News Destination D23 2025

[Gusey]

As was pointed out to me, this was how Walt ran the parks arm. With direct to consumer flirtatious detailing, marketing, teases and often coffee book fodder pipe dreams.

I don’t want the company to change because adults can’t manage their own expectations. Nothing about the current project cycle would feel better to this community if we didn’t know a thing other than what they are closing. It would feel way worse.

I do wonder if the lack of behind the scenes videos on TV in the 2000s and 2010s has led to D23 becoming the pinnacle for information about current projects? Back in the day you would get specials about specific projects and the Disneyland TV Show/Wonderful World of Disney show. Then nothing much other than the odd YouTube video about DCA 2.0 that I can remember. Nowadays we have We Call It Imagineering on YouTube acting as the new World of Disney, so a new outlet to show off behind the scenes info and updates about current projects that we don't need to wait a year for D23?

 

[Dranth]

I'm not saying Universal is better, just that Disney has always made a large part of their business hyping things and has crafted D23 and its events in particular as a way of doing so, under the guise of exclusive access.

Should people always expect announcements? Technically, no, but Disney is not unresponsible for setting those expectations

For D23 sure, but Destination D? Seems like that has always been mostly minor updates with a few exceptions.

That being said, no park panel does seem weird.

 

[KatiebugFan]

From what I understand there will be no dedicated parks panel but the Parks info will be included in the panels of
Making the Happiest Place on Earth; What’s Cooking with Disney Eats, Disney Villains: Icons of Evil, and Beyond the Spires.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

For D23 sure, but Destination D? Seems like that has always been mostly minor updates with a few exceptions.

When I say "D23 and its events" I'm talking about D23 as the umbrella brand, which includes Destination D, the bi annual expo, other events, the magazine (RIP?) etc

The selling point is your paying for access to the official club and its activities and publications, which provide details on all sort of stuff within the company; past, present and future

Destination D may not be a primary source for parks announcements, but it's safe to say people hoping for something, even if it's just new details on existing projects, is part of why they might go. Does that make them irrational adults?

IDK, that's just my $0.02 as someone who has never been a D23 member.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I am also kind of puzzled by that kind of attitude. I don't quite understand what people want: Disney should not hold these conventions? Disney should never announce anything at them? Disney should always have big announcements ready for them?

If people are mildly adult or rational in how they approach these things, they should be able to understand that there are no guarantees of anything being announced and quite often nothing of note is in part because there are not always going to be big new things ready to announce. They're certainly not going to drop $100million+ on a new attraction just so they have an announcement ready to go!


I am particularly always struck by the way in which everything Universal announces or does is always presumed in good faith. Let's be frank, Epic Universe has opened with a lot of issues which are probably part of the reason Disney hasn't felt much of a sting from its opening as many predicted. It just seems that the attitude is a lot more patient and understanding due to the fact everyone seems to think Comcast means well and puts the happiness of the people of the world above profits while Bob Iger and his minions have a sadistic thirst for money that will never be quenched.

I’m a bit baffled that you’re baffled here. Absolutely no one thinks Comcast “means well.” They’re one of the most hated corporations in the world. The popular imagination doesn’t embody them in the warm and fuzzy forms of Uncle Walt or Mickey Mouse and Comcast doesn’t even attempt that kind of branding. They thus don’t have a warm image to betray nor a long history of building brilliant theme park attractions to fail to live up to and it benefits them. They also generally announce projects like a corporation informing shareholders, without Disney’s pretense and “fan events.”

That’s one of the reasons Uni can take less heat than Disney regarding theme park decisions. The primary reason, I think, is twofold:

1) Uni isn’t regularly announcing that they are ripping out beloved attractions to build inferior ones. I know there are people who love Jaws or Kongfrontation and I respect that but the number is infinitesimal compared to the number of fans who loved the EPCOT or Fantasyland dark rides or Muppets or Tom Sawyer. WDW knows this, too, and tends to dance around the issue in a very disingenuous way, as we saw last D23.

2)Relatedly, a lot of folks think Uni has gotten better over the last 20 years and WDW has gotten worse. That doesn’t mean every decision Uni has made is good or every decision WDW has made is bad. Even now, however, when I think Uni is making a lot of bad post-COVID decisions and Disney is building aggressively, this pattern holds. If the overall direction of Disney seemed more positive and the rate of additions had been more consistent, fans would be a lot more forgiving of cuts and cancellations to announced projects.

