The Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 delivered what Disney is calling the biggest slate of expansion projects in Walt Disney World history.
Here's everything announced during Saturday night's Horizons: A Carousel of Progress showcase, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
Magic Kingdom
Carousel of Progress
One of Magic Kingdom's most beloved attractions is getting its first major update in decades. Carousel of Progress will undergo a refurbishment to introduce four new decades and an entirely new scene, including the first-ever Florida-based Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure. The updated attraction is targeted to open in late spring 2027.
The biggest reveal: the beloved John and Sarah — the patriarch and matriarch of the Carousel of Progress family — will be voiced by Disney Legend Jamie Lee Curtis and Emmy Award-winning Bryan Cranston.
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Piston Peak — Cars Land
The all-new Cars-themed area coming to Magic Kingdom now has a name: Piston Peak. Taking inspiration from America's National Parks and the storytelling of Disney and Pixar's Cars franchise, the land is set within Frontierland and connects directly to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad — with the existing geyser field from that attraction extending into the new area.
Two attractions were announced:
- Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along — A family attraction starring Miss Fritter, the demolition derby legend from Cars 3. Features a giant school bus Audio-Animatronics figure of Miss Fritter hosting her wildest derby yet. Read more
- Cars Ridge Run Rally — A racing experience that takes guests up and down snow-capped Piston Peak and through the geyser field. Disney describes it as a new type of racing experience unlike anything in a Disney theme park, with a newly developed ride vehicle that rocks, bumps, and drops like an off-road car on adventurous terrain. Read more
Villains Land
One of the most anticipated projects in Magic Kingdom history finally has its story. Guests entering Villains Land will step off the safe path and into a foreboding dark forest, where they'll discover a broken, twisted Wishing Well — corrupted by a mysterious figure's evil wish that has infused the entire land with poisoned magic.
With dark magic up for grabs, Disney Villains including Cruella, the Evil Queen, and Dr. Facilier have moved in to conjure their own lairs. Disney is describing the scale as comparable to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
The land will include dining, shopping, and two attractions:
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EPCOT
Spaceship Earth
For the first time in nearly 20 years, Spaceship Earth is getting an update. The reimagining will bring the attraction's storyline into the internet age and beyond, broadening its theme to focus on human connection — described as still classically EPCOT in spirit. Read more
Figment and Dreamfinder
One of the most eagerly anticipated EPCOT announcements in years: Dreamfinder is returning. EPCOT will introduce a new journey into imagination featuring Figment and his original companion Dreamfinder, the whimsical dream-chaser from the Imagination pavilion's original attraction. Disney says all it takes is one little spark. Read more
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Fortnite
A new collaboration between Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Epic Games' Fortnite has been announced. Guests can link their Disney and Epic Games accounts to access a new custom adventure aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, alongside a new Star Wars creative island in Fortnite called Smugglers Gambit. Both experiences go live August 16, 2026, at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
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Monstropolis
The new Monsters, Inc.-themed land is targeting a 2027 opening for its first set of experiences, with more to follow. The land will be themed around H.U.M.A.N. Day — Humans Understanding Monsters Are Nice — welcoming human visitors to the city for the first time.
Opening in 2027:
- The Glob Theater — Presenting "Welcome to Monstropolis," a show hosted by Mike and Sulley featuring familiar faces from the Monsters, Inc. universe
- Archie's Scare Pig Pizza — A quick-service restaurant themed around college life at Monsters University, celebrating the Alumni Club, student clubs, and sororities and fraternities from the film
- Harryhausen's — A table service restaurant brought directly from the Monsters, Inc. film, featuring a menu unlike anything else at Walt Disney World and a new sushi chef Audio-Animatronics figure
- Scareporium — A merchandise shop for human tourists to pick up monstrous souvenirs
The previously announced Monstropolis coaster experience continues in development with no opening date yet announced.
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Disney's Animal Kingdom
Expedition Everest — The Yeti Returns
Major news for Animal Kingdom fans: the iconic Yeti Audio-Animatronics figure inside Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain will come back to life. No timeline was given, but the announcement ends years of speculation about the attraction's broken figure. Read more
Tropical Americas
The most detail yet was shared for Tropical Americas, the new land coming to Animal Kingdom inspired by the myths, cultures, and stories of South America, Central America, and Mexico. The land centers on the vibrant community of Pueblo Esperanza and includes three attractions:
El Carrusel de los Animalitos — A family carousel attraction featuring 22 hand-carved animals from Disney and Pixar stories, created by a local woodcarver in the land's story.
Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto — A no-height-requirement attraction set inside the Madrigals' Casita, celebrating Antonio's new gift of communicating with animals. Features more than 50 animals from Encanto throughout the Casita. Voice actors from the film return, including Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel, Jessica Darrow as Luisa, and Diane Guerrero as Isabela. Read more
Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent— Dr. Jones ventures deep inside a dry cenote in a Maya temple, where local folklore speaks of a passageway to the underworld protected by a large mythical serpent creature, the Tsukán. The Tsukán will be realized as a hand-sculpted Audio-Animatronics figure on a massive scale. In a landmark announcement, the Audio-Animatronics figures in this attraction will be modeled after Harrison Ford himself — the first time Ford's likeness has been used on a Disney attraction anywhere in the world. Read more
WDWMAGIC Intelligence
Answers from our archive, with sources
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