CHIBA, Japan (July 9, 2024) — Today, Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC) announced a new agreement that will bring year-round Disney cruise vacations to Japan. Under a recently signed agreement, OLC will build and operate a Disney-branded cruise business in Japan, expected to commence by early 2029.
This is the latest evolution in an over 40-year relationship between Disney and OLC, which owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort. The addition of a locally based Disney cruise ship will offer fun and relaxation for Japanese Disney fans during magical voyages filled with the incredible entertainment, world-class dining and exceptional guest service that set Disney cruises apart.
“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,” said 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.”
OLC will operate a new Disney cruise ship to be registered and based in Japan year-round. The ship will be constructed at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, with imaginative designs created by Walt Disney Imagineering. A sister ship to the popular Disney Wish, it will feature many guest-favorite venues and experiences from that ship with select modifications specially designed with Japanese guests in mind. It is expected to be approximately 140,000 gross tons and powered by liquefied natural gas, with about 1,250 staterooms.
More details about the maiden voyage, itineraries and onboard experiences will be announced at a later date.
The Disney Cruise Line fleet sails to world-class destinations in The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, the South Pacific, and Australia and New Zealand, and year-round cruises from Singapore are planned to begin in 2025.
For more information about Disney Cruise Line, guests can visit disneycruise.com.
###
About Disney Cruise Line
Since launching in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has established itself as a leader in the cruise industry, providing a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and children can experience all Disney has to offer. Today, the award-winning Disney Cruise Line continues to expand its blueprint for family cruising with a fleet of five ships — the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish — and three more ships expected by the end of 2025. The Disney Cruise Line fleet sails to destinations in The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, the South Pacific, and Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit disneycruise.com.
About Oriental Land Co., Ltd.
Established in 1960, Oriental Land Co., Ltd. owns and operates the Disney theme parks in Japan based on its agreement with Disney. It opened Tokyo Disneyland in 1983, Tokyo DisneySea, the first ever ocean-themed Disney theme park, in 2001, and operates Tokyo Disney Resort which includes hotels, a monorail, and a retail-dining-entertainment complex. More recently, in June 2024, it opened Tokyo DisneySea’s eighth themed port Fantasy Springs, bringing further evolution to Tokyo Disney Resort.
