Movies come and go, but Disney’s theme parks are forever. They’re arguably the most crucial and recognizable thing about Disney, and have hosted millions and millions of guests over the decades. But those guests grow up, technology gets better, and the parks change. And when those changes happen, D23 is where they get announced.
Saturday night, Disney once again took over the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA for a massive presentation about what’s new and exciting in its theme parks. A ton of info was revealed about things such as a new Lion King land, updates on Coco and Encanto rides, and upcoming new lands dedicated to Cars and Monsters Inc. You can get the full, official recap at this link, but below, we’re focusing on five announcements we found the most exciting.
New Marvel Rides in 2028
Disney doesn’t always like to put numbers on these updates until it’s good and ready, and now it’s good and ready with two new Avengers Campus rides coming to Disney’s California Adventure. Both Avengers: Infinity Defense and the Stark Flight Lab will open in 2028, and it was revealed that several actors from the films are along for the ride.
In Infinity Defense, Iman Vellani will reprise her role as Ms. Marvel, explaining to guests how they’ll travel around the world to assemble the Avengers to bring down King Thanos. Among those Avengers will be Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. We guess it’s not canon.
Over at the Stark Flight Lab, Downey will be a part of it, joined by Mackie and Brie Larson as Captain Marvel. There are also some insane looking Marvel attractions coming to Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney, and more. You can get more info about all of them here.
A New Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland has had some tweaks in recent years, but nothing major. Apparently, something major is on the way, we just don’t know what. According to Disney, that transformation will “honor the legacy of the original land while reimagining its future. Disneyland Resort will strive to preserve what guests cherish most, while also introducing new experiences and possibilities for the next generation of fans.”
Does that mean a new Space Mountain, like the just-announced changes coming to Japan or France? The removal of its massive Star Wars Launch Bay? We don’t know. We also don’t know when this will happen, but the park’s 75th anniversary coming in 2030, so we’ll see if it’s ready by then.
Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones once again
We’ve known for a while that a new Indiana Jones ride is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando. But now we know so much more: it’s called Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, and will take guests on a dangerous journey below a Mayan temple, which, yes, will include a giant jade serpent. Plus, Harrison Ford himself will be the model for the ride’s animatronic version of Indy, which is a first.
We don’t know when this new ride will open, but you can read more about it and see some more art at this link.
The rides and story of Villain’s Land
Last D23 had a big, final reveal of Disney adding a villain-focused area into the Magic Kingdom at Orlando’s Walt Disney World. This year, we learned that it’s officially called “Villain’s Land,” and it’ll have two rides.
One is a major roller coaster based on Maleficent (not The Emperor’s New Groove coaster once rumored), as well as a dark ride themed around the Magic Mirror that will incorporate a ton of different villains.
Disney also announced the land’s official story, which focuses on a cursed wishing well that’s brought all the villains to the same woods trying to harness its power. No opening date was given, but you can read more about all of it here.
Disney gives a long-overdue Spaceship Earth update
When you think Disney Parks, the first thing that comes to mind might be that giant ball at the center of Epcot. It houses a ride called Spaceship Earth that takes guests on a journey across time, and for the first time in 20 years, it’s being updated. How exactly, and when? That’s unclear, but the vague description is that while “the ride currently tells the story of human communication, the team is reimagining that focus on a broader theme that is still classically EPCOT – human connection.” You can read more here.
There was much, much more revealed, and you can read Disney full recap here. Do you agree with our choices, and what are you most excited about? Let us know below.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
