D23 Announcements!

This year’s D23 event in Anaheim was bursting with extra magic this year, with announcements of new and upcoming experiences coming out quicker than we could keep up! Things got off to a rousing start as Disney shared trailers, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and teasers for many of the films that will be coming in the months and years ahead. The lineup includes:

• Moana 2 (opening November 27 of this year)
• Frozen 3 (2027)
• Incredibles 3 (In production, but no schedule announced)
• Toy Story 5 (Summer 2026)
• Win or Lose (Pixar’s first series for Disney+, premiering December 6, 2024)
• Elio (From Pixar, featuring Zoe Saldana and scheduled for a June 13, 2025 release)
• Hoppers (From Pixar, coming in Spring 2026, starring Jon Hamm, Bobby Moynihan, and Piper Curda)
• Avatar: Fire and Ash (The third installment of the Avatar franchise, opening December 19, 2025)
• The Mandalorian and Grogu (in theaters May 22, 2026)
• Zootopia 2 (coming November 26, 2025)
• Daredevil: Born Again (Season 1 comes to Disney+ March 2025)
• Agatha All Along (Continuing the events of WandaVision, the Disney+ series stars Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza and will start streaming on September 18 of this year)
• Freakier Friday (Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back for their body-swapping sequel, coming in 2025)
• TRON: Ares (2025)
• Mufasa: The Lion King (coming to theaters December 20, 2024)
• Lilo & Stitch (live-action adaptation coming in 2025)
• Snow White (Featuring Rachel Zegler in the title role and Gal Godot as the Evil Queen, premiering March 21, 2025)

 

Magic Around the World

Before we dive into the announcements made for Walt Disney World in Florida, here is a quick round-up of what’s coming to Disney parks around the world (and beyond).

The Disney Cruise Line Will Be Adding Four New Ships

The new ships will bring the fleet’s complement to 13, giving you 13 different opportunities to experience everything that Disney Cruise Line is known for. While the ship’s names, designs, and itineraries are still in development, it was revealed that they will be arriving between 2027 and 2031.

Avatar-themed Land Announced for Disney California Adventure

Guests will soon be sharing the greeting “Oel ngati kameie” (“I see you” in Na’vi) when this all-new, exciting destination arrives with awe-inspiring sights and experiences.

Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics Figure Coming to Disneyland

For the first time ever, you can see and hear Walt Disney brought to life through the magic of Audio-Animatronics. “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” (arriving in 2025) will debut inside the Main Street Opera House and, after its initial run, will play in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”

New Avengers Experiences Coming to Parks Around the World

An all-new Spider-Man thrill attraction is coming to Shanghai Disneyland, while a Stark Expo-inspired attraction will debut in Hong Kong Disneyland. Tony Stark has invited his friend and new Stark Industries intern, Peter Parker, to showcase some new inventions, but unfortunately, that also means this has also caught the attention of one of Spidey’s most formidable villains.

Disney California Adventure will also be introducing not one, but two brand new attractions to Avengers Campus. Avengers Infinity Defense will give you the chance to travel to iconic locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City alongside the likes of big, and small, heroes. You also just might find yourself face-to-face with King Thanos, too.

In Stark Flight Lab, you and your companion will sit in a two-person pod as you are deployed to a test station. There, a robot arm grabs your pod and starts whirling you around in a simulated flight. Best of all, you’ll be joined by Mr. Stark himself, Robert Downey Jr., who will be reprising his role as Tony Stark in the new attractions.

The Lion King Roars Into Disneyland Paris

In the first-ever ride-through attraction themed to the classic film The Lion King, Guests will be able to follow Simba’s journey from cub to king.

Coco is Coming to California Adventure

Guests will have the chance to travel to the Land of the Dead with Miguel and his skeletal family in this all-new attraction coming to Disney California Adventure. Construction will begin in 2026.

 

D23 Announcements for Florida

Most of this year’s announcements focused on Walt Disney World, with updates on previously announced projects, along with a host of new surprises. We’ll start with a visit from Mike Wazowski (that’s “Wazowski” with one eye!).

 

 

 

Monsters, Inc. Land Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, with a little help from Billy Crystal, revealed plans for a not-at-all-scary “Monsters, Inc.” themed area where you’ll be able to stroll the streets alongside some of your favorite monsters.

Humans have now been invited to visit the world of Monsters, Inc. — and the monsters need laughter to power the city and keep it running smoothly. But it’s not a true visit without the factory itself. You’ll be able to see the sights, hear the laughs, and zoom through the building just like James P. Sullivan (a.k.a. Sulley) and Mike Wazowski — via a door!

A Monsters Inc. roller coaster inspired by that famous door scene has long been on everyone’s Disney wish list, and now that wish is coming true. The new attraction will be Disney’s first suspended coaster. The factory claws will grab you (well, your door, actually) and hoist you into the air for a thrilling adventure.

An opening date wasn’t announced, but work on the project is slated to begin next year.

 

 

Ka-Chow! Cars is Coming to the Race Into Magic Kingdom

A new area inspired by the Pixar classic Cars will be coming to a reimagined section of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. On this adventure, you’ll be able to experience not one but two exciting Cars-themed attractions. One attraction will invite you on a thrilling rally race through the mountains. Take on wild terrain as you race across the landscape, climbing mountain trails, dodging geysers, and — Mater’s favorite — splashing through mudholes.

But what about smaller racers? The second attraction will be geared towards them and will be fun for the whole family. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025.

 

 

Villains Land Will Cast a Spell Over the Magic Kingdom

Once upon a nightmare… A place where poison apples are aplenty and magic potions can ruin your whole day. For all those things hiding in the shadows, it’s time to join them as Disney unveiled the forthcoming Villains Land coming to the Magic Kingdom.

The new land will encompass all your dreams- er, nightmares. The space will be home to two major attractions, dining, and shopping on an incredibly twisted grand scale. Preparations are already underway at Magic Kingdom for this new land. Maybe think twice before you indulge in that next shiny red apple…

 

 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Will be Welcoming Indiana Jones and ‘Encanto’

Welcome to Pueblo Esperanza, a new area themed around the Tropical Americas. Just like Harambe, this new land will feel lived in and have a long, rich history. It will be home to a large hacienda, which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World.

The space will be lush and sprawling, featuring a large fountain in the center where the villagers like to gather and tell stories. Additionally, a woodcarver has created a giant working carousel featuring his favorite animals from Disney stories. It’s a new take on a classic attraction that young families are going to love.

That’s not all that will be located here – the new land will include not one but two signature attractions!

A new Indiana Jones experience is set to arrive in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and will be different from any other Indiana Jones experience around the world. In this new venture, the man with the hat has recently discovered a perfectly preserved Maya temple, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to explore it. He’s heard rumors about a mythical creature deep within the temple — and he’s got to see it for himself. So, he brings us along on the adventure… but will there be snakes? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of drawers, floors, and doors, let’s go! The first-ever “Encanto”-themed ride-through attraction is coming to Animal Kingdom, featuring the beloved Madrigal family. Inside the Casita, Antonio has just received his special gift — the ability to communicate with animals — and his room has transformed into a rainforest. It’s time to explore alongside him, and you never know what member of the family you might bump into.

 

 

Grogu Comes to Galaxy’s Edge

When The Mandalorian and Grogu blasts off in theaters in 2026, it will also touch down at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. A brand-new story featuring Mando and his youngling is coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. As Star Wars creative executive Dave Filoni explained at D23, the Lucasfilm team used Epic’s Unreal Engine to create some of the virtual sets for “The Mandalorian.” This partnership now allows them to bring to life the latest adventure in a galaxy far, far away. “The intersection of storytelling and innovation has always been central to Lucasfilm and we’re excited to see where this collaboration will take us next,” Dave said. “Just imagine it: you’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions.”

 

 

Reimagined Test Track Opens in 2025

The new Test Track will celebrate today’s innovation while highlighting the past, present, and future. The queue will feature six distinct exhibits, and within each room, celebrate the vehicles – and people behind the vehicles – that push the envelope and help get people to the next chapter in our motion journey.

New show scenes will be added showcasing technological advances and how our lifestyles and relationships to mobility connect everyone. You’ll be able to enjoy a joy ride through scenes focusing on onboard technology, customization, and personalization, followed by a trip through a scenic outdoor route reminding us all of the joys of driving, taking in the world around us, and spending quality time with friends and family.

 

 

All-New Nighttime Parade Coming to Magic Kingdom in Summer 2025

Picture this: you’re nestled on Main Street, U.S.A. with your loved ones getting ready to watch a nighttime parade come to life right before your eyes. Maybe you’ve got a churro or a Mickey Ice Cream bar in hand, or are eyeing a nearby popcorn cart, who knows! But the lights dim, the music swells, and now you’re watching a brand-new nighttime spectacular at the Magic Kingdom Park.

You don’t have to imagine this for much longer, because in summer 2025, a brand-new parade will make its way to the Most Magical Place On Earth. The new parade, “Disney Starlight,” will continue the nighttime spectacular legacy started by the “Main Street Electrical Parade,” using the latest technology to tell new stories about the characters you love. All of this is brought to life by the magic of the Blue Fairy, in addition to beloved characters from Peter Pan, Encanto, Frozen, and more.

 

 

Two New Lounges Coming to the Parks

Finally, for those of you who like to kick back and relax, you’ll be able to chill at two new lounges coming soon to Walt Disney World. The first is inspired by Spaceship Earth and by this timeless icon’s stories, shapes, and enduring legacy. Taking 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.

Another lounge, announced at last year’s D23 event, will be themed to Pirates of the Caribbean. The rambunctious watering hole 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! In the newly released artwork, X marks the spot for a sea-worthy selection of grogs and grub inside this tavern location coming to Magic Kingdom. Both spaces should begin welcoming Guests in 2025.

Catch up on Summer Fun in Walt Disney World with the new Summer issue of Celebrations Disney Magazine!

Immerse yourself in the magic of Disney with features and pictorials on:
• Summer Fun at Walt Disney World
• The BoardWalk and BoardWalk Inn Resort
• Disney Parades Throughout the Years
• Percy Jackson
• Wayback Machine: The World of Motion
• Top Ten Facts About the Dreamfinder

• and Much More!!