Disney Magic Dry Dock Update: The Transformation Begins

The Disney Magic has been in Navantia’ Puerto Real dry dock for just over a week and there has not been a consistent stream of updates from Disney as one would hope.  I can understand Disney Cruise Line’s apparent stance on not wanting to show the Disney Magic in anything less then stellar condition, but we are all eager to see the progress.  Thankfully, we have the internet and social media to help fill the void.

Once the Disney Magic was positioned, the gates were closed and the water was pumped out of the dry dock exposing the props.

Disney Magic Dry Dock Draining Closeup
Disney Magic Dry Dock Draining

The Disney Parks Blog posted this photo on Friday the 13th showing the Disney Magic dry for the first time.  This view also provides a glimpse at the transformation of Topsider Buffet to Cabanas, as well as the stripping of the paint on the hull.

DPB Disney Magic Dry Dock

A poster on a Spanish language forum posted some photos of the Disney Magic as she can be viewed from publicly accessible roads around Puerto Real.

DLPBOA Disney Magic Outside Fence Bow
DLPBOA Disney Magic Outside Fence

This is a great view of the Disney Magic’s bulbous bow and forward bow thrusters.

Delante-Magic-Dry-Dock-Bulbus-Bow

Then, a little bit later, the same view was shown following the stripping of the paint from the hull of the Disney Magic.

Delante Magic Paint Stripping

The Disney Magic’s often referenced stabilizer can be seen below the waterline in this starboard view.

Disney Magic Starboard Stabilizer

More paint stripping on the starboard side along with the various gangways.

Disney Magic Paint Stripping Starboard
Disney Magic Cadiz Dry Dock Starboard Name Plate

The next set of photos provides a before and after look at one of the areas we spend considerable amount of time and money; the remodel of the two gift shops – Mickey’s Mates and Treasure Ketch.

Delante Magic Retail Demo After
Delante Magic Retail Demo After

Next, we move onto one of the most anticipated areas of the re-imagined Disney Magic, the AquaLab. This will be one of the last views of the Mickey pool before it its transformed into the AquaLab.  If you look closely, you can also start to see the transformation of Pluto’s Dog House into Pete’s Boiler Bites.

Disney Magic Mickey Pool Demolition

This final picture looking at the stern of the Disney Magic depicts the newly added ducktail.  Not sure why, but this is aspect of the Disney Magic’s transformation is the most intriguing to me as it is a noticeable physical change to the ship.  Additionally, the reason for it is even more interesting.

Disney Magic Dry Dock Ducktail Sponson Closeup
Disney Magic Dry Dock Ducktail Sponson

In the photo below you can see a much better view of the ducktail being installed to the superstructure of the Disney Magic.

Disney Magic Cadiz Dry Dock Ducktail Sep 19, 2013
Disney Magic Dry Dock Ducktail Stern

I’d like to thank those of you have taken the time to [EmailMe] and tweet @ me some of these images this past week.

24 Replies to “Disney Magic Dry Dock Update: The Transformation Begins”

    1. Stuart Kahler

      They’re always touching up the chips and scrapes by slapping more paint on top. You just can’t allow bare metal on a ship if you want it to stay rust free. After a while it gets pretty thick and uneven. So now is when they strip it down and repaint it the right way.

      Reply
  1. Sherri C.

    SO SO COOL!! Thanks so much for sharing – The Magic is our First and Favorite Disney Ship. We can’t wait to sail her again on the WBTA in Sept of 2014!!!! LOVE the updates 🙂

    Reply
  2. Amber

    Thank you for all you do Scott. We sail on the Magic in 72 days!! I can’t wait to experience this ship. Your blog really helps keeps the magic alive both pre and post cruising.

    Reply
  3. FellowCollector

    Thanks for all the great information your blog provides on a daily basis. I’ve been wondering since the addition of 44 connecting doors was announced, though, which 88 staterooms are effected? For some, this might be great news. But, I’d be really disappointed if bookings made before the drydock were now booked into connectors. We choose our staterooms to avoid the potential additional noise. Hopefully, DCL will inform those of us effected and offer to change to a more desirable available cabin. In the interim, does anyone know if or when they new deckplans will be released showing the change? Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      I’ve inquired myself, and have had discussions with multiple travel agents who have expressed similar concerns. It would be beneficial to have an updated deck plan to help book connecting staterooms as well as the flip side, avoiding staterooms with connecting doors.

      Reply
    2. Art Houston

      We had a connecting room on Magic in Feb. Daughter and GS GD were in it one and wife and I were in the next. Noise is not and issue. Will tell you we brough bungie cords to hold the two door open. Their is a door on each side. This area is better insulated than the walls. These are steel doors. As are all doors on all Cruise Ship.

      Reply
  4. Tim Preston

    Thanks for the updates……we sail on the Fantasy in November but have been on the Magic 3 times each for 7 days so it is definitely our family’s favorite ship.

    Reply
  5. Janet Zosack

    Love seeing these pictures!!! My daughter is a mainstage performer on the Magic and can’t wait to get back on the newly reimagined ship next month. We’ll be sailing again in November to see all the magic!!!

    Reply
  6. Nicki Watson

    Lovely to see what is happening with Magic, I love this ship and cant wait to see the changes next August when I go on a Med cruise

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      Ducktail: An extension to ship’s stern. On older ships the diminished stability can be regained by adding a ducktail. Ducktail is also used on newbuildings; there the primary purpose is often to reduce the power consumption for propulsion. Naval Architecture Terms via Foreship.com

      Reply
  7. Sonna Robinson

    Janet, our son is a mainstage performer as well (Joseph), and we were on the November 6th sailing (I have met your daughter – so lovely and talented!). I would love to hear your thoughts after you sail! We thought the ship looked truly amazing, and we loved most of the “upgrades” but mourn the loss of a few things. Our 12-year old nephew rode the AquaDunk pretty much nonstop on sea days – he gave it the thumbs up. We were in rooms 6096 and 6098, a new pair of adjoining rooms. FellowCollector, they provided us with extra doorstops for propping them open and opened up the balcony door as well, which was great. I can’t imagine that the noise between the rooms would be a problem since there are two heavy metal doors there – one on each side. Overall the finishes are lovely throughout the ship, but deck 9 is pretty broken up and often pretty slippery in a lot of places – navigating it was sometimes treacherous, and the traffic at the beverage station was pretty crazy! We loved the new show in Animators but miss the whimsy of the old Parrot Cay. And I know the new “adult” area was a big expense (Fathoms is beautiful), and we hardly saw anyone use it. Everyone was too pooped to party most nights!

    Reply

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