A Look at After Hours Aboard the Re-imagined Disney Magic

One of the signature transformations during the Disney Magic’s 2013 dry dock was the reimagining of the adult nighttime entertainment district Beat Street into After Hours.  Centered around the forward elevators on deck 3, After Hours appeals to a wide variety of guests with three unique venues each with an array of entertainment offerings providing passengers with a taste of big city-style fun on the high seas.

Beat Street Disney Magic

During dry dock, Beat Street was gutted and refitted with all new material, fixtures, and furnishings.  A similar color palate of blue, black and silver was carried over from the design of After Hours, which now resembles an upscale nightclub district in the heart of a bustling city.

Disney Magic After Hours Elevators Sea Tressures
Disney Magic After Hours Elevators

The new lights installed above the forward elevators are spectacular and look like curled ribbons intertwined with mini lights.

After, After Hours

The walls along the port side hallway as well as near the elevators are stainless steel with a wave design that creates a cool ocean effect when viewed at certain angles.

The new After Hours logo featuring a martini glass welcomes guests as they walk forward from the atrium lobby and mid elevators.

Fathoms

The largest of the three venues was transformed from Rockin’ Bar D into Fathoms, a night club inspired by the exciting elements of the sea from the ripples of the water to the jellyfish inspired custom lighting fixtures on the ceiling. The color palate used takes it queues from the the sea with pearlescent blues and aquas transforming the space into a beautifully vibrant venue.

Disney Magic Fathoms Starboard Entrance

Fathoms is all about being on a ocean cruise bringing with it a deep connection to the sea.  Fathoms can be very calm, but just as the ocean itself, will transition and come alive with excitement.

Disney Magic Fathoms

The stage remains in the same location and I do not think there is a bad seat in the house.

Disney Magic Fathoms

Opposite the bar on the port side, there is bench seating loosely separated by the waves in the walls.

Disney Magic Fathoms Port Bench Seating

The most interesting aspect of Fathoms is the jellyfish inspired fiber-optic light fixtures that were created and installed by Impact Lighting from Orlando, Florida. I’d love to decorate a room in my house around a few of these amazing lighting fixtures!

Disney Magic Fathoms LED Fiber Optic Jellyfish Lights

The wall covering flanking the stage provides another wavy ocean feel quite similar to the panels near the elevators. This image is rotated and the wavy lines are actually horizontal; I just liked the image better when I saw it rotated.

Disney Magic Fathoms Wall Texture

Fathoms provides entertainment and fun-filled interactive games for the entire family during the day and early evening. At night, the club caters exclusively to adults, offering dancing, games, karaoke and a full bar with an array of alcoholic beverages on the Fathoms’ drink menu.

Disney Magic Fathoms Drink Menu

Keys

The lessons in Sessions are over as the smallest venue has been transformed into Keys, a low-key piano bar. Keys is a relaxing venue where guests can enjoy a glass of wine, a  favorite cocktail, or drink of the day all while enjoying the soft sounds of the piano in venue inspired the name itself, the keys of a piano.

Disney Magic Keys Entrance

Keys was inspired by the lounges and watering holes found along Sunset Boulevard during the Golden Age of Hollywood where you would go to relax, have a drink and enjoy some soft piano music in an intimate Art Deco setting.

Disney Magic Keys

In keeping with the sophisticated theme, Keys features live piano music and guest vocalists nightly. A variety of talented musicians perform classics from Duke Ellington and Cole Porter to Billy Joel and Elton John. A sheet music inspired touch of Disney can be spotted on the wall behind the piano.

Disney Magic Keys Piano

A full bar serves a large selection of beer, wine, Champagne and even a selection of specialty cocktails tailored for the venue can be found not the Keys’ drink menu.

Disney Magic Keys Drink Of The Day
Disney Magic Keys Drink Menu

O’Gills Pub

Rounding After Hours, is the transformation of Diversions into a modified versions of the Irish pub and sports bar, O’Gills Pub that was introduced on the Disney Fantasy. O’Gills Pub is the place to go when sailing on the Disney Magic to throw back a few cold ones while watching live sporting events that may not be available on your stateroom TV. This is not the first time this venue has been changed. Originally, the venue was named Off Beat when the Magic launched in 1998, and was changed to Diversions in 2003.

Disney Magic O'Gills Entrance

Imagineers wanted to bring the popularity of O’Gills from the Disney Fantasy to the Disney Magic in this reimagined venue inspired by Disney’s The Legend of O’Gills in which a fish meets a leprechaun, and gains the ability to speak & sing. On the wall near the entrance, there is a framed book open to The Legend of O’Gills and the Ballad of O’Gills.

Disney Magic The Legend Of O'Gills

The Legend of O’Gills

This is the legend of O’Gills the lucky fish, who saved the Leprachaun and was granted a wish. You see, the Leprechaun was kind of a slacker, and carrying his pot o’ gold made hime quite knackered.

