The Walt Disney Company has been telling some of the most beloved stories in all of entertainment for over 100 years, but it's taken stepping aboard the Disney Destiny for me to feel more a part of them than I ever have before.
After inviting me to Papenburg, Germany, in August to see how the Disney Destiny was built, Disney welcomed me back aboard its newest cruise ship ahead of its maiden voyage on November 20 to experience what makes this Heroes & Villains-themed ship so special. After departing Ft. Lauderdale’s Port Everglades for three way-too-short days, it was those special story moments we were part of - whether it be Loki taking over the Grand Hall and declaring himself king or Cruella de Vil storming into her own lounge - that truly won me over.
You Best Start Believing in Ghost Stories, Miss Turner... You're In One!
The Disney Destiny is the third Wish-class ship in the ever-growing Disney Cruise Line fleet, and it joins the Disney Wish, the Disney Treasure, and a fourth yet-unnamed ship that is currently being built as we speak. All of the ships in this class have the same layout, but the pieces of the puzzle inside them vary. Whereas the Wish has a Princess and the Frog-themed Bayou lounge, the Treasure and the Destiny have a Jungle Cruise-themed Skipper Society and Doctor Strange-themed Sanctum, respectively.
The Sanctum, which is the first-ever Marvel lounge at sea and a space we exclusively revealed, is just one of the new pieces that fits into the Heroes & Villains theme of the Destiny, complete with Doctor Strange’s Cloak of Levitation, the Eye of Agamotto, and even some magical floating drinks. With such a huge focus on the good and the bad of Disney's cast of characters, however, the team had to approach things a little bit differently this time around.
"This is the first time ever that our guests are coming face to face with villains at sea," Jen Bascom, Creative Director at Disney Live Entertainment, said. "When you engage with a hero, whether they're from a fairytale, a royal, Mickey and his pals, or a superhero, it's a huggable and warm experience. Villains are not huggable, and that is awesome. So, we were able to create experiences like Dr. Facilier's Parlor, where you enter a space and have an intimate encounter doing a card trick. You are playing a dangerous game of cards with a villain, and it's so exciting.”
Dr. Facilier’s Parlor is a perfect example of these “meet-and-play” story moments that immerse you in a way that kept making me think of the now-closed Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. This encounter with the villain from The Princess and the Frog takes place in a small room that fits only 12, and the Shadow Man himself is there when you walk in, bowing, with his way-too-big hat being the first thing you see in a very unsettling way before he turns on his charm.
I won’t spoil everything that happens in this parlor, as it’s an experience you aren’t even allowed to take any pictures or videos of, but I felt a tinge of fear being in the same room as this iconic villain. This was all thanks to an incredible performance by the actor, some truly spooky jazz music that featured sounds from the other side, and interactions that made each participant feel included. This was so much more than a character meet-and-greet, and it was that much more memorable for it.
While Dr. Facilier’s Parlor was a contained experience, some of the biggest meet-and-play moments happen right in the Grand Hall for all to see, where a stunning statue of Black Panther stands tall in the three-story room inspired by Wakanda. One of the biggest new additions to this rendition of a Wish-class Grand Hall, and what sells what’s happening inside of it, is a brand-new lighting system that changes depending on which character is in the room.
For Loki, everyone’s favorite god of mischief, the Grand Hall gets enveloped in a green light that makes it feel as if he is taking over this space in a tangible way. These story moments happen throughout the cruise, and sometimes they will involve multiple heroes and villains interacting in a really fun and surprising way, and the lighting of the Grand Hall really does add to the effect.
What makes these meet-and-play moments special, too, is that they are tied together by two storytellers - Zayah and Gamble - who are another pair of incredibly talented and hilarious actors who provide a bit of throughline for the whole adventure. They are also a sign of things to come.
While many of these meet-and-play encounters are on your schedule, some are a surprise. For example, you could be sitting in the 101 Dalmatians-themed piano lounge called De Vil’s and Zayah and Gamble may come strolling in. Before you know it, you could be wrapped up in a story moment where you have to write a new song for Cruella because she can’t stand how her famous song just gets her all wrong.
