Some big announcements were made about Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at the D23 Expo this past weekend. Actually, if you are a fan of Star Wars or Toy Story, “Big” may be an understatement. It definitely had the audience (of over 7500 people) hooting and hollering.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Announces New Entertainment and Experiences

Of course, the audience really went wild when Stan Lee made his way on stage after being the “winner” of a drawing during the Iron Man Experience announcement.



On to the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts New Entertainment and Experiences Announcements…

Star Wars

Srat Wars

Star Wars-themed lands are coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando and the Disneyland park in Anaheim. Each 14-acre land will transport guests to a never-before-seen planet where everyone will be in character at all times. It will also feature 2 signature attractions, including a customized secret mission on the Millennium Falcon and an epic Star Wars adventure that puts us in the middle of a climactic battle.

Beginning in early 2016, Season of the Force, a seasonal event will brings new experiences to both coasts. In Tomorrowland at Disneyland park, guests will explore the Star Wars galaxy with special entertainment throughout the land, themed food locations and more. Guests also will be thrilled to climb aboard Hyperspace Mountain, a reimagining of the classic Space Mountain attraction, in which guests will join an X-wing Starfighter battle. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will close out weekend nights with a new fireworks spectacular set to the iconic score of the Star Wars movies.

Later this year, Star Tours will include a new adventure featuring locations and characters from the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, giving guests a new adventure in the Star Wars galaxy.

The Jedi Training Academy will be offering a new experience that includes new characters and a new villain to battle from the popular Disney XD series “Star Wars Rebels.”

Later this year, Star Wars Launch Bay will allow us to get an interactive experience into the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. There will be special exhibits, opportunities to visit with new and favorite Star Wars characters, special merchandise and food offerings.

Toy Story



Toy Story Land is happening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. This new 11-acre land will transport us into the adventurous outdoors of Andy’s backyard. We’ll feel like we’ve been shrunk to the size of Woody and Buzz as we are surrounded by oversized toys that Andy has assembled using his vivid imagination.  Toy Story Land will also feature 2 new attractions:

  • Family-friendly roller coaster – All on the back of Slinky Dog, this coaster will zip and zoom, plunge and coast as it takes us on a fun, toy-filled adventure throughout the new land.
  • Alien saucers attraction – The famous little green aliens from the movie will take us around for a spin in their very own flying saucers all while “The Claw” looms over us.

Avatar

Avatar

Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests will journey into the magnificent world of Pandora in AVATAR-themed land – a world that includes floating mountains, a bioluminescent forest, the winged creatures known as Banshees and the AVATAR Flight of Passage. The AVATAR Flight of passage is the centerpiece of Pandora and will allow us to soar on a Banshee over a vast alien world.

With After Dark at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the entire park will transform after dark with new nighttime entertainment experiences, offering us longer days & unique experiences:

  • Kilimanjaro Safaris will be extended for a new nighttime adventure next spring. We will travel through the African savanna amid the magically extended orange glow of the setting sun and discover two species new to the attraction: African wild dogs and hyenas.
  • “Rivers of Light” – Expected to open next spring, “Rivers of Light” will magically come to life on the natural stage of Discovery River and be an innovative experience that combines live music, floating lanterns, water screens and swirling animal imagery.

Plus…

Journey to far-flung lands and fly above some of the world’s most unique natural landscapes and man-made wonders when the new Soarin’ Around the World makes its U.S. debut next year.

Set to open in 2016 in Hong Kong Disneyland, the Iron Man Experience will be the first Marvel attraction at any Disney park, taking guests on an epic adventure over the streets and in the sky above Hong Kong.

**Images provided by: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts