Let’s Go Behind the Scenes of Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship
The Disney Wish is the newest cruise ship in the Disney Cruise Line Fleet. Featuring magical offerings and world class experiences, this amazing Disney cruise ship is setting a new vacation standard.
And National Geographic’s Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship takes you behind the scenes to see just how this amazing experience came about.
Photo: D23/National Geographic
From 144,000 tons of steel to a magnificent ship sailing the beautiful seas! Let’s take a sneak peek at Disney Cruise Line’s youngest ship.
Behind the Scenes
Photo: Disney
National Geographic’s Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship captured 13 months of filming into a moving and inspirational 66 minute documentary.
The documentary follows how the Disney Wish evolved into one of the most unique and amazing Disney experiences today. And more importantly, we get a glimpse at the people involved.
Photo: D23/National Geographic
“For us, it’s a story, and the stories are these people that are so passionate, so creative, so innovative, and so motivated to make these experiences special,” said Chad Cohen, the documentary’s director, writer, and producer.
Photo: Disney
A Special Project
Cohen partnered with Bethany Jones, producer and writer, and Disney Yellow Shoes to create this special project.
Filming started in June 2021 and spans from the Meyer shipyard in Germany to Hollywood sets to the Walt Disney World Resort and more.
Photo: D23/National Geographic
The documentary includes large scale aerial shots and grandiose images of the Wish’s contraction, but it also focuses on the personal and human aspects of the project.
Cohen shared, “It’s really easy to just have people building [and] sailing the ship, but what you remember are those people working in crazy situations, late nights, early mornings to bring this passion of theirs to life.”
Photo: Disney Cruise Line
“You want to care about them, you want to get to know them, and you want them to succeed.”
The Ultimate in Team Work
Approximately 15,000 people helped construct the Disney Wish, but the National Geographic crew was smaller with only nine. Performers, cast and crew, executives and more all came together in an amazing collaboration of teamwork for the maiden voyage.
Cohen and Jones embraced the project’s multiple moving parts and various teams involved. The result? An inspiring narrative that seamlessly weaves professional and personal perspectives.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog Livestream
“You’re seeing these people that you care about,” Cohen explained. “You met them in their garage, you met them with their daughter, and now you’re seeing the race to finish this thing and you’re cheering for them. You want them to finish.”
Capturing Details and Emotions
Photo: Disney
National Geographic sought to capture every detail of the ship’s evolution. And when the Disney Wish finally docked at Port Canaveral, Florida, emotions ran high for everyone involved, including the National Geographic team that was part of the journey.
Cohen recalled, “Our crew was emotional as well, having been through it with them. All this work, and then they let it go knowing that the Disney Wish will be enjoyed by guests for years to come.”
Credit: Disney
Be sure to check out this amazing documentary. Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship is already available on the National Geographic Channel and debuts Friday, February 17th on Disney+.
