Disney's second private destination in the Bahamas, Lighthouse Point, isn't going to be completed until 2022 or 2023. Disney has already announced a pretty good amount of information about it, and I'm excited for it.
However, it seems that not everyone is looking forward to it. An article from Inside the Magic informed me of a petition aiming to stop Disney from building and operating a cruise ship port on Lighthouse Point. The petition's goal is to get Disney to choose an alternative option for their second private destination. The petition's gained quite a large amount of signatures, almost 319,000 at the time I wrote this. The starter of the petition, a user called Lighthouse Point, is worried that Disney's developments on the island will have numerous detrimental effects on the environment and natural ecosystem. Disney is planning on building a large cruise ship pier that could damage coral reefs, and this seems to be the petition creator's main concern. Also, they are unsure of the economic benefits Disney's operations will have on Eleuthera. Will the positive economic effects of Disney's cruise destination be worth the potentially negative environmental effects?
According to the petition, Lighthouse Point and its surrounding waters are biodiverse areas that have been proposed as a Marine Protected Area. From the pictures I've seen, it looks beautiful and I understand why so many people want to protect it.
So, if this petition succeeds and Disney cancels their plans for Lighthouse Point, where will Disney have their second private port of call? The petition encourages Disney to choose an already-degraded island as their alternative, so they can reinvigorate the ecosystem there. Other cruise lines have done this, and Disney could follow their examples. I like this plan. Instead of possibly hurting a thriving ecosystem, they can help revive a struggling one.
I can agree with this petition. As exciting as Disney's plans for Lighthouse Point sound, protecting the environment is more important. There's only one Earth, and we need to do all we can to keep it healthy. But at the same time, Disney's Lighthouse Point website has a section dedicated to their plans to protect the environment of Eleuthera. The cruise ship pier is being designed to have as little of an impact on the environment as possible. Additionally, with the approval of the Bahamian government, the individual corals around the pier will be moved to help other struggling corals nearby. Plus, over 80 percent of the property will be left untouched. Also, we can't forget about those elevated walkways. Finally, Carnival owns a property that's practically across the street from where Disney's is going to be. What's the problem with Disney's? If Disney keeps these commitments, then I really don't know whose side to be on here.
Time for the real question: Is this petition going to work? I don't think so. Disney has already purchased the Lighthouse Point property, and it seems unlikely that they'll throw away all of their plans just because of one petition, but it might succeed if enough people care.
What do you think about this? Who do you agree with? If you'd like to sign the petition, you can do so here.
Last week, my family received an email from Disney Cruise Line. It wasn't to tell us that our cruise in January got canceled, but it was interesting. Take a look:
If the image isn't showing up for some reason, here's what the email says:
All of us at Disney Cruise Line continue to think of you and your family. We realize these are uncertain times for many of our Guests, and want to let you know we’ve temporarily modified our final payment and cancellation policies to provide you with greater flexibility.
For sailings through March 31, 2021, we are temporarily extending final payment until 60 days prior to sailing for Guests booked in unrestricted stateroom categories. This means that those Guests who have not yet reached their final payment due date can wait until up to 60 days prior to sailing to pay for their cruise vacation. Onboard cruise activities can be scheduled within your Castaway Club booking window once final payment is received.
In addition, we are temporarily relaxing our cruise cancellation fee schedule for sailings through March 31, 2021, as described below.
Cruises 1 to 5 Nights (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date Fee Amount
60 days or more No fee
59 – 45 days Deposit per Guest
44 – 30 days 50% of vacation price per Guest
29 – 15 days 75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less 100% of vacation price per Guest
Cruises 6 Nights or More (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date Fee Amount
60 days or more No fee
59 – 56 days Deposit per Guest
55 – 30 days 50% of vacation price per Guest
29 – 15 days 75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less 100% of vacation price per Guest
Suites and Concierge Staterooms
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date Fee Amount
60 days or more Deposit per Guest
59 – 56 days 50% of vacation price per Guest
55 – 30 days 75% of vacation price per Guest
29 days or less 100% of vacation price per Guest
Categories with Restrictions
Reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions remain nonrefundable and nontransferable.
