There was a lot of exciting theme park, cruise, and streaming news this week. Disney revealed the first look at its upcoming Disney Adventure cruise ship, Royal Caribbean ships topped several cruise rankings, and Universal is planning special Super Nintendo World celebrations tied to the upcoming Mario Galaxy movie. There is also a surprising streaming deal combining Disney+ and Hulu, plus a big update on the casting for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. Here are the biggest stories families should know this week.
1. Disney Adventure Reveals First Look At New Ship
Disney Cruise Line shared the first look at Disney Adventure, a new cruise ship scheduled to begin sailing from Singapore in 2025. The ship will be one of the largest Disney ships ever and will focus heavily on themed areas inspired by Disney, Pixar, and Marvel stories.
Early concept images show massive themed zones including areas inspired by Marvel heroes, classic Disney stories, and Pixar adventures. One of the highlights appears to be a large open-air stage and entertainment space that will likely host shows and character appearances. Disney is also leaning into immersive storytelling across the ship with attractions, themed dining, and interactive experiences.
The ship is designed primarily for the Asian cruise market but still represents an exciting glimpse into the future of Disney Cruise Line. As Disney continues expanding its fleet, many of the ideas tested on Disney Adventure could eventually appear on ships sailing from the United States as well.
Lilly’s take: “This ship looks huge and the Marvel area sounds awesome. I would definitely want to explore every part of it.”
2. Royal Caribbean Has The Top 7 Overall Best Cruise Ships
A new ranking of cruise ships placed Royal Caribbean ships in the top seven overall positions. The list evaluated ships based on entertainment, activities, dining options, and overall guest experience.
Royal Caribbean has been aggressively building larger and more feature-packed ships over the last decade. Ships like Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas include massive waterparks, surf simulators, zip lines, ice skating shows, and entire entertainment neighborhoods onboard.
These mega-ships are designed to feel more like floating resorts than traditional cruise ships. Families especially tend to love the wide variety of activities available onboard, from thrill rides to kids clubs and live shows.
While Disney Cruise Line is often praised for its service and storytelling, Royal Caribbean continues to dominate when it comes to sheer scale and onboard attractions.
R2’s take: “Those ships look like giant floating theme parks. I want to try the water slides and surf thing.”
3. Universal Parks To Celebrate Super Mario Galaxy Movie With Limited-Time Super Nintendo World Experiences
Universal Parks announced that Super Nintendo World will celebrate the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy movie with special limited-time experiences. The celebrations will take place at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan.
The events will include themed decorations, exclusive merchandise, new character meet-and-greets, and special food items inspired by the Mario universe. Guests visiting Super Nintendo World during the event will also see unique entertainment moments tied to the new movie.
Super Nintendo World has already become one of the most popular themed lands in any theme park thanks to its interactive attractions and colorful design. The land allows guests to collect digital coins using Power-Up Bands and participate in interactive games throughout the area.
These limited-time events will likely bring even more excitement to the land and give fans a reason to return.
Lilly’s take: “Mario is one of my favorite games so meeting the characters there would be so cool. I hope they have galaxy themed snacks.”
4. Hulu And Disney Plus Bundle For $5
The bundle provides access to Disney’s massive content library including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and classic Disney movies. Hulu adds thousands of additional shows and films including current television episodes and original series.
Streaming bundles like this have become increasingly common as companies compete for subscribers. For families, the deal provides a huge amount of kid-friendly content along with plenty of shows and movies for adults.
The offer is expected to be available for a limited time, so families interested in the bundle may want to take advantage of the promotion before it expires.
R2’s take: “Five dollars for all those movies sounds awesome. I would just watch Marvel and Star Wars all day.”
5. HBO’s Harry Potter Series Casts 21 Key Hogwarts Characters
The upcoming HBO Harry Potter television series has officially cast 21 important Hogwarts characters. The show will be a full reboot of the original story and will adapt each book into its own season.
Several professors and supporting characters from Hogwarts have now been confirmed, giving fans a better idea of what the new series will look like. The production aims to follow the books more closely than the films, allowing more time to explore characters and storylines that were shortened in the movies.
The series is expected to begin production later this year and will stream on HBO’s platform when it premieres. Many fans are excited to see the wizarding world expanded in a long-form television format.
Group Reaction (Tiny Ears Crew):
Lilly says she hopes the castle and classes look really magical. R2 says he just wants to see the Quidditch games.
Tiny Ears Tip of the Week
f you are planning a theme park trip this year, check the park calendars for special limited-time events. Seasonal celebrations and movie tie-ins often include exclusive food, merchandise, and entertainment that are only available for a few weeks, and they can make a regular park visit feel completely different.
Don’t forget to use our planner for the best time to visit Disney, best Disney Snacks, and our Disney height guide!