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D23 2026 Disney Announcements: Every U.S. Park Update

News By Kim Fidler August 17, 2026 Tags: Carousel of Progress, D23 Announcements, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disneyland, Epcot, Figment, Indiana Jones, Magic Kingdom, Monstropolis, Piston Peak National Park, Spaceship Earth, Tropical Americas, Villains Land, walt disney world, World of Color 1 Comment

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event took place in Anaheim on August 14-16, 2026, and Saturday night’s Disney Experiences Showcase brought a ton of news for both coasts. We learned new details and got a few surprises too.

We’ve put together every Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme park announcement in one place, so you don’t have to scroll for hours. You’ll find all the official details and dates that have been released, and we’re calling out which parts are new versus which projects you’ve already heard about.

Walt Disney World

All four Walt Disney World parks got news at D23 this year. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios each had at least one update, ranging from brand new project reveals to fresh details on lands that have been under construction for a while.

Magic Kingdom

Villains Land has been in the works since 2024, but D23 is where it actually became real. Disney confirmed the official name, ah-hem… Villains Land and gave us our first look at the two headline attractions. First is a roller coaster starring Maleficent, and the second is a dark ride hosted by the Evil Queen’s Magic Mirror. The Evil Queen, Cruella de Vil, and Dr. Facilier each get their own space inside the land. Disney has not announced an opening date. Based on the permits filed so far, most fan trackers are guessing somewhere between late 2027 and 2030.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Piston Peak National Park, the Cars-themed land replacing Rivers of America, is also a known project. What’s new: both rides finally have names. Cars Ridge Run Rally is the thrill ride, sending guests up a mountain and through a geyser field. Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along is the family-friendly one, a demolition derby starring a school-bus-sized Miss Fritter animatronic. Disney has not set an opening date.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Carousel of Progress was already closed for its overhaul before D23, and we already knew it was getting a new 1980s scene with a target reopening of late spring 2027. What we DIDN’T know: Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston are voicing Mother and Father. Can you imagine a more iconic duo? We can’t.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

EPCOT

Spaceship Earth is all new news. Disney announced its first major story change in nearly 20 years, shifting the ride’s focus from communication to human connection while keeping the same trip through history. Disney has not shared closure or reopening dates yet.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Journey Into Imagination with Figment is also a fresh announcement. Disney confirmed the ride is being reimagined and that Dreamfinder is officially coming back. That’s all Disney shared. There is no concept art, no timeline, and no word yet on what happens to the current ride in the meantime.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tropical Americas, the land replacing the old DinoLand, U.S.A., has been in the pipeline since 2024. D23 filled in the blanks: all three attractions now have official names and story details. Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent will feature an Audio-Animatronics figure modeled after Harrison Ford himself. Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, a ride through dark attraction, and El Carrusel de los Animalitos, a family-friendly carousel, round out the land. It’s still on track for 2027.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Expedition Everest’s Yeti is a surprise addition to the list. The massive animatronic has run in “B-mode,” using a strobe effect instead of full motion, for close to 20 years. Disney confirmed at D23 that it’s finally being repaired, though no timeline was given.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Monstropolis, the Monsters, Inc. land taking over the old Muppets Courtyard, is another project we already knew about. New at D23: parts of the land will start opening in 2027, ahead of its headliner. The suspended door-chase coaster will not be ready when the rest of the land opens, and Disney hasn’t set a date for it. What is coming in 2027: Harryhausen’s restaurant, the Glob Theater (with a brand new Disney Legend Randy Newman song called “Welcome to Monstropolis”), and the Scareporium gift shop.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Resort’s D23 news leaned more on updates than reveals. Most of what came out was new detail layered onto projects Disney had already confirmed, plus the one surprise fans had been hoping for: official word that Tomorrowland is finally getting reimagined.

Disneyland Park

Tomorrowland is getting a full reimagining. This one’s new. Disney promised more attractions and more open space, but this was more of an “it’s happening” reveal than a details reveal. Disney has not announced a timeline, but we’re hoping Tomorrowland is more like tomorrow and less like years away…

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Remember… Dreams Come True, the nighttime fireworks spectacular, is coming back with refreshed projections starting in February 2027. That date is new.
Magic Happens, the daytime parade, is returning to Disneyland Park as part of a new “Calling All Dreamers” celebration. Disney has not attached a specific return date. We’re thrilled to see this fan favorite parade return.

