Storytelling and ‘Sweet Spot’ Itinerary Lengths Make Disney Destiny Magical

“It’s like looking in a mirror – I LOVE me!” shouted Cruella DeVil as lookalikes in Dalmatian print strutted their stuff through Disney Destiny’s Grand Hall atrium. The fashion show was just one of many character events during Disney Destiny’s inaugural celebrations designed to tie in the ship’s heroes and villains theming, which is a first for Disney Cruise Line.

That theme, combined with Disney’s penchant for storytelling and the ship’s four- and five-night cruises, is what agency owners and Disney Cruise Line sales executives say advisors can lean on to amplify the brand’s message to their clients.

Messaging and Itineraries Are Top Selling Points

In true Disney fashion, the line commits fully to delivering a cohesive and fantastical experience throughout. At various times in the Wakanda-themed Grand Hall, Spider Man teaches cruisers how to move like heroes, and Black Panther dethrones Loki during an encounter that involves audience participation. In addition to hero-themed cabins featuring odes to movies like “Iron Man,” “Big Hero 6,” “Brave,” and “Fantasia,” forward stairwells, elevators, and carpeting give a nod to villains, while those positioned aft honor heroes.

Two new and notable bars – richly furnished Dr. Strange-themed cocktail bar The Sanctum and red, white and black piano bar DeVil’s – balance good and evil in a way that adds a bit of fun for adults. In the theater, Hercules and Hades battle for control of Mount Olympus in a phenomenal new musical take on Disney’s animated “Hercules” film.

Toss in the same ship layout as you’ll find on Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, a new “Lion King” restaurant, and character meet ‘n’ greets with classics like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, and select princesses, and you’ve got a product that’s equal parts new and familiar.

“I think the … storytelling on this ship is something Disney has never done before,” said Rachel McElaney, owner of Be Our Guest Vacations. “It’s the first ship that focuses on Marvel, and it has a lot of storytelling from when the next generation of parents grew up. I think there’s some nostalgia there. I know my team of travel advisors was excited to get families onboard because it’s magical, not just for kids, but we’re reliving those stories.”

“Whenever Disney releases a new ship, for Disney fans it’s about familiarity plus what’s new and what’s exciting,” added Dreams Unlimited owner John Magi. “I think that’s what the Destiny really has brought us. It’s great to have princesses, and it’s great to have those stories told, but it’s really exciting now to have heroes and villains.”

Additionally, Disney Destiny’s four- and five-night Bahamas and Caribbean sailings offer what Jodi Bainter, DCL’s vice president of domestic leisure sales, calls a “sweet spot.” They fill the gap between Disney Cruise Line’s three-night Bahamas voyages and longer seven-night Europe and Alaska itineraries. She further noted that Disney’s new Fort Lauderdale homeport and Disney Destiny’s planned visits to private islands Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay are selling points.

McElaney also emphasized the length of the ship’s voyages as a nice way to step up from a three-night cruise without having to commit to a full week.

“I think having more options makes it easier for us to sell…” she said. “This ship is fantastic with four- and five-night itineraries because it’s a great length of sail for a family for a first-time cruise or for a family that has to fit it in around school breaks…. Once they’re introduced to a ship that maybe does a four- or five-night, they can go to Europe. They can go to Alaska. They can have some familiarity with what they’re going to experience onboard. We can really show them the world and then grow with them as their family grows.”

Why Travel Advisors Should Be Excited About the Future of Disney Cruise Line

Disney Destiny is Disney Cruise Line’s third new ship in as many years. With six more on the way, the brand’s ship-building boom isn’t projected to slow down until 2031, at which point the fleet will have more than tripled – from four ships to 13 – in a decade’s time.

That means the line will need advisors’ help more than ever to fill all of the new berths.

“Our travel trade partners have responded to all of our Disney experiences incredibly over the years, and they continue to do so, especially in the cruise space,” said Jack Sharp, DCL’s director of travel agency sales. “They offer a way for us to amplify our message … to their audiences. They reinforce the product.”

“I think the trade is extremely important. I think this is how most people are finding out about new ships, new itineraries,” Magi added.

“What makes the travel advisor community so special is they spend a lot of time understanding their guests and what their guests want,” Bainter offered. “They provide a level of care and planning and high attention to detail…. The trade is just so perfectly positioned to talk to guests and tell them what’s new or even what has been around for a long time that maybe a guest has never experienced and introduce them to the magic.”