Everything Destination D23 2023 Revealed About The Future Of Disney Theme Parks

When it comes to the future of Disney theme parks, one moment each year matters more than all the rest: when the world discovers what Disney is busy working on behind closed doors. The occasion usually manifests as a presentation emceed by the parks' executive leadership and Imagineers (Disney-speak for theme park designers), at a D23 convention. Destination D23 2023 was no different, with Josh D'Amaro — chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products — hosting a presentation jam-packed with surprises on September 9, 2023.

From the family Madrigal to Earth's mightiest heroes, from the pirate town of Tortuga to a galaxy far, far away, the characters and settings of D'Amaro's announcements will sweep guests into imaginative stories within breathtaking worlds. But what does it all mean? When can we expect these projects to open? What do they tell us about Disney's current priorities? Perhaps just as importantly, what did Disney not mention at Destination D23 2023?

Before we dive in, some clarity on confusing vocabulary: D23 is the official Disney fan club. Every two years, D23 hosts Destination D23, a convention at Walt Disney World in Florida. In the alternating years, D23 hosts D23 Expo, a much larger event at Anaheim Convention Center in California. Destination D23 is the event that we're focusing on today. While Destination D23 is typically more history-focused than forward-facing, in 2023 — from the parks panel, at least — Disney opted for a showcase of the future. Spoiler alert: There's a lot of magic on the horizon.

At D23 Expo 2022, D'Amaro said Imagineers had their sights on expanding "beyond Big Thunder" at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, referring to undeveloped land north of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. At the time, D'Amaro hinted that attractions based on "Coco," "Encanto," and Disney villains were on the drawing board for this expansion. D'Amaro presented this information — along with concept art — as possibilities rather than promises. (If the crowd's reaction in the room is any indicator of consumer interest, Disney would be wise to go with villains, met with thunderous applause.)

At Destination D23 2023, D'Amaro and Vaughn mentioned the Magic Kingdom expansion, again using the "beyond Big Thunder" language. The pair remained mum on specific stories in mind for the project and didn't present any updated concept art. With "Encanto" now seemingly a priority for Disney's Animal Kingdom, we might infer that Bruno won't be talked about "beyond Big Thunder."

However, Vaughn mentioned "the possibility of adding attractions, restaurants, shows; you dream it, we're thinking about it." The Disney Parks Blog, an official, company-operated resource, later mentioned the Imagineers' ambition for the project is to build a land on the scale of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Pandora: The World of Avatar (meaning, massive). With construction not yet begun, these "beyond Big Thunder" experiences are still multiple years away from welcoming guests.

When Judy Hopps said "Anyone can be anything," we didn't realize "anyone" was the Tree of Life and "anything" was an eviction notice for Flik the ant. D'Amaro and Vaughn shared that a "Zootopia" show will open at Disney's Animal Kingdom inside the Tree of Life. Yes, this means that It's Tough To Be A Bug!, the 3-D show starring characters from Pixar's "A Bug's Life," will close. The show is one of the park's opening-day attractions from 1998.

Again, D'Amaro and Vaughn used vague language in discussing the "Zootopia" attraction and revealing a preliminary piece of concept artwork (above). While the show itself seems to be confirmed, Disney later said "Imagineers are currently finalizing the concept" for what exactly guests will experience inside. For now, the team's "current concept" involves "visiting the different biomes you only glimpse in the film." D'Amaro and Vaughn did not provide a timetable for the new "Zootopia" show. It's Tough To Be A Bug! is still fully operational, with no closing date announced.

If you're a Marvel fan who's visited Disney California Adventure recently, you probably had the time of your life at Avengers Campus, the park's superhero land. Adding to its roster of "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Spider-Man" rides, Avengers Campus will expand with a third attraction sometime in the future. As previously announced, the multiverse-themed attraction will star an ensemble of Avengers teaming up to fight King Thanos, a version of the villain who won the infamous battle in "Avengers: Endgame."

