Credit: DisneyToday has been a massive day for news in the Disney community as Destination D23 has been shattering theme park media with tons of new announcements coming to Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and more.
Destination D23 is a massive event that allows Disney to share all of the new and exciting things that guests and fans alike can come to expect at the theme parks in the years to come.
One of the first announcements came as a new character was stated to be coming to Disney World, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. Disney’s newest animated film, Wish, will be debuting this November, and will be joining the 100 years of animation celebration at the theme parks. As we shared, Wish tells the story of Asha (Ariana DeBose), a young girl who must save her kingdom from its evil King Magnifico (Chris Pine), who’s stealing the wishes of everyone for himself. Adding Asha to the mix is quite exciting, especially with Figment also coming to EPCOT shortly.
Asha isn’t the only big character news we recieved. Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Josh D’Amaro, took the stage to announce some major news concerning one of our favorite Jedi, Ahsoka Tano. Following the hit Disney+ series Ahsoka, we also saw the Jedi come to Disneyland Park in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as a meet and greet character.
Speaking of Disneyland, we have some big Avengers Campus news as well. Although Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure are fun rides, many have been awaiting news on what was promised to be a major E-ticket attraction.
Initial information revealed that the ride would see the Avengers face off against King Thanos in the multiverse, but now, we have concept art of the ride vehicle, which resembles a ship that we will fly in. No opening date has been revealed as of yet.
The Country Bear Jamboree in Magic Kingdom will also be getting a new update with all-new music. According to Disney, the update will include country versions of several classic and beloved Disney songs, like “The Bear Necessities” from The Jungle Book. We will see and hear musical tones of rockabilly, bluegrass, and pop country.
With Magic Kingdom attractions in mind, The Haunted Mansion has patiently been awaiting a happy haunt, and now we have more information! Disney has confirmed that the Hat Box Ghost will officially become part of the Haunted Mansion in late November, after the Halloween season and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
Over in EPCOT, we also got major news! Test Track is set to receive a massive overhaul in the next few years. Imagineers will team up with Chevrolet, the attraction’s sponsor, to introduce a “reimagined” iteration of Test Track. This will reportedly take inspiration from its predecessor, World of Motion, and bring “that spirit of optimism” to the ride.
Now, what about Magic Kingdom? During D23 in 2022, Disney spoke of blue sky projects, including the Beyond Big Thunder project which was set to expand Magic Kingdom. Here, we were shown the possibility of Encanto growing into the park, but now with Animal Kingdom potentially housing the IP, it may not be needed at Magic Kingdom. We also heard of the possibility of a villain’s land, which had all fans excited.
Now, Bruce Vaughn, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering shared more news on the expansion. Although theming is still under wraps, the scale of this expansion will be similar to Pandora — The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and will be the largest expansion ever at Magic Kingdom. We are expected to see new rides, shops, dining locations, and even shows!
With villains being a fan-favorite for a Magic Kingdom expansion, many are holding out hope that Magic Kingdom will soon have Cinderella Castle, and one that is much darker. Soon we may see Gaston from Beauty and the Beast (1991), Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty (1959), and Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians / 101 Dalmations (1961), and more have their own space.
What would you like to see in a Magic Kingdom expansion?
Are you looking to visit Magic Kingdom on your next Disney World vacation? There is no better feeling than riding the monorail after parking at the Ticket and Transportation Center (or riding it from a monorail Resort such as Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) and walking down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. U.S.A. with Cinderella Castle greeting you in the distance! Indulging in churros and Mickey Premium Bars while waiting in line for attractions like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is always a great way to enjoy the lines, and a midday break to watch Festival of Fantasy doesn’t hurt either. Nothing tops ending the night with their Happily Ever After fireworks spectacle. For more Disney information, information on Disney Genie+, and to look at booking a vacation, the Walt Disney World website is a perfect one-stop shop for all things Mickey Mouse. Plus, it has all the information you need on Disney Genie+, so you will be ready to go on your My Disney Experience app once you download it! Click here to check it out today.