Ep 21: Disney Parks Announcements

Teaser

This week Ashleigh and Christopher break down all the major announcements about upcoming attractions and expansions across Disney's theme parks and cruise ships from the recent D23 Expo event. Get the inside scoop on what's coming soon to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney's cruise fleet.

Intro

Ashleigh and Christopher introduce themselves and the podcast. They share their passion for travel and exploring the stories that make each destination unique.

D23 Overview

Ashleigh explains that D23 is Disney's biennial fan convention where they make major announcements about upcoming movies, parks expansions, etc. She notes that everything announced is currently in production, not just ideas, so there's a good chance it will actually happen.

Magic Kingdom Announcements

• Villains-themed land with 2 attractions coming behind Big Thunder Mountain  
• Cars-themed area replacing part of Frontierland, including Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America
• New nighttime parade in the style of Main Street Electrical Parade
• New Pirates of the Caribbean tavern

Hollywood Studios Announcements

• Monsters Inc.-themed land with a doors rollercoaster
• Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run ride getting an update with a new Mandalorian mission

Animal Kingdom Announcements

• Dinoland becoming tropical Americas area
• Indiana Jones ride replacing Dinosaur, using same track layout as Disneyland version but new story
• Encanto attraction coming

Epcot Announcements

• Test Track reimagining opening in 2025
• New lounge themed to Spaceship Earth opening in 2023

Disneyland Announcements

• Tiana's Bayou Adventure opening where Splash Mountain was
• First Walt Disney animatronic debuting for park's 70th anniversary

California Adventure Announcements

• Avengers Campus expanding with new Avengers and Iron Man rides
• Coco dark ride coming in 2026
• Pandora

International Parks

• Frozen land coming to new Disney Adventure Park in Paris
• Lion King ride coming to Paris, new nighttime show debuting
• Spider-Man rides coming to Shanghai and Hong Kong
• Tokyo getting new nighttime show

Disney Cruise Line

• 4 new ships announced, bringing fleet to 13 total
• 2 newest ships will have Hercules and Mulan shows

Wine Break

Ashleigh and Christopher talk about finding budget wines at grocery stores like Aldi and Costco. They taste test an Aldi Prosecco.

Closing

Ashleigh directs listeners to Disney Parks Blog for more details on announcements.