The biennial D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event returned to the Anaheim Convention Center this past weekend, offering Disney fans from around the world the chance to gather and marathon their way through 12 hour days, 25,000 steps a day, and infinite amounts of joy.
As a theme park journalist who has covered the Disney parks for my entire professional life, the D23 Fan Event is akin to Super Bowl weekend, as it’s typically when Disney makes its biggest announcements for the next two years. While “brand new” announcements were light compared to 2024’s event, it was nonetheless thrilling to see how far some of Disney’s largest projects have come.
Here now are all of the major announcements and updates from Disney Experiences as it pertains to Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and Disney Cruise Line.
Walt Disney World
Carousel of Progress reopens in late spring 2027
The evening of theme park-related announcements began with Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, which is currently undergoing its largest transformation since 1994. We learned at the Experiences Showcase that the opening timeline has been narrowed down, with the attraction scheduled to reopen in late spring 2027.
When Carousel of Progress reopens, it will feature four brand-new show scenes starring the same family talking about the same spirit of progress and innovation over the decades. At this year’s Experiences Showcase, new concept art was revealed depicting the second of the new scenes, which takes place on Halloween night in the 1980s.
It was also revealed at the D23 Experiences Showcase that actors Bryan Cranston and Jamie Lee Curtis will be the voices of the central patriarch and matriarch of the family, John and Sarah.
Piston Peak National Park ride names revealed
If the amount of space its scale model took up in the Imagineering pavilion was any indication, fans knew to expect a substantial update from Piston Peak National Park, the new Cars-inspired area coming to Frontierland in Magic Kingdom. Specifically, we learned the names and key details about the two attractions families will experience once the area opens.
The headliner ride will be called Cars Ridge Run Rally. In this off-road adventure, we’ll board “a completely new ride vehicle” debuting with Piston Peak. Racers will climb up Piston Peak and encounter a snow-covered mountaintop. Then, they’ll “plummet down a camelback descent” before navigating a geyser field and circling around the Old Tankfull geyser before reaching the finish line.
The second attraction is called Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along, inspired by the “Diva of Demolition” from Cars 3. The attraction will feature Miss Fritter as a “huge school-bus-sized animatronic” hosting a demolition derby. Construction is well underway at Piston Peak National Park, though no opening timeline was announced at the Experiences Showcase.
Monstropolis details and phase one opening timeline revealed
Interesting developments emerged when Imagineers discussed Monstropolis, the new Monsters Inc. land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There’s a lot we already know about the land, but there’s perhaps just as much that we still didn’t know leading into this year’s Experiences Showcase, with many of those questions finally answered.
Perhaps the biggest piece of news coming out of this land is that Monstropolis will open in phases, and that phase one will NOT include the door coaster. Phase one, which will include the majority of the land sans door coaster, will open earlier than fans originally thought: next year in 2027. No timeline for when the door coaster will be completed was shared.
We also learned that the new show coming to the Glob Theater will be called “Welcome to Monstropolis.” The show features a brand-new song, aptly called “Welcome to Monstropolis,” written by Disney Legend Randy Newman. This will be the first song Newman has composed for a Disney theme park.
We also saw new details emerge from the land’s headliner dining location, Harryhausen’s. Inspired by the sushi restaurant from Monsters Inc., guests will encounter an Audio-Animatronic figure of Harryhausen himself. The land will also include Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza and shopping locations.
Tropical Americas attraction names and details unveiled
Another significant expansion on the way to Walt Disney World is the Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. A lot of updates came from this exciting new land, including a closer look at all three rides in the land as well as their names.
Guests of all ages will be able to step into the casita from the film Encanto in Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto. It was announced that this ride will have no height requirement, which is surely music to the ears of parents with young Encanto fans.