Disney California Adventure Park

Coco, the boat ride, has been a known project since it was first announced. What’s new is the story detail: it’s set a year after the movie, the entrance features Miguel’s great-great-grandfather Hector Rivera, and boats carry guests through the Land of the Dead. There’s no height requirement. Disney has not announced an opening date for this ride either.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

The Avatar experience is still on the books. Disney has not canceled it, despite rumors going into D23, and showed a new model of the boat ride on the show floor, confirming the project for Hollywood Land is still moving forward. What’s new is the timeline. Disney is shifting the project’s priority to focus resources on the new Tomorrowland project at Disneyland Park first, which pushes Avatar’s own opening further out. That delay has an upside for guests: Disney has pushed back the closure of Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, the ride Avatar will eventually replace, again. Disney has not announced a new closure date.
Avengers Campus doubling in size isn’t new, but the timeline is. Two new attractions, Avengers: Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab, are now confirmed for 2028. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brie Larson are all reprising their roles.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

World of Color isn’t getting a new name. Disney is retiring the current “World of Color – One” and bringing back the original “World of Color” title with an updated take, featuring new segments from films like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story. It returns in February 2027.

That’s every theme park update Disney confirmed at D23 2026 for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. A lot of these are still years out, so treat the “no date yet” items as things to keep an eye on rather than trip-planning details for now. Once dining reservations open for new spots like Harryhausen’s, set a free dining alert at MouseDining.com so you don’t miss your shot at a table.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did D23 2026 take place?
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event ran August 14-16, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

What is opening first at Walt Disney World?
Carousel of Progress has the earliest confirmed date, reopening in late spring 2027. Disney is also targeting parts of Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom and parts of Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios for 2027.

Did Disney give an opening date for Villains Land?
No. Disney confirmed the name and the two headline attractions but did not announce an opening date.

Is a Cars ride coming to Magic Kingdom?
Yes. Piston Peak National Park is the Cars-themed land replacing Rivers of America in Frontierland. Its two attractions, Cars Ridge Run Rally and Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along, both got official names at D23 2026, though Disney has not announced an opening date.

Is Dreamfinder coming back to EPCOT?
Yes. Disney confirmed it is reimagining Journey Into Imagination with Figment and bringing Dreamfinder officially back. Disney has not shared a timeline, concept art, or any word on what happens to the current ride in the meantime.

What’s new at EPCOT?
Spaceship Earth is getting its first major story change in nearly 20 years, shifting the ride’s focus to human connection. Disney is also reimagining Journey Into Imagination with Figment and bringing back Dreamfinder. Disney has not announced dates for either project.

What’s new at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?
Tropical Americas now has official names and story details for all three of its attractions, and it’s still on track for a 2027 opening. Disney also confirmed that it’s finally repairing the long-broken Yeti animatronic in Expedition Everest, though it did not give a repair timeline.

What’s new at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Monstropolis, the Monsters, Inc. land, will begin opening in phases in 2027, though its headliner suspended coaster will not be ready yet. Disney also shared new details on Harryhausen’s restaurant and a new theme song from Randy Newman.

What’s new at Disneyland Park?
Disney confirmed it is reimagining Tomorrowland, though it did not announce a timeline. The Remember… Dreams Come True fireworks show returns in February 2027, and the Magic Happens parade is coming back as part of a new “Calling All Dreamers” celebration.

What’s new at Disney California Adventure Park?
New story details on the Coco boat ride, a 2028 opening date for the expanded Avengers Campus, confirmation that Disney has not canceled the Avatar experience (it’s just coming later than planned), and an updated take on the original World of Color returning in February 2027.

Carousel of Progress Closure: Last Chance Before July 2026

News By Kim Fidler June 14, 2026 Tags: Attraction Closure, Carousel of Progress, Last Chance, Magic Kingdom Closure No Comments

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is about to change forever, and your window to see the classic version is closing fast. Beginning July 6, 2026, this classic Magic Kingdom attraction enters an extended closure for a full reimagining. After that, the show you grew up with will be gone for good. So if you want one last spin with this 60-year-old icon as you know it, this summer is your last chance.

Here’s everything that is changing, plus why you should ride before the curtain falls on the current version.

Why This Is Your Last Chance

The Carousel of Progress has run in some form for the last 60 years, and it stands as the most performed stage show in the history of American theater. Yet it was always designed to celebrate change, not to stand still. Now Disney is preparing its biggest transformation in decades.

Starting July 6, 2026, the attraction will go temporarily unavailable so Imagineers can rebuild it scene by scene. When it returns in 2027, every act will jump to a brand-new decade, and a familiar face will join the cast for the very first time. In other words, the show you ride this summer is not the show that comes back next year.

This is not a permanent goodbye, so breathe easy. Even so, the current scenes, the current script, and the current finale will retire for good once those doors close. If those moments mean something to your family, then now is the time to see them one final time.

Want to fit in one more ride before the change? Plan your Magic Kingdom visit before early July and put Tomorrowland near the top of your list.

A Quick Look Back at 60 Years of Progress

To understand why this attraction matters, you have to go back to the 1950s. Walt Disney first imagined an extension of Main Street, U.S.A. called Edison Square, anchored by a walkthrough drama named Harnessing the Lightning. That concept explored how electricity and technology reshaped the American family. Disney never built Edison Square, but the big idea stuck: technology keeps evolving while people stay the same.

