Nine Reasons to Be Excited about Disney in 2023
We’ve officially entered 2023, which promises to be one of the most exciting years ever at Disney theme parks. That’s not hyperbole, either!
Disney fans know why 2023 matters more than any previous year, and we can’t wait!
Here are nine reasons to be excited about Disney in 2023.
Disney100
On January 27th, The Walt Disney Company will commemorate its 100th birthday by throwing an unforgettable party for the ages!
Now, I’ll warn you that this part should come with an asterisk. Disney doesn’t officially turn 100 until October 16th…but why wait until then?
Disneyland will celebrate in several ways, as we’ll discuss in two other sections.
However, the park itself counts as one demonstration of Disney100.
Cast members will decorate Sleeping Beauty Castle in platinum to highlight the milestone.
Meanwhile, MickeyBlog has also shown plenty of Disney100 exclusive merchandise.
My local BoxLunch sold out of this Walt Disney Funko Pop! within 10 minutes of opening this morning. Thankfully, Amazon still had inventory.
Expect high demand for most of these products because it’s literally a once-a-century Disney event!
Figment and the Hatbox Ghost
Do you know what EPCOT hasn’t had for far too long? The park has lacked a character greeting with its most beloved personality.
Thankfully, EPCOT will rectify that oversight in 2023, as Figment will appear as a character greeting. And I can assure you it will be wildly popular!
Not to be outdone, Magic Kingdom is calling in West Coast reinforcements. Later this year, the Hatbox Ghost will appear for the first time ever at Haunted Mansion!
Disney hasn’t revealed the location of this dapper demon on the attraction yet. I’m guessing The Attic, but that may be too obvious.
Whatever Disney decides, we’ll all enjoy watching that man’s disappearing head trick.
Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana
The concept of destiny provides one of the underlying themes from the movie Moana.
No matter how much her parents want something different for her, this Disney Princess is an explorer who feels at home on the water.
In fact, Moana befriends the ocean at a young age and in a literal sense. The water protects her during her journey.
Now, EPCOT guests will learn what that’s like. Imagineers have somehow created a kind of responsive aka living water.
This sentient liquid will respond to guests as they walk through World Nature.
Mickey’s & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
On January 27th, Disney 100 will encompass more than novelty merchandise and a freshly decorated castle.
Disneyland Park will also introduce its first-ever Mickey Mouse ride, no small feat for a park that turns 68 this year.
Yes, Mickey’s 95, while Disneyland is in its late 60s, but the two have never joined forces for a ride…until now.
Disneyland’s version of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will differ from the one at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in two ways.
First, the track layout will differ. Second, the line queue and ride building will include a loving tribute to Disney’s remarkable history.
Disney has released photos of the new display. It’s gonna make Disney fans sooo happy.
Mickey’s Toontown
Notably, when Runaway Railway opens, it’ll do so without a surrounding themed land.
As a reminder, Disney has reinvented Mickey’s Toontown for a new generation of theme park guests.
However, the process hasn’t gone as quickly as Disney might have hoped.
Long-term, that’s great news for Disneyland Park guests, as Imagineers are taking their time to get the new look right.
The downside is that we’ll need to wait five weeks after the start of Disney100 for Mickey’s Toontown to reopen.
In the grander scheme, five weeks is nothing for a park that opened in 1955. And it’ll be worth the wait!
Early images of the modern Mickey’s Toontown show interactive play areas that will make this place the favorite location for the next generation of Disneyland fans!
Tron Lightcycle Power Run
I think this roller coaster has made this list three straight years now, which speaks volumes about the chaotic nature of the pandemic.
Still, this time is NOT a drill. Park officials have confirmed that Tron Lightcycle Power Run will open at Magic Kingdom this spring.
What’s the big deal here? This video will show you:
Yes, that’s the shiniest roller coaster in the world. I don’t mean just the ride itself, either.
Magic Kingdom has built its entire Tomorrowland skyline around a ride that’s not even open yet! The expectations are that high for the Tron coaster.
Thankfully, we’re only a few months away from experiencing it for ourselves.
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
For all its wonders, the Disneyland Resort has also suffered from the same problem.
Walt Disney couldn’t afford to buy enough land to build a connected series of hotels.
Instead, Disney officials have spent the past forty years playing catch up.
Disney acquired the Disneyland Hotel in the 1980s, followed by Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel a few years later.
At the turn of the 21st century, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa joined the group…and nothing has changed since then.
For this reason, the addition of The Villas at Disneyland Hotel qualifies as a massive deal for fans of the Happiest Place on Earth.
This new tower hotel will add to the number of available rooms close to the parks.
More importantly, Disney fans won’t have to settle for third-party hotels as much now.
This expansion is quietly a very big deal and something Disney has been trying to make happen for many years.
Wondrous Journeys and World of Color – One
The final part of the Disney100 celebration at Disneyland Resort involves the nighttime presentations.
Park officials will unveil two new presentations as part of the January 27th festivities. These shows will run throughout the Disney100 event.
World of Color – One takes a new approach to the beloved World of Color visual feast at Disney California Adventure.
This version includes an entirely new song as well. Disney sounds especially proud of Start a Wave. We will probably hear it for the first time a few days before the show officially opens.
As for Wondrous Journeys, this Disneyland Park presentation will somehow pay tribute to all 61 Walt Disney Animation Studios films to date.
I have no idea how that will work, but as a film lover, I honestly cannot wait to watch it in 2023!
Rodeo Roundup BBQ
You love barbecue, and you love Toy Story Land. Meanwhile, you’re acutely aware that Disney’s Hollywood Studios lacks enough restaurants.
So, Rodeo Roundup BBQ will address all these concerns the day it opens!
Also, the arrival of an accompanying restaurant in 2023 could reduce some of the traffic at Woody’s Lunch Box, which would be the greatest hidden bonus of all!
As you can see, Disney theme parks will experience another terrific year, one full of many new high-quality attractions.
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Feature Photo: Disney