PORT CANAVERAL – While both the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic ships feature 3D movie theaters that play the latest Disney movie releases in Disney Digital 3D, both of those theaters were built for 2D showings and upgraded for 3D movies and audio a few years ago. The brand new Disney Dream, which was just christened this week, is the first Disney Cruise Line ship to feature a state-of-the-art 3D cinema specifically built for today’s 3D animated and live action films.
The Buena Vista Theatre takes up 5,188 square feet across two decks of the ship and seats 399 people in a dual-level stadium seating configuration. In comparison, the theaters on the Magic and Wonder seat 268 people. The new theater features Dolby 3D surround sound and Disney Digital 3D projection. A Disney spokesman said that in addition to the latest 3D technology, the fact that this ship (as well as next year’s Disney Fantasy ship) were built specifically for 3D impacts the overall entertainment experience for the latest Hollywood spectacles.
On board the christening cruise, Disney was playing “Tangled,” “Tron: Legacy,” and “Toy Story 3” in 3D, as well as “Secretariat” in 2D. Disney was also promoting the upcoming “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” 3D movie with 3D trailers before each of these films. Disney offers simultaneous premieres for films at sea, which allows guests to see the latest 3D movies on board the ship for free.
While the new theater boasts the latest technology behind-the-scenes, the plush décor is reminiscent of the grand Art Deco styles of the 1920s and 1930s. This aligns with the overall feel of the new ship, which is 40 percent larger than Disney’s first two cruise ships. The original ships launched back in 1998.
The theater also features a stage, as well as the ability to add special effects to productions for a “fourth dimension” of entertainment, according to a Disney spokesman. Later cruises are expected to take advantage of this technology.
– By John Gaudiosi