During Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Josh D’Amaro announced numerous parks updates. Here are the five most exciting.
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro hosted an extraordinary musical celebration for Disney’s biggest fans as he unveiled the future for Disney parks, cruise ships and beyond, during Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
“Disney Experiences is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation,” said D’Amaro. “With so many great Disney stories to tell, we’re excited to bring an unprecedented number of new projects to life in the near future, whether it be in our theme parks, on our cruise ships or through our partnership with Epic Games in the digital space.”
5 Most Exciting Disney Parks D23 Announcements
Major announcements, surprise celebrity guests and special musical performances closed out day two of the mega fan event. Here are the five most exciting announcements.
Monsters, Inc. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Construction begins next year on the first full land dedicated to Monsters, Inc., coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. The land will feature the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park, where guests can experience what it’s like to zoom through the door vault in the factory, just like Mike and Sulley.
Avatar at Disney California Adventure
An all-new Avatar experience will come to Disney California Adventure including an innovative new attraction that will bring all the action, the excitement, and the wonder of Avatar to life in a completely new and thrilling way.
New Mission Featuring Mando and Grogu Coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
When the upcoming “The Mandalorian and Grogu” movie blasts off in theaters in 2026, it will also touch down at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. A brand-new story featuring Mando and his youngling is coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Star Wars creative executive Dave Filoni joined Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro onstage to discuss the upcoming addition to the attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. As Dave explained, the Lucasfilm team uses Epic’s Unreal Engine to create some of the virtual sets for “The Mandalorian.” Now, with the expanded partnership between Disney and Epic Games, Epic’s Unreal Engine will help bring to life the latest adventure in a galaxy far, far away.
“The intersection of storytelling and innovation has always been central to Lucasfilm and we’re excited to see where this collaboration will take us next,” Dave told the crowd. “Just imagine it: you’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions.”
Expect to see this new mission jump to lightspeed when “The Mandalorian and Grogu” hits the big screen in 2026. This is the way.
Avengers Experiences in California, Shanghai and Hong Kong
The presence of Super Heroes is expanding at Disney parks around the globe. The original Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort will double in size with the addition of two new attractions, Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab.
Shanghai Disney Resort will introduce its first major Super Hero attraction, a Spider-Man-themed, high-energy thrill coaster.
At Hong Kong Disneyland, the presence of the Avengers will continue to expand with a major new attraction coming to Tomorrowland featuring Spider-Man and one of his most formidable villains.
Villains Land at the Magic Kingdom
Work is already underway on a new land dedicated to Disney Villains coming to the Magic Kingdom – complete with two attractions, dining, and shopping – where happily ever after may feel like just a distant dream. It will be a fearless new vision of what a Disney experience can be on a grand scale that only Disney can deliver.
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