13 Exciting Disney Parks Announcements from the D23 Expo

Every two years, the Walt Disney Company hosts a massive 3-day convention featuring panel discussions, elaborate displays, exclusive merchandise, and more. This convention, the D23 Fan Expo, is named after their fan club and welcomes thousands to the Anaheim Convention Center.

This year’s D23 featured discussions, displays, and merchandise for numerous films celebrating anniversaries such as Beauty and The Beast and The Princess Diaries, and the Disney Legends inductee ceremony for such such heavy hitters as former Disney CEO Bob Iger, actors Anne Hathaway, Alan Tudyk, and Dwayne Johnson, Imagineer Kim Irvine, animator Eric Goldberg, singers the Jonas Brothers, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and EGOT winner extraordinaire Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Not to be outdone by the movies, D23 also offers fans many theme park-related presentations and experiences. The big one is always what fans call “The Parks Panel,” where Imagineers and executives alike offer up details of ongoing projects and announce new and exciting things on the horizon.

The 2026 Parks Panel was aptly named “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress. A D23 Disney Experience Showcase.” Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the panel featured humor, musical numbers, and numerous updates and announcements regarding Disney travel destinations. Although it primarily focused on updates rather than new, previously unannounced projects, there was still a lot to love. Indeed, there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow on the horizon for the Disney Parks.

Disney shared the best news for last, and for many in the audience, this announcement brought down the house. Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum took the stage and announced that Disneyland’s most overlooked area, Tomorrowland, will undergo a major transformation in the future. According to the Disney Parks Blog, this overhaul will honor Tomorrowland’s legacy while reimagining the future.

As Mazloum states, “Here you leave today and enter a world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. I think it’s time to renew that promise, once again, in a way that deeply honors the original and imagines the future with optimism. And that starts with Tomorrowland.”

Although no specific details or timelines were announced, Mazloum did say fans should expect new attractions and more open spaces. This announcement comes after years of fans clamoring for an overhaul of the land that has so much wasted space and relics of long-gone attractions. It will mark the first significant overhaul since 1998.

Additionally, according to Scott Gustin, Disney is also prioritizing these changes ahead of the DCA Avatar expansion, signifying a positive commitment to the project. All I can say is: rebuild the People Mover!

At the 2024 D23 Expo, Disney announced a Villain-themed land will be coming to the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. As is always the case, projects go through years of development and changes before construction officially begins. Sadly, far too often, projects are scrapped altogether. Thankfully, that’s not the case for this new land themed after Disney’s dastardly deviants.

Though no timeline was announced, Imagineers did give us some exciting updates. Disney went simple with the name- Villain’s Land. However, it also promises a tremendous amount of detail, creativity, and immersion. The Land will be large, comparable to Galaxy’s Edge. Likewise, the theming and attractions promise the highest level of theme park storytelling.

Villain’s Land will be reminiscent of a dark forest with a twisted, evil wishing well enabling characters like The Evil Queen, Maleficent, Cruella, and Dr. Facilier to create new lairs with dark magic. There will be two attractions. A Maleficent-themed coaster will take passengers on a thrilling ride through the Forbidden Mountain and Forest of Thorns. The land’s more “family-friendly” offering will be a boat ride that transports guests through the catacombs of the Evil Queen’s palace and into the twisted Mirror Realm.

Whenever these plans come to fruition, Villain’s Land has the potential for iconic status.

The last D23 Expo saw the announcement of an Avengers Campus expansion at Disney California Adventure. Attractions were announced, but details were vague. This year, Marvel President Kevin Feige and Imagineer Brent Strong gave us significant updates on the land, the rides, and the timeline. Avengers Campus will double in size, and construction is well on its way, with the closed-off pathway between Avengers Campus and Cars Land reopening soon.

We also got more detailed information on what the attractions entail, including characters/actors involved. On the E-ticket attraction, Avengers: Infinity Defense, guests will be recruited for a mission by Ms Marvel, then join Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and Hawkeye to defeat King Thanos. Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, and Iman Vellani all reprise their MCU roles, and Imagineers shared fun behind-the-scenes footage of the actors performing their parts for the ride.

In Stark Flight Lab, Iron Man (Downey Jr.), Captain America (Mackie), and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) become your flight instructors as guests board a KUKA arm-style vehicle and train to be an Avenger. Both attractions will open in 2028.

At Hong Kong Disneyland, the Stark Expo Pavilion will expand, including a Quin-Jet landing platform and an Avengers Technology Testing lab, which promises to bring new storytelling and technology to visitors. Lastly, Shanghai Disneyland is getting the first land ever dedicated exclusively to Spider-Man, complete with a coaster themed to the character. A highlight of the land will also include the work of numerous Asian artists who will create multiple murals celebrating science, the Avengers, and Spider-Man.

In recent years, two of the most popular animated films include Encanto and Coco. These vibrant, colorful films gave audiences entertaining, authentic storylines, rife with elements ideal for theme park attractions. And Disney Imagineers have been hard at work on attractions for Walt Disney World in Florida and DCA in California.

Coming soon to Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be a new land called Tropical Americas. It will include a carousel (Carrousel de Los Animalitos) with 22 unique, hand-carved Disney animals, and the Casa de Madrigal, an Encanto-themed ride called Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto. On this attraction, guests are inside Casita, a house that’s literally alive, on Antonio’s gift day. You will step inside what appears to be a trackless vehicle and travel through the home, including upstairs to Antonio’s room filled with over 50 animals.

DCA will bring the vibrant world of Coco to life with a new boat ride that starts inside a museum dedicated to Hector Rivera and magically transports guests into Miguel’s memories of the Land of the Dead. The attraction promises to tie in perfectly with the original film and upcoming sequel, as well as celebrate the characters, music, culture, and love of family that make Coco so special.

Both attractions will be family-friendly and have no height requirement.

Animal Kingdom will also soon be home to another ride, featuring an Indiana Jones theme. Taking a page out of Disneyland’s book, this new attraction is clearly inspired by Indiana Jones and Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Like that attraction, Animal Kingdom’s version will feature a brand new storyline created by Imagineers, but inspired by the films.

Set in the 1950s, Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent takes place in a Mayan temple protected by a giant mythological creature. Passengers will be transported through a portal into the Underworld, encountering all sorts of dangerous creatures, such as scorpions, bats, snakes, and the mythological Jade Serpent. The panel shared a preview of the construction, including the intricate facade, in addition to the animatronic model for Indy himself. For the first time ever, it will be modeled after actor Harrison Ford.

In 2025, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World permanently closed and demolished the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer’s Island to make way for a Cars-themed area. During the Horizon’s panel, Imagineers shared their progress. A model seen on the convention floor and on screen shows that this new area, called Piston Peak National Park, is inspired by real-world natural wonders such as mudflats, rivers, and geysers, and adds that magical Disney touch with Cars characters.

Piston Peak will have two attractions. Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along is a family-friendly ride modeled after a demolition derby. Cars Ridge Rally Race will be an exciting off-road race where passengers are competing to be the fastest car in the wilderness.

Besides the Tomorrowland overhaul, there was not much to announce for Walt Disney’s original park, Disneyland. However, they did promise the return of three beloved entertainment offerings in early 2027. The fireworks spectacular “Remember…Dreams Come True” returns in February, replacing the 70th Anniversary show “Wondrous Journeys.” This show, which debuted in 2005 for the 50th Anniversary, will still feature a soundtrack celebrating Disneyland attractions and narration by Julie Andrews, but will also include updated projections along Main Street U.S.A., The Rivers of America, and It’s A Small World.

Another nighttime spectacular, the original World of Color, will also make its triumphant return to Paradise Bay in DCA for the first time since 2023. Promising to be an updated version of the OG classic, it will still feature musical tributes films like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, and include the nostalgic tune “Wonderful World of Color.”

For some daytime fun, the upbeat, fan-favorite parade “Magic Happens” will return in the summer of 2027. Its lifespan has been sporadic, first due to COVID shutdowns, then due to Holidays and the return of Paint the Night. But it won’t be long until we once again see these spectacular floats and hear its dance-inducing theme song.

