Disneyland 2023 Year in Review: Celebrations, Consternation, Sparkles & Snafus!

We were the first to bring you a video of the new attraction. It’s a stunning visual achievement: 

ToonTown’s troubled re-tooling 

The opening of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway came without the rest of the highly-anticipated re-imagined Mickey’s ToonTown.  Winter storms prevented the land from meeting the January 27 launch date of the Disney100 celebration — and then they delayed it again until March 8.  And then again, until finally opening on March 19.  

The re-imagined land featured new park-like areas, including “CenTOONial Park,” with artificial turf and a charming interactive sensory fountain.

Goofy’s House was reimagined with new interactive candy-making games and his backyard expanded with new interactive play areas and slides.  

Donald’s Boat turned into Donald’s Duck Pond, with the actual boat closed to guests and new interactive water play areas surrounding the boat.  

Chip and Dale’s Treehouse was removed, but the dynamic duo joined Gadget at the Go Coaster for an updated version of the classic kid coaster.

For the first time, Gadget finally makes an appearance at her rollercoaster! 

 

Even with the land finally open, it spent the rest of 2023 struggling to get its footing.  New park-like areas that were covered in artificial turf as part of the re-imagining had to re reworked and reworked again.  Kid-friendly playground features and a sensory water fountain that debuted with the re-imagined land were installed, removed, and reworked as well.  And interactive water playground features at Donald’s Duck Pond simply never opened in 2023.  Will they finally make it in 2024? 

The re-imagining of Mickey’s ToonTown was a mixed bag of new features and things that either didn’t work or didn’t hold up to the rigor of constant use. The land was under almost constant construction and repair through the end of its first year. 

Magic Happens, Happened

Returning as part of the Disney100 celebration was the popular Magic Happens parade, which had only run for a couple of short weeks before closing with the rest of the resort in 2020.  The parade is a delight, offering breathtaking and whimsical floats, exciting choreography, and a delightful selection of characters and movies.  We love this parade and were thrilled to see it finally return.  

Disneyland closed the popular parade once again on October 15, literally one day before the Disney company’s 100th anniversary.  The closure came as a brief cost-cutting measure as Disneyland geared up for the return of the annual “A Christmas Fantasy” parade in November.   Magic Happens is expected to return to Disneyland in early February 2024.

Wondrous new nighttime magic 

A shining highlight of the Disney100 celebration was the brand new “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show at Disneyland.  The show is packed full of nostalgia for Disney animation fans.  The show is an absolute love letter to the movies we all grew up with and that turned many of us into Disney fans.  

Unfortunately, the show held its final performance on August 31 — over a month shy of the Disney company’s actual 100th anniversary.  The early closure came so Disneyland could run the “Halloween Screams” fireworks show as part of the annual Halloween Time offerings.  Happy 100th, or whatever. 

California Adventure got a new nighttime show for the 100th as well.  The new “World of Color: One” show lights up Paradise Bay with fountains and lights that celebrate Disney animation and live action.

 “One” takes the interesting approach of specifically mentioning Walt Disney before showcasing a whole lot of recent movies that he had nothing to do with… including acquired IPs like Star Wars and Marvel.  It’s a jarring creative choice but not unsurprising for a celebration that seemed to ignore much of the 100 years that it purported to be celebrating.

Flatlined

For a celebration that was promoted to be in celebration of the last 100 years of the Disney company, there was quite a bit of that history that went unnoticed and uncelebrated.   The Mickey’s ToonTown re-imagining is nice enough but focuses largely on the newest versions of Mickey and his friends.   The Disney100 decorations consisted of platinum bunting and big medallions that represented corporate branding over company history.  Even the Disney100 banners that featured Disney history milestones debuted with multiple errors and had to be quickly fixed in the days after the celebration started.  

