Disney Magic

History

Disney had cruise ship designs drawn up by February 1994. Disney Cruise Line in 1995 commissioned Disney Magic and Disney Wonder from Fincantieri in Italy. The ship was built in two halves with the bow built at Fincatieri's Ancona shipyard and the aft at their Marghera shipyard. The planned maiden voyage was for March 12, 1998. In January 1997, the first ticket for the Magic's first trip was raffled off on Lifetime channel, while ticket sales would begin in September 1997. With continuing delays on the MS Rotterdam kept additional workers from the Magic. Thus by November 1997, the cruise line rescheduled the ship's initial voyage to April 30, 1998. Further delays, from suppliers and weather conditions, at Fincantieri forced back the maiden voyage of Disney Magic a few more months. The bow was towed to the Marghera shipyard where the halves were joined.

With livery and design evocative of the RMA Queen Mary, the Disney Line Disney Magic set sail on its maiden voyage on July 30, 1998, out of Port Canaveral as the cruise line's launch ship. The ships initial cruises were to Nassau, Bahamas with a stop at Castaway Cay over three to four nights.

Originally, from the summer of 2000, Disney Magic had been offering weekly cruises to Castaway Cay and multiple Caribbean islands out of its home port in Port Canaveral, Florida. In June 2005, Disney Magic was dispatched to the West Coast in honor of Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebrations.

In May 2007, Disney Magic started her inaugural Mediterranean cruises out of Barcelona, Spain. At the end of the summer, she returned to her home port of Port Canaveral. Disney Magic returned to Barcelona in 2010 for another summer of Mediterranean cruises, as well as several northern European cruises before again returning to Port Canaveral in September.

In May 2012, Disney Magic was relocated to New York City, where she sailed 8-night cruises to the Bahamas, New England, and Canada. In September, she was relocated to Galveston, Texas for the remainder of the year and offered 4 Night Caribbean Cruises, 6, 7, and 8 Night Western Caribbean Cruises, and 8 Night Bahamian Cruises. In June 2013, Disney Magic was repositioned to Barcelona, Spain for the summer.

In October 2013, Disney Cruise Line completed renovations to Disney Magic including updates to the ship's cabins, lounges, restaurants and spa and introduced new features including; "Marvel's Avengers Academy", a play area based on Marvel's Avengers characters, the AquaDunk and the AquaLab, consisting of a pool and waterslide.

In the beginning of summer of 2016, the Disney Magic sailed Disney Cruise Lines' inaugural Northern Europe itineraries, homeported in the port of Southampton, 80 miles from London, England. She sailed to Norway, the British Isles, and the Baltic Sea during her brief three month season. She will return to the region in 2017.

Entertainment

Entertainment on Disney Magic includes live Broadway-style shows with many Disney characters, two movie theaters, the Walt Disney Theater and the Buena Vista theater, which feature both Disney classics and occasional first-run movies, several night clubs and lounges, several pools, and many Disney-themed parties and celebrations, including a Sail-Away Celebration and Pirates Night.

On the ship's forward funnel, there is a 24-by-14 foot LED screen known as the Funnel Vision, due to its location on the rear of one of the ship's funnels, where guests can watch various movies and shows either from the deck or from inside Goofy's Pool.

Shows from the Walt Disney Theatre may include: All Aboard, Let The Magic Begin, A Final Farewell Show,Twice Charmed: A Twist on the Cinderella Story, Tangled the Musical and Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic. Former shows included 'Villains Tonight!' which was replaced by Tangled.

Activities

On deck 10 forward, the Wide World of Sports deck offers basketball, soccer, football, and ping-pong. On deck 9 forward, the Senses Spa includes a workout room with views of the front of the ship.

Adults can visit the Cove Cafe, and the Cove Pool, on deck 9 forward, while families can enjoy the Goofy Pool, deck 9 midship. Children can swim at Aqua Lab located on deck 9 aft.

Disney characters are frequently seen at various parties, dining room events, and scheduled character greetings on board.

Scattered throughout the ship are subtle Mickey Mouse impressions, known as "Hidden Mickeys" that guests may attempt to locate.

Several kids' clubs are available on board. It's a Small World Nursery is a play area for infants while the Oceaneer Club, and the Oceaneer Lab, offer children from three to ten a variety of guided and individual activities from computer games, dress-up, themed activities, experiments. The Edge offers 11- to 14-year-olds an interactive play space designed like the ship's bridge. The teens-only Vibe club offers teens television, video games, music, Internet access, and a variety of social activities.

Dining

There are two seating times offered on board Disney Magic - early and late. Early caters more toward young families while the later tends to be for older children and primarily adult families. Disney uses "Rotational Dining" to describe how to ensure guests experience each of the themed restaurants on board: Lumiere's, Carioca's and Animator's Palate. Guests share the same table guests and wait staff each night. Lumiere's is themed after Disney's Beauty and the Beast movie while Carioca's has a South American theme. Animator's Palate features a dining room that changes from black-and-white to color over the course of the meal and serves contemporary cuisine.

Disney Magic features the Palo restaurant on the aft deck number 10 which serves Northern Italian fare for dinner. The restaurant is limited to 130 guests 18 years of age or older.