D23 wasn’t only a Disney Believe artwork reveal. Disney Cruise Line also confirmed something planners have been waiting on: the three ships arriving after Believe are not more Wish-class copies. They’ll be a new class, sized on purpose between the classic ships and the Wish-class giants, with the first of them entering service from 2029.
Names, dining, shows, and itineraries are still TBA. Here’s what Disney actually said — and what it means if you’re deciding which ship to book in the meantime.
What Disney confirmed
- Three ships after Disney Believe (late 2027).
- A new class — not a fifth, sixth, and seventh Wish-class hull.
- Size: larger than Disney Wonder (~2,713 guests) and smaller than Disney Wish (~4,000 guests).
- First arrivals: beginning in 2029.
- Fleet target: 13 ships by late calendar 2030 / fiscal 2031, described as new entry points for guests around the world.
Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum told USA TODAY the smaller-than-Wish size is intentional: not every ship can call every port. As DCL expands globally, they want hulls that can reach destinations Wish-class ships can’t.
Where this sits in the fleet
| Group | Ships | Scale (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Magic, Wonder | ~2,700 guests · smaller ports, Alaska, some Europe |
| Dream class | Dream, Fantasy | Mid-size · AquaDuck, Bahamas / Caribbean staples |
| Wish class | Wish, Treasure, Destiny, Believe (2027) | ~4,000 guests · Florida-heavy until Europe/West Coast deployments |
| Adventure | Adventure (Singapore) | ~6,700 guests · unique mega-ship, Asia only so far |
| New class (unnamed) | Three ships from 2029 | Between Wonder and Wish · built for more destinations |
Think of it as filling the gap Magic/Wonder fans already like (more ports, less mega-ship sprawl) without giving up the newer-ship amenities families now expect.
What was not announced
- Ship names, themes, or Imagineering artwork
- Homeports or first itineraries
- Dining, entertainment, or stateroom details
- When bookings will open
Until those land, don’t hold a 2029 vacation hostage. Book the ship that exists for your dates — then watch for a homeport announcement the way people watched Destiny and Adventure.
Other D23 fleet notes (same weekend)
Useful context, not the new class itself:
- Alaska 2027: both Magic and Wonder return.
- Wish to Europe for the first time, with new ports of call.
- San Diego sailings expanding (Magic and Wonder rotations through at least 2031) — a West Coast option that pairs cleanly with Disneyland trips.
- Believe livestream: more ship detail on October 7, 2026.
How to plan around it
If you want the newest Wish-class experience before 2029, that’s Wish, Treasure, Destiny, then Believe. If you want smaller-ship Alaska or Europe, Magic and Wonder still matter — and the 2029 class is Disney saying that size of ship isn’t going away.
Compare what’s sailing now on the fleet hub, or start from My Cruise once you have a ship and date.
Sources: USA TODAY (Aug. 17, 2026), D23 Disney Experiences Showcase / Horizons panel reporting.