Nautical nostalgia: A look at attraction, film tributes aboard the Disney Treasure

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – For the first time ever, a Disney Cruise Line ship is paying direct homage to Disney Parks attractions.

And the Disney Treasure invites you to come out to socialize.

Not only are attractions the inspiration behind some establishments, but so are beloved Disney films.

The Haunted Mansion Parlor

Spirits are materializing in a whole new light at the Haunted Mansion Parlor.

From the moment you walk in, guests will feel right at home with the 999 happy haunts. (Yes, it’s the same number of spirits as the park attraction and there’s room for one more).

According to Danny Handke, Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, they had to make a seven-minute ride a 45-minute experience with a nautical twist.

There’s the recognizable purple wallpaper, busts and photos with those familiar wandering eyes.

As for the menu, fans can choose from a selection of cocktails, special beers, and wines from Madame Leota’s spell book.

“Of course, this is Disney Cruise Line, so we had to create and develop the menu for families, adults and adults who don’t drink, so all our drinks come in a zero-proof option, said Benjamin Van Curen, Beverage Operation Manager at Disney Cruise Line.

Some of the feature cocktails include the signature drink, “The Chilling Challenge” (818 Añejo Tequila, Cointreau Noir, Blood Orange, Sour Cherry, Lime Salt Air Foam) and Regions Beyond (Absolut Raspberri, Blue Curacao, Bubble Gum, Cream, Black Cherry.

Madame Leota does make her floating crystal ball presence known elsewhere in the parlor as she summons spirits wherever they’re at.

Periscope Pub

The Disney Treasure marks the first time Disney Imagineers have done a representation of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.

Periscope Pub is the place to have a drink, grab a bite to eat, check out sports and even partake in a trivia night.

“We’ve taken inspiration from the different attractions around the world and also the film, and we also have little tidbits from the book,” said Tim Hall, Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Designer.

Inspired by the Nautilus, Captain Nemo’s submarine in the Jules Verne novel and 1954 film, the pub has a skylight that gives guests a glimpse into the depths of the sea.

Around the parlor, there are props that are references to the Les Mystères du Nautilus attraction at Disneyland Paris, as well as sea exploration. Numbers on the depth and pressure gauges behind the bar represent hull numbers of ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleets. Fittingly, the dial is pointed to 718, the Treasure’s hull number.

There’s also latitude and longitude coordinates of Meyer Werft, the Treasure shipbuilder.

Skipper Society

The famous Jungle Cruise has set sail to the ocean waters.

At the Skipper Society, kick back on camp-style furnishings under a canopy of jungle foliage. Equipped with an incredible open bar, guests can enjoy live music, and test their trivia knowledge.

Turns out, a lot of inspiration was pulled from the attraction queue.

There’s also tributes throughout the outpost to the dry-witted skippers from Jungle Cruise attractions.

Scat Cat Lounge

Everybody wants to be a cat and everybody who enters the Scat Cat Lounge will love what this Aristocats-themed venue has to offer.

Set to the theme of the Disney animated film, this cool jazz-infused atmosphere exclusive to adults is the place to pick up on that feline beat as well as cocktails, beer, and wine. There’s also a selection of tea for two or more and an assortment of fancy jams.

From cat prints on the menu to piano keys on the carpet and ceiling, there are mouse-size details throughout the lounge.

“In the murals, you’ll see a lot of hidden cats from the Aristocats and instead of Hidden Mickeys, we have hidden Roqueforts, the little mouse from the ‘Aristocats’”, said Katrina Alvarez, Principal Interior Designer from Walt Disney Imagineering.

While one can expect to hear “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat” on the black and whites, the tune is also permanently choreographed. Guests will also notice different groupings of paw prints on top of the piano, which are the dance steps of the cats in the film.

Cat-loving Disney Imagineers even found a way to pay tribute to their own pets throughout the lounge, including a smudged paw print on top of that piano which is a memorial to an Imagineer’s beloved cat, Jackson.

The Rose

With a ship name like the Treasure, it’s only proper there be gold on board, and it just happens to Belle ball gown gold.

At The Rose, guests are greeted by a hallway of portraits of characters from Beauty and the Beast.

Complete with black and gold accents, the hall has a West Wing vibe to it and just like the Beast’s lair, there’s a rose under a glass dome at the end of the hall right before the entrance of the adult-exclusive lounge.

The Rose is the idyllic setting for drinks before or after dinner.

The second of three Triton class ships, the Disney Treasure’s maiden voyage will set sail on Dec. 21 from Port Canaveral. The cruise has seven-night itineraries with stops at Tortola, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay.

Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: