D23 Disney Insights Predictions

This upcoming week is D23 and there is heightened expectation around what we’ll be shared by the Disney Experiences group led by Josh D’ Amaro. Called Horizons a D23 Disney Experience Showcase, Disney fans are in great anticipation of what will be announced. We go across the globe to all Disney Resorts as well as the Disney Cruise Line. We discuss what details we think will, could and should be presented at D23.

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Note: Since recording this, permits were being pulled for Reflections, a DVC resort being located on Bay Lake adjacent to Fort Wilderness. We will discuss more in the next podcast.

What Kind of D23 is This Going to Be?

“Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, will take place on Saturday, August 10 at the Honda Center. Josh D’Amaro will welcome fans as he takes the stage with surprise stars and special guests for a live celebration of the music and creativity that power our stories and — of course — news and updates about projects in development around the world. The future is bright for Disney Experiences and this can’t-miss showcase will show fans what’s on the horizon and beyond.”

D23 has sort of set up itself to needing to give a “wow” experience to those who attend this conference. Here are some of those factors:

• A promised 60 billion investment
• $99+ ticket to the Honda Center
• It promises music and surprise stars
• Failed promises delivered in the past
• Disappointing blue sky discussion in the past
• Competition coming in the future
• You titled it using the biggest trigger word in the world–Horizons

It should be noted that several minor–and one major announcement has been made in the last few days, from a new Country Bear Barbecue Jamboree to details on the Disney Destiny Ship to the announcement of a new Disney Cruise Ship in conjunction with Oriental Land Company. This gives us hope that they aren’t going to waste their time announcing new character meet ‘n’ greets (remember Figment?) and other minor happenings, but will focus on serious investments worthy of a 60 billion dollar price tag.

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary

Unlike Walt Disney World who forgets their anniversaries by the time it turns noon on the day of, Disneyland’s guests relish their anniversaries. Something must be in order, but it must be better than the Pixar Fest of this year, which did not gravitate attention at all.

Note, that fireworks, parades, and probably World of Color will be part of this celebration. But what about something very different?

Disneyland Forward

With approvals, everyone is excited to see what Disneyland will pull off. But there are some important dominos in play:

• 17,000 Eastern Parking Structure
• Pedestrian Bridges over Harbor Boulevard
• New restructuring of security & Promenade entry
• Revised Promenade
• Changes in Disney Hotel Parking
• New Road Work on West Street
• Anaheim Garden Walk–Re-purchased in 2019, Developers are delinquent in changes

Disneyland Park

Tiana & Critter Country

An update on Tiana is expected. Probably something more on the Critter Country Space

Tomorrowland Announcement

I believe Bruce Vaughn knows this needs attention. It makes sense to do something here before constructing the Disneyland Forward park segments. Problematic is that the best realty is a multi-layered and inter-connected web of:

• Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Old Motor Boat Ride
• Autopia
• Former PeopleMover
• Highway in the Sky Monorail

The other big piece is Carousel of Progress building which takes up a lot of real estate as well. But what if you could have a Carousel show that showcased Walt Disney’s life with Walt Disney himself. D23 utilized a hologram for the D23 exhibit. Jack on DSNY talks about adding Walt as an animatronic to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. But what if the four stages showcased aspects of Walt Disney’s Life, and then the escalator allowed you to see a museum, gallery and future showcase? If done well, it could alter the Carousel at Magic Kingdom as well. I’m might be a great addition with Mickey’s 100th birthday in a few years.

Frozen Announcement

If anything could be added to Disneyland first, it would likely be Frozen, which is the only Disney resort in the world that has no real Frozen component.

Disney California Adventure

A Bluey & Bingo Meet ‘n’ Greet or Show

Pandora: World of Avatar

It’s really unclear where this is going, but it has been made very clear from Bob Iger himself that it’s going in. And the artwork is enough to excite anyone. Something more will be said in D23, but what and where is the question.

Avengers Multiverse Attraction

Tokyo Disneyland Resort

Tokyo Disneyland

Wreck It Ralph Attraction

This attraction, not seemingly related to Tomorrowland, but maybe, is replacing Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.

Space Mountain

The park just celebrated the ending of the first Space Mountain and is now constructing a new Space Mountain experience.

Tokyo Disney Sea

This park is coming off of one major addition–or literally–three additions plus a major resort. What more do you need?

Between Lost River Delta and Port Discovery lies a piece of land that is the potential for a whole new land. Something Moana would be perfect here. But it probably wouldn’t be announced in this experience.

Shanghai Disneyland Resort

New Resort Hotel Adjacent to Shanghai Disneyland Resort

The yet-to-be-named resort will be an homage to Shanghai’s unique early 20th-century architectural legacy, influenced by Art Nouveau architecture and design. All of this, plus a big touch of Disney.

