Disney launches largest ever £1,342,582,200 cruise ship with 250 metre roller coaster

The longest roller coaster at sea, endless bubble tea, and Broadway-style shows are just some of the features on board Disney’s new cruise ship.

Breathing life into various fan favourite stories from Disney, Marvel and Pixar, there are seven themed areas on its largest ever vessel.

Named the Disney Adventure, its maiden voyage is scheduled to depart from Singapore in a few days, on March 10.

At 208,108 tonnes, not only is it an impressive milestone for the company, but it’s also one of the biggest ships in the world – and the largest in Disney’s history, which has seven other liners.

There are also 2,111 staterooms, plus capacity to host 6,700 passengers. According to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, the total cost of the ship was $US1.8 billion, which is around £1,342,582,200.

They’ve certainly not cut corners with this one, either, as the beloved Toy Story series is brought to life through the aptly-named Toy Story Place.

Found on the ship’s upper decks, there’s an array of family fun to be found, including the Sunnyside Family Pool, Woody and Jessie’s Wild Slides, the Flying Saucer Splash Zone, a splash pad, and multiple whirlpool spas.

Of course, there are Disney films screened constantly on two huge screens, with fuel served out at not one, but two restaurants: Pizza Planet and Wheezy’s Freezies, which dishes out ice cream to the masses.

Next, there’s the Marvel Landing area, which has three adventure-fuelled rides: the Groot Galaxy Spin, the Pym Quantum Racers, and the Ironcycle Test Run, the latter being the longest roller coaster at sea, at 250 metres.

Elsewhere, Wayfinder Bay has a pool area that doubles as a performance venue, featuring shows like Moana: Call of the Sea, while San Fransokyo, a vibrant mix of San Francisco and Tokyo, pays tribute to Big Hero 6.

It wouldn’t be Disney without the storybook castle, either, which has been installed inside the ship’s Imagination Garden. Fashioned in a paper cut-out style and embellished with three stained glass windows, the aim is to encourage passengers to connect with their own Disney story.

Each panel represents a Disney character, and this detail has its fair share of Easter eggs, complete with a hidden Mickey and various other references that all lifelong Disney fans will no doubt recognise.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be Disney without Mickey and Minnie Mouse, who have been installed at the stern of the ship as co-captains.

Chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, Josh D’Amaro, said: ‘Our cruise ships are ambassadors of our brand that carry joy, wonder and enchantment to destinations around the world.

‘As our first ship to homeport in Asia, the Disney Adventure represents a new chapter for Disney Cruise Line and will introduce Disney to audiences who may be experiencing our magic for the very first time.

‘It offers fans across this region an opportunity to immerse themselves in unforgettable ways and create memories that are uniquely Disney.’

Meanwhile, living and working together in such close quarters, often for months on end, means that the ship crew can get pretty close — and even develop their own lingo.

Travel influencer and cruise ship worker @cass_stefanie is originally from Cape Town, South Africa, but has travelled to six continents and more than 46 countries during her career on cruise ships.

It’s fair to say she’s pretty in the know when it comes to life on board — and she previously took to TikTok to share some cruise ship secrets, including a rather fruity codeword.

‘We use the term “banana” on a cruise ship when someone’s getting into trouble,’ Cass explained.

‘For example, if you’re doing something like walking down the I-95 [the main corridor that joins the back of the ship with the front] with your AirPods in, we’ll stop you and be like “listen, don’t let anyone see you because you’re going to get a banana.”’

Well, the more you know.

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