2025 Destination D23 Disney World Wish List: Figment & Dreamfinder, Drones, Stitch & More

One month from this weekend, the 2025 Destination D23 event will be held at Walt Disney World. Rumors and wishful thinking are swirling as fans anxiously awaiting announcements for Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom & beyond. Our own wish list includes the return of Figment & Dreamfinder and other aspects of OG EPCOT Center, Lion King and Inside Out attractions, a new drone show, ride reimaginings and the return of ‘2019 normal’ at WDW.

Last year, we predicted a big slate of announcements for the D23 Expo–the biggest since the 2017 D23 Expo. Coming out of the closures, the 2022 event wasn’t nearly as good, with a lot of “what ifs?” Prior to that, much revealed in 2019 got cancelled due to COVID. Then there was the last Destination D23 event, which was big. It was arguably bigger than the previous D23 Expo, likely because the company was scrambling to pivot back to parks after investors soured on streaming.

As it turned out, last year’s D23 Expo was huge. One of the biggest ever, far surpassing the previous two. As a result, it’s our expectation that the 2025 Destination D23 will NOT be an announcement-heavy event. Disney “shot its shot” with D23 Expo last year, so there shouldn’t be much in the way of big reveals or bombshell news at the 2025 Destination D23. We expect mostly new details & concept art about known projects, similar to D23 Brazil last year.

It is our strong expectation that the 2025 Destination D23 will be a return to normal, back when Destination D(23) was more of a fan celebration (back then, about the history of Walt Disney World) with a few updates and behind-the-scenes looks at project development sprinkled in. This makes sense, given that last year’s D23 Expo was also a return to normal.

I’m starting with this ‘warning’ because many fans expect each subsequent D23 event to be bigger and better than the last, topping what was previously revealed. Some fans have watched one too many Marvel movies. Unlike super hero films that can use crazy CGI to send us to a new multiverse or use bigger explosions to blow up New York or whatever, theme park development takes time.

Disney has already revealed the major slate through ~2030. Why would they announce more big expansion one year later? It’s going to take the passage of time and another D23 Expo before we get more blockbuster news, and even 2026 might be too early for that! This is precisely why Destination D23 will definitely have a smaller slate than last year’s D23 Expo and probably be scaled-back as compared to the 2023 Destination D23, too.

Nevertheless, this is a wish list of what we want announced at Destination D23. It’s important to offer the caveat that what we want to happen is not what will happen. These are not predictions. It’s a heaping helping of wishful thinking, because what fun is it to ‘reduce the expectations’ of your biggest dreams?!

Here’s what we hope gets announced. We’ll be back in a week or so with a (much shorter) list of actual predictions for Walt Disney World news during the 2025 Destination D23…

Go All-In on Guest Experience Wins

We’re not getting a fifth gate at Destination D23, I promise you. But it’s not all “go big or go home.” Just look at how many of you pour into the comments of posts like Resort Airline Check-In Service Returning to Disney World in Pilot Program, simply yearning for a return to 2019 normal. Imagine getting some of that back, to revitalize the guest experience and give attendance a shot in the arm?!

To that end, I’ll add several quick hits to my wish list that would be huge wins for which Walt Disney World fans would go wild:

• Return of (Real) Extra Magic Hours
• End of All Park Reservations
• Return of Disney’s Magical Express
• Full Return Airport-to-Resort Luggage Handling
• Return of Resort Merchandise Delivery
• Return of Tables in Wonderland
• Restoration of Free MagicBands

That all concerns the guest experience and satisfaction. I’d also like to see the approach taken with the substance of the Destination D23 news, similar to the last event.

Success with Singles & Doubles

The 2023 Destination D23 had a robust lineup of smaller-scale announcements like the Pirates Tavern, Test Track 3.0, Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Zootopia: Better Zoogether, and more. We haven’t seen all of those materialize, but what has debuted has been well-received per guest satisfaction surveys.

One thing that I personally hate about the expansion and fifth gate fixation is that it ignores so much that needs to be improved and updated. Existing attractions and areas that could use reimaginings or enhancements. Disney could spend that full $17 billion investment on improving Walt Disney World’s existing offerings and still have work to do!

A singles and doubles strategy is a great approach for Destination D23, especially when it comes to projects that can be started and finished before Tropical Americas opens. So announce ride reimaginings of Tomorrowland Speedway, Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, Pixar Short Film Festival, Reflections of China (whatever happened to that project?!) and more.

