Disney Dream is a cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. She is the third ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and the lead vessel of the Dream class. The ship was followed by her sister ship, Disney Fantasy (2012).
The Dream class was ordered on February 22, 2007, and built by Meyer Werft at its shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Construction of the vessel began with the keel laying on August 26, 2009, and the ship was launched on October 30, 2010. She was completed on December 8, 2010, christened on January 19, 2011, and entered service with her maiden voyage on January 26, 2011. The ship reportedly cost approximately (equivalent to $ billion in ).
The Dream class marked a significant increase in size over Disney Cruise Line's preceding Magic class. Dream-class ships have a gross tonnage of approximately 130,000, compared with about 84,000 for the Magic class, which had been introduced 12 years earlier.
In February 2007, Disney Cruise Line announced plans to commission two new ships. Steel cutting for the Disney Dream began in March 2009 at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Later that month, the two ships were officially named, with Disney Dream scheduled to enter service before Disney Fantasy. The ship's design was unveiled at a press conference in New York City on October 29, 2009.
The keel of Disney Dream was laid on August 19, 2009. The final section, the bow, was installed on June 1, 2010, completing the exterior while interior work continued. Float-out occurred on October 30, 2010, and the ship left the shipyard in November 2010. Disney Cruise Line took possession on December 8, 2010. She arrived at Port Canaveral on January 4, 2011, and was christened on January 19, 2011, by Jennifer Hudson, who had begun her entertainment career on Disney Wonder. Disney Dream's maiden voyage commenced on January 26, 2011, with calls at Nassau and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay.
Since her launch, Disney Dream has primarily operated three- and four-night itineraries to The Bahamas, with European itineraries announced for summer 2023, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Greece and Italy. On June 7, 2022, the ship temporarily relocated to Miami. On November 20, 2023, she moved to her current home port at Port Everglades Cruise Terminal 4.
Disney Dream is approximately 40% larger than the first two ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, with a gross tonnage of , a length of , and a beam of . She has 1,250 staterooms, a passenger capacity of 2,500 at double occupancy (maximum 4,000), and a crew of 1,458.
The ship has 14 decks, a black hull, white superstructure, twin red funnels, and yellow lifeboats. The interior combines Art Deco design with Disney-themed elements. Interior cabins feature "virtual portholes" that display exterior views with animated Disney characters.
The atrium features an Art Deco-style chandelier crafted in Brixen, Northern Italy, measuring in diameter and extending from the ceiling, with 88,680 Swarovski crystal beads and 24kt gold plating. A statue of Donald Duck as an admiral is located in the atrium lobby, continuing the Disney Cruise Line tradition of featuring classic Disney characters in this space.
The ship offers a variety of recreational facilities, including a nine-hole mini-golf course, walking track, digital sports simulators, and a convertible full-sized basketball court. Additional sports courts and play areas are available for younger children.
The AquaDuck is a water slide spanning four decks, passing through the ship's forward funnel and extending 20 feet (6.1 m) off the side of the ship. Pools and hot tubs are distributed throughout the ship, some with glass floors.
The ship features several youth facilities: the "it's a small world" nursery (ages 6 months to 3 years), Oceaneer Club and Lab (kids 4âÂÂ10), Edge (tweens 11âÂÂ14), and Vibe (teens 14âÂÂ17).
Disney Dream also includes two theaters:
The Walt Disney Theater incorporates motion-tracking technology to blend performers' movements with projected digital effects.
Disney Dream employs a rotational dining system in which guests dine at a different restaurant each evening. The main dining venues include Enchanted Garden (deck 2, midship), which serves French-inspired cuisine in a setting themed to Disney fairy-tale films; Royal Palace (deck 3, midship), designed to resemble a French conservatory with lighting that transitions from daylight to sunset and night during the meal; and AnimatorâÂÂs Palate (deck 3, aft), a venue featured across Disney Cruise Line ships that incorporates the Turtle Talk with Crush interactive show.
Adults-only specialty restaurants include Palo, serving Northern Italian cuisine, and Remy, offering French cuisine; both are located on deck 12 at the rear of the ship and require an additional fee.