9 details for upcoming Disney theme park attractions revealed at D23 Brazil
At D23 Brazil, Disney revealed details of upcoming park attractions themed to “Avatar” and “Encanto,” plus the “Monsters, Inc.” doors coaster.
Theme park news from D23 Brazil
Josh D’Amaro, chairperson of Disney Experiences, laid out the future of Disney theme parks during a presentation at D23 Brazil – A Disney Experience on Nov. 9, 2024.
Following the major reveals of upcoming attractions during the U.S. counterpart of Disney’s official fan convention last August, D’Amaro leveraged D23 Brazil as an opportunity to highlight these previously announced projects to a fresh audience (often with identical phrasing as his U.S. presentation, word for word), along the way sharing a few new details for the first time.
Photo by Ricardo Moreira / Getty Images for Disney
We’ve compiled these new bits of info below. For brevity’s sake, we’ve left out the attractions that D’Amaro discussed which did not include any new information.
To learn more overall details about these and many other upcoming Disney attractions, check out our coverage from D’Amaro’s previous U.S. presentation. Below, we’ll instead highlight the newly revealed information shared at D23 Brazil rather than sharing everything there is to know about each project.
Photo by Andrew Velozo / Disney
‘Avatar’ at California Adventure: Mysterious ‘something’
“We’re so excited about the future of the Disneyland Resort,” D’Amaro told the crowd at D23 Brazil, “especially at Disney California Adventure, where we’re creating a new experience inspired by the ‘Avatar’ films — including something you haven’t seen yet.”
Image courtesy of Disney
D’Amaro was brief on this subject, leaving his comments at that without specifying what that “something” is. He previously shared that the “Avatar” land at California Adventure will be different than the existing Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and that the California version will be based on the “Avatar” sequels (including the movies yet to debut) rather than the original film.
‘Cars’ at Magic Kingdom: Imagineers built a test track
No, no that Test Track (though we’ll get to it in a moment). In preparation for the off-road “Cars” thrill ride coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, Imagineers built a prototype of the ride’s layout and have been testing the curves and dips, as seen in this video captured during the presentation by Laughing Place:
Magic Kingdom nighttime parade: New artwork
At D23 Brazil, Disney revealed new concept art for the “Moana” float in the “Disney Starlight” nighttime parade. As previously announced, the production debuts in summer 2025 at Magic Kingdom.
Images courtesy of Disney
Test Track reimagining: ‘How our vehicles … see the world and the road’
Michael Hundgen, vice president of creative at Walt Disney Imagineering, joined D’Amaro onstage at D23 Brazil to highlight projects in the works for Florida. This included the reimagined Test Track, which will reopen sometime in 2025 following its closure last summer.
Photo by bioreconstruct
“We’re telling a new story in one of the most popular attractions in the park over at Test Track,” Hundgen said. “The experience has always been focused on the future of motion, and that future, well, of course, it keeps changing, so we are going to evolve along with it, with our friends at General Motors. This new take on Test Track will show us how our vehicles of today and tomorrow see the world and the road around them.”
Photo by Ricardo Moreira / Getty Images for Disney
Avengers Campus expansion: Kevin Feige is actively involved
D’Amaro introduced Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, to detail the Avengers Campus expansion coming to California Adventure. As previously shared, Imagineers will begin construction on two new attractions — Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab — in 2025. Feige’s appearance during the Disney Experiences presentation at D23 Brazil wasn’t gratuitous; he’s involved with the Avengers Campus expansion.
“Kevin puts a lot of pressure on me,” D’Amaro remarked about Feige’s participation in the project. “He wants more, he wants bigger.”
Image courtesy of Disney
Pirates of the Caribbean tavern: New artwork
Hundgen shared new concept artwork for the “Pirates of the Caribbean”-themed tavern (name TBA) opening at Magic Kingdom in 2025.
Images courtesy of Disney
“You’ll feel like a real swashbuckler when you step into this dimly lit tavern,” Hundgen said. “It’s full of great stories and all kinds of fun to discover.”
‘Monsters, Inc.’ coaster: Opening scene detail
Hundgen and D’Amaro both expressed their excitement on the D23 Brazil stage for the upcoming suspended roller coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios based on the “doors” sequence of “Monsters, Inc.” (The ride’s location within the park remains a mystery.) D’Amaro previously announced the attraction last August.
“Just like in the movie when the doors rise up into the air and they turn and they get whisked into the factory,” Hundgen described at D23 Brazil, “we’re all gonna do that.”
Photo by Matt Roseboom
Though D’Amaro had already discussed this moment in the ride during D23 in the U.S., he added on to Hundgen’s remarks and provided a bit more detail in Brazil.
“Imagine this, guys,” D’Amaro told the crowd. “You’re gonna be sitting in your attraction [ride vehicle]. An arm is gonna come down and pick you up and throw you into this room of doors. It is going go be fantastic.”
‘Encanto’ at Animal Kingdom: Exterior effects
The upcoming “Encanto” ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — part of the new Tropical Americas land replacing DinoLand, U.S.A. — will, as previously announced, take place inside the Madrigals’ Casita. Even before the ride begins, though, guests will see some animated effects.
Photo by Matt Roseboom
“When you walk up to the Casita, the whole house is going to feel alive,” Hundgen said at D23 Brazil. “The shutters will move and the doors will swing open, just like in the film.”
Villains Land: Backstory revealed
Hundgen and D’Amaro shared the lore behind Villains Land, opening in the years to come at Magic Kingdom.
“In our story, a mysterious spell has been cast, summoning all these villains from every realm, Hundgen told the crowd at D23 Brazil. “In this land, the heroes— they don’t come to save the day. There might not be a happily ever after. You never know, right?”
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