Discover the magic of staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel – where moments and memories have no limits!
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Fun Facts! New Topiaries and Outdoor Kitchen Eats at 24th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Disney guests can enjoy 90 days of fresh festival fun during the 24th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 1-May 29, 2017. Thirty million multi-hued blooms, 100-plus whimsical topiaries, nearly 1,000 native butterflies and dozens of new Outdoor Kitchen food and beverage tastes add multi-sensory festival fun to the “Fresh Epcot”-themed Walt Disney World Resort event.
Among this year’s fun festival facts:
- 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, which runs 90 colorful days and requires two complete crop rotations to keep floral displays fresh and seasonal.
- 15 Outdoor Kitchens (2 more than last year) include the new Northern Bloom and The Berry Basket kitchens and gardens. Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market returns at the Germany pavilion and La Isla Fresca returns for a second year. Dozens of new sweet and savory food and beverage menu items add tasting fun and variety to the festival. Each marketplace will feature a garden planted with select produce and herbs to represent more than 70 overall beverage choices and more than 40 food items featured.
- The festival’s front-entrance Welcome Spring Fun, Food & Flowers topiary maypole scene celebrating a rite of spring with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy and Pluto is inspired by a vintage Walt Disney short film. More than 30 varieties of flowers, plants, and other garden materials are used to create the scene.
- A brand-new 5-foot-tall Figment topiary of the feisty dragon mascot of the Imagination! Pavilion greets guests from atop a bright yellow floral ball of Joseph’s Coat, brightening the landscape behind Spaceship Earth with purple petal power. A brand-new, next-generation Belle topiary with sculpted facial features will join Beast in France – her yellow ball gown is crafted using Joseph’s Coat and Creeping Jenny plants.
- Music Garden Melodies with musical note topiaries, a themed playground for children complete with innovative play systems featuring interactive musical gadgets, is one of the largest festival gardens created at nearly one-third acre. The garden includes a collection of plants with features that resemble musical instruments as part of the ambiance.
- Anna and Elsa in cool floral splendor grace a wintry topiary vignette straight from the hit Disney film, “Frozen” and the Norway pavilion attraction Frozen Ever After. In the scene that’s wired to sparkle by night, Elsa works her magic to conjure a snowy garden filled with flowers of lavendar, white and silver. More than a dozen varieties of flowers evoke the scene and include white Dianthus, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Dichondra Silver Falls, lavender Pentas, blue Delphinium and white Cleome, Pentas, Alyssum and Nicotiana. Anna and Elsa topiaries are each about 6-1/2 feet tall and are created with plants that include variegated Ficus, green Ficus and the succulent Sedum Coral Reef. But Elsa will look taller because she’s standing closer to guests than Anna by about 8 feet.
- At least 25 different plants, grasses and mosses of various colors, including pink and red begonias, dusty miller, palm fiber, palm seeds, ficus and lichen, are used to create and define facial and other features of festival character topiaries. The topiary team uses about 200 one-pound boxes of hairpins to attach plants and flowers to the topiaries.
- Nearly 1,000 native butterflies represent up to 10 species at the expansive Butterflies on the Go butterfly house presented by GoGo squeeZ. Among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants are passion flower, coral honeysuckle, lantana, butterfly bush, blue porterweed, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
- 240 extra playground hours add extra festival magic for children and their families with the illuminated garden playgrounds staying open through park closing.
- More than 500,000 plants, trees and shrubs are planted for the festival; 250,000 of those are annual blossoms installed for the festival.
- Festival plants include 60 different species of trees, 47 types of palms, and 48 varieties of bedding plants.
- 78 hands-on gardening demonstrations and seminars will be presented
- More than forty 8-to-9-foot tall, multi-hued “flower towers” make colorful statements across the festival landscape.
- More than 200 floating mini-gardens, each three feet in diameter, of multi-hued New Guinea impatiens provide splashes of color on two ponds that border the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
- Nearly 500 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables in clay pots, barrels and urns enhance the landscape throughout Epcot.
- 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists are needed to install the festival landscape, topiaries and many exhibits; 100 Epcot horticulturists maintain topiaries and other festival displays.
- It takes more than one full year and about 24,000 cast member hours to prepare for the annual festival.
- The festival’s weekend Garden Rocks Concert Series includes 16 bands known for their Top 40 hits across five decades. This year’s musical hit-makers from the 1960s through 2000s include new-to-the-festival acts Simple Plan, Exposé, Berlin featuring Terri Nunn and Plain White T’s.
