There was a lot of big theme park news that came out at this year’s D23 Expo. The biggest and most exciting announcement made by Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro was that a Villains Land was finally coming to the Magic Kingdom. On the flip side, fans were confused about the news that a Cars (2006)-themed area was coming to Frontierland.
The Magic Kingdom is not the only Walt Disney World Resort theme park getting some fun new additions. Disney revealed more about the Tropical Americas area that is replacing DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. A new area based on the 2001 Pixar movie Monsters, Inc. is also coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Related: Fans Worry Disney’s New Land Will Ruin Classic Attraction
Of course, Walt Disney World Resort additions were not the only big announcements made during the Parks Panel. Some major news was also revealed for Disneyland Resort. However, there was one BIG piece of The Happiest Place on Earth that was completely ignored. That would be what is happening with DisneylandForward.
Disney has been planning a major expansion of Disneyland Resort for years. This past May, the Anaheim City Council approved the plans, giving Disney the green light to move forward.
Related: Bob Iger Said Disney “Could Build 7 New Lands,” But Disney Isn’t Promising Anything
For months, Disney has been dropping more details about what Disneyland’s third theme park will include, should everything go according to plan. The new park will have more than a dozen new rides, ranging from family-friendly attractions for younger guests to more exciting rides for older guests.
Nearly one year ago, Disney shared a 17,000-page report on how the new theme park construction will impact the environment. In the report, the Mouse House said that the third theme park will have five thrill rides, nine family attractions, two round rides, and an outdoor show.
With all the hype Disney has shown around DisneylandForward, it was surprising when the project was basically ignored during the D23 Parks Panel. The space is there, the plans have been made, and Disney has shared the news every time progress was made. So, why did Disney CEO Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro decide to reveal zero new details?
According to Disney, DisneylandForward will take about 10 years to complete. One has to think that construction will begin relatively soon, but the lack of DisneylandForward news from D23 leaves us wondering.
Disneyland Announcements That WERE Made
Disneyland Park was Walt Disney’s dream come true, and his original theme park will soon be the home of the very first Walt Disney audio-animatronic. He will be featured in a new show called “Walt Disney -A Magical Life,” which will play in rotation with “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln” at the Main Street Opera House.
Related: As Disney Says Goodbye to Critter Country, Popular Attraction Faces Extinction
In 2020, Disney shocked fans when it revealed that Splash Mountain would be closing at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. Four years later, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure finally opened at the Magic Kingdom and, at the Parks Panel, Disney shared that the attraction would be opening in Disneyland Park on November 15. The grand opening will coincide with the kickoff of the holiday season at the Resort.
And when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens, it will not be located in Critter Country. Critter Country is getting a southern makeover and will reopen as Bayou Country.
Disneyland Park wasn’t the only West Coast theme park to get attention during D23. Some big changes are also on the way for Disney California Adventure Park.
In June 2021, Disney’s highly anticipated Avengers Campus — which replaced A Bug’s Land — opened in DCA. Since its opening, the area has faded in popularity, mainly because only one new ride was added. However, Disney is going to expand the area, making it twice as large and adding not one but two new attractions! That is in addition to the E-ticket ride that is also being built in the original campus area.
In addition to the first-of-its-kind Walt Disney audio-animatronic, California Adventure will be the home to another Disney first. We don’t know where it will go or when it will open, but the theme park will be getting a boat ride themed after the 2017 Pixar film Coco. The attraction is set to break ground in 2026.
Earlier this year, Bob Iger confirmed that DCA would be getting an Avatar Land, but it will be nothing like the one in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. During D23, Disney shared that this Avatar (2009) area will be based on the second and third movies.
There’s A LOT happening at Disneyland Resort in the next few years, but we don’t know if DisneylandForward will be one of those things. But we will keep our fingers crossed!
Why do you think Disney ignored DisneylandForward during the D23 Expo? Let us know in the comments!