These are but a few instances of these story moments, and there are many more in store featuring such characters as Maleficent and Captain Jack Sparrow, but the ones I was a part of were the highlight of the Disney Destiny adventure for me. They were cast perfectly, they felt random enough that I could and actually did stumble upon them, and they were thoughtful experiences that paid homage to the stories they came from.
I hope Disney continues to expand upon this meet-and-play concept, because they elevate the character meet-and-greet experience and give you a memory you can hold on to and a feeling that, for but a moment, you were able to live in these stories you hold closest to your heart.
Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King is a Celebration of the People of Africa and Their Food
Beyond the meet-and-play experiences aboard the Disney Destiny, Walt Disney Imagineering has also created some remarkable spaces that not only house lounges and restaurants, but also Broadway-style shows that give you even more ways to celebrate your favorite films.
Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King is a dining experience that transports you into the world of the classic Disney film and offers a musical retelling of Simba’s story while you enjoy African-inspired dishes. This is the same space on the Wish and Treasure that held the Frozen and Coco dining experiences, respectively, but the team took a different approach to this venue.
“Everybody loves The Lion King. Everybody knows the movies, has seen the films, and has also seen the Broadway shows,” Walt Disney Imagineer Jay Abruzzese told me. “So, how do we take a fresh look at it? How do we kind of create something new? We looked early on about how to create this sort of stylized version of a Boma. And a Boma is really a gathering place in African culture where families come, tell stories, eat, drink, have a good time, laugh, and connect with one another.”
As Abruzzese’s words may indicate, there are no puppets in this story or characters popping up. Instead, guests are treated to an incredible performance of songs from The Lion King and its spin-offs, as well as a track that has never been heard before, called Serengeti Rain. The show is led by the phenomenal Regina LeVert and others who have been part of past Lion King productions, as well as a group of drummers who are from or have played in Africa that add a whole new, authentic layer to the show.
There are also a ton of little touches that guests may not know on the surface but are supremely important, including that South African members of the 12 Lion King Broadway companies around the world recorded the Zulu chanting guests will hear. The team also included a special song in South Africa called Shosholoza, which is basically the country's national anthem, and the cast even jokingly told some of the creatives that “they won’t even let you into the country” until they sing Shosholoza.
And the food! I love dining experiences like this that let us broaden our culinary horizons. While The Disney Destiny has a Marceline Market buffet and a Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods that feature your classic chicken fingers, burgers, tacos, pizza, and more, I love learning about a new culture through its cuisine.
“I'm from France, but originally I was born in Ghana,” Eric Damoah, manager of culinary standards, told us. “So, working on this project was very special for me because I was able to bring some of the dishes I ate growing up to Disney and its guests. Everyone is talking about the Berbere Spiced Roasted Chicken, and that tomato and pepper rice with it was actually my favorite rice dish that my mother used to cook when I was a kid, and it was really nice to see guests enjoying something from my childhood.”
I can attest that that dish was the best thing I ate on the entire cruise, and was only one example of African cuisine that I’ll be searching out now that I’m back on land, in addition to the Cape Malay Shrimp Curry, Vegetable Tagine, Peri-Peri Shrimp, and the wonderfully named Pumbaa’s Cocktail Ya Matunda.
The show and food were all great, but this space still has the same issue as the ones that came before it - your enjoyment and experience may vary depending on where you sit. We were relatively close to the stage, but there were still moments when it was hard to tell what was going on because people got in the performers' sightlines, who really attempt to do a great job of making sure everyone can see. Unfortunately, if you are in one of the far corners of the restaurant, as I was at Plaza de Coco on the Disney Treasure, it becomes much more challenging to enjoy the show.
Hercules Is a Unique Retelling of the Disney Classic That Had Everyone Dancing In Their Seats
While Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King was the highlight of the dining experience aboard the Disney Destiny, Hercules is the big Broadway-style show guests will be lining up for (alongside Disney Seas the Adventure and Frozen), and it tells the story of our favorite Greek gods in a brand-new way.
This show had a lot to live up to for me as I said Disney Treasure’s Tale of Moana was one of the greatest shows I’ve seen for its focus on the power of authenticity and love. I’m happy to report that Hercules is a very worthy successor, even if it didn’t dethrone Moana in my heart.