According to Disney, “‘guests will be invited to celebrate Antonio’s new gift, which is the ability to communicate with animals. And the heartwarming message of this adventure is that we are all part of the familia of living things, regardless of our special gifts or abilities.’ ”
The attraction I’m personally most excited to see in this new land is the one inspired by Indiana Jones. For the first time ever, Harrison Ford will serve as the model for the Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronics seen in an Indiana Jones ride. Disney also revealed the name of the ride: Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent (a 10 out of 10 name if you ask me).
All signs point to this ride packing a punch. Guests will meet up with Dr. Indiana Jones, “who is in the midst of exploring a mysterious temple near a once water-filled underground cave, called a cenote.” The passageway which leads to the Maya Underworld is protected by a serpentine creature called the Tsukán.
A scale model of the head of the Tskukán Audio-Animatronic was revealed on the final day of the D23 Fan Event following the Disney Experiences Showcase. It looks massive, and an Imagineer in the pavilion shared it will be one of the largest Audio-Animatronic figures Imagineering has ever built.
In addition to the Tsukán, guests will attempt to escape a number of perilous dangers on this attraction, like ”monstrous bats, larger-than-life scorpions, fire and flame, and of course, snakes.”
The third attraction is the animal carousel, officially named El Carrusel de los Animalitos. The carousel will feature 22 Disney animals presented in a hand-carved style for guests to ride. Images of the animals were revealed and elicited a lot of “awws” among the crowd at Honda Center.
One important detail to put a pin in: Interestingly, there was no discussion about the opening timeline for Tropical Americas. Since this land is scheduled to open in 2027, I was assuming we’d at least hear about an opening season. And, if you read about the Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions on Disney Parks Blog, they make no mention of 2027.
It’s highly possible Tropical Americas is still on schedule, but you’re looking to plan a 2027 Disney World vacation and want to experience this new land, I’d hold off on booking a trip for too early in the calendar year or to wait until we hear more concrete details of an opening timeline.
READ MORE: TROPICAL AMERICAS IS THE NEW LAND COMING TO ANIMAL KINGDOM
Villains Land name and attraction types announced
Some of the headliner updates towards the end of the Experiences Showcase were new details emerging from the Villains-themed land coming to Magic Kingdom. As many including myself predicted ahead of the showcase, we learned the official name of the land: Villains Land. Yes, the “placeholder” name turned out to be an Easter Egg all along! While the name may sound a little on the nose, it’s a nod to the other lands in Magic Kingdom with “land” in the name (Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Villains Land…you get the idea).
The two rides we’ll find in Villains Land were also confirmed. The first is a thrilling roller coaster ride themed to Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.
The second is a dark ride encompassing multiple villains, but with the Magic Mirror from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as the focal point. This second attraction will feature a combination of special effects and physical set pieces.
Cruella and Dr. Facillier were also highlighted as two prominent characters we’ll likely encounter in Villains Land. No opening timeline for Villains Land was announced and is the one furthest from completion of the new lands currently in the works at Walt Disney World.
New and surprise Walt Disney World announcements
A D23 Experiences Showcase is not complete without a few surprises, and this year was no exception. The first new reveal from Walt Disney World was the long-awaited transformation of Spaceship Earth will finally take place at EPCOT. This transformation will shift the focus on the ride from communication to human connection while still keeping the ride distinctly “EPCOT.”
While no timeline was announced, it’s important to keep in mind that EPCOT’s 50th anniversary is in 2032. That’s still several years away, but EPCOT has another big project they will want to tackle prior to then (more on that in a sec). So I would guess work will start soon on Spaceship Earth.
Next, and perhaps more surprising than Spaceship Earth, Disney announced that yes, at long last, they’re fixing the yeti. The motionless “Disco Yeti” on Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom will finally be refreshed, and new concept art was shared at the Experiences Showcase. No timeline was announced at the event.
The biggest surprise of the night, and the announcement that closed out the evening, was that Disney will be bringing Dreamfinder and Figment on a brand new “Journey Into Imagination.” The very brief albeit thrilling announcement had very few details, but rest assured, Figment is finally getting a well-deserved update.
See my note above: Disney will want Spaceship Earth and Figment ready for EPCOT’s 50th, so I would assume that to offer general parameters for a timeline.
