RELEASE NOTES: Best of Destination D23 - A Journey Around The Worlds of Disney
D23 is the daily home of the Ultimate Disney Fan. D23 offers Gold Members exclusive screenings, shopping events, immersive experiences, and unique content all year long. But every so often, D23 throws its biggest celebrations, bringing together fans for one-of-a-kind panels, concerts, and reveals.
Destination D23 - A Journey Around The Worlds Of Disney Was Held August 29-31, 2025 at Walt Disney World
This past weekend, D23 Gold Members gathered at Walt Disney World for Destination D23. This fan-favorite event featured behind-the-scenes stories, special guests, first-looks at upcoming projects, and (most importantly for us) big announcements about Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line.
Beyond the panels, which were held at Coronado Springs Resort and Spa, attendees also enjoyed access to extras like:
🎶 Disney ’80s–’90s Celebration in Concert presented by Disney+
💦 Kuzcotopia Night at Typhoon Lagoon celebrating 25 years of The Emperor’s New Groove
🏛️ A new Walt Disney Archives exhibit: Charting the Course, Disney’s Global Stories & Inspirations
🛍️ Shopping events with The Walt Disney Company Store, Mickey’s of Glendale, Ink & Paint Marketplace, and the Disney Studio Store Hollywood
But let’s get to the heart of it. Unlike last year’s D23 event in Anaheim, there were no dedicated Disney Parks panel. If you recall, there were tons of announcements ranging from new cruise ships, Villains Land, and the demolition of Rivers of America & Tom Sawyer Island. It was high energy, fast-paced, and, for some, controversial. On the contrary, Destination D23 took a more tempered approach. However, mixed within the topics discussed, from Castles to Villains, there were still some significant updates, announcements, and first-looks at pending projects coming to Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line.
I rather liked the approach taken during this year’s event. I thought the context provided in the broader discussion of the topics provide important nuance that the big, more flashy Parks Panel from last years D23 lacked. This goes a long way in communicating the “WHY” behind the complicated, calculated corporate choices that Imagineering gets to dress up and make magical. The additional discussion and insights go a long way in serving the intention and vision of each project and leads audiences away from the shock and awe assault of would-be jarring declarations of give and take.
In a very deliberate and specific order, here are my favorite Disney Parks & Disney Cruise Line related announcements from Destination D23 2025.
7. Villains Land at Magic Kingdom Defined By Conjured Architecture
During the Disney Villains: Icons of Evil panel, Imagineers shared new insight into the architecture that inspiring the Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom.
🎨 Inspired by the fluid, organic style of Art Nouveau architecture made famous in cities like Paris & Barcelona
👹 Disney Legend Andreas Deja is consulting on the project, ensuring the characters influence the land’s bold visuals and ambiance
🏰 Imagineers coined the design style “Conjured Architecture” — a blend of historical elements and fantastical villainy
The land is set to feature two major attractions, dining, and shopping with a deliciously dark flair.
I’m very optimistic about the inspo Imagineers are using as a basis for this new land. If the architecture from Paris and Barcelona are used as a roadmap, combined with those special Disney flourishes, Villains land will feel otherworldly and forbidding with a sense of permanence and intrigue. For context, Barcelona was never a destination at the top of my travel priority list. But armed with a sense of adventure (and the cheapest international flights I could find) on the eve of my 40th birthday in 2019 I landed in Barcelona, Spain. After just a few days I was converted. The city had so much character and charm. It wasn’t an overrun mess of tourists. As a former student of architecture I found the cityscape engaging, delightful, and stimulating.
The Gothic Quarter, offered a stunning array of discombobulated streets, self serving medieval alleys and churches that are charming in their own right. This old-world city center is where I might have spent most of time in any other foreign destination. Barcelona, however, was wholly different in that the modern city is just as, if not more, intriguing and engaging than the fantasy of any other medieval European village. This intrigue is due to not only vibrant markets, pedestrian friendly streets and walking paths but also to the credit of famed Catalan architect Antonio Goudí.
