Day in the life of a theme park reporter working a media event
Come along for a day in the life of a theme park reporter as I attend a media showcase event celebrating the new Disney Destiny cruise ship.
First we shared what it’s like to work from home and write about theme parks. Today, you’ll come along with me in the field as I attend my first Disney media event, a showcase for the upcoming Disney Destiny cruise ship. (The ship, setting sail in November 2025, is themed to heroes and villains.)
I would be remiss to not say, it’s a privilege to be able to attend an event like this. I don’t take the opportunity lightly. I hope you can feel the excitement and appreciation in my writing today as I share the opportunity to attend my first Disney media event as a hosted reporter.
7:30 a.m. The morning begins at a ballroom in the convention center at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World for breakfast.
8:30 a.m. We board a charter bus that takes us from the Contemporary to the Disney Cruise Line terminal in Port Canaveral, Fla.
9:42 a.m. We board the Disney Wish! We aren’t actually sailing; we’ll only be onboard for a few hours, but since the Disney Destiny is a “Wish-class” ship (as is the Disney Treasure, which set sail in 2024), the Wish is an appropriate place to learn about the new vessel. It’s my first time on the ship!
Cast members escort us into a hallway outside of the ship’s Hero Zone recreation room. While we wait, I meet Alex from Bossip, who sports a denim jacket he’s covered with incredible patches representing some of his favorite Disney movies.
10 a.m. Cast members open the doors to the Hero Zone, which is immediately sensory overload in the best way. I can see there’s artwork in one corner and food in another, and music from Marvel movies blasts through the air. Standing immediately in front of me, though, are Spider-Man and Black Panther! Each Disney ship has a character statue on its exterior and in its atrium, and the Destiny’s will be Spider-Man (exterior) and T’Challa’s Black Panther (atrium).
The rest of the room is filled with renderings and maquettes for what to expect on the Disney Destiny, as well as first-look sneak peeks of merchandise. In a corner are dessert samples from Edna Á La Mode Sweets, an “Incredibles”-themed sweets shop.
10:20 a.m. An emcee begins a brief presentation sharing new concept art for The Sanctum, a lounge on the Disney Destiny inspired by Doctor Strange.
I soon discover the challenge of taking in everything in the moment vs. capturing photos and videos vs. processing the information we’re receiving vs. disseminating any breaking-news info to our team working remotely from home.
The Sanctum news was simultaneously shared with the rest of the world via a press release, we’re told. From the room, I get in touch with our reporter Mateo to write up a story from home using the info and images Disney released. Check out Mateo’s byline of his articles with us here on Attractions Magazine; he does great work.
10:30 a.m. Hero Minnie enters the room, debuting a new costume she’ll wear on the Destiny as the leader of a group called the Hydro Heroes! While in line, I meet Scott Gustin, X extraordinaire.
10:50 a.m. We make our way to the Walt Disney Theater, where we hear from the creative team behind the Destiny’s new “Hercules” stage show. The presentation concludes with Herc himself, performer Corey Bradford, singing “Go the Distance,” which I record video of. Wow!
11:30 a.m. Time for lunch at the Wish restaurant 1923, which will also be onboard the Destiny. My assigned seating is at a table with Gavin from Mickey Visit, Serena from Living by Disney, Lou from WDW Radio, Tom from Disney Tourist Blog, Scott from The Disney Cruise Line Blog, and Chip and Lacey from Chip and Company. We talked about the morning’s excitement and discussed what each of us has been trying on our respective platforms.
1 p.m. Just like that, it’s time to head back to Orlando! The bus awaits.
2:30 p.m. We arrive back at the Contemporary; there’s a break in our schedule.
5 p.m. It’s back to the Contemporary convention center ballroom, which has been transformed into a pop-up version of De Vil’s, an adults-only lounge onboard the Disney Destiny. Cruella herself makes an appearance, working the crowd and roasting attendees’ outfits while a live pianist plays her song. We’re told this will be the vibe of the lounge on the ship, too.
6 p.m. We make our way into the room next door, which likewise resembles a pop-up version of Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, the dinner show experience on the Destiny.
At dinner, I’m seated with friends Carly and Samantha, who write awesome articles for Attractions Magazine and other outlets, as well as Ashley and Nick from Mouse Vibes. It’s been so fun to meet new people all day, swap stories and learnings of what we’re trying in our work, and observe so many pros in their natural habitat.
Dinner caps off with a performance of a medley of “Lion King” songs, which I capture video of, and our showcase day is complete!
To see our coverage that came from what we learned on the showcase day, check out our guide to the Disney Destiny.
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