 Disney Magic departing Port Canaveral | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 The Bahamas | |
| Name | Disney Magic |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company |
| Operator | Disney Cruise Line |
| Port of registry | Nassau, Bahamas |
| Ordered | April 27, 1995[1] |
| Builder | Fincantieri (Marghera, Italy)[2] |
| Cost | US$400 million[3] (equivalent to $772 million in 2024) |
| Yard number | 5989[4] |
| Laid down | October 31, 1996 |
| Launched | May 13, 1997 |
| Sponsored by | Patricia Disney |
| Christened | July 28, 1998[5] |
| Completed | June 30, 1998 |
| Maiden voyage | July 30, 1998[2] |
| In service | 1998–present |
| Identification | |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Magic-classcruise ship |
| Tonnage | 83,338 GT[2] |
| Length | 294 m (964 ft)[6] |
| Beam | 32.25 m (105.8 ft)[4] |
| Height | 52.3 m (172 ft)[7] |
| Draft | 7.7 m (25 ft)[4] |
| Decks | 11 |
| Installed power | 5 × 16-cylinderSulzer diesel engines turningAnsaldo generators producing 11,520 kW (15,450 hp) each[8] |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | |
| Capacity |
|
| Crew | 950 |
| Notes |
|
Disney Magic is acruise ship owned and operated byDisney Cruise Line, a subsidiary ofThe Walt Disney Company. She is the first ship in theDisney Cruise Line fleet and the lead vessel of theMagic class. The ship was followed by her sister ship,Disney Wonder (1999).
TheMagic class was ordered on April 27, 1995, and built byFincantieri at its shipyard inMarghera, Italy. Construction of the vessel began with thekeel laying on October 31, 1996, and theship was launched on May 13, 1997. She was completed on June 30, 1998, christened on July 28, 1998, and entered service with her maiden voyage on July 30, 1998. The ship reportedly cost approximatelyUS$400 million (equivalent to $772 million in 2024).
Disney Magic contains 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,700 passengers in 875 staterooms,[2] and has a crew of approximately 950. The ship features anArt Deco design incorporating stylistic references toocean liners of the early 20th-century, including a long, low profile and a black hull with red accents, which also reflect the colors associated withMickey Mouse. The vessel carries yellow lifeboats that match the color of Mickey's shoes rather than the standard safety orange, a choice that required a waiver under international maritime regulations.[9]
Disney had cruise ship designs drawn up by February 1994.[10]Disney Cruise Line in 1995 orderedDisney Magic andDisney Wonder fromFincantieri inItaly. The ship was built in two halves, with the bow constructed at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard and the stern at their Marghera shipyard.[4][11][12][13]
The planned maiden voyage was March 12, 1998.[2] Ticket sales began in September 1997. Delays due to construction ofMSRotterdam and weather at Fincantieri postponed the maiden voyage to late July 1998. The bow was towed to the Marghera shipyard, where the two halves were joined.[2]
Disney Magic began service on July 30, 1998, fromPort Canaveral inFlorida, initially sailing three- to four-night cruises toNassau, Bahamas andCastaway Cay.[14]
The ship has been periodically repositioned for seasonal cruises, including Southern California, Vancouver, the Mediterranean, Galveston, Texas, and New York City. During these deployments, she operated itineraries to Mexico, Alaska, Europe and New England.[14][15]
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In September 2013,Disney Magic underwent a dry dock atNavantia's shipyard inCádiz, Spain. A 6-meter (20 ft) "ducktail"sponson was added to improve efficiency. Updates included renovations to cabins, lounges, restaurants, and the spa, and new features such as "Marvel's Avengers Academy", AquaDunk, and AquaLab.[16][17] Several restaurants and clubs were replaced or re-themed in later years.[18]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic,Disney Magic was anchored inDover, England from May 2020 and operated UK-only "staycation cruises." She returned to Miami in October 2021 and resumed Bahamian itineraries, returning to Europe in summer 2022 before sailing back to the United States for fall deployments.[19][20][21]
In May 2023,Disney Magic completed a three-week dry dock inFreeport, Bahamas, during whichshore power systems were installed to connect the ship to port electricity and reduce emissions. The Soul Cat Lounge, an adults-only jazz club–themed area inspired by the movieSoul, was added, and the concierge lounge and staterooms were renovated.[22][23]
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Entertainment onDisney Magic includes live Broadway-style shows with many Disney characters at the Walt Disney Theater, the Buena Vista movie theater, which features both Disney films and first-run movies, several night clubs and lounges, several pools, and many Disney-themed parties and celebrations, including a Sail-Away Celebration, Pirate Night, and sometimes a Marvel or Star Wars Day at Sea.
On the ship's forward funnel, there is a 24-by-14 foot LED screen known as theFunnel 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,Twice Charmed: A Twist on theCinderella Story,Tangled the Musical,Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic,[24] andA Final Farewell Show.[citation needed] Former shows includedVillains Tonight!, which was replaced byTangled.[24]
Disney Cruise line is known for pioneering the rotational dining setup, in which guests and their wait staff rotate through three differently themed restaurants throughout their cruise. TheDisney Magic's restaurants include Lumiere's (serving primarily French Cuisine), Rapunzel's Royal Table (serving German-inspired food), and Animator's Palate (which is present on three of the other Disney cruise ships). Additionally, the upscale, adults-only restaurant Palo, situated at the rear of the ship, requires a separate reservation and serves high-endItalian cuisine.
The ship features a nursery, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Edge, and Vibe for kids entertainment.[25]
