We all know Herculesbut Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, Disney Destiny, changes the classic movie and story in more ways than one. Disney produced theatrical versions of his works. animated films for many years, but Hercules Aboard Destiny isn't just another musical, it's different from the later adaptations.
One way is that it showcases some of the most advanced projection, tracking and lighting technologies currently used in live entertainment, as well as the use of exoskeletons – but more on those later. One moment in particular during Meg's “I Won't Tell (I'm in Love)” pushes this technology further than you'd ever expect in a cruise ship theater.
During the number, five muses tower over Meg, their white dresses shrouded in bright animated streaks of light. In one of our exclusive images, the projection fits perfectly onto their bodies and the columns below them. And yet Meg, standing directly in the path of the projection, remains completely untouched.
There are no stains on her dress, no faint halo of color around her, nothing to indicate that the projector is shining directly past her torso. To the audience, it looks as if Meg is being “cut” out of a real-time projection – something you'd expect to see in film visuals rather than a moving live performer on a moving ship.
The Walt Disney Theater achieves this using a combination of real-time LiDAR spatial tracking, pixel masking via multiple projectors, and theatrical lighting. Cameras and sensors around the theater constantly create a 3D model of the stage environment. As the performers move, the system tracks them and transmits data to projectors at the back of the house.
This is essentially live occlusion masking, the same principle used in mixed reality stages and virtual productions, but performed using theater projectors in front of hundreds of spectators. And yes, Disney's custom theater lighting really helps with the effect.
Disney Live Entertainment Producer Arin Dale explained the basis of the effect: “We have cameras all over the Walt Disney Theater that allow us to project images not only onto the walls but onto stage objects. We have LiDAR technology… to really create this immersive environment and this really fun moment for our muses.”
Of course, this effect is only as good as the surfaces it lands on. The muses were dressed in bright white fabric that reacted predictably to the projected light.
Dale recalled how early the team tested the concept: “Our video designer said, 'Hey, I have this idea.' And the directors liked it. We tested it in Los Angeles… We did workshops asking, “Will this work?” And it was like, “Yeah, this is what we do.” She added that the very first clothing samples were “homemade suits that we cut by hand the night before.”
Destiny, like the other Desire-class ships before it, was built with this level of projection technology in mind. Environmental projection walls, canvas-based illusions and dynamically rendered stage elements have become signature tools of Disney Cruise Line's newest productions.
Dale noted that “Moana was probably the first one we used [this technology] in a really significant way. And then I would say Herculeswe took it and increased it even more. You learn something new at every show.”
This is a great example of how we can combine technology and storytelling to bring joy and surprise to audiences.
Arin Dale, Producer, Disney Live Entertainment
But the stage is about more than just technological flexibility. It's a storytelling choice. The muses appear mythical and stylized, their luminous projections making them seem larger than life. Meg remains on the ground, literally outside the light of projection – a person, as opposed to the goddesses who give her advice.
Dale said it best: “This scene adds a whole new level of immersion… and gives us an opportunity to tell Meg's story in a way we've never tried before. It's a great example of how we can combine technology and storytelling to bring joy and surprise to audiences.”
It also works because the production itself is very strong. Very similar to the experience with The Haunted Mansion Parlor at Disney Treasure – and even new robot Olaf which will soon be roaming the parks – technology here enhances immersion and complements the storytelling rather than competing with it.
Hercules on the Disney Destiny is a modern retelling that spices up classic songs with new arrangements, pacing and a stunning cast that brings Hercules, Meg, Phil, Hades, Pain and Panic to life in a fresh, exciting and truly entertaining way.
It made me want to watch the classics on Disney+one of best streaming servicesagain.
Aside from the effects themselves, the Walt Disney Theater resembles a modern Broadway theater more than a cruise ship venue. It is equipped with technology that allows you to immerse the audience in the orchestra or on the balcony. Dolby Atmos the soundscape is superb, the projection system can extend the image off stage and onto the surrounding walls, and the theatrical lighting and tracked projections create a surprisingly expansive canvas.
Hercules was outstanding throughout the journey – dynamic pacing, thoughtful staging and a supporting cast that ensures sharp, coordinated movements even while performing on a ship that is constantly in motion.
Particularly in the case of Meg's “I Won't Tell (I'm in Love)”, this effect places her on par with the muses and adds immersion to the dialogue as she moves in front of them and ultimately into the audience with a single spotlight – all while the muses continue to use the projection applied to the stage elements.
And that's exactly what the effect does. He disappears into the moment, supporting the narrative, relying on a level of real-time technical precision rarely seen in live theatre. If this is the direction cruise ship entertainment is heading, the next era of stage technology will be far more ambitious—and far more seamless—than most audiences realize.
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