The home crowd would go nuts even for minor updates to the Carousel of Progress or TTA PeopleMover that preserve the spirit of those beloved attractions. Space Mountain is overdue for a track replacement, and depending upon the scale and scope of that project, it has the potential to be a double or triple.

Reimagining Reveals

There are several ride reimaginings or updates on the horizon that have already been officially announced, including Zootopia: Better Zoogether, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

It’d be nice to see more about what’s planned for these enhancements. Show footage of the Audio Animatronics being added to Space Ranger Spin, what the Muppets’ takeover of RnRC will entail, whether there will be any substantive changes to the pre-show and queue of MFSR, and so forth.

Cinderella Castle Dream Lights or Country Bear Christmas

So much that made Christmas at Walt Disney World great is gone. It would be nice if we got a non-upcharge holiday addition for once, as opposed to a subtraction. For those who have never had a chance to see the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights, they were nothing short of spectacular. No projections can match the more than 200,000 tiny white lights that illuminate Cinderella Castle and transform it into a veritable ice palace.

Country Bear Christmas would be another great return to form, and my hope is that the reimagining of the show into Country Bear Musical Jamboree made it easier to update. In a truly wishful thinking scenario, perhaps they’ve already recorded songs for seasonal shows and are just waiting for the right time to deploy them!

It seems unlikely that either of these things will return this Christmas. Bookings are strong and discounts are minimal, which in large part explain why Walt Disney World doesn’t have to try as hard during the holidays anymore. But this is a wish list, and I’d love for them to go above and beyond again. That used to be part of the Disney Difference.

Stitch’s Great Escape 2.0

Stitch’s Great Escape permanently closed as the popularity of its titular character waned. Stitch was no longer the cultural phenomenon is in the early aughts and the attraction was a net negative for guest satisfaction. It made more sense to shutter the attraction without replacement than continue subjecting guests to it.

Then came along Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” remake, which is the year’s top-earning movie and first $1 billion release. This isn’t a huge surprise. The film holds a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore. Stitch has a multi-generational fanbase, seeing a resurgence with younger generations and staying power with millennials. It’s so popular that a sequel has already been announced.

It’s time for another sequel: Stitch’s Great Escape 2.0, which could be another 2026 project announced at Destination D23. My unpopular opinion is that Stitch’s Great Escape had the bones of a good attraction. It had a solid pre-show set-up and a great Audio Animatronics figure. The problem was the writing, and Stitch’s Great Escape being a product of its time.

The cheapest thing to fix in an attraction that doesn’t “work” is its script. Imagineering could write circles around the old Stitch’s Great Escape, and inject fresh life into this attraction a la Country Bear Musical Jamboree and the Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure. While a wholly new attraction in this space would be optimal, a quick reimagining utilizing existing assets is the most efficient option. It’d be a much needed win for Tomorrowland.

Villains Land Reveal

Walt Disney World has started to pull back the curtain on Cars Land, now known as Piston Peak National Park, which is the first phase of the Beyond Big Thunder project in Magic Kingdom. In all likelihood, this is being carried out at least partially in phases, with whatever’s coming to Villains Land debuting 1-2 years after Piston Peak.

That puts the opening of Villains Land in or around 2030, and it might be premature to share details about the attractions and other offerings in the land at this point. Hopefully we’re wrong about this. That Walt Disney World is fast-tracking both halves of the expansion, and will soon be pulling back the curtain on the films featured in Villains Land, and the attractions, restaurants, and more that’ll be found in the area.

Prove Lakeshore Lodge Isn’t Lackluster

It’s no secret that I’ve been critical of Walt Disney World’s recent resort output. At least, the exteriors. Everything from Gran Destino Tower to Riviera Resort to Island Tower has been a boxy eyesore on the outside, thematically incongruous with its surroundings. There’s no bigger offender than Disney Lakeshore Lodge, which I was pleased to see shelved several years back.

But guess what? It’s happening now and there’s no changing that. So detractors like me can continue whining or we can cheer for the best possible outcome. (Why not both?!) And as much as I’ve disliked the aforementioned exteriors, I’ve loved the interiors of them all, and the feature sets of all but Island Tower. Not only that, but the ‘wilderness’ is my favorite resort region. I really want to be pleasantly surprised by Lakeshore Lodge, and for Imagineers to make lemonade out of lemons with the project.

