gCaptain receives an inordinate amount of press releases about the launching of new ships. Most get tossed in the virtual trash bin for lack of anything new or innovating. The launch of Disney’s newest cruise ship, the M/V Disney Dream, almost found it’s way into the bin until I read the line “The Disney Dream features AquaDuck is a thrilling “water coaster”. Aft through an acrylic tube on a breathtaking journey up, down, around and off the side of the ship, through the Forward Funnel and—following a mammoth drop—into a lazy river.” Cool!

Here’s the virtual tour:

Click here to view the embedded video.

gCaptain hopes to be “testing” the waterslide the minute our free press passes arrive. More details will surely follow ;)

Today Disney announced the names of their new build cruise ships: Disney Fantasy & Disney Dream. Disney also announced that steel cutting has begun at at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The company tells us:

“Last week, steel cutting began on our next two Disney cruise ships. Today I’m pleased to announce their names,” said Robert A. Iger, Disney president and CEO. “The Disney Dream will set sail in 2011, while the Disney Fantasy will hit the high seas in 2012.”

Similar to the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the names were chosen to celebrate Disney’s unique heritage of creating enchanting places and stories where dreams really do come true.

“The names are very telling of our brand and are part of our history,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations. “Disney is known for making dreams come true, and for creating worlds of fantasy that go beyond the imagination. The names are a natural choice for our ships.”

As noted, Disney Cruise Line began construction on the new ships with a steel cutting ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The first piece of steel cut was part of the art deco inspired scrollwork that will grace the bow of the ships. Similar to the scrollwork on the existing Disney Cruise Line ships, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the intricate pattern is reminiscent of the classic ocean liners of the 1930s, with added touches of Disney whimsy.

Since finalizing a contract with the Meyer Werft shipyard to build the two new ships, Disney Cruise Line and Walt Disney Imagineering have created a truly distinctive design. Over the next few years, construction will continue, bringing the design to reality, with the Disney Dream scheduled for delivery in 2011 and the Disney Fantasy in 2012.

The new ships will be purpose built with families in mind, and specially designed areas and activities for each member of the family to allow for both quality time together and wonderful individual experiences. The focus is to provide a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and kids can immerse themselves in worlds only Disney can create.

The expansion will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms and will each be 128,000 tons.