New Spiderman Roller Coaster

This is intended to be adjacent to then new Zootopia district, riding between Fantasyland and Adventure Isle. There is little sense in this other than the land adjacent to all this outside the park’s borders.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

20th Anniversary

This is their 20th anniversary, so it’s expected that their will be a big celebration.

Avengers Multiverse Attraction

While they have a smaller campus, Hong Kong Disneyland took out their Autopia and made way for space to house an Avengers Multiverse Attraction. This same thing should be coming to Disneyland Paris as well, with all three built simultaneously like Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge is.

Disneyland Paris Resort

The Paris strategy is Disney’s best way to keep the U.K. market in a two-punch struggle with Universal going to Great Britain. So what could be built?

Disneyland Paris

Indiana Jones or Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge or Nothing

If work is being done on an Indiana Jones ride at Walt Disney World, why not in Paris. Rumors showed someone with drawings on their I-pad of a Galaxy’s Edge adjoining Star Tours at Disneyland Paris’s Discoveryland.

Disney Adventure World

World Premiere

Adventure Bay

This is a connecting corridor that includes

• Rapunzel Gardens
• Tangled Spin
• The Regal View

World of Frozen

Beyond Frozen, what else could be in the works for the Adventure Bay Area?

• Star Wars
• More Marvel
• The Lion King
• Zootopia
• Moana
• Coco–adjoining the Carstastrophe section

Walt Disney World Resort

Competing with Epic Universe Next Summer or in 2026

The short term answer with succeeding in this is by doing the following:

• Bringing a parade to Magic Kingdom
• New Castle Show at Magic Kingdom
• Creating Special Night Events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• A Scarier Halloween Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Getting the new Test Track 3.0 up and going
• Creating a new Festival at Epcot
• Getting Zootopia into Disney’s Animal Kingdom Tree of Life Theater
• Bringing Drone Experiences into Nighttime Shows

A New Magic Kingdom Deluxe Resort

Changes and approvals given by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Group suggests that there is space closer than any other previous Magic Kingdom resort for a new hotel. Questions include:

• What will be the theme?
• What involvement will there be with DVC?
• Will it be a monorail hotel?
• Will it have its own access to Magic Kingdom?

NOTE: Over the weekend Disney filed permits for work on Reflections. So while not mentioned in the podcast, expect more to come this week on it.

Magic Kingdom

Beyond Big Thunder

It’s pretty clear Coco is going in beyond Big Big thunder, and that Villains Land is Going on Beyond Haunted Mansion. It’s also expected that a clearer picture will be given at D23. Questions include:

• What could be between the two, or is it needed?
• Will the Rivers of America be re-shapened?
• How might it be phased out?
• How will it impact The Walt Disney World Railroad
• Will it have any impact on Tom Sawyer’s Island

With Encanto going to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, could Cars fill the space between Coco and a Villains Land?

Beyond Pirates

With Moana as #1 on Disney+ and with a Moana 2 and a Moana Live Action, it makes sense to bring Moana to the parks. But where? Possibly behind Pirates of the Caribbean.

Could you take this same concept and place it beyond Adventureland? Could you take the Aladdin Spinner ride and re-do it as shown, and then make that space in Adventureland a Tropical-Style Hideaway?

Epcot

Test Track

This has huge hopes for its promise to bring back some elements from World of Motion? Will they deliver, and how soon? We could hear a date at D23.

Journey Into Imagination & Inside Out

Sorry, forgot to mention this on the podcast, but I think this is something they will announce. Inside Out 2 has done so well in the box office, I think something will occur between the attraction and the theater. Will Figment and Inside Out 2 be combined? Not sure, but I strongly believe that something will be discussed.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Little Mermaid Show

Could they feature one of the numbers in D23? Will they announce an opening date/month?

Beyond The Arch & Sunset Boulevard

What are the possibilities?

Wreck-It-Ralph Attraction Or at Wonders of Life?

Monsters Inc. World?

Zootopia?

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Zootopia

Expect more info on this attraction and maybe even an opening date or quarter.

Tropical Americas

Absolutely expect big details on this complete replacement to Dinoland that will include Indiana Jones, Encanto and Coco?

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Treasure

Disney Adventure

Disney Destiny

OLC Ship

Other

• Cotino–Progress and other locations?
• Disney Springs–Could We have an indoor miniature golf course in the former ESPN Zone/DisneyQuest space?
• Brazil-World Showcase Pavilion or New International Park? This could be a wild card as crazy as the Three Caballeros themselves.

NOTE: A quarterly call is happening this Wednesday. It may offer something ahead of D23. Some wonder if it could include the name of a new CEO. I question that.

Putting It All Together

We have listed what announcements we think may be made at D23. That list is below. We will compare our list to what is actually presented next week. So stay tuned, we have much more to share. The yellow would be info to be announced. And the green would be announced projects with more info shared.

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