Disney Cruise Line used its D23 Disney Experiences Showcase to pull back the curtain on two major pieces of its expansion plans: a deeper look at the upcoming Disney Believe and the first-ever glimpse of an entirely new class of ships set to debut from 2029.
Disney Believe, the fourth ship in the Wish class and expected to carry roughly 4,000 passengers, is scheduled to debut in late 2027. It's currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, with steel cutting having begun on August 8, 2025. The ship's theme centers on "promise and possibilities," and Disney has now confirmed several of its signature design elements: Tinker Bell will anchor the hand-painted bow artwork alongside silhouettes of Peter Pan characters; the Grand Hall will be centered on a bronze statue of Moana, surrounded by Polynesian-inspired wave details; and Woody and Buzz Lightyear will appear on the stern sculpture, holding oversized yellow crayons to spell out the ship's name. In a nod to Toy Story, that name will appear in bold angled block lettering rather than the script font used across the rest of the fleet — a choice that's already sparked some debate among fans. Additional storytelling tied to Frozen, The Little Mermaid and Encanto is planned, though details haven't been announced yet. A full reveal livestream is scheduled for October 7, 2026.
Looking further ahead, Disney confirmed that the three ships previously announced for 2029 and beyond will form a completely new class — not an extension of the Wish design. Claire Weiss, Portfolio Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering, described the new vessels as sitting "right in the middle of our classic ships and our newer ones," which Disney says will open up destinations that larger Wish-class ships can't easily reach. D23 attendees got a first teaser image of the new class, though ship names, capacities, homeports and onboard features remain under wraps.
Once all three new ships join the fleet, Disney Cruise Line will operate 13 vessels total — a significant leap from its original four-ship lineup of Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The expanded, varied fleet sizes could allow Disney to pursue cruise markets it hasn't previously served.
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Details about Disney Believe's homeport and itineraries have not yet been announced. This story was reported by Cruisemummy.
