Disney Destinations News from the D23 Expo
Friday, Aug. 9 through Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, fans of The Walt Disney Company flocked to the D23: The Ultimate Fan Event in beautiful Southern California to celebrate everything Disney – past, present and future!
During every D23, we find out additional details around yet-to-be-announced and highly-anticipated attractions and experiences coming to Disney Destinations! The Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase presentation at the 2024 D23 was no exception, providing us with many great details!
Below is a recap of the latest Disney Destinations news from D23.
โAt Disney Experiences, Imagineers dream, create, design and build these stories into real places. And we have Imagineers in place right now all around the world because everything weโre going to share with you is in active development. Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything youโve heard here tonight.โ – Josh DโAmaro, Disney Experiences Chairman
Walt Disney Worldยฎ Resort
- [Magic Kingdomยฎ Park – Summer 2025] – An all-new Nighttime Parade called “Disney Starlight” is coming to Magic Kingdomยฎ Park in Summer of 2025. โDisney Starlightโ will continue the nighttime spectacular legacy started by the โMain Street Electrical Paradeโ using the latest technology to tell new stories about the characters you love.
- [Magic Kingdomยฎ Park – 2025] – Opening in 2025 is a tavern themed to Pirates of the Caribbean.
- [Magic Kingdomยฎ Park – TBA] – A new area inspired by the Pixar Animation Studios film โCarsโ will be coming to a reimagined section of Frontierlandยฎ at Magic Kingdomยฎ. Two exciting new โCarsโ-themed attractions will be included – one taking you on a thrilling rally race through the mountains and another geared towards smaller racers yet fun for the whole family. Construction will begin in early 2025.
- [Magic Kingdomยฎ Park – TBA] – A new Villains Land will be coming to Magic Kingdomยฎ Park. The space will be home to two major attractions, dining, and shopping.
- [EPCOTยฎ – 2025] – A reimagined Test Track will open in 2025. The update will celebrate todayโs innovation while highlighting the past, present, and future.
- [EPCOTยฎ – 2025] – A new lounge inspired by Spaceship Earth will open in 2025.
- [Disney’s Hollywood Studiosยฎ – 2026] – A brand-new mission featuring Mando and Grogu is coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
- [Disney’s Hollywood Studiosยฎ – TBA] – A brand-new land themed around Pixar Animation Studiosโ โMonsters, Inc.โ will be added to Disney’s Hollywood Studiosยฎ. The land will include the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Work for the project is expected to begin in 2025.
- [Disney’s Animal Kingdomยฎ Theme Park – TBA] – The previously announced “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” show that is coming to the Tree of Life Theater will open next winter.
- [Disney’s Animal Kingdomยฎ Theme Park – 2027] – A new space themed around the Tropical Americas is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdomยฎ Theme Park. This 11-acre section of the park will feature one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney Worldยฎ Resort and several new attractions including a giant working carousel featuring favorite animals from Disney stories. The land will also feature two signature attractions. The first is a new Indy experience that will be different from any other Indiana Jones experience around the world. The second will be the first-ever โEncantoโ-themed ride-through attraction. Construction on the land is set to begin this fall and will open in 2027.
Disneylandยฎ Resort
- [Disneylandยฎ Park – 2024] – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at Disneylandยฎ Park and Critter Country will be renamed Bayou Country on November 15, 2024. The Hungry Bear Restaurant is also being reimagined into Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree.
- [Disneylandยฎ Park – 2025] – For the first time ever, when it debuts in 2025, youโll actually be able to see Walt Disney through the magic of Audio-Animatronics technology in โWalt Disney โ A Magical Life.โ It will play inside the Main Street Opera House in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
- [Disneylandยฎ Park – 2026] – A brand-new mission featuring Mando and Grogu is coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
- [Disney California Adventureยฎ Park – TBA] – A new Pandora destination is coming to Disney California Adventure. It will draw inspiration from โAvatar: The Way of Waterโ and upcoming Avatar films.
- [Disney California Adventureยฎ Park – TBA] – The size of Avengers Campus will double with two brand new attractions – Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab. Construction on the expansion will begin in 2025.
- [Disney California Adventureยฎ Park – TBA] – An all-new attraction themed to Pixar Animation Studiosโ โCocoโ is coming to Disney California Adventureยฎ Park in the future. Work is scheduled to begin on the attraction in 2026.
Disney Cruise Line
- [Disney Treasure – 2024] – The Disney Treasure โ setting sail later this year โ will feature the brand-new stage production, โDisney The Tale of Moana.โ The show will include a giant 15-foot-tall Te Kฤ puppet on stage.
- [Disney Destiny – 2025] – The signature production aboard the Disney Destiny โ which starts sailing next year โ will be โDisney Hercules.โ
- [2027 – 2031] – Four brand new Disney Cruise Line ships will be joining the fleet between 2027 and 2031. Five ships are currently in the fleet, with four others already in the works. These new, four additional ships will bring the fleet to a total of 13.
Artist Renderings
Actual construction may vary from Concept Art. All Concept Art ยฉ Disney ยฉ Disney/Lucasfilm ยฉ Disney/Pixar ยฉ MARVEL