The annual, highly-anticipated D23 Expo took place last weekend in sunny Anaheim, California and boy, did it deliver. There were so many announcements that this post simply cannot cover them all. There’s lots of folks out there who report on Disney, and I’ll leave one of my favorites right here for your perusing.
With that said, there were lots of standouts for me (mostly in the parks arena) and those are what I’m going to focus on today. I don’t know if I’ve had a chance to talk about this in previous posts but I’m fairly open-minded when it comes to changes at the Disney parks. Like all passionate fandoms, there’s going to be people who express their discontent (oftentimes very loudly for a very public audience) that “it’s a travesty that something is being removed” or such-and-such “has lost all of its charm and direction” or - my personal favorite - “Walt’s rolling in his grave.”
I typically don’t fall into that camp, and I usually don’t entertain it either. Don’t get me wrong - I’m happy to provide constructive feedback on a product that I pay for and recognize where Disney could’ve done better but I’m not going to take to social media with an Official Statement™ just because there’s a new headline. I trust Imagineering to provide a quality experience and while I enjoy some more than others, they haven’t let me down.
As you’ll read below, there’s going to be some pretty major changes happening over the next few years. The quote below was particularly exciting to hear because that means it’s all happening. These projects aren’t in “blue sky” territory anymore.1
“At 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 we’re 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 you’re going to hear tonight.” - Josh D’Amaro, Disney Experiences Chairman
You heard the man; dirt is moving. So without further adieu, let’s dive into a selection of exciting projects that Disney is currently fleshing out for us.
By the way, if you’d like to watch all of Saturday night’s events, here’s a solid video that was streamed live from the convention center.
Seeing original art from some of my favorite artists who work with Disney to design spectacular visuals and products for special projects and events, like the D23 Expo. Their pieces were featured on screen during Saturday’s event and look how perfect they are. Not going to lie, Ashley’s “Illuminations” piece made me a lil’ misty eyed, especially when I realized it was introducing a live performance of “We Go On” and “Wishes” by Pentatonix.
Speaking of, Hayden Evans designed the artwork for D23 Day at Disneyland and it’s seriously one of my new favorites. I just love the colors, geometric elements, and mid-century flair!
Meghan Trainor singing “Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)” (to a live orchestra!) which, if you don’t already know, was Walt Disney’s favorite song that he would regularly request the Sherman Brothers play for him in his office at the studio. It became such a favorite that Walt would simply say “play it” and they knew what he wanted to hear. Reader, I cried.
Our favorite chief flight attendant, Patrick Warburton (who’s also the voice of Kronk), treating everyone to a special Soarin’ Over D23 that was filled with lots of meta humor, nostalgia, and that silky, silky voice.
On Sunday evening, 13 inductees were named Disney Legends in recognition for their creative contributions to the Disney legacy. It’s remarkable to put into perspective just how much of a mark each of these individuals have left in their area(s) of expertise but also the world of entertainment at large. I’ll let you read more about the guests of honor here and if you’d like to watch the ceremony, it’s available for streaming on Disney+.
Two words - Villains Land. Holy…moly. This idea was thrown around by fans when Disney announced earlier this year that we could expect some new additions to the Magic Kingdom. Not much concept art was shown at D23, but the piece that was looks absolutely chilling. Maleficent is certainly getting her moment and I, for one, love that for her.
And on that note regarding additions to the Magic Kingdom, we’re getting our own lil’ version of Cars Land with two new attractions in Frontierland! Based on the concept art, the setting looks like it might be more forested so it could serve as a great thematic and environmental transition between the area surrounding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a more desert-like Frontierland, and nearby Fantasyland. The experience is described as a “thrilling rally race through the mountains, climbing trails, and dodging geysers,” and call me unorthodox but I actually love this slight reimagining of Frontierland. However, Disney did confirm that this area will replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, which is kind of a bummer but - deep inhale - I trust their vision.