Exterior: Cassa Milà in Barcelona, Spain via IG
Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain
Interior: Basílica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain via IG
Almost everything I know about Gaudí I learned from either watching Rick Steves’ Europe or by touring some his most famous structures while exploring Barcelona. The Modernista movement of architecture, to put it simply, has its roots in Gothic Revival but with heavy influences taken from nature. This is most plainly illustrated in the naive of Gaudí’s magnum opus la Sagrada Familia (pictured above). You can see how the towering columns that support the domes and spires look like trees and branches. Gaudí’s use of rigid stone, cut and molded into elegant, natural shapes and motifs give a feeling comforting stability and peace in what would otherwise be a diminutive environment. If you’ve ever visited a large gothic-style cathedral you know what I mean. The entire point of massive Catholic Churches is to make you feel small. La Sagrada Familia, while massive, feels homely. It’s quite a contradiction.
Along with Art Noveau’s flowing, organic-style of sightlines with plant- and flower-like embelishments, Gaudí’s modernisme designs are a perfect inspiration for Imagineers to use in an environment of “conjured architecture” villains might use to create a wholly unique world for themselves.
If you want to see more of Spain, including a Monastery turned Hotel, a hidden path behind a waterfall, the best hot chocolate & churros, a Roman aqueduct, and the inspiration for Magic Kingdom’s Crystal palace check out this IG story.
6. Napa Rose Patio Expansion at Disneyland
The What’s Cooking with Disney Eats panel gave fans their first look at concept art for the reimagined outdoor patio at Napa Rose inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Highlights include:
🍷 Elegant al fresco dining surrounded by lush greenery
🔥 Two new fireplaces casting a warm glow at sunset
🪑 Expanded seating for more guests to enjoy the award-winning cuisine
When it reopens, Napa Rose will also debut a refreshed menu and continue to feature its legendary wine program with over 1,500 labels, ranging from rare vintages to family-owned California wineries.
In my view, the patio expansion is such a smart refresh to an already excellent dining experience. The new patio will sit on the east side of the Grand Californian. This means the shade will creep in early as the Southern California sun sets to provide an enchanting retreat, and maybe even a cool breeze, in which to enjoy a meal and a sip of wine. Also, if you’ve ever walked through the Grizzley Peak area you know the dense woods and foliage provide a serene escape from the harsh concrete jungle of the rest of Disney California Adventure. Being sat amid the lush greenery and new lighting with two new fireplaces will add even more magic to the ambiance.
It all sounds cozy and comfortable and the perfect place to enjoy a good conversation and some good eats.
5. Three New Lounges Aboard the Disney Destiny
The Disney Destiny sets sail this November, and at Destination D23, fans got a first sip of the ship’s new themed lounges and cocktails:
🔮 The Sanctum (Doctor Strange–inspired)
Must-try: Mirror Dimension — vodka, lychee, lemon, pink peppercorn, and electricdust that tingles your tongue.
👻 Haunted Mansion Parlor
Must-try: Chilling Challenge: My Way — cognac, yuzu sake, orange blossom foam, and edible flowers.
🏴☠️ Cask & Cannon (Pirates of the Caribbean–inspired)
Must-try: Dead Man’s Chest — a sharable rum-based cocktail for two, complete with gold coins.
Each lounge is fully themed with story-driven details — from enchanted artifacts to ghostly portraits to “acquired” pirate treasures.
Okay, it’s no secret I’m beyond excited to sail on the Maiden Voyage of the Disney Destiny this November. There’s so much to be excited for on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship from Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, the new Hercules musical, or the Blank Panther themed Grand Hall. But it’s the new themed gathering spaces on the ship that provide much of the draw for me.
The Disney Treasure really upped the ante when it comes immersive lounges and bars when she debuted Haunted Mansion Parlor, Periscope Pub, and Skipper Society. I’ve yet to sail on the Treasure but the hype has ensnared me. The consensus online seems to lean toward the Disney Treasure being an upgrade to the pandemic-built Disney Wish.
