Ahoy, everybody! We are back from two whirlwind cruises aboard the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Destiny. This ship is the third Wish-class vessel, and it packs so much fun and character onboard that you won’t want to miss. Check out our first vlog from the media cruise above, and keep reading to learn more about Disney’s brand-new cruise ship.
A Ship for Heroes & Villains
The Disney Destiny takes a ton of inspiration from heroes and villains across the Disney Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, and Marvel Studios canon. This theme is represented everywhere on board, from the design of the Grand Hall to the elevators, lounges, staterooms, and even the ship’s horn and its various tunes — including “Go the Distance” from Hercules, exclusive to the Destiny.
Tracker Tip: The ship’s horns go off at noon on sea days, so keep your ears open for Disney tunes!
Another heroic aspect of this ship can be found on the stern… It’s Spider-Man! Or, a statue of him, that is. Spider-Man holds the honor of being the first Marvel-themed stern character to grace a Disney Cruise Line ship. You can spot him slinging webs alongside Spider-Bots (from WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure at Disney California Adventure).
A Grand Hall Fit for a King (or Two)
The Grand Hall aboard the Destiny is inspired by none other than Marvel’s Black Panther. It sports 360-degree lighting effects that react to the music played within, as well as the presence of certain characters appearing in the Grand Hall throughout the voyage.
Continuing the “Heroes & Villains” theme is the atrium statue of Marvel’s T’Challa, a.k.a. Black Panther. This is the first time that not only has an atrium statue been a Marvel character, but also that silver has been used to accent the bronze installation aboard a Disney cruise ship.
It’s not a Wish-class ship without a “Kiss Goodnight,” and the Destiny has one of those to offer as well. This time, it’s a bit more adrenaline-pumping than other goodnight moments on its sister ships, the Treasure and Wish.
Tracker Tip: Unlike the Wish, which has its Kiss Goodnight at midnight to tie into its Cinderella theme, the moment on the Destiny (and the Treasure) happens at 10 and 11 p.m.
For the Destiny, the Kiss Goodnight is themed to Black Panther to match the Grand Hall’s overall theme. It features a unique lighting package synced to the score from the first and second films. There can also be “Kiss Goodnightmares,” where the Kiss Goodnight is taken over by a surprise villain appearance.
Tracker Tip: Be sure to check in every night for the Kiss Goodnight, because it can change depending on the night of your cruise and who might be appearing in the Grand Hall.
On the last night of your cruise, the Kiss Goodnight takes place at 10 p.m., followed by “Sea You Real Soon” at 10:15 featuring the Fab 5 and Disney Princesses. After that, “Destiny Discovered” takes place at 10:30, with appearances from Loki, Black Panther, Maleficent, and even Hercules from the stage show. This offering is your last chance to get character photos before your cruise ends.
Tracker Tip: The best place to watch all three on your last night is from the stairs between Decks 3 and 4!
Sleep in Heroic Style
Staterooms on board keep the heroic theme going, with inspiration from various films on each deck level:
- Decks 2, 6, and 7: Hercules and Mulan
- Decks 8 and 9: Raya and the Last Dragon and Brave
- Decks 10 and 11: Big Hero 6 and The Incredibles
- Decks 12 and 13 (Concierge): Fantasia
In addition to the standard suites, there are specially themed Royal Suites and a Tower Suite, each with its own heroic inspiration.
The four Royal Suites in question are themed to Hercules and The Incredibles, with two one-story suites at the stern and two two-story suites at the bow. The Destiny Tower Suite pays homage to Marvel Studios’ Iron Man/Tony Stark.
Your Dining Destiny
Several restaurants, cafes, and bars that are exclusive to the Destiny continue the theme of heroes and villains. Those are:
- Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King
- De Vil’s
- Cask & Cannon
- The Sanctum
- Edna À La Mode Sweets
- Café Megara
- Café Merida
Starting with Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, this musical dining experience celebrates the story of Disney’s animated classic, “The Lion King,” featuring songs from the first and second animated films, as well as the Broadway production.
The menu includes African-inspired fare with authentic, regional accents to really immerse you in the story and setting of the Pride Lands. The live musicians also bring immense talent and entertainment to the entire experience.
Next on our list is De Vil’s, the adults-only piano lounge on board the ship. Decorated to evoke the villainess’ flair for fashion and bold patterns, this venue screams Cruella De Vil. There’s even a fiber-optic Cruella that appears and disappears on the wall behind the dalmatian-spotted piano.
Beverages here are appropriately themed to Cruella, like the Perfectly Wretched, which comes with champagne in a perfume bottle to spritz over your cocktail, edible glitter “face powder,” and a frozen Chambord “lipstick” you can eat!