“Together, these new additions to Magic Kingdom will represent the largest expansion in park history.” - Disney Parks Blog
The new Tropical Americas corner (replacing DinoLand U.S.A.) of Animal Kingdom will feature not only an Indiana Jones ride, but also an Encanto attraction and area fitted with the Madrigal family’s Casita. It was mentioned that this land will have the same “lived-in feel” as Harambe Marketplace around the corner in Africa, and I cannot wait to soak up all the sights and sounds.
Frozen 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With some stunning concept art by Brittney Lee and the promise of another film (?!) to boot. Also, is that a viking in the bottom corner…? I’m counting down the days to Thanksgiving 2027.
We already knew that Disney California Adventure would be welcoming it’s own version of Pandora, but D23 guests were treated to some updated concept art and story framework for the land. Since it’s still in development, the video above shows three 3-D models that Imagineers are exploring as possible “weenies” for Pandora.2 I love all the lil’ notes and props.
Um, Hollywood Studios is getting a Monsters, Inc. Land with a roller coaster attraction - are you freakin’ kidding me? Out of all the news, I think this is what I’m most excited to see in person. I just know it’s going to be so fun and colorful and themed to perfection. And a bonus? It was announced by the Billy Crystal, aka Mike Wazowski. So fun and I’m not jealous at all. At all.
The Magic Kingdom will debut a new nighttime parade, “Disney Starlight”, next summer! It’ll follow in the footsteps of the “Main Street Electrical Parade” (R.I.P.) and feature the latest technologies to light up the streets of the Most Magical Place on Earth. The Blue Fairy will be the ringleader, with characters from Peter Pan, Frozen, Encanto, and more favorite films following behind her. A new nighttime show will be debuting next January at Disneyland Paris too!
Walt Disney World is getting two new lounge spaces next year - a Pirates of the Caribbean lounge (eek!) in the Magic Kingdom and a Spaceship Earth-themed lounge (I wonder what libation our pal Bucky preferred…) at Epcot. As a lover of kitschy, atmospheric tiki bars, I am so excited for this.
Next year, the first-ever Audio-Animatronic figure of Walt Disney will be featured in “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” This new experience will debut inside the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland and will play in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” after its initial run. All I’ve got to say to this is wow, and being on the team to develop this must be quite the challenge and honor.
Disney Cruise Line is adding not one, not two, but four new ships to its fleet, which would bring the total number to a whoppin’ 13 ships. With that news, I wouldn’t be shocked if they retired one or two of the original ships within the next few years.
There’s going to be an area themed to The Lion King at Disneyland Paris’ second park, which will soon be renamed to Disney Adventure World. The land will feature a log flume ride with Simba and his pals and, if the film is any prediction, a roarin’ good time.
All of the goofy, meta Deadpool bits toward the end of Saturday night’s presentation. I’m glad to know the broken Yeti is also a joke amongst executives and Imagineers.
I’m not sure if the Disney Store has done this in the past, but they released a bunch of new merchandise online that originally debuted at their D23 booth. I set my alarm on launch day and was able to grab this stunning teacup and saucer set (designed by Ashley Taylor and Ashley Eckstein) and raven shoulder plush.
Well, that’s all I’ve got! It’s going to be a busy few years for Disney, and I cannot wait to see what they dream up for us. In the meantime, I’ll be thinking of all the ways I can MacGyver my way into scoring tickets to a future D23 Expo (ha!).
Out of all the announcements made last weekend, what development are you most excited for? Did I leave something off my recap that you want to highlight? Leave me a comment and let me know!
See ya real soon,
👋🏻 Lookin’ for more magic? Come say “hi” on Instagram!
☕ Help fuel those early mornings and late nights by buying me a coffee
💬 Found something in this post that resonated with you? Highlight and share it as a note to your Substack feed!
💌 Spread the magic by sending this post to a fellow Disney nerd
🗣️ Got a Substack of your own? Recommend Magic, Noted to your readers!
In the world of Imagineering, the term “blue sky” refers to a period of time within a project’s initial development phase where ideas aren’t bound by constraints, like budgets, physical space, etc. Anything is possible, and all ideas are encouraged.
Coined by Walt, a “weenie” is a structural icon that catches one’s attention from afar and gives them enough information to draw them in closer. You might be familiar with some weenies, such as Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom and the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom.