Well, this is one Disney crossover we definitely didn’t have on our bingo card.
Imagine boarding a Disney Cruise Line sailing and suddenly watching the voices of Ariel and Megara transform into the Sanderson Sisters.
That’s exactly what happened aboard the Disney Dream, where Disney Legends Jodi Benson and Susan Egan joined Nina West for a surprise performance of “I Put a Spell on You” from Hocus Pocus.
The unexpected performance happened during a special Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise sailing through Northern Europe, and judging by the combination of performers alone, this was one of those Disney moments you probably couldn’t recreate if you tried.
The surprise came during “Dancing on Deck to Halloween Hits,” a Halloween-themed deck party hosted by Nina West, the drag persona of performer Andrew Levitt. Nina West and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein led guests through several Halloween dance numbers during the event, including music from The Rocky Horror Picture Show and ZOMBIES 2.
But Nina had something special planned for the finale. She invited Jodi Benson and Susan Egan onto the stage, and together the three performers became their own version of the Sanderson Sisters for a performance of the sisters’ iconic musical number from Disney’s 1993 Hocus Pocus.
Benson appeared in purple, channeling Sarah Sanderson, while Egan wore red lace for her take on Mary Sanderson. Nina West completed the trio as Winifred Sanderson. Which means, technically, Disney fans were watching Ariel, Megara, and Nina West perform as Sarah, Mary, and Winifred Sanderson aboard a Disney cruise ship.
Jodi Benson has been synonymous with Ariel since providing the character’s voice in Disney’s animated The Little Mermaid in 1989. Her Disney career has continued for decades through films, television, recordings, games, concerts, and appearances, and Benson was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2011.
Susan Egan has an equally impressive Disney résumé. She originated the role of Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on Broadway in 1994 before becoming the voice of Megara in Hercules in 1997.
And 2026 has been a particularly big year for Egan. She was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2026, and she has another important Disney Cruise Line connection: Egan serves as the official godmother of the Disney Destiny. Disney chose her for the role in part because so many stories connected to her career are represented aboard the heroes-and-villains-themed ship, including Hercules and Beauty and the Beast.
Put the two together with Nina West, and this was considerably more star-studded than your average cruise ship Halloween dance party.
The performance took place aboard the Disney Dream during a seven-night Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise that departed Southampton, England, on August 31. The round-trip Northern European itinerary visited destinations in Denmark and Norway.
DVC Member Cruises typically feature programming beyond what guests would encounter on a standard Disney Cruise Line sailing, and this voyage was no exception.
Additional programming included appearances and panels featuring Disney personalities and creatives such as John Stamos, Disney voice actors Bret Iwan and Jim Cummings, former Disney animator Ron Husband, Imagineer Michel den Dulk, and puppeteer Jeff Dunham.
Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween on the High Seas sailings are returning aboard most itineraries departing from late September through Halloween.
Those cruises feature seasonal décor, trick-or-treating, Halloween activities, Mickey’s Mouse-Querade party, the Enchanted Pumpkin Tree, and Disney characters wearing special Halloween costumes. And the Sanderson Sisters are part of the fun.
Disney officially lists Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Clarabelle Cow dressed as the Sanderson Sisters among the character experiences available during Halloween on the High Seas.
So while you’re unlikely to find Ariel and Megara’s original voice actresses recreating this performance on your next cruise, you can still find some familiar Disney faces putting their own spin on Winifred, Sarah, and Mary during select Halloween sailings.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for more Disney Cruise Line news and unexpected Disney moments from around the world.
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