If you’re among Disney Parks’ biggest fans, you have probably had the second weekend of September on your calendar for several months. That’s because the Destination D23 fan event has returned again, filled with the latest news and announcements from the Walt Disney Company.
The biennial event is a smaller-scale convention in comparison to the flagship D23 Expo, which takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center. Destination D23, on the other hand, takes place at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. Both are hosted by D23, the official Disney fan club and feature panels and presentations from the various business segments of the company. Disney typically reserves its biggest announcements of the year for the D23 events, and this year was no different!
While there was a healthy dose of updates on previously announced projects, fans were also treated to several new reveals that, while smaller in scale, will take shape in the coming years. The week leading up to Destination D23 was also filled with updates on some of the bigger projects currently in the works, which I’ve included here.
Let’s waste no time and dive right in and recap what was announced this year:
MAGIC KINGDOM
Destination D23 was hosted at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, so all eyes were on potential announcements that would change how we plan our future Walt Disney World vacations. There were plenty of updates to go around – let’s start at Magic Kingdom.
The Hatbox Ghost Will Materialize This Fall
Fans have been waiting a long time for this one: The Hatbox Ghost will finally materialize at the Haunted Mansion in late November. It was recently revealed by Disney that the Hatbox Ghost will appear early on in the ride near the Endless Hallway. As it was explained at Destination D23, the Hatbox Ghost is not, in fact, part of the “Happy Haunts” and needs no sympathetic vibrations in order to materialize – translation, he can appear wherever he gosh darn pleases.
Country Bear Musical Jamboree Debuts in 2024
The beloved Country Bear Jamboree has been entertaining guests at Walt Disney World since its opening day in 1971. Over 50 years later, the original show will be replaced by a new act – still featuring the Country Bears – will a new musical soundtrack. The new show, Country Bear Musical Jamboree, will open sometime in 2024.
We learned that the new songs will be inspired by the musical revues of Nashville, Tennessee, and will feature original Disney songs like “The Bare Necessities” from “The Jungle Book,” but with a country twist.
Work Continues on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Disney has been very vocal about its upcoming attraction Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, set to open at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park in late 2024.
No major updates were given at this year’s Destination D23 presentation, but we did get a glimpse into the work being done on the ride’s many audio-animatronic figures, including a look at Louis!
A Pirate-Themed Tavern Will Join Adventureland
How does a new dining location sound? Over in Adventureland, a new addition will appear that continues the story of the classic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in the form of a pirate-themed tavern. This particular update seems a little further down the road, as not many details were shared aside from some concept art. We did learn, however, that the famed Barker Bird will return to Magic Kingdom at this tavern!
Update on Disney’s Blue Sky Projects
The big question on fans’ minds was if there would be any follow-up to a somewhat cryptic presentation D’Amaro gave at last year’s D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. At the time, D’Amaro hinted at possible projects that were currently in a “blue sky” phase, essentially meaning that these were real conversations Disney was having, but nothing was set in stone, nor was any ground broken. Still, it left quite the cliffhanger on Disney’s largest biennial fan event, and for the past 12 months, there has been plenty of speculation as to what could possibly be in the works at Walt Disney World.
D’Amaro himself stated this year, “We’re about to go into overdrive at the Magic Kingdom;” only time will tell what that exactly means. The Blue Sky discussion was brought up once again, hinting that Magic Kingdom may be poised to see its biggest update ever – bigger than New Fantasyland. The conversation once again turned to what is found “beyond Adventureland,” which could possibly mean new rides or shows. It didn’t feel quite as much of an update; rather, it felt like a reminder (or perhaps a promise) that these discussions are happening.
EPCOT
Let’s continue on to EPCOT, a park that has been no stranger to updates and construction in recent years. Speaking of construction, those now-familiar construction walls in the front half of the park will soon vanish, as it was announced that the final piece of the EPCOT reimagining puzzle, World Celebration, will be completed this December.
Figment Meet and Greet Debuts Tomorrow
At last year’s D23 Expo, D’Amaro announced that a Figment meet-and-greet would be returning to EPCOT in the near future. We now know that meet and greet is in the very, VERY near future, as in tomorrow, the day after this is published, September 10! Figment himself even made an appearance on stage at the conclusion of the presentation.
Journey of Water, Inspired By Moana Opens in October
At long last, we finally have an official opening date for Journey of Water, Inspired By Moana. The walk-through attraction at EPCOT will welcome all guests starting on October 16. The official opening follows weeks of Cast Member, media, and Annual Passholder previews.
