In March 2016, Disney Cruise Line announced that it had commissioned two new ships, described as larger than Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy but with an equivalent number of staterooms.[6][7] A third ship of the class was announced on July 15, 2017 at the D23 Expo.[8] In March 2018, Disney Cruise Line released the first rendering of its new generation of cruise ships.[9][10] The 140,000-ton cruise liners would be LNG-powered and would accommodate at least 2,500 guests.[11] In January 2019, the class of ship was confirmed as Triton in public documents published by Port Canaveral.[12][13][14] However it is now following the standard naming of class after the first ship.[15]
Disney Wish arriving at Port Canaveral on June 20, 2022
On August 25, 2019, the fifth ship was officially announced as the Disney Wish at the D23 Expo.[16] Construction began in March 2020 at Meyer Werft, Germany,[17] with the delivery date later changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19] Also announced at the D23 Expo was that Rapunzel would feature as the stern character on Disney Wish, with The Walt Disney Company releasing the design mock-ups for the ship, including a render of Cinderella as the ship's atrium character.[16]
On April 8, 2021, during the keel laying ceremony,[20] it was announced that Captain Minnie would be the centrepiece of the Disney Wish.[21] On April 29, 2021, Disney Cruise Line shared a first look at their newest ship, Disney Wish, set to embark in mid-2022.[22]Disney Wish has 1,250 staterooms, along with several restaurants, immersive spaces and experiences themed to Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and Pixar characters, plus the AquaMouse, the world's first Disney attraction at sea.[1]
On February 3, 2022, it was announced that Disney Wish's inaugural sailings were pushed back from June 9 to July 14, 2022, due to shipyard delays.[4] On February 11, 2022, Disney Wish completed her float out in Papenburg, Germany, where the stern figure Rapunzel was revealed for the first time.[23][24] The ship left Papenburg in March 2022.[25][26][27] In May 2022, it was announced that the ship would dock at Port Canaveral on June 20, followed by a livestreamed christening ceremony and a cruise for news media and travel experts on June 29.[28][29]
Disney Wish in Nassau on August 20, 2022
On June 9, 2022, Disney Wish was officially handed over to Disney Cruise Line, with the shipyard stating that the ship sailed to Portugal and Castaway Cay before her transatlantic voyage to Port Canaveral.[30] She arrived at Port Canaveral on June 20, 2022, where she was welcomed by Mickey and Minnie Mouse.[31] On June 21, 2022, the ship's first test cruise was cancelled, due to the ship not being ready.[32] The following day, the second test cruise scheduled for June 24, 2022 was also cancelled to focus on the christening ceremony.[33][34] On June 24, 2022, all past, present, and future Make-A-Wish children were announced to be the godchildren of the ship.[35] On June 29, 2022, Disney Wish was officially christened by three ambassadors of the Make-A-Wish children before embarking on her 3-night christening cruise for the media to Castaway Cay.[36]
On July 14, 2022, Disney Wish officially entered service and embarked on her maiden voyage, a five-night Bahamian cruise stopping at Nassau and Castaway Cay.[37]
On December 24, 2022, National Geographic released a documentary Making the Disney Wish: Disney's Newest Cruise Ship showing the making of the Disney Wish and her design process. It was directed, written, and produced by Chad Cohen, with Bethany Jones also writing and producing, alongside Disney Yellow Shoes. Filming occurred from June 2021 shortly after construction began until its maiden voyage in July 2022. The film debuted on Disney+ on February 17, 2023.[38]
Design
The Wish's rear smokestack
Disney Wish has a gross tonnage of 144,000 GT, a length of 1,119 ft, and a width of 128 ft. Disney Wish has a capacity of 1,555 crew and 4,000 passengers with 1,254 staterooms.[39]
The Disney Wish also incorporates a New Orleans-themed design, which can be seen in its ceiling full of flowers in The Bayou section.[42]
Recreation
On-board activities
Activities aboard Disney Wish include: The Incredibles: Hero Zone that can be used for various sports activities, Olaf's Royal Picnic and Disney Uncharted Adventure AR Experience.[43]Disney Wish also includes various youth activities including:
Disney's Oceaneer Club, with Marvel Super Hero Academy, Walt Disney Imagineering Lab, Fairytale Hall and Star Wars: Cargo Bay[44]
Vibe, designed exclusively for teens
The Hideaway
Edge, designed exclusively for tweens
"it's a small world" nursery
The ship features the first Disney attraction at sea,[1] called the AquaMouse, based on The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse with music by Christopher Willis. It features two new storylines that alternate on different days of the cruise: "Swiss Meltdown" and "Scuba Scramble".[45]
Every night of a Disney Wish cruise, guests dine at a different restaurant. This is called "rotational dining". On a Disney ship guests rotate along with their servers which helps develop the relationship between diner and wait staff.[46]
The rotational dining restaurants on Disney Wish are 1923, located on deck 3 midship, Worlds of Marvel located on deck 4 aft, and Arendelle: a Frozen Dining Adventure located on deck 5 aft:
The 1923 restaurant embodies old Hollywood styles, with the aim to make guests feel classy and think about the history of Walt Disney himself.[47]
Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure takes place in the palace, where guests are attending an engagement party for Anna and Kristoff, joined by other Frozen characters.[47]
