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3. Unnamed new nighttime spectacular 

EPCOT Forever, Disney
Image: Disney (Epcot Forever)

Park: EPCOT

Expected opening range: 2023

This year's D23 Expo has a lot of information about changes to Walt Disney World's nighttime spectaculars, including the return of the fan-favorite show Happily Ever After to the Magic Kingdom next spring after the 50th anniversary show Enchantment finishes its run in March. However, in a surprise move, Disney also confirmed that EPCOT's Harmonious show, which also debuted in 2021 as part of the resort's 50th-anniversary celebrations would be retired as well, and would be replaced by a new show in 2023. 

Speculation has been running rampant in the weeks since this announcement was made, especially as the interim EPCOT Forever Show, which debuted after IllumiNations was retired in 2019, has been confirmed to fill in the gap when Harmonious ends its run on April 2 and the new nighttime spectacular debuts.

Unfortunately, Disney has remained tight-lipped about the future of this new nighttime entertainment at EPCOT, so we'll have to wait to learn more about this mysterious new nighttime offering at this park. Disney has also not said whether the giant water screens and animatronic arms that were installed as part of Harmonious would be torn down to make way for this new show, so stay tuned for information on that as well! 

4. Dreamer's Point

Image: Disney

Park: EPCOT

Expected opening range: Late 2023

Another new addition that is scheduled to make its way to EPCOT before the end of the year is Dreamer's Point. This peaceful new area of the park will include lush gardens that guests can explore as well as a statue of Walt Disney sitting in the shadow of Spaceship Earth. This new area will also include stirring musical performances as well as festival fun throughout the year according to Disney's official description of the area. 

This new area is less of an attraction by itself and more of a green, restful space inside this park, but when it is complete before the end of next year, it will cap off the years-long reinvention of EPCOT that kicked off back in 2017. Though technically previously-announced projects like the Play Pavilion and Spaceship Earth refurbishment could still happen in the future, once Dreamer's Point is finished, it will mark an end to the current construction projects inside this park. 

Returning attractions in 2023

Image: Disney

Though not brand new attractions, 2023 will mark the return of several attractions at Walt Disney World that were previously closed, including the following:

  • Narcoossee’s at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort will reopen sometime in 2023.
  • Ariel's Grotto character experience is rumored to be reopening in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom in 2023.

Unfortunately, no reopening is currently rumored for Enchanted Tales With Belle, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, or Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple which have all been closed since 2020 and sadly may never reopen. 

 
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