Mufasa, ‘Moana 2’ & THE MUSES: The Most Magical Moments From This Year’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event

This year’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience was a star-studded, pixie-dusted spectacle bursting with big surprises, bigger (and bolder) productions, and the biggest fan club on Earth.

The fun-filled weekend of wonder featured exclusive experiences, epic presentations, and special shopping opportunities during the magical 3-day extravaganza in Anaheim, California.

With loud whispers about potential announcements swirling around the internet, Disney Entertainment dazzled 12,000 starry-eyed fans with its highly anticipated showcase that included buzzy reveals about Zootopia 2, The Incredibles 3, Frozen 3, Toy Story 5, Avatar: Fire And Ash, and much more.

Hosted by the always-amazing Yvette Nicole Brown, the Disney Entertainment showcase was quite the SHOW that proved, once again, that no one does spectacle and intrigue like Disney.

If we had to rank our favorite moments, we’d say:

5. Lebo M performing a soul-stirring rendition of “Circle Of Life” in the grand finale presentation of Mufasa: The Lion King:

Check out the trailer below:

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4. The Marvel Presentation featuring first looks at Ironheart (with a Ryan Coogler cameo), Agatha All Along (with the cast singing a catchy new coven carol), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Daredevil: Born Again, and Captain America: Brave New World (with Anthony Mackie going full Anthony Mackie).

Check out the Brave New World teaser below:

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3. The Rock hittin’ ’em with the good knees in a crowd-pleasing dance break to promote of Moana 2. Check him out at the 2:00 mark):

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2. Hercules and the Muses bringing down the house with their rousing performance of “Zero To Hero” in celebration of Disney On Broadway’s 30th Anniversary.

Check out the hip-moving performance below:

The performance doubled as promo for the new Hercules musical coming to London in 2025.

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1. David Blaine’s mind-blowing card trick that left the entire audience speechless. You absolutely have to see it to believe it! Check it out below:

And, while you’re here, check out the first look at David Blaine’s new Do Not Attempt series coming to Nat Geo in 2025.

Other buzz-worthy moments included a surprise appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan to promote Freakier Friday, the first look at ‘Stranger Things in space’-coded Star Wars series The Skeleton Crew, and the long-awaited teaser trailer for Snow White starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot.

Check it out below:

On the Disney Parks & Experiences side, we were treated to exciting announcements about the future of the famed parks, cruise ships, and beyond. Hosted by Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, the wildly entertaining showcase dominated headlines with the following announcements:

Villains Land at the Magic Kingdom – Work is already underway on a new land dedicated to Disney Villains that will feature two attractions, dining, and shopping. Bwahahaaa!

Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (set to open in 2027) will feature two new signature attractions: a thrilling adventure following the heroic Indiana Jones into an ancient Maya temple and a journey through the Casita Madrigal from Encanto following Antonio’s story on the day after he received his magical gift.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Bayou Country at Disneyland – everybody and their mama will be able to drop on down into the bayou with Princess Tiana and her fuzzy new friends on Nov. 15.

Lion King Area at Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris – the first-ever The Lion King-themed attraction will come next to Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris in a new Lion King-themed area of the park, complete with dining, shopping and character meet & greets.

Monsters, Inc. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Construction begins next year on the first full land dedicated to Monsters, Inc. coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. The land will feature the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park.

Avengers Experiences in California, Shanghai and Hong Kong – The original Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort will double in size with the addition of two new attractions: Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab.

Shanghai Disney Resort will introduce its first major Super Hero attraction–a Spider-Man-themed thrill coaster.

Hong Kong Disneyland will expand with a major new attraction featuring Spider-Man and one of his most formidable villains coming to Tomorrowland.

Avatar at Disney California Adventure – An all-new Avatar experience will come to Disney California Adventure with an innovative new attraction that will bring all the action, the excitement, and the wonder of Avatar to life in a completely new and thrilling way.

Cars at the Magic Kingdom – Pixar Animation Studios’ beloved Cars franchise is coming to a reimagined area of Frontierland with two all-new attractions taking guests into the wilderness beyond Radiator Springs–a thrilling off-road rally race and a family-friendly attraction even the youngest racers will love. Construction on this area will begin early next year.

New Zootopia Show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – A new show based on Zootopia will make its debut in the Tree of Life theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom next winter. In Zootopia: Better Zoogether! guests will have the chance to visit different biomes seen in the film, traveling along with fan-favorite characters Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more.

Expansion of Disney Cruise Line fleet –  Disney Cruise Line will add four new vessels to its growing fleet between 2027 and 2031. Once these ships are built, guests will have 13 different ways to experience Disney’s world-class entertainment, renowned dining, and impeccable guest service in more parts of the world.

The Disney Destiny (setting sail in November 2025) will bring together iconic Disney heroes and villains along with new spaces like Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King–an all-new family restaurant and a first-of-its-kind Disney dining experience.

Presiding over the Grand Hall will be a stunning statue of T’Challa–the Black Panther: King of Wakanda, devoted son and beloved brother sworn to protect his kingdom!

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Prior to attending the marquee showcases, we explored the massive D23 show floor bustling with larger-than-life activations, immersive photo stations, exclusive shopping experiences, and more.

One of our first stops was Nat Geo’s stunning Hexadome featuring scenes from its latest projects in a 5-screened visual experience that blew us away.

Check it out below:

Next up was the D23 Marketplace where Raven-Symoné was spotted exploring the latest Disney collections that included special Mary Poppins-themed ears in celebration of the classic film’s 60th Anniversary.

Nearby, Anika Noni Rose was signing copies of her new book ‘Tiana’s Perfect Plan’ and was nice enough to chat with us about her latest magical endeavor.

Moments later, we were greeted by a long line to meet the legendary Martha Blanding who was honored as a Disney Legend in this year’s class along with Angela Bassett, Harrison Ford, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, and more.

A proud native of South Central Los Angeles, Martha made history as the first-ever full-time Black Tour Guide who personified the philosophy of creating happiness for others while embodying the principles of hospitality and courtesy Walt Disney sought to establish for Disneyland cast members.

Years later, Martha became the first-ever Black female in management at Disneyland (and one of the first Black management members at The Walt Disney Company) as an expert merchandise, candy, and film buyer for nine years, and eventually as the senior manager of Disneyland Resort Merchandise Special Events.

As a co-founder of PULSE–an employee resource group for Black cast members, Martha routinely served as a trusted mentor to fellow employees before retiring in 2022 as the first Black employee to commemorate 50 years with The Walt Disney Company.

Whew, a true legend! Martha, we salute you!

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