Disney Travel News
News & Updates from Destination D23!
By Disney Destinations
Destination D23 presented by Lug is underway, and we’re
sharing all the news and updates coming to our Disney Destinations!
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro
is presenting “A Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products:
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” at the event and offering a look at what’s
coming to life at our parks, resorts and beyond – along with a few special surprises!
Ahsoka will become part of our popular Star Tours attraction
at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and Disneyland Park in California – beginning
next spring.
Asha, from the new Disney animated film “Wish” will also
soon be coming to EPCOT and Disneyland Resort.
Hatbox Ghost is coming to the Haunted Mansion attraction in
Florida in late November! Disney Imagineer Daniel Joseph is joining Josh on
stage for the exciting announcement and sharing more about Hatbox Ghost – one of
our most well-known grim grinning ghosts. Hatbox Ghost will be materializing in
the Haunted Mansion as you pass the attraction’s Endless Hallway.
At Disney California Adventure Park, a new world-jumping
vehicle is coming to the next attraction in Avengers Campus to help transport
Super Heroes into the Multiverse. Brent Strong, executive creative director at
Walt Disney Imagineering, is sharing an early peek at the ride vehicle
featuring a design that combines elements of Tony Stark’s time-suits with Xandarian
jump points and Wakandan technology. More details on this high-tech vehicle
that’ll travel to new worlds are coming
in the future!
At Walt Disney World, the Country Bear Jamboree is getting new
songs and the bears will be performing a new act in 2024! Disney Imagineer
Chris Beatty is on stage with Josh and says when the show debuts, the bears
will be reinterpreting favorite Disney Songs in different genres of country
music. Imagineers are envisioning the new experience as a homage to the classic
musical revues in Nashville and they’re working with Nashville musicians to get
the authentic country sound. The Country Bear Jamboree will still have the fun
and friendly tone fans enjoy with the same famous characters like the loveable
Trixie, Big Al and others.
A new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge is coming to
Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida. This first of its kind
experience will extend the story of Pirates of the Caribbean. Imagineers are in
the process now and more details are coming in the future.
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana will open on Oct. 16,
2023! Journey of Water is a new walk-through experience located within World
Nature – the EPCOT neighborhood dedicated to understanding and preserving he
beauty and balance of the natural world. For more details on the experience,
check out our new story (to be added). Also, on Oct. 16 - Moana will arrive in World Nature and make
her first appearance in her own dedicated space near Journey of Water.
At EPCOT, the World Celebration neighborhood will begin
welcoming guests this December! World Celebration will unite the front of the
park, tying together the other two new EPCOT neighborhoods, World Discovery and
World Nature. The completion of the last of the park’s three neighborhoods will
be the latest major milestone multi-year transformation of EPCOT.
A new nighttime spectacular at EPCOT called “Luminous The Symphony
of Us” will debut on Dec. 5
th, 2023!
Also at EPCOT, Test Track will be reimagined! Imagineers
along with teams from Chevrolet are reaching back into history for inspiration –
from original World of Motion – and bringing the spirit of optimism to the next
iteration of the Test Track attraction! More to come in the future.
Thomas Mazloun, president of Disney Signature Experiences,
is joining Josh on stage to share updates on Disney Cruise Line as it prepares
for a period of growth unlike anything ever experienced before! Right now,
there are three new ships in development along with Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse
Point – a brand new island destination! Disney teams are collaborating with
talented artists and cultural advisors in the Bahamas to shape an experience
that celebrates the natural beauty, traditions and artistry of the one-of-a-kind
nation.
Disney Adventure is the name of Disney Cruise Line’s newest
ship! Disney Adventure is the seventh ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and
work is currently underway in Germany. It’ll be the first Disney ship to sail
from Singapore and throughout Southeast Asia and feature the Disney service,
storytelling and entertainment everyone knows and loves.
A new show based on “Zootopia” is being created for the Tree
of Life theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! The current concept for the new “Zootopia”
experience has guests visiting the different biomes you only glimpse in the film,
traveling along with Judy Hopps, Nick Wild and other characters. Imagineers are
currently finalizing the concept and more details will be coming in the future.
Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney
Imagineering, is joining Josh for a special “Blue Sky” look at what’s possible
when dreaming big at Disney Parks. Future expansion plans for Magic Kingdom in
Florida are the largest ever for the park, according to Bruce. Imagineers are
looking to tell stories “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” similar in scale to
things like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora – The World of Avatar – adding
new attractions, restaurants, shows and more! More details to come in the
future.
New experiences inspired by “Encanto” – the Academy Award
winning Walt Disney Animation Studios film – and the fan-favorite adventure
Indiana Jones are being considered for the reimagined land at Disney’s Animal
Kingdom! Bruce says there’s a long way to go and a lot more to discover but Imagineering
teams in Florida are up for the challenge. Stay tuned for more details in the
future.
Figment will begin meeting guests inside the Imagination
Pavilion at EPCOT beginning tomorrow – Sept. 10!
We hope you’re as excited as we are for all of these
announcements!
