The 3 Most Unexpected Announcements Disney Made This Month

It’s safe to say that Disney broke the internet this month with all those announcements…

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event

Earlier in August, we attended D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim and spent several days learning about upcoming Disney entertainment, park offerings, and the future of the company. While every day came with a TON of new information, a lot of what we learned revolved around updates regarding existing projects — in other words, updates we expected. HOWEVER, the Saturday Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase dropped a couple of HUGE announcements that came out of nowhere — and we DEFINITELY need to talk about ’em!

During the showcase at Honda Center, Disney Imagineers and celebrities revealed a bunch of new information about projects we already know about — such as Pueblo Esperanza in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the new Coco ride and Avengers Campus expansion at Disney California Adventure, Villains Land and Piston Peak at Magic Kingdom, Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and more. While the information presented was certainly new, it was all stuff we were ready to hear. With that said, Disney dropped three HUGE announcements that not a lot of folks saw coming.

Tomorrowland Reimagining

One of the biggest reactions out in Anaheim during the entire weekend came when Chairman of Disney Experiences Thomas Mazloum announced long-awaited changes FINALLY coming to Tomorrowland in Disneyland Park!

©Disney

The initial announcement was pretty bare — with no projects or specifics revealed. We do know that Disneyland will most likely keep its most popular attractions like Space Mountain intact “while also introducing new experiences and possibilities for the next generation of fans.” New attractions were emphasized, as was the promise that the land will have more open space. There is still lots to be desired when it comes to information about this project, but the consensus is that Tomorrowland has needed a makeover for a long time, so we’re happy that something is finally in the works.

Bye-Bye Disco Yeti

For the longest time, the Yeti on Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been in B-mode. When the ride first opened, the animatronic’s arm swung over you as you exited the mountain. Once it broke, Disney couldn’t fix it without compromising the structural integrity of the ride, so Disney used a strobe light to create an illusion that the Yeti was still a threat — creating the nickname “Disco Yeti”. Well, it appears Disney World can, after all, fix the animatronic, as the company announced that the audio-animatronic is coming back to life (with a little help from disco queen Gloria Gaynor)!

©Disney

We don’t yet know how long this refurbishment will last, nor do we have a timeline, but this announcement was shocking (to say the least) after years of acceptance that Disco Yeti was a seemingly permanent reality.

Dreamfinder Returns

The very last announcement of the night had to do with EPCOT. It was quickly revealed that Journey Into Imagination with Figment is getting a blast from the past with the return of Dreamfinder!

©D23

Dreamfinder and Figment were an iconic duo when the ride opened in 1983. Dreamfinder — a whimsical inventor in a blue tailcoat — created Figment using “two tiny wings, big yellow eyes, horns of a steer,” and a dash of childish delight. Together, they popularized “One Little Spark,” and fans were dismayed when Dreamfinder was removed in 1998. Mazloum said, “We’ve heard you, and this is one more way we’re putting you in the center of everything we do.” Again, specifics and timelines were not yet announced.

Which announcement surprised you the most? We were honestly blown away by all three of these announcements! We don’t know much yet about any of these projects, but once the shock settles and Disney starts to really dig in and give specifics, you can count on us to deliver you all the latest updates!

CONFIRMED: Disney Drops 19 Park Expansion Announcements

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Which announcement shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments!