Cruise ship debuts on-board water coaster

(Disney Cruise Line)

Cartoon-themed cruise line Disney Cruise Company revealed more details January 26 of its upcoming liner, which is set to include an onboard "water coaster."

The Disney Dream is the first of Disney Cruise Line's two new ships planned to be in operation by 2012, and to be themed around Disney favorites such as Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck. The main attraction AquaDuck, the world's first ship-board water coaster, is a four-storey high-speed log ride featuring twists, turns, drops, uphill acceleration and river rapids - set across the upper decks of the ship. At one point, the ride extends 16 feet off the edge of the ship, allowing guests to look down to the ocean, before a sharp turn back to safety.

For active cruisers, Goofy's Sports Deck boasts a Goofy Golf miniature golf course, a full-size basketball court, a walking track and two digital sports simulators to provide simulation of games such as soccer, tennis, basketball. There is also Nemo's Reef, a water area for young children, complete with characters from the Finding Nemo film such as a waterslide shaped like Mr Ray and Pearl the octopus who "inks" herself with a mist of water. The Donald Pool, the ship's main pool, is overlooked by a giant screen - more than 30 feet wide and 18 feet high (9 meters by 5.5 meters) - which will show Disney films and other live broadcast events.

For adults, "The District" is a nighttime entertainment area with three bars, a pub and a club. In Skyline, one of the bars, seven 65-inch (1.65 meter) LCD "windows" depict a different city skyline every evening, changing from day to night in real time to create the illusion of a real sunset.

The Disney Dream Maiden Voyage is due to take place on January 26, 2011 and booking begins on November 9. Her sister ship the Disney Fantasy will launch in 2012. Both crafts are part of a new generation of ships designed to appeal to a younger audience and families than traditional cruises. Earlier in January, German cruise line AIDA announced that they would include single cabins on boat their newest vessel, the AIDAblu, to encourage younger adults to come on board.

Website: www.disneycruises.com