Disney Cruise Line in Australia and New Zealand 2023-2026: What Worked, What Didn’t, What’s Next
Disney Cruise Line’s time Down Under has ended. Was it a success?
On 2 February 2026, the Disney Wonder embarked on a 15-night repositioning cruise from Sydney to Hawaii. With that, the era of Disney Cruise Line in Australia and New Zealand came to an end.
The age of Disney Down Under lasted just over two years, and while we always knew it wouldn’t be permanent, it still feels like it went by far too quickly. In many ways, it’s a microcosm of Australia’s long history with Disney: a tantalising taste of the magic, but never quite enough. And yet, we loved every second of our time on the Wonder. If the goal was to entice Australian cruisers to explore the wider Disney fleet, it worked. We’ve already booked what comes next.
So, let’s look back at Disney Cruise Line’s time in Australia and New Zealand: what worked, what could have been improved, and whether it ultimately proved to be a successful experiment. But first, a little context. After all, this wasn’t the first time Disney tried to make the region a destination.
Bluey and Bingo on the Disney Wonder, seen here in happier times.
Disney in Australia: little history
Disney and Australia go way back, from animated shorts like Mickey’s Kangaroo (1935) and Mickey Down Under (1948), through to The Rescuers Down Under (1990) and Finding Nemo (2003). Disney Stores arrived locally in 1992, followed by the Disney Channel in 1996, while Walt Disney Animation Australia operated between 1988 and 2006, producing animated series and direct-to-video films. In 2019, Disney acquired Fox Studios Australia, renaming it Disney Studios Australia.
And yet, the desire for a theme park Disney presence has always lingered. As early as July 1960, a Melbourne-based company attempted to open an “unofficial” Disneyland. Disney representatives swiftly shut down that. After Queensland hosted World Expo 88 (for which Disney designed the platypus mascot and delivered the Skyneedle, originally intended for Tokyo Disneyland), serious discussions followed throughout the 1990s around a potential Gold Coast park. Those plans ultimately fell apart when then-CEO Michael Eisner shifted focus to Hong Kong, a pattern that would repeat decades later. In 2003, Disney closed the last of its bricks and mortar stores here too.
Around 2007–08, Disney reportedly turned its attention to Sydney Harbour, with discussions around a proposed Disney Wharf Sydney. Known internally as ‘Project Lester’, the plan would have transformed the White Bay Power Station and Glebe Island precinct into a 97-acre Disney-themed waterfront destination — less a theme park than a lifestyle precinct — featuring a boardwalk of cafés, boutique shopping, parks, a marina, hotels and a luxury spa. Plans also included Fantasia Gardens Promenade, a Theatre District, Disney-Pixar Studios Australia and a nighttime water spectacular, alongside familiar attractions such as Mickey’s Philharmagic 4D and a Finding Nemo area. Costs, and a lack of supporting infrastructure, eventually sank the project.
If Australia couldn’t have a park, Disney would sail the park to us. In September 2022, Disney Cruise Line announced its long-awaited arrival in Australia, with sailings to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. A year later, Disney Wonder entered Sydney Harbour for the first time, sounding its iconic horn and launching the inaugural Australia–New Zealand season.
The Disney Wonder arrives in Sydney on 27 October 2023. Some say you can still hear the horn echoing in the Harbour.
Disney Wonder Timeline: 2023-2026
September 2022 — Disney Cruise Line announces its first “limited time” sailings in Australia. There is much rejoicing.
June 2023 — A second Australian season is secured ahead of the first, with 34 sail dates announced for the 2024–2025 season.
27 October 2023 — Disney Wonder arrives in Sydney, launching the inaugural Australia–New Zealand season, which runs through February 2024.
June 2024 — A third season (2025–2026) is announced before the second sets sail, albeit with Brisbane removed as a homeport. Things were looking good.
19 October 2024 – 10 February 2025 — Disney’s second Australian season operates, and the final season to include Brisbane. Reports toward the end of the season suggest softer demand and speculation emerges around a potential ship change for 2026–2027.
January 2025 — Bluey and Bingo join the party on the Wonder for all Australian and New Zealand sailings. For real life.
April 2025 — Disney Cruise Line launches its largest sale to date, offering 30% off upcoming Australia and New Zealand sailings for both new and existing bookings.
July 2025 — Guests booked on the 2025–2026 season are informed that the Marvel Deck Party will be removed from the entertainment lineup.
August 2025 — Disney Cruise Line confirms it will not return to Australia and New Zealand for the 2026–2027 season.
October 2025 — Disney Wonder arrives in Sydney for its final Australian season.
