The Disney Believe is still a few chapters away from its late-2027 maiden voyage, but the ship is already making a rather grand entrance. Disney Cruise Line has revealed fresh looks at its Moana-inspired Grand Hall, character-filled exterior artwork and the enormous first section now afloat in Germany.

New venues and entertainment experiences aboard the Disney Believe will draw from beloved stories including Encanto, Frozen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Moana and The Little Mermaid. For now, the ship’s story is unfolding piece by very, very large piece.

A Grand Hall With Its Eyes on the Horizon

During the Horizons: D23 Disney Experiences Showcase on Aug. 15, 2026, Claire Weiss, Portfolio Executive Creative Director, shared the first look at plans for the Disney Believe’s Grand Hall, plus the ship’s distinctive bow and stern artwork.

Like the Grand Halls aboard the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, this central gathering space will take inspiration from a Disney story. On the Disney Believe, that story is Moana, with the films’ optimistic spirit of exploration setting the course.

A bronze statue of Moana, Pua and Heihei will stand at the heart of the venue, looking toward new horizons. The rendering also points to South Pacific influences and artisanal Polynesian finishes intended to honor the region’s cultural traditions. It is a fittingly bold welcome for a ship named Believe.

Woody and Buzz Take the Stern

Disney Cruise Line ships traditionally carry their own signature character artwork, and the Disney Believe is not settling for standard-issue calligraphy. Its stern will showcase larger-than-life sculptures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Pixar’s Toy Story, working together to write the ship’s name with oversized yellow crayons.

Rather than the looped lettering seen across the rest of the fleet, the Disney Believe name will use playful block-style lettering inspired by the franchise’s familiar font. To infinity, beyond, and apparently across the back of a cruise ship.

At the bow, a hand-painted filigree design will feature Tinker Bell as she appeared in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 1953 classic Peter Pan. Peter, Wendy, Captain Hook and other characters from the film will appear in silhouette amid the swirling design.

One Gigablock Down, Two to Go

On Sept. 18, 2026, the first of three Disney Believe gigablocks was completed and floated out at Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. That is a major construction milestone for Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship.

Think of a cruise ship as a giant 3D puzzle, only with plumbing, wiring and pieces weighing more than 31,000 tons. Shipbuilders construct the vessel in giant sections called gigablocks, then weld those sections together to form the completed ship.

This first gigablock contains the Disney Believe’s midship section, including the Grand Hall. The forward section is next on the construction list, followed by the aft. The ship may be built in pieces, but its storytelling is clearly arriving as one big picture.

Belief, Family and a Little Fantastical Flair

According to Weiss, the Disney Believe will celebrate belief in magic, family, nature and oneself, tying its onboard stories together through the Disney idea of believing in something fantastical.

Disney Cruise Line teams, Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment are continuing work behind the scenes as the Disney Believe moves toward its late-2027 debut. Until then, the ship’s log has plenty more room for fresh reveals.