If you follow our social media pages, you know that Beyond Imagination Vacations had representation at this past weekend’s D23 Expo at Disneyland Resort. There were a plethora of exciting announcements, making it difficult to keep up with the nonstop news in real time. On today’s blog we’re highlighting some of the biggest news and the things we’re most excited about as revealed at D23 Expo.
First, you might be asking yourself - what is D23 Expo? D23 is the ultimate Disney fan club. Members at the General, or free, level receive D23 Fanfare every week and exclusive content on D23.com. Paid, or upgraded, members receive other benefits like access to exclusive events, special discounts and offers, an annual gift and quarterly publications. Naturally, the D23 Expo is the largest Disney fan event in the world. Taking place every other year, the event celebrates the various elements of the Walt Disney Company including film, television, celebrities, Disney Imagineers, theme parks and more.
So let’s get to it. What exciting news was revealed at the 2019 D23 Expo in Anaheim?
Transformation of Epcot
Epcot’s new logo, reflecting its transformation; Photo courtesy of Disney
The second of the parks to open at Walt Disney World Resort in 1982, Epcot is ready for the limelight. The park (which is already a Beyond Imagination Vacations favorite) will undergo a massive makeover to help make it more family-friendly and relevant to theme park visitors.
Currently, Epcot is divided among Future World and World Showcase. As part of the revitalization of the park, three new neighborhoods will now comprise Future World: World Celebration, World Discovery and World Nature. Spaceship Earth will serve as the flagship attraction at World Celebration, and is scheduled to undergo enhancements with new scenes, new narration and a heightened focus on the “universal nature of the human experience.” In addition, a new pavilion will be erected at World Celebration to host Epcot’s signature festivals and view the park’s nighttime show.
Mission Space will be part of World Discovery along with the out-of-this-world restaurant, Space 220, which will provide daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles up. Scheduled to open this winter, Space 220 will be a table-service restaurant. Anchoring World Discovery will be a new family-friendly attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which will feature the first reverse launch into space. More details to come.
A rendering of Epcot’s new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind; Photo courtesy of Disney
And for the most practically perfect announcement related to Epcot - an attraction inspired by Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane, which will join the United Kingdom pavilion as an entirely new neighborhood. The China and Canada pavilions will receive new films; and in France, guests will enjoy a new Beauty & the Beast Sing-A-Long, as well as the long-anticipated Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and a new eatery, La Crêperie de Paris.
Mary Poppins descending upon Cherry Lane; Photo courtesy of Disney
Last but certainly not least, fans of the popular Moana film will be drawn to Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana.” Inspired by the main character’s synergy with the ocean, the attraction will allow guests to interact with magical, living water.
Sticking with Disney’s theme parks, D23 Expo shared a first look at the newly-themed Chinese Theater in Hollywood Studios that will host Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway when it opens in spring 2020. Unbelievably, this will be the first major Mickey-themed attraction, putting guests inside the wonderfully delightful and zany Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts. A different version of the attraction will open at Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland Park in 2022.
At Magic Kingdom, we learned that the previously-announced TRON attraction will be called TRON Lightcycle Run. Modeled after the popular ride in Shanghai Disneyland, the attraction lets riders board a train of two-wheeled Lightcycles and experience the energy, lights and excitement of TRON’s high-tech universe.
More than a hotel, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort will be an immersive experience where guests check in for a two-night galactic adventure, interacting with characters and being an active participant in a story that unfolds around them. The choices that they make throughout their stay impacts the way that their story progresses. Like a Disney Cruise, guests board on the same day and at the same time, relax in well-appointed cabins, enjoy onboard dining and take an excursion - in this case to Batuu at Hollywood Studios. Pricing and opening dates were not announced, but we’ll certainly keep you posted.
A rendering of a public space in Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser; Photo courtesy of Disney
Shifting to the East Coast, Disneyland Park will benefit from exciting enhancements as well. Marvel fans will rejoice at the news of an Avengers Campus to open in 2020 at Disney’s California Adventure. The main component of Phase one of the Avengers Campus will be the Worldwide Engineering Brigade – also known as “WEB” – which will house the first Disney attraction to feature Spiderman. Guests will ride the “Web Slinger” vehicle, allowing them to sling webs just like the friendly neighborhood superhero. Referencing Ant Man & the Wasp, Pym Test Kitchen uses the latest technology to shrink and grow food, like Pym Technologies in the film. Of course, Avengers Campus will provide meet and greet opportunities and other encounters for guests to interact with their favorite Marvel superheroes, including Black Widow, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Iron Man. Phase two of the campus will be Avengers Headquarters serving as the entrance for an attraction allowing guests to board a Quinjet, travel to Wakanda and fight the most dangerous of Marvel villains. More to come on this attraction!
Avengers assemble at the to-be-built Avengers Headquarters at Disney’s California Adventure; Photo courtesy of Disney
If that weren’t enough, visitors to Disneyland Park will experience a new daytime parade called Magic Happens. Traveling down Main Street, U.S.A., the spectacular will feature Disney characters from recent films like Moana and Miguel from Coco as well as classic characters in resplendent new costumes and floating to an energetic soundtrack.
The Magic Happens at Disneyland Park; Photo courtesy of Disney
Vacationers who prefer sea to land will be thrilled to learn news related to Disney Cruise Line. A name for the fifth in Disney Cruise Line’s fleet of ships has been announced. Disney Wish will continue the award-winning tradition of impeccable service, amazing food, Broadway-caliber entertainment and magical ports of call. Disney cruisers know that every ship’s stern is adorned with a character that embodies the spirit of the vessel. Disney Wish features Rapunzel - an adventurous, uninhibited explorer - touching up the ship’s logo with her trusted sidekick Pascal at her side. The ship will be ready for sailings in January 2022. We’ll certainly let you know when booking becomes available.
Disney Cruise Line also announced details on its second exclusive destination in the Bahamas. Located on the island of Eleuthera, Lighthouse Point will be a “unique destination that is rooted in Bahamian culture and filled with Disney magic.” Construction will only begin after an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan are reviewed and accepted by the Government of The Bahamas and public consultation has occurred. Construction could begin in 2020 with completion in late 2022 or 2023.
Rendering of Disney Cruise Line’s Lighthouse Point; Photo courtesy of Disney