First Gigablock of Disney Believe Floats Out at Meyer Werft Shipyard

What's Up Mickey Staff | September 18, 2026

Disney Believe Gigablock
Photo: Disney

Construction on the Disney Believe reached a major milestone on Friday, September 18, 2026, when the first gigablock for the Disney Cruise Line ship floated out at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. A float out serves as a test of the ship or a section of the ship on water.

A gigablock is a large pre-built section of a cruise ship that comes complete with its own walls, plumbing, and wiring. Individual gigablocks can weigh more than 31,000 tons. Shipbuilders construct these massive sections separately before welding them together like puzzle pieces to form the completed vessel.

The Disney Believe is built from three gigablocks in total. The first section to float out contains the midship portion of the vessel, which includes the Grand Hall. Following this initial milestone, shipbuilders will construct the forward section next, followed by the aft section last. Crews will eventually join all three gigablocks together to form the hull.

The Disney Believe is expected to debut in late 2027. It will serve as the ninth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and the fourth vessel in the Wish class, joining the Disney Wish, the Disney Treasure, and the Disney Destiny. The ship’s theme centers on promise and possibilities, with onboard experiences shaped by stories from Encanto, Frozen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Moana, and The Little Mermaid.

During the Horizons: D23 Disney Experiences Showcase, Disney shared additional details regarding the ship’s design. The Grand Hall will feature a bronze cast statue of Moana alongside Pua and Heihei, drawing inspiration from the South Pacific setting of the films. Exterior artwork will include larger-than-life sculptures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the ship’s stern and a hand-painted filigree of Tinker Bell on the bow.

Believe Atrium Statue
Photo: Disney

Teams across Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney Imagineering, and Disney Live Entertainment continue working to bring the ship to life as preparations progress toward its late 2027 launch.