An aerial view concept painting of the possible new land in Disney’s Animal Kingdom features a rounded building with lights on the roof, red roofed buildings, a fountain surrounded by pink flowers, lots of foliage including palm trees that line the beige pathways, and an arched entrance.

Disney Parks Unveils Future Projects, Surprises at Destination D23

By Frank Pallotta

The presentation titled “A Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” at this year’s Destination D23 in Orlando, Florida, included some major announcements.

Here is a list of just some of the amazing things that guests can expect from Disney Parks and Resorts.

A New Zootopia Show at the Tree of Life Theater

Characters from Zootopia including Nick, Judy, Gazelle, Yax, Police Chief Bogo, Priscilla, the Sloth, and Clawhauser step into a cave with a mini audience in front of them.

The attraction—which is being created for the Tree of Life Theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park—has guests joining Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and other characters as they travel through the wild world of Zootopia.

Imagineers are currently finalizing the concept, and more details will be coming in the future.

A New Pirates of the Caribbean-Themed Lounge

A green parrot in a pirate’s hat pulls on a rope with his mouth. The rope is attached to a sail, behind which a bunch of pirates are having a party while hoisting bottles up in the air.

A first-of-its-kind experience will extend the story of Pirates of the Caribbean and is coming to Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida.

Imagineers are in the design process now, and more details are coming in the future.

Country Bear Jamboree Is Getting a New Act

A tan, yellow and light blue poster has Grizzly Hall written at the top with Proudly Presents written under that and Country Bear Musical Jamboree written under that. Eight bears are on the poster with their names written in white on a red banner under their names. Henry is in the middle wearing a cowboy hat, blue jacket, green collared shirt, and purple scarf tie. Romeo McGrowl is on the left singing while looking to the side with his eyes closed. Trixie is below him, wearing hair and neck bows with her eyes closed. Terrence “Shaker” is below Henry and looks to the side while singing with a beige cowboy hat and black neck tie. Ernest the Dude is smiling at Terrence Shaker as he wears a red and white striped tank top with a blue neck tie and white hat. To the right of Henry is Wendell who is wearing a brown hat with a blue feather, and Teddi Barra who is wearing a pink hat with a blue feather. Above them is Big Al who has a confused look on his face while wearing a brown hat. Musical notes are scattered across the page and written in red at the bottom is: Featuring The Five Bear Rugs, Opening 2024.

The bears of Country Bear Jamboree will be performing a new act in 2024.

When the show debuts, the bears will be reinterpreting classic Disney songs in different genres of country music. Imagineers are envisioning the experience as a homage to Nashville’s classic musical revues.

Don’t worry, the Jamboree will still have the fun and friendly tone fans have come to love, with the same famous characters such as the lovable Trixie, Big Al, and others.

A New World-Jump Vehicle Is Coming to Avengers Campus

A spaceship emerges from another dimension that is full of orange and yellow colors and is hovering over a blue toned neighborhood that features a house with another spaceship on top of the roof.

A brand-new world-jumping vehicle is coming to the next attraction at Avengers Campus that will transport guests and heroes into the Multiverse.

The ride vehicle will incorporate some of the mightiest aspects of the Marvel universe, such as elements of Tony Stark’s time-suits, Xandarian jump points, and Wakandan technology.

More details on this high-tech vehicle are coming in the future.

Test Track Reimagined 

The Test Track ride features a track with a rounded vehicle that has 2 row of seats with 3 people in each row. Around them there is a lot of foliage and sunlight coming from behind.

Test Track—one of the most thrilling attractions at EPCOT—will be reimagined.

Imagineers and the team at Chevrolet are reaching back into history for inspiration—including the original World of Motion attraction from EPCOT’s early days—and bringing that spirit of optimism to the next evolution of Test Track.

From Dinoland U.S.A. to ‘Tropical Americas’

An aerial view concept painting of the possible new land in Disney’s Animal Kingdom features a rounded building with lights on the roof, red roofed buildings, a fountain surrounded by pink flowers, lots of foliage including palm trees that line the beige pathways, and an arched entrance.

Walt Disney Imagineering is planning to reimagine Dinoland U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom into a new land, inspired by a region sometimes referred to as “tropical Americas.”

To create the new land, Imagineers are looking at some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet in the regions just north and south of the equator in the Western Hemisphere—the northern part of South America, stretching up into Central America.

New experiences inspired by Encanto—the award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios film—and the beloved adventurer Indiana Jones are being considered for the reimagined land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Imagineering, added that “there’s a long way to go and a lot more to discover, but Imagineering teams in Florida are up for the challenge.”