Disney Cruise Line announced Tuesday it had partnered with Japan’s Oriental Land Co., which has ordered and will operate a new ship to be based in Japan for year-round service.
The deal with OLC, which owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort, calls for a sister ship to Disney Wish to be constructed at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany for sailing expected to begin in early 2029.
While technically the yet-to-be-named ship will be the ninth vessel in the DCL fleet, it’s OLC that has entered into the construction contract, and will operate the vessel under a licensing agreement with Disney.
It would be the fourth Wish-class ship for the DCL fleet following 2022’s Wish, this year’s Disney Treasure and next year’s Disney Destiny. Wish will be joined by Treasure later this year with both sailing out of Port Canaveral while Destiny’s home port has yet to be announced.
Disney is also set to welcome in 2025 the Disney Adventure, which is headed to Singapore.
The Japan deal expands on a relationship between Disney and OLC that is more than 40 years old. Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983 and OLC also operates the ocean-themed Tokyo DisneySea, which opened in 2001. Both theme parks falling within Tokyo Disney Resort, which has like Walt Disney World has its own monorail, entertainment and dining complex and hotels.
“Disney Cruise Line has ambitious plans to bring family vacations and Disney storytelling to more guests around the world than ever before,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, in a press release. “We are thrilled to continue the success of this expansion as we collaborate with Oriental Land Co. to introduce another distinctly Disney vacation experience to families and fans in Japan.”
The ship will be operated by OLC and be registered in Japan.
The Wish class are slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Fantasy with about 1,250 staterooms and a 4,000-guest capacity including children. The release noted the ship will feature many guest-favorite venues and experiences that can be found on Disney Wish “with select modifications specially designed with Japanese guests in mind.”
Disney Wish features the AquaMouse water coaster that is part dark ride, part tube run, a Marvel-themed restaurant and dinner theater venue themed to “Frozen.”
“I am sincerely proud that Disney and Oriental Land will be able to work together to create a world-class cruise business in Japan,” said Yumiko Takano, representative director, chairperson and CEO, Oriental Land. “Oriental Land will use their knowhow from the theme park business to continue pushing boundaries and provide family entertainment cruise experiences filled with inspiration and surprise.”
Disney’s first ship Disney Magic debuted in 1998 followed by sister ship Disney Wonder in 1999. Dream and Fantasy doubled the fleet with their debuts in 2011 and 2012 before the recent rapid expansion to double the fleet again with four new ships from 2022-2025.
The line also created a second Florida year-round home port taking over a cruise terminal at Port Everglades and this summer debuted its new Bahamas private destination Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story reported DCL had ordered the ship construction. OLC ordered it.
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