I’m holding my breath a little when it comes to what was announced at D23 during Horizons: A Carousel of Progress. I’ve been a Disney fan long enough to know that an announcement doesn’t always mean a project is guaranteed to happen. If you don’t believe me, I have a Mary Poppins attraction and a Main Street Theater to sell you.
There is still plenty to be excited about. The potential return of a working Yeti to Expedition Everest, Dreamfinder coming back to Journey Into Imagination with Figment, and a major overhaul of Tomorrowland at Disneyland are all exciting ideas. And yes, the prospect of finally seeing a working PeopleMover return to Disneyland is particularly intriguing. But I would be willing to bet that at least one of these projects doesn’t ultimately happen, and another could end up being a much more scaled-back version of what fans are imagining today.
I know that sounds pessimistic, and honestly, I hope I’m completely wrong. I would love nothing more than for Disney to follow through on every one of these projects and deliver exactly what fans are hoping for. But I think it’s important to set realistic expectations, especially when we’re talking about long-term Disney projects that can change significantly between announcement and completion.
I can already hear the response: “But at the last D23, they announced Cars and Villains Land are coming to the Magic Kingdom, and those are happening.” That’s absolutely true. However, there was an important distinction. Josh D’Amaro announced those projects while work was already underway, giving fans a much stronger indication that they were moving forward. The projects discussed this time around, at least from what I heard, didn’t come with quite the same level of commitment.
So enjoy the announcements, get excited about the possibilities, and hope Disney delivers. Just remember that Disney history has taught us one thing: an announcement is not always a promise.