For the record, I do think the D23 Conventions have been a bad thing. Disney aggressively encourages a form of hyper-fannishness and influencer culture and then acts shocked when it bites them in the butt. Yes, Walt was a showman in the Barnum tradition, but he was operating in an environment with very different forms of engagement between viewers and media (he played a big part in changing these forms). I also think there is a difference between launching a widely accessible TV program to take viewers “behind the scenes” of Disneyland and holding a very expensive, ticketed, vacation-destination event whose appeal hinges heavily on making announcements.

Finally, I’d opine that while the opening of EU has had hiccups, it seems to have been smoother then other Orlando openings like VB or Uni Studios or AK or MGM or the granddaddy of all bad openings, Disneyland. The biggest problem, one I’ve been very critical of, is how underbuilt the park is, but sadly that seems to be endemic among modern theme parks. If Disney isn’t being hurt, it’s because of the resorts rock solid place in the zeitgeist - a massive benefit of the same thing that earns it extra criticism!

 

[Fox&Hound]

You came up with a lot of stuff not built…like at all…or being built…or even talked about.

Where ya getting your info?

You do understand the difference between a 3 dimensional physical structure and a concept sketch, correct?

In due course…maybe

What about stitch and wonders? Prime real estate, no?

What are you talking about? Every addition they mentioned have been discussed at one point or another.

 

[bmr1591]

1) Uni isn’t regularly announcing that they are ripping out beloved attractions to build inferior ones. I know there are people who love Jaws or Kongfrontation and I respect that but the number is infinitesimal compared to the number of fans who loved the EPCOT or Fantasyland dark rides or Muppets or Tom Sawyer. WDW knows this, too, and tends to dance around the issue in a very disingenuous way, as we saw last D23.

I mean, Disney isn't exactly doing that either. Yes, I guess every ride has its group of fans that consider it beloved. Muppetvision has a large following that made their anger heard. Unfortunately, the theater was always a walk on. Now, is that the barometer of what should or shouldn't be in the park? Not necessarily, but it's one Disney does look at and consider. Then there are things like RoA that people didn't care at all about until they announced the location of Piston Peak, then suddenly it's 'the heart of the park' and 'our last refuge of nature at Disney'. Then there's the ridiculous notion that the EPCOT spine redo wasn't needed and that what was there before should have stayed. First, the redo has been a failure, I won't even argue that point. But some of y'all just throw on your nostalgia glasses and view everything that once was as perfection that didn't need to be altered. And I get it, people create core memories in these areas and to see them gone sucks. But let's not pretend that Disney is just ripping out beloved attractions for the sake of doing so or that the majority of replaced attractions were beloved. That's just unfair.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I believe this is the same as last year as far as the Emile's Fromage Montage completion prize:

 

[disneylandtour]

So there are four "around the globe" segments or presentations. China, France, Japan, and India. One of those places is not like the other. There are resorts in China, France, and Japan--but not India. So is this the announcement of something (resort or otherwise) finally being built in India? Otherwise, I'm super confused why India is in the mix. I can't imagine a whole "globe" presentation on Jungle Book, Mira the Royal Detective, Goliath II, a couple episodes (that hardly anyone saw) of Ms. Marvel, Mumbai Madness, and the not-so-successful product of Disney+ Hotstar.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What are you talking about? Every addition they mentioned have been discussed at one point or another.

Discussed by WHO?

 

[Casper Gutman]

I mean, Disney isn't exactly doing that either. Yes, I guess every ride has its group of fans that consider it beloved. Muppetvision has a large following that made their anger heard. Unfortunately, the theater was always a walk on. Now, is that the barometer of what should or shouldn't be in the park? Not necessarily, but it's one Disney does look at and consider. Then there are things like RoA that people didn't care at all about until they announced the location of Piston Peak, then suddenly it's 'the heart of the park' and 'our last refuge of nature at Disney'. Then there's the ridiculous notion that the EPCOT spine redo wasn't needed and that what was there before should have stayed. First, the redo has been a failure, I won't even argue that point. But some of y'all just throw on your nostalgia glasses and view everything that once was as perfection that didn't need to be altered. And I get it, people create core memories in these areas and to see them gone sucks. But let's not pretend that Disney is just ripping out beloved attractions for the sake of doing so or that the majority of replaced attractions were beloved. That's just unfair.

The Rivers were utterly integral to two major lands. They were a key element of placemaking and narrative. Just because many guests couldn’t articulate their significance doesn’t mean they weren’t tremendously significant. If you want to argue Frontierland and Liberty Square and all the attractions within - Splash, Thunder, HM, etc - aren’t beloved, go ahead. But that’s the argument you have to make for the unimportance of the Rivers.

