How to Prepare Now for the 2028 Disney Cruise Audition

Hi everyone!

I’m Mayu, a professional singer who has performed under contracts with major theme parks in both Kansai and Kanto, Japan, as well as overseas.

Today, I’d like to share a few things you can start doing right now if you’re hoping to audition for the Disney Cruise Line operations scheduled to begin in Japan in 2028.

Personally, I sometimes think, “I wish I had started these things earlier, when I was younger!”

But with video platforms and streaming services becoming such a huge part of the entertainment industry, I think this is actually an incredible time to be a performer. There are more opportunities than ever before.

Of course, that also means more people are aiming for the same opportunities—and the competition can be intense.

So, what can you do between now and 2028 to prepare yourself for this highly competitive audition?

Let’s take a look!

① Cruise Experience

Personally, I think this could be one of the most important things.

Why?

Because no matter how talented a performer is, living on a ship for several months is a very unique lifestyle, and not everyone can adapt to it.

Some people end up leaving their contracts early.

From a company’s perspective, having a performer leave after spending a long time preparing a show and completing rehearsals can be a significant risk, especially when that person is an essential member of the cast.

That’s why having previous cruise experience could be a major advantage.

And you don’t necessarily need to have worked on a ship as a performer.

For example, experience working in a restaurant, café, or another position onboard could also be valuable.

The important thing is that you’ve experienced what it’s like to live and work on a ship for several months and, after that experience, you can honestly say:

“I’d love to do it again.”

That kind of experience could give a company confidence that you understand the lifestyle and can handle the unique environment of working at sea.

If you’ve never lived on a cruise ship before, there’s still time before 2028.

You could try auditioning for another cruise line, or, if you simply want to experience what life onboard is like, you could consider taking a four-month contract working in a restaurant or another onboard position.

Even a short experience could teach you a lot.

② English Skills

Yes, here it is again!

I know some of you are probably thinking, “English again?!”

But yes—having at least some English ability is likely to be important.

You don’t necessarily need to be fluent, but I think you should at least be able to communicate well enough to get through your daily work and rehearsals.

When I was performing at Universal Studios Japan, one thing several of the Japanese performers who were hired had in common was that they had experience living overseas.

There was also an interview conducted in English.

Some people may think:

“If I’m a dancer, I just need to be good at dancing.”

Or:

“If I’m a singer, I don’t need to speak English as long as I can sing.”

But that’s not necessarily how it works.

Daily morning meetings, rehearsals, and many aspects of working with an international cast can take place in English.

USJ is located in Japan, and most of its guests are Japanese, yet English can still be an important part of the working environment, especially for shows involving international performers.

The upcoming Disney Cruise operation in Japan will be operated by Oriental Land Co., so I personally predict that rehearsals may potentially take place in Chiba.

Of course, we won’t know the exact details until official information is released.　But either way, being able to communicate in English certainly won’t hurt!

③ Theme Park Experience

This is another experience that can definitely be an advantage.

In particular, having professional experience as a performer at a theme park could be a strong asset.

Some of you might be thinking:

“But I’ve performed in musicals!”

Or:

“I’m already performing live!”

Those experiences are absolutely valuable.

However, I think the theme park industry is somewhat unique—and even though this is a cruise ship, Disney is still a theme park entertainment company at its core. The concept is similar.

Most musicals aren’t simply happy from beginning to end.

A three-hour story where everything is happy and the audience just watches the characters being happy the entire time wouldn’t be very exciting, would it?

There’s usually a crisis or conflict that makes the story interesting.

Theme parks, on the other hand, are places where performers are expected to deliver happiness and positive energy to guests.

Suddenly having the main character die, for example, or ending with a tragic BAD ENDING like you might see in a musical or movie, is generally not what theme park entertainment is about.

That’s why I believe experience as a performer within that “always deliver happiness” theme park environment can be a real strength.

④ Stage Experience

And of course, this is Disney we’re talking about!

Having a professional résumé that clearly demonstrates:

“I am a professional singer.”

or

“I am a professional dancer.”

is definitely something worth building.

Even if you don’t have experience as a theme park singer or dancer like I mentioned in section ③, there are many other ways to build your professional experience.

For example:

• Musical theatre

• Musical performances

• Live concerts

• Hotel performances

• Wedding performances

• Professional singing or dancing gigs

• Other stage productions

  
  

Build as much professional experience as you can.

And if you have the opportunity to work with a well-known company or organization, that can also be a valuable addition to your résumé and may help your experience stand out to casting teams.

Start Preparing Now!

There are many other things you can do, but these are some of the main areas I think you can start working on right now.

You still have time before the 2028 Disney Cruise auditions.

So instead of waiting for the official audition announcement, why not start building your experience today?

In my next article, I’ll talk about how to prepare specifically for the actual audition itself.

Don’t miss it! ♪

Mayu