October 16 will also be the date that Moana herself will begin appearing at EPCOT in a designated character meet-and-greet location. Speaking of new character meet-and-greets at EPCOT, another location will open soon, featuring Asha, the main protagonist from the upcoming Disney animated feature “Wish.” Asha will make appearances at EPCOT along with Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.
New Nighttime Show Debuts in December
Several nighttime shows have debuted around World Showcase Lagoon in recent years. After the conclusion of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, guests were able to catch EPCOT Forever and Harmonious. Now, a new nighttime show is on the way, and we know its name and premiere date!
The new nighttime show at EPCOT will be called “Luminous The Symphony of Us,” and it will debut on December 5, 2023.
Test Track Will Be Reimagined
You read that correctly – Test Track 3.0 is on its way! In what was perhaps one of the most pleasant surprises of the presentation, we learned that EPCOT’s thrill ride Test Track will be reimagined once again in partnership with Chevrolet. No timeline was given, but Disney did reveal its first piece of concept art for the ride.
Soarin’ Over California Returns For a Limited Time
The popular EPCOT attraction, Soarin’ Around the World, will be on hiatus temporarily this year as its original version, Soarin’ Over California, returns. It was announced at the EPCOT: Always in a State of Becoming presentation that the O.G. attraction will be available for a limited time in the Land Pavilion starting September 22 — the same date the Disney100 Celebration is set to kick off in the park.
DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
Some major changes could be in the works at Animal Kingdom in the coming years. At last year’s D23 Expo, part of Josh D’Amaro’s Blue Sky conversation included Animal Kingdom and new lands that could potentially emerge. Now, we have a somewhat more defined idea of what Disney has up their sleeves, but they were very cautious in their choice of wording when unveiling these plans.
Tropical Americas Could Be Replacing Dinoland
Per Disney, “Walt Disney Imagineering is planning to reimagine Dinoland U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom into a new land – inspired by a region sometimes referred to as ‘tropical Americas.’” They then go on to add, “New experiences inspired by “Encanto” – the Academy Award winning Walt Disney Animation Studios film – and the fan-favorite adventurer Indiana Jones are being considered for the reimagined land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!” So, what does this mean, exactly?
Disney is very intentional in its choice of words – “planning,” “being considered,” etc. This does not appear to be a full-blown official announcement, but this is more concrete than what they were discussing at least year’s D23 Expo. This is an area to keep a close watch on for sure, but if you’re a die-hard Dinoland fan, it looks like you still have some time to get more rides in on Dinosaur.
Zootopia-Themed Show Coming to Tree of Life Theater
One change at Animal Kingdom that was confirmed today was a new show moving into the theater inside the Tree of Life – so it will soon be time to bid adieu to “It’s Tough to Be A Bug.” The new show will be based on the hit animated film “Zootopia.” No additional details were given at the presentation, including a timeline.
DISNEYLAND RESORT
This year’s Destination D23 presentation was a rather quiet one for Disneyland Resort. Looking back, however, Disneyland has received plenty of love in recent years. The Happiest Place on Earth is coming off of the recent opening of San Fransokyo Square in California Adventure, along with the newly reimagined Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland. The resort serves as the hub for the Disney100 celebration with year-long platinum-infused decorations; later this month, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will open its doors.
One of the previously announced updates coming soon to Disneyland, along with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Paris, is a new update to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. It was announced at Destination D23 that Ahsoka Tano will be a new character featured on the ride when the updates take place in spring 2024.
The one update fans did receive pertaining to Disneyland was at least one that was on many folks’ minds. The Multiverse E-ticket attraction is still in the works at Avengers Campus! Not only that, but Disney unveiled brand-new concept art from the ride, which featured a first look at the ride vehicles. Unfortunately, it still feels a far way out before Disney shares any more details, but Marvel fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief for now – it looks like this ride is, in fact, still on its way to Disneyland.
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Earlier this week, Disney Cruise Line hosted a virtual grand reveal of its newest ship, the Disney Treasure. The reveal included details on the ship’s staterooms and suites, dining, recreation, and so much more. The maiden voyage of the Treasure will depart from Port Canaveral on December 21, 2024. Following that voyage, the inaugural itinerary of the ship will be 7-night cruises from Port Canaveral to the East and West Caribbean.
As Disney Cruise Line fans are aware, the Disney Treasure is not the only ship in the works. There are two others joining the fleet, including one that was acquired mid-construction earlier this year. It was revealed at Destination D23 that this ship, which will sail to Southeast Asia, will be called the Disney Adventure.
