Disney Believe to Feature Moana-Themed Grand Hall
Under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, the liquefied natural gas-powered fourth Wish-class ship is expected to span fifteen decks.
Disney Cruise Line unveiled the Grand Hall theme and exterior character artwork for Disney Believe during its Horizons showcase at D23 on Aug. 15, 2026. The ship, scheduled to enter service in late 2027, will feature Moana in its central gathering space, Tinker Bell on the bow and Toy Story characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the stern.
The fourth Wish-class newbuild is set to become Disney Cruise Line’s ninth vessel. Its stern design also departs from the looped calligraphy used across the fleet, replacing it with block lettering associated with the Toy Story films.
Moana anchors the Grand Hall design
A bronze statue of Moana with Pua and Heihei will serve as the focal point of the Grand Hall. Renderings show wave details on the walls, a water-patterned carpet and Polynesian finishes drawing on the South Pacific setting of the Moana films.
The venue will serve the same central gathering function as the Grand Halls aboard Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny. Disney is developing the ship around stories including Encanto, Frozen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Little Mermaid, although it has not yet disclosed how those properties will be incorporated into restaurants, attractions or entertainment.
“This ship celebrates belief in magic, family, the power of nature, and belief in yourself,” Claire Weiss, portfolio executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, told the D23 audience.
On the bow, a filigree design will place Tinker Bell at the center, accompanied by silhouettes of Peter Pan characters including Peter, Wendy and Captain Hook. The stern sculptures will depict Woody and Buzz Lightyear using oversized yellow crayons to write the ship’s name in Toy Story-style lettering.
Construction continues at Meyer Werft
Disney Believe is under construction at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, where steel cutting began on Aug. 8, 2025. The ship carries Meyer Werft hull number 723, and recent construction images showed work underway on its funnel and interior steel sections.
The LNG-powered vessel is expected to measure about 144,000 gross tons and 1,119 feet in length, with capacity for approximately 4,000 guests and 1,555 crew across 15 decks.
Disney has not announced a homeport or itineraries.
Broader reveal scheduled for October
Disney Cruise Line plans to disclose additional Disney Believe details in a livestream on Oct. 7, 2026. Passengers sailing on Disney Wish’s Oct. 5 departure from Port Canaveral will also receive a one-night presentation inspired by the new ship, featuring performer Susan Egan, on the day of the livestream.
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