Disney Cruise Line sent us a special treasure chest today, one that contains clues about the next ship to join the fleet, the Disney Treasure! More details are guaranteed to be revealed on Wednesday, August 30th, at 11:00 a.m. ET. But for now, take a look at what we’ve found to wet your whistle.
The exterior of the box was covered in stamps. And not just any stamps, but ones from far-off exciting places. Disney’s private Caribbean island, Castaway Cay, is among them. But the majority are ones that come from the realm of make-believe, be it a theme park attraction, classic film, or comic book character.
Agrabah from Aladdin, Never Land from Peter Pan, Motunui from Moana, Peter Parker’s Queens, and Santa Cecilia from Coco are all locations that have stamped the package. So, too, is “somewhere beyond” with iconography that suggests Haunted Mansion and the EMS River from Jungle Cruise.
A letter inside from Arthur Quinn explains that he recently stumbled upon a treasure map in his grandmother’s study. He has passed it along to us to corroborate his belief that it leads to a great treasure.
As the letter alludes to, the box also contains a locked chest.
The key to unlock it was concealed in a magnetic hidden compartment underneath.
Inside was the treasure map Arthur Quinn described in his letter.
You’ll notice that the map is shaped like a Disney Cruise Line vessel. So far, all we really know is that the ship will be called the Disney Treasure, the characters on the back will be Captain Hook and Peter Pan, and that the atrium contains a statue of Aladdin and Jasmine riding the Magic Carpet. With that as our guide, let’s start exploring from the center. It’s very clear that the Palace of Agrabah symbolizes that central hub of the ship. Above it is Spaceship Earth nestled within a mountain range that could suggest the Matterhorn Bobsleds or Expedition Everest. It’s not that out of the question when you consider that to the left of Agrabah is what appears to be The Jungle Cruise. Above that, you see Goofy playing lifeguard near a pyramid that appears to have a slide coming out of it. If you follow the flow of the river down, you’ll also find what looks like food stands run by Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy. Near there, it looks like there’s a tranquil Mulan-inspired wading pool, plus Rex and Trixie from Toy Story seem to be having a lot of fun near some geysers.
Oh yeah, and you’ll find the Nautilus below under attack by a giant squid! Could all of these be related to what we’ll find on the top deck pool areas?
A mountainous range seems to divide the next section of the treasure map, with Carl Frederickson’s house from Up trying to fly over the barrier. What’s beyond in the aft part of the island?
Those rock formations look a lot like Lumiere and Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast, and the rose bush near them only confirms that suspicion. It appears that we’ve found a food-lovers paradise with Enchente and Palo, connected by The Rose lounge as they are on the Disney Wish. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde seem to be enjoying a frozen treat together, implying that the upcharge ice cream spot will be themed to Zootopia. Olaf from Frozen is also hanging around a wintery area. Could this mean that Arendelle – A Frozen Dining Adventure will be on board? Captain America’s shield has landed near a Quantum Core, hinting that the World’s of Marvel restaurant could also be repeated.
That curved rock ridge appears to have stadium seating, likely a nod to the ship's theater. The presence of porgs nearby suggests we’ve possibly entered the realm of youth activities. On the Disney Wish, the best place to find porgs is in the Star Wars Cargo Bay. There’s also one of Syndrome’s Omnidroids from The Incredibles, which is a themed obstacle course in the Hero Zone aboard the Disney Wish. And that island just off the aft of the ship looks a lot like Maui’s hook from Moana, with Motunui one of the stamps on the box.
Heading back to mid-island, just before another dividing line of mountains, there’s another Moana reference, with Hei Hei near a hut. Could this be a lounge? Above that, it looks like a teapot and teacup from Alice in Wonderland, possibly a nod to the Wonderland Theater, one of two movie theaters aboard the Disney Wish. Just over the mountain pass is an X-Wing that has landed, implying there will be a Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge on board. At the southernmost point of the range is the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin. Could this be the theme of the adjacent lounge, the Disney Treasure’s equivalent of Nightingales?
Nudging forward, we arrive at areas inspired by The Jungle Book and The Lion King. Both areas seem pretty sizable. While they could be anything, my suspicion is that these are perhaps more youth activities spaces.
That youth activities suspicion is supported by the presence of Rapunzel’s Tower from Tangled at the fore of the ship, likely a nod to the Fairy Tale Hall section of the Oceanear’s Club. However, it could also represent the Untangled Salon. Between Pride Rock and Rapunzel’s Tower is Santa Cecilia from Coco, which is just above a tranquil oasis that likely represents the ship’s spa. Near the entrance to the Senses Spa on the Disney Wish is the central lounge Luna. Could this be the theme of that space? And just above that is a pirate ship off of what looks like Mermaid Lagoon, likely a nod to the Never Land Theater.
This beautiful map is attributed to artist Francesca Baerald.
Back to the letter, the backside contained a puzzle that needed to be solved in order to gain access to a website. The answers to the questions were all in the letter, and the instructions at the bottom spell out “HEART.” Entering that into the web address provided took us to a video greeting from Arthur Quinn, who was interrupted by his grandmother that he can’t give any more details away. If you want to see the video and more of this treasure chest, check out our unboxing video below.
As a Disney Cruise Line fan, I can’t wait to learn more about the Disney Treasure. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 30th, at 11:00 a.m. ET when more details about the sixth ship in Disney’s fleet will be revealed.
Until next time, bon voyage!