As the dust settles on an exciting D23 Expo D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, we’re left buzzing with anticipation, curiosity, and a bit of disappointment. Disney Parks’ big “Horizons” panel included many surprising reveals but also major unanswered questions. Spoiler alert: No news on Tomorrowland or DisneylandForward just yet. While fans eagerly await updates on these highly anticipated projects, they’ll be thrilled to learn that some exciting new attractions are just around the corner! Follow along with us today with a special D23 weekend Disneyland Update as we take a look at D23 Day, the future of Disneyland, and the rise of big crowds as park prices plummet.
Hang onto your hats, there are some big highs and lows to explore below…
Disneyland Resort Announcements at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
It’s been a whirlwind weekend here in Anaheim as D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (formerly D23 Expo) took over the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center. We have a whole section of the MiceChat site dedicated to coverage of the event, but for today’s Disneyland update, we’ll be doing a quick speed run of what was announced for the Disneyland Resort. If you’re itching for more information about any of these announcements, we have a comprehensive article with more detail.
One thing is for certain, after a litany of announcements for Walt Disney World, Disneyland is getting the short end of the stick… at least they weren’t ready to commit to announcing a new park, entertainment district, or anything else Disney was spinning during the DisneylandForward approval process. But there is still much to be hopeful about…
We’ll begin with Disneyland’s 70th anniversary next year, which has a logo and a promise of more information soon.
Getting the park ready for a major anniversary is a big undertaking. We’ve been following smaller construction projects popping up all over the resort recently and I’d suspect we’ll see more as the anniversary gets closer. Definitely stay tuned here at MiceChat to be updated on the lead-up to Disneyland’s 70th anniversary.
For now, D23 Day medallions with a 70th logo featuring the Disneyland main entrance Mickey Mouse floral are available along with a quote from Walt Disney’s Disneyland dedication, the Haunted Mansion, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
What’s Coming to Disneyland Park
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
The entire west half of Disneyland is currently under construction and we now know what to expect. Critter Country will now be Bayou Country, officially becoming a pseudo-extension of New Orleans Square. The anchor attraction of this re-christened land will of course be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure which officially opens with the Holiday season on November 15th!
Bayou Country will be home to all the previously announced redesigns of Critter Country including the Hungry Bear Barbeque Jamboree and Louis’ Critter Club, as well as a return of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and the Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes. We’re very interested in how it will all tie into the new bayou theme.
New details about the eats and treats coming to Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree were just released. Check out our updated article and let us know what you think of the menu:
Walt Disney – A Magical Life
Perhaps one of the most surprising (and divisive) announcements from this weekend was that a new Walt Disney-focused attraction will be coming to Main Street USA complete with an audio-animatronic version of the company’s founder called Walt Disney – A Magical Life.
The Disneyverse immediately went wild with split opinions on the tastefulness of presenting Walt this way. Walt’s own granddaughter, Joanna Miller, posted the following to Facebook:
“Everyone PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS>>> Do not let them turn Grampa into a ROBOT!…………..My Mom tried to stop this years ago and they respected her wishes. There is plenty of film so people can see him and hear him talk. He has told you everything on TV show lead ins and specials.” “Please help protect the memory and legacy of GRAMPA.”
It makes Josh D’Amaro’s assertion that he had the approval of the Disney family look hollow and deceptive. Walt had a family and his brother Roy had a family. Josh consulted the Roy side of the Disney family, but not the side with direct lineage to Walt himself.
There are also concerns about the depreciation of the Lincoln show, as Lincoln was a historical figure close to Walt’s heart. The sixteenth president was Walt’s hero from an early age, he gave speeches about the president in school, and recreated the President’s famous Gettysburg Address for the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The show was later moved to Disneyland as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Fortunately, the Opera House theater is being rebuilt with a turntable that allows a version of the Lincoln show to play in rotation at the Main Street Opera House. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln will return after Walt Disney – A Magical Life ends its initial run next year, and the two shows will then play in some sort of rotation. Hopefully, that name of the show will also be rotated out of use because it sounds less like a show where Walt magically comes to life with Disney technology and more like a memorial for a dead man.
Where do you stand on this folks? Should “Walt Disney a Magical Life” be presented without an animatronic of him as he, his wife and his children wished and his granddaughter reminds us wasn’t want he wanted?
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
(Hopefully) taking the first step into fixing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney announced that Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run will finally be receiving a new mission based on the upcoming film, The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Mando and Grogu have proven to be one of the most popular additions to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, so it’s exciting to see their presence expanded. This raises questions about the future of the Star Wars-themed land, though. The Mandalorian and Grogu won’t be taking place during the same time period that Galaxy’s Edge is currently set in— is this finally an abandonment of the silly pigeonhole that Imagineering stuck themselves into when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019? We sure hope so.
Mando and Grogu already appear in Star Tours: The Adventures Continue alongside characters and a scene from the Ahsoka TV series. Star Tours dropped its timeline requirement years ago to accommodate more Star Wars stories, perhaps we’ll now see that with this new addition to Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run coming in 2026.
