The Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicked off this past weekend in Anaheim, and we are bringing you ALL the Major Disney News from D23 2024! from Disney Parks, Cruise Line, and Disney and Pixar movies! We aren’t a little bit excited. We are floating in a cloud of Pixie Dust, because Disney made a few… almost FIFTY amazing announcements. The words from Disney Experiences Chairman, Josh D’Amaro, say it all, “Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’ve heard here tonight.” We Disney Travel Planners at Kingdom and Cruise Travel stay on top EVERY bit of this information to help our clients plan the best Disney vacations. What we do is similar to Joshy. When you get in touch with us, “Plans are drawn and dirt is MOVING!”
Here is a recap of some of the BIGGEST announcements from this past weekend:
1. The Tropical Americas section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Coming!
Photo courtesy of Disney
DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom will be reimagined into a Tropical Americas theme. The first phase of this 11-acre section is set to begin later this year. Some of the features include a hacienda with one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World and a large carousel featuring favorite animals from Disney stories. Plus, the new land will include two new attractions: a ride based on Indiana Jones and an Encanto-themed ride-through attraction. The new land will be complete and make its debut in 2027.
Indiana Jones
Guests will find themselves exploring an ancient Mayan temple searching for a mythical creature. This ride will be using the same ride vehicles as the current Dinosaur ride (like the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction at Disneyland Park).
Encanto Attraction
Photo Courtesy of Disney
The Madrigal family invites you into their Casita! Antonio has just received his gift – the ability to talk to animals – and you get to explore his room that has just been transformed into a rainforest. Will we see Bruno along the ride? Not sure! But I know we shouldn’t be talking about him.
2. Test Track Reopens in 2025
Test Track is getting a reimagining and will open at EPCOT in 2025. Construction has already begun and the new exterior pays homage to the original pavilion design. The updated ride will celebrate today’s innovation while highlighting the past, present, and future. Enjoy a joy ride through scenes focusing on onboard technology, customization and personalization.
3. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Getting a Monsters, Inc. Land!
An all-new land inspired by Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. will be added to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! The first-ever suspended roller coaster in a Disney Park will be featured and is inspired by the hanging doors from the film. Construction for the new land will begin in 2025.
4. A New Nighttime Parade is Coming to Magic Kingdom Park
Walt Disney World will welcome a brand-new nighttime parade in summer 2025. “Disney Starlight” will be inspired by the legacy of the “Main Street Electrical Parade.” The magic of the Blue Fairy will bring to life the magic and will be joined by characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios old and new classic films like “Peter Pan,” “Encanto,” “Frozen,” and more.
5. Two New Lounges Are Coming to Disney World
Walt Disney World’s theme parks will welcome 2 new lounges in 2025. First, a Pirates of the Caribbean themed lounge will open in the Magic Kingdom. Next, a lounge inspired by Spaceship Earth will arrive at EPCOT. The theming for both of these spaces looks incredible. They will offer the perfect opportunity for guests of all ages to enjoy a refreshment, take a little break, and toast the pirate life – and the Phoenecians!
6. Two New Cars Inspired Attractions Are Coming to Magic Kingdom
Photo courtesy of Disney
Ka-Chow! If you love Cars Land in Disneyland, you’re going to LOVE this news: Frontierland is expanding to include two new attractions inspired by Cars! The first ride will feature a thrilling race through the mountains. The second attraction will be tailored to smaller guests, offering fun for the whole family. Details are pending and we will let you know as soon as we hear anything!
7. A Villains Land is Coming to Magic Kingdom Park!
Disney Villains fans AKA all you “poor unfortunate souls,” brace yourselves! You don’t have to wait for Halloween to celebrate your favorite stories and characters. The characters we love to hate are getting a permanent home in the Magic Kingdom. The land will feature two major attractions, dining and shopping.
Disneyland News
1. Avatar is Coming to California Adventure
Photo courtesy of Disney
A new Avatar-inspired land inspired by the 2022 film Avatar: The Way of Water and the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash (comin in 2025) will be coming to Disneyland! Be prepared for an immersive journey like we have been used to at the World of Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
2. A Coco Themed Attraction is Coming to California Adventure
A boat ride inspired by Pixar’s Coco is coming to California Adventure. Walt Disney Imagineering will be drawing inspiration for this ride from classic favorites like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney will start progress on this ride in 2026!
3. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Opens at Disneyland in November 2024
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been successfully delighting guests at the Magic Kingdom since Jun 2024. The Anaheim version of the attraction will open on November 15, 2024. Additionally, at that time, Critter Country will officially become Bayou Country.
4. A Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics Figure is Coming to Disneyland
Photo courtesy of Disney
A new attraction featuring the first-ever animatronic of Walt Disney himself will be coming to the Main Street Opera House in 2025. This is the reason why Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln has been closed due to refurbishment! The new show called Walt Disney – A Magical Life – features an immersive and inside look at Walt’s office. This show will alternate with Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
5. Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary Celebration Kicks Off in 2025
The original Disney theme park will celebrate a milestone anniversary next year with its 70th “birthday” in July. The Disneyland 70 celebration will begin in 2025.
