HUGE News We’re Expecting from Disney This Week!

Disney’s biggest fan event of the year is right around the corner and we’re expecting some BIG news.

Destination D23 takes place from September 8th through 10th, 2023 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Florida. From parks news to streaming to new movies on the horizon, we’re anticipating all sorts of announcements from Disney.

While there’s no way to really tell what Disney is going to announce, the full schedule for this event has been released and we can take some pretty educated guesses based on that. Combined with info we learned at last year’s D23 Expo, here’s a look at some of the big announcements we’re expecting Disney to make.

Moana Opening Date

Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana still doesn’t have an official opening date yet. We know that it will open sometime in the fall, but that’s about all Disney has shared. We do know that previews of the ride for select guests and Cast Members have begun and the construction walls are down, so this attraction should be opening any day now!

We’re thinking that the attraction is pretty much complete since it’s being tested, which would potentially mean that the opening date is right around the corner. Of course, you’ll be the first to know when we hear about it!

EPCOT Updates

EPCOT is undergoing some huge changes and we’re hoping to get some updates on when we can expect to see that construction finally completed. CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza are currently being built and all Disney has shared is that they will be finished by the end of the year.

We might learn additional details about the spaces, what we can expect, and even opening dates. CommuniCore Hall is meant to be a Festival hub. It’s the first “fully purpose-built structure in festival programming.”

CommuniCore Plaza is an outdoor space that’ll have the ability to host a giant concert on a stage or a more intimate performance, and will also feature Dreamer’s Point.

We could even get an opening date for the Figment meet and greet that’s slated to come to EPCOT in “late summer.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure News

Over in Magic Kingdom, the transformation of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Is going strong. It’s set to open in late 2024, we’re hoping to learn more details about the ride and could even get a more concrete opening timeline (though this may be wishful thinking).

Tiana’s Palace Restaurant is opening in Disneyland soon, so we’re crossing our fingers that we’ll get an announcement about a sister restaurant for Disney World. Keep in mind this is us just being hopeful (though we would LOVE a New Orleans-themed restaurant in Magic Kingdom).

Disney World Restaurant Updates

There are a few new restaurants on the horizon in Disney World — but so far, none of them have concrete opening dates or menus. The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers will feature a champagne bar and dessert bar, and it will open sometime this year.

Summer House on the Lake is also set to open this year in Disney Springs, and we’re still waiting for an official date.

Also in Disney Springs, EET by Maneet Chauhan will open its doors sometime this year.

And Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs is coming to Disney’s BoardWalk! We may be most excited about this one. Kidding. Sort of.

Park Updates

Genie+ will be changing in Disney World in 2024, we’re just not quite sure what those updates are going to be. Disney has shared that they were exploring the possibility of allowing folks to book Lightning Lanes before their trip. We may get more details or even a date for these changes to roll out.

The Park Pass Reservation System has been a hot topic over the past few years, and we’ve already seen some of the requirements ease. Beginning on January 9th, 2024, guests who purchase date-based Disney World park tickets will no longer need to make park pass reservations. Could Disney make an announcement lifting these restrictions along with park hopping even further?!

At the D23 Expo, Disney teased expansions for both Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom — and it’s been quiet ever since. Not a single word has been spoken about either of these “Blue Sky” ideas since, and we would love it if Disney threw us a bone by confirming whether or not these projects are real or not.

Disney Cruise Line News

Plus, Disney’s newest cruise ship — the Treasure — is currently being built and we’ve already seen quite a bit of hype building around it. A few details have been revealed, but this ship is huge and that means there’s a lot for Disney to announce!

We could also hear updates about their new private island, Lighthouse Point, which will start welcoming guests beginning in summer 2024.

International Park News

Disney shared that the “Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products” panel will include updates from parks “around the world.” Disney is working on some serious expansions and projects across the globe — like the news we got about Fantasy Springs, a new land coming to Tokyo DisneySea.

Both Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris will be getting Frozen-themed lands, so we’re expecting some updates on both of these projects as well.

Streaming and Content

We’ve been hearing a lot about Disney’s streaming business recently, and it was also just announced that ESPN will soon be rolling out its own sportsbook betting service. We’re unsure if Disney will give us any breaking news in regard to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN — so you’ll have to stay tuned.

We could also get some updates about films and shows on the horizon — though many of Disney’s upcoming projects have been delayed due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. It’s unclear if the strike will affect any of the announcements from that branch of the company.

While we can’t know for sure that Disney will drop any of this news, we can hope! We’ll be keeping an eye on all the biggest updates from this year’s Destination D23 event — we’re expecting some big news — so stay tuned to AllEars for more.

How September 9th Could Change the Future of Disney World Parks

What announcement are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments.

Post a Comment