Amid great fanfare at the D23 Expo taking place in Anaheim, California this past weekend, Disney Cruise Line reveled the name of their much anticipated fifth cruise ship and details of a second private Bahamian island for their guests.
And the Name is …
In classic Disney fashion, Tinker Bell was on hand to make the revel that the next ship would be named Disney Wish.
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek said:
“There couldn’t be a better name for our incredible new ship because making wishes come true is part of the Disney DNA and is at the heart of so many of our cherished stories,”
“Each Disney Cruise Line ship is unique, with a name that embodies the excitement of sailing with Disney and the power of our stories. The new ships will have the experiences our guests love, as well as all-new magic,”
Along with announcing the new name, Disney Cruise Line also provided a rendering of Rapunzel, from the Disney animated movie Tangled, as she will appear on the stern of the Disney Wish with her pet chameleon, Pascal.
Stern characters – a beloved hallmark of Disney Cruise Line vessels – have been a tradition of the Disney fleet since the beginning and reflect the theme of each ship. For the Disney Wish, the ship’s stern will feature Rapunzel. Spirited, smart, curious and above all, adventurous, Rapunzel embodies the wish and desire to see and experience the world.
Additionally, a rendered preview of the Disney Wish atrium was also displayed.
Disney Wish and two other, yet to be named vessels will be powered by liquefied natural gas and, at approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
A Second Disney Private Bahamas Destination
Disney Cruise Line also took the opportunity to confirm their purchase of another island in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Known as Lighthouse Point, the island will highlight Bahamian culture and create another unique experience for Disney guests.
Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde said:
“The Lighthouse Point site is so beautiful and so full of nature that we want to preserve this and use our designs to call attention to the extraordinary quality of the place itself – a place of natural beauty with a rich and fascinating cultural tradition,”
“We will be directly involved in conservation efforts to preserve and protect the environment that creates this beauty, and we will be working with artists of every kind, much like we did with Aulani in Hawaii, to create a unique destination that is rooted in Bahamian culture and imbued with Disney magic.”
With a possible completion date as early as 2023, Disney has confirmed their commitment to have minimal ecological impact during construction and operation of Lighthouse Point.
The Disney Wish will homeport in Port Canaveral from newly renovated terminals scheduled to be completed in 2021.
For more details visit the Disney Cruise Line website.
Also Read: First Rendering of New Disney Cruise Ships
