Disney Believe Revealed: New Encanto Show, More Frozen, and Some Familiar Venues
Disney Cruise Line has revealed the first major details on its newest ship, the Disney Believe, which will debut in December 2027.
The fourth ship in Disney’s Wish class will be themed around “promise and possibility,” with spaces inspired by movies including “Moana,” “Frozen,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and “Zootopia.”
The ship will also debut the world’s first “Encanto” stage musical, a new Frozen-themed dining experience, and several new bars and lounges. While the Disney Believe will have plenty of experiences of its own, Disney is also bringing back several venues and concepts from its other Wish-class ships.
Disney Believe Is the Fourth Wish-Class Ship
The Disney Believe will be the fourth ship built on Disney’s Wish-class platform, following the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, and Disney Destiny. That means the overall ship layout will be very familiar to anyone who has sailed on one of its sisters.
Like the other ships, the Disney Believe will have its own overall theme. The Disney Wish is themed around enchantment, the Disney Treasure around adventure, and the Disney Destiny around heroes and villains. The Disney Believe will focus on “promise and possibility,” featuring characters who believe in themselves, their dreams, or something greater than themselves.
Tinker Bell will adorn the bow of the ship, while Woody and Buzz Lightyear will appear on the stern.
Grand Hall Is Themed Around “Moana”
The Grand Hall is the heart of the Wish-class ships, spanning three decks in the middle of the ship. It’s where guests first board and the home for many character meet-and-greets and activities throughout the sailing.
On the Disney Believe, the Grand Hall will be inspired by “Moana,” with a statue of Moana, Pua, and Heihei serving as the centerpiece.
The design will draw inspiration from the Pacific Islands and the ocean, with an ocean-colored carpet, bioluminescent details, constellations on the ceiling, and railings inspired by the design of Moana’s skirt. The chandelier is reportedly modeled after the movement of the ocean and will even have the heart of Te Fiti hidden inside.
That continues one of the biggest visual differences between the Wish-class ships. The Disney Wish has Cinderella, the Disney Treasure has Aladdin and Jasmine, the Disney Destiny has Black Panther, and now the Disney Believe will feature Moana.
Oaken’s Table Brings Frozen Back to Rotational Dining
Disney’s Wish-class ships have three main dining rooms that guests cycle through over the course of the cruise.
On Believe, the show dining room will be Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast.
The restaurant will feature an entirely new story set in a Scandinavian summerhouse courtyard deep in the forest. Oaken and his family will host the meal while his cousins perform reimagined versions of music from the “Frozen” movies. Anna and Kristoff will also make appearances.
While the experience itself is new, the choice of theme is very familiar.
The Disney Wish already has Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, another theatrical rotational restaurant based around “Frozen.” Disney changed things up significantly on the next two ships, with Plaza de Coco on the Disney Treasure and Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King on the Disney Destiny.
Now Disney is going back to Frozen.
Frozen is a juggernaut for Disney, so it’s easy to understand the decision. There’s also another “Frozen” movie coming, which could make the franchise even more relevant by the time the Disney Believe launches. Still, Disney has a massive catalog of movies and characters to choose from, so it’s a little surprising to see another Frozen restaurant rather than something completely different.
Worlds of Marvel and 1923 Return
The other two rotational dining venues will be even more familiar.
1923 will return with its celebration of Disney animation history, including more than 1,000 drawings, props, and animation tools from the Walt Disney Archives.
Worlds of Marvel will also return, this time featuring “Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix,” with Rocket and Groot providing the entertainment during dinner.
Inside Out: Joyful Sweets Returns From the Disney Wish
Another returning concept is Inside Out: Joyful Sweets, the specialty dessert shop that originally debuted on the Disney Wish.
The version aboard the Disney Believe will get some updates to reflect “Inside Out 2.” Large sculptures of Anxiety and Envy will join Joy and Sadness, along with the “Sense of Self” structure from the sequel. The menu will also be reimagined, with nearly 20 flavors of gelato and ice cream, daily gelato specials, and other sweets.
It’s not an exact copy of the original, but it is another example of Disney revisiting an existing Wish-class concept rather than creating something completely new.
Big Hero Sips and Café Kakamora Are New Cafes
The two small cafes near the Grand Hall will get new identities aboard the Disney Believe.
Big Hero Sips will draw inspiration from San Fransokyo from “Big Hero 6,” while Café Kakamora will be themed around the coconut pirates from “Moana.” Both will offer coffee, tea, and specialty beverages.
Skygazers Will Be the New Pub
The Disney Believe will get a completely new pub called Skygazers.
The observatory-themed venue will look like an astronomer’s laboratory, with towering bookshelves, astronomical instruments, celestial maps, and hidden references to Disney characters who wished upon stars.
Like the pubs on the other Wish-class ships, it will also be a place to watch live sporting events. The menu will include custom craft beers, specialty cocktails, and light bites.
Skygazers follows Keg & Compass on the Disney Wish, Periscope Pub on the Disney Treasure, and Cask and Cannon on the Disney Destiny.
Sea Notes Is Inspired by “The Little Mermaid”
Another new venue is Sea Notes, a piano lounge inspired by Ariel’s grotto from “The Little Mermaid.”
The space will use an iridescent, underwater-inspired design with a pearlescent piano serving as the centerpiece. Disney describes the piano as one of Ariel’s forgotten treasures.
