D23 2026 has delivered a huge new look at the future of Disney's theme parks, with new attractions revealed for Villains Land, major changes coming to EPCOT and Disneyland, and fresh details from projects already under construction around the world.
Disney's headline Horizons: A Carousel of Progress Experiences showcase took fans deeper into projects first announced in 2024 while also delivering several genuine surprises.
Among the biggest are two newly detailed attractions for Magic Kingdom's Villains Land, the return of Dreamfinder alongside Figment at EPCOT, a major reimagining of Spaceship Earth, a new future for Disneyland's Tomorrowland and the long-awaited revival of Expedition Everest's Yeti.
Here's everything worth knowing from D23 2026.
Villains Land will have a Maleficent coaster and Magic Mirror dark ride
We finally know what the two headline attractions inside Magic Kingdom's hugely anticipated Villains Land will actually be.
The first will be an exhilarating roller coaster themed around Maleficent, sending guests racing through the enchanted briars surrounding her mountaintop fortress.
Imagineering says the attraction will include elements it has never attempted before on similar rides, potentially making this one of the most technically ambitious additions coming to Magic Kingdom.
The second major attraction will take a completely different approach.
The Mirror Realm dark ride will be hosted by the Magic Mirror, found beneath the Evil Queen's palace. Guests will be transported into his mystical realm, where numerous Disney Villains will be conjured through a combination of physical sets and special effects.
Disney has also confirmed that Villains Land is now the official name of the area.
Its original storyline begins with a corrupted Wishing Well. An evil wish has shattered the well and spread poisoned magic through the surrounding forest, attracting Disney's villains as they attempt to claim its remaining power and create lairs of their own.
Imagineers compared the overall scale of Villains Land with Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, with attractions, restaurants, shops and elaborate environments forming the sprawling new Magic Kingdom destination.
Piston Peak attractions officially named
Cars is racing into Magic Kingdom as part of the largest expansion in the park's history, and D23 has provided our clearest look yet at Piston Peak National Park.
Imagineering brought an enormous 19-by-19-foot physical model of the land to Anaheim, showing how the fictional national park will continue the westward storytelling progression through Liberty Square and Frontierland.
The land takes inspiration from the Rocky Mountains and America's national parks, complete with towering peaks, waterfalls, rivers, geysers, a visitor lodge and Ranger HQ.
Disney has now officially named its headline attraction Cars Ridge Run Rally. Guests will head off-road through Piston Peak's mountain trails, racing across rugged terrain, snowy peaks and erupting geysers, with Lightning McQueen and Mater providing commentary along the way.
The land's second attraction will be Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along, a family experience themed around the demolition derby school bus from Cars 3.
Rather than recreating Radiator Springs, Imagineering is effectively taking the characters and world of Cars somewhere completely new.
Animal Kingdom's Encanto ride gets an official name
The upcoming Encanto attraction at Tropical Americas now has an official name: Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto.
The family attraction takes place around Antonio's gift day, with guests invited inside Casita for a celebration centred around his ability to communicate with animals.
Riders will board vehicles designed to look like pieces of furniture assembled and animated by Casita itself, travelling through previously unseen areas of the Madrigal home before eventually reaching Antonio's rainforest-filled room.
More than 50 animals will be represented inside the attraction, while Mirabel, Luisa and Isabela voice actors Stephanie Beatriz, Jessica Darrow and Diane Guerrero are returning for the experience.
Disney has also confirmed there will be no height requirement.
The Tropical Americas carousel now has a name too - El Carrusel de los Animalitos - and will feature 22 hand-carved animals inspired by Disney and Pixar characters.
Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent revealed
Disney also revealed the official name and storyline for Tropical Americas' other headline attraction: Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent.
Guests will join Indiana Jones as he explores a mysterious Maya temple near a former underground water-filled cave, or cenote.
Legend suggests the passage leads into the Maya Underworld and is protected by a huge serpentine creature known as the Tsukán.
Things inevitably go wrong.
Riders will be pulled through a portal into the Underworld, encountering monstrous bats, enormous scorpions, fire, snakes and ultimately the Tsukán itself.
Imagineering showed off a gigantic Audio-Animatronics figure being developed for the creature during D23.
