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Disney Cruise Line® Celebrates Magical
Holidays
A Holiday Filled With “Magic” and “Wonder”
It all starts at Disney’s private cruise terminal at Port
Canaveral, Florida, where festive holiday décor and Disney
characters dressed in their season’s best await all who board
a Magical Holidays sailing.
Once onboard the Disney Magic® or Disney
Wonder®, guests will find the ships decked
with boughs of holly and filled with holiday-themed entertainment
and activities for the entire family.
Magical Holidays highlights include:
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A nearly three-deck-tall tree-lighting ceremony in the atrium
lobby, where “snow” magically falls
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A Christmas Day visit from Santa Goofy, with surprises for
all the kids
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International holiday caroling by crew members from around
the globe
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Special family time, when families join together to design
and decorate their own gingerbread house
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A reading of “T’was the Night Before Christmas” by
Mrs. Claus
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Traditional holiday feasts in Disney’s three themed
dining rooms
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Multiple faith and inter-denominational holiday services
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A ship-wide party to ring in 2006 and a New Year’s
Day tailgate party
Castaway
Cay Transforms Into a Magical Wonderland
"It's a balmy 73 degrees with snow flurries continuing to fall
throughout the day," announced the ship's cruise director as the Disney
Magic® docked at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.
Just in time for the holiday season, Disney Cruise Line Guests
will find themselves literally "walking in a winter wonderland" with
a themed decor package that transforms Disney's sandy private island
into a "snowy" holiday hideaway.
Rates and availability vary for the special Magical Holidays cruises
this December.
Spooky
Ships Set Sail This Halloween
Disney Cruise Line® Guests are in for a “scary
good time at sea” this Halloween. Both ships will host a
spook-tacular celebration during two sailings in October.
With themed events for all ages and trick-or-treating throughout
the ship, guests are encouraged to bring along their costumes
and join in the fun. Planned activities include costume contests
for everyone, family "scary-oke,” a special costume party
for the teens and an 80's Halloween Bash for the adults.
There are even traditional themed movies showing at the Buena
Vista Theatre, along with "spider" cup cakes and a "witch's brew" drink
of the day in the dining rooms.
Sailings for these special Halloween activities include the October
29, Disney Magic® seven-night eastern
Caribbean itinerary along with the October 30, Disney Wonder® four-night
Bahamian itinerary.
Magical Makeover Brings Spa Delights,
Jumbo Screen and More Youth Spaces to Disney Magic
Lavish indoor/outdoor spa treatment suites, a new
dedicated space for youth activities, poolside movies on a jumbo
screen, and fitness center expansion highlight the enhancements
being made to the Disney Magic during dry dock this fall.
The work begins Oct. 1 when the 2,700-passenger Disney Cruise Line
ship journeys to the Norshipco shipyard in Norfolk, Va. for a 10-day
dry dock period.
Already known as an innovator in the cruise industry, Disney
Cruise Line will introduce another cruise industry first
with its Vista Spa and Salon expansion -- three specifically
designed indoor/outdoor spa treatment suites. The suites, located
inside the spa, will feature an indoor spa treatment room that
is connected to a private outdoor verandah complete with personal
hot tub, open air shower and a luxurious chaise lounge. With
beautiful ocean vistas and warm tropical breezes, the new treatment
suites provide guests with a romantic getaway into a tranquil
oasis without ever leaving the ship.
The fitness area at the Vista Spa and Salon will double in size,
providing space for more exercise equipment, an area for spinning
classes and a couple of private salons for Pilates instruction
and one-on-one beauty and fitness consultations. The Vista Spa
and Salon is an area reserved exclusively for adults aboard the Disney
Magic and with the 1,700-square foot fitness center expansion,
the entire spa will encompass 10,700-square feet when complete.
Adding to the already incredible offerings for children, Disney
Cruise Line is transforming three conference rooms on deck
2 of the Disney Magic into a brand new hang-out for kids
called Ocean Quest. Ocean Quest will feature a scaled replica
of the ship's bridge, complete with LCD screen "windows" that
let children look out over the bridge via live video feed from
the actual bridge. Here children can sit in a traditional captain's
chair and participate in a simulation game where they steer a
cruise ship in and out of various ports around the world.
