Rumor D23 2024 WDW Rumors, Predictions & Discussion

[Disgruntled Walt]

I agree. Unfortunately no insiders like @wdwmagic have hinted that a DAK show is in development, unless it’s being kept very quiet which is possible. It has been hinted that they have plans for future drone usage so there must be things in the pipeline that nobody is talking about.

The focus is definitely elsewhere for the time being.

I would imagine the nighttime parade is taking most of their entertainment attention, as they would, I assume, want to knock this out of the park.

But didn't someone say they couldn't do drones at AK because there's no space where they wouldn't be flying over guests?

 

[Magenta Panther]

What would be great is if we got a U.S. version of Tokyo Disneyland's Fantasy Springs. That place is breathtaking. But we all know the odds of that happening...

 

[neo999955]

My predictions (ordered by likely opening times - just my guesses):

Hollywood Studios

• Details on Little Mermaid show (2024)
• New bots and characters for Star Wars Land (2024+)

EPCOT

• Test track details (2025)
• Inside out show / non-ride presence (2025/2026)
• Brazil pavilion blue sky at D23 Brazil (2030+)

Animal Kingdom

• Indy redo details (2026)
• Tropical Americans deep dive Land, flat ride (2027)
• Encanto ride (2028)

Magic Kingdom

• New parade (2025)
• Big Thunder enhancements (2026)
• Moana in Adventureland (2027)
• Detailed Coco reveal for Beyond phase 1 (2028)
• Second, slightly less detailed, reveal for second IP for phase 1.5 (2029)
• Blue sky 2.0 of Villains for Beyond phase 2 (2030+)

I don't think it makes sense to mention AK/Avatar expansion now or HS's animation courtyard (Simpsons) as those will all come 2030+. I also don't think they'll get rid of Aerosmith for a few years, so they can announce that in 2026 and close the ride then. They do need to mention Villains/Phase 2 because they've already announced it.

 

[Gusey]

But didn't someone say they couldn't do drones at AK because there's no space where they wouldn't be flying over guests?

Disney would either have to have a launch site on the Discovery River lagoon itself, a bit like KiteTails using the Asia side of the amphitheater or close either Asia early and use the Dinoland stand or close Dinoland early near Nemo and use the Asia stand. Either way, the amiptheater design means one side would likely have to close

 

[TTA94]

The focus is definitely elsewhere for the time being.

I think we know what one project is, but is there more than one for 2025?

 

[Moth]

Updated list.

MK
-Beyond Big Thunder
-Something for Tomorrowland.
-Speedway?
-Moana Adventureland (?)

EPCOT
-Test Track 3 along with OFFICIAL word if Fun To Be Free comes back. More details like possible sets, etc.
-Spaceship Earth 5 (flip a coin if sponsor!)
-Magic Eye Theater Refresh with Inside Out short film
-Obligatory Imagination key jingling that has the forums rip each other apart over

Hollywood Studios
-I can see them revealing nothing.
-Bluesky for Animation Courtyard if we get anything.

Animal Kingdom
-Tropical America's
-Lion King tease
-Something with Planet of the Apes. The wind feels funny here, I can see it.


Disney Springs
-NBA Experience replacement

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Something with Planet of the Apes. The wind feels funny here, I can see it.

This is just a random prediction, right? You haven't heard anything like this?

 

[Moth]

This is just a random prediction, right? You haven't heard anything like this?

It's a gut feeling. I think it'd work BEAUTIFULLY in AK with the right minds behind it. But something is telling me the next Fox IP in parks is going to be Apes. Be it a Star Tours replacement or something in AK.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

I would imagine the nighttime parade is taking most of their entertainment attention, as they would, I assume, want to knock this out of the park.