WDW has ample room to expand. WDW is the only resort that regularly removes attractions to build new ones. They do so not out of concern for the guest experience but to maximize revenue. This all meets most people’s criteria of “ripping out beloved attractions for the sake of doing so.”

 

[BrianLo]

Destination D may not be a primary source for parks announcements, but it's safe to say people hoping for something, even if it's just new details on existing projects, is part of why they might go. Does that make them irrational adults?

IDK, that's just my $0.02 as someone who has never been a D23 member.

Presumably there are details on an existing project (villains). There appears to be exclusive studio content, which is a new bonus for Destination. It seems upfront stronger than Brazil.

 

[SpectroBro]

When I say "D23 and its events" I'm talking about D23 as the umbrella brand, which includes Destination D, the bi annual expo, other events, the magazine (RIP?) etc

The selling point is your paying for access to the official club and its activities and publications, which provide details on all sort of stuff within the company; past, present and future

Destination D may not be a primary source for parks announcements, but it's safe to say people hoping for something, even if it's just new details on existing projects, is part of why they might go. Does that make them irrational adults?

IDK, that's just my $0.02 as someone who has never been a D23 member.

Remember way back when there was only one major announcement from D23 events. Thinking the New Fantasyland announcement. We as fans have set the bar unrealistically high and we’re going to be very disappointed when they go back to that. This volume of announcements at D23 Expo will eventually not be sustainable.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I’m a bit baffled that you’re baffled here. Absolutely no one thinks Comcast “means well.” They’re one of the most hated corporations in the world. The popular imagination doesn’t embody them in the warm and fuzzy forms of Uncle Walt or Mickey Mouse and Comcast doesn’t even attempt that kind of branding. They thus don’t have a warm image to betray nor a long history of building brilliant theme park attractions to fail to live up to and it benefits them. They also generally announce projects like a corporation informing shareholders, without Disney’s pretense and “fan events.”

That’s one of the reasons Uni can take less heat than Disney regarding theme park decisions. The primary reason, I think, is twofold:

1) Uni isn’t regularly announcing that they are ripping out beloved attractions to build inferior ones. I know there are people who love Jaws or Kongfrontation and I respect that but the number is infinitesimal compared to the number of fans who loved the EPCOT or Fantasyland dark rides or Muppets or Tom Sawyer. WDW knows this, too, and tends to dance around the issue in a very disingenuous way, as we saw last D23.

2)Relatedly, a lot of folks think Uni has gotten better over the last 20 years and WDW has gotten worse. That doesn’t mean every decision Uni has made is good or every decision WDW has made is bad. Even now, however, when I think Uni is making a lot of bad post-COVID decisions and Disney is building aggressively, this pattern holds. If the overall direction of Disney seemed more positive and the rate of additions had been more consistent, fans would be a lot more forgiving of cuts and cancellations to announced projects.

I used Comcast specifically rather than Universal precisely because you wouldn't realise they were the company behind Universal based on the way they are compared to Disney on here, whose CEO is frequently literally depicted in creepily altered graphics with various references to money.

In a general sense, what I am getting from your explanation on the Disney vs Universal debate on here is that people expect less from Universal. For example, Universal hasn't been any more respectful of their heritage than Disney, it's just that people don't care as much when Universal replaces or closes an attraction. The same seems to apply to the lack of entertainment or short opening hours, which no-one really seems to comment on for one company but do comment on a lot when it's the other.

I can understand the sense one is getting better while the other isn't. What I find harder to understand is the issue mentioned before of people seeming to turn off their critical lenses and taking everything Universal presents at face value. This is, perhaps, subjective, but it was mystifying to me to see all the praise lavished on concept art for Epic Universe which showed a fairly standard hotel tower as the park centrepiece and a very outdoor mall-ish central area. It has quietened down since it opened, but people still occasionally revive the talk of the park rivalling Tokyo DisneySea that greeted that concept art. Even the PR talk of "putting the park back into theme park" which would have been mocked mercilessly if it came out of Disney was cited repeatedly in a very earnest fashion.

So, to me, it's more an issue of seeing all this talk of Universal essentially eating Disney's lunch and then coming back to earth when you actually look at what they're doing and realising that if Disney was doing the exact same thing the same people would be howling. I say that, too, as someone who doesn't find WDW a particularly compelling value prospect right now due to a lot of their recent decisions.