He stopped for a drink from the lough, when a crab pulled him underwater in a shock. The Leprechaun was about to drown, but luckily our hero, O’Gills, was around.

With a puff of his pipe. O’Gills tipped his hat, and used his tail to give that crab a deadly whack. The Leprechaun swam away and thankful he was, and then offered a wish to O’Gills without pause.

The Leprechaun expected a wish for riches or a yoke; he says wishes are never quare, and usually a joke. But O’Gills puffed his pipe and remained nonchalant, because he knew exactly the kind of wish he wants.

O’Gills smiled and said “gargle” to the Little Man, and then asked him if he could give him a hand. You see, O’Gills didn’t need stuff or riches to spend; he just wanted to share a pint with his new little friend.

So let’s raise our glasses for O’Gills wish, and drink to new friends and a lucky fish.

A wonderful piece of artwork adorns the wall illustrates the Legend of O’Gills. (If anyone recognizes the signature let me know so I can attribute the artwork.)

Disney Magic O'Gills Painting

There was also a sing along song, The Ballad of O’Gills composed for the venue. We tried to get a member of the Cruise Staff team to sing it for us during music trivia, but he was unwilling. I do not blame them; we tried it and all I can say is that we need practice.

The illusion of an old found book was lost by the ©2012 Walt Disney Music Company at the bottom of the ballad.

Disney Magic The Ballad Of O'Gills

The Ballad of O’Gills

 O’Gills, O’Gills the lucky fish, O’Gills, O’Gills Please make a wish.

Let’s tip our hats and have a chat, With O’Gills the lucky fish!

O’Gills, O’Gills The fighting fish, O’Gills, O’Gills You are Irish

Let’s join the group And have some scoops With O’Gills the lucky Fish! 

O’Gills, O’Gills The drinking fish O’Gills, O’Gills Please make a wish

Let’s share a glass With a fine Irish lass And O’Gills the lucky fish!

O’Gills, O’Gills the lucky fish, O’Gills, O’Gills Please make a wish.

Let’s tip our hats and have a chat, With O’Gills the lucky fish!

O’Gills, O’Gills The fighting fish, O’Gills, O’Gills You are Irish

Let’s join the group And have some scoops With O’Gills the lucky Fish!

O’Gills, O’Gills The drinking fish O’Gills, O’Gills Please make a wish 

Let’s share a glass With a fine Irish lass And O’Gills the lucky fish!

The family favorite board games as well as checkers, chess and backgammon remain a staple in O’Gills Pub!

Disney Magic O'Gills Portholes

The lounge chairs and short tables were near the bar was replaced with bar-height tables and stools.

Disney Magic O'Gills Bar

Leather chair are placed along the starboard porthole windows.

Disney Magic O'Gills Porthole Seating

The full bar serves a large selection of wine, beer and mixed drinks along with some specialty cocktails from the O’Gills Pub menu. Additionally, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and snacks are served throughout the evening.

Disney Magic O'Gills Menu & Bar
Disney Magic O'Gills Menu

Sea Treasures

The duty free store Up Beat was rebranded as Sea Treasures. The lower third of the glass doors feature a layering of blue waves creating a nice transition at the end of the hallway carpet creating an almost a beach like effect with the golds inside Sea Treasures representing the sand along the shore.

Disney Magic After Hours Sea Treasures

After Hours looks great! I really liked the change in the hallway from a big city, busy street look to a minimalistic design with a basic color palate. We spent a decent amount of our time in O’Gills (mostly for various trivia), but I could not get over how much I missed the lounge seating. Aside from the cosmetic changes, the space feels the same as Diversions, albeit it did seem darker.  We would not describe our time in Keys as a relaxing in a subdued environment as the music level was quite high which made it was difficult to have a conversation while sitting and having a drink at the bar. I have heard that this has been adjusted accordingly! Fathoms was the standout After Hours venue. The lighting effects were spectacular leaving no doubt it was inspired by the sea. Fathoms also proved to be a great venue for the family entertainment shows with great views of the stage from most seats. Overall, After Hours is one of those areas on the reimagined Disney Magic  that Disney knocked out of the park.

5 Replies to “A Look at After Hours Aboard the Re-imagined Disney Magic”

  1. Gene

    I agree with Gary, I was very underwhelmed by After Hours, and found that I missed the Pleasure Island feel of Beat Street. Oddly the Bathrooms were unchanged, so you can still get of sense of how superior the Beat Street Decor was while inside of After Hours Bathrooms. I think Fathoms should be reduced in size. The Bar side of the club should have been seperated and made into…. Sky Line? Move the stage to re – center it within the smaller space that is left and have that be the remain lounge/club.

    Reply
  2. Brian K Wilson

    We just got back from our first Disney Cruise and absolutely loved Keys!! We went every night of our cruise. The atmosphere was wonderful, the cocktails were amazing, especially the Manhattan!!! And the singer, Clara Oman was just stunning!! We can’t wait to visit again on our next vacation!!!

    Reply

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