This new take on Hercules, which is different from the show currently running in London’s West End, takes everything we love about this zero-to-hero story and adds some more gospel, R&B, and unique touches that let it stand on its own winged feet and become an inspiring tale for the choices made behind the scenes.
For example, the Muses are now composed of women and men, and Hercules himself is played by Black actor Corey J. Bradford. I had the chance to speak to Bradford, who absolutely lives up to the legend of Hercules with his performance, and he left me even more excited for people to experience this aboard the Destiny.
“I don't want to get too cheesy, but it feels like I was destined to play this,” Bradford told me. “Without getting into too much detail, it’s because of the trajectory of where my life has gone and what I've had to go through. We all have had to jump through hoops and overcome obstacles, and challenges arise that we don't necessarily know how we're going to get through while we're in them, but we do. And so now, to bring it here to where we are today, I'm just super thankful.
“Being up here and knowing that there might be someone else who looks like me out there, who may have thought that they can't do that, well, you can. You're seeing it; it can happen, and I'm happy the door is being opened in this space.”
Beyond the big steps in representation, the show itself has jaw-dropping moments that bring to life such iconic moments as the battle with the Hydra and Titans, and it’s simply impossible not to dance and sing along to the soundtrack with a theater filled with many others who share the same love for Hercules as you do.
Your Destiny Awaits
There are so many more spaces aboard the Disney Destiny that allow guests to fulfill their dream of stepping into the stories and experiences they love, and one is a returning favorite that I’m happy will allow even more guests to experience it.
Yes, I’m talking about The Haunted Mansion Parlor, which I still believe is one of the best spaces Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created and is the perfect extension of the beloved Disney parks attraction. It’s the exact same as it was on the Disney Treasure, although it does have a few new drinks, but that’s not a knock because the first at bat was a grand slam. No matter where you are in the lounge, you can experience haunting surprises like Madame Leota or hitchhiking ghosts floating about or the aquarium with ghost fish that was actually a concept from Imagineer Rolly Crump that never made it to the real attraction. The roughly 40-minute looping show is a treat for the senses, and I could spend hours in there taking it all in.
Another new highlight is the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Cask & Cannon, which is not to be confused with the recently opened Beak & Barrel at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Whereas the Beak & Barrel is more focused on being an immersive extension of the attraction at Walt Disney World, Cask & Cannon is more of an homage to all the Pirates attractions around the world.
From sketches by Disney Legend Mark Davis that influenced the original attraction at Disneyland to lanterns that callback to the attraction at Disneyland Paris to a little Rummy bird at the bar that is an Easter Egg for Beak & Barrel itself, there are so many fantastic touches that fans will love discovering. And yes, Jack Sparrow himself may stop by from time to time to provide one of those meet-and-play moments I can’t stop talking about. However, even when he’s not there, his compass can be found on the carpet below and will always be pointing to the bar.
There is so much more to discuss about the Disney Destiny, including the Incredibles-themed sweet shop called Edna À La Mode Sweets and the world-class kids clubs that make me wish I was young again, but I’m going to end our story here just as we began.
The Disney Destiny is another stellar achievement for Disney Cruise Line and one of the greatest examples of Disney pushing its storytelling capabilities to a new level. In a beautiful way, it also harkens back to the reason why Walt Disney chose to build Disneyland, and I’m going to let Jen Bascom bring this story home by explaining why.
“When Walt created Disneyland, he talked about how he wanted a place where adults and children can feel like they can play and experience something together, and we really chose to dig deep into that,” Bascom said. “When guests enter that Grand Hall and the Disney Destiny, we are not only inviting them to step into a story, we're not only inviting them to experience a story, we are telling them that they are the story.”
During my few days on the Disney Destiny, I couldn’t agree more, and I can’t wait for the next chapter.
For more, check out check out our ultimate guide to the Disney Treasure, what it was like visiting the real-life Parr House from Incredibles 2 at Disney's first Storyliving Community called Cotino, and our thoughts on Disney Parks first step into Fortnite.
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.
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