Wondrous Journeys and a small exhibit in the Disney Gallery offered glimpses into the company’s rich and storied history — but only glimpses.  With Disneyland being the only theme park Walt Disney himself walked in, you’d think the company would jump at the opportunity to celebrate that unique history as part of its 100th anniversary celebration.  Sadly, they did not.  

And if Disney couldn’t show us how little they actually cared about their 100th anniversary any more, they took down the decorations, ended the fireworks show, and canceled the parade in the days and weeks leading up to the actual anniversary on October 16.  Oh, but surely they did something to commemorate the actual 100th on October 16, right?  Nope. Nothing. Not a peep.  It was just a regular day in the park.  So much for Disneyland being the heart of the celebration.  

A Nightmare Fantasmic!

On April 23, Disneyland lit up the news cycle in an unexpected way.  During the 10:30 p.m. showing of “Fantasmic!,” an equipment malfunction caused the head of the dragon to catch fire shortly after Mickey shot his dragon-defeating sparks at it.  The entire dragon was quickly engulfed in flames and the performance was cut short and guests were evacuated from the Rivers of America viewing areas.  

Luckily, there were no serious injuries or fatalities from the incident.  Unfortunately, the dragon was a total loss and Disneyland quickly got to work assessing damage, removing the damaged dragon, and launching an investigation into what went wrong.   Disney notified Cast Members on May 4 that the show would remain dark through at least May 28.  On May 19, Cast Members were told the show would remain closed through “at least Labor Day.”  Cast Members got a final update on July 25, with the show’s closure now extending through spring 2024.  And on November 9th, Disneyland publicly announced the show would finally return on May 24:

“Fantasmic!,” Disney’s popular and longest-running nighttime spectacular, returns to the Rivers of America in Disneyland Park on May 24, 2024. “Fantasmic!” is an emotional extravaganza of colorful Disney animated film images, choreographed to an exciting musical score. The waters of the Rivers of America come alive as Mickey Mouse’s power of imagination enables him to create fantastic events and images as seen in beloved Disney classic films like “Fantasia,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Little Mermaid” and more. 

 

Cast Members were told there will be big changes to the show when it returns, including “a thrilling new finale between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent.”  Additionally, Cast was told, “Although the dragon figure won’t be part of the show when it returns next spring, there will be plenty of exciting new special effects to wow our Guests.”   Are you ready for a dragon-free Fantasmic?  Or has the show lost its appeal to you? 

The one good bit of news is that the beloved Peter Pan scene will return, replacing the Pirates of the Caribbean scene which took over the Columbia in the last rendition of the show. 

The Princess and the Flume

Princess Tiana continued to take over New Orleans Square and Critter Country in Disneyland.  Her mother opened Eudora’s Chic Boutique in New Orleans Square in 2022, and Princess Tiana got to work on moving into the former Splash Mountain and transforming the French Market Restaurant in 2023.   

Disneyland’s Last Splash

Disneyland took the next big step in its announced re-imagining of the popular Splash Mountain log flume attraction into a new Princess and the Frog-themed ride just before summer 2023. The project’s primary goal is the removal of controversial characters and content based on the 1946 Disney film “Song of the South.”  The Walt Disney World version of the attraction closed in January 2023, with Disneyland following suit on May 31.

Disneyland said goodbye to the ride with no fanfare or commemorative merchandise.  While Splash Mountain remains open in Tokyo Disneyland, the history books closed on the ride in American parks on May 31, 2023.  

Tiana’s Foods moves in

With Splash Mountain closed, construction walls and signage quickly went up to announce the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction.  Well, sort of.  Construction walls got fancy pressed-tin signs announcing “TIANA’S FOODS — EMPLOYEE OWNED — COMING SOON!”  The signage gets guests confused, and on any given day, it’s not uncommon to stand near the construction site and hear a confused tourist ask, “They’re turning this into a restaurant?” 

Work progressed over the summer and into the fall as construction rushed to transform the mountain into a salt dome.  The salt dome and Tiana’s Foods construction wall signs are all part of the new attractions backstory in which Tiana will take riders on a journey to find a special ingredient for the Mardi Gras celebration.  

