The Disney Dream takes its maiden voyage!

With a dash of Disney magic and a surprising twist, a helicopter hoisted a 16-foot “champagne bottle” across the bow of the Disney Dream during a christening ceremony this morning officially welcoming the newest ship to the Disney Cruise Line family.

Serving the traditional role of godmother for the Disney Dream christening was Jennifer Hudson, the Academy Award and Grammy Award winner whose own dreams of stardom began when she was a performer on the Disney Wonder ship in 2003.

Hudson was joined onstage by Disney CEO Bob Iger and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs, as the enormous “champagne bottle” filled with dreams of adventure, romance and fun was lifted into the air and broken across the bow of the 130,000-ton ship.           

   Some 3,000 people were gathered at the Disney Dream for the christening ceremony including celebrities, media and members of the public.

           
The spectacle befit a ship brimming with innovative “wows” – including gallery art that comes alive, the first water coaster aboard a cruise ship, Magical Portholes that provide inside staterooms with a real-time ocean view, a full-blown shipboard fireworks show, personal interaction with animated characters, play floors like gigantic video games, and original Broadway-style stage spectaculars.

“For over a decade, Disney Cruise Line has been making vacation dreams come true for millions of families and we continue that tradition today with the launch of the Disney Dream,” Iger said. “The mix of imagination and innovation found on the Disney Dream is unparalleled and elevates the family cruise experience to new heights.”

        

The 4,000-passenger Disney Dream sails its maiden voyage out of Port Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 26. It joins the 2,700-passenger Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, with the Disney Fantasy scheduled to join the fleet in 2012.              

“The addition of the Disney Dream provides an opportunity to extend our horizons and open up Disney cruising to more families,” Staggs said.  “From the majestic beauty of Alaska, to the culture and history of Europe, to the fun and sun of the Caribbean, families looking to take a Disney cruise have more options than ever before.”   

In 2011, the Disney Dream will sail three-, four- and five-night itineraries to the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. The Disney Magic will sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries and seven-, 10- and 11-night European cruises out of Barcelona during the summer months. The Disney Wonder will sail seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles beginning Jan. 23 and seven-night Alaska itineraries from Vancouver, B.C., during the summer months.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500 or contact their travel agent.