Disney Cruise Line Finally Reveals Details on the ‘Disney Wish’

Last Thursday, Disney Cruise Line has finally pulled back (part) of their curtain and revealed to the public what they’ve been working on for the past six years: The Disney Wish—the newest addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet. With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting particularly hard on the cruise industry, Disney’s 30-minute presentation aimed to showcase guests what their new ship will look like to get them even more excited once the world fully opens up again. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of all of the details that were announced:  

Read: Sneak Peek: ‘Disney WIsh’ Disney Cruise Line’s Newest Ship

Dining

During the presentation, Disney revealed three new main dining rooms for their “rotational dining” service, where guests rotate from one of the three main restaurants each night. The first is Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, set to follow the same show-dinner concept of Rapunzel’s Royal Table on the Disney Magic and Tiana’s Place on the Disney Wonder. On the official DCL website, it reads:

“Be a part of the world’s first Frozen-themed, theatrical dining experience as you’re magically transported to the enchanting Kingdom of Arendelle aboard the Disney Wish.

Queen Anna and Kristoff are celebrating their engagement and have invited you, their honored Guest, to join them. Behold festive musical performances from Elsa and Olaf as you devour hearty Norwegian-inspired cuisine made by Oaken himself. It’s a dinner worth melting for!”

Frozen-mania has swept away Disney Cruise Line for a while since its introduction of a themed show (and menu, on select sailings) Freezing the Night Away! With Anna and Elsa and Friends for Alaskan cruises or other sailings that did not permit fireworks due to wildlife preservation (which replaced the less exciting Pirates IN the Caribbean Deck Party with a more appropriate climate and setting of the cruise). It’s no surprise, then, that Disney has dedicated an entire restaurant for the film series, and it wouldn’t also be a shock if the Frozen menu on select sailings would be Arendelle’s main one. However, only time will tell what type of food they will serve and how the show will be constructed around the meals.

The second restaurant, 1923, named after the year in which the original studio was founded, aims to celebrate “the unwavering spirit of the original studio that started it all. Travel back in time as you dine amid storyboards, sketches, and props that illustrate the early animation process while delighting in some of the tantalizing flavors found throughout the Golden State.” Its elegant look and feel will replace the Animator’s Palate part of the Disney ship by celebrating its animation by going back to its roots in a restaurant themed after the roaring ‘20s, by setting it after the glamour of Old Hollywood. Nothing else has been announced for it, so we’ll have to be on the lookout for more.

Finally, and this is the cherry on top, an entire restaurant themed after the Worlds of Marvel:  “Assemble for a heroic dining adventure of epic proportions! Explore state-of-the-art tech at the Avengers Technology Showcase while indulging in flavorful global cuisines—from classic all-American fare to rich African flavors—inspired by some of your favorite heroes.

During dinner, leap into your own action-packed Super Hero story, where an Avenger or two might turn to you to help them save the day!”

No details have been added on the actual “action-packed Super Hero story” of Worlds of Marvel, but it sounds like quite an immersive dining experience—as long as Thanos doesn’t show up.

For specialty adult dining options, Disney Cruise Line announced a revamped version of their Italian Palo restaurant, now turned into a steakhouse and two restaurants themed after Beauty and the Beast. The first is a cocktail lounge called The Rose. The other, Enchanté, inspired by Lumière (so theoretically an adult version of Lumière’s found on the Disney Magic) from the film, featuring a menu crafted by 3-Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Lallement. Lallement has also worked on Remy, a Ratatouille-themed adult restaurant found on the Disney Dream and Fantasy, so it’s no surprise that he returns to craft another legendary menu for Disney Cruise Line’s adult dining offerings.

Entertainment & Activities

Disney announced their most ambitious waterslide yet, the AquaMouse, which retains the “water-coaster” concept from the AquaDuck and cranks it up to 11, with the first-ever Disney attraction at sea: “Oh boy! Join Mickey and Minnie on an exhilarating water adventure into a colorful cartoon world inspired by the famous Mickey Mouse animated shorts.

Awash in “immersive” show scenes, music, lighting and special effects, this fun-filled water experience invites Disney fans to glide up, down, around and off the side of the ship through 760 feet of twisting tubes—providing breathtaking views of the ocean—before splashing down into a lazy river.”

