we all know that Herculesbut Disney Cruise Line’s new ship, Disney Destiny, reinterprets the classic film and story in several ways. Disney has been making theatrical versions of its animated films for years, but Hercules Edge of Destiny is no simple musical comedy and stands out from recent adaptations.
On the one hand, it’s a showcase for some of the most advanced projection, tracking and lighting technologies currently used in live entertainment, and it also uses exoskeleton, which we’ll talk about later. One moment in particular, during Meg’s “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love),” this technique goes beyond what you might expect in cruise theater.
During the show, the five Muses stand behind Meg, their white dresses bathed in powerful, vibrant beams of light. In one of our exclusive images, the projection lands perfectly on their bodies and the pillars below. But Meg, who is directly in the path of the projection, is not affected at all.
There is no stain on her dress, no faint halo of color around her, nothing to suggest that a spotlight is shining directly on her torso. To the audience, Meg appears to be “isolated” from the real-time projection, as would be expected in a visual effects film, and not as a live actor on a moving ship.
The Walt Disney Theater achieves this through a combination of real-time LiDAR tracking, multi-projector pixel masking and theater lighting. Cameras and sensors installed in the theater continuously create a 3D model of the stage environment. As performers move, the system follows them and sends data to projectors at the back of the house.
This is essentially live occlusion masking, the same principle used in mixed reality scenes and virtual productions, but performed with theater projectors in front of hundreds of viewers. And yes, Disney’s custom theater lighting contributes significantly to this effect.
Disney Live Entertainment producer Arin Dale explained the basis for this effect: “We have cameras in the Walt Disney Theater that allow us to project on the walls but also on parts of the stage. We have LiDAR technology… to really create this immersive environment and this really fun moment for our muses.”
Of course, such an effect is only as effective as the surfaces it comes into contact with. The mice were dressed in bright white fabrics that reacted as expected to the projected light.
Dale recalled how the team initially tested the concept: “Our video designer said, ‘Hey, I have an idea.’ And the directors loved it. We tested it in Los Angeles… We tested it in stores and asked ourselves, ‘Is this going to work?’
The Destiny, like previous Wish-class ships, was built with this projection technology in mind. Walls adapted for environmental projections, illusions and dynamically mapped scenic elements have become iconic tools for Disney Cruise Line’s latest productions.
Dale commented: “groan This is probably the first time we’ve used (this technology) in a really meaningful way. And then I would say HerculesWe took it and made it even better. We learn new things with every show.
But the outlook is not just about technical flexibility. It’s a narrative choice. The Muses appear mythical and stylized; The light projections make it larger than life. Meg remains grounded, literally outside the light of projection: a person other than the goddesses who counsel her.
Dale summed it up: “The scene adds a whole new level of immersion… and gives us a way to tell Meg’s story that we’ve never attempted before. It’s a perfect example of how we can combine technology and storytelling to bring joy and wonder to the audience.”
It also works because the production itself is so strong. Similar to the Haunted Mansion Parlor experience in Disney Treasure, as well as the new robot Olaf that will soon be roaming the parks, the technology here enhances the immersion and complements the story rather than competing with it.
Hercules on Disney Destiny is a modern story that enriches classic songs with new arrangements, new rhythms and an exceptional cast that brings Hercules, Meg, Phil, Hades, Pain and Panic to life in a fresh, engaging and really fun way.
It made me want to watch the classic again on Disney+, one of the best streaming services.
Aside from the effects themselves, the Walt Disney Theater resembles a modern Broadway house more than a cruise ship. It has technology that immerses the audience in the orchestra or on the balcony. The Dolby Atmos soundscape is beautiful, the projection system can project off-stage images onto the surrounding walls, and the theater lighting and tracking projections create a surprisingly large screen.
Hercules It was an important part of the journey: fast-paced, carefully staged and supported by a cast that allowed for precise and coordinated movements, even when performed on a constantly moving ship.
Especially in Meg’s “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)”, this effect puts her in perspective with the Muses and adds depth to the dialogue as it moves single-mindedly past them and eventually to the audience, while continuing to represent the projection projected onto the stage elements.
And that’s exactly what the effect does. He disappears into the moment and drives the narrative by relying on a level of real-time technical precision rarely found in live theatre. If cruise ship entertainment moves in this direction, the next era of performance art will be far more ambitious—and far more fluid—than most moviegoers realize.