Disney Believe Guide: New Shows, Dining and 2027 Sailings

Article summary:

Disney Believe, Disney Cruise Line’s ninth ship, is scheduled to debut in late 2027, with new entertainment, dining and themed spaces for families.

• Sailings from Fort Lauderdale: Four- and five-night cruises will visit the Bahamas or Western Caribbean, with every itinerary stopping at Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point or both.
• New shows and dining: Highlights include the first stage adaptation of “Encanto,” an interactive “Zootopia” family show and Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast.
• Disney-inspired spaces: A Moana-themed Grand Hall will join new lounges inspired by “The Little Mermaid,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and the night sky.
• Family accommodations and planning: Options will include connecting staterooms and a Magic Kingdom-inspired Tower Suite. A AAA Travel Agent can help compare accommodations, itineraries and vacation costs.

By the fifth flight of stairs, I had to stop to catch my breath. I was racing to Deck Seven to collect “ice” for Oaken’s party — one of many clues in a scavenger hunt aboard Disney Wish designed to reveal details about the forthcoming Disney Believe, the fourth ship in Disney’s Wish class.

Disney Cruise Line had invited me on the four-night sailing for this playful sneak preview, which had us following riddles, solving puzzles and meeting characters who hinted at the new ship’s offerings. Instead of sitting through a presentation, I was piecing together the news one discovery at a time.

Believe itself is still to come, but the hunt offered a preview of the entertainment, restaurants and spaces taking shape aboard Disney’s ninth ship. Here are my biggest discoveries, along with what families should know before booking.

One of the most important clues turned up on Disney Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas. Looking through a telescope pointed toward the cruise port, I spotted the number 1218. A date, perhaps?

My hunch was right: Disney Believe is scheduled to begin sailing Dec. 18, 2027, from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Believe will join Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny in the Wish class — sister ships I’ve sailed on and loved exploring. That familiarity made me especially curious about how Disney would give this ship a personality of its own.

The inaugural season will include four- and five-night Bahamian cruises and five-night Western Caribbean sailings. Every itinerary will visit Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point or both. The five-night maiden voyage will visit both Disney destinations, plus Nassau. For families comparing sailings, look beyond the number of nights. Consider which destinations you most want to visit and how much time you’d like aboard to explore the ship. Our guide to Disney Cruise Line ships can also help you compare onboard experiences across the fleet.

Getting to the ship is another part of the planning. If you’re considering driving to Fort Lauderdale, factor cruise port parking and pre-cruise hotel options into your overall vacation budget.

Disney Believe shows: “Encanto,” “Tangled” and “Zootopia”

The “Encanto” clues were hard to miss. One trivia question asked what Julieta uses to heal Mirabel’s hand. The answer: arepas con queso. I had to look it up. Then came a Mirabel puzzle on Castaway Cay. By that point, I suspected the Madrigal family would have a significant role aboard Believe.

A surprise video message from Lin-Manuel Miranda confirmed it: The ship will debut the first stage adaptation of “Encanto.” Presented in the Walt Disney Theatre, “Disney Encanto” will follow Mirabel’s efforts to save her family and their magical home, with songs including “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure.” The theater lineup will also include “Tangled: The Musical,” returning from Disney Magic with redesigned sets and special effects, and “Disney Seas the Adventure,” featuring Disney and Pixar characters and familiar songs.

A run-in with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde from “Zootopia” gave me “paws” to consider what was coming next. The answer was a new interactive family show at Gazelle, the ship’s “Zootopia”-inspired entertainment venue, where guests will help the pair solve a case.

Gazelle will also host family activities during the day, including trivia, games and character encounters. At night, the programming will shift to adult entertainment, including silent discos and variety acts. It’s a useful reminder that Disney’s ships make room for grown-ups to have their own evening out, too.

Disney Believe dining: A new “Frozen” feast and returning favorites

Remember the ice I was fetching for Oaken? He has a celebration to prepare for. Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast will offer a new take on dining in the world of “Frozen.” While Disney Wish guests may recognize the idea of dinner paired with live entertainment from Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, Believe will introduce a different setting and story.

