What Would Walt Disney Expect From a Disney Cruise? | The Walt Test
What would Walt Disney expect from a Disney cruise? Walt never created Disney Cruise Line. But he spent more than 30 years traveling by sea — crossing oceans, sailing with his family, and experiencing what it was like to live aboard a ship for days at a time. That raises an interesting question. A cruise isn't simply a floating theme park or a moving resort. Guests sleep aboard. They wake up aboard. They eat, relax, explore and travel aboard. For several days, the ship itself becomes the place where most — or sometimes all — of their vacation happens. So if a Disney cruise is fundamentally different from visiting a theme park or staying at a Disney resort, are there additional Guest Experience Standards needed to evaluate Disney at sea? That's what we set out to discover in Episode 2 of **The Walt Test**. We went back to the historical record — Walt's voyages, his documented guest experience philosophy, family recollections, and the words of people who helped create and operate Disney Cruise Line. From that research, **five additional Guest Experience Standards emerged**, specifically for the unique experience of spending several days aboard a Disney cruise. In this episode, we reveal those five standards and the historical evidence behind them. They don't replace the seven overall Walt's Guest Experience Standards established in Episode 1. Together, the **7 overall standards + 5 Disney cruise-specific standards** create the 12 standards that form **The Walt Test for the Disney cruise guest experience**. And in Episode 3, the research finally becomes a test. We'll apply all twelve standards to one clearly defined part of today's Disney Cruise Line experience — from **arrival at the cruise terminal, through those first steps aboard, to the Sail Away celebration.** Does today's Disney Cruise Line meet — or even exceed — the expectations Walt established for the company bearing his name? We have worked hard to verify the historical quotations and sources used in this series. Even so, some quotes, dates or source details may be inaccurate. If you find an error or have a better historical source, please let us know in the comments. If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about Disney Cruise Line, Disney Parks and Disney Resorts, please subscribe and continue **The Walt Test** with us. 0:00 If Walt Walked Aboard a Disney Cruise... 3:24 Walt Disney's Life at Sea 5:33 How We Found the Five Guest Experience Standards 6:20 Disney Cruise Guest Experience Standard #1 7:28 Disney Cruise Guest Experience Standard #2 9:31 Disney Cruise Guest Experience Standard #3 10:38 Disney Cruise Guest Experience Standard #4 12:14 Disney Cruise Guest Experience Standard #5 14:25 Bringing the Five Guest Experience Standards Together 15:06 7 + 5 = The Walt Test for Disney Cruises 15:35 Next: The First Disney Cruise Walt Test #TheWaltTest #DisneyCruiseLine #WaltDisney #DCL #DisneyCruise We share thoughtful, real-world Disney experiences — parks, resorts, and cruises — enjoyed at your own pace. New videos weekly. @NanDanTravel