Although many lament the loss of Muppets Court and Muppet Vision 3-D, many also undoubtedly cannot wait to enter Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Horizons panel offered three exciting updates regarding this section of the park. Firstly, Imagineers shared a sneak peek of the brand new attraction that will launch passengers 40 feet into the air and carry them through the Monsters, Inc. vault of doors.

Guests should also expect a fun-filled dining experience at Harryhausen’s Restaurant. Looking exactly as it does in the film, guests will feel like they’re stepping into Mike Wazowski’s and his girlfriend Celia’s favorite eatery.

The final update is the timeline, and it’s a terrific one to boot. Monstropolis will open earlier than expected in 2027.

Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland will also soon be home to new and original attractions. For the first time, the beloved juggernaut, The Lion King, will have its own ride. At the Disneyland Paris sister park, Disney Adventure World, a log flume ride will tell Simba’s story. Following his journey from a young cub through his confrontation with Scar, this attraction will surely become a favorite for Lion King fans.

In Tokyo Disneyland, the Wreck-It Ralph-themed attraction will be called Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue. Guests will be tasked with helping Ralph and Vanellope avoid King Candy and transform sugar bugs to their original form, transporting you into a colorful video game world. This attraction opens in Spring 2027.

All the Space Mountains may be some of the most popular rides across all parks, but that doesn’t mean they can’t stand some updates. Well, Disney will be doing just that in Paris and Tokyo.

Disneyland Paris will be retiring Hyperspace Mountain and returning to its original form. It will still feature that Steampunk style and be called De la Terre à la Lune, or From the Earth to the Moon. Guests can also rejoice in the return of the ride’s original soundtrack.

Tokyo will take things a step further and bring guests a brand new experience. As part of a re-imagined Tomorrowland- one that celebrates what makes our planet beautiful- comes Space Mountain: Earthrise. Promising even more thrills than the original, this Space Mountain will feature immersive special effects that demonstrate the connection between Earth and the vast universe.

One thing many guests noticed about this year’s Parks Panel was Disney listening to the wants of fans, at least to some degree. While Disney should always lead with creativity, ideas, and passion, it’s also important to take into consideration what the majority of fans hope to see.

With that in mind, Walt Disney World will soon see the return of two fan favorites. In Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest, the Yeti animatronic will no longer be a broken relic but rather a fully functional part of the attraction.

In EPCOT, Journey into Imagination will also see the return of Dreamfinder and Figment. However, Disney is not simply bringing back the original attraction. Instead, guests can expect a re-imagined exploration of wonder and imagination. Despite that, hopefully we’ll hear that classic Journey into Imagination song “One Little Spark” once again.

Two more Walt Disney World attractions have updates on the horizon. In Spring of 2027, Carousel of Progress reopens with an updated version that begins in the 1960s and continues through the present day and beyond. Host Neil Patrick Harris shared some concept art for the 1980s section as well as who will be voicing the mother and father animatronics. Two award-winning legends will lend their voices to these characters, namely Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston.

Spaceship Earth will also be on the receiving end of a fresh update. Always looking to keep in step with the current times, the reimagined attraction will add to what’s there without changing what makes the ride unique. It will continue the theme of human connection while adding one of communication.

While the Disney theme parks represented the majority of the Horizons Panel, they did not forget one of the company’s most successful forms of travel: the Disney Cruise Line. While the announcements were brief, they were also exciting, especially for frequent cruisers.

The Southern California port of call in San Diego will soon double the number of cruises departing, which is most welcome news for those who reside in or live closer to the West Coast. Two of their classic ships, the Magic and the Wonder, will be returning to Alaska. Additionally, the Wish will soon have European cruises.

Imagineer Claire Weiss shared updates on the newest ship under construction, the Believe. This ship celebrates a belief in magic, family, and the power of nature. The Grand Hall will feature a statue of Moana, the bow will feature Tinkerbell, and the stern will feature Buzz and Woody.

Lastly, she shared that in 2029, they will add a new class of ship- a midsize one. And by 2030, the Disney Cruise Line will have 13 ships in total. All in all, exciting things are on the horizon for the Cruise Line, with ships ready to set sail into a bright and beautiful tomorrow.