One week from today, we’ll all be watching the first marquee presentation during the 2025 Destination D23 event with baited breath, hoping for announcements of additions at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom & beyond. This predicts what’ll be revealed for Walt Disney World: new entertainment, attractions, ride reimaginings, concept art, etc.
This year’s event is known as “Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney.” Unlike the flagship D23 Expo that’s held in Anaheim, Destination D23 (or DD23) is held at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
There will be panels on two days of Destination D23: August 30-31, 2025. During those two days, ticketed Destination D23 guests can enjoy a full slate of over 25 specially curated presentations from across the company, including Walt Disney Studios, Disney Entertainment Television, Walt Disney Archives, and Disney Experiences.
Disney has released the full schedule for the 2025 Destination D23, which reveals that there will NOT be a Disney Experiences (aka Parks & Resorts Plus Products Plus Fortnite) panel. This has been indirectly replaced by the Walt Disney Studios Showcase in the exact same time slot, and there’s been some suggestion that maybe synergistic Parks & Resorts news will be presented there.
However, it’s unclear to us whether that’s actually true, and if so, whether CEO-in-waiting Josh D’Amaro will appear on stage there (if I were the Parks Chairman wanting to display my range while auditioning for the throne, it’s something I’d consider!). It’s not clear if D’Amaro will be at Destination D23, period. Ditto Imagineering executives like Bruce Vaughn, Michael Hundgen, Scott Trowbridge, other portfolio heads or leads on specific projects.
The good news is that there are other spots in the schedule that could feature announcements for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, etc., with the Studios Showcase, Villains: Icons of Evil, and Part of Our World panels all being logical fits. Although it’s not necessary to have a Parks Panel at Destination D23 in order to break news, the absence of one strongly suggests there’s not a deluge of major news coming out of the 2025 Destination D23.
This will be nothing like 2023–it’ll probably be more comparable to 2018 or 2021. Both of those years offered updates on previously-announced projects, and didn’t break any major new news. We’ve been warning readers to adjust their expectations downward for months, but the lack of standalone Walt Disney World panels is nevertheless a bit surprising even to us. We were–and still are–expecting some surprises.
With all of this in mind, let’s quickly run through our 2025 Destination D23 Wish List, along with other possibilities and quickly evaluate the likelihood of each:
- Guest Experience Wins – Unlikely. No panel that’s a logical fit for this type of announcement.
- Ride Reimaginings Reveals – Updates were just provided on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so this seems unlikely.
- Country Bear Christmas – Unlikely. But there is a panel covering Brother Bear, so here’s hoping for an “…and speaking of bears, guess who’s coming back?!” segue.
- Disney Lakeshore Lodge – Unlikely. Not only is there no logical place for this in the schedule, but the Island Tower is still being spotlighted as the property in active sales. Disney Vacation Club probably isn’t quite ready focus on this just yet. There’s also no presentation where DVC would seamlessly fit as a topic.
- Muppets Courtyard 2.0 – Unlikely. Disney just provided major updates on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets; that announcement would’ve been made then.
- Lion King Ride Reveal – Likely or unlikely, depending on your perspective. My wish list concerned DAK, which is highly unlikely at DD23. But a reveal of the Paris attraction is more likely, especially after detailed permits were filed this week.
- DAK Drone Show – Unlikely. There’s no entertainment panel. Walt Disney World still has a thing or two up its sleeve for next summer, but we don’t expect a reveal of that just yet.
- Inside Out in Wonders of Life – Unlikely. The Animation Courtyard project feels like the indirect revival of the Play Pavilion, and while it’d be great to see an ‘indoor play space’ initiative at every park, that’s probably not happening.
- Put the Future Back in Future World – No.
- Journey Into Imagination 4.0 – Hahahahahahaha!!!
- New Monstropolis Concept Art – Probably.
- Coco Boat Ride (DCA) Concept Art – Possibly.
- Avengers Campus (DCA) Concept Art – Possibly.
- Piston Peak Cars Concept Art – Possibly art or footage of Ranger J. Autobahn Woodlore. Maybe more.
Now let’s turn to panels announced for the 2025 Destination D23 and discuss the potential announcements that could come from each.
Walt Disney Studios Showcase
This is described by D23 as an exclusive look at the movies fans love, and a glimpse into what to look forward to from Disney’s film studios.
