Destination D23 - 2023

[Nick]

Destination D23 will take place from Friday, September 8 through Sunday, September 10, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The last 100 years have been filled with hope, innovation, and magic that has all been made possible by YOU, the ultimate Disney fans. Those in attendance will be able to celebrate beloved moments and memories with behind-the-scenes stories, and special guests and performances. Get a sneak peek at the company’s boundless future, be among the first to access exclusive shopping opportunities, and experience plenty of surprises at this fan-favorite event!

Schedule:

The Saturday Panels will be live-streamed, including the Disney Parks Panel Saturday morning at 9:15am.

 

[GAcoaster]

Let's see what non announcement announcements we get this year...

"This is something else we might build, but probably not..."

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I suspect a real announcement this year. Low bar, but I suspect we get something. I really do think Dinsoaur will close for either Zootopia or Moana (coughs Zootopia) so at least a closing date has to come. Feels similar to the GMR closing where they announce its closing then show off what’s next to come.

Another hotel too, I’d guess.

 

[Nick]

I suspect a real announcement this year. Low bar, but I suspect we get something. I really do think Dinsoaur will close for either Zootopia or Moana (coughs Zootopia) so at least a closing date has to come. Feels similar to the GMR closing where they announce its closing then show off what’s next to come.

Another hotel too, I’d guess.

They have the Poly DVC and the Fort Wilderness Cabins DVC to talk about so i'm not sure they announce a new hotel.

What I am expecting for the parks: Opening dates for Moana, Epcot Hub, and new Epcot fireworks show. I think it makes sense that they would confirm a Dinosaur closure and finally commit to a plan to do something with DinoLand, but I also thought it made sense to do that last year so we'll see.

 

[Viator]

Hoping there is more for DLR @ Destination D than just Avatar @ Launch Bay and Tianas. Have very low standards and hopes for Disneyland, and I want to be wrong for this once.

I wonder if admittedly a big announcement could be Pandora coming to WDSParis

 

[HHN Maddux]

Something, anything for the Stitch's Great Escape space. Please.

 

[Nick]

Something, anything for the Stitch's Great Escape space. Please.

We’re more likely to get confirmed plans for the Coco/Encanto or Villains area than that and I have next to no expectations of getting confirmation for those projects.

I expect Stitch to stay empty for some time. Imo, there needs to be a complete gutting of all of the buildings connected to each other there (which extends all the way down to Cosmic Rays) in order to put anything of substance in the Stitch building. It’s such an odd shape.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Idk the building space but I do wish MK had 1 or 2 more DL style dark rides. Really wouldn’t cost them all that much. Put a Wall E one in for Stich and you have Pixar Cohesion with Monsters and Buzz right there.

 

[Nick]

Idk the building space but I do wish MK had 1 or 2 more DL style dark rides. Really wouldn’t cost them all that much. Put a Wall E one in for Stich and you have Pixar Cohesion with Monsters and Buzz right there.

It would tak a lot of reworking, but something as small as a DL style dark ride is *probably* possible if they demolished both theaters for the ride track.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

It would tak a lot of reworking, but something as small as a DL style dark ride is *probably* possible if they demolished both theaters for the ride track.

It’d. Be. So. Cheap.


Even for Disney!

 

[kristenabelle]

I suspect a real announcement this year. Low bar, but I suspect we get something. I really do think Dinsoaur will close for either Zootopia or Moana (coughs Zootopia) so at least a closing date has to come. Feels similar to the GMR closing where they announce its closing then show off what’s next to come.

Another hotel too, I’d guess.

I know a replacement is sort of inevitable, but I will be so sad. I love Dinosaur and I really don't mind kitschy Dinoland. Plus Dinosaur fills the dino-sized hole in my heart especially since JPRA is not in the best shape right now.

I'm gonna preemptively mourn Dr. Seeker and all my favorite show phrases my friends and I love ("They're not gonna make it, they're not gonna make it!")

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I know a replacement is sort of inevitable, but I will be so sad. I love Dinosaur and I really don't mind kitschy Dinoland. Plus Dinosaur fills the dino-sized hole in my heart especially since JPRA is not in the best shape right now.

I'm gonna preemptively mourn Dr. Seeker and all my favorite show phrases my friends and I love ("They're not gonna make it, they're not gonna make it!")

I love the ride too, so I’m with you. It’s one of my favorites at all of Disney.

I’m not saying it’ll happen, my sources can be hit or miss, but it’s been on the chopping block for forever and Zootopia seems to be going well in China (pre opening/during construction ) so, I think executives want that here. That’s my understanding at least.

Not sure if it’s the Dino ride system or not so idk how large of a re-do this is, or a fresh build.

 

[kristenabelle]

I love the ride too, so I’m with you. It’s one of my favorites at all of Disney.

I’m not saying it’ll happen, my sources can be hit or miss, but it’s been on the chopping block for forever and Zootopia seems to be going well in China (pre opening/during construction ) so, I think executives want that here. That’s my understanding at least.

Not sure if it’s the Dino ride system or not so idk how large of a re-do this is, or a fresh build.

Yeah I can totally see it happening too - especially to give AK a boost & since they've been inclined to replace & not necessarily expand.

I'm not against new stuff for sure. I'll never forget sitting front row last year at D23 hearing all the blue sky stuff ("We COULD do all this!") and walking out feeling ....womp womp.

 

[Jamesh22]

I suspect the majority of announcements this year will be for non theme park parts of Disney.
Maybe some more scraps on Tianna, some restaurant overlays here and there and further changes to Genie+ and/or reservations.

I wonder if admittedly a big announcement could be Pandora coming to WDSParis

Possible but don't get your hopes up for anything like Orlando, likely to just be a slimmed down version of the land.