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Video – Typhoon Lagoon B-Roll: Miss Adventure Falls Now Open
Miss Adventure Falls, a new family-friendly water attraction, will begin offering guests of all ages a high-seas journey on March 12 as part of an expansion at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.
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Walt Disney World Refurbishments
| Magic Kingdom® Park | |
| Monorail The Walt Disney World® Resort Monorail System is undergoing refurbishment and may be on modified service and/or routes. If Guests plan to use this form or transportation during their visit they should check to be sure of the best option available on their day of travel, as alternatve transportation options will be available. |
Through April 26, 2017 |
| Walt Disney World Railroad Hall of Presidents Prince Charming Regal Carrousel |
Jan. 9 – Mar. 10, 2017 Jan. 17 – Jun. 29, 2017 Apr. 24 – May 18, 2017 |
| Epcot® | |
| Infrastructure Work | Sep. 28, 2016 – Apr. 27. 2017 |
| Disney’s Hollywood Studios® | |
| Cover Story | Jan. 9 – Mar. 23, 2017 |
| Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park | |
| None | |
| Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park | |
| Annual Refurbishment | Dec. 25, 2016 – Mar. 11, 2017 |
| Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park | |
| None | |
| Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas | |
| Exterior Maintenance and Painting All work with the highest potential for noise will be limited between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. |
Through April 2017 |
| Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort | |
| Trinidad South Village Pool | Jan. 6 – Mar. 16, 2017 |
| General Resort Refurbishments – Trinidad South Region Due to several refurbishment projects, Guests may see and hear construction in progress specifically around the pirate-themed rooms in the Trinidad South region of the Resort. Any work most likely to cause a noise impact will not begin until 9:00 a.m. |
Jan. 9 – Mar. 16, 2017 |
| Old Port Royale Food Court, Shutters at Old Port Royale, Cabana Pool Bar and Calypso Trading Post There will be a variety of dining options available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Centertown, a dining location, will serve an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet for breakfast and dinner. A selection of grab-and-go meals will be conveniently available for purchase in three island markets located in the Aruba, Jamaica and Martinique regions of the Resort. Additional a la carte offerings will be available at mobile food vending locations. Our in-room dining will remain available. Any work most likely to cause a noise impact will not begin until 9:00 a.m. |
May 1, 2017 – Jun. 30, 2018 |
| Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort | |
| Hard Goods Refurbishment Guests may see or hear construction taking place, or encounter alternative paths of travel throughout the Resort hotel. To minimize disruptions, we will attempt to limit all work until after 9:00 a.m. daily. |
Beginning Fall 2016 |
| Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort | |
| Room Refurbishment This will not impact any of the Resort activities or amenities available to Guests. |
Feb. 19 – Apr. 9, 2017 |
| Disney’s Old Key West Resort | |
| Exterior Maintenance and Painting To minimize disruptions, we will attempt to limit all work until after 9:00 a.m. daily. |
Jan. 3 – Jul. 27, 2017 |
| Disney’s Pop Century Resort | |
| Room Refurbishments During this time, Guests may see or hear work in progress and certain pathways may be unavailable. To minimize disruptions, we will attempt to limit all work until after 9:00 a.m. daily. |
Feb. 4, 2017 – May 7, 2018 |
| Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside | |
| Alligator Bayou North Pool | Feb. 13 – Apr. 7, 2017 |
| Disney’s Vero Beach Resort | |
| General Resort Refurbishments Due to several refurbishment projects, Guests will very likely see and hear construction work throughout the villas, spa and dining areas. We will attempt to limit any work most likely to cause a noise impact to the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. |
Through March 2017 |
| Disney’s Wilderness Lodge & Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge | |
| General Resort Refurbishments Due to extensive refurbishment projects, Guests will very likely see and hear construction work in various areas throughout their stay. To minimize disruptions, we will attempt to limit work until after 9:00 a.m. At this time, many popular areas will remained closed – including the Hidden Springs Pool (the leisure pool at Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge), marina and more. In addition, certain pathways, like our nature trail, will be unavailable, and surrounding views may be altered. |
Through July 17, 2017 |
| Cub’s Den (Children’s Activity Center) – unavailable | Through 2017 |
| Roaring Fork Snacks During this time our latest addition, Geyser Point Pool Bar & Grill will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Territory Lounge will also offer a continental-style breakfast featuring gourmet coffees, pastries and a yogurt parfait. |
Feb. 13 – Jul. 17, 2017 |
| Trout Pass Pool Bar | Feb. 13 – Jul. 17, 2017 |
| Disney’s Yacht Club Resort | |
| Room Refurbishments During this time, Guests may see or hear work in progress and certain pathways may be unavailable. To minimize any disruptions, we will attempt to limit work to 9:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m. |
Beginning in January 2017 |
| Captain’s Grille During refurbishments, the Captain’s Grille is relocating to the oceanic-themed Ariel’s. |
May 15 – Sep. 30, 2017 |
| Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Convention Center | |
| Expansion Work During this time, Guests may see or hear work in progress and certain pathways may be unavailable. To minimize any disruptions, we will attempt to limit work to 9:00 a.m – 9:00 p.m. |
Aug. 4, 2016 – Feb. 1, 2018 |
| Disney Springs™ | |
| DisneyQuest – Closing Permanently | Jul. 3, 2017 |
| Golf Courses/Miniature Golf | |
| None | |
Information and dates subject to change without notice.
