D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event wrapped in Anaheim on Sunday evening, and a TON of theme park news dropped; including large land expansions and attraction additions officially in the works for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. However, through it all, there are some things we curiously didn’t hear anything about. Here’s what was missing:
Tiana’s Palace
Since rumors have suggested WDW’s Magic Kingdom would also receive the Tiana’s Palace restaurant treatment, we were hoping to hear about the potential replacement for Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn & Cafe. Considering this dining location is near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and we’re seeing some major Frontierland changes in the years ahead, we just might hear about this soon. Imagine all that delicious southern food…
PLAY Pavilion Update?
Over at EPCOT, the now-defunct Wonders of Life pavilion sits empty(?). The PLAY! Pavilion was originally announced years ago as part of the EPCOT transformation; which, according to Disney, is now complete. Located just next to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, this building is sitting on some prime real estate within the park. Is the PLAY! concept still on the table, or could something else be in the works? Formally suggesting a Wall-E dark ride, PLEASE.
Grand & Miraculous
More on EPCOT… what happened to the Spaceship Earth overhaul? A few D23 events ago, the iconic attraction was promised to receive new scenes, much-needed TLC, and a new storyline. However, the project was shelved during the COVID park closures. We surprisingly heard about a new Spaceship Earth lounge that’s happening, but EPCOT’s transformation doesn’t feel complete without the park’s flagship attraction receiving some love.
Disneyland’s Tomorrow
The Disneyland project most fans were hoping to hear about was the revitalization of Tomorrowland. The building which was previously home to Carousel of Progress currently holds a DVC lounge and Star Wars meet & greets; the Magic Eye Theater and Innoventions have nothing going on, and fans are clamoring for the return of the PeopleMover. Disneyland’s 70th anniversary will be celebrated in 2025, and we’re thinking a platinum-quality gift or two should be lined up for the land of tomorrow.
Land Locations
With the huge land announcements in store for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, we fans are left wondering exactly where the new Monsters, Inc. land is going at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or the new Avatar land for Disney California Adventure. Did Josh D’Amaro avoid sharing these details to save time, or to avoid live, negative feedback? Can we please stop replacing things and ADD capacity if room allows? The parks are busier than ever, they need more – not the same, not less. Yes, this girl is terrified for the fate of Muppet*Vision 3D. Dissociating until then~
That covers my rundown of announcements that were missing at this recent D23 event. After all, the biennial D23: Ultimate Disney Fan Event isn’t the only time we hear big theme parks news. (But we are looking at you, Destination D23 2025). We’ll be sure to keep you updated as new information drops; let’s all wait and see together!
Theme Park Correspondent for The DIS | Chloé loves kitschy dark rides, roller coasters, a good background area music loop, hot Butterbeer, and all things Halloween. You’ll mostly find her wandering around Orlando’s biggest theme parks snapping pics and sharing tips… or probably talking about The Great Movie Ride.
