It’s a big weekend for Disney fans!

Each year, D23 (Disney’s Official Fan Club) throws the Destination D23 fan event where Disney fans can be among the first to hear exciting announcements about upcoming projects, get behind-the-scenes info, hear from special guests, and more. Last year’s event was canceled, but the excitement kicks off again TODAY in Disney World!

We’ll be updating this post ALL WEEKEND as we explore the Destination D23 event! Keep checking back here for alllllll the updates. 

Event Dates

Destination D23 kicked off THIS MORNING (November 19th) and will run the whole weekend through November 21st at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This popular event SOLD OUT back in July.

There’s an exciting schedule lined up and you can follow along with all of the updates here! Plus, select panels from Destination D23 will also be live-streamed on D23.com and D23 social media channels, so you don’t have to miss out!

News and Announcements

During the event, D23 Vice President Michael Vargo announced that Walt Disney Studios lot tours are coming back in 2022!

Walt Disney Studios lot tours will be returning in 2022, according to D23 VP Michael Vargo 🎥 #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/89Z081KyrC

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

During these tours, fans get the chance to see some amazing sights at the Studios lot (in Burbank, California), including Walt’s Office (which has been restored in the animation building), the Walt Disney archives, and more.

Want to learn more about this return? Click here!

Vargo also announced the lineup for 2022 D23 events.

Get ready for Walt’s Marceline, the Dave Smith Window Dedication, the 2022 D23 Expo, and more!

Click here to see everything that was announced for next year!

On Saturday, Disney dropped LOTS of exciting news! Starting in Disneyland Paris, we got an opening timeline for Avengers Campus!

It’s set to open in the summer of 2022, and if it’s anything like Disneyland’s version, it’s going to be incredible!

Learn more about Avengers Campus in Disneyland Paris!

Disneyland Paris has a BIG anniversary coming up! For its 30th year, Disneyland Pars is kicking off a huge celebration on March 6th.

Mickey and friends will be in different costumes specific for the anniversary and special decor will be up all over the park!

Here’s what Disneyland Paris will look like for its 30th anniversary!

Over at Shanghai Disney, one of the coolest animatronics ever is coming soon!

A look at one of the Animatronics coming to the Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/6vXONdEAbu

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 20, 2021

At the Zootopia-themed land, you’ll be able to find this incredible Yak animatronic. This new land will actually feature some of the most complex audio-animatronics ever constructed!

Click here for a closer look at the Zootopia animatronics!

Hong Kong Disneyland is getting a new Frozen-themed land and we got a closer look the progress!

You can see the castle taking shape and we’re excited to eventually see the finished product.

See more about the Frozen-themed land here!

Moving onto Disney Cruise Line, Disney announced 2 brand new shows for the Disney Wish (also known as Disney’s newest cruise ship)! Seas the Adventure is a brand new musical starring Captain Minnie! The story is about helping Goofy find the power of imagination with the help of other Disney characters including Tinker Bell.

The second new show is a reimagined version of The Little Mermaid! In this version, the story features the “journey of a young woman learning to value the power of her own voice.”

This will be a modern day retelling, and some of the music is getting an upgrade including Poor Unfortunate Souls.

Ursula is here 🐚 to give #DestinationD23 a sneak peek of the new theatrical adaption of The Little Mermaid coming to the #DisneyWish pic.twitter.com/8CHnckydpF

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 20, 2021

The story will have a young woman discover how she can unlock magic with her voice.

More info on the two NEW shows for the Disney Wish cruise ship!

One of the most unexpected announcements was the brand new quick service restaurant coming to EPCOT! It’s called Connections Cafe and Eatery.

So far we only have some concept art to look at, but we can’t wait to learn more!

Check out the NEW restaurant coming to EPCOT!

It’s been a while since we’ve heard about Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (also known as the new attraction coming to EPCOT), but today we got an opening timeline!

Now we know the ride will debut in summer of 2022! We even got a greeting from Glenn Close who will reprise her role as Nova Prime.

See NEW concept art for the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster

For those of you wondering what’s going on with the Tron coaster in Magic Kingdom, we have an update for ya!

Disney gave us a look at the progress for the ride, but there is still no opening date. We’ll be on the lookout, though!

