Disney's Ninth Cruise Ship Just Floated Out of Its Shipyard, and a Disney World Line Vanishes Overnight

The biggest Disney story of the weekend happened 4,500 miles from Orlando: the Disney Believe, Disney Cruise Line’s ninth ship and the fourth in its Wish class, hit a major construction milestone when its first massive hull block floated out of a German shipyard on September 18, 2026, ahead of a late-2027 debut. Closer to home, Walt Disney World quietly retired a decades-old queue perk at Animal Kingdom effective September 21, and EPCOT’s Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month concerts rolled on through the weekend. Here’s what actually changed between September 19 and 22, straight from Disney’s own announcements.

The Disney Believe Just Took Physical Shape, and the Design Details Are Wild

According to the Disney Parks Blog announcement published September 18, 2026, the Disney Believe is no longer just concept art. The first of the ship’s three “gigablocks,” a midship section weighing more than 31,000 tons, was floated out of the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. It’s the clearest sign yet that Disney Cruise Line’s ninth ship is on track for its late-2027 debut as the fourth Wish-class vessel, joining Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, and the brand-new Disney Destiny.

Disney also confirmed the ship’s theming, and it leans hard into “belief.” The Grand Hall will be anchored by a bronze statue of Moana with Pua and Heihei, wrapped in Polynesian-inspired artisanal finishes. The bow gets a hand-painted filigree of Tinker Bell flanked by silhouettes of Peter Pan, Wendy, and Captain Hook, while the stern features larger-than-life sculptures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear “writing” the ship’s name in oversized yellow crayons. “This ship celebrates belief in magic, family, the power of nature, and belief in yourself,” said Claire Weiss, Portfolio Executive Creative Director, in the announcement.

Here’s how Believe fits into the Wish-class lineup:

Ship	Theme	Debut
Disney Wish	Enchantment	2022
Disney Treasure	Adventure	2024
Disney Destiny	Heroes & villains	2026
Disney Believe	Promise & possibilities	Late 2027

Having sailed the Disney Wish ourselves, we can tell you the Grand Hall is the emotional center of these ships, so a Moana-themed atrium is a genuinely fresh swing. We’ll be watching for the next two gigablocks to join before the hull is complete.

Disney World Just Killed Expedition Everest’s Single Rider Line

If you count on the single rider line to shave time off Expedition Everest, that shortcut is gone. According to Disney’s official Single Rider information at Walt Disney World, Expedition Everest stopped offering a single rider line effective September 21, 2026, with September 20 as its final day. The attraction’s Single Rider signage came down and its listing was pulled from Disney’s Single Rider web and app pages.

The reason is actually a good-news story dressed up as a loss. Earlier this year, cast members began grouping standby guests into odd- and even-numbered parties before boarding, a loading tweak that fills the coaster’s rows more efficiently and cuts down on empty seats. With standby moving faster and fewer gaps to plug, the single rider line simply became redundant. Disney emphasized that single rider isn’t disappearing across the resort, and this change doesn’t signal a broader operational shift.

We’ve leaned on Everest’s single rider line for years to sneak in an extra ride before rope-drop crowds hit Asia, so we’re a little wistful, but a faster standby line for everyone is the better trade. It’s a reminder to always check the in-park wait times rather than assuming a shortcut still exists.

EPCOT’s Heritage Month Concerts Powered Through the Weekend

Walt Disney World’s monthlong Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month celebration, themed “Together We Are Magia,” ran straight through the September 19-22 window with live music at EPCOT. According to the Walt Disney World press room, the celebration spans September 15 through October 15, 2026, and this weekend’s concert slate included Grupo Mania on September 20-21 and Metro Latino Band opening September 22-24 on EPCOT’s America Gardens Theatre stage.

Beyond the concerts, the celebration threads through both coasts of the resort. Magic Kingdom’s Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade rolls out Mirabel from “Encanto,” Miguel from “Coco,” Princess Elena of Avalor, and José Carioca and Panchito, while EPCOT hosts ¡Celebración Encanto! with Mirabel, Bruno, the Storytellers, and Primos performing music and dance. Disney also confirmed Puerto Rican superstar Luis Fonsi experienced the celebration in person, and a new Disney and Pixar “Coco” merchandise collection debuted, including a Miguel mug and an alebrije headband.

We always tell first-timers that these cultural celebrations are the most underrated free entertainment at Disney World, and a rotating concert lineup means the experience is different weekend to weekend. If you’re visiting before October 15, it’s worth timing an EPCOT evening around whoever’s on the America Gardens stage.

For more on planning a Disney Cruise Line sailing before Believe arrives, see our evergreen Disney Cruise gratuities guide.