We’re hopeful for this re-imagining of Splash Mountain but so far the sneak peeks Disney has released over the last year have been a bit underwhelming.  The water tower, painted murals, and grassy bayou vistas Disney has been installing at the Walt Disney World version of the attraction haven’t sparked fan excitement.  Hopefully we’ll be pleasantly surprised with the attraction when it opens in late 2024.  

Dusty paints the full picture in his comprehensive coverage: 

🐸 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure NOW OPEN at Disneyland – Guide & Tips 👑

 

Tiana’s Palace comes home

On February 16, the French Market closed in New Orleans Square.  The dining location, an original New Orleans Square offering (complete with custom tile murals of the Louisiana Purchase!), closed to be transformed into Tiana’s Palace.  

Disney made a big effort to note in press releases and blog posts that the Tiana’s Palace in the movie was actually inspired by the original French Market restaurant in Disneyland. The marketing team insisted that the shoehorning of Tiana’s Palace here was a “full circle moment,” but it’s hard to buy into the claim as the two don’t really even resemble each other.   Meanwhile, the Hungry Bear Restaurant facility that actually sits next to the upcoming Tiana’s Bayou Adventure could have been reworked or rebuilt as a proper version of Tiana’s Palace.  Imagine a table service character dining location, similar to Walt Disney World’s popular “Be Our Guest” restaurant that would have complemented the attraction perfectly. 

 

Of course, re-theming the French Market was cheaper, and the end product reflects that: the interior is packed full of props and fixtures, many of which you can find for sale online.  Though it’s lovely, Tiana’s Palace is a budget-engineered, quick-turnaround re-theming project (not unlike: Pixar Pier, San Fransokyo Square, Pixar Place Hotel).

On September 7, Tiana’s Palace opened in Disneyland, offering up Tiana’s signature gumbo and other New Orleans-inspired cuisine.  The new menu was certainly an upgrade from the lackluster French Market menu.  For theme park fare, the gumbo delivers (especially with a couple dashes of Tabasco), the muffaletta is a delight, and the shrimp and grits is truly a standout.   Maybe the only disappointment is the house beignet. Filled with lemon curd, the beignet is tasty but not exactly the man-catching beignets that Charlotte raves about in the movie.

Of course, adding an IP to the small French Market location meant sold out mobile order time slots and long lines for weeks after Tiana’s Palace opened.  Hype has since tapered off but the location remains popular and we can’t help but still wonder if a bigger, custom-built location wouldn’t have been better?  Demand will certainly spike again once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens, with folks wanting a taste of Tiana’s famous gumbo after they help her look for recipe ingredients on the attraction.   Only time will tell if passing on a bigger version of Tiana’s Palace was a missed opportunity for Disneyland but as it is, the existing location serves up a strong menu at a restaurant that was definitely in need of a menu refresh.  

Marvelous Musicals and Merch

At Disney California Adventure, Avengers Campus continued to see a parade of characters move through the land as new Marvel movies and TV shows debuted.    Bigger changes came with the debut of the limited-run “Rogers: The Musical” the Hyperion Theatre and the opening of a new gift shop.  

Rogers: The Musical lands at the Hyperion

In February, Disney announced a one-act version of “Rogers: The Musical” would come to Disney California Adventure for a limited time starting June 30.  

The campy new musical show debuted to big crowds that pretty quickly tapered off.   While a fun romp, the musical seemed to appeal to a niche audience of Marvel fans, failing to find a broader audience.  While Disney initially held off on announcing a closing date, the show’s limited engagement was not extended and an August 31 closing was eventually announced. 

 

Avengers Vault opens

On September 14, the large Super Store in Hollywood Land’s Stage 17 closed.  The space had been temporary retail space during the parks closure in 2020 and eventually became Avengers Campus retail overflow once the land opened in 2021.   With the big Avengers E-Ticket delayed, Disney finally decided to move forward with building the exit gift shop in the Avengers HQ building at the back of Avengers Campus.  That new shop, the Avengers Vault, opened on September 18.  

