Disney Believe: 5 just-announced experiences I'm most excited about on Disney's next cruise ship
Editor's Note
We now know a whole lot more about what will be onboard Disney Believe, Disney Cruise Line's fourth Wish-class ship, when it sets sail in late 2027, thanks to a big reveal this week aboard Disney Wish.
From a first-of-its-kind "Encanto" stage show to new lounges and restaurants, there are five just-announced experiences I'm especially excited about that you won't find on any other Disney ship.
Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth getting?
Disney Believe at a glance
- Disney Believe will be the fourth Wish-class ship for the Disney Cruise Line, joining Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny
- Disney Believe's maiden voyage is scheduled for Dec. 18, 2027
- Bookings open on Oct. 19, 2026
- It will sail four- and five-night itineraries to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Port Everglades, Florida
Related: How to save money on a Disney Cruise
An all-new Disney "Encanto" stage show
The biggest Disney Believe announcement — and I'd say the most exciting — is the first-ever stage adaptation of Disney's "Encanto." The animated film featuring the Madrigal family — yes, the one where we don't talk about Bruno, though now everyone is sure to be doing just that — was first released in 2021, but has never before been told on stage.
Disney's new "Moana" stage show, which debuted on the Disney Treasure in 2024, is still one of my favorite shows I've seen on land or sea, so hopefully "Encanto" will live up to the same high bar.
The Grand Hall is "Moana"-themed
Speaking of "Moana," the renderings of Disney Believe's Moana-themed Grand Hall look absolutely spectacular. The Grand Hall is much more than just the place where you first board the ship. It's a gathering place that helps set the tone for the entire cruise.
Disney says the guiding theme is where the sky meets the sea, with ocean-hued and bioluminescent colors throughout the space and a chandelier inspired by the fluid movement of the ocean itself.
Snow White-themed Wishing Well lounge
Another brand-new space on Disney Believe will be Wishing Well, a lounge inspired by Disney's 1937 film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
There will be a canopy of red apples, a Gothic castle-inspired bar and drinks inspired by the film, including a candy apple-green concoction that seems to take its inspiration from a certain Evil Queen.
Sea Notes piano lounge
One of my favorite spaces on each of the Disney Wish-class ships is the piano lounge just off the Grand Hall.
On Disney Believe, this space will be called Sea Notes, featuring an iridescent piano along with decor and drinks inspired by Ariel's under-the-sea grotto from "The Little Mermaid."
While Cruella de Vil makes an appearance at her version of the piano lounge on Disney Destiny, from what we know, it sounds like Sea Notes will be a much more laid-back affair.
Oaken's Table: A Frozen Family Feast
While there's already an immersive "Frozen"-themed dining experience on Disney Wish, the version coming to Disney Believe won't be a copy-and-paste.
Instead, Oaken's Table: A Frozen Family Feast will be set in a sommerhus, or holiday cottage-like, courtyard during the warmer months, where Oaken and his cousins will perform their own versions of popular songs from "Frozen."
I'm very curious to see how different this experience feels (and tastes) from Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, which you'll find on Disney Wish.
More new spaces and themes coming to Disney Believe
I'm pretty sure it would be cheating to pick everything as my favorite, but those five experiences are far from the only new things coming to Disney Believe.
For the first time, Disney's Oceaneer Club for kids ages 3 to 10 will have a "Monsters, Inc."-themed entrance, complete with caution tape warning of a "Code 2319" (aka human contamination).
I'm not always in the mood for a sit-down restaurant on a cruise, so I'm maybe a little too excited about Pluto's Pita Platters, a new top-deck spot for casual, included dining that you won't find on the other ships. Also new to Disney Believe will be Big Hero Sips and Café Kakamora, adding more themed options for grabbing a drink or snack.
Gazelle will be a "Zootopia"-inspired space that hosts games and shows throughout the day, too, along with appearances by some familiar faces straight out of the movie.
And while I'll likely never have the travel budget to actually stay there, the ship's 2,000-square-foot Tower Suite will have a really cool theme inspired by the Magic Kingdom. Each room will represent a different land from the park, while the living area will even feature design nods to fireworks and balloons.
Related: Is Disney Cruise Line's concierge level worth it?
Spaces on Disney Believe you'll also find on other ships
If you've been lucky enough to sail on all of the U.S.-based Disney ships, as I have, you might be hoping for even more all-new spaces on Disney Believe.
But, of course, most people haven't sailed on virtually every Disney ship. And from that perspective, a great venue is still a great venue, even if you can find it on multiple ships.
A few of the signature shows, attractions, restaurants and bars coming to Disney Believe that you'll also find on at least one other Disney ship include:
- Haunted Mansion Parlor bar
- 1923 and Worlds of Marvel restaurants
- "Tangled: The Musical" (though with new sets and effects)
- "Disney Seas the Adventure" stage show
- AquaMouse waterslide attraction
- Adults-only restaurants Enchanté and Palo Steakhouse
Related: This is the best $50 you can spend on a Disney Cruise
Bottom line
Disney Believe will be the fourth ship in its class and when it sets sail in late 2027, guests will find several all-new themes and shows onboard, along with a mix of familiar favorites from the other three Wish-class ships.
I personally can't wait to see "Encanto" take the stage for the first time, and I fully expect Wishing Well, Sea Notes and Oaken's Table to be fun new experiences at sea.
While I love Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, I'll admit I was rooting for another new immersive themed bar and maybe even a new rotational restaurant since 1923 and Worlds of Marvel will now both be making their fourth appearance.
But the good news is that Disney Believe isn't the end of Disney Cruise Line's expansion. The next U.S.-based Disney ship, scheduled to arrive in 2029, will be the first in an entirely new class of ships, which could mean a fresh slate of onboard experiences.
These new ships will be larger than the original Disney Magic and Disney Wonder but smaller than the Wish-class ships, as Disney Cruise Line continues its expansion toward a fleet of 13 vessels by late 2030.
So if Disney Believe is a fresh verse in a well-loved song that will likely put a smile on the faces of those looking for four- and five-night sailings out of Port Everglades, the new class arriving in 2029 may be exactly what those hungry for a whole new world at sea are hoping for.
If you're a Disney Cruise fan, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the new Disney Believe announcements!