Discovering The Magic Of Disney Cruising With Yolanda Cade

by Tanya Hoffler-Moore

March is one of the most wonderful times of the year at MadameNoire.  It’s a month where the country collectively gushes over the greatness of women and all that we continue to do for this world we call home.

For Yolanda Cade, Disney’s Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Disney Signature Experiences, today’s “home” is currently aboard a gussied-up, grandiose new 144,000-ton cruise ship donning the magical moniker, the Disney Treasure.   

The luxurious Aladdin-themed vessel is the baby of the newest generation of Triton-class Disney cruise ships (the Disney Wish previously set sail in 2022).  By 2031, Disney will have launched 4 new ships, and Yolanda Cade is one the Black Disney executives with a hand in it all.   

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Rich with representation…

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With a resume fit for a lead character straight out of a Shonda Rhimes series, Cade is doing what “the culture” colloquially calls “the Lord’s work” by making sure that Disney is a place where travelers of color feel represented, valued and cared for. 

“It is important to have views, voices and seats at the table…[and that] our little guests, boys and girls…see themselves in these stories,” said Cade.

If you take a stroll through the captivating corridors of the Disney Treasure you can find representation around every corner.  One can pose pretty for pictures with Princess Tiana at The Royal Gathering, kick it with the beloved Black Panther in Marvel’s Super Hero Academy, and even find charming portraits of children sporting Creative Soul-inspired makeovers complete with braids, locs and superlatively styled coifs right outside of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

“Our culture is very important,” Cade continued, “[and] galvanizing that through collaboration is a big part of what we do.”

A soft life at sea….

If collaboration is king on a Disney Cruise Line, then luxury is its sovereign queen.  A high-end hallmark of The Disney Treasure is its massive at-sea version of The Senses Spa (also found at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL), which is complete with state-of-the-art exercise and wellness facilities.  For any Disney adult looking for a little soft-life worthy self-care, this is the one place on the ship you’re likely to find them.

The Senses Spa offers signature serenity-filled services and spa treatments that include rainforest-themed aromatherapy steam rooms, dry saunas, acupuncture, facials and a zero-gravity massage bed that makes you feel like you’re floating on air. The tranquility of the ritzy Rainforest Room extends to an outdoor area, complete with swinging lounge beds and a heated whirlpool that serves as icing on the “Quiet Cove” layered cake.

The opulence on the Disney Treasure doesn’t stop at the super serene spa. Cade invites us to interview her in the stunning two-story Bagheera Royal Suite (one of 1,256 staterooms fit for Princess Jasmine herself). 

The swanky suite is an ode to the Disney kingdom of Agrabah, with over 1,700 square-feet complete with two main bedrooms, three full bathrooms (some fitted with rain showers), a living room, dining room, wet bar, walk-in closets and private balcony with a whirlpool tub. We know what you’re thinking…and yes, that kind of luxury exists on a Disney cruise.

A tale of top-tier entertainment…

Cade and I sit down in the dazzling dining area…we bond over being fellow HBCU grads and swoon over Disney’s The Tale of Moana, a Broadway-style musical (starring the incomparable Kaena Kekoa) that can only be seen on the Disney Treasure.

As a New Yorker for nearly 20 years now, I’ve enjoyed my share of performances on the Great White Way… but trust me when I say Disney’s The Tale of Moana is hands down one of the BEST theatrical productions I’ve ever seen. It will literally take your breath away!

The Disney Treasure itself feels immensely theatrical from the moment you step onto the ship. With a grand curtained stage greeting you upon your entrance, there’s a certain feeling of enchantment that washes over you…and a confidence, or confirmation even, that you are about to be wildly entertained.

It’s safe to say, there is an endless array of entertainment on the Disney Treasure. There are dance parties with decked out pirates and fireworks, the insanely cool Incredi-Course (a colossal obstacle course located in the Hero Zone that the entire family can proudly partake in), The AquaMouse (Disney’s first water attraction at sea), movies in the theater and by the pool, bingo, trivia games, live music, yoga classes, wine tastings, shopping and so much more.

The most magical crew at sea…

While I can’t stop raving about the stage play, Cade shares that the real treasure on this new vessel is the cast and crew, aka the ship’s godparents. The 1,555 crew members (aka cast members) are the proverbial magicians responsible for bringing the new top-tier entertainment experiences to life on the Disney Treasure. 

The cast members include a carefully curated collection of expert mixologists, sensational singers, dazzling dancers, awe-inspiring actors, crafty pastry chefs, super sweet servers, gifted engineers, electrified entertainers, barbers, hairstylists, and the happiest housekeeping staff at sea.  

This glorious group of godparents serenades you by your tableside at Plaza de Coco (the new Coco-themed restaurant with a musical dining experience)…

…and the ones patiently waiting with a delightful smile while you decode your disappearing drink menu at the new Haunted Mansion Parlor.  

You don’t have to worry about any cast members judging you when you’re screaming for ice cream and scarfing down delectable desserts at the Zootopia-themed treat shop, Jumbeaux Sweets, or when you’re dropping your kids off at the Oceaneer’s Club so that you can sneak away to Palo, the Scat Cat Lounge, or Skipper’s Society for some adult-only time. The cast members are the heart and soul of every Disney Cruise adventure, and they get it. 

Wakanda on the water…

As I continue my chat with cast member Yolanda Cade (a beautiful southern belle beaming with Black excellence)—she shifts the conversation and excitedly dishes on the next Disney cruise ship coming down the pike…The Disney Destiny.

Cade shares that the grand hall on the Disney Destiny will be inspired by the Black Panther films, fancily furnished with “vibranium” embellishments and a breathtaking statue of King T’Challa himself (shoutout to the late Chadwick Boseman).

“When you’ve got the right people at the table, and those committed to making sure that all voices are integrated, it’s makes magic like I’ve never seen before”, said Cade on Disney’s commitment to diversity.

This ship’s theme will be “Heroes and Villains,” an ode to the legacies of beloved Disney stories, characters and theme park attractions. And with Disney’s first ever Lion King themed restaurant complete with Savannah-inspired “sunsets” and a marvelous new musical dining experience (which will likely have us all singing “Aaron Pierre, that’s Mufasaaaaa… ”) while we strut to and from our seats, The Disney Destiny will surely be a cruise for the culture.

Check out the full video of our interview with Yolanda Cade above.

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