Destination D23 2023 Disney Parks Panel: Ahsoka In Star Tours, What's Next For Animal Kingdom, And When Epcot's Transformation Will Finally Be Done

It's been a pretty good year at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. 2023 started with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway opening at Disneyland and the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration getting underway. Then we saw the long-awaited Tron's Lightcycle Run finally open at Magic Kingdom. What's next at Disney Parks? That's what we're all here to find out. The Destination D23 Parks panel will be getting underway at 9 a.m. ET. Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D'Amaro will be on hand to give us the scoop.

Expect to hear about projects that are already in development, like World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, the new Zootopia land at Shanghai Disney Resort, and Tokyo Disney Resort's Fantasy Springs expansion. Closer to home we can expect a fresh look at the Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction, and likely an update on the Downtown Disney redevelopment. It should be fun.

Destination D23 is usually not a place for major announcements, but Disney has been teasing some this year, and considering last year's D23 Expo was still running in "digging out from the pandemic" mode, there were not the major announcements there that we usually see, so we could be in for some big news at the top of the hour.

At D23 Expo we were teased with a couple of major ideas. A "Beyond Thunder Mountain" expansion at Magic Kingdom and a new land to replace Dinoland U.S.A at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It will be interesting to see if we get more details on those. Here is what I'm looking for in today's presentation.

• Tiana's Bayou Adventure Update

• Downtown Disney redevelopment update

• Journey of Water Inspired by Moana and World Celebration opening date at Epcot

• Avengers Attraction update for Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure

• Beyond Thunder Mountain Update

• Dinoland U.S.A. replacement at Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Disneyland's Avatar plans

We are underway. It opens with a hype video which, just like Disney, is perfectly executed. Now we're getting a live performance by Hercules muses. Then we shift into a "Go The Distance" performance by Michael James Scott. All the Hercules music a hint toward something?

There were rumors of a Hercules show coming to the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure prior to Rogers: The Musical being announced. I'm wondering if we could see it after all now that Rogers is done, at least for now.

Getting a prerecorded video message from Bob Iger. General celebration of the 100 years of Disney. One assumes Iger couldn't make it himself since he has important things to deal with at the office.

Josh D'Amaro is shown backstage talking to Muppets. Scooter shows up to say "15 seconds to curtain" and D'Amaro is living my dream.

D'Amaro is on stage, mentions the recent news on World of Frozen, Zootopia land and the Disney Treasure first look. He promises "a few surprises." Will also have special guests bringing today's news.

D'Amaro is singing the praises of the last couple years of work, since the last Destination D23. from Avengers Campus to the new Toontown, Tron, and the Disney Wish

Ahsoka will be coming to Star Tours attractions around the world. We were previously promised new scenes would be added to Star Tours, now we know at least one of them

Tiana's Bayou Adventure - we see a look at the animatronic workshop, including what is clearly part of an animatronic Louis.

D'Amaro also says Asha, the protagonist of Wish the next animated Disney film, will be coming to the parks.

Dave Goelz, the iconic Muppet performer, is on stage. He talks about his love of Disneyland. We are clearly about to get something new from the Muppets. Get excited people.

Kermit and Piggy (with obvious performers) join Dave and Josh on stage. D'Amaro says we'll see the Muppets again, but nothing has been announced yet.

We're getting a video package of World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland. It does look amazing. You think we'll get that new Anna animatronic design at Epcot?

Update on the Hatbox Ghost being added to Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom. Uncle Deadly and Gonzo appear on stage to help out. They actually explain why the Hatbox Ghost will be appearing prior to the "sympathetic vibrations," because he is not a "Happy Haunt" but an unhappy one. I can't decide if I think the explanation is good or if it's silly that they bothered.

Hatbox Ghost appearance is given a "late November" arrival window.

Pre-taped announcement from Disney California Adventure's Avengers Campus. New E-ticket ride. We get a look at the concept art for the new ride vehicle.

A NEW Country Bear Jamboree show is coming to Magic Kingdom in 2024. We get a video package of a country music version of "Bear Necessities."

A new Pirate tavern is coming to Magic Kingdom near Pirates of the Caribbean. The barker bird will be back. Too early for much more news.

Pre-taped segment from Shanghai Disneyland showing off new Zootopia land. It certainly looks impressive with very cool animatronics. Now we move to Epcot

World Celebration will open in December. Journey of Water will open October 16, a lot earlier than I expected. Moana will appear as a character on the same day in a dedicated space.

Sam the Eagle shows up and complains that nobody is talking about World Showcase. He's followed by Bunsen Honeydew. They fight over which Muppet-themed eatery is better. Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle appears to settle the score.

Vahle reveals that the new Epcot Spectacular, Luminous, The Symphony of Us, will debut December 6. Test Track will also be getting an update at some undisclosed point in the future.

Pre-taped segment from Disneyland Paris, showing off new renovated Disneyland Hotel, which will be done next year. Groundbreaking on Tangled attraction will take place soon. World of Frozen construction underway.

Shifting over to Disney Signature Experiences. New island is called Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Magic trip in June will be the first to check it out.

We see another look at the Disney Treasure. Nothing new as far as features, but we get a look at the ship under construction. The ship Disney bought, which will sail in Asia, is brought up, it will be called the Disney Adventure.

Pre-taped segment showing off Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea. We see some of the under construction exteriors, but it doesn't look like anything is quite ready to show us any more than that. It is specified that the Frozen attraction is different than the one we have at Epcot.

Josh D'Amaro is back to give us some of the "future of Disney Parks." Bruce Vaughn of Imagineering is now on stage. And we're picking up the Blue Sky conversation from D23 Expo last year. We're getting B-roll of various Imagineering elements.

Discussing the "Beyond Thunder Mountain" ideas from last year. They hype up the idea. D'Amaro says project is about to go into "overdrive" but it doesn't look like anything specific is going to be announced today.

Moving over to Disney's Animal Kingdom. A new show for the Tree of Life based on Zootopia is coming. Dinoland U.S.A. will be something else. A new land based on Central & South America, "The Tropical Americas." Encanto music starts to "randomly" play, teasing that it will likely be part of the land. Then we get the Indiana Jones theme, which is very interesting.

Josh D'Amaro is wrapping things up. Interestingly, no specific info about Disney's Hollywood Studios or Disneyland Park (beyond the fact that both parks have Star Tours, and therefore will be getting Ahsoka).

D'Amaro brings over Dave Goeltz at the very end. And we get first look at Figment Meet and Greet character for Epcot. He'll appear starting tomorrow.

And with that, we're officially wrapped. A lot of significant announcements, though maybe nothing too earth shattering. The new Animal Kingdom land has a clear direction, if not a lot of specifics. Some major attraction refreshes that will be fun when they're done.