Disney buys ground at Cozumel?

[LAS2AMS]

Makes perfect sense to me...just moved from that part of Texas- Galveston is spending loads of dough to enhance the port and bring in bigger ships. With Disney moving up to 13 ships worldwide- even if they drop off the two older ones- they need to continue to expand their offerings. Creating a Cay space on the Western Gulf of America would entice a new experience- offering eco tourism, historical excursions, cultural experiences...

There’s four more ships to account for. We have a pretty good idea of where they’re going — Disney wants to be in LA year-round (although probably with Alaska in the summer), NYC, additional Europe, etc.

There’s not going to be a big increase in calls to Cozumel. And I will stick with my bet that the Magic and Wonder will be retired soon.

Very few of the DCL-offered tours go to the ruins, though, so I doubt that most people go to Cozumel for that purpose.

Capacity is always limited to the ruins, regardless of cruise line. The tours are always sold out on DCL, so it’s not like they’re unpopular.

 

[Kwami]

Capacity is always limited to the ruins, regardless of cruise line. The tours are always sold out on DCL, so it’s not like they’re unpopular.

They aren't always sold out. And the fact remains that the overwhelming majority of people cruising to Cozumel aren't going to the ruins for whatever reason.

 

[jwalk03]

They are - in the Bahamas. The exception is Royal’s development at Costa May, originally budgeted at $600M but expected to surpass $1B by some reports.

Anyone who believes Disney is going to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into a private port that will see at most 5 calls a week is inhaling too much pixie dust.

People go to Cozumel to see the Aztec ruins. People who want Disney-created Aztec ruins can see them at Epcot.

I’m going to guess like 2% of the people who visit Cozumel go see ruins. It is most certainly not THE reason.

The Bahamas has PLENTY of corruption as well.

How much did Disney just spend on Lookout Cay again? It averages less than 3.5 calls per week. There are 9 weeks in 2026 where it gets 5 calls per week. (At least through the schedules that are currently out)

For all of 2025 the average is 3 calls per week.

 

[DCLMP]

I've been to Cozumel several times and have never been to the Aztec ruins.

 

[OKW Lover]

Well, my brother protested because it’s just not a Disney cruise unless you’re traveling from MCO and experiencing the Disney terminal at PC.

Ummm.... You may not want to mention to him that Disney also uses CT10 at Port Canaveral.

 

[nmoody1]

I can see more cruises moving to a private port model. You can run excursions to and from.but people get a cruise experience of the ship - a private island "light" experience but its a way of making money of people. Especially if you themed it as water park - look at how Bininin works for virgin voyages. On the daya the ship ia not in port they loan it to a neighbouring hotel. I cant see disney doing that mind!

 

[Dug720]

We were planning a Disney cruise with my sibling’s family. We choose a cruise from Fort Lauderdale, because it was the same itinerary as Port Canaveral but a couple hundred dollars less and included a bonus sea day… plus it’s a lot easier to get to the port from the airport. No brainer right? Well, my brother protested because it’s just not a Disney cruise unless you’re traveling from MCO and experiencing the Disney terminal at PC.

Better not be going on the Wish. She doesn't use the old Disney Terminal - she uses a shared one.

 

[DCL58]

People go to Cozumel to see the Aztec ruins. People who want Disney-created Aztec ruins can see them at Epcot.

I have lost track of how many times I have been to Cancun, Cozumel or playa del Carmen. On DCL or to various all inclusive resorts. I have been to the Mayan ruins 3 times. Chichen itza once and tulum twice.

I seriously doubt most people go to Cozumel to see Mayan ruins.

 

[peder]

I could actually see Disney going big with something to compete with Xcaret. I wouldn't think their ambitions in the area would be limited to port amenities.

 

[DCLMP]

I have lost track of how many times I have been to Cancun, Cozumel or playa del Carmen. On DCL or to various all inclusive resorts. I have been to the Mayan ruins 3 times. Chichen itza once and tulum twice.

I seriously doubt most people go to Cozumel to see Mayan ruins.

