Disney Cruise Line celebrated the keel laying of the 'Disney Dream', the first of two newly-designed ships being built at Meyer Werft, Germany, on August 26.
The keel laying ceremony marks the first time the 'Disney Dream' actually begins to take shape after many years of design work.
The first block of the ship was lowered into the building dock and a coin was placed under the keel for good fortune. Doing the honours of placing the coin was Captain Tom Forberg along with a key Disney figure, Donald Duck.
The 'Disney Dream' is scheduled to join the current fleet in 2011, followed by Disney's second new ship, the 'Disney Fantasy' in 2012.
Together the two new ocean liners will more than double the capacity of Disney Cruise Line, each having 1,250 staterooms and a tonnage of 128,000.
Both new ocean liners will be home ported in Port Canaveral, USA.