2 February 2026 — Disney Wonder departs Sydney for Hawaii, concluding Disney Cruise Line’s Australia–New Zealand sailings. There is much sadness.
Looking Back: What Worked
Entertainment and dining
If we can’t have a park, then at least Disney rolled up (or sailed up) the magic to us. Few cruise lines rival Disney when it comes to entertainment — and it’s not just the headline shows like Frozen, Dreams: An Enchanted Classic and The Golden Mickeys. It’s the smaller moments around them. The entertainment team bring their all to stage events and deck parties; honestly, I don’t know where they store that much energy on the ship. Trivia, games and crafts are simply more fun because of the cast members running them, and they adapted as the season went on. After some early (and loud) complaints that questions were “too American”, Australian music and sports quizzes were added. (But seriously — people do know Disney is a US cruise line, right?)
That same attention to detail carries through to dining. Even after seven runs through the rotational schedule, I’m still impressed by the look and feel of the three main restaurants. Watching our “art” come to life in Animator’s Palate never gets old, and those black truffle pasta purseittes are… chef’s kiss. Tiana’s still feels the most overtly Disney of the trio, like stepping straight off Main Street and into a themed diner.
“Palo…remains one of our favourite things at sea.”
When the service was on point, it was genuinely excellent. We rarely had to explain our dietary requirements beyond the first night, sparkling water appeared regularly once they clocked our fondness for the bubbles, and servers even remembered us six months later.
And then there’s Palo. The speciality dining restaurant remains one of our favourite things at sea. Every time we sit down for the legendary brunch our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and each time we’re rolled out stuffed and satisfied. The ravioli is something we genuinely dream about — and if they ask whether you want the chocolate soufflé, the answer is always yes.
Adult areas
While we’d hesitate to label ourselves “Disney Adults”, we are nevertheless adults who immensely enjoy Disney — and we’ve got the ears to prove it. We’ve spent enough time in the Crown & Fin to know the playlist off by heart, and while the beer selection can look modest at first glance, there’s plenty to enjoy if you look beyond the taps and cans (think Duvel, Saison Dupont). Disney has also made an effort to support local brewers, including Young Henry’s. The theming here is impeccable, full of Easter eggs and nods to the UK. The Cadillac Lounge serves excellent cocktails from people who know what they’re doing, and there’s nothing quite like a gin and tonic at Signals by the Quiet Cove Pool.
The ship
Theming and Imagineering are what truly separate Disney Cruise Line from its competitors. The more obvious highlights are everywhere — the lush details of Tiana’s, the intricate mosaic of Triton’s, the lively, interactive energy of Animator’s Palate. Then you start noticing the subtler touches: the forced perspective of the atrium, the way the music drops out completely right in front of the cinema. Even the carpets aren’t just decorative; the hundreds of designs function as wayfinding cues. There’s nothing quite like stepping onto a Disney ship, and even though the Wonder is now 27 years old, it never really feels like it.
The Community
We’ve been humbled, awed and consistently welcomed by the fan community on every one of these cruises. Whether it’s pixie dusting on our fish hooks (IYKYK), pin trading, trivia team-ups or shared hot tips, the fans never cease to amaze us. If cruising is like going to summer camp, then Disney fans are the single-serve (and increasingly repeat) friends who make it unforgettable.
READ MORE: Our complete guide to the Disney Wonder
What Didn’t Always Work — and Why That Matters
Ports and destinations
Ports in Australia are among the most expensive in the world, and the choices are limited. We love visiting Tasmania and have become adept at navigating a port day in Hobart, but ferrying between Sydney or Melbourne and Hobart isn’t necessarily ideal for a summer cruise holiday. (This was very much why we think Virgin Voyages pulled out of the Australian market after just one season). We believe this discouraged repeat sailings.
In the inaugural Down Under season, the ship sailed to Noumea once over New Year’s, but the second year it was unable to do so due to civil unrest. Brisbane was removed from port schedules after 2024, with most travellers opting for Sydney or Melbourne instead. A greater range of destinations — or perhaps a different ship — may have improved Disney’s longevity in the region.
Shopping
There was always a sense that we were missing a slice of the US Disney experience. On the plus side, there was unique Australia/New Zealand merchandise each season. Yet retail options were never as plentiful as on international Wonder sailings, and Sea Treasures barely opened its doors some seasons.
Why it matters
These details matter because the Disney Wonder in Australia served as an ambassador for the Disney Cruise Line experience worldwide. A few nights of dazzling shows can be undone by an unruly disembarkation day or service challenges; for a first-time cruiser, these operational realities can shape perceptions of the brand far more than any deck party or fireworks display.
