Sunday, August 11, 2024
Reading time: 5 minutes
At The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa, Josh D’Amaro, President of Disney Experiences, led an unforgettable musical celebration for Disney fans, revealing exciting future plans for Disney parks, cruise ships, and more. Among the highlights was a visionary partnership with Epic Games, set to revolutionize the future of storytelling. The second day of the fan celebration concluded with major announcements, surprise celebrity appearances, and incredible musical performances, leaving fans eagerly anticipating what’s to come.
The announcements included exciting plans for four all-new cruise ships and six immersive themed lands that will allow guests to dive deeper into their favorite stories. These new areas will feature beloved franchises such as Monsters, Inc., Cars, Indiana Jones, Encanto, Avatar, The Lion King and iconic Disney Villains. D’Amaro also revealed the addition of 14 all-new attractions, highlighting fan-favorite stories such as The Avengers and Spider-Man, and the first-ever Coco ride at Disney California Adventure, where guests can join Miguel on an adventure through the Land of the Dead. Additionally, Disney Parks around the world will introduce five new shows and nighttime spectaculars, including “Disney Starlight,” an all-new nighttime show coming to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.
Disney Experiences Gallery Highlights:
1. Disney Cruise Line Expansion – Disney Cruises is set to expand its fleet with four new ships between 2027 and 2031. Once completed, guests will have 13 unique opportunities to enjoy Disney’s signature entertainment, great dining, and exceptional guest service around the world.
2Monsters, Inc. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – This new area will feature Disney’s first-ever suspended roller coaster, allowing guests to soar through the factory’s famous door vaults just like Mike and Sully.
3. Cars in the Magic Kingdom– Pixar Animation Studios’ beloved Cars movie franchise is coming to a new section of Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom. The new area will include two attractions: a high-speed off-road rally race and a family ride designed for even the youngest racers. Construction is set to begin early next year.
4. The villains arrive in the magic kingdom. – A new area dedicated to Disney Villains is currently under construction in the Magic Kingdom. This area will feature two attractions, as well as themed restaurants and shops, creating an immersive experience where “happily ever after” may be just out of reach. This bold new vision promises to deliver an experience that only Disney could create.
5. Tropical America at Disney’s Animal Kingdom– Tropical Americas is set to open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2027 and will feature two unique attractions: an exciting adventure with Indiana Jones exploring an ancient Mayan temple, and a journey through Casita Madrigal from “Encanto,” following Antonio’s story the day after he receives his magical gift. Additionally, a merry-go-round featuring beloved Disney story animals will provide an experience perfect for young families.
6. Avengers Experiences Expanding to California, Shanghai and Hong Kong – Superheroes are set to make an even bigger impact at Disney parks around the world. At Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort, the original Avengers Campus will double in size and add two new attractions: Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab. Shanghai Disney Resort will unveil its first major superhero attraction, a high-octane, Spider-Man-themed roller coaster. Meanwhile, at Hong Kong Disneyland, the Avengers presence will grow with a major new attraction in Tomorrowland, featuring Spider-Man and one of his greatest enemies.
7.The Lion King Area at Disneyland Paris – Following the highly anticipated opening of Frozen in 2026, Disneyland Paris will introduce its first-ever “The Lion King” attraction in the new Lion King themed area at Disney World of Adventures. This area will include dining, shopping and character encounters. The water area will take guests through the caves beneath Pride’s Rock, tracing Simba’s journey from cub to king, reflecting the beloved story from the classic Disney film.
8.Collaboration with Epic Games– During a livestreamed event on Fortnite, Josh D’Amaro was joined on stage by creative leaders from across The Walt Disney Company. Fans can look forward to seeing their favorite characters and stories come together in a connected world where they can watch, play, and even create Disney narratives. The team also announced upcoming characters and skins for Fortnite, featuring Disney Villains, The Incredibles, and The Mandalorian, and showed off a trailer for the upcoming Marvel season featuring Doctor Doom, which will debut on August 16.
These new experiences promise to provide more opportunities for Disney fans around the world to immerse themselves in the fun and magic of timeless Disney stories.
Today’s best moments at the Anaheim Convention Center
Fans at the Anaheim Convention Center enjoyed a day of exciting announcements, with five stages featuring an array of extraordinary programming. Among the highlights, Disney Experiences revealed that the concept of “Directing at Disney” expands from the page to the gallery. The original exhibit, set to open October 17 at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, is curated by Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter and author Don Perry. Reflecting the themes of the book, this special exhibition celebrates the legendary directors behind Walt Disney’s iconic animated films, and showcases a fascinating collection of archival images and rare cinematic artifacts from the Walt Disney Studios.
Disney Original Series Percy Jackson & the Olympians made waves at D23 with a star-studded panel on the premiere stage. Hosted by JoJo Green, aka Straw Hat Goofy, the panel featured main cast members including Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Sava Jeffries (Anna Beth Chase), Arianne Simhadri (Grover Underwood), Charlie Bushnell (Luke Castellan), and Dior Godejohn (Clarice La Rue), all of whom are regulars on the show this season. They were joined by executive producers Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Schutz, and Craig Silverstein. The panel also surprised fans with appearances from Toby Stephens (Poseidon), Jason Mantzoukas (Mr. D/Dionysus), and Daniel Diemer (Tyson). The event marked the first public gathering of all six regular stars from Season 2. Mantzoukas also confirmed his return as the eccentric director of Camp Half-Blood, Mr. D.
At its D23 fan event this weekend, Disney Cruise Line surprised attendees with a major announcement: The fleet will grow with four additional ships, set to debut between 2027 and 2031.
This expansion will bring Disney Cruise Line’s fleet to 13 ships, a significant increase from just a few years ago when the fleet consisted of only four ships. This significant increase highlights Disney’s commitment to enhancing its cruise offerings and providing more magical experiences at sea.
The four new ships announced add to the ships we’re already anticipating. Disney Treasure is set to debut in 2024, followed by Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure in 2025. Additionally, an as-yet-unnamed ship is set to sail in Tokyo in 2029. With these upcoming launches, Disney Cruise Line is poised to offer an even broader array of adventures and destinations to its guests around the world.
Details regarding these upcoming ships are still largely under wraps, leaving much to the imagination as to whether they will join an existing class or introduce an entirely new class of ships. However, the announcement has generated a tremendous amount of excitement among Disney Cruise Line fans, who are eagerly awaiting the potential innovations and magical experiences these new ships may bring. Anticipation is building as fans speculate on how Disney will continue to elevate its cruise offerings, ensuring that each new addition to the fleet delivers the magic and adventure that has become synonymous with the Disney Cruise Line experience.