Check out the progress on the TRON coaster here

If you’ve been looking forward to the new Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, you’re in luck! Today we got to check out a sneak peek of the lightsaber training you can participate in onboard!

You’ll also be able to control the ship in the bridge area — how cool! We also learned about how your actions can affect EVERYONE on the ship and in-depth details about the characters you’ll meet onboard!

VIDEO: Check Out Lightsaber Training at Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel

If seeing the demo video of training wasn’t enough, guests at Destination D23 got to see the REAL lightsaber in REAL LIFE. Ahhhh!

You won’t be able to purchase these on the ship, but they are super cool to look at.

Want to see more of the REAL lightsaber? Click here!

We also learned about a brand new character coming to the Star Wars Hotel — Gaia! She will perform during your dinner in the Crown of Corellia Dining Room.

Disney noted that she is quite the performer and that there might be more to her story than meets the eye. Why is a galactically-renown superstar cruising on the regular ol’ Halcyon? Guests on Galactic Starcruiser will have the chance to find out!

Interested in knowing more about Gaia? Find out more details here!

We had previously seen some Star Wars Hotel merchandise, but at Destination D23, Ashley Eckstein was showing off some new clothing and accessories!

Star Wars fans can appreciate the style of this merch!

Get a close up of the new Star Wars Hotel merch here!

In terms of entertainment at the Disney parks, Fantasmic! and the Festival of the Fantasy Parade are returning to Disney World!

Fantasmic! is set to open sometime in 2022 with a completely new segment of the show. We can’t wait to see it!

Learn more about the changes coming to Fantasmic! here!

Fantasmic! is also coming back on the west coast at Disneyland Resort, as well as the fan-favorite nighttime show, World of Color!

These shows will be back next year, so stay tuned for official opening dates!

Click here for more details on the nighttime spectaculars at Disneyland!

Remember Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire? It was the previous stage show in the Magic Kingdom, but now it’s getting an update!

The show will be called Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire and it is getting a new opening number and finale, an original song, new costumes for dancers and characters, AND a 50th anniversary theme overall!

See more details about the updated stage show in Magic Kingdom!

Next, we’re getting into some new (and seriously awesome) Disney technology! It’s called Project Exo and according to Disney, this new technology features pneumatic assist at key joint areas, and the weight of the exoskeleton all goes to the legs so the performer isn’t bearing the weight on their shoulders or backs.

This means larger-than-life characters could possibly come to the Disney parks in the future!

THIS Will Change How We Meet Characters in the Disney Parks FOREVER

Speaking of incredible technology, we got ANOTHER sneak peek at the walking Baby Groot animatronic!

We first saw this little guy back in April, but we loved seeing him again! He was able to interact with Josh D’Amaro and it looked super realistic.

Click here for the Baby Groot content you didn’t know you needed

The Disneyland Hotel is adding a new Disney Vacation Club tower, but today we got a sneak peek at what it looks like!

The outside of the tower will have some added magic from Tinker Bell, who will greet you — if you look closely, you can see her pixie dust on the right side of the building!

Check out more concept art for the new DVC tower!

If you’re a fan of Downtown Disney at Disneyland Resort, we’ve got news for you — Downtown Disney is getting a major expansion!

Big changes coming to Downtown Disney🚨at Disneyland Resort #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/QB8ujE6sk5

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 20, 2021

You can see some of the changes in the video above!

Want to know more about the Downtown Disney expansion? Click here!

We also learned about a brand new perk coming to the Disney World and Disneyland hotels — Hey, Disney is coming in 2022!

The Hey, Disney voice assistant will be coming to Disneyland Resort hotels as well #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/XrQO4L4W15

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 20, 2021

This is a voice assistant that is included with the room. The service will assist guests with room amenities, guest services, planning, weather, and more!

See what Hey, Disney is all about here!

Earlier this year, we learned about the launch of MagicBand+, but during the event we got some more details on what to expect!

The system will launch in 2022 and will allow guests to have a more hands-on experience in the parks. You’ll be able to interact with nighttime spectaculars, 50th anniversary statues, and more!

