By
Rebecca Gibson |
German shipbuilder Meyer Werft floated Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish out of its covered building dock for the first time on 11 February.
The process took around five hours and involved 29 million gallons (110,000 cubic metres) of water being flooded into the dock from the River Ems. The construction milestone was marked by a firework display, musical fanfare and an appearance by Captain Minnie Mouse.
Disney Wish is the first of three new LNG-powered ships Disney has ordered from Meyer Werft for delivery between 2022 and 2025. The 144,000gt vessel will accommodate 4,000 guests in 1,250 staterooms and will be the largest in the fleet when she debuts in July 2022.
In keeping with the rest of the Disney fleet, Disney Wish’s exterior will be decorated with the emblematic colors of Mickey Mouse and feature two red funnels, one of which will accommodate a first-of-its-kind, two-storey suite measuring almost 2,000 square feet. The signature stern sculpture will feature Rapunzel and her chameleon Pascal from Tangled, while the bow artwork will depict Captain Minnie Mouse for the first time.
Designed around the concept of ‘enchantment’ by the Walt Disney Imagineering team, Disney Wish will offer various new innovations, including the AquaMouse animated water slide, the Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, The Rose lounge, a Disney Uncharted Adventure interactive experience, three new family restaurants, and more.
Disney has also created several new venues and offerings for adult guests, such as a new outdoor relaxation space in the Sense Spa, a redesigned Rainforest Experience, two new hairstyling venues, a speciality restaurant Enchante by Michelin-star chef Arnaud Lallement, among others.
Other onboard highlights will include a fairytale-inspired atrium, futuristic sports arena named Heroes Zone, The Walt Disney Theatre, the Luna entertainment space, an expansive pool district on the upper decks, a Toy Story-themed water park, and much more.
Disney Wish will embark on her maiden voyage from Port Canaveral, Florida, on 14 July and then offer a series of three- and four-night itineraries to Nassau in The Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.