I’m looking forward to a potential new MK night parade just to help with crowd control. Main Street is an absolute disaster now with folks congregating there for HEA an hour plus in advance vs camping along a parade route throughout the park

 

[Gusey]

Current predictions:
MK:
-New parade, one that can work in the day and at night in the winter
-Beyond Big Thunder phase 1 as Coco, maybe reviving an old Epcot project as realised the 2019 Epcot posters had Coco featured front and center on the Mexico poster
-Moana in Adventureland to say they are expanding
-Pirate Tavern details
Epcot:
-Test Track 3.0 update
-Imagination Pavilion Bluesky, especially with the recent clearing out of the characters from the pavilion. Only Figment is left now
Hollywood Studios:
-Opening date for new The Little Mermaid show
-Potential new mission for Millennium Falcon
Animal Kingdom:
-Tropical Americas details including confirmation of what three attractions are
-Opening time frame for Zootpia in Tree of Life

 

[Surferboy567]

It's a gut feeling. I think it'd work BEAUTIFULLY in AK with the right minds behind it. But something is telling me the next Fox IP in parks is going to be Apes. Be it a Star Tours replacement or something in AK.

Ya know what, that’s actually not a terrible idea. That can work.

 

[TTA94]

I’m looking forward to a potential new MK night parade just to help with crowd control. Main Street is an absolute disaster now with folks congregating there for HEA an hour plus in advance vs camping along a parade route throughout the park

What would be great is if they could find a way to keep people in the same spots for the parade to watch HEA instead of a mass rush to the hub following the parade. Rumor has it MK is getting a new lighting package along with the parade. Unknown yet if that will also be used for HEA but it would be beneficial to add lighting and maybe even projections to Frontierland. The Fantasyland side of the castle definitely could use projections.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

It's a gut feeling. I think it'd work BEAUTIFULLY in AK with the right minds behind it. But something is telling me the next Fox IP in parks is going to be Apes. Be it a Star Tours replacement or something in AK.

I’d rather see this at the studios personally, but it’d be an interesting IP regardless

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

What would be great is if they could find a way to keep people in the same spots for the parade to watch HEA instead of a mass rush to the hub following the parade. Rumor has it MK is getting a new lighting package along with the parade. Unknown yet if that will also be used for HEA but it would be beneficial to add lighting and maybe even projections to Frontierland. The Fantasyland side of the castle definitely could use projections.

Agreed, having projection on the FL side would help immensely to spread out the crush. Sure it would mess up the sight lines with the fireworks, but it’s not like there aren’t folks who stop and watch in that location now without projections

 

[Streetway]

It's a gut feeling. I think it'd work BEAUTIFULLY in AK with the right minds behind it. But something is telling me the next Fox IP in parks is going to be Apes. Be it a Star Tours replacement or something in AK.

Can’t wait for the “apes” musical with Dr Zaius from the Simpsons to replace the nemo show at DAK

 

[Coaster Lover]

Can’t wait for the “apes” musical with Dr Zaius from the Simpsons to replace the nemo show at DAK

"Oh my God! I was wrong! It was Earth All Along! You've finally made a monkey, (Yes, we finally made a monkey!)"

To be honest though, they gave the fans their fan service by making "Rogers: the Musical" into something "real", if they did the same thing with "Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off!", I honestly feel like it would create a lot of positive mojo with fans...

 

[Streetway]

"Oh my God! I was wrong! It was Earth All Along! You've finally made a monkey, (Yes, we finally made a monkey!)"

To be honest though, they gave the fans their fan service by making "Rogers: the Musical" into something "real", if they did the same thing with "Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off!", I honestly feel like it would create a lot of positive mojo with fans...

Honestly maybe apes wouldve worked as a dinosaur retheme instead of Indy…

 

[eddie104]

What would be great is if we got a U.S. version of Tokyo Disneyland's Fantasy Springs. That place is breathtaking. But we all know the odds of that happening...

That expansion was specifically designed for that resort and its demographics so unfortunately I don’t see that happening.

If we could get something close to it that would be nice.

 

[Rhinocerous]

Can’t wait for the “apes” musical with Dr Zaius from the Simpsons to replace the nemo show at DAK

"I hate every ape I see. From chimpan-A to chimpanzee. No, you'll never make a monkey out of me."

 

[Rockishcoco]

It's a gut feeling. I think it'd work BEAUTIFULLY in AK with the right minds behind it. But something is telling me the next Fox IP in parks is going to be Apes. Be it a Star Tours replacement or something in AK.

I don't know about the mass appeal of this but I think a POTA ride would make me go ballistic. Kali River retheme maybe? Definitely fits AK theme wise IMO.

Something like this would rock.