What’s Coming to Disney California Adventure
As we look at the future of DCA, it should be clear to you that the park is no longer themed to “California.” Anything goes…
Avatar
Perhaps the most intriguing upcoming addition to Disney California Adventure will be the Avatar-themed land. Disney is promising a grand scale for this land based on Avatar: The Way of Water and other upcoming Avatar films. What’s so great about a big Avatar land? The answer lies in what this land will offer to Disney California Adventure as a whole: a major addition to capacity.
The park is in desperate need for high capacity attractions and adding two people-eating boat rides (more on the second one in a moment) is a big win for Disneyland’s sister park. The attraction will be a boat ride and rumors point towards a utilization of Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride system. This adds another innovative E-ticket attraction to Disney California Adventure that additionally can have a high number of riders. If it’s anything like Pandora — The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, visitors to this new land may be in for a treat.
This development is anticipated to encompass a sizable plot, prompting speculation about its prospective location. Current rumors suggest that it may potentially take over the partially abandoned Hollywood Land, which has additional space behind it that the park can now annex due to the rezoning of the resort from the DisneylandForward project.
Coco Surprise!
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one is the Coco attraction coming to Disney California Adventure. Very little information was released about this attraction other than it will begin construction in 2026, but another high-capacity boat ride based on one of the most popular properties at the Disneyland Resort is a no-brainer. Coco is in every single major show right now from Magic Happens to World of Color and even PhilharMagic.
Where do you folks speculate this attraction will end up? Maybe where Coco’s Plaza de la Familia will be moving in later this month when Halloween Time starts?
We’re Coco loco over this one, what about you?
Avengers Campus
It’s been several D23 Expos, but some solid details have finally been revealed for the major Avengers Campus expansion and it’s a bit bigger than previously announced (well, at least the 2022 version). Avengers Campus will be receiving two new attractions, the multiverse-spanning Avengers Infinity Defense and a flight simulator, Stark Flight Lab.
Avengers Infinity Defense is the big E-Ticket attraction that Imagineering has been kicking around for several years now, but they’ve finally committed to it in a real way by showing off some concept art.
The surprise announcement was that a second flat ride, Stark Flight Lab, would be joining the major E-Ticket. Interestingly, both attractions will have Robert Downey Jr. reprise his role as Iron Man right as he’s about to begin his new Marvel role as Dr. Doom. Stark Flight Lab is a KUKA-arm attraction that looks quite akin to the former (and often forgotten) Sum of All Thrills at Epcot’s Innoventions.
Unlike Sum of All Thrills, Stark Flight Lab looks to have improved capacity by not only adding more KUKA arms, but also loading pods on the ground and having the KUKA grab the pod to lift it for the flight simulation.
For more detailed information about Disneyland’s D23 announcements, check out our comprehensive article:
BREAKING NEWS: New Attractions and Surprises Announced for Disneyland
D23 Expo LIVE with Dusty & Mike
Our intrepid crew take you for an hour-long stroll of the D23 Expo. Don’t miss this walk and talk which includes run-ins with Disney legends, celebrities, and a first-hand look at the big Disney show:
Pixar Fest Out – D23 & Halloween In
Even before Pixar Fest ended, banners were already being swapped out. Halloween installation is now in full swing.
The large Pixar Fest sculpture has come down and the Halloween banners have come up.
Even Buena Vista Street is already getting into the spooky spirit.
Here’s a look at Christmas Tree Point after they removed the Pixar Fest display – not the greatest-looking patch job…While it wasn’t like this for long, its appearance was wanting earlier in the week.
The area was quickly covered up for D23 Day on Thursday with a cute Mary Blair-style display that stayed up over the weekend.
Halloween Time runs from August 23 through October 31, 2024 this year. Although the Pixar Fest festivities have come to a close, Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular will continue through August 22, with Halloween Screams commencing on August 23.
The foodie guide for Plaza de la Familia was released last week, featuring “Coco” and Día de los Muertos-inspired offerings mainly available at Paradise Garden Grill in DCA. Here’s a look at a couple of the offerings:
In addition, Disneyland is rolling out new and returning offerings and spooktacular novelties like the Mickey Jack-O-Lantern Sipper and Green Poison Red Apple Glow Cube.
We also got news on specialty dining at Goofy’s Kitchen. Stay tuned for our full Disneyland Resort Halloween Guide to learn about all of the ghoulish details!
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
D23 Day at Disneyland
The first-ever D23 Disneyland takeover occurred this past Thursday, August 8. MiceChat was there to partake in the festivities, which included special ear hats at the gate, a Disney Legends cavalcade, and other special entertainment and displays throughout the resort.
The Disneyland Band Cavalcade attracted a large crowd eager to see the Disney Legends riding in the Main Street vehicles.
Several of the new Disney Legends this year received profiles on Disney social media:
View this post on Instagram
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All the top leadership was in attendance at Disneyland for D23 Day including CEO Bob Iger and Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro.
The first visitors to Disneyland for the day received one of these special D23 Day Mickey Mouse ear hats.
and a special souvenir flyer listing all the different D23 Day opportunities.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa joined in celebrating with a D23 display crafted by the pastry team.