There's another particularly interesting detail: Harrison Ford himself is serving as the model for the attraction's Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronic, marking the first time his face will appear on a Disney Parks attraction.
The Yeti is coming back to life on Expedition Everest
One of D23's biggest crowd-pleasing surprises concerns an attraction that opened two decades ago.
Disney is bringing the Yeti back to life inside Expedition Everest.
The enormous Audio-Animatronic has famously spent years operating without its originally intended movement, with lighting effects creating the illusion of motion instead.
Disney has not yet revealed exactly when guests will encounter the revived Yeti or what work will be required to make it happen.
For longtime Walt Disney World fans, though, it's a surprisingly significant announcement.
Dreamfinder is returning to EPCOT with Figment
And then came arguably the biggest announcement for old-school EPCOT fans.
Dreamfinder is returning.
Disney has confirmed that Journey Into Imagination will receive a complete reimagining, with Figment remaining at the heart of the attraction and finally being reunited with Dreamfinder.
Dreamfinder was a central character in the original Journey Into Imagination attraction, which opened in 1983, but disappeared from the ride following its closure in 1998.
Disney hasn't yet revealed the full storyline, ride system or timeline for the new version, but the confirmation that EPCOT is getting a new journey into imagination featuring the pair was one of the biggest reactions of the night.
Spaceship Earth is getting its biggest update in nearly 20 years
EPCOT's icon is changing too.
Disney has announced a reimagining of Spaceship Earth, marking the attraction's first major update in nearly two decades.
The current ride follows the development of human communication, but Imagineering intends to broaden the attraction's focus around the idea of human connection.
Disney says the new version will bring Spaceship Earth into the internet age and beyond while retaining the classic EPCOT spirit of exploring humanity's progress and imagining the future.
Further details, including a closure date and reopening timeline, haven't yet been announced.
Monstropolis will begin opening in 2027
At Disney's Hollywood Studios, construction is progressing on the Monsters, Inc.-inspired Monstropolis - and D23 has now given us considerably more detail about what guests will find inside.
Disney says parts of Monstropolis will open in 2027, alongside the land's headline suspended roller coaster through the iconic door vault from Monsters, Inc.
The new land will bring humans into the monster world as part of H.U.M.A.N. Day - short for Humans Understand Monsters Are Nice - following the discovery that laughter is significantly more powerful than screams.
The Glob Theater will host a new stage production called Welcome to Monstropolis, starring Mike and Sulley. Disney Legend Randy Newman has written an original song of the same name for the production - his first song composed specifically for a Disney theme park.
Guests will also find Archie's Scare Pig Pizza, the Monsters University Alumni Club and a new shop called Scareporium.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition is Harryhausen's, the restaurant seen in the original film. Disney says the restaurant will feature a multi-tentacled sushi-chef Audio-Animatronic alongside a menu unlike anything else currently offered at Walt Disney World.
Disneyland's Coco ride will take guests to the Land of the Dead
We now know considerably more about Disney California Adventure's first-ever Coco attraction.
The attraction will take place one year after the events of the original film.
Guests will enter a casa museo dedicated to the music of Héctor Rivera before boarding a boat and travelling alongside Miguel through his memories of the Land of the Dead.
Imagineering is drawing inspiration from classic Disney attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, with the skeletal characters brought to life using modern Audio-Animatronics technology.
The attraction is being designed for the whole family and will have no height requirement.
Disney has also confirmed that Imagineers are working with Pixar so the experience can contain connections to both the original Coco and the upcoming Coco 2.
Disneyland's Tomorrowland is being completely reimagined
One of the biggest genuinely new projects announced during Horizons is a new future for Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park.
Disney says Walt Disney Imagineering is beginning work on the next chapter of the land, with plans for new attractions, more open spaces and new places for guests to dream about the future.
The intention is to restore the sense of optimism, innovation and possibility that inspired Walt Disney's original vision for Tomorrowland when Disneyland opened in 1955.
Exactly what those new attractions will be hasn't been revealed yet, suggesting this is a project sitting further out on Disney's development timeline.
Nevertheless, confirmation that Disneyland's Tomorrowland is heading for a substantial transformation makes this one of D23 2026's biggest long-term announcements.
Disneyland entertainment returns in 2027
Disney also confirmed several returning favourites for Disneyland Resort in 2027.
