Disney Believe sets sail December 18, 2027, from Fort Lauderdale with Encanto, Oaken's Table and a Magic Kingdom tower suite

By entgrove · October 8, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026

The Disney Believe, Disney Cruise Line's fourth Wish-class ship, sails its maiden voyage December 18, 2027, on four- and five-night Bahamas and Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, with bookings opening October 19, 2026. The October 7 reveal and Disney's venue list name the first stage Encanto, Oaken's Table, the Zootopia hub Gazelle, three new lounges and a two-story Believe Tower Suite themed to Magic Kingdom.

Disney Cruise Line's next ship, the Disney Believe, will sail its maiden voyage on December 18, 2027, from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The October 7 reveal livestream walked through its cafes, lounges, family venues and shows. Disney's written announcement then described the rest of the ship, including the first stage adaptation of Encanto, a new Frozen dinner and a two-story suite themed to Magic Kingdom.

Who took the stage at the reveal

The cruise line's operations chief announced the sailing date, and a pair of storytellers led the tour of the ship.

• Opening cruise director. Trent Hitchcock hosted the livestream and will be the Disney Believe's cruise director when the ship begins sailing.
• The date announcement. Tracy Wilson, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line operations, announced the maiden voyage date with ship crew members in the audience.
• The Society of Seekers. Beatrice and Hugo, members of this group of adventurers who "explore beyond the horizon," presented each venue as a story from their travels.
• The music maker. A musician introduced as Noah the music maker supplied the songs for each stop on the tour.

"We are so excited for this ship to join the fleet and to bring new Disney stories to life at sea," Wilson said.

The rest of the stream was a staged story. The Seekers described the ship as a place called Believe that only those "brave enough to believe in magic" should see, then toured it one venue at a time.

A Wish-class ship with Tinker Bell at the bow and Buzz and Woody at the stern

Disney built the Believe's design around promise and possibility, told through characters who believed in something bigger than themselves.

• Fourth in the Wish class. The Believe joins the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, and Disney Cruise Line expects its fleet to reach 13 ships in late 2030.
• Three anchor stories. Disney names Moana's belief in the power of nature, Mirabel's belief in magic in Encanto and the belief in family running through the Frozen films.
• At the bow. Tinker Bell is at the helm, guiding the ship "past the second star to the right," with Peter, Wendy and Captain Hook also shown on the stream.
• On the stern. Larger-than-life sculptures of Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story ride on the back of the ship.

Disney calls Tinker Bell, with her faith, trust and pixie dust, "the ultimate embodiment of the ship's name and motif." The Buzz and Woody sculptures on the stern, in Disney's telling, are about embracing the child within.

A Moana Grand Hall where the sky meets the sea

The ship's central gathering space draws on Moana, with the film's Pacific Islands setting worked into its design.

• Moana and friends. A statue of Moana, "the brave girl who sailed beyond the reef," stands with Pua, her pig, and Heihei, her rooster, guiding guests on their voyage.
• Sea and sky. The hall is designed as a meeting of sky and sea, with oceanic colors, constellations and an ocean-hued carpet with bioluminescent accents.
• A moving chandelier. The chandelier, modeled on the movement of the sea, hides the heart of Te Fiti, the island goddess whose stolen heart starts Moana's story.
• The Possibility Seekers. Storyteller characters in the hall include a self-certified scholar and amateur stargazer and a professor introduced as a plantologist and nature empath.

Encanto gets its first stage version, and Tangled returns

Three Broadway-style shows fill the Walt Disney Theatre: a world-first Encanto, a restaged Tangled and the Wish-class revue.

• Encanto on stage. Disney Encanto, the first stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film, follows Mirabel's quest to save her family and their miraculous home.
• Only on the Believe. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the film's songs, said in a video that the show starts in 2027, exclusively aboard the Disney Believe.
• Colombian roots. Disney says the costumes, scenery and traditional dance styles draw on Colombia's cultures, alongside songs such as "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and "Surface Pressure."
• A medley at the reveal. Performers including the voice of Dolores from the film sang songs such as "Surface Pressure," "Waiting on a Miracle" and "What Else Can I Do?"
• Tangled: The Musical. The hit show from the Disney Magic comes to the Believe with all-new set designs and special effects made only for this ship.
• Disney Seas the Adventure. The original Wish-class show of Disney and Pixar characters and songs completes the theater lineup.

