Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), FlickrIf you were anticipating a wave of new Disney park announcements later this month, we have some bad news.
Back in 2023, The Walt Disney Company amazed fans with the confirmation that it would invest a whopping $60 billion into its theme parks and experiences across the globe. It’s marked the following years with long lists of announcements for everywhere from Disneyland Resort to Shanghai Disneyland, with Walt Disney World Resort arguably receiving the most impressive array of new lands and attractions.
Over the coming years, Disney’s Orlando theme park destination is undergoing a massive makeover. Its original park, Magic Kingdom, recently closed the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island in order to begin work on a new Cars Land and, eventually, an area inspired by Disney Villains.
It’s also currently in the process of wrapping up a new Pirates of the Caribbean bar and updating its version of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, which will receive a new character called Buddy and (finally) handheld blaster guns like those found at Disneyland Park.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Muppet*Vision 3D said a permanent farewell earlier this year to make way for a new land inspired by Monsters, Inc. The Muppets aren’t totally gone for good, however, with Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster set to close in 2026 to ditch its Aerosmith theme and welcome Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and friends for a new take on the indoor thrill ride.
Animation Courtyard and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! will close beginning September 25, 2025, as Disney replaces the area with The Walt Disney Studios (complete with a brand-new Sorcerer’s Hat).
Meanwhile, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is also slowly but surely closing down DinoLand U.S.A. so it can push ahead with a new Tropical Americas area, featuring attractions inspired by Encanto and Indiana Jones. We also bid adieu to It’s Tough to Be a Bug! in March, so Disney could install Zootopia: Better Zoogether! in the Tree of Life theater.
In short, Disney World is going through a lot right now. However, that hadn’t stopped some fans from hoping that the upcoming Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney event at Walt Disney World Resort would usher in a new swathe of theme park announcements, with some suggesting that this would involve an update for Journey Into Imagination With Figment.
Sadly, it doesn’t seem like this will be the case.
Confirmed Destination D23 Schedule Sparks Disappointment
Disney has released the official schedule for this year’s Destination D23 – which takes place at Disney’s Coronado Springs from August 29 to August 31 – and fans were shocked to notice that it doesn’t feature a parks panel.
NEW: Here’s a look at the full Destination D23 event/panels schedule. The event runs Aug. 29-31 at Walt Disney World Resort.
NEW: Here's a look at the full Destination D23 event/panels schedule. The event runs Aug. 29-31 at Walt Disney World Resort. pic.twitter.com/OBzMkCcAxA
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) August 12, 2025
While Destination D23 is typically more focused on history and celebratory panels than the larger D23: The Ultimate Fan Event (which is held in Anaheim on alternating years), the Destination D23 event in 2023 featured a pretty lengthy parks panel. It was during this panel that Disney finally confirmed the permanent closure of DinoLand U.S.A., the now-complete revamp of Test Track, and the debut of Luminous: The Symphony of Us.
Unsurprisingly, fans are pretty disappointed.
“What a waste of a D23 event,” wrote one X user. “So glad I didn’t fork out that much money to attend. Shame on D23.”
Another said, “No parks panel at Destination D23 is lowkey crazy.”
It’s worth noting that this doesn’t mean we won’t receive no new information about Disney parks at Destination D23. Several panels featured on the schedule make for perfect opportunities to reveal new information about ongoing projects.
That includes “Disney Villains: Icons of Evil,” which seems like the ideal time to share more details on the Disney Villains land heading to Magic Kingdom. Notably, Disney has reportedly started polling parkgoers on their favorite villains lately, which may be a sign that it’s narrowing down who to feature in the land.
Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Studios Showcase is sure to include some exciting news on upcoming films, such as the Moana live-action remake and Zootopia 2.
How do you feel about the confirmed lineup for Destination D23?