Remember... Dreams Come True will return to Disneyland Park in February alongside an updated version of the original World of Color at Disney California Adventure.
The Magic Happens parade will then return to Disneyland Park during summer 2027.
Avengers Campus expansion moves forward
Disney California Adventure's Avengers Campus expansion is also moving closer to reality.
A physical model of the expansion and ride vehicle maquette for Stark Flight Lab have been displayed at D23, alongside new material explaining the superhero experiences being developed around the world.
Disney is also progressing Marvel attractions at its international resorts, including the Avengers Pavilion at Hong Kong Disneyland and the future Spider-Man attraction at Shanghai Disney Resort.
Disneyland Paris is bringing back its original Space Mountain story
One of the weekend's biggest surprises for European Disney fans concerns an attraction with a long history at Disneyland Paris.
Disney has announced that Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain will be transformed back into Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune, reviving the Jules Verne-inspired identity that defined the attraction when it originally opened.
The refreshed experience will once again take inspiration from Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon, while also bringing back the attraction's original musical score.
For fans who remember the original version of Disneyland Paris' Space Mountain, it's a significant return to one of the resort's most distinctive attractions.
The Lion King attraction is shown from the inside
Disneyland Paris also provided one of D23's most visually impressive previews.
Imagineering has shown a black-light study model of its upcoming Lion King attraction, providing a first look inside the experience currently being developed for Disney Adventure World.
The water attraction will follow Simba's journey through the Pride Lands, from curious cub to king, with guests travelling beneath Pride Rock as scenes from the animated film are brought to life.
A ride vehicle maquette and scale model of Rafiki's Tree have also been displayed.
The attraction will become the centrepiece of a Lion King-themed area at Disney Adventure World, continuing the huge transformation of the former Walt Disney Studios Park.
Tokyo Disneyland names its Wreck-It Ralph attraction
Tokyo Disneyland's upcoming Wreck-It Ralph attraction now has an official name: Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue.
The attraction is being developed alongside Walt Disney Animation Studios and will expand the colourful world of Sugar Rush beyond what audiences saw in the film.
Guests will join Ralph and Vanellope on a mission to transform rogue sugar bugs back to normal while avoiding King Candy.
Disney has also created 12 original confectionery characters exclusively for the attraction.
The completely rebuilt Space Mountain is represented at D23 through a design model, ride vehicle and model of its futuristic new plaza icon. We've covered the latest Tokyo Disneyland Space Mountain reveal separately on ThrillSense, so we'll keep those details brief here.
Disney Cruise Line reveals more about Disney Believe
The parks weren't the only Disney Experiences destinations getting attention during D23.
Disney Cruise Line has shared a first look at its next class of cruise ships while also revealing more about Disney Believe, which is scheduled to begin sailing in late 2027.
The ship's Grand Hall will draw inspiration from Moana, centred around a bronze statue of Moana alongside Pua and Heihei.
Elsewhere on the ship, Buzz Lightyear and Woody will appear on the stern while Tinker Bell will feature on the bow.
Disney says stories represented aboard Disney Believe will include Encanto, Frozen, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Moana and The Little Mermaid.
With Disney Cruise Line already in the middle of its biggest period of expansion, the announcements show that the company's ambitions at sea extend well beyond its current generation of ships.
The biggest announcements from D23 2026
D23 2026 ultimately wasn't simply another enormous list of distant projects. Much of the Experiences showcase concentrated on turning projects Disney had already announced into tangible attractions, complete with names, storylines, restaurants, characters and opening windows.
But Disney still delivered some significant surprises.
A Maleficent roller coaster and Magic Mirror dark ride give Villains Land a much clearer identity. Dreamfinder is returning to Journey Into Imagination. Spaceship Earth is heading for its first major overhaul in almost 20 years. Expedition Everest's Yeti is finally being revived. Disneyland's Tomorrowland has an entirely new future ahead of it, and Disneyland Paris is returning Space Mountain to its Jules Verne roots.
Meanwhile, Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto, Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, Cars Ridge Run Rally, Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue, Coco, Monstropolis and The Lion King have all moved another step away from concept art and towards experiences guests will actually be able to visit.
With D23 2026 now concluded, we'll be following each of these projects as Disney turns its latest wave of announcements into reality.
Last updated: 17 August 2026