These temporary changes are in addition to our Cruise Date Flexibility Option that already allows Guests the flexibility to change their sail date up to 15 days prior to departure for any cruise booked by October 31, 2020 for scheduled sailings on or before May 31, 2021. Additional details on the Cruise Date Flexibility Option can be found on our website at DisneyCruise.com.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your sailing and hope that this added flexibility is helpful.
Sincerely,
The Cast and Crew Disney Cruise Line
So, first, the email explains Disney's new payment policy. For all cruises until March 31st, 2021, the final payment is now due 60 days before the cruise starts. Before this change, the final payment was due roughly three to five months (depending on the sailing) before the cruise starts, so they've pretty much halved that now. This would've been good for my family, because we aren't sure if we're actually going on our cruise in January, but our final payment was due a few weeks ago, before Disney made this change to their policy. So, this updated policy doesn't affect us at all. The extra two months would've given us more time to wait for Disney to announce their cruise reopening plan and what health and safety changes will be made.
After that, the email details the updates to the cancellation fee schedule. It's less strict than usual, allowing guests more time to cancel their cruise and get a full refund. Below are the previous, stricter policies:
Standard (non-concierge) stateroom normal cancellation policy (1-5 night cruise):
Cancel 89-45 days before sailing, charge is deposit per guest.
Cancel 44-30 days before sailing, charge is 50% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 29-15 days before sailing, charge is 75% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 14 days or fewer before sailing, charge is 100% of vacation price per guest.
Standard (non-concierge) stateroom normal cancellation policy (6+ night cruise):
Cancel 119-56 days before sailing, charge is deposit per guest.
Cancel 55-30 days before sailing, charge is 50% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 29-15 days before sailing, charge is 75% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 14 days or fewer before sailing, charge is 100% of vacation price per guest.
Concierge stateroom normal cancellation policy:
Cancel 90 days or more before sailing, charge is deposit per guest.
Cancel 89-56 days before sailing, charge is 50% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 55-30 days before sailing, charge is 75% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 29 days or fewer before sailing, charge is 100% of vacation price per guest.
Now, here are the updated cancellation conditions.
New standard (non-concierge) stateroom cancellation policy (1-5 night cruise):
Cancel 60 days or more before sailing, no charge.
Cancel 59-45 days before sailing, charge is deposit per guest.
Cancel 44-30 days before sailing, charge is 50% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 29-15 days before sailing, charge is 75% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 14 days or less before sailing, charge is 100% of vacation price per guest.
New standard (non-concierge) stateroom cancellation policy (6+ night cruise):
Cancel 60 days or more before sailing, no charge.
Cancel 59-56 days before sailing, charge is deposit per guest.
Cancel 55-30 days before sailing, charge is 50% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 29-15 days before sailing, charge is 75% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 14 days or less before sailing, charge is 100% of vacation price per guest.
New concierge stateroom normal cancellation policy:
Cancel 60 days or more before sailing, charge is deposit per guest.
Cancel 59-56 days before sailing, charge is 50% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 55-30 days before sailing, charge is 75% of vacation price per guest.
Cancel 29 days or less before sailing, charge is 100% of vacation price per guest.
This new cancellation policy is nice. It's a little more relaxed than the previous policy, which is good because the world needs to be a little more relaxed now. For staterooms booked with restrictions, they are nonrefundable and nontransferable, so this new policy does not apply. Don't forget that the Cruise Date Flexibility Policy still applies to this. Speaking of the Cruise Date Flexibility Policy, it has been extended! It now applies to any cruise on or before May 31st, 2021 that was booked before October 31st So, if you don't want to go on a cruise that is over 15 days away that is within the previously described conditions, don't cancel it. Move the date instead, it won't cost you anything. The new cancellation policy will remain effect on all cruises until March 31st, 2021, so it's a temporary thing. Also, the Cruise Date Flexibility Policy ends on May 31st.