In the history of cruising (not just Disney), this type of attraction has never been done before—and from a technical standpoint, this could very well be one of the most exciting water rides ever found on any cruise ship possible. It proves that Disney continues to innovate and try to bring the very best, already making guests anticipate a perfect marriage of the latest digital technology and waterslide thrills to create something truly memorable you can’t find anywhere else. As for other water features, 10 pools and water areas will be found on the Wish, including a Toy Story Splash Zone for toddlers and a Slide-a-saurus Rex family slide.

The Hero Zone was also announced as a sports/recreation area for families, which will blend “Action-packed physical challenges and game-show-style competitions,” where all families are invited to play together. More will be announced soon.

For entertainment, the Walt Disney Theatre is revamped in the style of Fantasia. It will showcase 3 new Broadway-style shows, including a newly reimagined Aladdin—A Musical Spectacular, plus two unannounced productions. For movies, The Disney Wish will contain two cinemas: the Wonderland Cinema and Never Land Cinema, a first for Disney Cruise Line (previous ships only contain one cinema: the Buena Vista Theatre).

Kids Clubs & Staterooms

Whilst Disney didn’t provide any details for the tween and teen clubs, Edge and Vibe, they extensively talked about the brand-new Oceaneer Club (with an accessible slide acting as a kiddie entrance on the ship’s atrium). The new spaces include Marvel Superhero Academy, which reimagines Marvel’s Avengers Academy found on most current Disney ships. According to DCL, “kids can unleash the hero within as they team up and select their very own super suit—and then put it to the test in a battle with some infamous villains of the Marvel Universe.” which continues with the tradition of merging with the latest technology to create whimsical entertainment for both kids and adults.

The Oceaneer Club will also be comprised of the Walt Disney Imagineer Lab, where kids will be able to create their own Disney attraction and then ride it inside a capsule through a panoramic, IMAX-like screen. Finally, Fairytale Hall will permit kids to craft “floating lanterns at Rapunzel’s Art Studio, act out their favorite stories in Belle’s Library, and even create their own ice magic at Anna & Elsa’s Sommerhus.” I’m almost convinced that Disney hasn’t shown the entirety of what they have in store with the Oceaneer Clubs, which only adds to the anticipation of what’s to come next as we get closer to its Maiden Voyage.

The Disney Wish’s staterooms will retain the same design as the previous ships, with an updated look, with more elegant sheets for the bed, with a more modern look and feel, and will also contain the fleet’s first-ever two-story Royal Suite, spiral staircase and all.

Adult Areas

Aside from new dining offerings, the Disney Wish will also be packed with adult-exclusive spaces including the incredibly awesome-looking Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, which seems to be a hybrid mix of many cantinas and bars we’ve already seen in the Star Wars universe:

“Coruscant. Tattoine. Batuu. Watch worlds drift by at this stylish space bar boasting stellar views, where you can sit back and sip on some out-of-this-world concoctions while being transported throughout the Star Wars galaxy.

Families are invited to experience this interstellar watering hole during the day, but at night, the lounge jumps to lightspeed and becomes a haven for adults only, offering interactive tasting experiences and signature beverages inspired by the hit films.”

Amazing. Just amazing. I mean, imagine, going to the Hyperspace Lounge in perfect Anakin/Obi-Wan fashion as they strolled in the Outlander Club from Attack of the Clones. Incredible, I know.

The other adult space that was announced was a newly revamped version of the Quiet Cove area, which will likely contain an adult-exclusive pool, a bar and Cove Café. More will definitely come soon, closer to the ship’s maiden voyage.

There was definitely lots to unpack during the presentation with lots of excitement ahead in the forthcoming year. Disney Cruise Line will be ready to unveil its latest ship in the summer of 2022. Bookings for the general public is expected to open May 27th of this year. Here are the early booking dates for Castaway Club members:

• Platinum with 25 or more sailings: May 17
• Platinum with 20 or more sailings: May 18
• Platinum with 15 or more sailings: May 19
• All Platinum members: May 20
• Gold: May 24
• Disney Vacation Club Members and Adventure Insiders: May 25
• Silver: May 26

Source: Disney Cruise Line

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