READ MORE: PLAN YOUR 2027 DISNEY WORLD VACATION TODAY!
Disneyland Resort
Let’s head out west to the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland, for a few updates on existing projects as well as another major surprise announcement.
Avengers Campus expansion to be completed in 2028
Significant progress has been made on the expansion happening in Avengers Campus in California Adventure. The expansion will bring two new rides to the park: Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense.
Stark Flight Lab had a series of announcements at 2025’s SXSW, where it was revealed that guests will “sit in two-person ‘gyro-kinetic pods’ and roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm.” The ride reunites a few iconic actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, and Brie Larson as Captain Marvel.
Avengers Infinity Defense will include both massive physical sets as well as huge media scenes, featuring a full line-up of Marvel Cinematic Universe stars. Per Disney, Imagineers will “use every single trick in the Imagineering book – and inventing some new ones – to create this attraction.”
We also got the beginnings of an opening timeline: both Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense will open at Disney California Adventure in 2028.
‘Coco’ ride details unveiled
Construction is also underway for the first-ever Coco-themed ride, coming to Disney California Adventure. The attraction, which will be a boat ride, will have no height requirement, making this new addition perfect for families.
It was also revealed that this attraction will have nods to both the original Coco movie as well as the newly-announced sequel. The ride “will celebrate all the things we love about Coco, highlighting the characters, music, Mexican culture, and the love of a family that’s passed down through the generations. ” No opening timeline was announced.
New and surprise Disneyland Resort announcements:
Disneyland fans will no longer need to wonder what entertainment will follow up the 18 month-long 70th anniversary celebration. Starting in February 2027, “Remember… Dreams Come True” will light up the sky once again as the nighttime fireworks spectacular at Disneyland Park. Over in California Adventure, an updated take on the original “World of Color” will also return in February. During the day, Disneyland Park will be home to the “Magic Happens” daytime parade. The parade will return in summer 2027.
The big surprise for Disneyland, and perhaps the biggest announcement of the night in terms of physical scale, is that Tomorrowland will at last get a major refresh.
While details are vague for now, early signs point to a massive transformation. Per Disney, the refresh will include “new attractions, more open spaces and new places for Disneyland guests to dream about the future.” I’d assume every square inch of the land is fair game for night-and-day changes, so be sure to follow along for more news!
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is by far Disney’s fastest-growing sector, with the fleet tripling in size in less than a decade. While Disney Cruise Line was lighter on news this year at the Experiences Showcase, we’re still in for a firehose of announcements in October when the next ship, the Disney Believe, has its official reveal.
Speaking of the Disney Believe, we did get a sneak peek at a few of the key details for the ship. It was announced that Tinker Bell will serve as the ship’s bow character:
Woody and Buzz will be featured as the stern characters on the back of the ship:
And Moana will be the ship’s official Grand Hall statue. The Disney Believe will embark on its maiden voyage in 2027.
We also got a teaser for the next class of Disney ships to follow the Wish class (the fifth Wish class ship, home ported in Japan and made in partnership with Oriental Land Company, will debut in 2029). Two of the three ships in this new class will debut in 2029, with a third debuting in 2030. I took a screen grab of the social media post so you can check it out:
Not much was revealed, but eagle-eyed observers already spotted the first noticeable differences in the ship design, including atrium-style window panels that spans Decks 3 and 4. An indoor atrium like this has never been seen on a Disney Cruise Line ship before, so we’ll have to wait and see how this new class of ships unfolds!
There’s so much more to discuss when it comes to the latest news and updates from the Disney parks and Disney Cruise Line. If you have a 2027 vacation in the works, there are definitely several new things to consider and plan for! Be sure to follow along as we continue to cover the latest updates.
READ MORE: WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE MY FIRST DISNEY CRUISE LINE VOYAGE
Disney’s Biggest News From D23 2026: From Villains Land to New Cruise Ships was originally published on The World of Spark.