I'll be in Cozumel next Monday. I was planning on taking a cab into San Miguel and getting some good seafood or Mexican food and a Margarita. I would not want a Disney facility in Cozumel unless they used locals vendors for food. DCL food is just meh.

The best thing about the ports, especially in Europe, is trying the local cuisine.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I’m going to guess like 2% of the people who visit Cozumel go see ruins. It is most certainly not THE reason.

The Bahamas has PLENTY of corruption as well.

How much did Disney just spend on Lookout Cay again? It averages less than 3.5 calls per week. There are 9 weeks in 2026 where it gets 5 calls per week. (At least through the schedules that are currently out)

For all of 2025 the average is 3 calls per week.

That’s my point. They spent $400M to $609M on LP. It’s a long-term investment. Calls will increase as Disney takes delivery of new ships. For example, we’ll likely see weeklong cruises from NYC, PE expand year round and another ship based at PC/PE for a short season during the winter in Europe.

It’s lunacy or at least wishful thinking that Disney is going to spend another $1B to develope Cozumel.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I'll be in Cozumel next Monday. I was planning on taking a cab into San Miguel and getting some good seafood or Mexican food and a Margarita. I would not want a Disney facility in Cozumel unless they used locals vendors for food. DCL food is just meh.

The best thing about the ports, especially in Europe, is trying the local cuisine.

I don’t get the hang up over my point about the ruins. It was trying to say that people visit places like Cozumel for culture reasons, not to experience a Disney-created experience. For those who desire that, it’s available at a CC/LP.

 

[MrMagoo]

Very interesting! Thanks for taking the time to post. This would be great news if it turns out to be true. The normal port in Cozumel is sketchy to us!

We do not like the port at Cozumel either.
We sailed the Treasure February 8 this year and stopped at Cozumel then also.
We did a Disney excursion that time and the van for return to the ship dropped us off and did not tell us how to get over the road back to the ship. Finally a vendor was nice enough to tell us.
But it is confusing your first time not knowing you have to go up and across.
Plus having to go past all those vendors!

 

[MrMagoo]

Capacity is always limited to the ruins, regardless of cruise line. The tours are always sold out on DCL, so it’s not like they’re unpopular.

If you are talking about Chichen Itza or Uxmal ruins, those tours were not offered this cruise or our February cruise (also on the Treasure) that also stopped at Cozumel.

Those tours were offered on our Magic cruise last February, 2024, that stopped at Progesso.

 

[Kwami]

If you are talking about Chichen Itza or Uxmal ruins, those tours were not offered this cruise or our February cruise (also on the Treasure) that also stopped at Cozumel.

Those tours were offered on our Magic cruise last February, 2024, that stopped at Progesso.

There are some interesting Mayan ruins closer to Cozumel. Chichen Itza is pretty far away, so that's probably why there isn't a DCL-listed tour to there from Cozumel.

 

[OKW Lover]

I don’t get the hang up over my point about the ruins. It was trying to say that people visit places like Cozumel for culture reasons, not to experience a Disney-created experience. For those who desire that, it’s available at a CC/LP.

The only reason I visit Cozumel is because that's where the ship stops. I get off to do a bit of shopping and have a margarita. I don't expect a Disney experience.

We do not like the port at Cozumel either.
We sailed the Treasure February 8 this year and stopped at Cozumel then also.
We did a Disney excursion that time and the van for return to the ship dropped us off and did not tell us how to get over the road back to the ship. Finally a vendor was nice enough to tell us.
But it is confusing your first time not knowing you have to go up and across.
Plus having to go past all those vendors!

That is a rather peculiar setup. It works the same way if you are leaving the ship on your own you have to do the same walk.

Dropping passengers off where they pretty much have to walk through a commercial zone is not unusual. Almost all of the Caribbean ports I've visited have one right at the port. Kind of like the gift shops at the exit of rides at WDW.

 

[peder]

That’s my point. They spent $400M to $609M on LP. It’s a long-term investment. Calls will increase as Disney takes delivery of new ships. For example, we’ll likely see weeklong cruises from NYC, PE expand year round and another ship based at PC/PE for a short season during the winter in Europe.

It’s lunacy or at least wishful thinking that Disney is going to spend another $1B to develope Cozumel.

