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Disney’s new state-of-the-art cruise ship, Disney Treasure, set sail on its maiden voyage a couple of weeks ago… setting off a new focus on the cruise business as one of the biggest growth sectors of its experiences division.
Why It Hits: Disney is pouring $60 billion into its experiences division over the next decade, demonstrating that the Mouse House is doubling down on the draw of IRL events. Cruises could essentially act as the traveling-circus version of its famous (but very grounded) theme parks.
Behind the Views: The Disney Treasure is emblematic of the magic that the entertainment giant is trying to bring to the high seas.
- IP galore. The cruise features costumed characters, hidden Mickeys, horns blasting famous tunes from Disney movies… basically anything to immerse the travelers.
- Interactive imagination. There’s a Coco-themed restaurant that is like a walkthrough of the movie’s locations and features a live musical show or a Haunted Mansion-themed bar where ghosts appear in mirrors and the pictures slowly change.
- Exclusive entertainment. The Treasure features a new Moana Broadway-style show called The Tale of Moana — which could easily migrate from cruise to park to Broadway itself.
The Future: Although the Disney Cruise Line has been around since 1998, the company is ramping up production this decade, with plans to double its fleet by 2031 (two more are setting sail this year). Why the sudden push? Morgan Stanley analyst Ben Swinburne wrote in a recent note that the cruise division alone could mint $10 billion in revenue and $3 billion in EBITDA by 2031 — that’s more than the entire returns of ESPN right now.
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself booking a Disney cruise next year… whether you have kids or not.
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