The biennial Disney fan celebration D23: The Ultimate Fan Event too place from August 9-11, 2024 in Anaheim, CA. The three-day event is always a spectacular display of Disney fandom, including celebrations of all aspects of the company and major announcements of upcoming entertainment and experience projects.
The first night of the event focused on Disney’s entertainment offerings, primarily on film and television. On the second night of the event, Disney presented the ever-popular Disney Experiences Showcase, given the name “Horizons.” Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro unveiled an unprecedented slate of projects including new attractions, lands, and more, reminding fans why “Disney remains the undisputed leader and trailblazer of the experiences industry.”
These are not Disney’s infamous “blue sky” concepts (for which Disney has been criticized as lacking follow-through). According to D’Amaro, they are confirmed by Disney to be in active development and moving forward. Hold onto your hats and glasses, friends. Here we go!
Walt Disney World
Not surprisingly, Walt Disney World received the lion’s share of the new projects. It is the largest Disney resort worldwide, and it is also facing increasing pressure from nearby Universal Orlando, which recently revealed more details to its new Epic Universe theme park, planned to open in 2025.
Villains Land – Magic Kingdom
Villains rejoice! A Villains Land – long teased to be the subject of Disney’s blue sky concept “Beyond Big Thunder,” is now officially coming to Magic Kingdom. The ambitious new land will be located to the north of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad portion of Frontierland, and will include two major attractions and themed dining and shopping. Disney stated that work has already begun on this huge expansion to Magic Kingdom.
Cars Land – Magic Kingdom
Staying in Magic Kingdom, D’Amaro revealed that a land themed to Pixar’s Cars is coming to a reimagined section of Frontierland. According to Disney, guests will leave Radiator Springs behind and head off into the wilderness with two new Cars-themed attractions — one that will be an off-road thrilling rally race, and a family-friendly attraction that even the youngest racers will love. Construction will begin in 2025.
Unfortunately, this new Cars Land will come with a price. Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America will be retired and completely transformed in order to make way for the new land. Walt Disney himself has said “Disneyland [and now Disney Parks around the world] isn’t a museum. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” While it hurts to see two beloved Frontierland attractions coming to an end, Cars is an extremely popular franchise, which should do well in Magic Kingdom.
Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge – Magic Kingdom
First announced at Destination D23 in 2023, a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge “will offer a welcoming haven for all pirate-kind, big and small, and everyone in between. Here, bandits and buccaneers-to-be from every corner of the seven seas are welcome to join together and raise a toast to the pirate life!” This new tavern will open in the Adventureland area of Magic Kingdom sometime in 2025.
“Disney Starlight” Nighttime Parade – Magic Kingdom
“Disney Starlight” – a new nighttime parade – will debut sometime in 2025. The new parade will continue the nighttime spectacular legacy started by the Main Street Electrical Parade, using the latest technology to tell new stories about beloved Disney characters. All of this is brought to life by the magic of the Blue Fairy, in addition to characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios films Peter Pan, Encanto, Frozen, and more.
Monsters, Inc. Land – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
For years, the notion of a rollercoaster based on the high intensity door vault chase scene from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. seemed like a pipe dream. Well, Disney announced that an epic “doors coaster” is indeed coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not only that; the coaster will live in a land themed to the Monsters, Inc. franchise! According to D’Amaro, “The land will feature the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park, where guests can experience what it’s like to zoom through the door vault in the factory, just like Mike and Sulley.” Construction of this area begins in 2025.
Mandalorian and Grogu Join Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In Galaxy’s Edge, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run will be getting a refresh. A new story centered on Mando and his tiny pal will become the new mission, and will hit the Millennium Falcon when the new Mandalorian and Grogu film hits theaters in 2026.
Tropical Americas – Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney gave an update to the “Tropical Americas” concept first introduced at 2023’s Destination D23. Pueblo Esperanza – a fictional village in the heart of the rainforest – will feature two new attractions.
An attraction based on the Indiana Jones franchise will be “a thrilling adventure following Indy into an ancient Maya temple” (which is rumored to contain a mythical creature).
The other feature attraction will be “a journey through the Casita Madrigal from Encanto following Antonio’s story on the day after he received his magical gift.”
Aside from these two major attractions, the area will also include a carousel featuring animals from beloved Disney stories. Tropical Americas is scheduled to open in 2027.
Zootopia: Better Zoogether
Underneath Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life, the opening day show attraction “It’s Tough to be a Bug” will be replaced with an attraction based on Disney’s Zootopia, called “Zootopia: Better Zoogether.” The new show will open under the Tree of Life “next Winter.”
Spaceship Earth-Themed Lounge – EPCOT
Over in EPCOT, a new Spaceship Earth lounge is opening in 2025. According to Disney, the lounge will “take inspiration from the geometric sphere, the zen space to gather and enjoy refreshments will be draped with rich textures and warm metallic tones, giving it a mysterious and elegant intimacy.”
Test Track 3.0 – EPCOT
EPCOT’s fan favorite attraction Test Track (version 2.0) was retired in June 2024 in preparation for a reimagining. At D23, Disney confirmed that version 3.0 will open in 2025.
