Disney & Oriental Land Co. Bring Disney Cruise Vacations to Japan

© Disney (eap) Disney and the Japanese leisure and tourism company Oriental Land Co. (OLC), which owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort, today announced their agreement to bring the Disney Cruise vacation business to Japan. To this end, the German Meyer Werft has been commissioned to build a new ship with about 1,250 staterooms. It will be designed as a sister ship to the “Disney Wish”. The usable volume is specified with 140,000 gross tons. Holidaymakers and especially Japanese Disney fans are expected to be able to set sail from Japan on the coming new Disney Cruise ship from early 2029. It will feature numerous popular attractions familiar from other Disney ships – with some adaptations specifically for the Japanese target group. OLC will be responsible for operating the ship, which will be registered and based in Japan year-round.

“Disney Cruise Line has ambitious plans to bring family vacations and Disney storytelling to more guests around the world than ever before,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Experiences. “We are thrilled to continue the success of this expansion as we collaborate with Oriental Land Co. to introduce another distinctly Disney vacation experience to families and fans in Japan.”

“I am sincerely proud that Disney and Oriental Land will be able to work together to create a world-class cruise business in Japan,” says Yumiko Takano, representative director, chairperson and CEO, Oriental Land. “Oriental Land will use their knowhow from the theme park business to continue pushing boundaries and provide family entertainment cruise experiences filled with inspiration and surprise.”

The Disney Wish ship from the “Triton class”, which was also built at the Meyer shipyard in Germany, set sail in 2022 – as a modern ocean liner, its propulsion system is based on liquefied natural gas. The future Disney ship for the Japanese market will also use this technology, which is considered a more environmentally friendly alternative compared to the other types of fuel commonly used for ships until to date. ■