Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Believe will enter service on 18 December 2027, with the new Wish-class ship set to introduce new entertainment, dining and accommodation across its public spaces and guest facilities.
The ship will debut the first stage adaptation of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto, a new family dining venue based on the Frozen universe and a Grand Hall inspired by Moana. Disney Believe will operate four- and five-night sailings from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean and The Bahamas, calling at one or both of Disney Cruise Line’s island destinations, Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Disney Believe will be the fourth ship in the Wish class, joining Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny. It forms part of Disney Cruise Line’s wider fleet expansion, which is expected to bring the fleet to 13 ships in late 2030.
The ship’s Grand Hall will be designed around the relationship between the sky and sea, with a statue of Moana accompanied by Pua and Heihei forming a central feature. The space will incorporate elements inspired by the Pacific Islands setting of Moana, including an ocean-themed carpet with bioluminescent colours and a chandelier based on the movement of the sea, with the heart of Te Fiti incorporated into the design.
The ship’s Grand Hall will be designed around the relationship between the sky and sea (Image: Disney Cruise Line)
Entertainment onboard will include productions based on Encanto and Zootopia, alongside existing Disney Cruise Line offerings. Disney Encanto will debut exclusively on Disney Believe, adapting the Academy Award-winning animated film for the Walt Disney Theatre. The production will follow Mirabel as she attempts to save her family and their home, incorporating Colombian cultural influences through its costumes, scenic design and dance. Music from the film will include songs such as “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure”.
Tangled: The Musical, previously presented on Disney Magic, will also join the theatrical programme with a new set design and special effects created for Disney Believe. Disney Seas the Adventure, an original Wish-class production featuring Disney and Pixar characters and songs, will complete the main theatre programme.
Gazelle will provide an entertainment venue inspired by the city featured in Disney Animation’s Zootopia films. During the day, the space will host activities including trivia, games and character encounters, while evening programming will include adult-only entertainment, silent discos and variety acts. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will also feature in a new family show in which guests will help the characters investigate a case.
Other entertainment offerings will include Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party, a nighttime event featuring a live rock band and fireworks; Hero Zone, a sports and games area; and Disney Uncharted Adventure, an interactive experience using mobile devices to unlock quests around the ship. Wonderland and Never Land Cinemas will offer complimentary screenings of classic and new films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and other studios.
Disney Believe will introduce Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast, a new restaurant experience based on the Frozen story. The venue will be set in a courtyard within a forest and will feature Oaken, Anna and Kristoff, alongside musical performances from Oaken’s cousins.
Returning dining venues will include 1923, which will feature more than 1,000 drawings, props and other animation materials from the Walt Disney Archives. The venue will highlight stories including Lilo & Stitch, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story and Peter Pan. Worlds of Marvel will also return with Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix, featuring Rocket and Groot.
Inside Out: Joyful Sweets will offer gelato, ice cream and other confectionery, with the venue themed around characters from Pixar’s Inside Out 2. It will include larger-than-life representations of Joy, Sadness, Anxiety and Envy, as well as the Sense of Self structure, alongside nearly 20 gelato and ice cream flavours, daily gelato specials and other sweets.
Two new cafés, Big Hero Sips and Café Kakamora, will also open onboard. Big Hero Sips will draw on the San Fransokyo setting of Big Hero 6, while Café Kakamora will be inspired by Motunui from Moana. On the upper decks, Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods will offer barbecue, cantina bowls and salads, pizza, burgers and soft-serve ice cream, alongside new Pluto’s Pita Platters with Mediterranean-inspired dishes including kebabs and pitas.
Sea Notes is a piano lounge inspired by Ariel’s grotto in The Little Mermaid (Image: Disney Cruise Line)
Adult-focused venues will include Sea Notes, a piano lounge inspired by Ariel’s grotto in The Little Mermaid, with a pearlescent piano as its centrepiece. Wishing Well will draw on Disney Animation’s 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with its design based on a castle courtyard, while Skygazers will provide a pub-style venue with astronomical and storybook elements.
The returning Haunted Mansion Parlor will offer a new menu of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Other adult facilities will include a premium dining area incorporating Palo Steakhouse, Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement and The Rose; Quiet Cove, with an infinity pool, whirlpool spas, bar and café; Senses Spa and Sense Fitness; and Untangled Salon and Hook’s Barbery.
The upper decks will feature three themed areas with pools, casual dining and spaces for relaxation. The family district themed to Mickey and Friends will include seven pools across tiered decks, while the AquaMouse water attraction will return with a new storyline featuring Mickey and Minnie on a series of adventures. The experience will include the “Swiss Meltdown” and “Sing a Silly Song” segments.
A water play area themed to Pixar’s Toy Story will cater to younger children and include a splash zone, wading pool, family waterslide and smoothie bar.
Children aged three to 17 will have access to dedicated spaces and programming. Disney’s Oceaneer Club will feature five themed areas: Marvel Super Hero Academy, Fairytale Hall, Star Wars: Cargo Bay, Walt Disney Imagineering Lab and Mickey and Minnie’s Captain’s Deck. The entrance to the club on Disney Believe will be themed to Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., including the “2319” warning and a figure of Mike Wazowski.
It’s a Small World Nursery will provide childcare for children aged six months to three years. Edge will cater for tweens aged 11 to 13 with a New York loft-inspired space, while Vibe will provide a Parisian-style space for teenagers aged 14 to 17. The Hideaway will offer an additional space for older children, with a dance floor and DJ booth.
Accommodation onboard will incorporate artwork inspired by Disney stories including Moana, Coco and The Lion King. Staterooms will include storage and, in most cases, Disney Cruise Line’s split-bathroom configuration, with most rooms also offering ocean views and 70 per cent featuring verandahs. More than 450 connecting doors will be available to accommodate larger groups.
Concierge accommodation will include access to a dedicated lounge and private sun deck. The Concierge Lounge will be themed to Alice in Wonderland, while concierge staterooms and suites will draw on Peter Pan and Toy Story.
Four royal suites will feature designs based on Disney stories. The Royal Reef Suites will draw on The Little Mermaid, while the Royal Rose Suites will incorporate elements from Beauty and the Beast. The Disney Believe will also feature a two-storey Believe Tower Suite within the forward funnel. The nearly 2,000-square-foot suite will sleep eight people and include two main bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows. Its design will incorporate elements inspired by Magic Kingdom Park, including different themed lands and a living room featuring fireworks- and balloon-inspired lighting and artwork depicting Cinderella Castle.
The two-storey Believe Tower Suite within the ship's forward funnel (Image: Disney Cruise Line)
The overall design of Disney Believe will be based on the themes of promise and possibility, with stories and characters integrated across the ship’s entertainment, design and guest experiences. These include Moana’s relationship with nature, Mirabel’s belief in magic and themes of family in the Frozen films.
Exterior design elements will include Tinker Bell artwork at the bow and larger-than-life Buzz Lightyear and Woody sculptures at the stern. The ship’s name at the stern will use lettering inspired by the block-style typography of the Toy Story films.
Disney Believe is part of Disney Cruise Line’s multi-year fleet expansion. This includes the Disney Adventure in Singapore, an agreement between Disney and Oriental Land Co. to bring Disney cruise vacations to Japan in 2029 and three additional ships planned between 2027 and late 2030. The expansion will bring the Disney Cruise Line fleet to 13 ships.