Everything seems to have gone quiet on the final expansion plan for HKDL too so I wonder if we might get an announcement about what is going into tomorrowland now since it's unlikely to be an Avengers E-Ticket.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I suspect the majority of announcements this year will be for non theme park parts of Disney.
Maybe some more scraps on Tianna, some restaurant overlays here and there and further changes to Genie+ and/or reservations.


Possible but don't get your hopes up for anything like Orlando, likely to just be a slimmed down version of the land.

Everything seems to have gone quiet on the final expansion plan for HKDL too so I wonder if we might get an announcement about what is going into tomorrowland now since it's unlikely to be an Avengers E-Ticket.

I agree with this, because the Disney Parks already make $, they need to advertise other stuff.

I suspect something for the States though, but we’ll see. Maybe not Zootopia confirmation but a ride closure or further Tiana concept art.

 

[Nick]

Let's remember this is a Destination D23 and not a D23 Expo. Have they ever announced anything for international parks at Destination D23's? I feel this event is going to mostly revolve around their new cruise ship tbh, but the parks specific panel I think will be WDW and DL mostly. Probably nothing too big.

Even an official announcement of Zootopia/Moana taking over DinoLand I wouldn't classify as overly big as we literally already know about the idea from Josh's mouth and have seen concept art. Making it official would be a big step of course for DAK, but that still does not mean that Zootopia is a good fit for the park. Moana I can make the case for if they were to go the way of turning DinoRama into an Oceania-themed land.

 

[Tbad556]

Let's remember this is a Destination D23 and not a D23 Expo. Have they ever announced anything for international parks at Destination D23's? I feel this event is going to mostly revolve around their new cruise ship tbh, but the parks specific panel I think will be WDW and DL mostly. Probably nothing too big.

Even an official announcement of Zootopia/Moana taking over DinoLand I wouldn't classify as overly big as we literally already know about the idea from Josh's mouth and have seen concept art. Making it official would be a big step of course for DAK, but that still does not mean that Zootopia is a good fit for the park. Moana I can make the case for if they were to go the way of turning DinoRama into an Oceania-themed land.

On a quick look, 2021's "A Look at the Future of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products" panel was:

- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Set to Open Summer 2022
- 30th Anniversary Celebration of Disneyland Paris Begins March 6, with Avengers Campus Coming Summer 2022
- Disney Wish – Two Dazzling New Stage Shows
- MagicBand+ and “Hey, Disney!” Come to the Disneyland Resort
- Disney Brings New Magic to the Disneyland Hotel
- Work Continues on Exciting Projects Around the World (sneak peeks at the Frozen-themed land coming to Hong Kong Disneyland, the Zootopia-themed land coming to Shanghai Disneyland, and Fantasy Springs (pictured above) coming to Tokyo DisneySea.)
- A look at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
- Revealed the name of Connections Café and Eatery
- Shared more about the recently announced reimagining of Mickey’s Toontown and Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort
- Announced the return of Fantasmic, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and World of Color

Every Magical Moment from Destination D23: Presented by Topps - D23

A look at all the amazing moments from Destination D23 Live!, including a special welcome for D23 Members from Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

d23.com

 

[Nick]

On a quick look, 2021's "A Look at the Future of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products" panel was:

- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Set to Open Summer 2022
- 30th Anniversary Celebration of Disneyland Paris Begins March 6, with Avengers Campus Coming Summer 2022
- Disney Wish – Two Dazzling New Stage Shows
- MagicBand+ and “Hey, Disney!” Come to the Disneyland Resort
- Disney Brings New Magic to the Disneyland Hotel
- Work Continues on Exciting Projects Around the World (sneak peeks at the Frozen-themed land coming to Hong Kong Disneyland, the Zootopia-themed land coming to Shanghai Disneyland, and Fantasy Springs (pictured above) coming to Tokyo DisneySea.)
- A look at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
- Revealed the name of Connections Café and Eatery
- Shared more about the recently announced reimagining of Mickey’s Toontown and Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort
- Announced the return of Fantasmic, Finding Nemo: The Musical, and World of Color

Every Magical Moment from Destination D23: Presented by Topps - D23

A look at all the amazing moments from Destination D23 Live!, including a special welcome for D23 Members from Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

d23.com

And none of that is the announcement of anything new in the sense of a brand new attraction or land. That's all just updates on existing projects that were being built or existing attractions/shows.

 

[Tbad556]

And none of that is the announcement of anything new in the sense of a brand new attraction or land. That's all just updates on existing projects that were being built or existing attractions/shows.

Oh absolutely. Should've specified that I was agreeing and backing up with info that it was just a bunch of dates for already known projects and additional looks hah.

 

[Viator]

There isn’t really much though that could justify the initial panel though, especially as they are having a separate panel dedicated to Epcot on the same day later on (where I imagine they’d hold off on the new stuff for them like the nighttime show and the finishing of World Celebration and World Nature).

I also have doubts we are gonna get much time dedicated to Disney Treasure, as we will have that ship unveiled next week (and that it seems they are unveiling it completely too, given what media is being provided ahead of it).

That’d really only leave this:
- Zootopia & HKDL Dates for Late 2023
- Glimpses of Tiana’s for conceptual with a delay to Spring 2025 (maybe Tianas Palace WDW announced?)
- Avatar Experience @ Launch Bay DL
- Reminders for Arendale at WDSP and Fantasy Springs at TDS
- Lighthouse Point overview (if it isn’t talked about during Treasures reveal)

Have to think they’d want to give out more as they can, especially as there won’t be much to look at for DLR in the immediate or long future, and with EU nearing.