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Credit: Inside the MagicFor a lot of Disney fans, visiting the theme parks is a vacation they always look forward to. The parks are full of great restaurants, incredible attractions, memorable character meet-and-greets, and so much. But visiting a theme park isn’t the only way to immerse yourself in the magic of Disney. The company also has a fleet of amazing cruise ships, and guests can’t praise the experience enough.
Disney has six ships in its impressive fleet — Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and the newest one, Disney Treasure. And two more ships are set to join the fleet this year — Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure.
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The Disney Dream is the perfect ship for families and adults who want to enjoy a Disney cruise without kids. The ship is full of marvelous experiences, including dining like a princess at the Royal Palace or under the sea at Animator’s Palate. They can enjoy a variety of sweet treats at Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats, and watch Broadway-caliber shows like Beauty and the Beast.
However, what was supposed to be a magical family vacation quickly turned into a nightmare and near tragedy for one family. Luckily, the father turned into a real-life superhero and turned terror into triumph.
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On June 29, the Disney Dream was returning to its home port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Suddenly, guests heard over the loudspeaker that there was a man overboard on the port (left) side of the ship. Somehow, a young girl had fallen off the 4th level deck of the ship. Witnesses said that her father quickly jumped into the water after to rescue her.
Disney cruise employees acted quickly and managed to get both the frightened father and daughter back onboard and, thankfully, no one was seriously injured.
Disney confirmed the incident in a statement and commended the work of crew members.
“The Crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water. We commend our Crew Members for their exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes. We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”
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Reports said that the father managed to keep him and his daughter afloat for about twenty minutes, until crew members were able to rescue them. It is unknown how the girl managed to fall overboard, as the ship has plexiglass barriers to prevent such things from happening.
Initial reports indicated that the cruise ship might have been docked when the young girl fell overboard, but numerous witnesses said that the ship was sailing between the Bahamas and Florida when the incident occurred.
This dad might not wear a cape, but he certainly is his daughter’s superhero.
Have you ever seen a dangerous incident onboard a Disney cruise? Were crew members quick to respond? Share your Disney Cruise Line stories in the comments!