Although this will focus first and foremost on films, there’s obvious overlap between the studios and parks given the IP mandate for the latter. Previously, the odds-on favorite for discussion here was Zootopia: Better Zoogether, which now has an opening date and received a full reveal at Walt Disney World’s Play ‘n’ Preview event.
A great fit for further discussion here is the Lion King Pride Lands area in Paris. Disney has been slowly pulling the curtain back on this, and it seems poised for a full reveal. This presentation is a very logical fit, which would seem to make it an odds-on favorite. But on the other hand, a deeper dive into this is probably more appropriate for an audience in France as opposed to Florida.
A great fit here would be a full reveal of the Walt Disney Studios Lot and Magic of Disney Animation that’ll replace Animation Courtyard. Imagineering is stressing how collaborative of an effort this is with the Walt Disney Animation Studios; giving creatives from both sides a chance to share that–and showcase some of the film–would be fun.
As a wildcard, I’ll go with Stitch’s Great Escape 2.0, with this really meaning any sort of presence for Stitch in Tomorrowland. I would hope it’s revisiting the extinct attraction space, but just getting the lovable alien back in the park makes sense, and has to be a high priority given the merchandising powerhouse’s summer box office performance.
Other candidates here include further discussion of Avengers Campus expansion for Disney California Adventure and new characters coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (where is Darth Vader going once evicted from Animation Courtyard?!). My hope, as always, is for a soft reboot of the land.
Creating the Happiest Place on Earth
D23’s description: Join Disney Legend, filmmaker and author, Don Hahn, and acclaimed filmmaker with deep Disney roots, Leslie Iwerks, for a discussion on The Happiest Place on Earth. Together, they’ll explore Walt Disney’s vision and the legacy and nostalgia of Disneyland in honor of the resort’s 70th anniversary.
I don’t have any bold predictions for this one. This will mostly be a look back at seven decades of Disneyland in a presentation about a fantastic book that mostly focuses on the Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom. This could conclude with a look forward that maybe features new concept art for Coco, Avengers Campus, or even Eastern Gateway. Honestly, I’d be surprised if this panel contains any news–that’s just not the vibe. I’m only including it because it’s one of the few lengthier parks-centric presentations.
What’s Cooking with Disney Eats
D23’s description: Take your seat at the table! We’re cooking up something special and you’re invited to be a part of the live audience in the Disney Eats kitchen. From Mickey bars to Michelin stars, this panel is a foodie experience you won’t want to miss!
This is a logical spot for sharing new menus, including the Bird Cage Bar at Grand Floridian and new locations aboard the Disney Destiny. We’d bet on both. Concept art of a new gingerbread house for Christmas at Walt Disney World, as an indirect replacement for the one at Grand Floridian that’s being retired, is also an unlikely dark horse candidate.
Even less likely is breaking some news, potentially about the Grand Floridian Garden View Tea Room’s future use, Monstropolis dining, Pecos Bill overhaul, or another reimagining. Those all seem more far-fetched, but not outside the realm of possibility.
Disney Villains: Icons of Evil
Join Disney Experiences (and some of your favorite troublemakers) for a panel discussion on how Disney Villains experiences come to life around the world. Hear directly from the creative minds behind new projects and attractions, plus enjoy a special Villains-themed medley to kick off Destination D23 day 2.
Given the description, this is very obviously the big one. Imagineers are going to be among the panelists, and they’re discussing Parks & Resorts. One thing to note here before getting too excited about announcements for Villains Land in Magic Kingdom is that villains play an outsized role in the upcoming Disney Destiny, and they’ll probably filibuster about the creative process of Villains Unfairly Ever After and other recent iconic evil additions I’m probably forgetting.
My ‘lower your expectations’ prediction here is that Walt Disney World does not pull back the curtain and offer a full reveal of Villains Land. I’d be shocked if we hear any attraction specifics, or even detailed dining, retail, or entertainment info.
The most likely outcome here is the official name of the land (Villains Land is the right choice for a Magic Kingdom land, so obviously it will not be that; it’ll be at 4-16 words long and contain 2-7 punctuation marks). I’m also guessing we’ll get another piece of concept art and key character art or something like that, and maybe a random piece of art for a marquee feature of the land with wow-factor (such as dragon Maleficent or that precariously-perched castle).
My gut is that Imagineering will hold back the full reveal of “Disney Villains ~ Isle of Icon Evil Forces & Land of Mysterious Magic: WATCH OUT!” until the 2026 D23 Expo. This expansion is still pretty far off, and the big news for it strikes me as better suited for the marquee event. It was a huge hit last time, and specifics would bring the house down. I’d love to be wrong and get that stuff at Destination D23, though.