Guests will join Oaken and his cousins in a Scandinavian summer-house courtyard, with live performances of “Frozen” favorites and appearances by Anna and Kristoff. Two familiar restaurants from other ships, 1923 and Worlds of Marvel, will round out the ship’s main family dining lineup. For families deciding whether to book, Oaken’s Table is one of the clearest examples of what makes Believe different from its sister ships: a familiar Disney story, experienced through a new setting and performance.

Inside Disney Believe: The Grand Hall, bars and lounges

A Moana-inspired Grand Hall

A Pua towel animal in my stateroom suggested that a certain wayfinder would have a place aboard Believe. Sure enough, Moana will be the centerpiece of the Grand Hall. The ship’s central gathering space will feature a statue of Moana with Pua and Heihei, an ocean-blue carpet with bioluminescent colors and a chandelier inspired by moving water. Hidden within that chandelier: the Heart of Te Fiti. That’s the kind of detail I look forward to finding aboard a Disney ship — something you might miss on your first pass, then notice when you stop to look up.

New bars and lounges: Sea Notes, Wishing Well and Skygazers

A porthole puzzle unscrambled to reveal “Ariel,” pointing us toward Sea Notes, a piano lounge inspired by her grotto in “The Little Mermaid.” Its pearlescent piano and ocean-inspired design will set the scene for music, cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks. Among the announced offerings are a Sea Salt Martini and a nonalcoholic drink called Under the Seaweed, both served in seashell-inspired glassware.

Wishing Well will draw on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” with a menu that includes The Peddler’s Disguise, an apple-forward drink presented in a color-changing glass. Skygazers, an observatory-themed pub, will extend the celestial theme to drinks such as Moonshine and its nonalcoholic counterpart, Starshine. These spaces give adults more to consider than where to grab a drink. For Disney fans who enjoy spotting references to the films, the surroundings are part of the attraction.

Three things to know before booking Believe

1. Family Staterooms and Connecting Rooms

Most staterooms will feature Disney’s split-bathroom design, with the toilet and bathing area in separate spaces to make getting ready easier. Families who want more room and privacy can also book connecting staterooms linked by an interior door. Before choosing accommodations, compare sleeping arrangements and check connecting-room availability. Depending on your group’s size and budget, two connected rooms may be a better fit than one larger stateroom.

2. A Magic Kingdom-inspired tower suite

Magic Kingdom fans may find their dream accommodation in the Believe Tower Suite, a nearly 2,000-square-foot, two-story retreat inside the ship’s forward funnel. Sleeping up to eight guests, the suite will feature rooms inspired by the park’s different lands, fireworks-inspired lighting and Cinderella Castle artwork. Expansive windows will offer views of the upper decks and the open horizon. For families considering the splurge, weigh the suite’s space, privacy and amenities against other stateroom options to find the best fit for your group and budget.

3. Onboard Activities and Extra Costs to Consider

Between meals, shows and port visits, families can make a splash on the AquaMouse water ride or enjoy dedicated clubs for kids, tweens and teens. Before booking, check which activities are included in your fare and which cost extra. Review age and height requirements, youth-club policies and reservation needs for your family’s must-do experiences. Knowing those details in advance can help you plan activities everyone can enjoy and budget for any extras.

For more tips on matching a ship’s activities, accommodations and itinerary to your children’s ages, read our guide to choosing the best family cruise.

Plan your Disney Believe cruise With AAA

After four nights of chasing clues, what stayed with me was how many ways Believe will bring familiar stories into different parts of the day: Mirabel onstage, Oaken at dinner and Moana welcoming guests into the Grand Hall.

For returning Disney cruisers, those additions offer reasons to explore another ship. For first-timers, the decision starts with the same practical questions as any family vacation: When can you go, how much space do you need and what does everyone most want to do?

If you’re new to cruising, our guide to how to book a cruise explains the decisions to make before reserving your trip.

AAA Travel Agents can help you compare Believe with other Disney ships, weigh itineraries and stateroom options and plan flights, hotel stays and transportation to Port Everglades. Your agent can also explain additional costs and check for available AAA Member benefits, helping you build a vacation that fits your family and budget.

As for me? Next time I’m fetching ice for Oaken’s party, I hope it comes with dinner.