That idea finally took shape at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, where Walt and his Imagineers reworked the concept into Carousel of Progress for the Progressland pavilion. The fair introduced the now-iconic rotating theater, along with its anthem written by Disney Legends Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman. The project was deeply personal to Walt, who guided details as specific as how Uncle Orville’s toes should wiggle in the bathtub.

After the fair, the show opened at Disneyland in 1967 with a refreshed finale set in Progress City, a community of tomorrow inspired by Walt’s vision for EPCOT. The attraction then moved to Walt Disney World in 1975. For its first two decades in Florida, a different theme song called “The Best Time of Your Life” replaced “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” In fact, you can still hear that tune as background music in Tomorrowland today. The last major update arrived in 1994, which brought an updated finale and the return of the original Sherman Brothers song.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

What’s Changing: Walt Disney Joins the Show

Here’s the headline for the new era. For the first time, guests will see Walt Disney himself inside the attraction that bears his name, brought to life through Audio-Animatronics technology. His scene draws inspiration from the 1964 television special “Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair,” where Walt first introduced the Carousel of Progress concept to the public.

To set the stage, Imagineers are tracking down and recreating real props from that special. Those touches include a prototype Tiki bird, the Tower of the Four Winds model, and a doll from “it’s a small world,” among many others. This opening moment will lead into the next chapter of the family’s story.

The New Scenes Coming to Carousel of Progress

Beyond adding Walt, Imagineers are moving every act to a fresh time period. The goal was simple: keep the show relatable by featuring decades that today’s guests actually remember. Through it all, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” will keep playing as you rotate between scenes. Here is the new lineup:

Act 1 – The 1960s: The new show starts 60 years back from today, mirroring how the original looked back to the turn of the century. In the summer of 1969, the Carousel family gathers around the television to witness the historic moon landing.
Act 2 – The 1980s: Everything bigger is better, and it is Halloween Night of 1985. For the first time ever, Sarah takes center stage to show off the new appliances making life easier. Meanwhile, John hands out candy to trick-or-treaters on the porch, and poor Uncle Orville grumbles about a complete lack of privacy.
Act 3 – The New Millennium: The family prepares to ring in the year 2000 on New Year’s Eve 1999. Amid the countdown, a new thing called the Internet brings John, Sarah, Jimmy, and Patty closer together than ever. Not everyone makes it to midnight, though, as Grandpa dozes off early while Grandma sneaks the TV over to wrestling.
Act 4 – The Possible Future: Finally, the family appears one last time in a distant, out-of-this-world home. From a helpful robot to space travel, the scene imagines a future where extraordinary innovation is simply part of daily life. To bring it to life, Imagineers revisited original concept sketches by Disney Legend John Hench.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

The Current Scenes You Are About to Lose

Before the new acts arrive, here is the classic lineup that has carried the show for decades. Once the attraction closes on July 6, 2026, these scenes retire for good. So this is the version to soak in this summer:

Act 1 – Turn of the Century: The family rings in Valentine’s Day around 1900, marveling at the brand-new wonders of early electricity.
Act 2 – The 1920s: Summertime brings gadgets like the electric iron, the radio, and the sewing machine into the home.
Act 3 – The 1940s: An autumn scene shows off postwar marvels, including the automatic dishwasher and the arrival of television.
Act 4 – The Present: A Christmas finale celebrates today’s high-tech home, the same closing scene shaped by the show’s last major update in 1994.

That long-standing version will not return in the same form, so make it count.

When Will Carousel of Progress Close and Reopen?

Mark your calendar. The Carousel of Progress begins its extended closure on July 6, 2026, and Disney expects it to reopen in 2027. That gives you a tight runway this summer to catch the classic version before the transformation begins.

For more Magic Kingdom updates as this project moves forward, keep checking back with us all summer long.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Carousel of Progress close?

The Carousel of Progress will be temporarily unavailable beginning July 6, 2026. After that date, the current version of the show will no longer be available.

Is Carousel of Progress closing forever?

No, the attraction is not closing permanently. It is going down for a full reimagining, and Disney expects it to reopen in 2027. However, the current scenes and script will retire for good.

When will Carousel of Progress reopen?

Disney expects the reimagined Carousel of Progress to reopen in 2027 with all-new scenes.

What new scenes are coming to Carousel of Progress?

The updated show moves to four new eras. First up, the 1960s with the 1969 moon landing followed by the 1980s on Halloween 1985. Next, the new millennium on New Year’s Eve 1999, and finally, a possible future filled with robots and space travel.

Will Walt Disney appear in the new Carousel of Progress?

Yes. For the first time, guests will see Walt Disney inside the attraction through Audio-Animatronics technology, in a scene inspired by the 1964 special “Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair.”

Is the Carousel of Progress theme song changing?

No. “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” written by the Sherman Brothers, will continue to play as guests transition between scenes in the updated show.