Immersed in a Superbrand

In July, my family and I ventured off on a Disney Cruise, exploring the Alaskan Inner Passage on a seven-night itinerary. It was our first trip to Alaska, a place that made such an impact I came home and wrote about it. But the cruise experience was also impactful, in a more business- and psychology-oriented way, and I continue to think and reflect on what made it so unique.

Those who have experienced a Disney Cruise may be familiar with the many traditions and rituals involved, most of which were unknown to us prior to boarding: magnetic cabin door decorations, “fish extender” gifts, Pirate Night, and room turndown surprises each evening are a few of the typical highlights. Like the friendship bracelet tradition at Taylor Swift concerts, many of these cruise rituals were fan-created and continue to be organized and managed by fans. But to describe the Disney devotee as a “fan” seems inadequate after our Alaska experience.

The moment we set foot on our ship, aptly named the Wonder, the Disney experience began in full force. Guests board through the boat’s grand foyer, a stunning multi-story space with a statement chandelier, gold accents, and the elegance of a storybook castle’s ballroom. When we walked in, one of a dozen lined-up, smiling staff members asked our name, then announced over a loudspeaker, “Welcome onboard, WUCHNER FAMILY!” I looked around self-consciously, wondering if we had been mistaken for a red-carpet celebrity arrival, but realized this was the way every guest’s group was welcomed on board. The touch of ceremony felt formal and intentional, much like every other detail of our guest experience.

Wafting through the foyer and the other public areas of the ship was a constant stream of Disney orchestral music, from old classics like the Tschaikovsky-written Sleeping Beauty theme to modern melodies from Frozen, Aladdin, and Tangled. All of the restaurants, bars, lounges, and other gathering spaces were themed around movies like The Little Mermaid (think: ocean and sea) and The Princess and the Frog (think: New Orleans), or Disney animation and company history (the Buena Vista Theater is where we watched some FIFA World Cup games that were happening at the time).

The further we ventured into the restaurants and other places aboard the ship, including our own stateroom, the more I was impressed by the consistency and omnipresence of Mickey ears and Disney branding. The shampoos and soaps in our bathrooms; the plates in the restaurants; even the metalwork on table bases and chairs bore some mark of Disney. When my husband and I ordered lattes from the adults-only cafe, even our drinks highlighted the Disney brand.

On our stateroom TVs, the viewing options spanned the Disney film and TV empire, but not much else. Each evening before bed, we found ourselves catching up on older animated favorites like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

Another feature I noticed throughout our cruise was Disney’s well-known attention to quality, even in the smallest details. I remembered my sister-in-law, who lives near Disneyland in California, telling me how one might see staff painting touch-ups on Main Street, keeping the park in immaculate order. Similarly, we often saw cruise staff touching up the paint on deck while we were at sail, and on the ship’s exterior when we were at port.

The attention to quality was also apparent in the ship’s employees, who were uniformly warm and friendly, and greeted us happily at every encounter. High-quality as well were the musical theater performances we enjoyed on several nights during the cruise. Our family’s showtime began at 6pm, and I noticed that always at 6pm exactly is when the show’s curtain was raised and the production began.

Nostalgia was the common thread of the showtime performances, when the adults on board were reminded of their first Disney experiences; for me, that was watching old movies like Bambi and Snow White, and cartoons on VHS tapes about Mickey and Donald and Pluto and friends. Early Disney songs were included in the first show, highlighting Disney’s impressive history and long-term impact on our culture. I found myself thinking about how much Disney played a role in my own life, from the storylines that my subconscious absorbed over the years, to the movie characters whose songs I loved and sang with my kids.

Most impressive, though, was the level of fandom and brand loyalty we saw on this cruise, which we’ve only seen rivaled at Disney parks. Children and adults alike—the vast majority on the ship—were clothed and adorned with Disney merchandise, Mickey Mouse ears, princess costumes, and matching family outfits throughout the cruise. We noticed a line one morning stretching down the entire length of an upper deck, and wondered what we could possibly be missing: it was a line to meet and be photographed with Minnie Mouse. One woman we overheard said she didn’t even want a photo - just a glimpse of the famous character in person. This was next-level stuff to my husband and me, but something we saw repeated in various ways many times throughout the trip.

Thanks to the consistent quality on board, and the variety of entertainment and activities available throughout the cruise, not to mention the stunning Alaskan destinations, my family very much enjoyed our Disney cruise. Friends have asked me if we would do another one, and the answer is yes, we would - I’d especially be curious to board the newest Disney ship, the Adventure, and see how the branding experience is leveled up there.

(In a fun coincidence, the most recent Acquired podcast episode is about The Walt Disney Company - it’s definitely worth a listen!)