Disney Unveils More Exclusive Disney Wish Experiences
by Dori Saltzman
Photo: Disney Cruise Line
Disney is revealing yet more all-new experiences that families will find onboard its newest ship, Disney Wish. These include an “Inside Out”-inspired dessert shop, a picnic with friends from “Frozen,” and several interactive game shows that put cruisers front and center.
“Family is at the heart of everything we do,” said Laura Cabo, portfolio creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. “When we set out to design the next generation of Disney cruise ships, we wanted to provide families with more opportunities than ever to make lasting memories together and to experience Disney storytelling in completely new ways.”
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the new experiences you’ll find on Disney Wish when the ship debuts this July.
Inside Out: Joyful Sweets
Emphasizing the sweeter side of life, Inside Out: Joyful Sweets will feature an abundance of dessert choices including nearly 40 flavors of handmade gelato and ice cream, as well as candy, macarons, baked items, and novelty treats. The brightly-colored shop is designed to resemble the control center inside 11-year-old Riley’s mind (from the movie “Inside Out”).
Signature treats inspired by the film will include colorful cupcakes that evoke the five emotions: Joy (lemon), Sadness (blueberry), Disgust (pistachio), Anger (red velvet), and Fear (bubble gum). Chocolate Memory Orbs will also be on offer.
Olaf’s Royal Picnic
For the first time in any Disney environment, kids will be able to join their favorite “Frozen” characters for an extra-fee summertime picnic in Arendelle. Especially designed for families with children ages 3 to 12, Olaf’s Royal Picnic will bring Olaf, Anna, Elsa and Kristoff to life to delight participants with live musical performances of songs like “Let It Go,” “Fixer Upper” and “In Summer.”
Castle staff will serve up summer treats and picnic fare, and children will receive an assortment of gifts and keepsakes, including a reversible troll plush, themed picnic blanket and custom Nordic-style mandolin.
Grand Hall
The fairy tale-inspired Grand Hall will be the location of some of Disney Wish’s most memorable experiences including a royal greeting during which every child will receive their very own wishing wand upon embarkation. The Grand Hall will also transform from a gathering space into a theater for special performances through the magic of built-in special effects and the first-ever atrium stage on a Disney cruise ship.
Other Grand Hall experiences will include:
- During each sailing, families can attend a royal gathering as Disney princesses descend into the Grand Hall to meet and greet guests;
- The Grand Hall stage will conceal a host of Disney friends during “Who’s Behind the Curtain?”, a fun game show where guests answer questions to reveal the identity of the hidden characters;
- On the final night of every sailing, cruisers will return to the Grand Hall and raise their wands with Fairy Godmother to ignite a farewell show featuring their favorite characters, special effects, and live performances.
Luna
A new-to-Disney entertainment hub, Luna will be outfitted with a two-story LED screen wall, stage, and bar, and will offer a variety of live shows for families including:
- Villains Game Night: A game show where guests will attempt to answer Disney trivia questions amid the jeers of Disney foes, including Cruella de Vil, Gaston, Hades, Maleficent, and others.
- Disney Songbook: A Karaoke-style experience that puts guests in the spotlight as they belt out Disney songs and showcase their talent for a live camera crew, who will project each performance onto the big screen.
- Disney Unchartered Adventure: The live grand finale event for this mobile device-based interactive experience will bring families together to team up to battle an infamous Disney villain.
Hero Zone
Another brand new to Disney Cruise Line space, Hero Zone is a futuristic sports arena that blends physical activity with the imagination, offering highly-produced shows in addition to free-play sports. Challenges include:
- Incredi-Games: Families can test their strength, speed and stamina during this high-energy game show that features an elaborate obstacle course of over-the-top physical challenges inspired by Pixar’s “The Incredibles.”
- Jack-Jack’s Incredible Diaper Dash: A Disney Cruise Line favorite that gives tots the chance to compete for the coveted title of Diaper Dash Champion as they speed crawl across a 20-foot track.
The first new ship from Disney since 2012, Disney Wish debuts July 14. Other new-to-Disney experiences guests will find onboard include “Frozen”- and Marvel-themed restaurants and a Broadway-style theatrical production of “The Little Mermaid,” as well as The AquaMouse water coaster ride. It will also have new cabin categories, as well as a high-end lounge set in the Star Wars galaxy.
Disney Wish will sail three- and four-night cruises to Nassau, the Bahamas, and Disney’s private island Castaway Cay from Port Canaveral, Florida.

