Disney Cruise Line has provided the first glimpse of an entirely new class of ships due to enter service from 2029, while also revealing the first major design details for Disney Believe.
The announcements were made during Disney's D23 fan event in Anaheim and form part of a fleet expansion that will eventually take Disney Cruise Line to 13 vessels.
Disney Believe will sail in late 2027 as the fourth member of the Wish class. It will be followed by three ships belonging to a separate, newly designed class.
New Disney ship class will debut in 2029
Disney has not yet released the names, detailed specifications, builders or deployment plans for the three new-class vessels. It has, however, confirmed that the first will debut in 2029.
The ships will sit between Disney's classic vessels and its latest generation in terms of size. Disney describes them as larger than Disney Wonder but smaller than Disney Wish.
Claire Weiss, Portfolio Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, said the intermediate size would create opportunities to visit new places and reach new audiences.
That positioning is significant. A vessel smaller than the Wish-class ships may be able to operate a wider variety of itineraries and call at destinations where port dimensions, berth capacity or local infrastructure make visits by the fleet's largest ships more difficult.
Disney has so far described the presentation as an early preview. Further details about the ships' names, onboard experiences, homeports and destinations will be announced later.
Disney Believe to sail in late 2027
Before the new class arrives, Disney Believe will join the fleet in late 2027. The ship is being built at Meyer Werft in Germany and will become the fourth vessel in the Wish class, following Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny.
Disney says its new venue concepts and entertainment will draw upon stories including Encanto, Frozen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Moana and The Little Mermaid.
The company has not yet disclosed the ship's inaugural itineraries or complete collection of restaurants, entertainment venues and accommodation.
Moana Grand Hall revealed
The Grand Hall aboard Disney Believe will be inspired by the Moana films and their themes of exploration.
A bronze statue of Moana accompanied by Pua and Heihei will form the venue's focal point. Disney's rendering also shows South Pacific influences and artisanal Polynesian-style finishes.
As aboard the other Wish-class ships, the Grand Hall will serve as a central gathering space rather than functioning solely as an entrance atrium.
Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the stern
Disney is continuing its tradition of giving each ship distinctive character artwork.
Larger-than-life sculptures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Pixar's Toy Story will appear on the stern of Disney Believe. The characters will be shown working together to write the ship's name using large yellow crayons.
The name will use lettering inspired by the familiar block style associated with Toy Story, rather than the looped script carried elsewhere in the Disney fleet.
Tinker Bell selected for bow artwork
The ship's bow will feature a hand-painted filigree depicting Tinker Bell as she appeared in Disney's 1953 animated film Peter Pan.
Silhouettes of Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook and other characters will appear flying through the surrounding design.
The artwork establishes three of the ship's most visible themes, with Moana represented inside the Grand Hall, Toy Story on the stern and Peter Pan on the bow.
Disney fleet heading towards 13 ships
Disney Cruise Line currently operates eight ships, according to the company. Its expansion programme includes Disney Believe and the three new-class vessels, ultimately increasing the fleet to 13.
The existing fleet spans several generations: Disney Magic and Disney Wonder; Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy; the Wish-class ships; and Disney Adventure, which operates from Singapore.
The decision to introduce ships of another size suggests that Disney is building a more varied fleet rather than repeating a single design. Details of where the new vessels will operate will be particularly important as the company expands its cruise presence internationally.