & Fin & the Cadillac Lounge are safe. We just took our first cruise and thought those were so well done. At first this concerned me that one of them might be remodeled. I think they’re pretty new though?

A remodel of Promenade Lounge would be great! Pretty generic in there now.
 
We were on the Wonder in 2014 and I think Cadillac lounge was there then. The Crown and Fin was added sometime after 2014 when they did the huge dry dock(to kids club, added Tiana's Place, and some other things).
 
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Fall 2016 is when they did the last big Wonder dry dock. Cadillac Lounge was there before, but was updated. Crown and Fin, Tiana's Place were added after our August 2016 cruise. Edge was moved from deck 2 to deck 9 that Fall--so it is still 'new', while Vibe hasn't had a refurb--it's definitely due for one, especially as Vibe on the Magic was refurbed in February 2018.
 
I know I am in the minority here, but I do not understand the appeal of New Orleans themed places. If I wanted to go to New Orleans, I would. It is very uninspired theming in my book. (They already have a resort with this same theme at WDW). Also, it is my absolute least favorite of any of the princess movies, so more of it is not thrilling for me.
 
A remodel of the Promenade lounge would be great! Maybe the remodel will alleviate some of the bottle neck you get around there as well at several times during the day.
I hope they 'lighten up' Cove Cafe, it's a bit dark in there.
 
I also hope the Promenade lounge gets the make over. Wonder if the toddler area will be eliminated for a larger lounge.
 
"Adults will have an updated space all their own in the Cove Café[...]" We'll see about that... :duck:

Seriously though, I do hope Vibe getting a coffee bar means the adult space will be better enforced. I know a lot of folks don't like when kids go in there.
It would be nice if "upstairs" they gave the concierge guests only 1/2 to 2/3's of the "outlook" area vs 3/4 of the space. With where they partitioned the concierge guests from the rest of the huddled masses, they really screwed up that space!
 

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