Learn more about MagicBand+

Disney World isn’t the only spot that is getting MagicBand+! Disneyland, for the first time ever, will have MagicBands!

There will be some differences between Disney World and Disneyland, but Disneyland will get an exclusive Sleeping Beauty Castle design!

Disneyland is Finally Getting MagicBands!

The Walt Disney World Railroad has been closed for years now due to TRON coaster construction in Magic Kingdom. However, we received an exciting update at Destination D23!

Disney gave us a look at the refurbished train! It looks as good as new! There is still no reopening date for the railroad, but this is some fun progress.

We’e Got an UPDATE on the Walt Disney World Railroad

The Finding Nemo musical in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is now known as Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond! The show officially has a new name and we got some details on what to expect.

It will take place during Finding Dory, however you will still get to catch up with your favorites from Finding Nemo. Plus, some of your favorite songs from the original production will stay with the show!

See MORE details on the reimagined Finding Nemo musical!

Disney World will also be getting its biggest character cavalcade yet — Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade!

This will feature characters from all sorts of Disney movies including Toy Story, The Incredibles, several Disney Princesses, and more!

Get more info on Disney’s BIGGEST cavalcade yet!

Disney also released the FULL lineup for the Disney on Broadway Concert Series at EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts!

You’ll be able to see Broadway stars from Aladdin, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and more!

Check out the FULL lineup for the Disney on Broadway Concert Series here!

Exhibits

The Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Bringing Home the Magic Exhibit

An early stop was The Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Bringing Home the Magic Exhibit.

This exhibit is all-new from The Walt Disney Archives and takes guests through a 50-year journey of merchandise from Walt Disney World resort.

The room was split into decades to show the different souvenirs from over the years.

We definitely wouldn’t mind taking some of these neat vintage options home!

Walt Disney Imagineering Presents: 50 Years of Dreaming and Doing Exhibits

Next, we headed over to Walt Disney Imagineering Presents: 50 Years of Dreaming and Doing Exhibits.

50 Years of Dreaming and Doing exhibit at #DestinationD23 @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/GG72mNapiG

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

These exhibits celebrate the last 50 years of Walt Disney Imagineering and some of their great innovative achievements.

Mega Disney fans will probably recognize a lot of the items in this room like the Dream Finder’s Dream Catcher Machine from the original Journey Into Imagination attraction in EPCOT.

Dream Finder’s Dream-Catching Machine!🌀 #DestinationD23 @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/Ho77v08KJb

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

Aaaaand, Figment is here as well.

Basically, EPCOT fans are set for a good time.

Click here to see more of the Dream Finder displays!

We especially enjoyed seeing the hats and dancer from The Great Movie Ride!

What wonderful pieces of Disney history!

Walt Disney Imagineering Illusioneering Lab

Over at the Walt Disney Imagineering Illusioneering Lab, get ready to be wowed by some cool effects on display.

The Illusioneering Lab 👀 #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/kJ9wuK3m8h

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

Look! It looks like Orange Bird is really in the lamp!

Orange Bird!🍊 #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/YJHEKqlqiA

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

In fact, this exhibit had all sorts of neat gadgets.

Shopping

Mickey’s of Glendale

Destination D23 also brings with it the Mickey’s of Glendale pop-up shop with some very neat merchandise.

There was a WHOLE Muppets merchandise section.

Allll the Muppets merchandise at Mickeys of Glendale #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/0wnj0v74bt

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

Plus, a special display for Muppets Haunted Mansion merchandise.

Muppets Haunted Mansion collection 👻 #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/yvBrF6XWxt

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

Are you a fan of the Orange Bird? You’re in luck! We especially like the Orange Bird Water Bottle.

Do we need this water bottle? 🍊 #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/dSDxsVYctp

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

And there’s a whooooole lot more too.

More merchandise available at #DestinationD23 #D23Events @DisneyD23 pic.twitter.com/9xfiKKDHRs

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) November 19, 2021

 

 

 

Keep checking this post for ALL the updates from Destination D23 this weekend! We’ll be bringing you all of the cool exhibits and maybe even some BIG news. Stay tuned to DFB!

Click here to see the Destination D23 schedule!

Are you excited about Destination D23? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend Destination D23. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