Biggest Disney International Theme Park Stories of 2023
During calendar 2023, Disney’s American parks improved significantly…but the real action occurred overseas.
Disney’s other three parks added new attractions and themed lands that appear likely to come to the United States one day soon.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
So, you should pay particular attention to the biggest Disney international theme park stories of 2023.
Some of them signify the future of Disney parks.
Hong Kong Disneyland Opens World of Frozen
Photo: Disney
Two new themed lands and a pair of original attractions highlight Disney’s international Imagineer triumphs this year.
At Hong Kong Disneyland, the first complete themed land based on the Frozen franchise opened in November.
Guests delighted in the realism of Arendelle as they roamed through a real-world implementation of the Frozen town.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
While the immersive theme took their breath away, nobody outside of China should feel left out, though.
Tokyo DisneySea and Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland will introduce their own versions in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
At Disneyland Resort, park officials have strongly hinted that Arendelle is in play for part of its expansion.
Photo:MTR Corporation Limited
Also, even though EPCOT already hosts Frozen Ever After, one of the two signature rides of World of Frozen, an Arendelle at Walt Disney World remains in play.
Speaking of Frozen Ever After, Hong Kong Imagineers did make one noteworthy change.
Photo: Disney
Do you remember how Oaken gazes at you from inside the sauna and says decidedly Oaken-like things?
Well, Disney moved that line queue experience to a more fitting place. You’ll find it at Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs.
Let’s just say that this place has proven wildly popular in the matter of a few weeks.
Zootopia Opens at Shanghai Disneyland
Photo: Disney
The other essential international theme park story only snuck in at the buzzer.
On December 20th, Shanghai Disneyland introduced the world to Zootopia, the themed land based on the film of the same name.
Photo: Disney
CNBC sent a reporter to cover this story, and her amazement underscores the remarkable Imagineering feat at hand. Here’s a clip:
Here’s the always-engaging TDR Explorer reporting from opening night at Zootopia:
Finally, here’s the E-ticket attraction at the new land. It’s Zootopia: Hot Pursuit:
I pretty much went frame by frame on this one the first time I saw it, and I’m genuinely in awe of the attraction.
Photo: Disney
You can’t help but notice elements of other recent Disney rides like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
In fact, upon multiple rewatches – you don’t want to know how many – I had the epiphany that the middle section of the ride mimics Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Photo: Disney
At one point, the ride cart, for lack of better terminology, parks in a space that turns into something akin to the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.
Similarly, the ride plays with scale throughout the experience, echoing back to concepts on display at Toy Story Land and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
Image: Disney Fandom
Disney keeps finding new and inventive ways to accentuate many of its best ideas.
PS: It’s all but certain that at least one Disney theme park gets a version of Zootopia at some point over the next few years.
Tokyo Disneyland Relaxes Mask Mandates
Photo: Also D23
I’ll only briefly touch on this because you’re sick of hearing about it, and I’m sick of bringing up uncomfortable subjects.
However, I’d be remiss if I overlooked one of the most important stories at Tokyo Disneyland.
Photo: Disney
In March 2023 – yes, that recently – Japan and the city of Tokyo finally relaxed their mask mandates.
Through March 12th, 2023, Tokyo Disney Resort had required guests to wear masks throughout the park. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case.
Photo: Tokyo Disneyland
So, with the resolution at Tokyo Disneyland, we can finally add this entire nonsensical pandemic to the annals of Disney history.
Let us never speak of it again.
The Hulk and the Drones
Photo: Disney
No, this isn’t a comic book. It’s a brief summary of the two most significant events at Disneyland Paris in 2023.
First, the Space Hulk arrived at Avengers Campus. That’s the giant audio-animatronic we first saw at Disney California Adventure.
Photo: Disney
Disneyland Paris received its own version of the larger-than-life-sized model of Hulk in the costume he wore in Avengers: Endgame. He’s a big boy.
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Tower Hotel hosted a first-of-its-kind nighttime presentation.
Photo: Disney
Disney told an Avengers story against the hotel’s backdrop, using digital projection akin to what we see at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
This show came with a twist, though. It also included drones!
Imagineers have lit up the night with a new synchronized nighttime display that must be seen to be believed.
Isn’t that magical? Drone shows have become a thing, and it seems inevitable that one will come to an American Disney park at some point.
Photo: Disney
The only catch is flight restrictions in place around the parks, but I’m confident Disney can work around them.
PS: Disneyland Paris also unveiled a new show, Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure. It’s terrific, too.
The Disney Cruise Line Stories
Photo: Disney
I’m just gonna throw these stories together as quick-hitters, but they reinforce how international Disney’s reach has become in the hospitality industry.
Disney announced its upcoming sibling to the Disney Wish will set sail at the end of 2024.
Photo: Disney
This vessel, the Disney Treasure, promises countless unprecedented amenities.
The Haunted Mansion Parlor might be what gets me to book, though.
Photo: Entertainment Weekly/Disney
Disney Cruise Line also confirmed the name and harbor location of its next vessel.
Last year, Disney bought a cruise ship for 98 percent off. I swear this is a real thing that happened.
Photo: Disney
Now, the conversion has almost completed, and the Disney Adventure will set sail in 2025 from its home port in Singapore.
Of course, the Disney Cruise Line news wasn’t all great. Due to the pandemic’s canceled sailings and whatnot, DCL lost $325 million in 2022.
Photo: Disney
Then again, that’s small potatoes for a business that has already earned Disney $1.6 billion and counting…
Disney Cruise Line has exploded in popularity, and Disney has readied a new vacation spot to satisfy the demand.
The company recently announced a summer 2024 opening for Lighthouse Point. The sky truly is the limit for Disney in the cruise industry.
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Feature Photo: Disney Parks Blog
