Disney Adventure Is Their Closest Ship to a Theme Park Yet

October 16, 2024 Randy Young

Disney Cruise Line just unveiled exciting new details about its upcoming ship, the Disney Adventure, which promises to bring the magic of Disney’s theme parks to the high seas in an unprecedented way. This one-of-a-kind vessel will be the closest we’ve seen to replicating a theme park experience onboard, and it’s set to break new ground in the world of cruising. Let’s dive into everything we know so far about the Disney Adventure.

Disney Adventure: A One-of-a-Kind Ship

The Disney Adventure is unlike any other Disney ship because Disney didn’t design it outright. The ship was originally the Global Dream and was purchased by Disney mid-construction. It will accommodate up to 6,700 guests, making it one of the largest ships in the Disney fleet.

The Adventure will boast seven uniquely themed areas: Disney Imagination Garden, Toy Story Place, San Fransokyo Street, Town Square, Wayfinder Bay, Disney Discovery Reef, and Marvel Landing.

Theme Park-Style Rides

marvel landing — Marvel Landing features 3 theme park-like rides (Image courtesy of Disney Cruise Line).

Ironcycle Test Run Roller Coaster

The highlight of the top deck attractions is the Ironcycle Test Run Roller Coaster, Disney’s first-ever roller coaster at sea. While it’s not the first roller coaster to sail the oceans (Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT holds that distinction), the Ironcycle will be the longest, stretching 820 feet—20 feet longer than BOLT. This thrilling ride is a Spike Coaster designed by Maurer Rides, featuring motorbike-style cars that will send two riders racing along a track 30 feet above the deck and over 100 feet above sea level. On Carnival’s version, guests control the speed—whether that feature will make its way to Disney’s version remains to be seen.

Pym Quantum Racers

For younger cruisers, Pym Quantum Racers offers a race-themed ride inspired by Ant-Man. Guests will navigate a toy-sized racetrack full of over- and under-sized obstacles, providing a whimsical take on a Disney-style go-kart experience.

Groot Galaxy Spin

Groot Galaxy Spin is a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed spinning ride. Guests can embark on an “out-of-this-world ride onboard a Nova Corp Bass Jumper, set to an awesome mix of upbeat music,” according to the Disney press release. Like you see in Disney Parks, the queue for the ride seems like it takes up just as much room as the ride itself.

Note: For those who are afraid roller coasters and theme park rides will come to future Disney ships, these attractions were all part of the original design by Global Dream and came with the ship when purchased.

Water Park

Guests who want water entertainment can check out the Toy Story Place area. Also located on the top decks, this area is designed for young children and has a large family pool, several hot tubes, splash pads, and water slides.

San Fransokyo Street Arcade

For guests who want some indoor fun, they can visit the San Fransokyo Street area. Inspired by Big Hero 6, this “downtown” area has a family arcade and gaming lounge, and the Hiro Training Zone, an immersive training simulator

New Dining Options on Disney Adventure

Like other Disney ships, the Adventure will continue the tradition of rotational dining, where guests visit different themed restaurants each night, with their waitstaff accompanying them. However, unlike other ships, guests won’t have the opportunity to dine in every restaurant during a single cruise due to the number of options and relatively short itineraries.

All guests will have the chance to dine at one of two “entertainment restaurants,” which will feature live entertainment and interactions with beloved characters like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. Guests will either enjoy the elegant atmosphere of the Navigators Club, themed as an exclusive captain’s table, or be transported to the Golden Age of Hollywood in the glamorous Hollywood Spotlight Club.

In addition, all guests will dine at one of two magically animated restaurants: Animator’s Palate or Animator’s Table. These venues are found on other ships in the Disney Fleet, where the decor transitions from black and white to vibrant color over the course of the meal.

The ship will feature two restaurants that operate as buffets during breakfast and lunch but transition into table-service dining in the evenings. The Enchanted Summer Restaurant will draw inspiration from Tangled and Frozen, while the Pixar Market Restaurant will showcase themed areas based on Inside Out, Monsters University, Turning Red, and The Incredibles.

For those looking for an elevated dining experience, two specialty restaurants will be available at an additional cost. Palo Trattoria offers upscale Italian cuisine, while Mike & Sulley’s is Disney’s first Japanese steakhouse, featuring teppanyaki and sushi with an outdoor dining option. Notably, Mike & Sulley’s will also be the first specialty restaurant on a Disney ship open to children.

Entertainment on Disney Adventure

The ship will have the Walt Disney Theater with two productions: “Remember,” an all-new musical spectacular which is a heartwarming tale featuring the beloved robot duo from Disney-Pixar’s Wall-E , and “Disney Seas the Adventure,” which can be found on other ships and will take guests on a musical journey through beloved stories featuring iconic Disney songs and characters.

Guests can also enjoy shows at Wayfinder Bay. During the day, it’s an open-air pool area. Later in the day, the pool transforms into a stage where guests can enjoy “Moana: Call of the Sea.”

The Imagination Garden will also have shows. The state-of-the-art Garden Stage with three-deck-high LED screens and open-air, amphitheater-style seating. It will be home to several shows starring favorite Disney and Marvel characters and Baymax Super Exercise Expo, a musical exercise show inspired by the members of Big Hero 6.