Disney Cruise Line has five ships in its fleet with more to come including the new Disney Treasure debuting later this year. The newest Disney Cruise Line ship currently sailing now, the Disney Wish, is easily one of the most impressive with its beautiful and immersive design.
The design of the Disney Wish is inspired by “enchantment” with a large focus of that inspiration being on the story of Cinderella in the design of the Grand Hall.
The design of the Disney Wish infuses Disney storytelling of enchantment into every part of the ship but the love it shows for one of the most iconic Disney Princesses took my breath away.
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Cinderella's Presence in the Disney Wish Design
On most Disney Cruise Line ships, the main lobby is often referred to as the atrium. On the Disney Wish, it's called the Grand Hall to match the theme of the story of enchantment and influence of the story of Cinderella.
It's in the Grand Hall that we see the strongest influence of Cinderella's story from the chandelier, the light fixtures, the design of the staircase, and even a nightly show.
Disney Wish Chandelier Design
The main focal point of the Grand Hall is the gorgeous chandelier centered in the ceiling. The chandelier is breathtaking and the colors can change depending on the time of the day.
But the most interesting part of this chandelier is that the design is actually Cinderella's ball gown placed upside down. The chandelier is also a big part of the “Kiss Goodnight” show that takes place each night.
What is the Kiss Goodnight on the Disney Wish?
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The Kiss Goodnight takes place four times during the evening at 7:30, 10, 11, and midnight. Guests can gather in the Grand Hall to hear “So This Is Love” while the lights of the ceiling and chandelier light up to the music.
When the clock does strike midnight, the music will then change to chimes to signal the end of the night with Cinderella's voice saying “it is almost midnight!” The lights will continue to twinkle and light up the room before the music fades out.
The Kiss Goodnight is one of the most beautiful little details on board the Disney Wish. Most guests will lay directly on the floor to look up at the ceiling to watch the show so that's exactly what I did. It was one of my favorite immersive moments from the entire cruise.
But that's not all, see the four stars surrounding the chandelier? Each one represents the other ships in Disney's Cruise Line fleet.
Grand Hall Staircase Design
There are small design details dedicated to the story of Cinderella all around the Grand Hall. The grand staircase which guests can take to the main floor of the Grand Hall is meant to look like an unraveling ribbon, like the one used to make her dress.
Cinderella Dress Design in Light Fixtures
Another fun detail in the Grand Hall are the light fixtures on each deck that has a view of the area. If you look closely at the light fixtures from the bottom and going up, you'll see a small nod to the story of making Cinderella's gown.
The light fixtures on each floor with a view of the Grand Hall depict a spool of thread, ribbons, and a pumpkin to represent all the stages of Cinderella's dress designs.
Carpet of Disney Wish Tells a Story
The design of the Disney Wish is so impressive that the carpets itself not only continue to tell the story but are tied to the navigation of the ship.
This part of the carpet could be mistaken for the clock tower in Peter Pan but it's actually depicting the Cinderella clock tower. How can you tell? The time on the clock is midnight.
Throughout the ship you will see the color of the carpet along with the designs on the walls and stateroom numbers change colors to help guests figure out the navigation. For instance, the forward area of the ship is forest green to signify “forest forward” and the back of the ship is dark navy blues to signify “blue back.” All these amazing details just show the effort Imagineering put into the design.
Imagineering Concept Models on the Disney Wish
On the main floor of the Great Hall, you can browse different display cases shared by Disney Imagineering about the inspiration of the design of the Disney Wish.
You can view carpet samples, colors of the paint, and how they were all influenced by the different Disney stories of enchantment.
Cinderella Statue in Grand Hall
And of course, the statue in the Grand Hall is of Cinderella. Each Disney Cruise Line ship will have a main character statue in the atrium.
Look Closely for More Cinderella Details
Look closely and you'll see the two mice from Cinderella, Jaq and Gus, peeking out from her ballgown.
You Can't Forget the Glass Slipper
Just to the right of the staircase in the Grand Hall, you can also spot Cinderella's glass slipper.
Nightingale's Lounge Includes More Cinderella Details
Located right off the Great Hall is one of the Disney Wish's lounges called Nightingale's. This piano bar is inspired by Cinderella's rendition of “Sing Sweet Nightingale” including the bubbles in this scene in the film being part of the theme itself.
The chandelier above the piano features pearlescent bubbles and the featured drinks all come with a bubble on top of the martini glass.
Beautiful Artwork Onboard the Disney Wish
The Disney Wish features more than 4000 pieces of artwork. You can find this artwork scattered throughout the entire ship from the stairwalls to the lounges to the hallways.
This piece of artwork is my favorite as a tribute to the various forms of Cinderella as they pull each other up, including the one played by Brandy, called “Cindys.” This painting was created by Nikkolas Smith, a former Imagineer and now New York Times Best Selling Illustrator.
Cinderella Mosaic Mural
It's worth taking the time to look at all the artwork on display in the Disney Wish including this mosaic of Cinderella that just further incorporates this classic tale.
Walking the Wish Tour
Guests can enjoy “Walking the Wish” tour to see all these details up close and learn all the themes of Disney stories that inspired Disney Imagineers.
This tour was a great way to further hype up my excitement for the future cruise line ships coming soon. Both the Disney Treasure and the Disney Destiny are considered Wish class ships and I cannot wait to see how Imagineers bring their stories to life.
I was invited by Disney to experience the Disney Wish but all my opinions are authentically my own.
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