At Destination D23 2023, Brent Strong, executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, offered a few more breadcrumbs about the upcoming attraction in the form of new concept art (above). Strong said the ride vehicle will combine "elements of Tony Stark's time-suits with Xandarian jump points [from 'Guardians of the Galaxy] and Wakandan technology [from 'Black Panther']." Disney hasn't outright stated what kind of ride this experience will be. That being said, later on Instagram, Walt Disney Imagineering shared the ride will feature "physical worlds" and "a blend of large-scale built environments and immersive media." Reading between the lines, they're telling us this won't just be a simulator with a screen, but a more fully built-out attraction.

The concept artwork, which was first shared in 2022, was re-shared by Imagineering on Instagram after Destination D23 (implying it's still current). The artwork depicts Captain Marvel, Captain America, Daredevil, Thor, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Spider-Man, and Captain Carter among the many heroes teaming up for the adventure.

"Lounge" might not be the first word that pops into your mind when thinking of a theme park. Nonetheless, in recent years, Disney has opened several lounges/bars — from Nomad Lounge at Disney's Animal Kingdom to Lamplight Lounge at Disney California Adventure — that offer a more relaxing alternative to the hustle and bustle of a hectic dining hall.

At Destination D23, Beatty announced a new venue of this variety for Magic Kingdom's Adventureland. Beatty referred to the project as a "tavern," while Disney's press literature referred to it as a "lounge." In any case, Disney said the "first of its kind" establishment will "extend the story of Pirates of the Caribbean." The pub (concept art above) will include an appearance by the talking parrot Audio-Animatronics figure that previously stood at the entrance to the Pirates ride.

The project is still in early development; Beatty did not announce a name, timeframe, or specific location within Adventureland. The surrounding area near Pirates of the Caribbean is already home to Tortuga Tavern, a quick-service restaurant (read: not an actual tavern). It remains to be seen if the new lounge will take up quarters there, or somewhere else nearby.

In a surprise, Rodriguez, Mallwitz, and Vahle exclusively announced a reimagining of Test Track, the guest-favorite EPCOT thrill ride. Imagineers will infuse the new version with the "spirit of optimism" embodied by the ride's predecessor, World of Motion, which taught the history of transportation through Audio-Animatronics figures and music. (If you visited EPCOT during the park's early years, you may remember World of Motion from its theme song, "It's Fun to Be Free.") The tonal change for this new generation of Test Track (concept art above) seems significantly different from the current attraction's poised, polished, professional feel.

This will mark the third iteration of Test Track since the ride opened in 1999. The original, sponsored by General Motors, focused on car safety tests. A 2012 reboot, created in collaboration with Chevrolet, shifted gears toward car design and aesthetic testing. Chevrolet will remain a sponsor of the forthcoming overhaul. The revision's timeframe is TBA; the existing Test Track remains operational at the time of this writing.

A number of large-scale expansions are under construction at Disney parks worldwide. During the week leading up to and following Destination D23, the company revealed new details about these additions and even announced a few opening dates. World of Frozen, a land within Hong Kong Disneyland, will open on November 20. Meanwhile, at Shanghai Disneyland, a "Zootopia" land will open in late 2023. Its just-announced centerpiece attraction will be Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, a trackless dark ride. While in the neighborhood, chow down on a "pawpcicle!" (No, really, you'll be able to purchase and consume a "pawpcicle," just like in the movie.)

Over at Tokyo DisneySea, a new port called Fantasy Springs races toward its spring 2024 opening. Here, guests will step into iconic locations from "Peter Pan" (pictured above), "Tangled," and "Frozen." At Destination D23, D'Amaro shared footage of the construction progress of Fantasy Springs, as well as Paris Imagineers' further-out "Frozen" expansion at Walt Disney Studios Park.

Stateside, fans await the arrival of the Hatbox Ghost into Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion. Imagineer Daniel Joseph took the stage at Destination D23 to announce the Audio-Animatronics figure — which Imagineers famously built for and later removed from the original Disneyland ride when the figure's special effects failed — will materialize in Florida beginning in late November. D'Amaro also shared a sneak peek at another Audio-Animatronics addition to Magic Kingdom, Louis the Alligator, who will be part of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, when it opens in late 2024.