6. California Adventure is Getting Two New Avengers Campus Attractions
Photo courtesy of Disney
California Adventure is preparing for two brand-new attractions in Avengers Campus! The first, beginning construction in 2025, called Avengers Infinity Defense, will take guests to iconic locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City as King Thanos wreaks havoc across worlds. The second attraction is Stark Flight Lab. You’ll enter Tony Stark’s own lab in two-person pods, deploying to a test station. While there, a robot arm grabs your pod and takes you into a simulated flight.
International Disney Parks News
1. A New Attraction Inspired by The Lion King is Coming to Disneyland Paris
Photo courtesy of Disney
Get ready for a whole new land at Disneyland Paris. Pride Lands is coming to the Europe park and will feature the characters and stories from the film Lion King. The land will include dining, shopping, character meet and greets plus a flume-style attraction that takes guests along Simba’s journey from cub to king.
2. World of Frozen Will Open at Disney Adventure World in 2026
Frozen fans will be able to visit Arendelle in a Disney Park beyond Hong Kong Disneyland when World of Frozen opens at Disneyland Paris’s Disney Adventure World in 2026.
3. Marvel Additions at Shanghai and Hong Kong Disneyland
Shanghai Disneyland will open a Spider-Man thrill coaster and Hong Kong Disneyland will expand its Star Expo with a Spider-Man attraction different from the one being built in Shanghai.
4. New Entertainment Coming to Disney’s International Parks
In September 2024, Reach for the Stars will debut at Tokyo Disneyland. This new nighttime spectacular at Cinderella Castle features beloved Disney characters reaching for the stars and their dreams. Disneyland Paris will also get a new nighttime spectacular in January 2024.
Disney Cruise Line News
1. NEW Disney Cruise Line Ships
Photo courtesy of Disney
Disney Cruise Line wants us to just keep sailing! We knew about the additions of Disney Cruise Line’s ships Treasure, Destiny, and Adventure. But D23 dropped the news that an additional four new ships are coming! By 2031, Disney Cruise Line’s fleet will have a total of 13 ships.
SO Many New Disney Movies
ALL the Major Disney News from D23 2024 would not be compete without mentioning all the upcoming movies and shows!
1. Moana 2
2. A Third Avatar Movie
Disney will release Avatar: Fire and Ash at the end of December, 2025. We can expect to see lots more of Pandora, plus new characters, cultures and biomes.
3. Monster Jam, a New Pixar Film
The Rock and Alan Bergman announced that Disney is currently making a Monster Jam movie. We can expect some inspiration from the Cars movies but with some cool Monster Trucks as characters!
4. Toy Story 5 in Theaters Summer 2026
Pixar knows we can’t get enough of our pals, Woody and Buzz. They are creating another Toy Story movie with a 2026 release date. Andy’s toys and modern tech devices will come face to face in this reprise of one of the original Pixar franchises.
5. Pixar’s Elio Premieres Summer 2025
Pixar will release a new movie, Elio, next summer. This science fiction adventure film centers around an 11-year-old boy named Elio Solis. Elio inadvertently becomes ambassador of Earth after making contact with aliens. He travels throughout the universe and has to find his way as he meets eccentric aliens and handles one trial after another.
6. Incredibles iii is in the Works!
One of our most favorite Pixar families is set to be featured once again in a third movie. We don’t have any other details yet, but we can expect our Incredible characters to be as heroic as ever with writer-director Brad Bird.
7. Zootopia 2 Coming in 2025!
D23 revealed a new Zootopia film this weekend. We will be able to see this movie on November 26, 2025! Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan will be the voice of a new viper character named Gary. Ginnifer Goodwin (Judy Hopps) and Jason Bateman (Nick Wilde) are returning once again.
8. A New Pixar Film Hoppers is in the Works.
Pixar is working on a brand new film, Hoppers, set to be released in 2026. Jon Hamm and Bobby Moynihan will star as a beaver and a human who swap places.
9. Frozen III coming 2027
Frozen fans from far and wide are rejoicing about this news! We have a little wait, though, because Frozen III is not coming to theaters until 2027. There will also be a 4th film following the 3rd.
10. The Mandalorian and Grogu Will See Their Feature Film Debut in 2026
Fans of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian will finally see Din Djarin take to the big screen with the release of the first feature film inspired by the story in May 2026. Titled The Mandalorian and Grogu, the movie will feature a brand-new adventure for the Mandalorian and his tiny green (and much beloved) companion, Grogu.
11. Freaky Friday Sequel, Freakier Friday is on the way!
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are returning for the upcoming sequel of Freaky Friday! This fan favorite will be in theaters in 2025. We can expect more body switching and perspective-shifting adventures.
12. Live Action Lilo & Stitch
Disney will be releasing a live-action version of Lilo & Stitch summer of 2025. Ohana means family, and we are pretty sure your Ohana will fall in love with the CGI version of Stitch.
That’s all the major Disney news from D23 2024! Let us know in the comments what you are most excited about and reach out for Disney vacation planning to make your trip the most magical one ever!
- By Kingdom and Cruise Travel Advisor, Alli Matthews