The shop is much smaller than the Super Store and isn’t terribly remarkable in terms of theming.  Avengers Vault offers a much smaller selection of goods, with much of the shop’s inventory centered around Infinity Saga relics that are exclusive to the location.

 

Pacific Wharf dresses up as San Fransokyo

After being announced at D23 Expo 2022, San Fransokyo began taking shape in Disney California Adventure in early 2023.  The San Fransokyo project is another in Disney’s recent string of Chapek-era quick-turnaround IP-based overlay projects in the parks.  After Pixar Pier proved the concept, projects like San Fransokyo, Tiana’s Palace, and Pixar Place Hotel were pushed forward.  

San Fransokyo is perhaps an even less impressive take on the concept.  Where Pixar Pier took the time to improve some facades, finishes, and theming, San Fransokyo largely just repurposes what was already there by adding signs and decorative lighting. The area already struggled to handle crowds, but the redo did nothing to improve facilities or guest flow.  Thematically, San Fransokyo received only a few thematic changes that were more than painted decals on buildings. 

What the retheme really does is add new food options. 

New menu items were added across the various restaurants in this food court of a land. 

The new Torii-Gate Bridge was a pretty perfect encapsulation of the project as a whole —  installed and open to guests but seemingly unfinished for weeks.  Seams where the metal structure were bolted together were left open, in clear view of guests, for weeks.  Meanwhile, neon signage that was shown on concept art wasn’t installed in the land for months after the project officially opened.  

These overlay projects don’t have to be cheap or low quality, but unfortunately, it seems like that’s part of Disney’s strategy with them so far.  We understand the parks are ever-evolving, living things.  But if we continue to see projects like this that are installed in phases while remaining open to guests, we hope that the final product at least delivers the high-quality experience Disney has taught us to expect over the last 70 years. 

The saving grace for Disney on this project is that guests have been flocking to the area and genuinely seem to enjoy meeting Baymax. 

Adventureland Treehouse: New family, familiar dwelling 

Speaking of quick re-themes and IP overlay projects.  The Adventureland Treehouse opened on November 10 as anything but that.  Up until opening, it was unclear what we should expect from the project.  Disney had announced the re-imagined treehouse would be home to a new family that was inspired by (but definitely not) the Swiss Family Robinson.  Concept art told us they’d be at least friends of S.E.A., the secret society of explorers and adventurers that have crept into Disney’s parks across Tokyo, Hong Kong, Walt Disney World and now Disneyland.  

Still, it was hard to gauge just what we could come to expect from the treehouses’ new residents, especially after the eviction of Tarzan, a budget-engineered IP overlay from the late-1990s.  Would we be getting a thematically-rich adventure or another quick overlay in a facility Disneyland’s ops and lawyers really do not love?  

Thankfully, the November 10th opening of the treehouse revealed a delightful, charming, and beautifully-themed new attraction.  

The treehouse once again had a waterwheel and water system that transported magical water to every room of the treehouse.

 Every room is filled with stunning custom furnishings, charming animated props, and lovely lighting effects that bring the treehouse to life at night.   The treehouse’s transformation was a long one but in every way, it’s evident that it was carried out by a team that had a lot of love and passion for Disneyland and its original Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.   Why can’t every re-imagining project be done with such love and care?   

Don’t believe me? Take a look at this stunning nighttime video walk-through of this revived attraction: 

Festivals, Hauntings, and Holidays

Throughout 2023, all of Disneyland’s annual festivals and holiday celebrations returned.  From the Lunar New Year to the Food and Wine Festival, from Halloween Time to the Holidays, all seasonal favorites returned for the year.  

Lunar New Year and Food and Wine Festivals kick off the new year at Disney California Adventure.