The DCL website has more information about these two polices. There's another policy on their website, the Flexible Refund Policy. Guests that experience any of the following events can change their cruise date with the same terms as the Cruise Date Flexibility Policy. This applies to guests who:
Have symptoms of COVID-19
Have a temperature of 100.4°F or greater
Have had known exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the previous 14 days
Have tested positive for COVID-19
Guests that don't want to change their cruise date will receive a full refund. Also, guests who experience any of those events on embarkation day will not be allowed to sail and will be offered a full refund.
The Flexible Refund Policy makes me think that cruises are going to resume pretty shortly after December. If cruises aren't going to resume until COVID-19 isn't a concern, then why would DCL make this policy? Maybe cruises, with restrictions, of course, will resume in January. The restrictions are going to play a big part in whether my family and I go on the Fantasy in January, so I hope they're announced soon.
Disney's cruise ships feature some impressive technology, like the Enchanted Art on the Dream-class ships and the Animation Magic show where guests' drawings become animated characters. In addition to these fun technology features, the ships also have the most modern maritime communication systems. But, can you guess a maritime communication system on the DCL ships that isn't very modern and feels antiquated in the age of advanced smartphones? Wave Phones!
Wave Phones are small phones found in the staterooms that work on the Disney ships. They can call and text other Wave Phones, though they can't text people using the DCL Navigator app. Like the app, they can only send and receive calls and messages while connected to the Wi-Fi on the ships or on Castaway Cay.
While they're pretty reliable and work well, Wave Phones just feel old. Texting on a Wave Phone is slow, because it has a number keypad, not a keyboard. Also, guests usually carry their cell phones around with them, and having two phones, the Wave Phone and a normal cell phone for the DCL Navigator App and for photos, is cumbersome. So, when the Disney Wish starts cruises, why not replace the Wave Phones and all of their features (save for the number keypad texting) with an improved DCL Navigator App?
I don't like you very much, app. Wait, the Sail-A-Wave party is on the Fantasy now? Cool.
The DCL Navigator app already allows users to text other users onboard the Disney ships and on Castaway Cay. In order to send and receive messages, users must have a somewhat strong and consistent Wi-Fi connection. This connectivity is a problem on Disney's fleet, and it's especially bad on Castaway Cay. Many areas on the ships and Castaway Cay just don't have connection. As I mentioned in April, the Wish would need more Wi-Fi access points to provide a consistent connection everywhere around a ship. Also, I'm certain that Lighthouse Point, Disney's new private(ish) destination, will have much better internet connection than Castaway Cay.
Implementing the ability to call other people using the DCL Navigator app while on the ship wouldn't be too difficult. Sure, the app would need some major software updates and major testing. Is Disney looking for onboard app testers? Could I go on a cruise for free? No? Anyway, Disney already offers Cellular@Sea, an expensive cellular service to use on the DCL ships. A feature of this service is that users can call people using their phone's native calling feature. I've never tried it, but it's probably not as good as talking on the phone on land. Also, some mobile carriers also offer similar cellular plans for their customers to purchase for their cruises. Again, these are probably just fine. A downside to these cell plans is that they cost money. If you want to call someone on the ship with you using your personal phone, they'd need a cell plan as well, and the costs add up.
Omitting Wave Phones on the Wish and creating a functional calling feature on the DCL Navigator app would probably cost Disney less than including Wave Phones in every single stateroom. You may have noticed how Disney has recently tried to reduce the amount of paper they use by not distributing the paper Personal Navigators in each stateroom every night, and has encouraged guests to use the app instead. Maybe a more stable and reliable app with a calling feature would make me finally prefer the Navigator app over the paper version. Finally, we can't forget that when the Wish launches in a post-COVID-19 world, people will likely prefer to use their own phones than what is essentially a rented phone. So, with all of these positive changes involved with not including Wave Phones on the Wish, I think it's likely we won't see them on the Wish. No features would be eliminated, and it would make cruising a more streamlined process. Come on Disney, what's the worst that could happen?
I mean, they could get a ton of angry comment cards from people who love Wave Phones, but other than that, everything'll be fine.
