The city of Anaheim is getting ready for the rush of Disney fans to storm their city (more than they already do) as the D23: Ultimate Disney Fan Event is only a matter of weeks away. With the event coming up fast, they have recently shared a new piece of art building up the hype for one of their most sought-after presentation at these types of events, focused on the future of (read: announcements of what’s coming) the Disney Parks around the globe. And, with this event amping up everything we know from the typical D23 Expos or Destination D/Destination D23 events, this one is sure to be a doozy.
Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, will take place on Saturday, August 10 at the Honda Center. Josh D’Amaro will welcome fans as he takes the stage with surprise stars and special guests for a live celebration of the music and creativity that power Disney stories and, of course, news and updates about projects in development around the world.
In years past, the art that precedes the presentation is usually full of little clues as to what’s coming in that presentation. While hindsight is always 20/20 with something like this, let’s flip the table and make foresight 20/20, or possibly 20/200, as we get real speculative and presumptuous about what this presentation will feature based solely on the poster revealed.
The Name
Disney Parks fans are very quick to point out the obvious – the title of the presentation is the same as one of EPCOT’s most legendary pavilions of its past, “Horizons.” The long defunct attraction was so beloved by Disney fans that a certain sect of parks enthusiasts are optimistically hoping this means some kind of return of the favorite attraction, which officially closed back in January of 1999 to make way for Mission: SPACE.
However, this particular group is a minority as most take the title for what it is – a reveal of what’s on the horizon for Disney Parks around the globe.
Some, especially those who know D23 presentations of late, have also pointed out that a “Blue Sky” is typically found on a horizon. This has caused some more cynical or pessimistic Disney fans to believe this panel will be another “blue sky” reveal, where Disney Experiences president Josh D’Amaro and friends come out to say “Hey, we’ve been thinking about doing this” and present hypothetical scenarios instead of formally announcing new attractions and experiences coming to the parks. Several years ago, this presented the idea of Moana and Zootopia-based experience replacing Dinoland USA, which later shifted to a Tropical Americas idea replacing the opening day land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This same method was also used to tease expansion areas at Magic Kingdom, suggesting Coco, Encanto, and Disney Villains-based experiences lie in the area “Beyond Big Thunder” (more on that in a bit). Hopefully, these will be solid announcements with real quality concept art and a realistic promise of what’s to come.
All Castles – All Parks
On the (appropriately enough) horizon, fans will spot six different castle silhouettes, each representing not necessarily just their castle park, but their resort as a whole. This seems to imply that something will be announced (or at best, teased) for something at each of the Disney Destinations around the world – Disneyland Resort in California, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Shanghai Disney Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.
These announcements (or teases) can range from a major expansion of a park all the way to something like a new nighttime spectacular or parade. Disneyland fans are surely hoping for something related to Tomorrowland, or maybe (fingers crossed) even just when the walls in that planter will come down after over 5 years.
The castles may not represent major expansions for each park or resort, but rather that something will be coming to each and every Disney Destination around the globe. And another detail shows it might not just be those permanently installed destinations on land, but those floating on the open sea…
Two Cruise Ships
The art also prominently denotes TWO cruise ships. If the plan was to denote that announcements are ahead for the Disney Cruise Line, you could easily have just one ship. Sure, artists do love symmetry, but think about this for a second. The newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Treasure, is set to have her maiden voyage later this year. Frankly, we pretty much know everything we need to know about this new ship. However, there are two more ships on the…HORIZON…that details have been really scant about thus far. We know about the acquired Disney Adventure that will be sailing in Singapore, but what we know so far is the name of the ship, the bow art, the gargantuan size of the ship, and some of the neighborhoods that will be featured on the ship. That’s really it. The next ship, the Disney Destiny, has the same level of news, if not less. We know that the theme will be Heroes and Villains, and the bow will feature Captain Minnie again, this time decked out like a superhero, and little more. So, could we get full reveals of all the amenities and experiences that both of these ships will contain? OR, does this mean something else? With a $60 billion dollar investment across Disney Experiences promised for the next decade, is some of that money destined for a further expansion of the Disney Cruise Line fleet? Perhaps with two new ships beyond those we already know about? Disney Cruise Line does like to announce ships in pairs. The original sisters, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder were followed by the second pair, the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. Later, when the fleet expanded again, two new ships (now the Disney Wish and the Disney Treasure) were announced before a later announcement added a third (the Disney Destiny). Remember, the Disney Adventure was an acquired ship, and was never part of these original announcements. The only flaw to this theory is that historically, there is nearly a decade between the ship debuts. The original were in the late 90s together, with the second set setting sail in 2011 and 2012. The Disney Wish debuted in 2022, and the Disney Treasure is set for later this year. That said, the Wish and the Treasure were announced at a D23 event in 2019, so just because two new ships could be revealed this year, doesn’t mean that their actual debut and maiden voyages wouldn’t fall into that decade-long timeline, nor do they have to. Hey, and speaking of blank slate timelines, let’s revisit one of those aforementioned Blue Sky ideas.