Susan Egan, a Broadway performer, godparent of the Disney Destiny and a newly named Disney Legend, sang "When Will My Life Begin?" from Tangled at the reveal. She introduced Miranda as her "friend and fellow Disney Legend," and he opened his video message with a line fans of the film will recognize.

"Well, I guess we can finally talk about Bruno. I'm so excited to finally share this. Encanto is making the leap from screen to stage."

"Seeing Mirabel's journey come alive through live performance, music, and dance is something really special," Miranda said.

Gazelle brings Zootopia aboard, with Judy and Nick on a case

The ship's new entertainment hub is a multilevel slice of Zootopia that changes audience from day to night.

• A Zootopia city. Gazelle is themed to the bustling metropolis from Disney Animation's Zootopia films.
• By day. Families get trivia, games and character encounters.
• After dark. The venue switches to adult-only entertainment, silent discos and variety acts.
• Judy and Nick. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, the rabbit and fox partners from Zootopia, star in a new family show, a Disney Cruise Line first, where guests help solve their latest case.

Fireworks at sea, a sports arena and free cinemas

Four fan favorites from Disney Cruise Line round out the family entertainment.

• Parlay Party fireworks. Pirate's Rockin' Parlay Party, a nighttime show across the ship and sky, pairs a live rock band with Disney Cruise Line's fireworks at sea.
• Hero Zone. A futuristic sports arena with games, free-play sports and family competitions.
• Uncharted Adventure. In Disney Uncharted Adventure, guests use their phones to unlock hidden quests around the ship.
• Two free cinemas. The Wonderland and Never Land Cinemas show classic and first-run films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm at no extra charge.

Oaken's Table is the new Frozen dinner, beside 1923 and Worlds of Marvel

One new family restaurant, hosted by a Frozen character, joins two dining rooms returning from the Wish class.

• Oaken's Table. Oaken's Table: A Frozen Family Feast is a new chapter of the Frozen story, hosted by Oaken, the trading post owner from the film.
• Summer house setting. The feast is set in the courtyard of Oaken's sommerhus, his summer house deep in the forest, a rustic corner of Arendelle never seen before, where he hosts a family reunion.
• The family band. Oaken's cousins play their own versions of songs from the Frozen soundtracks, and the hosts said the feast comes "with a side of song and dance."
• Anna and Kristoff. Queen Anna and Kristoff appear at the feast alongside Oaken.
• 1923 returns. The animation-themed dining room shows more than 1,000 drawings, props and tools from the Walt Disney Archives, from Lilo & Stitch, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story and Peter Pan.
• Worlds of Marvel. The Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix dinner returns, with Rocket and Groot of Guardians of the Galaxy leading an "awesome mix" of music.

After describing the feast, the hosts sang "Love Is an Open Door" from Frozen on the reveal stage.

Two new cafes and an Inside Out sweet shop

The coffee bars borrow from Moana and Big Hero 6, and the sweet shop brings in the new emotions from Inside Out 2.

• Café Kakamora. Named for the Kakamora, the coconut-armored pirates the hosts called "Moana's foes turned friends," it draws on Motunui, Moana's home island, and serves coffee, tea and specialty drinks.
• Big Hero Sips. A coffee shop inspired by San Fransokyo, the city in Big Hero 6, the Disney Animation film about the inflatable robot Baymax.
• Foam art. Cappuccinos shown on the stream carried milk-foam art of Baymax and of Heihei, the rooster from Moana.
• Joyful Sweets. Inside Out: Joyful Sweets is styled after the command center where Riley's emotions work, with the Sense of Self structure from Inside Out 2.
• New emotions. Larger-than-life sculptures of Joy, Sadness, Anxiety and Envy, all shown on the stream, bring in the expanded cast from Inside Out 2.
• Gelato and treats. The menu has nearly 20 gelato and ice cream flavors, daily handmade gelato specials and signature sweets, all at extra cost.