It was also unveiled that the new private island destination, which will welcome guests next summer to the Bahamian island Eleuthera, will officially be called Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Click here for the full reveal of the Disney Treasure
INTERNATIONAL DISNEY PARKS
In the days leading up to Destination D23, Disney unveiled several new bits of information regarding two projects that are nearing completion. Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland are set to welcome two new lands based on “Zootopia” and “Frozen”, respectively.
Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland
The land’s featured attraction, Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, will be a trackless dark ride where guests become recruits at the Zootopia Police Department ahead of a Zootopia Day celebration, complete with a concert featuring Gazelle (will we get new Shakira tunes from this attraction?!).
Guests will be able to see Officer Clawhauser and Chief Bogo, who informs them that Gazelle has been kidnapped ahead of her headliner event. The rookie officers (that’s us, the guests) will be assigned to assist Officer Judy Hopps and her partner, Nick Wilde, to traverse across Zootopia in a high-speed police chase to track Gazelle down. From the concept art and sneak peek images Disney released this week, it looks like a fun ride for the entire family, with audio-animatronics and a high-octane storyline.
Zootopia will keep guests busy on their visit to Shanghai Disneyland, as the land will also include character meet and greets and live entertainment experiences featuring the city’s residents. Food and beverage offerings will be available at Jumbeaux’s Cafe (a Jumbeaux’s Cafe will also be a part of the upcoming Disney Treasure). It looks like there will be plenty of sweet treats available, just like in the film.
World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland
Disney revealed prior to Destination D23 that the World of Frozen would officially open at Hong Kong Disneyland on November 20, 2023. The land, inspired by the hit animated films ‘Frozen’ and ‘Frozen 2,’ is designed after Arendelle, resembling a quaint Scandinavian village nestled alongside a neighboring fjord.
Familiar landmarks from the films can be spotted around the World of Frozen, including Elsa’s ice palace.
The land will include a roller coast attraction called Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs, as well as Frozen Ever After, modeled after the same boat attraction found at EPCOT.
Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney Resort
The final two international parks, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney Resort, have several projects currently in development that were touched upon during the Destination D23 presentation. In Disneyland Paris, work continues on its Frozen-themed land, including a look at nighttime concept art for the land. The Walt Disney Studios Park is being expanded upon with brand-new rides, including one themed after the film “Tangled.” The resort is also working on the royal transformation of its Disneyland Hotel, scheduled to be completed in 2024.
At Tokyo Disney Resort, new concept art was revealed for the new Fantasy Springs land coming to Tokyo DisneySea. The new themed port, scheduled to open in 2024, will feature Rapunzel’s Forest, Peter Pan’s Never Land & Frozen Kingdom.
My (Brief) Thoughts on Today’s Presentation
As Josh D’Amaro shared at the start of this Destination D23 presentation, “No one tells stories like Disney.” Those stories, however, go beyond its films and theme park rides: What is the story Disney tells its fans at these D23 events?
D23 is a time for fans to gather and get excited about the future of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products. And there is, admittedly, plenty to be excited about. There are not one but three new cruise ships debuting in the next couple of years. International parks are seeing incredible, stunning new lands being added. Small but meaningful updates – a Figment meet-and-greet and a new dining location based on original Disney Parks I.P. – are popping up across Disney World. Even the Blue Sky discussions are worth noting. If this Tropical Americas concept does, in fact, come to fruition at Animal Kingdom, it’s a marvel that Disney let fans in on the secret so early in the process.
It’s understandable, however, that fans look at this lineup of announcements and cannot help but feel a twinge of disappointment. A feeling, perhaps, that is starting to seem a little too familiar. If you happened to watch the presentation live, consider how much time it took to reveal simple updates, like the date when the Hatbox Ghost will be installed on Haunted Mansion, something fans knew was coming for a year. And while the Blue Sky discussions are interesting, it is frustrating to see phrases like “could be, “planning,” “brainstorming,” and “possibility.” All of this, while its biggest competitor in Orlando is preparing to open a brand-new theme park in 2025.
I personally love these live D23 events such as this because I’m a fan, and any update, big or small, is exciting to me. I am always and forever optimistic when it comes to the future of Disney Parks. If you look at things from 30,000 feet, there is a lot of expansion happening. Zooming in on just its domestic parks, Disneyland and Walt Disney World, to harken back to D’Amaro’s quote, tells a different story. My only hope is that Disney doesn’t rest on its laurels as the leader in theme park entertainment.