Guests will find live music along with cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
It takes the place of the piano lounge concept that has changed significantly on each Wish-class ship, following Nightingale’s on the Disney Wish, Scat Cat Lounge on the Disney Treasure, and De Vil’s Piano Lounge on the Disney Destiny.
Wishing Well Brings “Snow White” to the Ship
Wishing Well will be another completely new lounge, this time inspired by the original 1937 “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
Rather than looking like a cartoon recreation of the movie, the concept art shows a more sophisticated interpretation.
The lounge will feature three distinct areas. The bar will resemble the movie’s gothic castle with stained glass artwork. Another area will feel like a castle courtyard underneath white blossoms and red apples. The performance space will use hand-carved wood inspired by the Seven Dwarfs’ cottage.
The venue will offer cocktails, mocktails, spirits, coffee, activities, and live music throughout the sailing.
Haunted Mansion Parlor Returns Again
The Haunted Mansion Parlor will also appear on Believe. The elaborate themed bar first debuted on the Disney Treasure and was then repeated on the Disney Destiny. Now it will appear on the Disney Believe as well, making this the third consecutive Wish-class ship to feature the venue.
Disney says the Believe version will at least feature an all-new menu of cocktails and mocktails created specifically for the ship.
There’s no question that Haunted Mansion Parlor is one of Disney Cruise Line’s most impressive themed bars, and its popularity likely explains why Disney keeps using it. Still, it’s disappointing to see it repeated again.
When the Disney Wish debuted with Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge and the Disney Treasure followed with Haunted Mansion Parlor, it looked like this space could become one of the signature differences between each ship. Instead, Haunted Mansion Parlor is quickly becoming a Wish-class standard.
Gazelle Will Be a “Zootopia” Entertainment Hub
The large two-story entertainment venue will become Gazelle, inspired by the “Zootopia” movies.
During the day, it will host trivia, games, family activities, and character encounters. At night, the space will transition to adult-exclusive entertainment, including silent discos and variety acts.
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will also star in a new family show where guests will help them solve a case. It will be the first Disney Cruise Line show starring the two characters.
Gazelle takes the place of Luna on the Disney Wish, Sarabi on the Disney Treasure, and Saga on the Disney Destiny.
“Encanto” Gets Its First Stage Musical
One of the biggest truly new additions to the Disney Believe is coming to the Walt Disney Theatre.
“Disney Encanto” will be the world’s first stage adaptation of the animated movie. The show will follow Mirabel as she tries to save her family and Casita, with costumes, scenery, and choreography inspired by Colombia. Music will include familiar songs from the movie such as “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure.”
The theater will also feature “Tangled: The Musical.” The show currently plays aboard the Disney Magic, but the Believe version will receive reimagined sets and new special effects.
“Disney Seas the Adventure,” which already plays on the Wish-class ships, will round out the main theater lineup.
AquaMouse Returns With New Adventures
The AquaMouse water coaster will return again on the Disney Believe.
The 760-foot-long attraction will continue to combine a water ride with animated Mickey and Minnie Mouse scenes, but the new ship will feature different “Port Adventures.” Disney has announced “Swiss Meltdown,” which sends Mickey and Minnie down a snowy mountain, and “Sing a Silly Song.”
Families will also find seven pools in the main pool area and a separate Toy Story-themed area designed for younger children with a splash zone, wading pool, family waterslide, and smoothie bar.
Uniquely Themed Cabins
The Disney Believe will continue the Wish-class tradition of putting a massive suite inside the forward funnel.
The nearly 2,000-square-foot, two-story Believe Tower Suite will sleep eight guests, with two main bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It will be themed around Magic Kingdom, with rooms modeled after different areas of the park and details inspired by Cinderella Castle, fireworks, and balloons.
The ship will also feature Royal Reef Suites inspired by “The Little Mermaid” and Royal Rose Suites inspired by “Beauty and the Beast.”
Regular staterooms will feature new papercut-style artwork inspired by Disney movies including “Moana,” “Coco,” and “The Lion King.” Disney says 70% of the ship’s staterooms will have verandahs.
Disney Believe Will Sail From Fort Lauderdale
The Disney Believe is scheduled to sail its maiden voyage on December 18, 2027, from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Rather than the seven-night itineraries the Disney Treasure typically sails, the Disney Believe will offer four- and five-night cruises to The Bahamas and the Caribbean. Sailings will visit one or both of Disney Cruise Line’s private destinations, Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
General bookings for the Disney Believe will open on October 19, 2026.
Some Disney Fans Are Disappointed by the Repeats
While there are definitely new experiences on the Disney Believe, the reveal has also received a mixed reaction from some Disney Cruise Line fans.
In early online discussions following the announcement, fans repeatedly pointed to another Frozen restaurant, the third Haunted Mansion Parlor, another Inside Out: Joyful Sweets, and returning Worlds of Marvel as disappointments. Some questioned why Disney didn’t use more of its enormous collection of movies, attractions, and characters to give the fourth Wish-class ship a stronger identity of its own.
Still, there are some interesting new additions, especially Skygazers, Wishing Well, Sea Notes, the Moana Grand Hall, and the new “Encanto” musical. But for guests who have already sailed several Wish-class ships, there will be quite a bit that feels familiar.
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