D23 Predictions: What We Think Disney Announces for Disney Parks and Cruise Line This Weekend

It is D23 week, and if you follow Disney at all, you already know the entire fan world is holding its breath waiting on the parks panel. Chip and I sat down the night before to put our predictions on the record, park by park, no hedging. If you are listening to this after the announcements dropped, go ahead and fact check us. Tell us where we nailed it and where we were completely nuts. We start with the big picture. My expectation is that D23 is mostly going to be a weekend of updates rather than shocking new reveals. Expect names, details, and maybe some rough timeframes for Tropical Americas, Villains Land, Piston Peak, and Monsters Inc land, but not a lot that we did not already know was coming. Chip goes a different direction. His biggest prediction is hotels, including a new moderate and a DVC resort, and he calls his shot on exactly where that DVC resort is going near Epcot. We also get into Lakeshore Lodge, the complaints that it looks like a Marriott, and why adding rooms that are not DVC would actually help bring costs down for every family. Two things I really got into. First, the Space Mountain rumors have been red hot for about a month now. Second, I go on a bit of a rant about the calls for a second Halloween party at Walt Disney World. We close it out with Disney Cruise Line, and there is a lot going on!   Chapters 01:53  What D23 Is and Why the Parks Panel Matters 04:43  Chip’s Big Prediction: New Hotel Announcements 05:02  Illuminations, the Epcot Nighttime Show Problem, and a Drone Show 07:04  Where Chip Thinks a New DVC Resort Is Going 07:45  Lakeshore Lodge, Island Tower, and Why More Rooms Would Help Families 09:16  The Tower of Terror Hotel Pipe Dream 11:11  A Rapunzel Ride in Germany and the Figment Refurb Question 12:20  Updates, Not Surprises: Tropical Americas, Villains Land, and Piston Peak 13:13  The Space Mountain Overhaul and the PeopleMover Problem 14:33  A Full Tomorrowland Refresh and Disney’s Recent Show Flops 16:25  Villains Land Details, Opening Windows, and the Fantasyland Rumor 18:23  Hollywood Studios and the Skyliner Expansion Debate 19:59  Does Walt Disney World Need a Second Halloween Party? 22:29  Why the Free Candy Criticism Misses the Point 23:20  Animal Kingdom, Bluey, and the Avatar Problem 25:26  Disneyland: Zootopia, Marvel Land, and the IP Debate 29:35  Disney Cruise Line: Ship Shuffling and a Galveston Port 31:15  The Treasure Discount That Saved My Client $6,000 32:34  Breaking News: A Wreck It Ralph Attraction in Tokyo 33:28  Disney Springs, Level 99, and Splitsville 35:19  Final Predictions and Closing   👉 Need help planning your Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, or Disney Cruise Line vacation? Matt is a travel agent with The Magic for Less Travel, and his services are 100% free to you. 📩 Get a free quote: https://www.adventuresofadisneydad.com/get-a-quote ⭐ Enjoy the podcast? Please take a minute to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more Disney families find us. Have a question? Email us: [email protected] ☕ Want to support the podcast? If this episode helped you, consider buying us a coffee or dropping something in the tip jar. Every bit of support helps keep the show going. https://adventures-of-a-disney-dad.kit.com/products/matthew-brandabur 📬 Have a Disney planning question? Leave a comment, send an email, or drop it on social. We read them all and use them for future episodes.