With a nautical feel, Ocean Quest provides the perfect location
for children to "chill-out" and play computer or video games, participate
in arts and crafts, or watch a movie on one of the multiple plasma
screen televisions in the room. This expansion gives the Disney
Magic a fifth dedicated location for children -- existing venues
are the Flounder's Reef Nursery, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab and
The Stack.
Additionally, Disney Magic guests will also soon be able
to enjoy poolside movies on a brand-new, state-of-the-art jumbo
LED screen on deck 9. Affixed to the forward funnel, the 24-by-14-foot
screen will show movies along with major sporting and broadcast
events. The enormous screen will also enhance outdoor entertainment
and deck parties in and around the Goofy, family pool area.
One of the three main rotational dining restaurants, the tropical
themed Parrot Cay restaurant, will undergo refurbishment, creating
a restaurant atmosphere that will exhibit subtle changes each evening
at dinner.
The Disney Magic will resume seven-night cruise vacations
to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on Oct. 15, 2005
Staggered dining will be permanently
implemented aboard the Disney Wonder
Staggered dining will also be tested on the Disney Magic beginning Oct. 29,
2005 through Jan.28, 2006. Guests scheduled on MAIN dining will be assigned
a 5:45 p.m., 6:00 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. dining time. Guests scheduled on SECOND
dining will be assigned an 8:00 p.m., 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. dining time. Remember,
you can request specific dining times, however, this request
cannot be guaranteed.
Thanks to Jo for this information
The U.S. Department of State has new
document requirements as of 12/31/05. Passports will be required.
For details click
here
Stingray Encounter coming to Castaway
Cay
Starting in late September, Disney Cruise Line visitors to Castaway
Cay will have the chance to try a hands-on stingray encounter.
This is a 45-minute experience which will combine a short lesson
on the history and biology of the rays with an in the water interaction
with Southern stingrays under the guidance of a marine specialist.
Part of the proceeds from this as yet unnamed experience will
go to the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund.
Disney Cruise Line Becomes More Hassle-Free Than Ever
There's no need to wait until you’re onboard the ship to
plan your upcoming Disney Cruise itinerary.
Providing that your reservation is paid in full, you can now
pre-book:
- Shore Excursions
- Dining reservations at Palo, the exclusive adults-only restaurant
(dinner, high tea, brunch)
- Spa treatments at Vista Spa & Salon
- Flounder's Reef Nursery for children 12 weeks to 3 years old
- Register in advance for youth activities at Disney's Oceaneer
Lab and Disney's Oceaneer Club
You can now log on and view your reservation at Disney
Cruise Line® - My Disney Cruise
The schedule for pre-booking is:
105 days - in advance for Concierge categories 1- 3
90 days
- in advance for Castaway Club (repeat) Members in all stateroom
categories
75 days - in advance for categories 4 - 12
2006 Theme Park Tickets For Land/Sea Packages
Beginning on January 1, 2006, guests purchasing either Disney
Cruise Line 4 day land/3 day sea or 3 day land/4 day sea package
will get a 7 day Magic Your Way ticket with the Park Hopping option.
If you add on resort days to the start of your vacation package,
you'll have immediate access to the tickets. If you decide to head
back to your resort after your cruise, your tickets are still valid
as they remain active for 14 days from their first day of use.
You will also be able to add-on the Magic Your Way No Expiration
Option and/or the Magic Plus Pack which includes admission to the
Disney Water Parks, Pleasure Island, Disney Quest and the Wide
World of Sports Complex.
Either option can be added within 14 days of the first use of
the tickets.
Dress Policy Change
Jeans are now acceptable attire under the revised "Cruise
Casual" dress policy. It is still requested that guests do
not wear shorts, swimwear or tank tops to the dining rooms.
The attire is determined by the day, not the restaurant with
the exception of Palo. The seven night cruise has a formal night,
semi-formal night, pirate/tropical night and four "Cruise
Casual" nights.
On the 3 and 4 day cruises there is one night where "dress-up" attire
is requested. Men are asked to wear a jacket while ladies are asked
to wear either a dress or nice pantsuit.
Palo Dress Code
During dinner, gentlemen will be required to wear a dress shirt.
Gentlemen wearing polo shirts, t-shirts, Tommy Bahama style shirts,
etc will not be allowed admittance. Jackets and/or ties are still
recommended but not required. Notices will be in the Personal Navigator,
on the Palo reservation card and a sign outside the elevators on
deck 10 will contain this dress advisory.
The Resort Casual dress code for both the brunch and high tea
remains unchanged.
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