In February 2007, Disney Cruise Line announced that it had commissioned two new ships for its fleet with Meyer Werft shipyards in Papenburg, Germany.

Disney Cruise Line president, Karl Holz, along with Minnie Mouse, officially placed a magic coin beneath the ship's hull.

The coin is identical to that which was placed beneath the Disney Dream, however, featured the hull number S688, and the date of the keel laying.

[21] On December 30, 2021, passengers were unable to debark the ship at St. Thomas due to a rise in onboard COVID-19 cases.

[22] Disney Fantasy has a water playground with a water coaster,[23] pop jets, geysers and bubblers featuring Huey, Dewey and Louie, instead of the Waves bar on the pool deck which is found on her sister ship the Disney Dream.

[25] Disney Fantasy can play songs from Disney movies and parks using its 11 horns,[26][17] specifically: "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella, "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast, "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" from Pirates of the Caribbean, the Pinocchio songs "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor's Life for Me)", "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"