On the Disney Treasure cruise ship, a new Broadway-style stage show debuted — The Tale of Moana. I have now had three opportunities to see this show – a one-act preview in November, a full performance on the media preview voyage, and once more on the Maiden Voyage of the ship as a guest. I can confidently say at this point, that I have not been this enamored, inspired, and moved by a Disney theatrical production since I saw The Lion King on Broadway for the first time back in 1997.
Disney The Tale of Moana
The Disney Treasure is the second ship in the Wish Class for Disney Cruise Line, but you wouldn’t know that it is related to the company’s most-maligned vessel based on the overall quality of all the new venues, eateries, and entertainment aboard this latest entry. The original production for the Wish, a The Little Mermaid show was one of the most uninspired we’ve ever seen Disney Live Entertainment produce, so not only are they back to their creative heights, but it is possible they have never been higher.
The cast is beyond fantastic. Disney said that they started the casting and audition process way back in 2020, conducting interviews over Zoom during the lockdown. Some of these performers have been waiting four years to finally reach the stage and the energy is palpable. We are grateful that they held out so long, we assume all of them knowing how special this finished product would be.
The audience can sense that everyone on the stage loves the show they are performing and is giving it everything they have each time out. As is true with any Disney offering, from a ride, to a feature film, to a stage production, we can always tell when the art is sincere. That tear rolling down faces, the smiles shining back in the darkened crowd, and the thunderous applause at the end of each showing is all the review this show needs, and a stronger one than anything I could write.
The staging is unbeliveable. There are several “wow” moments, from classic stage techniques perfectly executed, to stunning marvels of modern technology. We loved the show even before the Te Kā/Te Fiti puppet appeared, but its transformation is an unreal, incredible feat that guests get to watch in real time. It’s not just the one puppet, either, as there’s a number of impressive smaller offerings throughout, including baby Moana.
These puppets were produced by Michael Curry Design, the same studio that brought the game-changing puppetry to The Lion King, but also contributed to Disney’s Frozen on Broadway, and for my fellow theme parks fans, you’ll no doubt know their incredible barges from Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and puppets from Finding Nemo: The Musical (which were recycled into the lackluster “The Big Blue and Beyond“).
As previously stated, the show features a lot of practical effects and classic stagecraft. They used many special effects without leaning too much on the projection technology, but it is there when it will be most effective in expanding the stage beyond its physical limitations.
One of our favorite concepts was how they turned live performers into Maui’s tattoos. There’s a framed and backlit area of the stage where figures dressed in black would pop up and magically become the art on the god’s body. It isn’t some technical achievement, but rather a bit on thoughtful ingenuity.
I’ll try to stay away from any more spoilers as I proceed, but we must take a moment to address the drastic changes to “Shiny.” It was a bold move to take a popular Lin Manuel Miranda song from a hit film and change it, but it went from our least favorite song from the movie to our favorite song of the show. Based on the crowd response we’ve seen, we think many agree.
The musical numbers that stay true to the source material are still fantastic, with thoughtful changes that work well for the stage. There is also a song added (that is not present in the film but was written for it) titled “Warrior Face” that serves as a transition into “Shiny”. While not incredibly memorable, it does move the story along and is eventually joined by an in-theater effect that will captivate guests of any age.
Overall, The Tale of Moana is reason enough to book a cruise aboard the Disney Treasure. It is also a great reminder of what Disney can do on stage, and should be a lesson to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort that entertainment can be the highlight of a vacation, just as much as any new ride. The U.S. Disney theme parks have deemphasized costly offerings like this over the last few years, seemingly forgetting the heritage of awe-inspiring shows they have. The Tale of Moana would be the highlight of a vacation to anywhere.
If you’re thinking of booking a cruise on one of Disney Cruise Line’s new ships, why not contact our official travel agent, Be Our Guest Vacations, and let them handle the entire booking process for you!
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