The Disney Destiny, I believe, will further build on the Treasures gains. The Haunted Mansion Parlor is returning, effectively cementing its success in the minds and wallets of fans over the Star War-themed (read: lightly accentuated) Hyperspace Lounge featured on the Disney Wish. Allowing Haunted Mansion Parlor to repeat on consecutive ships is a testament of the allure of Haunted Mansion proper. The lore is deep and there was clearly more story to explore and eater eggs to hide. Imagineering really shined in the execution of this lounge and I’m seething in anticipation.
Obviously, Haunted Mansion Parlor is a bar and a lot of the excitement revolves around the drinks. However, many have lamented the themed cocktails offered in Haunted Mansion Parlor are not the best onboard. As a non-drinker myself I’m unaffected by the quality of cocktails and instead am leaning on placemaking and story to sell me on the concept. HMP does offer some non-alcoholic themed drinks (also poorly rated on the Disney Treasure) which me and my kids will definitely partake of.
This leads me to the Sanctum where my super-hero loving boys will no doubt want to see. On Wish-class ships the Sanctum will sit in the same “open-air” spot as Skipper Society and The Bayou and the Disney Treasure and Disney Wish respectively. The Sanctum Sanctorum in MARVEL Comics served as the home of Doctor Strange. Our family are big MARVEL fans and I have a personal affinity for Doctor Strange. Bringing the Sanctum to life as a space we can explore and experience together with a touch of the magical and mystical including the Cloak of Levitation and spell books from the library of Kamar-Taj is an enthralling prospect.
Moving on to the Cask and Cannon. This is the default sports pub turned tavern on board, now with a Pirates touch. While it may not be a full on Beak & Barrell - which just opened at Magic Kingdom - the theming and decor are well situated with the overall Heroes and Villains vibe of the Disney Destiny. Disney says, “This eclectic pub is filled with “acquired” treasures from mischievous pirates of old, creating an atmosphere where every corner tells a tale” has the potential to level-up the basic pub theme on older ships. I’m here for it.
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4. Dr. Facilier Set Sail on the Disney Destiny
The Disney Destiny got another villainous reveal: Dr. Facilier will appear in a brand-new “meet and play” encounter aboard the ship.
I might be the weird Disney outlier here who doesn’t get excited for character meet ‘n’ greets. Before you cancel me, Im not anti-character. I like having them around, or, more accurately, like having them adjacent. I just don’t want to be in the middle of the fuss. I don’t generally like the formal interaction. I do think it’s fun to see others meet their favorite characters but you’ll never find me lining up for pictures with even my favorite character. In fact, I kinda find the brouhaha created around character events to be an opportunity to avoid entire areas of the ship or Park. Character dining is a little better because I don’t have to do anything and the crowds are controlled and food is involved. The exception to this rule is finding me actively seeking out sleepwalking Goofy when on any Disney Cruise Line ship. It’s complicated I don’t know how else to describe it
Dr. Facilier aboard the Disney Destiny might change all that. As noted earlier, Disney describes guests’ potential interactions with the Princess and the Frog villain as a “meet and play”. This implies an enchanced personal interaction that will prove more spontaneous and, in the case of Dr. Facilier, more devious and cunning.
I love the description of the Dr. Facilier “meet and play” Disney uses, “This cunningly charming illusionist may be lurking around the upper levels of the Grand Hall or in his own makeshift parlor, inviting guests in for a card trick or sleight of hand – he’s just here to make new friends… “
I hope this promise of one of the most interactive character experiences at sea isn’t just an illusion.
3. TRON Lightcycle/Run Gets a Tron: Ares Overlay
🚨 The Grid is changing colors. During the Walt Disney Studios Showcase, Yvette Nicole Brown revealed that TRON Lightcycle/Run at Magic Kingdom and TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland will celebrate the release of Tron: Ares with a new ride overlay.
🔴 New red + orange light trails replace the classic blue Grid
🎶 A pulse-pounding soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails
💨 A fully immersive race that blurs the line between reality and the digital frontier
📅 The limited-time overlay launches September 15 at Magic Kingdom and September 16 at Shanghai Disneyland.
On our last trip to Magic Kingdom, TRON Lightcycle/Run was at the top the must-do list for my kids. It did not disappoint. I know the attraction gets some flack for being quite short but the ride was just thrilling enough that I didn’t mind the less than average length. The attraction is repeatable for us but I can see how more frequent visitors to Walt Disney World, aka locals, annual pass holders, or DVC members, might tire more quickly of the long waits for a shorter than anticipated experience.
