D23 Wrap Up

    This blog is going to wrap up my thoughts on the D23 convention in regards to the Disney Parks. I've spent two whole blogs focusing in on EPCOT's transformation and all that comes with that, so I don't plan on spending much time on those here. While EPCOT was the main hot topic at the convention in regards to Disney World, there was a couple other announcements.

    We learned that the Star Wars Hotel will officially be called the Halcyon. The hotel will be a completely immersive experience as Star Wars fans will be basically living a Star Wars movie for the duration of their stay. Much of these details were already known with guests interacting with various crew (cast) of the Halcyon. Also involved in the galactic cruise will be a visit to Batuu (Galaxy's Edge). The visit will be complete with a unique dining experience. The Star Wars Hotel looks to be the ultimate bucket list item for any Star Wars fanatic. The price however for this incredible experience will be high though with prices being over $1,000 per night per person with a maximum of a two night stay. Some more details on the hotel layout reveal that it will be quite small in comparison to other Disney hotels. It is said that the hotel will consist of only 100 rooms. While that may seem like a lot, many of the other Disney hotels have over 500 rooms, so in comparison the Halcyon will be quite small. For me I love the idea of a fully immersive Star Wars experience like this. It's a bucket list thing for sure, but how much of a bucket list will depend on just how good the upcoming movie is. Since the hotel features a visit to Galaxy's Edge one would assume that it too takes place firmly within the new trilogy, which is to the dismay of many a fan at this point.

    Technology is a wonderful thing isn't it? Well Disney thinks so too and evidence of that is the upcoming Disney Genie. From what I understand the service will help plan out an itinerary for park guests. This will include booking dining and fastpasses. The screenshots also reveal that the app will set up and show an easy to read itinerary and give wait time forecasts for rides. For example, Space Mountain may have a 70 minute wait time. The Genie may say that the lowest wait time may be 30 minutes during the parade at 3:00pm. Of course there is no way of Genie knowing that for sure, but I'm sure all kinds of historical data go into estimating that wait time. Whatever the case, the new offering sure seems like it will make trip planning a lot easier for those whom are easily overwhelmed by the current system. Disney did not say if this service would be a paid service or not. I think the tool is going to be great for those who struggle with optimizing their time in the parks and trying to balance rides, dining, and other experiences. Personally, I can't see myself using it if it is a paid service, but if it's free I'd try it out for fun.

    Lastly I have just a few thoughts on some of the other not so close to the east coast Disney Parks. Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Paris are going to become linked by the new Avengers Campus that will be present at both parks. The lands are apparently going to tell the story of the Avengers seeking out the next generation of heroes. Also in the lands will be new attractions such as the Spider Man ride coming to Disney California Adventure and a plethora of character meet and greets. For Marvel fans, this is... Awesome. The two lands being linked on a global scale is pretty awesome and I look forward to seeing how far Disney goes with the two lands being linked together.

    Hong Kong Disneyland showcased some pretty epic stuff two. First off, the castle is undergoing a major renovation. Upon it's completion guests will notice references to 13 heroines. Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella are confirmed to be three of them. It'll be interesting to see who the others chosen are. I'd assume all 12 of the princesses will be on it, but the last one? My guess would be a reference to Elsa despite her not being an official Disney princess. Time will tell of course, but the castle should look great when it's done. Also coming to the castle will be a new daytime and a new nighttime show. Finally, some new details on the Frozen land were talked about. Frozen Ever After will be a part of the land and I'd think will mimic the ride in EPCOT. The new roller coaster, Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleigh looks to be a lot of fun. Though I feel like it has a striking resemblance to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom. Time will tell I guess. Still, pretty exciting that Hong Kong is getting a Frozen land. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see that come state side eventually, especially if the second movie ends up being as big as the first (I would be very surprised).

    Well that is it for my reactions to D23. There was a ton more stuff announced during the conference from new cruise ships to new movies to other park related announcements. Thank you all for reading as always. I may get one more blog in before I go to.... Walt Disney World! I will be there from September 8th to the 15th, so expect a bunch of review blogs after that. I will be checking out Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, doing some resort hopping, riding Flight of Passage probably 4-5 times, and of course, checking out Galaxy's Edge! Stay tuned for all kinds of review/picture/other stuffs with all that!