April marked a major construction milestone for the Disney Wish, the first block was laid in the Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg Germany, the same shipyard where the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy were constructed.
The keel laying ceremony is an important tradition for maritime ships. When the first section of a ship is set down in the dry dock, a newly minted coin is placed under the keel. The belief is that this will ensure good fortune during future travels. This tradition dates back to at least Ancient Greece.
“In maritime tradition, keel laying is the ceremonial beginning of the ship’s life,” said Philip Gennotte, portfolio project management executive, Walt Disney Imagineering Germany, who placed the coin at the ceremony. “Today marked a momentous occasion for the Disney Wish, and I could not be more proud of our Imagineers, the cast and crew at Disney Cruise Line and the team at Meyer Werft, the shipyard in Germany, who are bringing this enchanting ship to life.”
Disney has observed this tradition with its previous ships and of course they were going to continue it with the Disney Wish. The coin for the Disney Wish features Captain Minnie Mouse who was on hand for the ceremony.
Disney also invited Captain Minnie Mouse to the coin ceremony for the Disney Wish to help share one more bit of fun news. The bow artwork for the Disney Wish will feature the beloved character as part of the whimsical character filigree art.
“As we look to the future with anticipation and excitement for continuing our legacy of creating magical vacations for families across the globe, we are thrilled to reach this significant milestone in the ship building process and to unveil Captain Minnie as the beloved character on the bow of the Disney Wish,” said Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Cruise Line.
Disney introduced Captain Minnie Mouse back in 2019 as part of an effort to inspire the next generation of women leaders in the cruise industry.
We recorded this fun video of Captain Minnie goofing around with Goofy and Donald on the Disney Dream in early 2020:
Watch Disney’s video from the Disney Wish Keel Laying Coin Ceremony here:
Construction on the Disney Wish was delayed a bit by Covid-19 restrictions, but this is a good sign that it will be sailing in open waters in short order.
The Disney Wish, is the first of three new ships intended to join the Disney Cruise Line fleet. While we don’t have an exact date for the first cruise, the company is targeting Summer 2022 right now.
The Disney Wish will showcase the immersive family entertainment, enchanting storytelling and unparalleled service one expects from The Disney Cruise Line. The ship will be powered by liquified natural gas, or LNG, one of the cleanest-burning fuels available. At approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, the ship will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.