Disney Wonder dry dock crews completed more than 100 projects throughout the ship over 14 days and laid more than 12 miles of new carpet, Disney Cruise Line said September 30 in a behind-the-scenes look at how its ships are refreshed.
Disney says nearly 1,000 crew members and cast members worked on the project, and that the ship’s new, sustainable hull coating is equal to painting 10 football fields. The Wonder arrived at the Esquimalt Graving Dock in Victoria, British Columbia, on August 17 and was scheduled to welcome guests back in Vancouver on September 7, a three-week window, though Disney’s release puts the project work at 14 days.
What A Dry Dock Is
A dry dock takes a cruise ship out of the water for renovations, updates and routine inspections. Each Disney Cruise Line ship typically goes into one every five years, which lets the line pair required maintenance with changes to guest spaces. Shipboard teams, technical experts, Walt Disney Imagineers and craftsmen work around the clock to finish hundreds of tasks before guests return.
“At Disney Cruise Line, every enhancement we make begins with a single question: How can we make the guest experience better?” said Tracy Wilson, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line Operations. “These investments are designed to build upon the experiences our guests already know and love while adding thoughtful, new touches that make vacations even more memorable.”
New Spaces On The Fantasy, Magic And Wonder
The Wonder’s work comes alongside recent updates to the Disney Fantasy and Disney Magic. The Fantasy added Ramone’s Cantina, a quick-service dining spot inspired by Cars, along with updates to Senses Spa & Salon and the new Fantasy Tower Suite, which takes its inspiration from Fantasia.
All three ships now have a refreshed Edge, the club for tweens, with a brighter color scheme and modular pieces that can be rearranged for different activities.
“Every dry dock is an opportunity to reinvigorate spaces with new magic by responding to how guests use areas of the ships. We also carefully consider blending those needs and bringing new, unique storytelling to life on ships,” said Alexis Cummins, creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering.
Work Guests Never See
Not every upgrade is visible to guests. The Magic and the Wonder received advanced hull coatings, and the Fantasy got a new bulbous bow. Disney says those changes improve performance and help minimize the ships’ environmental impact.
Crew areas were updated too, including a reimagined crew dining location. Wilson said the enhancements reflect the line’s belief that innovation is not limited to new ships, and that each vessel in the fleet is continually evaluated and enhanced. Disney says nearly 90 percent of its guests rate their experience as “excellent.”
After leaving dry dock, the Wonder returned to its seven-night Alaska sailings and closed out Disney Cruise Line’s 2026 Alaska season in late September. The ship left Vancouver on September 28 on a five-night repositioning cruise to San Diego, where it is set to spend the 2026-27 winter sailing three- to seven-night cruises to Baja California and the Mexican Riviera.
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