I think they might because they're going to permanently homeport out of Galveston going forward, and because Royal is now developing "Perfect Day Mexico" at Costa Maya, and because they can probably build some type of resort + port stop combination thing that positions them to counter Xcaret.

I just don't think Disney can have a very effective Galveston operation running the typical Cozumel/Costa Maya/Roatan route when Costa Maya is just a big advertisement for Royal, and when running over to the Bahamas is not very practical with the travel distances involved. Basically, I think Galveston is already oversaturated, and adding a permanent Disney ship going to underwhelming ports is going to cause margin/profitability issues for DCL there. I don't know what the solution to this problem is, because spending another $1b in Riviera Maya is probably not the answer unless paired with a more strategic investment in the area.

Side note: with Disneyland Abu Dhabi, DCL can probably position a Wish-class ship permanently in Europe/Middle East? Do Eastern/Western Med + Persian Gulf loop like the MSC Euribia does? I guess it's that or the Canaries. But I do think longer term, DCL will have at least 1 ship that stays in that hemisphere year-round.

 

[Kwami]

I just don't think Disney can have a very effective Galveston operation running the typical Cozumel/Costa Maya/Roatan route when Costa Maya is just a big advertisement for Royal, and when running over to the Bahamas is not very practical with the travel distances involved. Basically, I think Galveston is already oversaturated, and adding a permanent Disney ship going to underwhelming ports is going to cause margin/profitability issues for DCL there. I don't know what the solution to this problem is, because spending another $1b in Riviera Maya is probably not the answer unless paired with a more strategic investment in the area.

The current list of cruises from Galveston don't visit Costa Maya at all. They visit Cozumel and Progresso. Sometimes, they go to Grand Cayman or another Caribbean island, too.

I haven't been to Progresso, so I don't know how good it is as a cruise port.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I think they might because they're going to permanently homeport out of Galveston going forward, and because Royal is now developing "Perfect Day Mexico" at Costa Maya, and because they can probably build some type of resort + port stop combination thing that positions them to counter Xcaret.

I just don't think Disney can have a very effective Galveston operation running the typical Cozumel/Costa Maya/Roatan route when Costa Maya is just a big advertisement for Royal, and when running over to the Bahamas is not very practical with the travel distances involved. Basically, I think Galveston is already oversaturated, and adding a permanent Disney ship going to underwhelming ports is going to cause margin/profitability issues for DCL there. I don't know what the solution to this problem is, because spending another $1b in Riviera Maya is probably not the answer unless paired with a more strategic investment in the area.

Side note: with Disneyland Abu Dhabi, DCL can probably position a Wish-class ship permanently in Europe/Middle East? Do Eastern/Western Med + Persian Gulf loop like the MSC Euribia does? I guess it's that or the Canaries. But I do think longer term, DCL will have at least 1 ship that stays in that hemisphere year-round.

Royal is building out CM because the only private port it can develop has reached capacity most days.

It looks as if Cozumel is served only in itineraries of 5 days or more. I think it’s foolhardy to believe that Disney is going to spend upwards of $1B to develop a private port that will max out at 3 to 4 calls most weeks. (CC/LP will continue to see more calls as ships are added.)

Most North America itineraries do not touch a private port/island… and if Disney were to build a resort in that region, it’s certainly not going to be Cozumel.

 

[jwalk03]

Royal is building out CM because the only private port it can develop has reached capacity most days.

It looks as if Cozumel is served only in itineraries of 5 days or more. I think it’s foolhardy to believe that Disney is going to spend upwards of $1B to develop a private port that will max out at 3 to 4 calls most weeks. (CC/LP will continue to see more calls as ships are added.)

Most North America itineraries do not touch a private port/island… and if Disney were to build a resort in that region, it’s certainly not going to be Cozumel.

Most North Americans Itineraries don’t touch a private port/island? I kinda doubt that is true at this point given the explosion of private ports and islands recently.

And it most certainly isn’t true for Disney cruises. Other than the obvious west coast departures (and Galveston) does Disney offer a single itinerary that DOESN’T include one of its private islands??