Lounges themed to Snow White, the night sky and The Little Mermaid

Three new bars each borrow a different story, and the Haunted Mansion Parlor returns with a menu made for this ship.

• The Wishing Well. A lounge inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, set in a castle courtyard with a canopy of white blossoms and red apples on one side.
• The Queen's potion. The courtyard's other side holds what the hosts called a "wicked concoction," brewed by the queen who wanted to be "the fairest one of all."
• Skygazers Pub. Guests sit beneath a story-filled evening sky in a pub styled as an astronomer's observatory, with towering bookshelves, astronomical instruments and celestial maps.
• Sports and nods. Skygazers shows live sports and serves custom craft beers, cocktails and light bites, and its walls hold nods to classic stories; the stream pointed out Jiminy Cricket and Mufasa.
• Sea Notes. A piano lounge inspired by Ariel's underwater grotto in The Little Mermaid, built around a pearlescent piano presented as one of her forgotten treasures; it pours cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Haunted Mansion Parlor. The bar themed to the Disney Parks attraction returns with all-new cocktails and mocktails created for the Believe.

Wishing Well's furnishings take the colors of Snow White's gown, carved wood around its stage nods to the dwarfs' cottage, and a stained glass piece at the bar is meant to evoke a gothic castle. It hosts activities and live music through each sailing, with cocktails, mocktails, spirits and coffee.

The hosts called Skygazers "a place where grown-up dreamers can dream," and mentioned a lively parlor where adults have drinks while children are in the Oceaneer Club. The stream gave no age policy for the lounges; Disney's written announcement lists all four in its section on venues for adults.

Palo Steakhouse, Enchanté and the adults-only spaces

A Beauty and the Beast dining suite, an adults-only pool, a spa and a salon complete Disney's list of adult-exclusive venues.

• Palo Steakhouse. The guest favorite returns in a premium dining suite themed to Beauty and the Beast, pairing a fine-dining steakhouse with modern Italian cooking.
• Enchanté's French menu. Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement serves French-inspired fine dining from a menu developed by the three-Michelin-starred chef.
• The Rose lounge. A lounge inside the same Beauty and the Beast suite, meant for a cocktail before or after dinner.
• Quiet Cove pool. The secluded adult area on the upper decks has an infinity pool at the stern, whirlpool spas, a bar and a cafe.
• Spa and fitness. Senses Spa offers spa and beauty treatments, and Sense Fitness has exercise and wellness facilities.
• Salon and barbershop. Untangled Salon, themed to Tangled, does hair and beauty, and Hook's Barbery offers cuts and shaves with a "hidden" bar.

The AquaMouse, seven pools and a Toy Story splash zone up top

As on the sister ships, the upper decks split into three themed districts with pools, quick meals and space to lounge.

• Seven pools. The Mickey and Friends family district spreads seven pools across tiered decks, with lounge chairs and a jumbo screen showing Disney films and live sports.
• AquaMouse returns. The 760-foot water ride, which puts riders inside a Mickey Mouse cartoon, comes back with Mickey and Minnie on zany "Port Adventures."
• Ride shorts. The cartoons include "Swiss Meltdown," a dash up a snowy mountain, and "Sing a Silly Song," built around villainous mischief.
• Toy Story splash zone. An area for toddlers and young children has a themed splash zone, a wading pool, a family waterslide and a smoothie bar.
• Pluto's Pita Platters. Found only on the Believe, this Mediterranean stall in the Mickey and Friends Festival of Foods serves kebabs and pitas with garnishes and dips.

The Festival of Foods is the open-air food court on the upper decks. Its other stalls serve barbecue, cantina bowls and salads, pizza, burgers and soft-serve ice cream.

A Monsters, Inc. entrance to the Oceaneer Club and spaces for every age

Supervised spaces cover children from 6 months to 17 years, and the kids club gets an entrance no sister ship has.

