Summary

  • Rosas is set on a fictional island in the Mediterranean Sea, with diverse characters inspired by Southern European and North African heritage.
  • Disney's Wish contains over 100 Easter eggs, including nods to past movies and a touching Pocahontas reference.
  • The location of Rosas was carefully chosen to represent Disney's diverse audience, with inspiration from European, Middle Eastern, and African countries.

Disney’s The Wish movie cast is led by Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as Magnifico, featuring additional voice performances from Victor Garber, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, and more. In the Kingdom of Rosas, once a citizen turns 18, they have the opportunity to give their wishes to King Magnifico, who will hopefully grant them in monthly wish-granting ceremonies.

Wish was released in theaters in celebration of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 100th anniversary, with tons of Easter eggs for viewers to catch throughout the beautiful magical animated kingdom. Wish’s Asha isn’t technically a Disney princess, but she keeps within Disney trends and follows its successful formulas as the heroine alongside her goat sidekick, Valentino, and an adorable wishing star. When Asha discovers that the people of Rosas are being deceived and most of their wishes may never be granted, she plans to restore everyone’s wishes and give them the chance to live their dreams without having to rely on the selfish King Magnifico.

Collage of Asha from Disney's Wish, Mickey Mouse, and the castle logo plus bubbles and space imagery.
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Rosas Is Located In The Mediterranean Sea

Asha's Opening Monologue Reveals The Real-World Location Of The Fictional Rosas

In the storybook intro in Wish, it was confirmed that the Kingdom of Rosas is located in the Mediterranean Sea. This isn’t the first Disney film to be set in the Mediterranean Sea, with song in Wish, “Welcome To Rosas.” In the musical number, she sings about how King Magnifico built Rosas “many years ago” along with his wife Queen Amaya after he lost his family.

In Wish, over 100 Easter eggs await discovery, including secret Disney character nods curated by Lancaster Jones. Animators added a touching reference to Grandmother Willow, a character from Pocahontas. This collaborative effort by different departments makes Wish a collective love letter to Disney, aiming to delight viewers with nostalgia.

However, the royal couple didn't sail to Italy's shores, as Disney had stated that Rosas is located off the Iberian Peninsula in press releases. The Iberian Peninsula is divided between Peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal. This also helps explain Asha’s racial and ethnic background, as Wish producer Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones previously explained (via Geeks of Color) that Asha has Southern European and North African heritage from her mother’s side. Despite Rosas being fictional, Disney took Asha’s diverse background very seriously in making her character design, which includes her flowing braids.

Is Rosas Based On A Real Country?

The Culture Of Rosas Aligns With Its Mediterranean Setting, But The Kingdom Itself Is Entirely Original

Asha and Valentino sit on a tree branch looking out at the kingdom in Disney's Wish.

Disney has long created fictional lands, with some inspired by real-life countries, cities, or iconic landmarks, but the Kingdom of Rosas seems to be wholly original. While the “quiet village” in Beauty in the Beast clearly takes place in and the Peruvian Highlands in The Emperor’s New Groove resemble Machu Pichu, there doesn’t seem to be a clear inspiration for Rosas. Though Wish pays tribute to many past Disney movies, it tells its own original story, with the Kingdom of Rosas helping to set it apart from those that came before.

Why Wish's Setting Is So Important To The Disney Movie

A Lot Of Thought Went Into Rosas' Mediterranean Setting

Citizens of Rosas throw petals into the air with the castle in the background in Disney's Wish.

As a fictional kingdom, Rosas aligns with the magical, fantastical premise of Wish, but Disne choosing to place the island within the Mediterranean Sea is highly significant. Just as Rosas is a mixing pot of the House of Mouse's characters and stories, its citizens represent various races and nationalities. Asha's job was to give tours to the island's visitors, who would decide whether they wanted to move permanently and hopefully have their wishes granted. Since 22 countries border the Mediterranean, this was the perfect setting for such a kingdom.

European, Middle Eastern, and African countries all wrap around the Mediterranean Sea, and it's assumed that the citizens of Rosas immigrated from each of these regions. This allowed Rosas to be spectacularly diverse, just like Disney's own audience. In all, Wish is an amalgamation of all Disney represents, and its setting perfectly sets this up.

Source: Geeks of Color