Amazing Announcements from the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at D23 Expo this weekend

Making your dreams come true is who we are and what we do,” said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek at D23 Expo.  Here is a quick synopsis of what is coming.

Star War Fans, buckle your seatbelts!

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars-themed lands that will open in 2019 at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including their name—Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.  The lands are set in a remote trading port on the edge of wild space.  Guests will be right in the middle of the action when they’re piloting the Millennium Falcon or aboard a Star Destroyer inside a hangar bay.

Star Wars-Themed Resort Announced
The Star Wars-themed resort will bring your wildest dreams to life. From the second you arrive, you will become a part of a Star Wars story! You’ll immediately become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire. Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around you. It is 100-percent immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day—and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.

Staying with a space theme some new attractions and a restaurant at Epcot:

  • Guardians of the Galaxy E-Ticket Ride (probably replacing Ellen’s Energy Adventure).
  • A new Green Mission at Mission: SPACE that allows them to soar over Earth
  • Adjacent to Mission: SPACE will be a new table-service restaurant that is space-themed and has views from high above

Also Epcot will get a Ratatouille ride at the France pavilion (similar to the one at Disneyland Paris)

Tron Coming to Magic Kingdom
TRON Lightcycle Power Run is a coaster-style attraction where riders board a train of two-wheeled Lightcycles for a thrilling adventure. When the attraction opens, probably in time for the 2021 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort festivities, it will be located in an area near Space Mountain.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
This first-ever Mickey Mouse-themed ride, replacing the Great Movie Ride, will allow guests to step through the movie screen and find themselves inside a Mickey Mouse cartoon short.  The new experience dubbed “2½ D”—no glasses are required to turn the flat world of the Mickey cartoon shorts into a dimensional display

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open Toy Story Land by summer 2018

New Modes of Transportation at Walt Disney World Resort
A gondola system called the Disney Skyliner will connect Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach and more with Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Minnie Mouse themed vans will soon take guests from point to point around Walt Disney World by land.

New Ways to Enjoy Pixar at Disney California Adventure
On the west coast at Disney’s California Adventure will get Pixar Pier (replacing the current Paradise Pier) with neighborhoods filled with friends from “The Incredibles”, “Inside Out”, “Toy Story” and more.  This will happen during a 2018 special event called Pixar Fest which will include new fireworks special characters, and entertainment

Also next year, the Pixar Play Parade will move to Disneyland park in order to make way for the fan-favorite Paint the Night parade, which will move to Disney California Adventure—with a brand-new float.

An Even More Super Disney California Adventure
Guardians of the Galaxy will have super company at Disney’s California Adventure park. With Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! the highest-rated attraction at Disney California Adventure, the Guardians of the Galaxy will be joined by Spider-Man and the Avengers in what will become a completely immersive Super Hero universe at the park.

Disney Planning Not Two, But Three New Ships
By the time these three ships are sailing, Disney will have nearly doubled the size of their fleet! Originally Disney announced last year they were going to be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany with scheduled completion dates of 2021 and 2023. This additional ship will be built at the same shipyard and is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

The three new ships will be powered by clean-burning liquefied natural gas and be the same size – approximately 135,000 gross tons with about 1,250 guest staterooms planned – which is slightly larger than the newest Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

 


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