While more and more cruise ships are beginning to feel like floating theme parks courtesy an abundance of onboard thrills, no one has mastered this realm quite like Disney. Now, on the heels of Disney Wish, which launched last year, Disney Treasure will set sail in December 2024 with seven-night Caribbean voyages from Port Canaveral. “We were inspired by Walt Disney's love of traveling all around the world and his spirit of adventure,” said Pam Rawlins, an executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, at a much-anticipated ship reveal held onboard the Disney Wish last week while it was docked in Florida. “We are taking you to real-world beautiful places, but also fantastical stories that we bring to life on the Disney Treasure.”
Rawlins and a team of Imagineers worked tirelessly to bring iconic stories like Aladdin, Avengers, Coco, and Zootopia to life in fresh ways on board—new spaces include Sarabi, a Lion King-themed lounge, plus an ice cream parlor that's themed after the zany world of Zootopia, complete with sculptures of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. In a first for the brand, Disney Treasure will also feature venues based on popular Disney attractions and an entire Disney Park (case in point: The 2,000-square-foot EPCOT-themed Tomorrow Tower Suite, which has space for eight).
More than 20 restaurants and bars promise a different theme for every bite. Disney Cruise Line is known for its evening rotational dining dinner service, a Disney Cruise staple since 1998, in which guests and their service staff travel through three distinct dining experiences throughout a voyage. A brand-new main dining room concept making its debut on the Disney Treasure is Plaza de Coco, the first theatrical dining experience inspired by the Disney and Pixar blockbuster Coco—each night will host a different show starring Coco characters Miguel and his family, and guests can experience this theater-in-the-round-style dining room twice on a sailing. "This is a truly immersive experience. You actually get to dine with Miguel and his family through musical extravaganza—it's going to be a lot of fun," said Daniel Cowen, a senior manager overseeing dining standards and service excellence.
Other options include the fan-favorite 1923 from the Disney Wish, which makes an appearance on Disney Treasure with a new look: Interior display cases will showcase artwork and moldings from Disney movies that highlight exploration and adventure. Also familiar to those who’ve sailed on Disney Wish is Worlds of Marvel, with shows featuring superheroes like Ant-Man and the Wasp.
There will be plenty of strong drinks and laughs at the Skipper Society bar, where nods to the Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise attraction include a monkey-shaped chandelier; the Periscope Pub, meanwhile, is the place for craft beers—it’s also the ultimate throwback for fans of the movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Fantasyland attraction that was beloved at Walt Disney World from 1971 to 1994. And rounding up the dining offerings is the Zootopia-themed Jumbeaux’s Sweets, where 20 flavors of house-made gelato and specialty treats abound.
Disney ships are, understandably, a long-standing favorite with families, and the Disney Treasure ups the ante with a host of thrilling new activities and immersive experiences for travelers of all ages. Passengers are welcomed into the Aladdin-themed Grand Hall upon embarkation, where Mickey Mouse and various Disney princesses are often milling about under a massive golden chandelier. "We'll be bringing the Grand Hall chandelier to life very similar to how we we did the Disney Wish with lighting, media, and fiber optics,” said Rawlins. Special shows will also unfold beneath it on evenings throughout the voyage. One of the main entertainment zones is Sarabi, a two-story lounge that serves as the central hub for daily activities; at night, The Lion King-themed lounge turns into an adults-only space where parents can kick back and relax to watch comedy shows, play games, or enjoy live music. The AquaMouse waterslide, which debuted on Disney Wish, makes an appearance on the top deck, but with a new, exclusive animated short—following Mickey and Minnie Mouse as they traverse an ancient temple in search of treasure—that guests watch from their rafts before sliding through open tubes around the perimeter of the deck.
The Disney Treasure is shaping up to be a ship unlike any other in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. But there's no need to wish upon a star to join its maiden voyage on December 21, 2024: Bookings open for members of Disney Cruise Line’s loyalty program, Castaway Club, on September 12, and to the general public on September 20.