Everything we learned at the Disney parks panel at the 2024 D23 Expo

It’s poop time.

by Disney Classic villains are getting their own theme park at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.

The company first teased the possibility of an ill-fated acquisition at the latest D23 show in 2022 as part of a series of “blue sky” projects it was mulling but not certain would materialize.

While the prospect of exploring what lies beyond Big Thunder Mountain excited fans, its lack of tangibility left many wondering what exactly Disney was doing to compete with its upcoming opening. by Universal Epic Universe.

The answer came Saturday night during the company’s Experience Show at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

“As we sit here together at the Honda Center, we have Imagineers hard at work,” Josh D’Amaro told a roaring crowd. “Everything we have to share with you is in active development… That means dirt is moving. This is not blue sky.”

The revelation sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Disney’s theme parks, which are part of the broader division known as experiences, have long been a top-performing segment for the company, especially in an era of streaming for linear TV networks and declining revenue from cable advertising. The parks have provided stability in recent quarters as Disney scrambles to adjust its entertainment to match consumer habits that have changed since the pandemic.

However, in the most recent quarter, Disney’s domestic parks in California and Florida saw slower consumer demand and increased inflation. The company expects this steady participation to continue in the coming quarters.

However, Disney is bullish on its experiences division, which includes its theme parks, cruise lines and hotels. The company has committed to investing $60 billion in experiences over the next 10 years — a key part of its strategy to keep parks fresh and relevant in a competitive segment.

About 70% of that money will go toward new experiences at domestic and international parks, along with cruise lines. The remaining 30% will be allocated to technology and infrastructure, including maintenance of existing attractions.

On Saturday, Disney fans saw where that investment was being placed with the help of some big names.

Rita Ora graced the stage to perform a cover of “Trust in Me” from “The Jungle Book” to announce the new villains coming to the Magic Kingdom. This new area of ​​the park will include two major attractions as well as shopping and dining.

“So get ready, you poor unfortunate souls,” D’Amaro teased.

Shaboozey rocked the Honda Center with a rendition of “Life Is a Highway” as part of the announcement that parts of Florida-based Frontier Land will be redecorated with elements from the movie “Cars.”

This area will differ from the one at Disney California Adventure, D’Amaro told the audience, and will take place in the desert. There will be an e-ticket attraction, an exciting off-road rally race and a second ride that is more for families. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025.

D’Amaro noted that these expansions at Magic Kingdom are the park’s largest ever.

At Hollywood Studios, Disney is set to build a land centered around “Monsters, Inc.” Billy Crystal, the voice of the one-eyed green monster Mike Wazowski, appeared on stage to tease attendees about the new area.

Crystal sang a cover of “If I Didn’t Have You” to a standing ovation.

This land will feature a major attraction that takes guests on a thrilling tour of the Laugh Factory via a hanging coaster. The public cheered for the new route. Construction begins next year, D’Amaro said.

Animal Kingdom’s Tropical America’s land, set to open in 2027, will feature an Indiana Jones attraction set inside a Mayan temple. Ke Huy Quan appeared on stage with D’Amaro to tease the new ride and reminisce about his first role in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

“Josh, I have to ask you, will there be snakes?” Quan joked.

D’Amaro said construction will begin in the fall, and guests will have to wait to see what the Orlando-based ride’s new history has in store.

As part of the land of Tropical America, Disney is creating Puebla Esperanza, which means village of hope. Here the company is building the Casita Madrigal from “Encanto” and will have an attraction centered on the character Antonio who has the magical gift of talking to animals. Casita has brought the house’s furnishings to life to give guests a tour of the house and venture into Antonio’s jungle room.

Also part of this area will include a brand new carousel featuring woodcarved animals from classic Disney stories.

This park is also set to open a “Coco” attraction that will follow Miguel to the land of the dead. It will use state-of-the-art sound animatronics like those seen in newly renovated Tiana’s Bayou Adventure; It was also inspired by the iconic Haunted Mansion and the Pirates of the Caribbean rides. The company breaks ground in 2026.

Disney also used Saturday’s presentation to update fans and shareholders on $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games.