There are reasons for optimism. Site plans show what appears to be a lazy river and waterfront restaurant; it’ll have unique accommodations, and a large lobby. However, nothing has been officially revealed about Disney Lakeshore Lodge aside from its existence. Destination D23 would be a great opportunity to showcase the mixed-used resort, highlighting its rich feature set and what makes it a Disney resort.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Reboot

I’ve advocated for this many times, so I’m not going to rehash all of that here. The bottom line is that I’d like to see Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge break the sacred timeline and use the setting of the land as a jumping off point for new adventures. (See Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Needs to Break the Rules for my take on all of that.)

A soft reboot of the Star Wars land would be an opportunity to introduce beloved characters, use the catwalks in the land for mini-shows, and make the land more lived-in thanks to droids and additional performers. All of this would breathe new life into the land and help it finally realize its full potential.

With the BDX Droids now appearing at Walt Disney World, Darth Vader getting evicted from Launch Bay, and the Mandalorian & Baby Yoda mission coming to Smugglers Run, it sure seems like the table is finally being set for this in 2026. Throw a new Jedi Training Academy into the mix and Galaxy’s Edge could finally be a “complete” land.

Muppets Courtyard 2.0

We already know that an Electric Mayhem overhaul of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is coming next year, and more details about that seem inevitable. So there’s really nothing to “wish” for there, except Imagineering getting a budget as opposed to it being a “no dough” project.

My real hope here is that the Muppets takeover more of the Sunset Showcase area or Sunset Ranch Market…or both! Sure, the Villains Unfairly Ever After show is currently in the former and likely to last at least 5 years. But there’s nothing to stop more placemaking efforts in the area to turn it into something more cohesive.

No good idea in Imagineering ever dies, and perhaps this could be the partial realization of the Muppets Studio land concept from decades ago. That was supposed to feature not just MuppetVision 3D, but also two restaurants: “The Great Gonzo’s Pandemonium Pizza Parlor” and “Swedish Chef’s Cooking School.” It’s unlikely the outdoor food court becomes either of those things, but perhaps assets could be reused from Muppets Courtyard, and we get a return of the Muppet Mobile Lab that used to run at EPCOT.

Lion King Ride

At last year’s D23 Expo, Disney confirmed rumors that had been swirling for months about a Lion King attractions. Well, they half-confirmed it, announcing the Pride Lands Expansion for Disney Adventure World. The full rumor was (is?) that a variant of that attraction is also coming to Animal Kingdom, between the Port of Harambe and Pandora, albeit not as a log flume ride.

As before, I know nothing about the veracity of these rumors, much less the (potential) DAK project. What I have heard “suggested” from credible sources is that more is on the way to Animal Kingdom as part of the current 10-year plan. That makes complete sense, as DAK needs more to be a full-day park. I can’t think of many better options than the Lion King, which is both appropriate for the location and a modern classic movie that still doesn’t have a ride at Walt Disney World.

Even if a Lion King ride is on the table for Walt Disney World, it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s too early to hear about it. That Disney wants to focus on Tropical Americas, and save that for a future event. In terms of likelihood, this is probably an announcement for D23 Expo as opposed to Destination D, anyway.

DAK Drones

Disney Dreams That Soar was the best thing to debut at Walt Disney World last summer. And then it just ended, never to be spoken of again. I refuse to believe that’s it. There’s just no way that the company spent all of that money developing nighttime entertainment for a show at Disney Springs.

There are several reasons for Walt Disney World finally getting a drone show at one of its parks, but in a nutshell, attendance is significantly lower at Animal Kingdom than any other park at Walt Disney World. The park is in urgent need for additions, and there’s a good chance that the other parks start cannibalizing Animal Kingdom attendance until that happens. The first Walt Disney World park people will cut in order to visit Epic Universe is Animal Kingdom.

This is precisely why Tropical Americas is coming to Animal Kingdom, and is the first big project of the next development cycle. That’ll give DAK a shot in the arm, and help revitalize the flailing park. A drone show at Animal Kingdom would solve a lot of problems, but the big question at this point is whether Walt Disney World debuts it in 2026 or waits until Tropical Americas.

Sooner makes theoretical sense, but as Disney might’ve learned with Rivers of Light, there’s not enough to keep guests in the park between 4 pm and dusk, so perhaps Tropical Americas is needed first as the “bridge” to prevent the afternoon exodus.

Inside Out Into Wonders of Life

Up until it was permanently paused, Play Pavilion was planned for the old Wonders of Life. Walt Disney World already did a lot of work fixing the roof and other infrastructure issues with the pavilion and this is a prime piece of real estate now that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is drawing people to this corner of the park.

