Disney has revealed a bunch of new information about the Disney Believe, their next cruise ship. As the fourth Wish-class ship, we pretty much know what to expect at this point. The ship will be a copy of the Wish-class ships that came before it, but with different theming (and some of the same theming) for the activity spaces, restaurants, and lounges.
Here’s the quick summary of what’s coming to the Disney Believe:
Shows and Entertainment
- Encanto stage show
- Tangled: The Musical with new sets and effects
- Main entertainment hub called Gazelle that’s themed after Zootopia
Lounges and Dining Spots
- Lounge called Sea Notes that’s themed to Ariel and The Little Mermaid
- Pub called Skygazers themed to the lore from classic Disney stories
- Wishing Well lounge themed to Snow White
- Haunted Mansion Parlor lounge
- Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast restaurant
- Wonders of Marvel restaurant
- 1923 restaurant
- Inside Out: Joyful Sweets ice cream shop with characters from Inside Out 2
What’s Exciting?
Disney Cruise Line’s shows and entertainment are one of the true differentiators between other cruise lines. The new Encanto musical (the first one!) should be outstanding. An updated Tangled show should be a lot of fun too. Those are all great decisions! There’s no question that the Disney Believe will have some of the best shows in the fleet.
We also really like the design of the Grand Hall. The Moana statue, the chandelier, and the rich aqua colors look terrific in the concept art. This might be our favorite Grand Hall design of any of the Wish-class ships. We might even rank it as our favorite atrium on Disney Cruise Line if it lines up with the art. Hopefully it translates as well in person.
The Skygazers pub is also a hit in our books. It reminds us a bit of the Periscope Pub on the Disney Treasure.
What’s NOT Exciting?
To be honest, we have Wish fatigue. These ships are really starting to blend together. Disney Cruise Line has been churning out new cruise ships, and with the latest ones all having the same layout (a problematic one at that) and spaces that are all pretty much the same but with different characters, we’re ready for something different.
That doesn’t mean the Disney Wish, Treasure, Destiny, or Believe are bad. We’d still recommend them. But, it does mean that there’s not a ton that sets these four ships apart when they’re compared. We know major structural changes won’t come until the Wish-class ships are done, and yet we’d still hope for a bit more variation outside of a space just being swapped to a different movie.
And in some cases Disney didn’t even swap to a different movie. On the Believe you have Oaken’s Table, themed to Frozen. On the Wish you have Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure – also themed to Frozen. They couldn’t think of a different idea for the primary dining show restaurant? We’re also pretty tired of Worlds of Marvel assuming it’s in the same format as the other ships.
Some thematic choices are a bit puzzling. Sea Notes, the Little Mermaid lounge, has a name that’s ripe for parody, especially with critics pointing out how expensive a Disney cruise can be. Gazelle, the main event space, is Zootopia themed and … named after Shakira’s character? Kind of strange.
We’ll apologize if this article feels more like a rant or a laundry list of complaints. We still love Disney Cruise Line. But, we find ourselves gravitating to the older ships (Wonder, Fantasy) much more due to their layout, activity spaces, and adult spaces. The Wish-class can easily swap themes in and out as the years go on, but the crowded event spaces, terrible/non-existent adult spaces, lack of a true walking track, and more make us wonder how well the Wish-class ships will age. Time will tell.
The Believe will sail its maiden voyage on December 18, 2027 from Fort Lauderdale. It will sail 4-night and 5-night trips to the Bahamas and Caribbean.