No major changes were seen in any of the seasonal offerings.  During the holiday season, the fan-favorite Viva Navidad! street party in Disney California Adventure celebrated its 10th anniversary.  Donald, Jose, Panchito, Mickey, and Minnie all got new costumes for the anniversary, along with a special photo backdrop and 10th-anniversary decorations.   

Meanwhile, the Festival of the Holidays cut back on its food festival offerings, cutting the number of food items per booth.  A disappointing change to be sure, and one we hope we don’t see happen at the Lunar New Year or Food and Wine Festival coming up in 2024.

 

For Christmas, the Disneyland Hotel got a delightful Mary Blair-inspired mid-century modern refresh for its holiday decor package.  The new decor package, art directed by artist Hayden Evans, is charmingly retro and perfectly fits the hotel. 

Disneyland’s classic holiday offerings delighted again this year, although we’d love to see some more updates and refreshes in 2024.

At the end of the year, for the first time Disneyland released a full calendar of seasons and events for the coming year.  

EXCITING UPDATES: Disneyland Events & Pride Nite Details!

Hotel happenings

Major construction and retheming happened at the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel throughout the year. 

Disney Vacation Club opens at Disneyland Hotel 

Disney Vacation Club’s all-new Discovery Tower at the Disneyland Hotel opened on September 28, 2023.   The new tower wasn’t quite complete for the grand opening, with some in-room details and the Palm Breeze pool bar still under construction at opening.  Still, reviews of the new vacation club villas were overwhelmingly positive.  The new tower, while not matching the style of the existing 1950s-era towers at the hotel, does embrace the mid-century vibe of the overall property.  The Discovery Tower blends a contemporary take on the mid-century modern aesthetic with art and design cues from Disney’s animated films such as Frozen, The Jungle Book, and Sleeping Beauty.  

A new water play area and pool celebrate the mouse that started it all: Steamboat Willie (now in the public domain as of today).  

 

The new Palm Breeze pool bar serves up contemporary Californian fare with cocktails perfect for the poolside. 

 

The sun sets on Paradise Pier Hotel

Work continued throughout 2023 on the transformation of the Paradise Pier Hotel into the new Pixar Place Hotel, which began in 2022.

The new Pixar Place Hotel is set to officially open January 30, 2024 but much of the hotel’s new theming and re-imagined offerings are open now, including the flagship location for the Great Maple Restaurant.  The introduction of Great Maple at Pixar Place Hotel marks a departure for Disney — the first time in recent history that the company has leased out all food service operations for a Disney-owned hotel to a third-party company.  

While we’re not sold on the sterile, contemporary aesthetic, we can’t deny that the Paradise Pier Hotel was in desperate need of a refresh.  Hopefully, this makeover resonates with guests, as they’re the ones paying a premium for the new Pixar theme, which has so far largely felt more like a fancy children’s hospital rather than a warm and welcoming Disney hotel.  

Downtown Disney’s mid-century makeover 

Work continued throughout the year on Downtown Disney’s slow-moving but ongoing expansion and re-imagining project.  

In February, Earl of Sandwich re-opened in the former home of La Brea Bakery.  The Bakery closed on January 9 following the La Brea Bakery’s company-wide closure of cafes.  The reopening of Earl came alongside the opening of an Earl of Sandwich Tavern, a table service location serving up entrees, adult beverages, and more.

But don’t get too attached; Disney will once again boot Earl of Sandwich out of their location so the building can be replaced by an all-new Portos. While a permanent Earl of Sandwich is built on the West end of Downtown Disney, the sandwich shop will take up residence in a food truck (which is being set up now). We don’t know why Earl has put up with all of the abuse from Disney. They will have come and gone five times once their final location has been built.  

On April 14, Catal and Uva Bar closed.  The connected dining locations in the center of the shopping district were opening-day fixtures of Downtown Disney.  Work quickly got underway to transform and expand the spaces for the new Paseo and Centrico locations by Michelin-starred Mexican chef Carlos Gaytán.  Those locations are expected to open sometime in 2024. 