For the record, I do think the D23 Conventions have been a bad thing. Disney aggressively encourages a form of hyper-fannishness and influencer culture and then acts shocked when it bites them in the butt. Yes, Walt was a showman in the Barnum tradition, but he was operating in an environment with very different forms of engagement between viewers and media (he played a big part in changing these forms). I also think there is a difference between launching a widely accessible TV program to take viewers “behind the scenes” of Disneyland and holding a very expensive, ticketed, vacation-destination event whose appeal hinges heavily on making announcements.

I think, though, the point about Walt operating in a different environment is the key here. Fan culture didn't exist then in the way it does now, so the question for Disney is whether to embrace it or turn their back on it. Either way, it's going to exist, albeit you could argue Disney feeding it makes it a bigger force. If I was working there, I think I would also suggest trying to at least bring some of the fandom into the company and channel it. Sure, you may be inadvertently encouraging your critics, but I think the equation ultimately works out for them. I'm sure, for example, they make at least tens of thousands of dollars a year from posters on this one forum who relentlessly post negative opinions about the parks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m a bit baffled that you’re baffled here. Absolutely no one thinks Comcast “means well.” They’re one of the most hated corporations in the world. The popular imagination doesn’t embody them in the warm and fuzzy forms of Uncle Walt or Mickey Mouse and Comcast doesn’t even attempt that kind of branding. They thus don’t have a warm image to betray nor a long history of building brilliant theme park attractions to fail to live up to and it benefits them. They also generally announce projects like a corporation informing shareholders, without Disney’s pretense and “fan events.”

That’s one of the reasons Uni can take less heat than Disney regarding theme park decisions. The primary reason, I think, is twofold:

1) Uni isn’t regularly announcing that they are ripping out beloved attractions to build inferior ones. I know there are people who love Jaws or Kongfrontation and I respect that but the number is infinitesimal compared to the number of fans who loved the EPCOT or Fantasyland dark rides or Muppets or Tom Sawyer. WDW knows this, too, and tends to dance around the issue in a very disingenuous way, as we saw last D23.

2)Relatedly, a lot of folks think Uni has gotten better over the last 20 years and WDW has gotten worse. That doesn’t mean every decision Uni has made is good or every decision WDW has made is bad. Even now, however, when I think Uni is making a lot of bad post-COVID decisions and Disney is building aggressively, this pattern holds. If the overall direction of Disney seemed more positive and the rate of additions had been more consistent, fans would be a lot more forgiving of cuts and cancellations to announced projects.

For the record, I do think the D23 Conventions have been a bad thing. Disney aggressively encourages a form of hyper-fannishness and influencer culture and then acts shocked when it bites them in the butt. Yes, Walt was a showman in the Barnum tradition, but he was operating in an environment with very different forms of engagement between viewers and media (he played a big part in changing these forms). I also think there is a difference between launching a widely accessible TV program to take viewers “behind the scenes” of Disneyland and holding a very expensive, ticketed, vacation-destination event whose appeal hinges heavily on making announcements.

Finally, I’d opine that while the opening of EU has had hiccups, it seems to have been smoother then other Orlando openings like VB or Uni Studios or AK or MGM or the granddaddy of all bad openings, Disneyland. The biggest problem, one I’ve been very critical of, is how underbuilt the park is, but sadly that seems to be endemic among modern theme parks. If Disney isn’t being hurt, it’s because of the resorts rock solid place in the zeitgeist - a massive benefit of the same thing that earns it extra criticism!

Excellent.

Totally correctly. We get along!…just not so much when it’s movies

I would like to point out that Comcast actually changed the name of its main product some years ago because it was so hated…which is the rare move that proves your point. The “Zuckerberg”.

 

[MisterPenguin]

No D23 Disney Parks panel? Here’s when Disney Parks news could break

Without a dedicated parks panel, updates will be sprinkled throughout the weekend

scottgustin.substack.com

 

[MisterPenguin]

They’re spending billions of dollars in the swamp for projects that won’t come online until the end of the decade, unless they’re extremely worried about over promising and under delivering, they need as much hype and excitement behind these developments as possible.

 

[tanc]

imagine all the people who planned to go to D23 to see park news but have no park panel now lol

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

imagine all the people who planned to go to D23 to see park news but have no park panel now lol

I feel bad for them…but they probably got caught up in it and didn’t really pay close attention to the last few years of “announcements”…they aren’t guaranteed.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The only “destination” event I went to had Tony Baxter showing all sorts of amazing Mystic Harbor concepts. That was followed by 2 imagineers explaining that they watched Snow White for inspiration when designing 7 dwarves mine train.