Last Sunday, August 11, D23 Expo 2024 came to a close but Disney fans are buzzing with all the announcements made about the future of the Disney parks, experiences, and films. This year’s 3-day event was held at the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center right outside of Disneyland Resort and was jam-packed with presentations, panels, and exhibits highlighting the past, present, and future of the Walt Disney Company. KMV Travel was there to experience is all and we’re rounding up every announcement made bout the future of the Disney parks, experiences, and films below.
The Future of the Disney Parks & Experiences
Walt Disney World – Magic Kingdom
- Disney Starlight: Coming in 2025, a nighttime parade that promises to dazzle with twinkling lights, beloved characters, and a soundtrack that will surely become a fan favorite.
- Villains-Inspired Land: This new addition will allow guests to step into the lairs of some of Disney’s most notorious villains, offering a spine-tingling experience like no other. The land is set to include two major attractions, dining, and shopping. It has been confirmed that construction will begin shortly for the land.
- Cars Coming to Frontierland: Two new “Cars” inspired attractions will come to a reimagined area of Frontierland that will take guests beyond Radiator Springs. The first of the attractions will allow guests to take part in a thrilling rally race through the mountains and the second will be geared toward smaller races. This section of Frontierland is set to open in 2025.
- Pirates-Themed Lounge: Providing a swashbuckling retreat for those looking to unwind in a pirate-themed setting opening in 2025.
Walt Disney World – EPCOT
- Spaceship Earth Lounge: A space inspired by the iconic geometric sphere, this location will be a relaxing spot to grab a drink and will open in 2025.
- Reimagined Test Track: Reopening in 2025, the new Test Track presented by Chevrolet will explore the past, present, and future of automation.
Walt Disney World – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Mando & Grogu Coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: New missions will be introduced to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’s Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in 2026 led by the Mandalorian and Grogu.
- Monsters Inc. Inspired Land: Guests will have the opportunity to visit Monstropolis and ride the first suspended roller coaster ever in Disney parks as you ride through the door vault. Work on the land is expected to begin in 2025 and no opening date has been announced yet.
Walt Disney World – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
- Tropical Americas: DinoLand U.S.A. will be transformed into a new land, Tropical Americas and include an epic Indiana Jones attraction and an “Encanto” attraction that will allow guests to explore the magical Casita. The land is set to open in 2027.
- Zootopia: Better Zoogether: This new show will open in Winter 2025 in the Tree of Life theater.
Disneyland Resort – Disneyland Park
- Walt Disney: A Magical Life: A new show featuring an audio animatronic of Walt Disney will debut at the Main Street Opera House in 2025.
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: The attraction that takes the place of Splash Mountain and will open on November 15, 2024.
Disneyland Resort – Disney California Adventure Park
- Two New Attractions Coming to Avengers Campus: Beginning next year, construction will take place to double the size of Avengers Campus. Two new attractions will be added including Avengers Infinity Defense where guests will jump between worlds and come face to face with King Thanos and Stark Flight Lab where you’ll be deployed to a test station for flight training and meet up with Tony Stark himself.
- Avatar Themed Land: Inspired by the second, third, and forthcoming films in the franchise, this new area will transport guests to the stunning world of Pandora, where they can experience the beauty and wonder of the Na’vi culture. An opening date has not yet been announced.
- Coco Attraction: Travel to the Land of the Dead with Miguel in an all-new “Coco” attraction with construction starting in 2026.
Disneyland Paris
- New Nighttime Spectacular: In January 2025 a new nightly evening show will replace Disney Illuminations and will feature drones, fireworks, and for the first time, video projects down Main Street.
Disneyland Paris – Disney Adventure Park
- World of Frozen: The new land opening in 2026, will include the Frozen Ever After attraction, shopping, dining, and more.
- Lion King Land: A new area of the park will be dedicated to the 1994 classic, “The Lion King,” and include an all-new attraction, dining, shopping, and more. No opening date has been announced.
Tokyo Disneyland
- Reach for the Stars: A new castle projection show will debut on September 20, 2024.
Hong Kong Disneyland
- New Spider-Man Attraction: An all-new Spider-Man attraction will be added to the expansion of Tomorrowland, Stark Expo.
Shanghai Disneyland
- Spider-Man Thrill Ride: A new thrill attraction will open in Shanghai Disneyland.
Disney Cruise Line
- Four New Ships: Four new ships will be added to the fleet between 2027 and 2031.
Disney Films: A Magical Cinematic Future
The D23 Expo also brought a flurry of exciting updates for Disney films, with a lineup of sequels, live-action adaptations, and new stories that are sure to captivate audiences.
- Moana 2 – 2024: Set sail once more with Moana in this highly anticipated sequel.
- Win or Lose – 2024: A sports-themed film that will tug at your heartstrings.
- Mufasa: The Lion King – 2024: The origins of the legendary king are revealed in this epic tale.
- Agatha All Along – 2024: The witchy world of Agatha Harkness expands in this darkly magical series.
- Star Wars: Skeleton Crew – 2024: The Star Wars universe expands with this thrilling new series.
- Zootopia 2 – 2025: Return to the bustling metropolis of Zootopia for more heartwarming tales.
- Elio – 2025: A new animated adventure that promises to take audiences to new worlds.
- Dream Productions – 2025: A new original series on Disney+ based on the world of “Inside Out”.
- Avatar: Fire and Ash – 2025: The third installment of “Avatar” continues exploring the world of Pandora.
- Daredevil: Born Again – 2025: The Man Without Fear faces new challenges in this thrilling new series.
- TRON: Ares – 2025: The world of TRON expands with this eagerly awaited sequel.
- Snow White – 2025: The classic fairy tale is reimagined in this live-action adaptation.
- Lilo & Stitch (Live Action) – 2025: The beloved duo returns in a live-action format.
- Freakier Friday – 2025: A fresh twist on the classic body-swap comedy with the original cast.
- Captain America: Brave New World – 2025: The Star-Spangled Avenger takes on new challenges in this epic film.
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps – 2025: Marvel’s first family returns to the big screen in this exciting reboot.
- Iron Heart – 2025: A new hero rises in the Marvel Universe with this action-packed film.
- Andor: Season 2 – 2025: Cassian Andor’s story continues in this eagerly awaited follow-up.
- Frozen 3 – 2026: The adventures of Elsa, Anna, and Olaf continue in this icy new chapter.
- Toy Story 5 – 2026: Woody, Buzz, and the gang embark on another heartwarming journey.
- Hoppers – 2026: Get ready for a fun-filled ride with this new animated feature.
- The Mandalorian and Grogu – 2026: The beloved duo returns for more intergalactic adventures in a feature film.
- Incredibles 3 – TBD: The Parr family is back in action, ready to save the day once more.
- Monster Jam – TBD: Get ready for a monstrous good time in this feature film based on the world of monster trucks.