Play Pavilion always struck me as a proposal with a short shelf life, like a modernized Innoventions but without heavy-handed sponsorship. Over five years later, it’s unlikely that much planned for the pavilion still has much of a future. And what does could easily be incorporated into the Walt Disney Studios Lot project over at DHS. That opens up the door for something new in the Wonders of Life.

My dream scenario is for a revival of the ‘Health Pavilion’ concept featuring Baymax and Bing Bong. This IP injection would make complete sense for the former Wonders of Life, with an attraction that’s a spiritual successor to Cranium Command and more. Both Big Hero 6 and Inside Out could coexist in a Health Pavilion.

Putting the Wonders pavilion to life also seemingly fits with Walt Disney World’s goal of adding more family-friendly reprieves from the heat, which is also what’s happening with the Magic of Disney Animation next year and GoofyCore Hall currently. Perhaps we’ll soon be able to get ‘Goofy About Health’ in a cool setting again!

Put the Future Back in Future World

Obviously this is not going to happen, but this is a wish list. And it’s my dream for Disney to acknowledge they screwed up the EPCOT overhaul and we’re not stuck with this for decades to come.

Instead of bringing back CommuniCore Hall in name only, ditch the neighborhood nonsense and give us an optimistic Future World with a central spine that’s better than an office park in Irvine. Replace the rust-themed landscape with imaginative features, vibrant gardens and (gasp) water-filled fountains.

I’ll endure another 5 years of EPCOT being a sea of construction walls if the end result is actually ambitious. More realistically, I do hope that Disney realizes the EPCOT overhaul isn’t actually done and really could use a phase 2. After the success of Test Track 3.0, it seems like more fans are on board with Imagineering getting a chance to revitalize Future World.

Spaceship Earth Reimagining

Walt Disney World has already announced a multi-month refurbishment of Spaceship Earth starting a few days before Destination D. The bad news is that this is routine maintenance, and not the big ride reimagining. It’ll probably be to restore broken effects, improve the descent, upgrade cameras, and lighting. There are also widespread rumors of swapping out the screens on the ride vehicles for OLED, which has already occurred with a test vehicle.

While we have no insider information, our sneaking suspicion is that this is similar to the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster refurbishments over the last couple of the years, which occurred in two phases and addressed the underlying ride system. What if the SSE refurbishment is similarly laying the groundwork for a reimagining, allowing that to occur in a more consolidated timeframe than the ~18 months this project was previously expected to take?

As stated above, the EPCOT overhaul is not finished, even if Disney did hang the “mission accomplished” banner. The park needs more help and can’t wait until the 2030s to get it. We fully expect Wonders of Life, Spaceship Earth, and/or the final entry to happen in the next few years. The only question is rather they’re Destination D or D23 Expo announcements…

Journey into Imagination 4.0, Feat. Figment & Dreamfinder

Is it really a D23 wish list without the obligatory daydreaming about Journey into Imagination 4.0?! I’m not going to rehash all of that here yet again, but suffice to say, it just makes sense to reimagine Journey into Imagination. (Read that for my full pitch.)

An Imagination reinvigoration would generate goodwill among WDW diehards and forge new fans in the process. It’d be something that would define the EPCOT transformation, tying it together into a more cohesive project. Figment would become the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the otherwise underwhelming central spine in the process.

For Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro, this should be a no-brainer. Bringing back the real Figment and Dreamfinder would help rebuild guest goodwill and address fan disenchantment. There’s no other positive announcement that would outweigh so many prior negatives ones. It’d be a legacy project for Bob Iger, and position the CEO-in-waiting as a fan favorite figure before he takes the helm.

Finally confirming Journey into Imagination 4.0 is one surefire way to get massive applause from the Destination D23 audience, and this is one case where it just makes sense to make the announcement at Destination D23 as opposed to D23 Expo. Break this news in front of the home crowd at Walt Disney World. The Florida fans deserve it. If corporate leadership is concerned about restoring goodwill that has been eroded the last 5 years, guaranteeing visits from loyal fans, and an optimistic outlook about the future, it’s the logical time to do something that should’ve been done over a decade ago.

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Your Thoughts

Care to share your own wish list for the 2025 Destination D23? Any surprise announcements you’re hoping to hear? Anything on this list that you’re hoping does or does NOT come true? Any other thoughts to add or questions about Destination D23? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!