NEWS: Disney Cruise Line Unveils New Design Concept for Disney Wish, Debuting Summer 2022

The Disney Wish, the fifth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, will introduce a brand-new, distinctly Disney design concept unlike anything at sea. The motif of enchantment — found at the heart of so many beloved Disney stories — is the architectural and thematic foundation of the ship’s design, weaving imagination, emotion and adventure into the very fabric of the vessel’s unique personality.

“Enchantment is about unlocking the wonder in everything we do and experience,” said Laura Cabo, portfolio creative executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. “For the Disney Wish, we are creating a signature design language that exudes this emotional magic like only Disney can, by infusing every inch of this enchanted ship with more Disney stories and characters than ever before. The Disney Wish will be a place where families really do get to wish upon a star.”

Learn more below!

1 – Imagineering an Enchanted Ship

Enchantment is the special ingredient that brings the worlds of Disney films to such rich and vibrant life. Translating this concept into a design theme provides an unparalleled platform to infuse Disney storytelling into the cruise experience, giving the Disney Wish a completely new look and feel.

Inspired by nearly a century of Disney fairytales, Walt Disney Imagineers have captured the essence of enchantment through three design lenses, using:

• fairytale castles, emulating the classic storybook charm at the core of many enchanted tales;
• forests and animals, bringing to life fascinating natural worlds and the animals that inhabit them; and
• spirit of the sea, embodying the magic and mystery of the watery world below.

How the motif will be expressed throughout the design is as much a reflection of the ship’s distinctive personality as of the wide range of stories that will be represented on board, from Disney and Pixar to Marvel and Star Wars.

2 – Designed with Character

The Disney Wish will continue the Disney Cruise Line tradition of incorporating an elegant, classical exterior design — a tribute to the golden age of cruising — in the emblematic colors of Mickey Mouse.

A hallmark of Disney Cruise Line is the adornment of two character art pieces on the hull of each ship. For the Disney Wish, elegant filigree artwork on the bow — an intricate scrollwork pattern reminiscent of the classic ocean liners of the 1930s — will feature Captain Minnie Mouse for the first time, solidifying her pioneering place at the forefront of the fleet’s future.

The stern of the Disney Wish will boast a custom sculpture of the optimistic and adventurous Rapunzel. Suspended by her golden tresses, this artistic Disney Princess will appear to be “decorating” the exterior of the ship with her trusty paintbrush and the help of her chameleon pal, Pascal.

To take it one step further into enchantment, Imagineers have added a whimsical curvature to the deck edge along both sides of the Disney Wish, which will create a sense of magic and visual movement both inside and out.

3 – A Castle on the Seas

The spellbinding Grand Hall — a bright, airy and elegant space that will welcome guests as they first step onboard — is the truest embodiment of the enchantment motif. The heart and hearth of the Disney Wish, this fairytale castle-inspired atrium is touched with Gothic, Baroque and French Rococo influences that will give life to the columns, carvings, trimmings and adornments.

The Grand Hall will be Disney Cruise Line’s castle on the seas, an enchanted realm where glittering trails of pixie dust climb majestic three-story columns, spill across the ceiling and animate the shimmering chandelier above with an effusive burst of magic. The chandelier is the manifestation of wishes come true – a swirling spiral of crystal gems punctuated with light, its crown jewel a wondrous wishing star.

At the base of a grand staircase, beneath the glow of the wishing star, will stand the personification of wish fulfillment herself: Cinderella. A pillar of The Walt Disney Company’s legacy, Cinderella’s story is the epitome of magic transforming wishes into dreams and dreams into reality. The beautiful bronze statue of this beloved princess is just one of many tributes to her story in the Grand Hall’s design – others include railings that glisten with elegant stained glass in her signature colors, rich carpeting embellished with icons from the film, and sophisticated nods to her carriage and glass slipper in the delicate metalwork and light fixtures.

The Grand Hall will be the enchanted gateway to everything that awaits on board the Disney Wish: fairytale worlds, heroic challenges, epicurean indulgences, thrilling adventures, galactic encounters, peaceful escapes and so much more.

4 – More Magic on the Horizon

The Disney Wish is the first of three new Disney Cruise Line ships to be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany through 2025. All three ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas and, at approximately 144,000 gross tons, will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

New information on the experiences, itineraries, and booking dates for the Disney Wish will be revealed on April 29, 2021, during a first-of-its-kind virtual event. Click here to learn more about the event and register to watch live!

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact their travel agent.

RELATED ARTICLE: Disney Cruise Line Announces Summer 2022 Itineraries

Disney Cruise Line will offer families exciting adventures around the world in summer 2022, including voyages to new destinations and favorite ports of call in the Greek Isles, Mediterranean, northern Europe, Alaska and the Caribbean. Plus, first-ever summer departures from Miami will take guests to Disney’s enchanting private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. Learn more below.

1 – Returning to Sea

“While we prepare for a return to sea just as soon as the time is right, we continue to look to the future and develop more cruising options for families,” said Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Cruise Line. “Offering this diverse new line-up of itineraries for the summer of 2022 shows our commitment to taking more guests to more destinations around the world as we plan for additional ships in the years ahead.”

