By Courtney Potter
The latest ship to join the Disney Cruise Line family, the Disney Wish, has already revealed itself to be positively chockablock with truly amazing features—from breathtaking design to memorable dining adventures; from incredible staterooms to unique character interactions and dazzling live shows… and everything in between. And just this morning, our friends at Disney Cruise Line announced a first-of-its-kind, all-new interactive experience to debut aboard the ship: Disney Uncharted Adventure!
Combining imagination, technology, and the magic of a wishing star, Disney Uncharted Adventure takes classic storytelling into an all-new realm of immersive family fun—leading guests on a multidimensional voyage, into the worlds of iconic Disney and Pixar characters, from bow to stern and even beyond the stars. Designed for families to play together, this fantastical journey will be a brand-new way to explore and experience the enchantment of a Disney cruise ship. Check out the latest episode of “Designing the Disney Wish” for a special inside look:
“With the Disney Wish, we have an incredible opportunity to immerse our guests in the worlds of their favorite stories in surprising, interactive, and completely unique new ways,” says Davey Feder, software product manager, Walt Disney Imagineering. “With Disney Uncharted Adventure, we’re literally putting the power in our guests’ hands to become the heroes of a grand adventure that can only be done on a Disney cruise.”
Using the Play Disney Parks app—and with some help from their guides, Captain Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse!—guests sailing on the Disney Wish will transform their mobile devices into an enchanted spyglass, a tool that allows them to magically set sail for the worlds of Moana, The Princess and the Frog, Peter Pan, Finding Nemo, and more. This spyglass will be their key to unlocking adventures, solving puzzles, conquering quests, and ultimately saving the day.
“While guests will need a mobile device to play, this isn’t a traditional mobile gaming experience,” Feder explains. “This is a ‘heads-up,’ active experience that can be played with family and friends. The magic will happen all around the ship. The spyglass is not where the adventure takes place—it’s just the tool that brings the ship to life, opening portals into new worlds and allowing guests to interact with them.”
Adventure Awaits
The fun begins before guests even set sail! Leading up to a cruise on the Disney Wish, the app will reveal a special greeting from Captain Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse, who will help guests prepare for the journey ahead by highlighting the important role of the night sky in seafaring—particularly the ever-shining wishing star that lights the way. Then, once on board, guests will use their spyglasses to reveal never-before-seen views of the stars above, where enchanted constellations take shape as recognizable icons from Disney and Pixar stories. When the wishing star suddenly bursts and shatters, families will watch as its pieces are scattered across the sky, each landing in a far-off realm. But never fear! You’ll be tasked by Captain Minnie to help navigate the ship to these uncharted worlds to find those missing pieces of the wishing star…
Guests themselves will choose where to go next, charting a course toward iconic, adventurous locales such as Motunui, New Orleans, Never Land, Sydney, and so much more. Each quest will take them on an expansive journey throughout the Disney Wish as they are prompted to seek artwork, signs, and props that magically transform to bring the characters and settings of these story worlds to life all around them.
Magical Moments
“We are infusing the Disney Wish with innovative technology, like augmented reality and physical effects, to create a hidden layer of magic that can only be unlocked with Disney Uncharted Adventure,” says Feder. “Guests might admire a beautiful painting today without realizing that, hiding right beneath the surface, there’s a hoard of mischievous Kakamora from the world of Moana just waiting to escape and wreak havoc on the ship. A digital menu board might showcase what’s for lunch in the afternoon, but later it will host a cooking lesson in Tiana’s own kitchen.”
Along the way, guests will join the heroic characters who inhabit each destination on a mission to find the wishing star fragments that have landed there… You might find yourself teaming up with Moana to navigate canoes beyond the reef; helping Tiana cook up the perfect pot of her father’s favorite gumbo; summoning Tinker Bell to give the Disney Wish an extra dash of pixie dust; or even making an epic dive into the East Australian Current (EAC) with Nemo and friends!
The adventure culminates in a fantastical grand finale hosted in one of the ship’s premier entertainment venues. During this live interactive experience, guests will gather with other players to battle an infamous Disney villain—one who’s been pulling the strings all along—and finally restore the wishing star to its rightful place in the sky.
Disney Uncharted Adventure is being developed with flexibility, “replayability,” and customization in mind. Guests will be in charge of their own adventure, choosing when and how to play. Some guests may not complete every quest but can still enjoy the finale event… others may choose to play again and again, only to discover new surprises and rewards each time! And best of all? Families can play together, in several different ways: on up to six different devices at once, or as a team on one or two devices at a time.
More details about Disney Uncharted Adventure will be announced at a later date. As for the Disney Wish itself, it sails its maiden voyage—a five-night cruise to Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay—on June 9, 2022, followed by an inaugural season of three- and four-night cruises to the same destinations from Port Canaveral, Florida. Bookings are now open; for more info, visit disneycruise.com!
