D23 Parks Panel Recap – Surprises, Confirmations, and Speculations!

Episode 462: Hey Disney fans! In this week’s episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we dive deep into all the major announcements from this past weekend’s D23 parks panel. If you missed it, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with all the details, updates, and, of course, our own thoughts and speculations.

The Monster’s Inc. Land Surprise
Let’s start with the biggest surprise of the event – the announcement of a brand new Monster’s Inc. land coming to Hollywood Studios! Ever since the film first graced our screens, fans have been dreaming of a roller coaster that lets us experience the wild ride of those suspended doors, and now it’s finally happening! The only question now is – where exactly is this land going to fit in Hollywood Studios? We discuss the potential locations and what it could mean for the future layout of the park.

Goodbye Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer’s Island
In a twist that left us all stunned, Disney also announced (after D23) the closure of Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer’s Island to make way for a Cars attraction at Magic Kingdom. The loss of these iconic areas is sure to be felt by many long-time Disney goers, but we’re curious to see how the Cars theme will be integrated into the Magic Kingdom experience. Will it be worth the trade-off? Only time will tell.

Villains Land – It’s Official!

On the flip side, one of the most highly anticipated announcements was the official confirmation of Villains Land. After years of speculation and fan theories, it’s finally happe