by Beth Keating
News
DisneyBizJournal.com
June 23, 2022
The Disney Wish, with its Tangled-themed ship décor, arrived with much fanfare in Port Canaveral this week, but promptly headed back out to sea again, making a test trip to Disney’s private Castaway Cay island in the Bahamas. The Wish will return to Port Canaveral as it prepares to welcome cruise guests for its July 14th maiden voyage.
The Disney Wish is the first new ship in the Disney fleet in more than 10 years, but it is just the first of three anticipated ships being added to the Disney Cruise Line family over the next few years. The additional Triton-class ships are expected to launch in 2024 and 2025.
The 4,000-passenger, 1,119 feet long, 144,000-gross-ton vessel made its transatlantic voyage to Florida from Germany’s Meyer Werft Shipyard, where it has been under construction since 2020. COVID delays pushed back delivery of the Disney Wish, originally scheduled for January, with an additional delay in June.
Among the Wish’s offerings is a new 760-foot-long “AquaMouse” water coaster with immersive show scenes and special effects. It takes riders out over the side of the ship before landing in a lazy river on board. Ten pools await guests, and a Toy Story Splash Zone features larger than life rubber bath toys to amuse swimmers.
Frozen, Marvel, and Star Wars will also feature prominently on board, with the Frozen characters and Marvel’s Ant-Man and Wasp making appearances in interactive theatrical dining shows, and an adult-themed Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge open for guests.
Several Broadway theatre-style shows will also come aboard, including “The Little Mermaid,” and original productions of “Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular” and “Disney Seas the Adventure.”
The fleet’s Disney Dream, which arrived in Florida’s Port Canaveral in 2011, left for Port Miami earlier this month to make room in Canaveral for the slightly larger new Disney Wish. Dream will continue to offer sailings from Miami, but the Dream’s eventual destination is Europe, where it will offer new sailings next year. Among the specialties on the Disney Dream is the “AquaDuck” water coaster, as well as the immensely popular fine-dining locations Remy and Palo and the colorfully creative Animator’s Palate. The Dream’s sister ship, the Disney Fantasy, will remain at Port Canaveral with the Disney Wish.
Disney will christen the Wish on June 29, followed by a short preview sailing for media, before welcoming its first official maiden voyage guests on July 14.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
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