[mickey]

Disney Cruise Line will announced new 7-night cruise itineraries departing from the Los Angeles area port of Long Beach on Wednesday, May 5. Beginning in May, 2005, the Disney Magic will carry passengers on a magical cruise of the Pacific Ocean and ports of call Cabo San Lucas, Puerta Vallarta, and Mazatlan.

These west coast cruise itineraries will continue for an 11-week period during the summer of 2005, concluding in August 2005 with a special 14-night “repositioning” cruise which will return the Disney Magic to its home port of Port Canaveral, Florida. This special cruise will depart from Los Angeles / Long Beach, transit the Panama Canal, and sail across the Gulf of Mexico to Port Canaveral.

Land and Sea vacation packages, which combine a Mexican Riviera Disney cruise with a stay at the Disneyland Resort will be available.

Cruise dates for the summer 2005 are as follows:

14-night Repositioning Cruise – Aboard the Disney Magic Departing from Port Canaveral to Los Angeles / Long Beach via Panama Canal

5/14/05-5/28/05

7-night Mexican Riviera Cruise – Aboard the Disney Magic Departing from Los Angeles / Long Beach

5/28/05 - 6/04/05
6/04/05 - 6/11/05
6/11/05 - 6/18/05
6/18/05 - 6/25/05
6/25/05 - 7/02/05
7/02/05 - 7/09/05
7/09/05 - 7/16/05
7/17/05 - 7/23/05*
7/23/05 - 7/30/05
7/30/05 - 8/06/05
8/06/05 - 8/13/05
8/13/05 - 8/20/05

14-night Repositioning Cruise – Aboard the Disney Magic Departing from Los Angeles / Long Beach to Port Canaveral via Panama Canal

8/20/05-9/3/05

Dates are subject to change without notice.

Reservations for these special west coast Disney cruise itineraries can be made beginning May 5, 2004, and are expected to sell out very quickly. For rates and availability, please contact our sponsor Mouseketrips

* The cruise sailing on 7/17 is a 6 night cruise and does not stop in Puerta Vallarta.

[brumcg]

Any advance word on what the Wonder will be doing? Just 3 & 4 day cruises?

Bruce

[geeman]

So! IT WAS true, after all! I knew those guys talking at the table across from us on the cruise sounded pretty official!

This sounds great - but I can imagine it's going to very expensive!

[mickey]

Sorry, yes, the Wonder will remain in the Caribbean and run it's usual schedule of 3 and 4 night cruises. Those cruises are available for booking now, through the end of 2005. You can also book Fall cruises on the Magic for 2005 right now as well.

[goofygal1975]

I'm glad I booked my 4 Day Wonder cruise last year!!!! (It's for May 15th 2005). I'm sure a lot of people that would normally cruise 7 days, and feel the need for a cruise, will be booking up those 4 day wonders!! I will be interested to see if/when they announce a new Ship for California!! I'm sure it will come AFTER the summer 2005 sailings!

[MagicalMoments]

So there is not any 7 nights out of Port Canaveral? I thought there was one...

[ilvminnie]

Originally Posted by MagicalMoments

So there is not any 7 nights out of Port Canaveral? I thought there was one...

There are currently 7-night cruises out of PC. They alternate East & West Caribbean. Looks like this CA one is just temporary...probably trying to get a feel for marketability. I would imagine if they're really popular another ship would be in the works soon that would just do CA. The only draw back to me about doing a CA one, though, is no Castaway Cay!!!! That was my favorite part of the cruise!

[mickey]

Originally Posted by MagicalMoments

So there is not any 7 nights out of Port Canaveral? I thought there was one...

For the dates that they Magic will be in SoCal, there will be no 7 night cruises out of Florida at all, only 3 and 4 night cruises.

[mickey]

As an update:

Disney to offer West Coast cruises

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. will dock one of its two cruise ships in California for 12 weeks next year as part of the celebration for the 50th anniversary of its Disneyland theme park, the company said.

The decision to offer 12 seven-night cruises beginning next May also will test the waters for a possible future expansion of the cruise line, which has been extremely successful since it began operating out of Florida in 1998. No decision to permanently add a West Coast port has been reached, the company said Sunday.

"It is a great opportunity to bring the magic of the Disney Cruise line to a whole new audience on the West Coast," Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Disney unveils its plans Wednesday for marking Disneyland's 50th anniversary at each of its 10 worldwide theme parks. Company co-founder Walt Disney opened the park July 17, 1955.

The "Disney Magic" will travel from its home port through the Panama Canal next year and offer cruises leaving from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro and docking in three Mexican ports: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

The announcement comes as Disney unveils a major new addition to its struggling California Adventure theme park, which opened three years ago in the midst of an economic recession.

Executives hope the opening of the "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror," this week will finally bring in the crowds Disney originally expected.

Link to article

[dznygrl]

WOW, normally this would be fantastic news to me, but at the moment it leaves me perplexed...whether to book one or not? We currently live on the West Coast, planning to move to the East Coast within the year. But will we *really* be moved by then, and will I regret it if I *don't* book one of these cruises?? LOL. Such tough decisions!! I always wanted Disney to have a West Coast Cruise Line...

[mickey]

Official Press Release

Disney Cruise Line is repositioning its flagship Disney Magic to Southern California for the summer of 2005, offering seven-night cruise vacations from the Port of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.

Bookings are now open for the 12 west coast cruises that will embark from the Port of Los Angeles each Saturday between May 28 and August 19, 2005, calling at Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Rates start at $1,399 per person, (double occupancy) for the seven-night cruise.

A line that's quickly established itself as the leader in family cruising, Disney's west coast itineraries will continue the innovative rotation dining concept, and the successful lineup of original Disney musicals and family-friendly variety acts.

The repositioning of the 2,600-passenger ship to southern California coincides with one of Disney's biggest milestones -- Disneyland's 50th anniversary. Clients will have the opportunity to combine the fun and excitement of the Disneyland Resort with the enchantment of a Disney Cruise Line voyage by booking two-night pre- or post-cruise stays in one of Disney's three Anaheim resort hotels.

“There's a large contingency of Disney Cruise fans that have eagerly awaited this announcement,” said Randy A. Garfield, CTC, executive vice president of sales and travel operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “This new itinerary presents a tremendous opportunity for agents to offer a new itinerary to past Disney Cruise clients, as well as introduce the product to an entirely new market of cruisers and loyal Disney fans on the west coast.”

The re-positioning of the Disney Magic also includes two 14-night Panama Canal cruises, nicely blending exotic ports of call with leisurely days at sea. This unique opportunity will only be available in a 14-night package. Individual cruise segments will not be offered.

The Disney Magic is scheduled to return to Florida Sept. 3, 2005. Sister-ship Disney Wonder will continue sailing three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas out of Port Canaveral, Fla., and offering land/sea packages with the Walt Disney World Resort.