Destination D23 Day 2 Recap: Villains Land Details, Castle Color Change, and More Major Updates

Day 2 of Destination D23 delivered some of the exciting Disney Parks updates, from new details about the upcoming Villains Land to a surprise announcement about Cinderella Castle’s new look. Here’s everything you need to know from the packed day of announcements.

Villains Land Gets “Conjured Architecture” Style

As a Disney Parks nerd, the most fascinating reveal of the day came from Imagineering’s deep dive into how they’re designing the new Villains-themed land at Magic Kingdom. They’ve created an entirely new architectural philosophy they’re calling “Conjured Architecture” – and yes, we now have a new term in the Imagineering lexicon.

While Disney says that the art and animation of the villains is the primary source material, Imagineering is taking an extra step to make sure the magical land still feels real. Imagineering has done serious research into real-world architectural movements, specifically Art Nouveau in Paris and Modernisme in Barcelona. They’ve partnered with local professors, art historians, and architectural experts to study how natural motifs and swirling forms can feel cursed, otherworldly, and genuinely unnerving.

The goal is ambitious: to make the land’s buildings look as if they were conjured directly from the Disney Villains’ imaginations. Imagineers are drawing inspiration from rich jewel tones, dramatic stained glass, and sweeping curves – all elements that perfectly match the bold personalities of Disney’s most iconic bad guys.

What makes this approach so brilliant is how it combines real historical architectural movements with Disney’s fantasy storytelling. Art Nouveau, which flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is known for its organic forms, flowing lines, and nature-inspired decorative elements. When you twist those characteristics through the lens of Disney villainy, you get architecture that feels both elegant and sinister.

Barcelona’s Modernisme movement, which includes the famous works of Antoni Gaudí, brings even more dramatic curves and unconventional structural elements. Imagine those flowing, almost liquid building forms, but designed to feel as though they’ve been warped by dark magic.

It’s an incredible mix of real history and Disney fantasy that should make Villains Land look like nothing else at Disney World.

Disney Legend Andreas Deja Joins the Project

At the Villains: Icons of Evil panel, Disney shared a message from Disney Legend Andreas Deja – the master animator behind Gaston, Jafar, and Scar. Deja is officially working with Imagineering as a consultant on the new Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom.

This is huge news for anyone who appreciates Disney animation. Deja knows Villains as well as anyone. His work on these iconic villains helped define their personalities and their lasting appeal. Having him involved in translating these characters from 2D animation to three-dimensional theme park experiences is a great example of Disney leveraging the expertise from their storied past.

Deja shared his excitement about the project, noting that Disney villains are perfect source material for Imagineers. These characters already have bold visuals, larger-than-life personalities, and rich backstories that can inspire both the physical environment and guest experiences in this dark new land.

He specifically mentioned that the land will feature dramatic lighting effects and fun interactions between Disney’s baddest characters. He shared a birthday card he made for Marc Davis with Jafar asking Maleficent for a dance. With Deja’s deep understanding of what makes these villains tick, we can expect character encounters and attractions that truly capture the essence of these beloved bad guys.

Disney Destiny Brings Villains to the High Seas

The villainous news extended to Disney’s cruise line as well. The Disney Destiny cruise ship is getting some seriously sinister charm when it debuts this November, with several major villains confirmed to be on board.

Dr. Facilier is getting perhaps the most interesting treatment. Disney revealed artwork for a brand-new “meet and play” experience called Parlor Tricks, where guests can find the Shadow Man in his own makeshift parlor. This isn’t your typical character meet and greet – Facilier will be inviting guests in for card tricks, sleight of hand, and maybe even a little deal-making. Disney says he’ll also be lurking around the Grand Hall, which should add an element of surprise to the cruise experience.

The Shadow Man will also appear during a new Princess and the Frog storytelling event called “Let’s Cook Up Some Magic,” giving guests multiple opportunities to interact with one of Disney’s most charismatic villains.

Loki and Cruella de Vil are also confirmed to be joining the Disney Destiny, as well as many other heroes and villains .

Hong Kong Villains Celebration

The villain celebration isn’t limited to domestic parks. Hong Kong Disneyland is getting its own villainous takeover from September 19th through November 2nd with “Uninvited: A Villains Takeover Party.” This looks to be a sinister cavalcade combined with a street party, bringing Disney’s bad guys directly to guests on Main Street.

World of Frozen Opening Timeline

Disney also shared significant news about their international properties. The World of Frozen land at Disneyland Paris will open in Spring 2026, and with it comes a major milestone: Walt Disney Studios Park will officially be renamed to Disney Adventure World at that time.

This name change reflects the massive transformation happening at the Paris resort, with multiple new themed areas being added over the next few years. The World of Frozen land will be a major component of this evolution.

Cinderella Castle’s Classic Color Return

But perhaps the biggest surprise and certainly the announcement that got the biggest cheer from the Destination D23 audience was the news about Cinderella Castle. The iconic Magic Kingdom centerpiece is getting a new look that’s actually a return to its classic color scheme.

The castle will be repainted in its traditional grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold – moving away from the light pink color scheme that debuted in 2020. This change will likely be welcomed by Disney World fans who preferred the original look of the castle.

We Call It Imagineering Castle Episode

Disney also shared that we’ll be seeing more details about the castle project in an upcoming castle-focused episode of “We Call It Imagineering.” This YouTube series has become essential viewing for Disney Parks fans, offering unprecedented behind-the-scenes looks at how Imagineering creates the parks.

The episode shares updates on the new Abu Dhabi castle, the castle that can be seen at sea on the Disney Adventure, as well as the new color scheme coming to Magic Kingdom.

Looking Ahead

Day 2 of Destination D23 showed an exciting look at the future of Disney Parks. The Villains Land details reveal a level of thoughtfulness and research that should result in something truly special, while the castle color change shows Disney’s willingness to course-correct when necessary.

What’s your take on these announcements? Are you excited to see Cinderella Castle return to its classic colors, and what do you think of the “Conjured Architecture” concept for Villains Land?