Downtown Disney had a few photo ops and artwork to check out.
Tarzan 25th Anniversary Merchandise
Along with the whirlwind of D23 Day festivities, a full set of Tarzan 25th anniversary merchandise was also released.
Clayton looks quite frightening in this pin:
A MiceChat Gumball Rally Announcement!
MiceChat has had a booth in every D23 Expo, and this year’s was the largest ever. During the event, celebrities, legends, historians and authors worked the booth and stopped by to say hello. But what we really loved was seeing so many of you!
We also announced our next Gumball Rally for February 8th, 2025! Here’s the note Dusty shared with our booth visitors:
MiceChat Gumball Rally Returns February 8th, 2025… With a Twist!!!
It was a day unlike any other. In the hustle and bustle of Disney California Adventure, shadows danced and secrets whispered… What were they saying???
A thrilling new adventure awaits! The world-famous MiceChat Gumball Rally returns on February 8th, 2025, with an enthralling twist: a Disney California Adventure Murder Mystery!
As shadows lengthen and secrets unfold, you’ll race to ride the most attractions in a single day. But this time, there’s a mystery to solve as well. Was it Mickey with a churro on the Pal-A-Round, or perhaps Mad Madame Mim with a turkey leg at the Hyperion?
The clues will lead one lucky team to victory and a day of intrigue and fun.
Remember, folks: This race is for all the gumballs… hesitation could be… deadly.
Choose wisely, move quickly, and may the best sleuths win.
For more info and to sign up, visit the MiceChat Gumball Rally page:
Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar
Today marks the first day of school for students in the LA school district. And with that, the summer season continues to wind down at Disneyland, as construction and maintenance projects ramp up. Let’s take a quick look at that extensive refurbishment list at the Disneyland Resort…
Currently Under Refurbishment:
- Splash Mountain – Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: (May 31st, 2023-November 15th, 2024)
- The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln- adding “Walt Disney — A Magical Life:” (April 16th, 2024-2025)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: (May 1st-TBA)
- The Briar Patch – Remodel to Ray’s Berets: (May 1st-TBA)
- Pooh Corner – Remodel to add Critter Club: (May 1st-TBA)
- Davey Crockett’s Explorer Canoes: (July 8th-TBA)
- Hungry Bear Restaurant – Remodel to Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree: (July 8th-TBA)
- Critter Country Fruit Cart: (July 8th-TBA)
- Disneyland Railroad: (August 5th-TBA)
- Space Mountain: (August 5th-September 5th)
- Turtle Talk with Crush: (August 5th-15th)
- Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome: (August 5th-15th)
- Sorcerer’s Workshop: (August 5th-15th)
- Animation Academy: (August 5th-29th)
- Disneyland Monorail: (August 12th-TBA)
Upcoming Refurbishments:
- Indiana Jones Adventure: (September 9th-13th)
- Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island: (September 16th-18th)
That’s a lot of closures folks. Is there anything on the list that’s a dealbreaker which would keep you from visiting?
Beware the Crowd Crush
In days of yore, the start of the new school year also brought a lull in crowds, but that’s no longer the case. As high summer ticket prices drop drastically this week, crowds are expected to spike. The lowest cost days generally bring the highest visitation to the resort. Those $104 days below sure do look tempting… but know that you aren’t alone in that feeling.
MiceShots
Let’s round out today’s update with a few MiceShots from around the Disneyland Resort.
August 22 will bring the last performance of Magic Happens (at least until next year).
There’s a bit of construction going on at the Cozy Cone Cafe.
Currently, there’s nowhere to sit as all the seating areas are under construction.
Storytime with Deadpool continues to be incredibly popular. The show is scheduled at least through the end of the month, if the show remains popular, they could keep Deadpool around indefinitely.
It’s a fun family-friendly show from an otherwise R-rated character.
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Let’s Hear From You!
As the magic of D23 weekend fades and anticipation builds for what’s to come, one thing is clear: the future of Disneyland Resort is brimming with excitement AND some disappointment. While some long-awaited updates are still on the horizon, the newly announced attractions are set to bring fresh energy and unforgettable experiences to Disney California Adventure. Let’s hear from you. What announcement caught your eye? What do you think of a Walt animatronic? Did you attend D23 Day? Are you getting ready to pounce on $104 tickets? Let us know in the comments below.
More Disney Parks Reading Not To Miss
Don’t miss out, the D23 Shopping Experience just launched today. So, even if you didn’t get to the Expo, there are still opportunities for you to pick up some swag…
Heads Up! D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Merchandise Now Available
Villains, Cars, Monsters and More for Walt Disney World…
UPDATED! New Attractions for Walt Disney World & Shocking Surprises!
A Lion King Splash Mountain joins Frozen and other big projects for Disney’s international parks…
UPDATED! We Know What’s Beyond the North Mountain at Disneyland Paris!
Disney Cruise Line expanding to 13 ships!!!
UPDATED! Disney Cruise News: A Whole New Kind Of Disney Ship & More
Meet the Disney Legends!