Earlier today, September 15th, on their website, Disney announced that all cruises are canceled until December 6th at the earliest. On the Fantasy, cruises are canceled until December 6th. On the Wonder and Dream, they're canceled until December 11th. Finally, on the Magic, cruises are canceled until December 12th.
Disney says that this round of cancelations is partly to give them more time to refine their safety protocols for when they reopen. I really wish they'd tell us what they're going to do, because my family has a cruise planned on the Fantasy in January and we don't know if we're going yet. Also, I'm not sure if anyone is going on that cruise, because Disney might cancel it.
This extension of the suspension means that the next cruises that will happen (if there isn't another extension) are Very Merrytime Cruises. They'd better start planning their massive gingerbread houses!
Like always, all of the people affected by this new suspension will have the choice of receiving a full refund or a 125% cruise credit (as long as they've paid the cruise in full). Of course, be sure to check the Disney Cruise Line website for more information and the latest updates.
In last week's post about the Wish, I included the video from August 2019 that announced its name. If you haven't seen it, here it is:
While getting the video, I noticed that the video had been unlisted for some reason. Unlisting a YouTube video means that it won't appear in any searches. So, to watch it, you need the video's exact URL. If someone unlists a video, then they probably want to limit the amount of people that watch it.
I don't know when the video was unlisted. Most of the recent comments on it are from about eleven months ago, so it might have been unlisted around September to October of 2019. The video was probably only publicly available for a few months at most, which is very unusual for a video from a company as large as Disney. It gets weirder. This video is still featured on the Disney Parks Blog post about the announcement, so Disney hasn't completely denied its existence. So, if it's still around in that post, then why did Disney bother unlisting it?
It definitely wasn't unlisted because of the Wish getting delayed. The Wish got delayed earlier this week, but this video may have been unlisted for almost a year.
It's possible that it was accidentally unlisted. Everyone makes mistakes, even Disney. Remember Pinocchio's Pool? It seems unlikely that this was an accident, though, because there are multiple steps to unlisting a video. It's pretty hard to do it unknowingly.
Another potential reason is if there was an error in the video. Nothing seems to be wrong with it, except for the fact that there are fireworks being set off and the sun hasn't set completely! This false advertising could be why it was unlisted, though it's a bit of a stretch. Also, why is there a dark section directly above where it should say 'Disney Wish' on the stern? I doubt this is an error, because there's nothing like this on the Dream or Fantasy, and it could be a new feature! Of course, this section could just be the ship model and mean absolutely nothing. Maybe Disney unlisted the video because they didn't want me speculating about this mysterious dark section.
Back on course, a probable reason for why it was unlisted is because there may be a new announcement coming. I'm talking about a positive announcement, not like Friday's news about the Wish getting delayed. Anyway, the Wish's name announcement video was posted on August 25th, 2019. The Wish was going to enter service in January 2022, until it got delayed. This means that there was a gap of roughly two years and four months between when the video was posted and when the Wish was going to start cruises (before the delay). It is unknown if the sixth ship has also been affected by the pandemic, but if it hasn't, it'll probably be completed in late 2022 and start cruises at the very end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. If Disney wants to keep the same window of time between the name announcements and the originally-scheduled launches, why hasn't the sixth ship's name been announced?
If the sixth ship's name gets announced, the Wish's name video is called "First Look at the Next Disney Cruise Line Ship". This title doesn't say it's for the Wish, so if a new name announcement video is posted, this video could cause confusion between the two. This is nothing a simple rename can't fix, Disney didn't have to unlist the video.
This is possible, but since the video was probably unlisted around eleven months ago, and nothing has been announced since then, why'd Disney unlist it? And if they're going to reveal something in the near future, why'd they take it down so early? Of course, Disney could just wait until the Wish launches to reveal the sixth ship's name. It's understandable, as they might not want us to explode by knowing two future ship names at a time. But, if they're going to wait until January 2022, then why'd they unlist the video? Also, if there is news about the sixth ship coming, why did they unlist this video? It would've been easier to rename it. Maybe it really was just a mistake.
