Disney Cruise Lines Reveals a New Ship (and Island Getaway) — See the Disney Wish!
Disney Cruise Line had big news to share at the 2019 D23 Expo: A brand new ship destined for a brand new island getaway.
On Sunday, Disney Parks Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek revealed exciting details about Disney Cruise Line’s highly-anticipated fifth ship, which we now know will be named the Disney Wish.
As with all the Disney Cruise Line ships that came before it, the Disney Wish will have an iconic Disney character gracing its stern, reflecting the theme of the vessel. For the Wish, that character is Rapunzel.
The news comes from inside the 2019 D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., a yearly showcase of all the latest announcements from Disney parks around the world.
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According to a Disney Parks Blog post, the Disney Wish will be “bright, airy and elegant” and “inspired by the beauty of an enchanted fairytale,” giving it a more subdued style than some of the other Disney cruise ships. Known for her artistic talents, the character of Rapunzel will be seen painting throughout the ship, including on the stern, where she will be suspended by her famous hair, paintbrush in hand.
Scheduled to make its maiden voyage in January 2022, the Disney Wish will feature approximately 1,250 guest staterooms. It will be powered by liquefied natural gas, like Disney’s two most recent introductions, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about the new ship is the new destination it will be cruising to: A location called Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas.
The second Bahamian destination for the cruise line (they also own the private island Castaway Cay), Lighthouse Point is being designed by Joe Rohde — who also created Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii. He will be working with local artists to preserve the culture of the island and protect the environment, Disney says.
According to the Disney Parks Blog post, “Construction at Lighthouse Point will begin only after an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan are reviewed and accepted by the Government of The Bahamas and public consultation has occurred,” with hopes to begin the process in 2020.
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Worried Disney cruises are only for kids? We sent a PEOPLE reporter on one by herself, and she found it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Read this editor’s experience on the Disney Dream cruise ship to the Bahamas!
