Theme Park Scope

I have a confession about how I plan Disney cruises. I do not start with the itinerary, the stateroom, or the price. I start with the shows.

If a ship has a stage production I am dying to see, everything else falls into place around it, and I will happily rearrange an entire vacation to get a good seat.

So when Disney Cruise Line revealed the entertainment lineup for the Disney Believe during its October 7 livestream, I did what any reasonable person would do. I made a spreadsheet. And I am sharing it with you, because the lineup is bigger than the headlines suggest.

The ship’s big, Broadway-style productions take place in the Walt Disney Theatre, and there are three of them.

Disney Encanto is the headliner, and it is a world first. The Disney Believe will debut the first stage adaptation of Encanto, adapting the Academy Award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios film for the theatre stage, and the production will be exclusive to this ship. It follows Mirabel on her quest to save her loved ones and their miraculous home. The show is inspired by diverse Colombian cultures, with vibrant costuming, creative scenic design, and joyful, traditional dance styles. The music will include hits from the film written by Disney Legend Lin-Manuel Miranda, including “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure.” Miranda shared the news himself in a video message during the reveal, and performers followed it with a medley that included “Dos Oruguitas.”

Tangled: The Musical is a fan favorite that has been performed aboard the Disney Magic since 2015. For the Disney Believe, Disney says it is being reimagined, with a new set design and special effects exclusive to the ship. Poster art shown during the reveal features Rapunzel’s long golden hair framing flowers, lanterns, and a crescent moon against a starry sky, and Susan Egan, the godparent of the Disney Destiny, performed “When Will My Life Begin?” during the presentation.

Disney Seas the Adventure is the original Wish class welcome show, featuring beloved Disney and Pixar characters and iconic songs. If you have sailed on the Disney Wish, Treasure, or Destiny, you already know it, and Disney says it rounds out the Broadway-style shows on the Disney Believe.

Not every show on a Disney ship takes place on the big stage, and this ship has some interesting ones.

Gazelle is the Zootopia-inspired entertainment hub, a multi-level space that takes its cues from the bustling metropolis in the Zootopia films. For the first time on a Disney Cruise Line ship, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will star in a new family show where guests help the pair solve their latest case. During the day, Gazelle also offers trivia, games, and immersive character encounters. After sunset, it shifts to adult-exclusive entertainment, with silent discos and variety acts. From what Disney has shown, it appears to be the ship’s flexible entertainment venue, the role Luna plays on the Disney Wish, Sarabi on the Disney Treasure, and Saga on the Disney Destiny.

Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party is the returning nighttime celebration, with a live rock band and Disney Cruise Line’s signature fireworks at sea. It is the closest thing the ship has to a big outdoor concert, and it is one of the fan-favorite experiences Disney says will be on the Disney Believe.

Live music lounges are part of the entertainment too. Sea Notes, the Little Mermaid-inspired piano lounge, is built around live music, and performers sang “Under the Sea” during the reveal. The Wishing Well, the Snow White lounge, will offer a variety of activities and live musical performances throughout each sailing.

Other fan favorites Disney named include Hero Zone, Disney Uncharted Adventure, and the Wonderland and Never Land Cinemas, and the kids club, Disney’s Oceaneer Club, will have five themed areas, along with a new Monsters, Inc. entrance.

Disney has not shared casts, show times, or how the shows will be scheduled across the four- and five-night sailings, so if you are planning a cruise around a specific show, I would wait for Disney’s sailing schedules before committing. The ship also has more than a year to go before its December 18, 2027, maiden voyage, so details will keep rolling out.

I think the lineup is stronger than people are giving it credit for. Encanto will get the headlines, and it deserves them, but I keep coming back to Tangled. A reimagined version with new effects tells me Disney is not just recycling a hit; it is giving a beloved show a second life, and that kind of care is what makes a ship feel special. And Gazelle might be my sleeper pick, because a show where you help Judy and Nick solve a case is the kind of thing a family remembers years later.

If I had to rank the shows, Encanto would be first, Tangled second, and the Zootopia case third, with a very close tie between the Parlay Party and everything else. But honestly, the best part is that there is no wrong answer, and a ship that gives you a Broadway musical, a rock party, and a silent disco all in the same night is my kind of vacation.

Which show are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments, and come hang out with us at Theme Park Scope for more Disney Believe news as the countdown to December 18, 2027, continues.