Fans are eagerly anticipating all the news and announcements from D23 2024's Disney Parks panel.
While Friday's Disney Entertainment Showcase featured Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Animation, and Pixar revealing their upcoming slates, Saturday's Disney Parks panel promises to drop major news and updates concerning the Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, and more.
Disney Parks Panel Updates at D23
King Thanos Multiverse Ride Preview
Before D23 officially debuted on Friday, Disney unveiled its "Imagineering: Behind the Dreams" pavilion on the convention show floor.
One of the pavilion's biggest reveals to date was a first look at the ride vehicle for the King Thanos Multiverse ride coming to Disneyland's Avengers Campus (shared via Scott Gustin on X) and an updated design of the attraction's Thanos variant.
D23 2024 Disney Parks Panel Begins
Following several live performances, including the Mad T Party band, the panel is now officially underway with a video from Soarin' host Patrick Warburton warning attendees to "Buckle up, pal" for all the announcements to come.
Now Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro has taken the stage to officially kick off the panel (shared by Boardwalk Times on X).
According to D'Amaro, "I’ve got a lot to share … and everything we’re going to share is in active development. This isn’t Blue Sky.”
After sharing that music will be tonight's guide, John Stamos has appeared on-stage playing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (via Scott Gustin on X).
Disneyland 70th Anniversary
John Stamos followed his performance by announcing Disneyland's 70th anniversary celebration.
The following is a first look at the event's logo as shared by @Just_Ask_Danny on X:
Avatar Coming to Disney California Adventure
In addition to unveiling new concept art (via @ScottGustin on X), Josh D'Amaro announced Disneyland's Avatar Land is coming to Disney California Adventure.
Not only is the land inspired by Avatar: The Way of Water, but also James Cameron's upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash threequel and future Avatar films.
Here's a look at the land's attraction:
First-Ever Coco Ride for Disneyland
Also coming to Disney California Adventure is Disney's first-ever Coco ride where guests will join Miguel on a trip to the land of the dead.
The Disney Parks Blog noted the ride is inspired by the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean and will include a "skeletal cast" of audio-animatronic characters.
Work on the attraction is expected to get underway in 2026.
New Nighttime Entertainment
Next on the line-up was the reveal of "Disney Starlight," a new nighttime parade for Walt Disney World debuting summer 2025 and featuring characters from Encanto, Frozen, Peter Pan, and more.
Additional announcements included "Reach for the Stars," a new nighttime show at Tokyo Disneyland which debuts next month, and a new nighttime spectacular at Disneyland Paris featuring projections on both Sleeping Beauty Castle and down Main Street.
The Disneyland Paris show premieres in January 2025.
Disneyland Paris will also unveil an additional show in 2026 on the resort's new lake, Adventure Bay.
Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen Land Opening
Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen will open at the resort's newly named Disney Adventure Park in 2026.
Disneyland Paris The Lion King Ride
Also coming to Disneyland Paris' Disney Adventure World is the Pride Lands, a theme park land inspired by The Lion King.
The Pride Lands will offer dining, shopping, character meets, and a new ride which guests enter through the caverns beneath Pride Rock to experience Simba’s journey from cub to king.
Walt Disney Animatronic for Disneyland
In 2025, Disney is unveiling an audio-animatronic of Walt Disney for "Walt Disney - A Magical Life" at Disneyland's Main Street Opera House.
After its initial run, the experience will rotate with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
In discussing the tribute, Josh D'Amaro called it a "huge responsibility:"
“Creating our first Walt figure is a huge responsibility, and we’ve brought members of the Disney family along with us for every step of the journey. His great-nephew, Roy P. Disney, visited the Imagineering campus recently to see our progress. And he’s here tonight. Thank you, Roy, for helping us fulfill this dream.”
Animal Kingdom Zootopia Show's Opening Window
After a Zootopia-themed show was announced at last year's Destination D23 for Animal Kingdom, Disney shared new details at the D23 2024 Horizons panel, including its name "Zootopia Better Zoogether" and a winter 2025 opening.
"Zootopia Better Zoogether" will replace the current "It's Tough to be a Bug" show housed inside Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life theater.
Animal Kingdom's Encanto & Indiana Jones Rides
Animal Kingdom's DinoLand U.S.A. at Walt Disney World is being overhauled to a Tropical Americas-themed land whose official name is Pueblo Esperanza.
D'Amaro announced construction on the 11-acre land will begin later this year and include a wood-carved, giant carousel featuring Disney characters.
The land will also offer two major attractions, including an Indiana Jones ride that will differ from other Indy experiences found around the world.
Disney noted Indiana Jones will be exploring a Mayan temple that legend says houses a mythical creature.
The second major ride is a ride-through based on Encanto where guests venture inside Casita and find Antonio's room has transformed into a rainforest.
Disneyland's Tiana Bayou Adventure Opening Date & Bayou Country
Disneyland's version of Tiana's Bayou Adventure is set to open on November 15, 2024.
Disney also revealed that the park's Critter Country will be renamed Bayou Country.
New Disney World Lounges
Epcot is set to gain a lounge inspired by the Spaceship Earth attraction and its geometric sphere.
As announced at Destination D23 in 2023, the Magic Kingdom is gaining a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge.
Both lounges open in 2025.
Epcot Test Track Update
Josh D'Amaro provided new information about Epcot's next iteration of Test Track which opens in 2025.
According to D'Amaro, this version of Test Track will feature six distinct exhibits and new show scenes, the latter of which will show technological advances and involve customization, personalization, and a scenic outdoor route.
Monsters, Inc. Land & Coaster for Hollywood Studios
One of the biggest bombshells of the panel thus far, Disney's Hollywood Studios is gaining a Monsters, Inc. land, complete with the first-ever suspended coaster in a Disney Park.
Disney explained the land is set after the events of the original film where humans have been invited to the Monsters, Inc. world. Here they will journey into the factory and ride on a door, just like Mike and Sully.
New Cars Land Announced for Magic Kingdom
Coming to Magic Kingdom's Frontierland at Walt Disney World is a new Cars-themed land featuring two new attractions.
The first involves a rally race through the mountains complete with geysers, rocky terrain, and mudholes.
The second? A family-friendly attraction geared towards the younger members of the family.
Work on this new Frontierland expansion begins in early 2025.
Four New Disney Cruise Line Ships
Disney Cruise Line is expanding its fleet even more with the addition of four new ships which are set to arrive between 2027 and 2031.
For reference, Disney Cruise Line currently has five ships with four on the way. Josh D'Amaro's announcement of four more will bring the fleet to a total of 13.
Josh also revealed that the Disney Destiny will offer "Disney Hercules" as its signature stage show, while also revealing new artwork for “Disney The Tale of Moana" coming to the Disney Treasure.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Gains Mandalorian Makeover
Coming to Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run at both Disneyland and Disney World's Star Wars: Galaxy Edge is a brand-new story featuring Mando and Grogu.
Dave Filoni announced the addition, saying:
“Just imagine it: you’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions.”
Guests can expect this new addition when The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters in 2026.
Spider-Man Coaster Announced for Shanghai Disneyland
After Deadpool took the stage with a few ideas of his own, Disney announced a Spider-Man coaster is coming to the Shanghai Disneyland Resort.
Scott Gustin shared additional concept art on X:
Spider-Man Ride Announced for Hong Kong Disneyland
Another Spider-Man ride is also on the way, but this attraction is coming to Hong Kong Disneyland's Stark Expo and shows Stark Industries' web-slinging intern seemingly battling Doc Ock.
Disneyland Avengers Campus Expansion & Ride News
Avengers Campus at Disneyland's Disney California Adventure is confirmed to double in size with two new attractions.
The long-awaited King Thanos Multiverse Ride officially has a name: Avengers Infinity Defense.
The story is King Thanos has stolen tech allowing Avengers to jump between worlds. Guests (aka recruits) will travel to MCU locales like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City, and come face to face with the Mad Titan.
The second attraction coming to the campus is Stark Flight Lab where guests ride in two-person pods controlled by a robot arm.
Robert Downey Jr. is confirmed to reprise his role as Tony Stark for the attraction. Construction begins next year.
Villains Land Announced for the Magic Kingdom
One of the biggest announcements of the panel? Josh D'Amaro's reveal that a Villains Land is coming to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
Described as the home for the baddies from Walt Disney Animation Studios classic films, D'Amaro confirmed the land will offer two major attractions, dining, and shopping, saying, “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.”
While no timeline or opening date was revealed, Disney claimed preparation is already underway at the Magic Kingdom.
What Time is the Disney Parks Panel at D23 2024?
This year, the Disney Parks Panel, formally referred to as "Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase," takes place on Saturday, August 10 at 7 p.m. PT at the Honda Center.
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro is hosting the panel and will share all the news, updates, and reveals for Disney Parks around the world, as well as Disney Cruise Line and other Disney experiences.
How To Watch the Disney Parks Panel at the Experiences Showcase?
Unfortunately, the Disney Parks panel will not be available to live-stream and is exclusive to D23 attendees.
However, fans will be able to watch video of the Experiences Showcase that gets uploaded on Disney Parks' official social media channels on X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Official photos from the event will also be shared on the Disney Parks Blog.
What Attractions, Rides & Lands Will Be Presented at Disney's Parks Panel?
Walt Disney World
Theme park fans know quite a bit about what's coming to Walt Disney World, including Animal Kingdom's new Tropical Americas land, a new version of Epcot's Test Track, and the Magic Kingdom's Beyond Big Thunder project.
What audiences are hoping to learn is what exactly that Beyond Big Thunder mountain project will involve, as well as whether there's truth to rumors of a Moana ride and a few other surprise announcements.
Disneyland
Since the Disneyland Resort's DisneylandForward expansion project was approved earlier this year, Disneyland fans are expecting confirmation about what Imagineering intends to build.
Further information about Disneyland's Pandora - The World of Avatar based on Avatar: The Way of Water is expected as well, along with new details and possibly an opening timeline for Disney California Adventure's King Thanos Multiverse ride.
Other Parks and Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is in the middle of a huge expansion with three ships setting sail by the end of 2025.
Plus, it's expected that Josh D'Amaro will have news to share about expansions coming to the international Disney Parks, including the newly named Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris.