Was Disney Cruise Line a Success Down Under?
Cruisers like us may represent something close to Disney’s ideal outcome. We sailed multiple times, loved the product, and have already booked future cruises on the Disney Adventure and the Dream as part of an upcoming world trip.
That said, a cyclical combination of factors worked against long-term momentum in Australia. The high cost of sailing with Disney — driven in part by expensive port fees and the local operating environment — priced many families out of the market. A single ship repeating similar itineraries works as an occasional treat, but offers limited incentive for repeat cruising. In Florida, by contrast, three to five Disney ships are homeported at any given time, many featuring the latest technology and entertainment.
Australia’s smaller population also made it harder to consistently fill a premium-priced ship. After a sold-out first season, the waning buzz was evident in the significant discounts offered during the final year.
Ultimately, the 2026 launch of Disney Cruise Line’s Adventure in Singapore — followed by new vessels in Japan — signals a strategic shift. The Asian cruise market is vast and growing, and Australians are demonstrably willing to travel there. With Disney parks already operating in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Disney Cruise Line’s time Down Under feels less like a failure and more like a successful introduction — one that did its job, even if it was never meant to last.
What Could Work Better When Disney Returns to Australia?
Notice that we’ve said when, not if. As alluring as Singapore is, now that the genie is out of the bottle, we’re hoping some of the new mid-sized ships Disney is building might eventually make their way to the antipodes. If we know anything about Disney, genies and wishes are very much their stock in trade.
Disney is a massive global brand and needs little introduction. Yet aspects of the fan culture, not to mention the US service industry, were less familiar here. Here are a few simple things we think would help Disney work better in Australia.
Variety of entertainment
The Broadway-quality shows on Disney ships are extraordinary, but after seven sailings we’d seen them many times over. Frozen: A Musical Spectacular, Dreams: An Enchanted Classic and The Golden Mickeys are wonderful, but with the loss of Marvel Day at Sea leading to a Pirate Night on every sailing, the net effect was a little… samey.
While we appreciate that theatre shows are tied to specific ships, mixing up the deck parties would go a long way towards encouraging repeat visits. The addition of Bluey and Bingo in January 2025 was a good first step, but we know, for example, that the Wonder has the Frozen Deck Party in its quiver. By comparison, the new Adventure has about eight live shows across theatres, deck parties and fireworks.
A different ship, different destinations
Australia can be both fickle and faithful when it comes to cruising. We’ll sail with who we know, try something new once, and often return to the familiar once the novelty wears off. The slump in Disney’s second and third seasons reflects this. Like Royal Caribbean, swapping out a ship every so often encourages repeat visits.
We can only wonder how things might have looked if Magic at Sea had actually brought the Disney Magic for a second or third year — or even the Dream or Fantasy. With so many new ships on the way, can Disney spare a couple for the off-season? After all, they’ve just announced the Wish, which launched in 2022, is making its European debut in 2027.
And, as noted earlier, more port options mean more reasons to sail. Retaining Brisbane as a homeport would allow for more South Pacific or local island itineraries. Instead of heading back to Eden, what if it was Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island, or Willis Island? Or a longer jaunt to Fiji or Vanuatu with nods to Moana? It’s still a largely untapped route for Disney Cruise Line.
Tipping and gratuities
We’ve heard from multiple sources and sailors that the optional gratuity amount added to onboard accounts was not well received by cruisers in Australia and New Zealand. For the record, we pre-paid our gratuities and always tipped bar and speciality restaurant staff, along with extra for our stateroom attendants and servers. We know how hard they work.
That said, we’ve heard of people removing gratuities from their bills on principle. Like several other cruise lines, it would be good to see Disney include gratuities in the overall sailing cost, ensuring crew are paid while reframing the charge for a non-tipping culture.
The Disney Cruise Line sets a course for new horizons.
What Comes Next for Australian and New Zealand Disney Cruisers
If it isn’t clear already, we are fans and will remain so for quite some time. Just the other day we were remarking how amazing it was that we got to spend three New Years Eves on a Disney ship when we’d previously never thought of entertaining a cruise at all until three years ago.
For the time being, Australians and New Zealanders will have the Adventure year-round only a comparatively short flight away from home. In fact, Australians visiting the Disney Cruise website have already seen the local promos replaced with Singaporean ones. By the 2028-2029 season, it will be joined by Japanese offerings as well.
Who knows? Maybe Disney will reassess the market and make another run for our hearts and wallets. Not a year goes by without a rumour about a developer in Victoria or South Australia attempting to lure Disney. Until then, we’ll see you in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.
