Disney is formally sailing into Japan. Oriental Land Co. and The Walt Disney Company have announced that the first ship for Disney Cruise Line Japan will be called the Disney Imagination, with sailings from Tokyo beginning in spring 2029.

The vessel is a Wish-class newbuild carrying around 2,500 passengers, ordered back in mid-2024 and under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. It will be operated by Oriental Land Co. — the same company that runs Tokyo Disney Resort under licence from Disney — as part of a Disney-branded cruise business launched earlier this year.

The name announcement was marked with a ceremony in Tokyo, where OLC chairperson and CEO Yumiko Takano appeared alongside Ryotaro Shiiba of Oriental Land Cruise Co., Natacha Rafalski of Disney Signature Experiences and Tracy Wilson of Disney Cruise Line Operations. Rafalski framed the ship as both a milestone for the fleet's growth and a way for Japanese guests to experience a Disney holiday at sea without leaving home waters.

One detail Disney fans will appreciate: the Disney Imagination will keep the line's tradition of a character figure on the stern. Fitting the imagination theme, it will be Ariel from The Little Mermaid — chosen, the companies say, for her curiosity and adventurous spirit.

Exact itineraries, onboard features and dining details are still under wraps, with more information promised later. What's clear so far is the promise of full-scale Disney entertainment, dining and service aimed squarely at Japanese families, a market Disney cruising hasn't reached before despite Tokyo Disney Resort's decades-long success.

For travellers, this matters on two levels. If you're in Japan or planning a trip there in 2029 or beyond, a Disney cruise sailing domestically from Tokyo removes the need to fly to Florida or Europe for the experience — and likely means shorter, family-friendly itineraries around Japanese ports. If you're a Disney cruise regular elsewhere, it signals the brand's continued expansion, with a new class of ship purpose-built for a new market. Either way, it's worth watching as deployment details emerge, since inaugural-season sailings from Tokyo tend to book out quickly once they go on sale. Anyone eyeing a spring 2029 sailing should keep an eye on when bookings open and consider pairing a cruise with time at Tokyo Disney Resort, given both sit under the same operator.

Cruise Industry News