Bookings open to the public March 25, 2021. More details can be found on the Summer 2022 Itineraries page of disneycruise.com.

2 – Explorations in the Greek Isles, Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Beyond

In summer 2022, a new collection of destinations will be part of the Disney Magic’s grand tour of Europe, which begins with sailings through the Greek Isles and Mediterranean before heading to northern Europe for cruises to the Baltic, the British Isles, Iceland and the Norwegian fjords. Five new ports of call in Europe include Chania, Greece;Porto, Portugal; Riga, Latvia; Maloy, Norway; and Nynashamn, Sweden, nearStockholm.

From Rome, eight-, nine- and 12-night cruises to Greece will whisk families to the beautiful landscapes and archeological wonders of destinations like Piraeus, the gateway to Athens, and to the spectacular Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos. One nine-night sailing will mark Disney Cruise Line’s first call to Chania, Greece, on the island of Crete, known for its charming harbor and Venetian and Florentine influences.

Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona, Spain, will visit a mix of must-see locales including Rome and Naples, plus French Riviera coastal towns like Villefranche and Cannes.During a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Dover, England, Disney Cruise Line will make its first-ever visit to Porto, Portugal, a coastal city with old-world charm nestled in one of the world’s leading wine regions and made famous for giving Port Wine its name.

Additional new ports of call in northern Europe include Riga, the capital of Latvia and the largest metropolis in the Baltics; Nynashamn, Sweden, a beautiful seaside town just outside Stockholm; and Maloy, Norway, a charming coastal village bordered by silver-sand beaches and historic lighthouses.

3 – Adventures in Alaska                      

The Disney Wonder will return to Alaska for the 2022 summer season to explore the region’s breathtaking natural vistas, glaciers and wildlife. Departing from Vancouver, Canada, most of these seven-night cruises will visit Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Two of the cruises will call on Icy Strait Point in place of Skagway.

Each Alaska sailing will offer adventure in port and fun aboard the ship, with stunning scenery, exciting Port Adventures and special Disney Cruise Line touches that will bring the splendor and spirit of “The Last Frontier” to life on board.

4 – First-Ever Summer Cruises from Miami

For the first time ever, families can sail out of Miami during the summer season, enjoying even more opportunities to visit Castaway Cay. Every cruise from Miami in the summer of 2022 features a stop at Disney’s private island paradise. The June 7 voyage marks the Disney Dream’s inaugural cruise from Miami, as the ship has previously only homeported in Port Canaveral, Florida.

In addition to visiting Castaway Cay, three- and four-night cruises from Miami will call on Nassau, Bahamas, while five-night cruises include a stop at either Grand Cayman or Cozumel, Mexico. One special five-night sailing features two stops at Castaway Cay, along with a call on Nassau.

5 – Tropical Vacations from Port Canaveral

Tropical vacations to the Caribbean and Bahamas continue aboard the Disney Fantasy from Port Canaveral near the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Each Disney Fantasy voyage features a visit to Castaway Cay.

The Disney Fantasy will embark on an assortment of itineraries to the eastern and western Caribbean throughout the summer of 2022, including seven-night voyages,a special five-night sailing and an extended nine-night cruise.

The nine-night Disney Fantasy cruise features a first-time call on Roseau, Dominica, an eastern Caribbean destination filled with natural hot springs, exquisite waterfalls and tropical rainforests. This mountainous island is bordered by pristine beaches and crystal clear water perfect for aquatic activities.

6 – Even More Magic Aboard the Disney Wish

As previously announced, the Disney Wish is scheduled to sail its maiden voyage in summer 2022. Information on itineraries and bookings for this ship will be released at a later date.

The Disney Wish will showcase the immersive family entertainment, enchanting storytelling and unparalleled service that only Disney can deliver. The ship will be powered by liquified natural gas, or LNG, one of the cleanest-burning fuels available. At approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, the ship will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

7 – Pre-Cruise Escapes with Adventures by Disney

In summer 2022, Disney Cruise Line guests can extend the magic of their cruise vacation in Europe with a pre-cruise escape in select cities from Adventures by Disney, a leader in family guided group vacations.

Adventures by Disney offers popular pre-cruise vacations in Rome, London, Barcelona and Copenhagen. These two- to three-night escapes feature unforgettable experiences in iconic cities, such as a private, after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel in Rome. In addition, activities like flamenco dancing, mosaic making and preparing locally inspired cuisine immerse families in the culture of each region.

Bookings for these Adventures by Disney offerings open to the public March 25, 2021. For more information, visit adventuresbydisney.com or contact a travel agent.

8 – Cruise Bookings

Bookings open to the public on March 25, 2021. More details can be found on the Summer 2022 Itineraries page of disneycruise.com.

We highly recommend booking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to ensure you are well taken care of and get all the discounts available to you. For more details and help booking your vacation, call our travel partners Magical Vacation Planners at (407) 442-0227. You can also get a no-obligation, FREE vacation quote by clicking here.  Their services are free to you and they can answer any questions you may have.