Beyond the Spires: An Insider look at Disney Castles
Think you know everything about Disney castles? Think again! Join Imagineers as they peel back the plaster and pixie dust to share behind-the-scenes details and little-known facts from castles across the globe. Along the way, they’ll share the global inspirations, design challenges, and maybe even a few surprises that stretch beyond the spires.
The description teases “a few surprises,” hence its inclusion here. The obvious money would be on a reveal of the castle for Disneyland Abu Dhabi, but I’m skeptical design work is that far along (or that this would be the venue for such an announcement). Maybe we’ll see vague design inspiration or impressionistic art, but I’ll bet if follow-up questions were allowed and someone asked, “will the castle be outdoors?” it’d be met with radio silence.
By process of elimination, the only conceivable castle news for a Walt Disney World fan event is either repainting Cinderella Castle to its classic color scheme or the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights returning for Christmas! Both of these announcements are long overdue, and each are about equally plausible…but probably well below 50%. As much as I want Dream Lights to return and am still holding out hope that it will, someday, this strikes me as a matter of timing. It’s probably too late for this year, and why announce something that’s happening at Christmas 2026 this early? It would cause people to postpone or cancel trips.
Wildcard #1: Bluey
The announcement of Bluey coming to the Disney Parks in 2025 was first made during last year’s holiday season. Things started out promising enough for the prospects of Bluey’s arrival at Walt Disney World. Less than a month after the announcement, Bluey and Bingo made their debut on the Disney Cruise Line.
With each passing week of silence, we’re wondering if Bluey is still on the table for 2025 at Walt Disney World and/or Disneyland. This prediction is basically a process of elimination one, as something needs to be said in the next month or so if Bluey and Bingo are actually on track for their promised 2025 debut in the parks. There are plenty of synergistic opportunities at DD23, so it kind of makes sense.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the logical landing point for Bluey, Bingo and the Heeler family. Although we originally thought a dance party or meet & greet in Animation Courtyard made the most sense, it would now seem like a cavalcade or interactive experience elsewhere in the park is how Bluey will be featured.
Wildcard #2: Spaceship Earth
Walt Disney World announced a multi-month refurbishment of Spaceship Earth starting a few days before Destination D23. This project is confirmed as routine maintenance, and not the big ride reimagining. It’ll probably be to restore broken effects, improve the descent, upgrade cameras, and lighting. There are also widespread rumors of swapping out the screens on the ride vehicles for OLED, which has already occurred with a test vehicle.
It’s sometimes the case that these smaller projects lay the groundwork for bigger ones, and that’s what we’re expecting here with this year’s multi-month maintenance followed up by a year-plus reimagining in 2026 and into 2027. Spaceship Earth is long overdue for an overhaul–it was long overdue when the last one was cancelled in 2020!
There’s no panel that’s a logical fit for an announcement of this, but you know what, we’re going to throw it in here anyway. The castle panel is title Beyond the Spire, so perhaps they’ll quickly mention other park icons and reveal the long-awaited Spaceship Earth reimagining in the process. It needs to happen.
That’s about it. Perhaps there will be a quick hit or two for the international parks at the Disney Around the World interludes, but keep in mind that those are each 5 minutes long. As a general matter, it’s unlikely that the 2025 Destination D23 is going to be a high-volume news event.
Personally, I wouldn’t place strong bets on any of these predictions. I’m going to be pleasantly surprised if there’s a single all-new announcement and not just additional concept art and details for things we already know are in the works. Not trying to rain on any parades, just trying to keep expectations in check. I’ve seen some fans getting excited or overly optimistic about announcements, and they’re just setting themselves up for disappointment.
The only reason Destination D23 was big last time was because the 2022 D23 Expo was largely a dud, and there was a subsequent pivot from streaming. The circumstances are different this go-round, and Disney just ‘shot its shot’ with a blockbuster D23 Expo last year. With that, Destination D23 is more a return to normal, offering deeper dives into history and other subjects. I’d love to be wrong, and hear a few bombshell announcements out of left field, though! We’ll keep you posted.
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Your Thoughts
What are your predictions about what will be announced at the 2025 Destination D23? Do you think it will be a time for big attraction announcements, or will mostly concept art or other details about projects that are already underway? Any surprise announcement predictions? Agree or disagree with our assessment of the event? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!