In June, the controversial remodel of Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen was finished after a phased remodeling.  The restaurant was officially rechristened Jazz Kitchen: Coastal Grill and Patio.  The dining location was met with harsh criticism from the fan community.  Pretty much all theming and character for the New Orleans eatery had been stripped and replaced with bright graphics and plain white walls.  Disappointing, to say the least.  

In August, the Alley opened next to Splitsville Luxury Lanes.  Artificial turf, outdoor bar games, and expanded seating were added to the new outdoor patio area where guests can order from the Splitsville menu.  

In early November, a brand new stage for performances, along with a large outdoor lawn, opened on the west end of Downtown Disney.  The new stage was the first part of the new dining and retail expansion in Downtown Disney’s west end that sits where the former AMC Theatres once stood.  The stage features a decorative mid-century modern-styled tower designed by artist and former Imagineer Nikkolas Smith.  The new area is distinctly mid-century modern in theming, a departure from the mix of Craftsman and art deco theming seen elsewhere in Downtown Disney.  It’s a logical transition to the mid-century Disneyland hotel next door. 

 

Ever-rising price of magic

Disneyland’s annual admission price increases hit in October, bringing higher prices at nearly every level of ticket and Magic Key passes.  Below is a recap of the annual price increases:

Disneyland’s Annual Price Increases

From tickets to parking to Magic Keys, prices went gone up again across the board in early October.  Some single-day tickets rose nearly 9%. Meanwhile, some multi-day tickets saw 16% increases.  The biggest hit was felt for Magic Keys, with the two middle tier keys seeing big $150 price increases.  

One Day Ticket Prices

• Tier 0: $104 (this has been the low price since 2019)
• Tier 1: $119 ($5/4.4% increase)
• Tier 2:  $134 ($5/3.9% increase)
• Tier 3: $154 ($10/6.9% increase)
• Tier 4: $169 ($10/6.3% increase)
• Tier 5: $184 ($15/8.9% increase)
• Tier 6: $194 ($15/8.4% increase)

Multi-Day Tickets

• Two Day, One Park Per Day: $310 ($25/8.8% increase, $155 per day)
• Three Day, One Park Per Day: $390 ($30/8.3% increase, $130 per day)
• Four Day, One Park Per Day: $445 ($50/12.7% increase, $111.25 per day)
• Five Day,  One Park Per Day: $480 ($65/15.7% increase, $96 per day)

Make It A Park-Hopper

While a one-day park-Hopper remains $65/day, the cost of adding a park-hopper has increased for 2, 3, 4, and 5-day tickets. It’s now 25% more expensive to park-hop on a 5-day ticket. 

• 1-day Park Hopper – $65 (0% increase)
• 2-day Park Hopper – $65 (8.3% increase, $32.5 per day)
• 3-day Park Hopper – $70 ($16.7% increase, $23.33 per day)
• 4-day Park Hopper – $70 ($16.7% increase, $17.5 per day)
• 5-Day Park Hopper – $75 (25% increase, $15 per day)

Magic Key Passes

All Magic Key passes saw increased in this latest round of price hikes.  Aside from the Park-Hopper jump, the biggest increase by percentage was the whopping $21.5% increase on the Enchant Key, up $150 to $849 for the year.  The Believe Key also jumped $150 but by percentage, it only rose 13.6%. 

• Imagine Key: $499 ($50/3.1% increase)
• Enchant Key: $849 ($150/21.5% increase)
• Believe Key: $1249 ($150/13.6% increase)
• Inspire Key: $1649 ($50/3.1% increase)

Below, this MiceChat chart tracks the price increases on Annual Passports and Magic Keys since 2018. 