This overlay might just cure all that. The Tron Ares color-scheme and hyped up industrial NIN sound could amp up this already good attraction and give it the bump it needs to bring back some who have grown weary of it already.
We have a few Disney Cruises planned over the next few years and will definitely go out of our way to hop over to Magic Kingdom to take in the new vibes while they last.
2. Walt Disney Joins the Carousel of Progress
In one of the most surprising moments of the weekend, the Creating the Happiest Place on Earth panel confirmed that a brand-new Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney will soon debut at Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom.
Before guests follow the beloved family (and Rover 🐶) through four generations of innovation, they’ll now be greeted by Walt himself in a new introductory scene.
This is especially significant, as the attraction was originally Walt’s idea for the 1964 World’s Fair and has since become the most-performed stage show in American theater history.
I have all good things to say about this refurbishment of a classic attraction. Im whole-heartedly pleased that the time an attention is being given to such a culturally significant and historical ride that, let’s face, could have easily been on the chopping block. When all we seem to hear these days is rhetoric about squeezing more revenue out of each square foot of land it’d be easy to imagine CoP unceremoniously going the way of Rivers of America in favor of something more commercial, more hip, more immediate.
Keeping Carousel of Progress is not only surprising, it’s, quite frankly, astonishing. But to get news that Imagineers are actually enhancing the decades old World’s Fair attraction and adding a new scene, an homage - if you will - to the man who created it, is outlandish! Im over the moon about it.
Not to get too far ahead myself but spending time and money on a new Walt Disney audio-animatronic paired with the next item on my list may be an indication that Imagineering is healing.
1. Cinderella Castle Gets a Royal Refresh
Finally, at the Beyond the Spires panel, Imagineers revealed that Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom is getting a new color scheme.
The update will draw inspiration from the castle’s classic, original look:
⚪ Grays & creams
🔵 Handsome blues
✨ Touches of radiant gold
Disney’s project team is going all out with accelerated UV/weather testing and even using high-performance automotive paint on the roofs to ensure the castle sparkles for years to come.
The new old look. Classic. It’s tried and true. Cinderella Castle was literally made for this. I’ve always said and will continue to preach that Disney is best when it’s subtle. Not everything needs to be the BIGGEST, BOLDEST EVER! Letting our imaginations fill in some of the gaps left by subtly gives room for each of us to discover something new or unique. It inherently diversifies the experience and builds deeper emotional connections.
To the extreme, an example of this idea in action comes up a lot in film. More times than you realize a films color correction leans towards the unsaturated or monotone. This gives the mind less to process visually so the heart can process the emotion, drama, or importance of the actions and words. I believe ridding Cinderella Castle of it’s garish current color scheme will allow gustes of Magic Kingdom the same opportunity to connect with the story and emotion of being at the Most Magical Place on Earth without the setting taking over.
No doubt, Disney Parks are special places. but the people who visit them are the main characters. The castles are background actors and should be costumed appropriately.
Bravo to Imagineering for re-dressing Cinderella Castle the way the costume designer originally intended.
Wrapping It Up
As you can see, Destination D23 2025 brought a little bit of everything — new overlays, new drinks, new lands, and even a new role for Walt Disney himself.
Whether you’re most excited for TRON’s Ares takeover, a fireside glass of wine at Napa Rose, or the villainous vibes of Magic Kingdom’s new land, one thing is certain: Disney seems to be doubling down on innovation while staying true to its legacy.
Up Next: D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
One last thing… If Destination D23 left you hungry for even more Disney magic, mark your calendars now. D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event returns to Anaheim, CA in 2026! Expect a week of fan activations across the city, a special D23 Day at Disneyland on Thursday, August 13, and then three days of panels, showcases, and surprises at the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center from August 14–16, 2026. It’s shaping up to be Disney’s biggest fan celebration yet! ✨ Here’s to a great big beautiful tomorrow.
Alright, that’s it for now. See ya next time.