Since becoming chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts over a year ago, I’ve had many amazing experiences but today may have topped them all – after all, it’s not every day you get to christen a cruise ship.
Today, with an enormous crowd of well-wishers looking on, we welcomed the stunning Disney Dream to the Disney Cruise Line fleet at Port Canaveral in Florida. In a manner befitting a ship of its size and grandeur, we pulled out all of the stops for this maritime tradition with a spectacular show at the Disney Cruise Line Terminal with classic Disney music, dancers, fireworks and, of course, a host of our beloved Disney characters.
Disney president and CEO Bob Iger and Disney’s “dream girl” Jennifer Hudson, the ship’s fairy godmother, were on hand to do the honors and christen the Disney Dream. Jennifer began her phenomenal career on the Disney Wonder back in 2003, so it was only fitting that this award-winning artist be selected as godmother of the Disney Dream.
With the addition of the Disney Dream to the Disney Cruise Line family, we’ll now be able to help more guests create even more unforgettable Disney memories on the high seas. Both the Disney Dream and her sister ship, the Disney Fantasy, coming in 2012, boast a gross tonnage of 130,000 and will be able to carry up to 4,000 passengers. Our two new ships combine the very best in innovation, technology, artistry and the legendary attention to detail that makes a Disney experience so unique.
The christening of the Disney Dream is the culmination of a journey that began years ago. The journey then took us to Germany where the ship was built, across the Atlantic where it was tested and finally to Port Canaveral, where it will live and delight guests of all ages for decades to come. Congratulations to the thousands of Imagineers, craftsmen, designers, artists and crew who have worked so hard to make this Dream a reality.
As importantly, the Disney Dream is yet another great example of what is possible when our people set out with one objective in mind: to create something of the highest quality, something designed to surprise and delight our guests, something special in every sense of the word… in short, something truly Disney.
Comments
Only 45 days and we sail on the Disney Dream. Can’t wait!!!!!! It will be our fifth Disney Cruise and each has been excellent.
Margaret
We are sailing in July….it will be our fourth Disney cruise. Can’t wait. 🙂 Next summer….Alaska.
We sail on the Disney Dream June 12th! It is our first time on a Disney Cruise and we are so excited! We can’t wait!
We had the privledge of being on the shakedown cruise from Germany to Port Canaveral in late Dec. & January. For those of you who have not yet sailed on the Dream you are in for real treat. First Class all the way. The AquaDuck is a gas. As we kept saying on all 16 days of the crossing “We’re living the Dream”.
John of Spring Hil Fla. I watched the webcast of the Christening of the Dream [aprox.45minutes long] it was Great.We will be on the Dream for our 5thAnn.in April 17 cant wait once again fantastic job Disney you are like Family..
I finially got to watch it and I loved it. My family and I just booked the second week cruise for the Fantasy, so if the Dream looks this great then I can not wait for the Fantasy. See you in 2012!!!!!!!
In such a snowing day of Shanghai, China, this little video made me feel that the spring is coming soon.
What a sunny day!
I noticed that there is a flag of China among the flags.
Wish sooner or later, Disney Dream will sail to my hometown, Shanghai, China. Like its name, my Disney dream will come true I believe.
Bon Voyage!
you guys did a great and outstanding job with that entire ceremony i see, and the disney dream is amazing,and who else perfect but to pick jennifer hudson to be the ships fairy godmother!! great job everybody!!
I watched today’s festivities on the live webcast and you looked really excited to be out there Tom! I have enjoyed watching the progress the Disney Dream has made and was excited to finally see the ship set sail. The show was really great today! Great job. 🙂 ~Travis
Very cool Tom. 🙂
It must have been awesome to be there.
And there are still so many more exciting things coming up. Not to get too off topic, but I am really looking forward to the rest of the California Adventure expansion!
We sail on the Dream in mid-March and we can’t wait!!!
How fantastic! I never had the desire to take a cruise UNTIL I checked out this new ship on Disney’s website. It would be a DREAM indeed!
Looking forward to finally taking a Disney Cruise – great post, Tom. Oh, and great job retooling the Fantasyland Expansion, I know I’m really excited for this new addition to the Magic Kingdom!
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