Locking down the Magic Key settlement

In early September, Disney agreed to a $9.5 million settlement on a class-action lawsuit that accused Disney of “deceptive business practices” with its Magic Key passes.  The lawsuit claimed Disney falsely advertised the highest tier of Magic Key pass as having no blockout dates.  While it technically did not have blockout dates, the lawsuit claims the reservation system limited access and because of this, the Magic Key passes did effectively have blockout dates.  

However you feel about the lawsuit, the end result has been decidedly not great for passholders.  After all, the reservation system persists, warts and all, and the highest tier Magic Key pass that didn’t previously have blockout dates, was changed to include blackouts the final two weeks of the year. Prices were unchanged and, in fact, increased per usual in the latest round of price increases.  But hey, if you were a Magic Key holder in 2021, you may be eligible for a settlement check of $67.    

Navigating corporate crises but still pushing Forward

As we wrap up 2023, we’d be remiss if we didn’t note the state of the Walt Disney Company as a whole.  We won’t dive into all of the corporate drama but suffice to say, things are not exactly ideal at Disney HQ in Burbank.   Bob Iger’s return to the CEO office has been a bumpy ride.  Just last month, Iger passed the buck to Bob Chapek in an interview with the New York Times.  Iger’s told the Times that he’s been “fixing a lot of problems that the company has had, and dealing with a lot of challenges,” noting that some of those issues “were brought on by decisions that were made by my predecessor.”  

Chapek’s tenure is certainly a dark mark in Disney’s history and when Iger returned at the end of 2022, many fans, including writers and editors here on MiceChat, hailed his return as “a new hope” for Disney.  The optimism was palpable, as Iger had led the company successfully for 15 years prior to Chapek.  Of course, not everything was Chapek’s fault.  For example, the financial burden of Disney+ is a problem that Iger created for himself well before his retirement.  And even Chapek, his hand-picked successor, is his own doing.  But the hope was there, both on Wall Street and in the parks.  

Unfortunately, Disney continued to stumble throughout 2023.  Rumors swirled for months that Apple was planning to buy Disney.  In March, Iger laid off 7,000 Disney employees as he took major steps to reignite a company in distress.   Then, the writer’s strike hit in April.  The writer’s strike stretched for months, impacting production, TV show debuts, film premieres, and promotion. In July, as the writer’s strike raged in Hollywood, Iger alienated both his fans and Hollywood community:  Iger not only accepted a two-year contract extension, making him Disney CEO through 2026 but in the same week publicly said that writers were being “unrealistic” with their demands for fair pay.  To make things even more tone-deaf, Iger made the “unrealistic” claim on the heels of his CEO contract just being amended to effectively increase his salary from $25 million to about $31 million per year, according to a report from Business Insider. Yikes.

As 2023 wound down, Iger got into a public feud with X (Twitter) CEO Elon Musk over advertising on the platform, activist investor Nelson Peltz (who had made an aggressive proxy campaign earlier in 2023) was revealed to have amassed a large stake in the company and was aiming to install his picks to the Disney board, and executives from Disney’s past began popping up in the rumor mill as potential CEO successors.  Meanwhile, the studios were hit with a string of flops from the animated “Wish,” to “The Marvels,” to “The Haunted Mansion.”   The only highlight in the company’s portfolio right now seems to be the theme parks, which Disney has very little in the pipeline for when it comes to major new offerings and expansions in the coming years.  

So, as we head into 2024, Disney seemingly stands on the brink of a new era.  Will Iger be able to repair his image as Disney’s knight in shining armor?  Will he extend his contract again?  Will the Disney board be overrun by hostile investors akin to the return of Chapek?  Will the studios get some good news?  Will Disney+ ever become profitable?  Will major new projects be announced for the parks?  What will become of DisneylandForward?   What would you like to see happen as the Walt Disney Company begins its next 100 years?  Let us know in the comments section below! 

Alright, that wraps up our big Disneyland 2023 Year-in-Review!  Thank you for your continued support and readership here on MiceChat throughout 2023 — we wouldn’t be here without you! Happy New Year! And don’t worry, we’ll have much more in 2024!

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