A WHOLE new world is coming to Portland.

Thousands of people will Be our Guest when a magical cruise liner docks at the port.

The Disney Magic ship will dock in May 2017 with 2,400 passengers coming ashore.

The announcement has been welcomed by local business leaders.

BID chairman Steve Newstead said: “This is great news for Weymouth and Portland. The Disney cruise ship will attract a new audience to the area and we hope that a lot of visitors will enjoy Weymouth and all the wonderful things that it has have to offer. Weyfarers will also be on hand to greet the visitors as they arrive."

As reported in March, Portland Port is set to start work on a new berth extension so it can accommodate some of the biggest cruise ships in the world. Following a lengthy planning process, the board at Portland Port has finalised plans for the extension of the port’s primary cruise berth, with works scheduled to start in spring this year.

Portland is one of just three ports on the south coast of the UK that can already handle vessels up to 300m length overall (LOA) alongside.

The new facility, which will be finished in time for the 2017 season, will further strengthen the port's position by increasing this capability to berth vessels in excess of 340m LOA alongside.

It's not quite Just Around the River Bend- it's actually a journey of more than 4,200 miles from Port Canaveral, Florida. But guests won't be living a Pirate's Life- they'll be setting sail in top class accommodation.

Disney has announced its itinerary including first-time visits to new destinations in Alaska and Europe. It will also return to Norway, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Portland Port is a first for the Disney Cruise Line and is part of the 15-night transatlantic crossing from Port Canaveral, Florida to Copenhagen.

Founded 20 years ago, it is a cruise line operation part of the Walt Disney Company. The Disney Magic is one of four ships in the Cruise Line fleet.