Really, I see no valid reason why the video was unlisted. Before I go crazy trying to figure out why they did it, I should just end with "I don't know".
Oh cool, this is my 50th post of this year! It's kind of funny, I've posted more this year than every other year I've had this blog combined. I'm really glad I decided to post at least once a week this year, because 2020 has been an unusual and newsworthy year for DCL. Speaking of news, be on the lookout for an announcement about how long the Wish has been delayed and another about an extension of the suspension.
This week, Christine McCarthy, the Senior Executive Vice President and chief Financial Officer of the Walt Disney Company, confirmed that the Disney Wish has been delayed because of COVID-19. She announced this during the Bank of America Virtual 2020 Media, Communications, & Entertainment Conference and the Citi 2020 Global Technology Conference. She said that the pandemic caused the Meyer Werft shipyard, where the Wish is currently under construction, to delay the ship. This news comes just over a week after when I discovered DCL's FAQ page that said it was still scheduled for January 2022 (at the time of posting this, it still says the Wish will start cruising in January 2022). Christine McCarthy didn't say anything about how much the Wish has been delayed, because negotiations about it are still taking place. But, she did say that when this date is confirmed, Disney will make an announcement. It should be coming pretty soon, so keep your eye out for that. Maybe because Disney is sorry for the delay, they'll reveal some of what's going to be on the Wish.
McCarthy also said that when cruises resume, there will be social distancing and "whatever is required at that time." She mentioned that DCL will likely be the last of Disney's businesses to reopen as well. Disneyland in California isn't even open yet, so we're probably going to see another extension of the suspension in the near future.
Here's a video of Christine McCarthy's announcement from the Disney Cruise Line Blog:
I'm really disappointed by this announcement, but I'm hoping the delay won't be too long. I think it'll be around four to five months, six months at the most. It's funny, in my post before the delay, I said "We still have a long time to wait before 2022, and if the Wish's launch were to get pushed to a later date, the seemingly eternal wait would be even longer." Well, we'll be waiting an eternity plus however long this delay is.
This delay also means that we probably won't see any Wish itineraries in the next announcement, which is also disappointing.
For more information, check out the Citi conference and the Bank of America conference. Also, the Disney Cruise Line Blog has some more information about this unfortunate delay. When the length of the delay is announced, I'll have a new post as soon as I find out!
The Disney Wish is still a long way away, but as you know, I love speculation. So, this week, I'm wondering what the design of the Wish's pool deck will be like. Last week, I compared the poolside restaurants between the Disney ships, and I'm hoping the Wish's poolside restaurant layout is similar to the layout of the Magic and Wonder. So, today, we're not thinking about food, and instead thinking about the whole pool deck, which will probably be on Deck 11.
On the Wish, I think everybody wants the pools to be larger. The main family pools often get filled to their absolute maximum capacity, which makes moving around in them a chore. Also, it's impossible to maintain social distance when the pool is that full. A way Disney could implement larger pools on the Wish is by spreading them out, just like the restaurants! On the Magic-class ships, Goofy's Pool is located between the funnels, and the AquaLab pool is behind the Aft funnel. However, on the Dream-class ships, both family pools are found between the two funnels. The layout of the Magic-class ships works better, because like the poolside restaurants, having them spread out around the deck helps to distribute crowds between them. Instead of two small pools between the funnels, like on the Dream-class ships, there could be one large pool there, and a smaller, shallower one behind the Aft funnel. I'm not sure how large the pool between the funnels could be, since it must be able to be covered during deck parties. Maybe they'll do something like this:
The blue rectangle is the pool. The brown lines represent the five sections of the deck cover. The deck sections could come out from the port or starboard side of the pool. Or, each section of the deck could split down the middle, and the two subsections could meet in the middle. This method could be hazardous, if the two subsections were to spread apart. To solve this problem, the subsections could lock in place using some sort of locking mechanism (I'm not a cruise ship pool engineer) and get unlocked by a lifeguard after the deck party.
