Disney’s Experiences Chief Talks Figment, the Tomorrowland Refresh and All That D23 News

On a Saturday evening in Anaheim’s Honda Center, The Walt Disney Company hosted a special event for its Disney Experiences showcase presentation at D23, the in-house fan convention. The event, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, was a late-night theme party featuring a live band and a monologue full of Disney-related quips. Harris quipped, ‘Wait a minute. If my math is correct, I am 24 months away from being CEO, and 48 months away from owning the Lakers.’

The evening’s announcements were highly anticipated by Disney fans, and the company did not disappoint. The showcase ended with a pair of showstoppers for Disney theme park fans, a refresh of Figment, one of Epcot’s original rides, including the return of the Dreamfinder character. Additionally, Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, one of Walt Disney’s original visions, is undergoing a revitalization, with the concept ‘New attractions, new open spaces, new places to dream about the future.’

According to Thomas Mazloum, the chairman of Disney Experiences, ‘This particular Tomorrowland here at Disneyland was the one that was originally thought of and designed by Walt himself.’ Mazloum emphasizes the importance of respecting the company’s past while using optimism to carry it into the future. ‘We’ve done a lot on Disney California Adventure, and we’re going to continue to do more. But we also know we need to listen equally as carefully and harmonize what this icon, especially Disneyland, did to the world when it first opened.’

Mazloum notes that the company is listening to its fans and guests, and specifically, harmonizing the various demands. ‘You might be familiar with what we do here at Disneyland, with Avengers Campus, Coco, the first-time attractions and IPs that not only satisfy our existing audience, but I believe will also appeal to new audiences, while harmonizing the need to pay attention also to what our existing fans that have been loyal for many years and often decades demand of us.’

The updates on new lands and projects announced two years ago, such as the Cars-themed area and Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, cruise ship updates, and plenty more, were also shared. Mazloum spoke to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the event to lay the groundwork for what the company is teeing up over the coming months and years. He notes that the company is focusing on attention to details and its guests’ genuine care about its places, parks, and cruise ships.

Regarding the yeti animatronic on the Expedition Everest ride at Animal Kingdom, which has been broken since shortly after the ride opened, Mazloum says, ‘What that really means to me is that we’re listening to all of our fans and our guests, and specifically that means harmonizing the various demands.’ He adds that the yeti animatronic might seem like small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, but it is a core piece of the Disney magic, getting families to return again and again, generation after generation.

Disney’s Carousel of Progress at Disney World will be updated next year not only with new scenes but also new voices, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston set to voice characters on the attraction. Additionally, there will be updates on the Disney Cruise Line, which has become a major source of investment for the company, with a flurry of new ships set to be delivered over the next half decade.

Mazloum emphasizes the importance of meeting and exceeding the high standard set by Disney’s guests and fans. He notes that the company is focusing on its relationships with its fans and its commitment to tell its stories in an authentic way. ‘Whether it’s a nostalgic ride, whether it’s something like the Yeti, it may just be one small thing, but this is really something — a relationship between us and our fans that that we treasure and that is paying off.’

As the company continues to grow and evolve, it remains committed to its core values of creativity, imagination, and innovation. With a focus on attention to details and its guests’ genuine care about its places, parks, and cruise ships, Disney is poised to continue its legacy as a leader in the entertainment industry.