Disney unveils a bunch of plans at D23 events. Here's what's panned out. (2024)

It's one of the most exciting times of the year for Disney fans.

The D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicks off Aug. 9 in Anaheim, California. The biennial gathering of official Disney fan club members is where Disney unveils major announcements spanning its experiences and entertainment. While some plans are more immediate, other "blue-sky" ideas take years to materialize.

Before we discover what's next for Disney's parks and Disney Cruise Line, let's see where last year's Destination D23 announcements stand as well as carryover plans from 2022's D23 Expo.

Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• The Hatbox Ghost arrived at Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion last November. Disney had said the longtime Disneyland Haunted Mansion icon would appear at Disney World last year.
• Tiana's Bayou Adventure opened at Magic Kingdom this June and will open at Disneyland later this year. While Splash Mountain's reimagining wasn't initially announced at D23, details were released at D23 events.
• Last year, Disney revealed that the iconicCountry Bear Jamboree would be reimagined this year with new country versions of popular Disney songs. The bears' new show debuted July 17.
• The new Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired lounge announced last year is still in development.
• Expansion plans shared in 2022 for a land "beyond Big Thunder Mountain" remain in development.

EPCOT

• The walk-through edutainment attraction Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana opened as scheduled last October.
• The nighttime spectacular "Luminous The Symphony of Us," first announced in 2022, debuted last December.
• EPCOT's World Celebration also opened as scheduled last December. The final piece of the park's years-long transformation, CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, opened this June.
• Last year, Disney announced Test Trackwould be being reimagined in partnership with Chevrolet. It closed this June.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• At the D23 Expo in 2022, Disney revealed that it would be retheming Dinoland U.S.A. Last year, Disney said the land will be reimagined after the "tropical Americas" with new "Encanto" and Indiana Jones experiences under consideration. Plans are still in development. In the meantime, Dinoland U.S.A. remains open.
• Last year, Disney revealed a "Zootopia"-inspired short is planned for the Tree of Life. For now, it's still "It's Tough to be a Bug!"

Disneyland

• Asha from the animated film "Wish" began making appearances at Disneyland, EPCOT and Disneyland Paris last year, as announced.
• Disneyland's reimagined Pixar Place Hotel, which was mentioned at 2022's D23 Expo, opened this January.
• As announced, RunDisney races returned to Disneyland this January for the first time since the pandemic.
• Last year, Disney revealed that Ahsoka would join the Star Tours attraction at Disneyland, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Paris. New scenes featuring Ahsoka, Mandalorian and Andor debuted this April.
• Plans are still underway for a new multiverse centered attraction coming to Disney California Adventure Park's AvengersCampus.

Disney Parks abroad

• World of Frozen opened at Hong Kong Disneyland this past November, as scheduled.
• Shanghai Disney Resort opened its new Zootopia land in December, as planned.
• Fantasy Springs, the largest expansion at Tokyo Disney Resort since the opening of Tokyo DisneySea, debuted this June. D23 attendees were given previews in both 2022 and 2023. Tokyo Disneyland's Space Mountain closes July 31 for a previously announced overhaul that wraps in 2027.
• Disneyland Paris reopened its reimagined Disneyland Hotel this January. Fans got a sneak peek at D23 Expo in 2022. The resort's coming World of Frozen and Tangled-themed attraction, Raiponce Tangled Spin, were also teased that year, but we know they're park of a much larger transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure Park.

Disney Cruise Line

• Disney Cruise Line began sailing from Australia and New Zealand last year, as previously announced.
• Disney Cruise Line's newest private destination, Lookout Cay atLighthouse Point, opened this June. Disney shared details on the Bahamian destination at both last year's Destination D23 and 2022's D23 Expo.
• The cruise line's sixth ship, the Disney Treasure, will launch this December. Its name was revealed at the D23 Expo in 2022.
• Last year, Disney Cruise Line unveiled the name of their seventh ship, the Disney Adventure. When it debuts next year, it will be Disney's first ship to sail from Singapore across Southeast Asia. The name of Disney's eighth ship, the Disney Destiny, has already been announced.