Beyond Big Thunder
Though it was several years ago we first heard of the “Beyond Big Thunder” concept for Walt Disney World, the spires of Big Thunder Mountain are prominently featured on the right hand side of the image. This is leading most fans to believe that we’ll finally get some concrete announcements for the proposed idea for Magic Kingdom. When originally teased, the area was to feature experiences based on Coco, Encanto, and even what appeared to be a Disney Villains-based land or subland even further in the distance. However, since that original tease, Encanto was further teased for the Tropical Americas blue sky concept for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, with nearly the same art of the Madrigal Casita featured in both. While Disney does have a fondness for duplication in the era (see also: Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, etc), we seriously doubt they’d put the same thing in two parks at the same resort destination, so we think that the plan has changed and perhaps now we’ll learn more about what’s officially coming to this new corner of the park. It will be welcome for sure, especially as all eyes are currently on the Frontierland area at Magic Kingdom as it is, with the recent opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the new show at the Country Bear Musical Jamboree set to debut officially in only a matter of days.
Blue Sky and Sunshine, Guaranteed (DAK & DCA)
Prominently featured on the other side of the image, in the equivalent spot of Big Thunder Mountain on the other side, is both the Pixar-Pal-Around / Mickey’s Fun Wheel / Sun Wheel – whatever you want to call it – denoting Disney’s California Adventure, positioned just in front of the Tree of Life, icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Let’s start there. Similar to the Beyond Big Thunder concept, for several years now, we have been teased with possible replacements for Dinoland USA at the park. The idea was first presented with Moana and Zootopia based experiences, but by the next major D23 event, both those ideas seemed to have disappeared (or evolved) in favor of a new land, the Tropical Americas. The new idea features Encanto based experiences, as well as the transformation of DINOSAUR into a new Indiana Jones based attraction, while still maintaining the overall theme of the park, perhaps even with new animal exhibits. This idea seems to have gone beyond blue sky announcements, and into actual design work with later reveals from Walt Disney Imagineering. That said, this panel is where we could finally, officially, see what’s in store for this neglected corner of the park.
As for Disney California Adventure, which frankly has a few neglected corners of its own, we’re not entirely sure why it’s so prominently featured in the art. Maybe it just looked better with another icon, sure, but we think some surprises are in store. Will they be similar Blue Sky propositions to what we’ve seen in years past? Or will it be more solid announcements with what’s to come. We already know that something Avatar-based is coming to the Disneyland Resort, and with the DisneylandForward rezoning effort moving, well, forward, this could be a big reveal of what’s coming in that project, or more importantly, where it is going. Previously, it was teased (even if inadvertently) for DCA, so we’re working based on that. As for the rest of the park, let’s be real. There are also parts of Hollywoodland (cough cough Hyperion Theater cough) that are sitting there with not much going on, and ripe for reveals of what’s in store for their future, whether it be official or blue sky pondering.
Know Your Studios
Oh, and speaking of Hollywood, the art also denotes what many believe are both the Earful Tower and the Chinese Theater from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Well, yes the Chinese Theater is only at the Florida park, but many (and what Disney Experiences is hoping to change) forget about the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris, which has an ear-capped water tower of their own. We’ve already been treated to many changes coming to that European destination, but more are expected on the… Horizon…including a new name: Disney Adventure World. Even when officially announced back in April, Disney promised more details to come or coy phrases like “we can’t tell you that just yet” so we fully anticipate a big announcement for the Paris park, especially what that new expansion near their World of Frozen will be.
However, the very idea of the Chinese Theater being on this art indicates that Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be left out of the fun. We’re definitely expecting to hear tmore about the upcoming new The Little Mermaid show in Animation Courtyard, but as we mentioned neglected corners for DCA, let’s not forget some at this park. Right next to the aforementioned new show is the quite-stagnant Star Wars Launch Bay, parts of which have been shuttered since before the COVID-19 pandemic closures. Others will also shift their eyes to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, or the corner of Sunset Boulevard that plays host to Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. There is also one bit about the use of the Chinese Theater on this art that leads me to the final topic…
What’s NOT There
Along with what is on the art, it gives us hope for what is on the…Horizon….for Disney Parks. However, other fans are nervous and filled with trepidation regarding what is NOT there on the art. In terms of icons, for several years now Disney’s Hollywood Studios has used their tallest point as their icon – The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Yes, it’s true, the Chinese Theater has always been symbolic of the park, and perhaps was used just to symbolize this park against the Water Tower of the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris (soon to be Disney Adventure World). However, some fans are raising an eyebrow. Considering that nothing seems to be off the table in the world of Disney Parks changes, and with other Towers of Terror already radically transformed citing the “dated” (some would say “timeless”) nature of The Twilight Zone television series as a reason for contemporary IP integration, it stands to reason that they have their eyes squarely on the original Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (celebrating its 30th anniversary this year) in a fearful manner for potential reveals regarding this beloved attraction.
Also, outside of the name of the presentation itself, there seems to be no indication for anything EPCOT. This does make sense though, so rabid fans calm down. After all, Disney has stated multiple times with the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza that the official multi-year transformation of the park was now complete. So why, after only a matter of weeks, would they announce MORE multi-year large scale projects for the park? That said, I might expect to hear updates on the third iteration of Test Track, as further details of that project (now currently underway) have been scant at best outside of the World of Motion-based inspiration behind the new version.
Again, all castles are represented but there are no Tokyo DisneySea icons either, which also makes sense since the largest expansion in their history just opened several weeks ago with the debut of Fantasy Springs. That multi-billion (yes, with a B) dollar project won’t likely be followed up by anything major right away.
Be sure to stay tuned to LaughingPlace.com as we will bring you all the updates from the presentation when it takes place next month, and if you’d like to visit any of the Disney Destinations, be sure to reach out to our friends at Mouse Fan Travel who can assist with all your Disney travel needs!