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Disney loves hiding references to past characters in its films
Few companies have been able to create a brand as long-running, insular, and self-referential as the behemoth that is Disney. And that translates into plenty of Easter eggs in the studio’s animated films. The Disney fan site Oh My Disney helpfully breaks down some of those references in a new two-minute video that showcases the many, many nods to past properties Disney has hidden in its films over the years.
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Marvel heroes finally land at Disney theme parks
Mickey Mouse welcomed Captain America, Thor, and the rest of the Avengers gang into the fold when Disney acquired Marvel in 2009. But the superheroes have not made much of a mark in Mickey’s theme parks — until now.
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A Dozen Ways to Have an Enchanting “Beauty and the Beast” Experience Across Walt Disney World Resort
On March 17, the much anticipated live-action film “Beauty and the Beast” will premiere in theaters nationwide. Fans looking to celebrate the classic fairy tale before the new film’s release need look no further than Walt Disney World Resort, where there are a multitude of unique “Beauty and the Beast” experiences just waiting to say “bonjour.”
Here are a few options:
Tale as Old as Time: Guests are invited to be a part of the story at Enchanted Tales with Belle in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park. Guests are transported through an enchanted mirror to Beast’s castle. They’re just in time to help Lumiere and Madame Wardrobe host a very special surprise for Belle. The audience gets to play various characters from the film to re-tell the story of how Belle and Beast met just before she has dinner with Beast.
Song as old as Rhyme: Guests can also interact with the story and the music from “Beauty and the Beast” with several entertainment options at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom Park.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
- Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage! immerses guests in a Broadway-style show where Belle, Gaston, Beast, Mrs. Potts and other characters perform songs and scenes from the classic film. The 25-minute performance takes place daily at the Theater of the Stars.
- A sneak peek of the upcoming live-action film is screening at the theater inside of the Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream attraction now through March 26. Guests also can see Belle’s iconic yellow ball gown and the Enchanted Rose from the live-action film in a gallery exhibit inside the attraction.
Magic Kingdom Park:
- Belle and Beast lead off the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade as it loops from Frontierland to Main Street, U.S.A. This sight-and-sound spectacular celebrates the magic of Fantasyland with several Disney friends and colorful floats. Parade kick off is 3 p.m. daily.
Put Our Service to the Test: Soup du jour, hot hors d’oeuvres, Walt Disney World restaurants only live to serve. Guests can find several “Beauty and the Beast” dining opportunities throughout the theme parks and Disney Springs.
- Be Our Guest Restaurant: This one-of-a-kind dining experience can be found inside Beast’s castle in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park. Be Our Guest brings the story of “Beauty and the Beast” to life with atmospheric and culinary delights. It features an elegant ballroom, a Rose Gallery and the infamous West Wing for diners, with snowy views of the French countryside. Guests can even try the Grey Stuff, which is sure to be delicious. Beast, the master of the castle, meets with diners in his study after their meal. The French-style restaurant serves quick-service breakfast and lunch, and full-service dining for dinner.
- Gaston’s Tavern: This French-style lodge is decorated with hunting trophies and other keepsakes dedicated to Gaston. Guests can sit in his fireside chair, complete with signature antler décor, and sip on LeFou’s brew, a frozen apple juice beverage infused with a hint of toasted marshmallow and topped with mango foam. The Tavern, located in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park, also serves a variety of pastries, including the signature giant cinnamon roll. The strapping Gaston himself can be found meeting adoring fans outside the Tavern as well.
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall: Guests can dine with several Disney Princesses, including Belle, in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot. Guests of all ages can visit for breakfast, lunch or dinner in this medieval castle setting, mingling with the princesses who pose for photos and sign autographs.
- Guests also can find unique pastries inspired by the Beauty and the Beast story at several locations, including the Enchanted Rose cake at Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs and a Belle-inspired vanilla cupcake at Main Street Confectionary at Magic Kingdom Park.
A Beauty but a Funny Girl: Belle meets her fans in the France Pavilion at Epcot. Topiaries in France shaped like Belle, Beast and other “Beauty and the Beast” characters are showcased during the International Flower and Garden Festival, which runs now until May 29.
Little princesses also can get the royal Belle treatment at Bibbidi Bobbiidi Boutique, located at both Disney Springs and inside Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park. Fairy Godmothers-in-Training transform young guests with princess costumes, hairstyles, nails and more.
For brides-to-be, there are endless ways to include “Beauty and the Beast”-inspired touches to their big day thanks to Disney’s Fairytale Weddings and Honeymoons. Brides can customize everything from their wedding decorations to the menu to wearing a Belle-inspired gown.
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Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Available Today, March 10
Available today wherever music is sold and streamed, the “Beauty and the Beast” original motion picture soundtrack features an unforgettable score from eight-time Oscar®-winning composer Alan Menken along with new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and two-time Academy Award® winner Howard Ashman. Also included are three new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.
The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast,” a stunning, cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. Directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos based on the 1991 animated film, “Beauty and the Beast” stars: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Audra McDonald with Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson. “Beauty and the Beast” opens in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.
From early on, one of Condon’s key objectives was to build upon the story from the animated classic, and the Oscar-winning director realized music could play a significant role in making that happen. By finding interesting variations on beloved songs like “Be Our Guest” and “Gaston” and with the addition of new songs, music could help push the story forward while elevating its emotional content at the same time.
New songs featured in the film and included on the soundtrack are: “Evermore,” a soaring ballad performed by the Beast (Dan Stevens); the heartwarming “Days in the Sun,” sung by Belle (Emma Watson), the Beast and the castle’s enchanted staff; and “How Does a Moment Last Forever,” sung by Maurice (Kevin Kline) and in a reprise, by Belle.
The soundtrack also features three brand new recordings including the duet “Beauty and the Beast” by GRAMMY® nominated and multi-platinum selling artist Ariana Grande and 10-time GRAMMY, Oscar®-winning and multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter/musician John Legend. The iconic song originally recorded by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, features Alan Menken’s haunting melody and Howard Ashman’s memorable lyrics, and, upon its release in 1991, went on to receive an Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and GRAMMY Award. The music video for “Beauty and the Beast” was directed by Dave Meyers (P!nk’s “Just Like Fire,” Katy Perry’s “Firework”) and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axySrE0Kg6k.
In addition, five-time GRAMMY winning and best-selling recording artist Celine Dion performs “How Does A Moment Last Forever” and multi-platinum international recording artist and songwriter Josh Groban performed the third track, “Evermore.”
The “Beauty and the Beast” original motion picture soundtrack features 19 tracks and is available wherever music is sold and streamed (http://disneymusic.co/BeautySndtrkP, http://disneymusic.co/BeautySndtrk, http://disneymusic.co/BeautySndtrkWS). The Beauty and the Beast two-disc deluxe edition and the digital deluxe edition soundtrack, which are also available March 10, feature additional tracks including score, demos and outtakes.
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Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Explore the Magic of Nature in a Distant World
Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens May 27 at Walt Disney World Resort. The all-new land will immerse guests in a mystical world of massive floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and breathtaking new experiences.
The largest addition in the history of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Pandora carries on the park’s tradition of celebrating the intrinsic value of nature, transformation through adventure and a personal call to action.
Based on Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron’s record-breaking box-office hit, AVATAR, the new land welcomes guests to the lush world of Pandora long after the human conflict with the native Na’vi inhabitants has ended. The dramatic daytime beauty of the land transforms to glow by night when bioluminescent flora and intricate nighttime experiences add a dreamlike quality to Pandora.
Pandora – The World of Avatar is a creative collaboration of Walt Disney Imagineering, Cameron and Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment.
“We are taking our guests on a journey to this world in an experience that’s as realistic and immersive as possible,” says Joe Rohde, Walt Disney Imagineering portfolio creative executive. “In the movie, the world of Pandora is a setting for the action and characters whose story we follow. Here, guests are the primary characters immersed in an extremely vivid, authentic experience.”
Guests to Disney’s Animal Kingdom cross the park’s Discovery River into Pandora – The World of Avatar and continue along a winding rainforest path for their first glimpse of the land’s iconic floating mountains.
“When guests come across the bridge, they are transferred light-years away, to the Alpha-Centauri solar system and Pandora,” says Jon Landau, AVATAR producer, Lightstorm Entertainment. “It’s an otherworldly, fully-themed experience.”
As guests explore the verdant terrain sprawling beneath mountains that appear to float in the sky, they see waterfalls cascading down the mountainside into meandering streams and pools, and they discover two thrilling new expeditions: Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey.
Avatar Flight of Passage launches each guest on an exhilarating, wind-in-your-face experience on a winged mountain banshee over the awe-inspiring world of Pandora. Guests will actually feel the banshee breathe beneath them as they soar through the forest and past floating mountains. What was a rite of passage for Na’vi in Cameron’s film becomes a multisensory experience for guests seeking the ultimate adventure – a faceoff with the most feared predator of Pandora, the Great Leonopteryx.
On the family-friendly Na’vi River Journey, guests travel down a sacred river deep into a bioluminescent rainforest. The eight-seat reed boats float past exotic glowing plants and Pandoran creatures into the midst of a musical Na’vi ceremony. The mystical journey culminates in an encounter with a breathtakingly realistic Na’vi Shaman of Songs who is deeply connected with Pandora’s life force and sends positive energy through her music into the forest.
“The Pandora landscape will be alive with creatures,” Rohde says. “We’re bringing to life everything from the largest creature you might encounter to the most microscopic. Animals will appear out of the underbrush – big Pandoran animals will appear at the edge of the forest and you’ll hear the very complicated calls they issue back and forth.”
The thriving Pandoran landscape conveys intrinsic park messages of the value of nature, transformation through adventure and conservation and stewardship.
The artful storytelling in Pandora continues as guests stop for sustenance at the land’s Satu’li Canteen (pronounced “Sa-too-lee”), a Quonset-hut-style building. The fast-casual restaurant is inspired the healthful bounty of Pandora – wholesome grains, fresh vegetables, and hearty proteins. Guests can grab a drink at nearby Pongu Pongu.
Windtraders is a shopper’s delight where guests can choose from Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits and more.
Authenticity and realism were drivers in the creation of Pandora, and the result is a world beyond belief.
“The attractions have very deliberate emotional moments crafted into them, the way a good story does, the way a good film does.” Rohde says. “It’s not as simple as just coming to a place that looks realistic. It’s a place that’s been deliberately imbued with the emotions of awe, of wonder, of respect, of harmony.”
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DISNEY CRUISE LINE TO ADD EXCITING NEW EXPERIENCES ON THE DISNEY FANTASY
Exciting new experiences designed for Guests of all ages are coming to the Disney Fantasy in May 2017. From exploring the universes of Star Wars and Marvel, to shopping at unique new onboard venues, new highlights include:
Imaginative New Spaces for Kids in Disney’s Oceaneer Club
- The new Star Wars: Command Post takes kids on a journey where they will train with heroes of the Star Wars saga and help with missions against the First Order. Here, they will interact with holographic models at a one-of-a-kind Star Wars holotable that projects 3-D images of the Millennium Falcon, Death Star and other famous Star Wars ships, meet members of the Resistance and learn to channel the Force.
- In the all-new Marvel Super Hero Academy, kids will learn from real-life Super Heroes the heroic values of enlightenment, worthiness and loyalty. In this innovative space, kids can learn the ways of the mystic arts with Doctor Strange who is making first-ever appearances onboard a Disney Cruise Line ship.
Tasty Treats to Delight the Entire Family
- The new Sweet on You ice cream shop, themed after the iconic Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, features hand-crafted gelato and ice-cream, specialty sundaes, homemade chocolates, truffles and a large selection of candy for purchase, all just steps from the family pool.
Luxury Shopping for Adults
- Disney Cruise Line will welcome the world’s premier jewelry and iconic American luxury brand, Tiffany & Co., with an exclusive store aboard the Disney Fantasy. Your Clients can indulge in timeless collections of jewelry and luxury accessories, including the effortlessly elegant Tiffany T collection and other glamorous pieces featuring renowned Tiffany & Co. diamonds.
These additions are part of an overall commitment by Disney Cruise Line to invest in our ships, helping to deliver incredible family vacation experiences for years to come. While making these enhancements to the Disney Fantasy, crews will also perform regularly scheduled and wide-ranging maintenance that keeps the fleet in tip-top shape.
The new enhancements will debut on Disney Fantasy sailings starting May 17, 2017 from Port Canaveral, FL. The first sailing will visit the Bahamas on a 3-night voyage. Beginning May 20, the ship will resume a regular sailing schedule that includes 7-night voyages alternating between the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
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