If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member, your phone may have already buzzed with this one.
And if you’re not, stick around, because it tells us a surprising amount about how Disney Believe is going to roll out.
Disney just announced a DVC Member exclusive “First Wave” sailing aboard the all-new Disney Believe, departing January 5, 2028. The announcement invites members to be among the first to step aboard, and booking for this Member-exclusive experience opens on November 21, 2026. That’s about six weeks away from today, which is a lot closer than a January 2028 sailing sounds. (Time, as it turns out, is a flat circle, and also a booking window.)
Here’s the fine print that’s easy to miss in all the excitement. The graphic Disney shared says the experience “requires eligibility and an exchange,” and that it’s “subject to change.” So this isn’t open to just anyone, and it isn’t simply a regular cruise booking with a special label on it. Disney hasn’t spelled out in this announcement exactly what the exchange involves or what eligibility looks like, so I’m not going to guess at that part. What I can say is that those two phrases are doing a lot of work, and if you’re a member, you’ll want to read the official details carefully before booking day.
A little context for anyone newer to this. Disney has done “First Wave” sailings before, setting aside early departures on a new ship for DVC members. It’s a way for Disney to say thank you to its most loyal group of vacationers, and for members to say they were there at the very beginning. This time, the ship is Disney Believe, and the sailing is a few weeks after the inaugural season begins. We already know the maiden voyage is December 18, 2027, and the regular inaugural season runs through the spring of 2028. A January 5 departure puts DVC members on board while the ship is still brand new, which is a pretty irresistible pitch.
I also did a little calendar math, because I’m that kind of person. The regular inaugural itinerary list I covered earlier doesn’t show a January 5 departure, which suggests this First Wave sailing is its own separate thing instead of one of the standard dates. And the 5-night New Year’s Eve sailing on December 31 would end on January 5. I don’t know if that’s connected, and Disney hasn’t said, so please treat this as me doing arithmetic and not as news. The point is just that this sailing sits right in the window where the ship is brand new, and the schedule is busy.
Here’s what we still don’t know, and I’d rather lay it out plainly than let anyone assume. Disney’s announcement doesn’t say how long the sailing is, what ports it visits, what staterooms will be available, or what it will cost. It also doesn’t say what the exchange involves, and it doesn’t say what time booking opens on November 21. Those are exactly the details members will need, and I’d expect Disney to share more as the date gets closer. I’ll update this as soon as they do.
If you’re planning to book a sailing like this, one more practical thing. A brand new ship plus a members-only window usually means demand is going to be intense. I can’t tell you how many staterooms Disney will release, and I’m not going to pretend I can, but I’d absolutely have your dates, your travel party, and your backup plan ready before booking day. A first-sailing dream trip has a lot of moving parts, and it helps to have someone in your corner.
I love this for DVC members. I really do. There’s something special about being able to say you were on a ship in its earliest days, when everything still smells new, and the crew is just as excited as the guests. For people who’ve invested in the Vacation Club, a perk like this feels like a real thank you, not just a marketing line.
At the same time, I’m a little protective of anyone reading this who’s not a member. A lot of fans have been staring at Disney Believe news for weeks, and seeing a members-only sailing can sting a bit. Both things can be true. It’s a great perk for members, and it’s okay to feel a pinch of FOMO if you’re on the outside looking in. The good news is that the regular inaugural season is open to everyone, and there’s a lot of calendar to choose from.
If I were a member, I’d mark November 21 on every calendar I own, read the fine print twice, and decide ahead of time exactly who is coming with me. Because that’s how this goes. Somebody always says, “Wait, I wasn’t included!” the night before booking.
So tell me, are you a DVC member planning to go for it? Who’s making your cruise crew? Tag them in the comments (Disney’s own post asked for it, and honestly, it’s a great way to find out who’s really willing to commit). And keep checking back with Theme Park Scope, because as soon as Disney releases the length, ports and booking details for this sailing, I’ll have them for you.
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