Have you looked at Disney Adventure’s Imagination Garden?
The Imagination Garden will be an indoor promenade aboard the Disney Adventure, set to debut in 2025. While details are still limited, it’s expected to be an indoor garden (duh!) environment with restaurants, kiosks, shopping opportunities, and a variety of performers. Disney has hinted that fan-favorite characters like Aladdin and Peter Pan might make surprise appearances, either dancing or performing new numbers without prior announcement. This area seems poised to evolve over time, offering a dynamic and unique experience unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Disney has also revealed that this space will feature a small stage, likely for occasional small-scale performances. Perhaps we might see something similar to the puppetry presentations found in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley at Universal in Orlando? The area will be adorned with carpet designed to resemble real grass and charming paper-cut trees, creating a storybook garden atmosphere brought to life on this new cruise ship. It looks fantastic.
What WE would love to see
Okay, let’s get a little wild and let our imagination run free! I’ll share some ideas that may never come to fruition, but I’d love to see them someday in the Imagination Garden.
The main point: atmosphere. I love the paper trees and the giant cardboard castle that will appear in the Imagination Garden, but I want more. I want it to feel big, and full of people. How about we make it look like these old carnival areas we see in fantasy movies and tv shows? Have paper lanterns everywhere, bards playing music, people dancing to Disney songs and so on.
In fact, take it a step beyond: create new activities with the Garden in mind. Have a day dedicated to Aladdin, and another day where people are invited to come over dressed as their favorite Disney characters. Have a day that is the “Roleplaying Day” where people have to roleplay a Disney character for a few hours, and staff members are walking around helping them out!
Let’s turn the imagination dial to hyperdrive. I think the Imagination Garden - like any unique area on a cruise ship or theme park - could take some inspiration from the game Bioshock Infinite. If you’re not familiar with it, check out this environment trailer. Interestingly, Bioshock Infinite drew its main inspiration from theme parks, featuring a colorful atmosphere with stunning artwork, carnival games, and more. It even includes roller coaster tracks above the promenade and animatronics that interact with the city's residents. The game is all about a utopia that went wrong (okay, Disney doesn’t need to copy that part), where a city now exists floating across the sky.
It would be amazing if the Imagination Garden incorporated something similar. Imagine animatronics interacting with guests or participating in a few games. Carnival games, along with dancing and singing, would be a fantastic addition. While the Imagination Garden is already set to feature some exciting restaurants, including one inspired by Mowgli, I’m particularly excited about the overall atmosphere and setting.
What would you like to see?
What about you, friend, do you also agree that atmosphere is the biggest selling point of the Imagination Garden, even more so than the restaurants and other activities offered there? We would love to hear about your thoughts and how excited you are for this new adventure in 2025.