This pool cover system was completely made up, I don't know if it would work, or if it's even possible to build. But hey, if it is possible, maybe Disney will implement something like it on the Wish.
We can't forget about the kids' play area near the pools. Nemo's Reef on the Dream and Fantasy isn't usually too crowded, so it doesn't really need to be any bigger. It'll probably go somewhere near the shallow pool behind the Aft funnel.
On the Dream-class ships, there's a tiny pool on Deck 12 that overlooks the Quiet Cove, the Funnel Puddle pool. This pool is a family pool, so noisy children are allowed. Since it's above the Quiet Cove, the sound of these kids can carry down a deck. Every time I walked past it on the Fantasy in January, I thought, why does this exist? It's in an unusual location and is a lot less fun than the main family pools. There are some similar pools on the port and starboard sides of the Dream-class ships, and these are in a much better location than the Funnel Puddle. That pool is unnecessary and can be an annoyance, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Wish keeps the small pools on the sides and just gets rid of the Funnel Puddle.
The Dream-class ships have multiple bars on the upper decks: The Cove Bar, Currents, and Waves. Currents and the Cove Bar are close to each other, so I think the Wish should just keep Waves and the Cove Bar, and either change or remove Currents. More about that in a bit.
Next, let's discuss the Quiet Cove. This area will probably be similar to its counterparts on the Dream-class ships, with the poolside Cove Bar and easy access to the Cove Café and Senses Spa. The pool could be larger, with more seats at the Cove Bar. A change I'd make would be to make easier, more obvious access to the adult-exclusive sundeck. According to some adults I've asked, almost nobody goes up to the sundeck, and it's kind of a waste of space on the Dream-class ships. I hope there's a section that everyone is allowed to go up to, because I love being able to look out from the sports deck on the front of the Magic-class ships. Maybe this sundeck area won't be only for adults on the Wish in an effort to get more people to use it. Or, it might be something completely different, like a restaurant. Palo and Remy, or whatever the Wish will have instead, could be up there, and Cabanas could be in Aft, where the adult restaurants would've been. They could have outdoor seating, which would give people beautiful views of the ocean.
Changing up the sundeck on Deck 13 is a reason to remove the Currents bar, because the casual bar just wouldn't fit with the formal adult-exclusive restaurants. Also, I'm predicting that Meridian will still be on the Wish, between the two restaurants. Having Meridian, Currents, and the Cove Bar together would make three bars within a minute walk of each other. It'd be like an upper deck After Hours area, and I don't think having that many bars is really necessary. I'm sure bars are great, but I prefer Mickey ice cream bars.
Now, we have to talk about everyone's favorite Disney Cruise Line buffet, Cabanas. This restaurant is huge, which could be a problem. It takes up a lot of space on Deck 11 of the Dream-class ships, so maybe on the Wish, it could be moved down a deck. There are many staterooms below Cabanas, so they could go to Deck 1! The Dream-class ships don't have any guest rooms on Deck 1, so why not move them from Deck 10 to Deck 1 on the Wish? They'd cost less, and there'd be more room for Cabanas where they would've been. Or, if the adult restaurants are in Forward now, Cabanas could be smaller on Deck 11, with seating above on Deck 12. Like Cabanas on all of the other ships, the Aft elevators would open up right into the restaurant. Although, going up a flight of stairs to sit and eat, then going back down for more, and finally going back up again wouldn't be ideal. I never thought finding a place for a buffet would be so hard.
The Dream and Fantasy are very easy to distinguish from the Magic and Wonder. They're much, much larger, of course, but they also have AquaDucks. The AquaDuck is a defining feature that makes the Dream-class ships special. When people see the Dream or Fantasy, they notice the AquaDuck. Since the Wish isn't going to be much larger than the Dream-class ships, it really needs a defining feature in addition to an AquaDuck 3.0. Something that'll make people know that it's not like the Dream-class ships, it's a completely new ship. It'll have to be outside, because people looking at the ship from a distance can't see inside it. It can't be an eyesore, that's a violation of Disney's maritime law. Finally, it can't be too big, because the Wish is only going to be around 15,000 tons larger than the Dream-class ships.
So, what should this feature be? A second Funnel Vision screen! One of my biggest issues with the Magic-class ships is that you can't see what's on Funnel Vision from the AquaLab, since the Aft funnel is in the way. Imagine being on the Wish, sitting by the smaller pool and possible AquaLab, and watching Funnel Vision on the Aft Funnel. Then, imagine you go for a swim in the larger pool and continue watching Funnel Vision, just on a different funnel. After that, you go up to the sports deck, which may be in the same place that it is on the Dream-class ships and you can still watch Funnel Vision! Sounds magnificent, doesn't it? The screens could play the same movie or show, or play different ones. Just like the restaurants and pools, having a Funnel Vision on each funnel would solve the problem of everyone crowding around the same funnel, while also making life more convenient. I see a common theme with my imaginary pool deck.
This key feature could also be an AquaDunk in addition to the AquaDuck. Remember the artist's rendering from back in 2018? We only saw one side of the ship. Remember this video when Disney announced the ship's name?
The 3D ship model was very simplistic, it didn't even show an AquaDuck. So, this means an AquaDunk in addition to an AquaDuck is possible. There could even be a second Funnel Vision on the Aft funnel with an AquaDunk if the Imagineers wanted to go all out. The AquaDunk would be on the Forward funnel, the AquaDuck would start on the Aft funnel and go through the Forward funnel, all while having a second Funnel Vision. If this were to happen, a smaller slide around the scale of the Twist n' Spout probably wouldn't be included. Instead, there would probably be one or two small slides, around the size of Mickey's Slide on the Dream-class ships. They'd be called Minnie's Slides because of how small they'd be. Like pretty much everything else I've talked about today, having multiple large-scale slides would distribute crowds and shorten lines.
Similar to the pool cover deck I thought of, I'm not sure if it's even possible to have these two massive slides on a cruise ship. But if it is, that would be amazing and the Wish would instantly become my favorite DCL ship.
I think that covers just about everything. To give this post more depth and make it more comprehensive, I made a deck plan based on what I think the Wish should include on its pool deck. You can click on the image to make it larger.
Pretty cool, right? I know almost nothing about cruise ship design, so this design might not even be possible. But hey, anything can happen in my imagination. When creating this, I took some elements of it from the Magic-class ships and other elements from the Dream-class ships, and this is what the Wish's designers need to do. They need to take the best parts of the Magic-class design and the Dream-class design and combine them to make the best DCL ship yet!
We don't know anything about the Wish's pool deck yet, but we probably will soon. I'm thinking that when Disney announces cruise itineraries for the beginning of 2022 (when the Wish will enter service), there will be an enormous amount of information revealed. Why would someone book a cruise on a new ship that they know almost nothing about?
I really hope Disney includes some of the features I want on the Wish's pool deck. If the actual design turns out to be somewhat similar to my design, I'd be shocked and convinced that Mickey reads my blog. From making this post, I realized how much work and thought goes into designing a cruise ship. Disney's Imagineers have to include so much in a limited amount of space, and I don't know how they do it. It would be fascinating to learn about how the Wish was designed, possibly through a book or documentary when the Wish launches. Hey Mickey, if you're reading this, I want to know your magical design process!
The coronavirus pandemic has caused many movies, video games, and other highly-anticipated things to be delayed. With all of these delays, I was wondering if the Wish's construction had been impacted and delayed as well. We still have a long time to wait before 2022, and if the Wish's launch were to get pushed to a later date, the seemingly eternal wait would be even longer.
Well, great news! The Wish is still going to begin cruising in January of 2022! Surprisingly, I found this information on the DCL Frequently Asked Questions page. The FAQ page also says that people will be able to book cruises on the Wish in late 2020, likely soon after the early 2022 cruise itineraries are announced. More details about the Wish will probably be revealed with those itineraries.
In the meantime, here's a video showing the progress of the Wish's construction from a month ago. It doesn't look much like a fun-filled cruise ship yet, but it will be when it's completed in late 2021!