• Monstropolis entrance. Only on the Believe, the Oceaneer Club entrance is themed to Monstropolis, the city from Monsters, Inc. that runs on the power of laughter.
• Caution tape. The entrance has "Caution: 2319" tape, the film's alert for a monster's contact with a human item, and a figure of Mike Wazowski with his laugh canister.
• Five Oceaneer areas. Kids 3 to 10 enter, or slide, into Marvel Super Hero Academy, Fairytale Hall, Star Wars: Cargo Bay, Walt Disney Imagineering Lab and Mickey and Minnie's Captain's Deck.
• Small World Nursery. It's a Small World Nursery offers babysitting for children 6 months to 3 years old, in a room inspired by the classic attraction.
• Edge for tweens. Ages 11 to 13 get a bright hangout styled as a New York City loft, for games and making friends.
• Vibe for teens. Ages 14 to 17 get a Parisian-style loft for movies, games and group activities.

The Hideaway, a hangout for older kids, has a dance floor and a DJ booth. Disney says Disney-trained counselors run the programs in the spaces for ages 3 to 17, with playtime alongside Disney characters.

A two-story Magic Kingdom suite and four royal suites

The ship's one-of-a-kind suite sits inside the forward funnel, with each room modeled on a different Magic Kingdom land.

• Size and layout. The Believe Tower Suite covers nearly 2,000 square feet over two stories and sleeps eight, with two main bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms.
• Main Street lights. Living room light fixtures styled after Main Street's balloons and fireworks sit beside an art piece of Cinderella Castle.
• The view. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the top decks and the open horizon.
• Four royal suites. The Royal Reef Suites draw on The Little Mermaid, and the Royal Rose Suites draw on Beauty and the Beast, with nods to a French palace.

The Royal Reef Suites use oceanic teal and coral pink, scalloped shell edges, pearlescent and driftwood finishes and lighting meant to glow like the sea. In the Royal Rose Suites, one bedroom takes Belle's gold and blue and the other the Beast's deep sapphire, with a rose motif throughout.

On the stream, the hosts said the tower suite could fit "like eight people" and played the segment as a joke: the Seekers said they had wandered in by accident, napped on the bed and left when security arrived.

Most staterooms have verandahs, and concierge gets an Alice in Wonderland lounge

Standard rooms keep Disney's family layouts, and concierge guests get their own lounge, sun deck and themed rooms.

• Verandahs and doors. Most staterooms have an ocean view, 70 percent have a verandah, and more than 450 connecting doors help larger families stay together.
• Family layouts. Every room has ample storage, and most add Disney's split bathroom, roomy closets and raised beds with storage space underneath.
• Papercut artwork. New papercut-style art draws on Moana, Coco and The Lion King.
• Concierge lounge. Concierge guests get a lounge themed to Alice in Wonderland and a private sun deck with complimentary food and drinks.
• Peter Pan rooms. Concierge staterooms and suites carry Neverland artwork inspired by Peter Pan.
• Toy Story rooms. Seven special oceanview rooms are themed to Toy Story and have floor-to-ceiling views.

Bookings open October 19, before fares and show details

Reservations open before Disney has published prices, and several things a family would want to know are still unanswered.

• No fares yet. Neither the stream nor Disney's written announcement gave prices for any sailing or for the Believe Tower Suite.
• Which island when. Each cruise stops at Castaway Cay, Lookout Cay or both, and Disney has not said which itineraries visit which island.
• Encanto cast. Disney has placed the show in the Walt Disney Theatre but has not named its cast or given a run time.
• Dining format. Disney lists Oaken's Table beside 1923 and Worlds of Marvel but has not said whether it is part of rotational dining, which moves guests between restaurants night to night.
• More reveals promised. The Seekers closed the stream by saying there was "so much more" to tell, and that it would come "in time."
• Lead time. Booking opens about 14 months before the maiden voyage.

Our take. Short sailings from Fort Lauderdale make the Disney Believe a possible add-on to a Walt Disney World trip, and the maiden voyage leaves one week before Christmas 2027. The rarest rooms come in tiny numbers: one Believe Tower Suite, four royal suites and seven Toy Story oceanview rooms. Families set on the first sailing or one of those rooms should settle dates and party size before October 19, knowing fares and some show and dining details may still be missing then.