D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Parks Panel | 10/08/24

[Intamin Forever]

Welcome to D23 2024!
This year's panel, named "Horizons", is set to be the biggest showcase of Disney Experiences ever!

After 2022, fans have been left disappointed with unconfirmed projects, Blue Sky Sessions and the lack of getting shovels in the dirt. However, this years D23 promises to bring confirmation for many projects, shovels in the ground, plus a few surprises along the way!

Being hosted by Parks Chairman, Josh D'amaro, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California at 7pm(PT), 10pm(ET), 3am(BST) , 4am(CST) on the 10/08/24.

What to expect being announced this year:
Walt Disney World
Tropical Americas Expansion - Animal Kingdom - a brand new 'Encanto' themed Dark Ride, plus the retheme of Dinosaur into Indiana Jones
Pride Lands - Animal Kingdom - a clone of the land coming to Disney Adventure World
Beyond Big Thunder - Magic Kingdom - potential 'Coco' themed attraction, plus the introduction of the phases of expansion
Villains Land - Hollywood Studios - the retheme of Animation Courtyard into a fully fledged Villains themed area
Test Track 3.0 - Epcot - the complete overhaul of Test Track

Disneyland Resort
Walt Disney Animatronic - Disneyland - set to be part of the update to the 'Hall of Presidents'
DisneylandForward - Disneyland - new concept renderings of what they propose to do with the site
Avengers Multiverse E-Ticket - California Adventure - expansion to Avengers Campus
Avatar Land - California Adventure - the largest park expansion ever, with a new, innovative E-Ticket attraction

Tokyo Disneyland
Space Mountain 2.0 - Tokyo Disneyland - a brand new take on the classic attraction
'Wreck It Ralph' Attraction - Tokyo Disneyland - the overhaul of Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters

Shanghai Disneyland
'Spiderman' Roller Coaster - Shanghai Disneyland - set to be part of a unique version of Avengers Campus

Hong Kong Disneyland
Avengers Multiverse E-Ticket - Hong Kong Disneyland - expected to be a clone of the new attraction at California Adventure

Disneyland Paris
Raiponce Tangled Spin - Disney Adventure World - the new spinning family attraction, part of the Adventure Bay expansion
World of Frozen update - Disney Adventure World - an update on construction
Pride Lands - Disney Adventure World - the next expansion for this park, themed to the Lion King, incorporating a boat ride, cloned at Animal Kingdom
Avatar Land - Disney Adventure World - themed to the 3rd instalment of the Avatar franchise, "Avatar: Fire and Ash"
Guardians of the Galaxy/Star Wars Roller Coaster - Disneyland Paris - an expansion to Discoveryland, potentially a full new area

 

[LightningColossus46]

So far a little over halfway through...

Coco and Avatar attractions to California Adventure

Indiana Jones and Encanto dark rides at Animal Kingdom

Monsters Inc. land at Hollywood Studios
Suspended coaster as main ride (looks like Vekoma family model)

Lion King land/log flume at Disney Studios Park

New nighttime spectacular at many parks

2 new Cars rides in a partial Frontierland retheme at the Magic Kingdom. One is billed as a fast moving rally like ride.

Walt Disney animatronic show will switch in rotation style with Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland

Will update in a little bit...there is an illegal live stream from SoCal Parks and Haunts on YouTube

 

[cookie]

The Monster's Inc. door coaster at Hollywood Studios is a big one; been rumored for YEARS. Starting construction next year. Also clearly a Vekoma based on the train design.

Also looks like a new play area will be installed in front.

 

[cookie]

Disney Adventure World's Lion King flume is clearly Splash Mountain with a different skin. Part of a new area called "Pride Lands".

EDIT:

A sneak peek at the model set to be unveiled Sunday morning

 

[cookie]

Frontierland at Magic Kingdom is getting two new rides themed to Cars. One targeted at younger audiences, and one that looks to be a larger thrill ride. Neither is a Radiator Springs Racers clone it appears. Construction starting early next year.

 

[cookie]

The Spider-Man coaster coming to Shanghai has officially been confirmed

EDIT:
Not sure if it's the spinning cars from Cosmic Rewind but the train design looks very similar.

 

[LightningColossus46]

Smugglers Run new storyline featuring the Mandolorian

Shanghai Spider Man coaster (looks like Guardians model from Vekoma)

Hong Kong gets new Spider Man dark ride (looks like the California crapfest style ride)

Multivurse ride for DCA (Avengers Infinity Defense is the new official name for the ride)(similar to Ttansformers style dark ride)

 

[LightningColossus46]

New KUKA arm Forbiden Journey knockoff at DCA themed to a Stark Indusstries.


Sorry if I double or triple post, things are coming left right and Center right now...

 

[cookie]

New vest restraint design on the Kuka arms for the Stark Flight Lab ride coming to California Adventure

 

[cookie]

Avengers: Infinity Defense at California Adventure starts construction early next year

 

[cookie]

Villains Land is officially coming to Magic Kingdom. No construction date set so likely after Cars expansion to Frontierland

EDIT:
Two "major attractions" have been confirmed for the land.

EDIT 2:
PERMITS HAVE BEEN FILED!!!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1822495694260994123

 

[LightningColossus46]

Villansland at Magic Lingdom....holy hell, the theme gods have shone down upon us this fine evening ...up there with most large announcements in one D23 ever
Two new attractions in the land

 

[cookie]

Disney Adventure World's lake is getting a nighttime spectacular with first-of-its-kind "water drones" in partnership with Dronisis

Disneyland Parc is also getting a new nighttime spectacular in January 2025 that will make use of projections spanning the entirety of Main Street

 

[cookie]

Zootopia takes over the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom starting this coming winter

Meanwhile Tropical Americas is set for a 2027 opening with construction beginning this fall. Encanto and Indiana Jones are being done in phases to allow Dinosaur to stay open for as long as possible. Encanto is confirmed to be a dark ride.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens November 15th at Disneyland

 

[cookie]

Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run is getting a major update at both U.S resorts with a new storyline based on The Mandalorian. No timeline set for it yet.

 

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California Adventure is getting Coco and Avatar boat rides along with the Avengers Campus expansion. Coco is set to start construction in 2026. Not sure on the Avatar timeline as of yet.

 

[cookie]

IN SUMMARY:

Walt Disney World:

• Zootopia show opening in the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom during Winter 2025. Likely replacing It's Tough to be a Bug.
• Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom opening 2027. Construction starts this fall.
• New "Spaceship Earth longue" coming to Epcot.
• The re-imagined Test Track will re-open in 2025.
• Hollywood Studios receiving a land themed to Monster's Inc. with a suspended indoor coaster, likely a Vekoma.
• Smuggler's Run will be updated with a new Mandalorian storyline
• "Pirates Longue" bar and restaurant coming to Magic Kingdom's Adventureland in 2025.
• New nighttime parade called "DIsney Starlight" premieres at Magic Kingdom in 2025.
• Frontierland at Magic Kingdom is being expanded with two brand-new attractions themed to Cars. One thrill ride, one for younger audiences. Construction begins next year.
• Villains Land confirmed for Magic Kingdom. No opening timeline but construction has apparently already begun. Two "major attractions" along with shows, dining, and shops confirmed.

Disneyland Anaheim:

• Walt Disney animatronic will be added to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
• Avengers Campus at California Adventure will be expanded with two new rides: the previously announced Avengers Infinity Defense and a KUKA arm attraction called Stark Flight Lab. Robert Downey Jr. will return as Iron Man in both attractions. Construction begins next year.
• California Adventure's Pandora officially confirmed to host a large boat ride.
• New Coco-themed boat ride announced for California Adventure. Construction commences in 2026.
• Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland opens November 15th.
• Smuggler's Run will be updated with a new Mandalorian storyline

Disneyland Paris:

• "Pride Lands" coming to Disney Adventure World with a log flume themed to the Lion King. No opening timeframe, but construction begins 2025.
• Disney Adventure World's new lake will receive a nighttime show with first-of-its-kind "water drones". The new show as well as World of Frozen will debut in 2026.
• New nighttime show premiering at Disneyland Park in January 2025; will use projections spanning the entirety of Main Street

Shanghai Disneyland:

• The leaked Spider-Man rollercoaster is officially confirmed.

EDIT:

Hong Kong Disneyland:

• New Spider-Man themed attraction coming to Tomorrowland. Will feature Spider-Man and guests facing off against Doc Ock. It actually looks like Hong Kong's version of Tower of Terror?!

 

[Crazycoaster]

An interesting move to go for the live action Lion King, rather than the beloved animated film. I get that they’re pushing the live action with an unnecessary prequel, but mehh.

Certainly the most exciting stuff to come out of Disney in a very long time, and it’s nice to see they are finally reacting to Universal.

 

[Ollie]

Quite handy seeing it all in one place rather than trying to scroll through Twitter and piecing it all together so thanks for your work.
Definitely some exciting developments and nice to see they've said they're only announcing actual projects and not just blue sky ideas so we actually have things to look forward to.

Lion King area for Adventure World (still getting used to that name) looks like it'll be a nice unique area for the park which desperately needed a thrilling boat ride.

The villains area is something a lot of people have wanted for a long time so I hope they manage to pull it off and it lives up to expectations.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Very impressed! Kind of awesome to see my two favourite Pixar films getting the rides they deserve! Villains Land is also hopefully going to be an awesome addition.

I feel like maybe I missed something here, but if Universal has a Spiderman ride, how is Disney getting a Spiderman ride? This is probably a dumb question, but yeah.