New magic aboard the Disney Fantasy ship

Dining at Animator’s Palate aboard the Disney Fantasy cruise ship. Credit: Disney.

By Nisha Thakkar

While the Disney Fantasy, the new Disney Cruise Line ship, isn’t set to debut until March 31, 2012, I got a sneak peek and can’t wait to share the details with you. The Disney Fantasy will maintain some of the Disney Dream fan-favorites — like the AquaDuck, the first shipboard water coaster — but also has some really cool features that make it stand out on its own.

Animation Magic

Animation Magic at Animator’s Palate is truly something to be seen. Animator’s Palate is a whimsical dining room that celebrates the magic of Disney animation. The room is filled with animations, large paintbrushes, filmstrips and TV screens. The chairs are an adorable tribute to Mickey Mouse and feature the design of his pants – red with two bright yellow buttons. As guests are seated, they are invited to design their own animation masterpiece by drawing a character of their own using a template on their place mats.

Disney Fantasy cruise ship sets sail March 31, 2012.

Just before dinner, the lights are dimmed and guests are entertained with various Disney videos featuring classic Pixar and Disney characters. After dinner, Mickey gives the guests a special treat as he brings their drawings to life. Each guest’s drawing is featured within the video, which becomes more and more elaborate as it goes on. The animations skip, skate and dance side-by-side with characters such as Mickey Mouse, Jimmy Cricket, Cinderella and Snow White. At the end of the video, Mickey comes back to say, “So long” as the credits roll featuring the names of all guests and refers to them as “guest animators.”

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

At the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, young princesses and pirates in training are treated to a special makeover. The princesses are greeted by their very own Fairy Godmother in-training and are offered magical makeovers such as the Disney Diva, Pop Princess or Fairy Tale Princess. The packages include combinations of hairstyle, shimmering makeup and nails. Princess costumes, complete with crown, wand and shoes also are available.

The boutique is transformed to Pirate’s League, replacing the tiaras with skulls, for Pirate Night. Guests can choose from two pirate packages – First Mate (includes bandana, facial scars tattoos, fake teeth, earring, eye patch, sword and sheath) or Empress (includes bandana, shimmering makeup, face gem, tattoos, nail polish, earring, eye patch, sword and sheath).

Europa Nighttime Entertainment District

The Disney Fantasy pulls out all the stops with its European-themed entertainment district, exclusively for guests 18 and over.

The La Piazza lounge draws inspiration from Italian cities and their decorative outdoor plazas. The bar is modeled after a colorful vintage carousel.

Skyline, one of the most popular spots on the Disney Dream, is also expected to be a hotspot on the Disney Fantasy. Skyline’s “windows to the world” give guests a glimpse of spectacular locales in panorama such as Paris, London, Barcelona, Athens and St. Petersburg.

O’Gill’s Pub is an Irish bar with modern-day twists. The pub, filled with flat-screen TVs, gaming tables, darts and more, provides the perfect atmosphere for guests to grab a pint and have some fun.

Ooh La La, Disney Fantasy’s champagne bar, was inspired by an elegant French boudoir and it features their signature champagne.

The Tube, inspired by London’s subway, is a fun, vibrant space that has a 60s/70s vibe. Guests can walk across the Tube route map and pose by a red English phone booth.

Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular

With the introduction of Disney’s Fantasy comes the introduction of a new Aladdin-themed musical. Many of the classic scenes and songs will be recreated for guests aboard the Fantasy. And of course, an Aladdin production would not be complete without a magic flying carpet scene, which combines mechanical wizardry with state-of-the-art projections, allowing Jasmine and Aladdin to soar as they perform a heartfelt duet of “Whole New World.”

The Disney Fantasy will depart on her maiden voyage next spring from Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries. Make sure you visit Orbitz for information related to pricing and to book your trip on the Disney Fantasy.

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Nisha Thakkar is brand marketing manager for Orbitz.

Tagged: Cruise, Disney