Disneyland
In California, Both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are creating new attractions.
Avatar Land – Disney California Adventure
A new Avatar-themed land is coming to Disney California Adventure, including an innovative new attraction. The land and attraction are inspired heavily by the 2022 film Avatar: The Way of Water and future Avatar films. Based on concept art, the attraction appears to be a boat-based ride similar to Na’vi River Journey in Pandora: World of Avatar in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. According to Disney, “This new and thrilling excursion will bring all the action, excitement, and wonder of Avatar, taking guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora.”
Avengers Campus Expansion – Disney California Adventure
Avengers Campus will double in size with two new E-ticket attractions.
Avengers Infinity Defense is a multi-world adventure experience, where recruits will chase down King Thanos after he steals technology that allows the Avengers to jump between worlds. Guests will travel to iconic locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City.
Stark Flight Lab will feature Tony Stark welcoming recruits to practice flying and feel like a real Superhero. While flying, guests will sit in two-person pods and deploy to a test station, where a robot arm will grab each pod and whirl it around in simulated flight.
Construction on both attractions will begin next year.
Coco Boat Ride – Disney California Adventure
The first-ever Coco-themed ride in a Disney park is coming to Disney California Adventure.
The attraction will be filled with cutting edge Audio-Animatronic characters and unforgettable music from the beloved movie, as guests join Miguel on a trip to the land of the dead. Construction on this new attraction will begin in 2026.
Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic – Disneyland
The first ever audio-animatronic of Walt Disney is coming next year, and what better place to honor Walt than in the park he called home! A new Disneyland show called “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will play at the Opera House on Main Street, U.S.A. After its initial run, the attraction will play in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
According to Disney, “The past, present and future are coming together, giving visitors the chance to imagine what it would be like to stop by Walt’s office.”
Alternating Walt with Lincoln will be a fitting pair, given that the Honest Abe Animatronic was groundbreaking technology pioneered by Walt and his team in the 1960s. Fun Fact: Abraham Lincoln was Walt Disney’s childhood hero.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – Disneyland
At last, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been given an opening date – Nov. 15, 2024. Visitors to the Princess and the Frog-inspired attraction will experience all new animatronic characters from the 2009 film, as well as others created specifically for the attraction.
The name of the area where Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be located will change from Critter Country to Bayou Country.
Mandalorian and Grogu Join Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run – Disneyland
Similar to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland’s version of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run will be getting a refresh. A new story centered on Mando and his tiny pal will become the new mission, and will hit the Millennium Falcon when the new Mandalorian and Grogu film hits theaters in 2026.
Disneyland Paris
The overseas Disney Parks and getting some new additions as well.
Lion King Land and Flume Ride – Disney Adventure World
Lion King land is coming to Disney Adventure World (formerly known as Walt Disney Studios Park) at Disneyland Paris Resort. This new land will include the first ever ride based on the film – a water attraction D’Amaro said will “go down into the caves beneath Pride Rock to follow Simba on his journey from cub to king.” Aside from the new attraction, the land will be filled out with shopping, dining, and character meet-and-greets.
World of Frozen – Disney Adventure World
Disneyland’s World of Frozen, complete with Frozen Ever After attraction, will open in 2026, along the shores of the new Adventure Bay.
New Nighttime Show – Disney Adventure World
When Adventure Bay is complete, Disney Adventure World will celebrate with the debut of an all-new breathtaking nighttime show, to be performed on the lake of Adventure Bay.
New Nighttime Show Coming to Disneyland Paris in January 2025
New Nighttime Show – Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris will also be joining the evening fun with an all-new nighttime show that will include projections on Main Street U.S.A. for the first time ever.
Shanghai Disneyland
Shanghai Disneyland is getting a Spider-Man themed, high-energy roller coaster. This Spider-Man thrill attraction finds Peter Parker in a bit of a tight spot, and guests will join him on a high-speed journey to get out of trouble.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Spider-Man strikes again! Stark Expo is expanding at Hong Kong Disneyland with an all-new attraction. Tony Stark invites Peter Parker to showcase some of his inventions, catching the attention of one of Spidey’s most formidable villains, Doctor Octopus. As guests try to help Spider-Man protect the new tech, they might get caught in the action!
Disney Cruise Line
If you thought Disney Cruise Line was growing – think again. Disney Cruise Line is getting four new ships between 2027 and 2031. This will bring the fleet size up to thirteen ships.
In addition to the new ships, Disney Cruise Line is developing two Broadway-style stage shows. “Disney Hercules” will be performed on the Disney Destiny when the ship sets sail in November 2025, and “Disney The Tale of Moana” will premier on the Disney Treasure later this year.
Wow, there are soooo many new experiences coming to the Disney Parks (and Disney Cruise Line) in the next few years! Are you interested in taking a trip (or a cruise)? Facts and Figment Vacation Planning can help you score the hardest reservations and best discounts Disney has to offer, at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, or Adventures by Disney. Please start here to begin. Our travel planning services are absolutely FREE, and we can help you score the best, hardest-to-get deals to make your vacation more affordable.
