On Wednesday, September 5, 2018, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved an amendment extending Disney Cruise Line’s preferential berthing agreement to April 30, 2024.
The amendment included a memorandum of understanding between the county and Disney Cruise Line for preliminary negotiation rights for an 18-month term to negotiate the construction of a new cruise terminal.
This new cruise terminal would allow Disney to homeport a large vessel capable of carrying 3500+ passengers and vessels up to 1,150 feet. Disney seeks to expand their brand at PortMiami. The documents indicate Disney Cruise Line plans to deploy a large ship to PortMiami in January 2023 for year-round with rotating 5-night/5-night/4-night departures. In January 2024, Disney plans to bring a second large vessel to Miami for seasonal sailings with a 3-night/4-night rotation.
On top of the new terminal, just imagine what could happen with the addition of Brightline from MCO to Miami. The 3hr train route has the potential to open up new opportunities for a Land & Sea vacation options between WDW and Port Miami.
For more details on this project, including the full memorandum please see our previous article on the proposed new cruise terminal for Disney Cruise Line at PortMiami.