During this past weekend’s Destination D23, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products chairman Josh D’Amaro shared that Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom is set for an expansion that will be the largest ever for the park.
Imagineers are looking to tell stories “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” similar in scale to things like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora – The World of Avatar by adding new attractions, restaurants, shows and more, Disney said. In late November of this year, meanwhile, the Hatbox Ghost will start haunting riders at Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion.
Magic Kingdom will also see the Country Bear Jamboree getting new songs and a new act in 2024, while a new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge is coming to Adventureland.
Beyond Magic Kingdom
There’s also a lot of buzz of fresh new delights over at EPCOT, where Figment will begin meeting guests on Sept. 10, 2023. Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana will open on Oct. 16, 2023, and on that same day, Moana herself will arrive in World Nature to start greeting guests in her own dedicated space near the new ride. This December will see the debut of the World Celebration neighborhood, with the theme park’s new nighttime spectacular— “Luminous: The Symphony of Us”—beginning on Dec. 5. Test Track fans will want to know that Imagineers, along with teams from Chevrolet, are reaching back into history for inspiration to reimagine this EPCOT ride.
Over at Animal Kingdom, a new show based on “Zootopia” is being created for the Tree of Life Theater, and Walt Disney Imagineering is planning to reimagine Dinoland U.S.A. into a new land inspired by a region sometimes referred to as “the tropical Americas.” New experiences inspired by “Encanto” and adventurer Indiana Jones are being considered for the reimagined land.
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