Cask & Cannon is a pub inspired by none other than Pirates of the Caribbean, packed with endless references to all the iterations of the Disney Parks attraction found around the world. You could spend hours here seeking out all the familiar references hidden within the decor. One of our favorite references is a nod to the Destiny herself; “Cask & Cannon, Est. 1706” can be seen on several screens throughout the pub — this is actually a reference to the hull number of the Disney Destiny, which is 706.
Tracker Tip: Sometimes, Captain Jack Sparrow will appear at Cask & Cannon as part of a “Meet-and-Play” experience. Keep a weather eye out!
For the Marvel fans, The Sanctum has to be your stop. This lounge brings the world of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange to life, thanks to its mysterious and curated atmosphere inspired by the New York Sanctum, unique drinks with “magical” effects, and props like Doctor Strange’s Cloak of Levitation. One such beverage is the Mirror Dimension, which is served in an interactive glass that evokes a plasma globe.
Those with a super sweet tooth will want to check out Edna À La Mode Sweets, the sweet shop on board set inside Edna Mode’s lab from Pixar Animation Studios’ Incredibles films. Inspired by the short film, Auntie Edna, the lab’s modern sewing equipment has been repurposed for making sweets to entertain baby Jack-Jack.
The final two exclusive venues are the ship’s walk-up cafes, Café Megara and Café Merida. The former is inspired by Disney Animation’s Hercules with a “Greco disco” design, and the latter takes after Pixar’s Brave with a Celtic-centered look.
Of course, returning dining like Worlds of Marvel, 1923, Marceline Market, Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods, The Haunted Mansion Parlor, and more are available onboard, as well.
“Meet-and-Play” with Your Favorite Villains
One unique aspect of the Destiny experience that isn’t present on other Wish-class ships is the “Meet-and-Play” offerings, where you can have unique interactions with your favorite heroes and villains, different from your average photo-op experienced at the parks or on other Disney ships.
Four of these experiences stand out in particular, involving Loki, Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, and Cruella De Vil.
For Loki, guests may find him attempting to take over the Grand Hall, transforming it with his signature green color, claiming his “rightful” place as king of the Disney Destiny. Guests can encounter Maleficent during “Under Her Spell,” held in Saga. The Mistress of All Evil takes over the entertainment space and makes it her throne room, inviting only the bravest to approach her.
Tracker Tip: Only guests on Deck 4 in Saga can meet Maleficent during “Under Her Spell.” Cast Members close the doors once the show begins. You can still watch the show from Deck 5, but can’t meet her, so be sure to arrive early and watch from Deck 4 if that’s something you’d like to do.
For small groups, guests can step into Dr. Facilier’s Parlor to not only meet the sinister shadow man, but also pick a card or two to spell out their fate.
Tracker Tip: Dr. Facilier’s Parlor does not allow any photos or video during the experience, so put your phones away and live in the moment!
Finally, Cruella can make appearances in her namesake bar, De Vil’s, ready to rewrite the classic tune named after her and critique guests’ fashion on the “Wretched Runway.”
Tracker Tip: Make sure you don’t miss “Treble Making” at De Vil’s, where you help Cruella write a more flattering song celebrating her. It was one of our favorite experiences on the ship!
Like the other ships in the Wish class, the Destiny features two traveling storytellers. Here, they’re Zayah, a fortune teller, and Gamble, a collector of potions and elixirs. One of their shows is “With Great Power: A Marvel Comedy Show,” held in Saga. During this show (which is geared toward adults), guests can experience some of the most iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe moments in sketch comedy style.
“Disney’s Hercules” is On a Roll!
The crown jewel of this ship might very well be its exclusive stage production housed in the Walt Disney Theatre: “Disney’s Hercules.” This production stays true to the story of the 1997 Disney Animation film, while combining that with a contemporary staging, puppetry, and world-class actors and singers.
Like the movie, the Muses are goddesses of the arts, proclaimers of heroes, and the storytellers for the evening. They guide the story from Mount Olympus to Thebes, and all the way to the Underworld. The show includes all the songs from the film you remember, like “Go the Distance,” “Zero to Hero,” and “I Won’t Say I’m in Love,” as well as “Shooting Star,” a ballad that was originally written for the film by Alan Menken and David Zippel, but was cut.
One of the most impressive aspects of this show is its puppets, like the multi-headed Hydra and the Titans. Each one was custom-made for the show by award-winning puppet designer Michael Curry, who also designed the puppets in “Disney The Tale of Moana” aboard the Disney Treasure.
We had such an incredible (if you’ll forgive the pun) time aboard the Disney Destiny, and can’t wait to be back in the future. Thank you to Disney for having us out on the media cruise, and stay tuned for more videos from our Maiden Voyage cruise!
