D23 Expo 2026-News and Rumors

[TheUniC6]

 

[Freak]

I’ll throw my predictions into the ring for the domestic parks announcements:

Magic Kingdom: Stitch replacement announced, Cars and Villains details announced. Maaaaaybe a new E-ticket replacing the Speedway as a wildcard announcement?

Animal Kingdom: Lion King flume ride announced, new details on South America

Epcot: Mary Poppins ride gets dusted off. Journey Into Imagination redo as a wildcard announcement.

DHS: Monsters Inc details.

Disneyland: Mini Frozen land replacing Autopia. Maybe a new ride going into Galaxy’s Edge as a wildcard. I don’t see the TL redo getting announced.

DCA: No new announcements. Just details confirming Avatar and further details of Coco and Avengers.

 

[TheUniC6]

I’ll throw my predictions into the ring for the domestic parks announcements:

Magic Kingdom: Stitch replacement announced, Cars and Villains details announced. Maaaaaybe a new E-ticket replacing the Speedway as a wildcard announcement?

Animal Kingdom: Lion King flume ride announced, new details on South America

Epcot: Mary Poppins ride gets dusted off. Journey Into Imagination redo as a wildcard announcement.

DHS: Monsters Inc details.

Disneyland: Mini Frozen land replacing Autopia. Maybe a new ride going into Galaxy’s Edge as a wildcard. I don’t see the TL redo getting announced.

DCA: No new announcements. Just details confirming Avatar and further details of Coco and Avengers.

My notion is unless more rumors come out otherwise, D23 2026 will simply be updates of the 2024 slate. D23 2028 will be where the second half of the 10 year parks plan will be unveiled. Supposedly Josh said somewhere the second half of the parks plan will be far more grand then the first

 

[belloq87]

Epcot: Mary Poppins ride gets dusted off. Journey Into Imagination redo as a wildcard announcement.

It does seem like Epcot is probably next in line for an announcement of something new.

I do kind of have a feeling this might finally be the year for Imagination.

 

[Freak]

My notion is unless more rumors come out otherwise, D23 2026 will simply be updates of the 2024 slate. D23 2028 will be where the second half of the 10 year parks plan will be unveiled. Supposedly Josh said somewhere the second half of the parks plan will be far more grand then the first

Just curious to know where you heard this from? Haven’t heard about any 10 year plan.

Maybe my predictions are a little ambitious, but I think they will have more to their sleeve in WDW to compete against Epic. Thats especially considering the changing of the guard that we now have with someone at the helm being very-much a parks person.

 

[alomar]

My notion is unless more rumors come out otherwise, D23 2026 will simply be updates of the 2024 slate. D23 2028 will be where the second half of the 10 year parks plan will be unveiled. Supposedly Josh said somewhere the second half of the parks plan will be far more grand then the first

This is my thought as well, considering all the "shovels are in the ground" announcements are still kinda sorta getting started. Some further along than others, but some still barely if not started at all. That is a fair amount of capital expenditure still barely getting spent. Announcing even more big projects seems unlikely, just giving us more updates on what is announced is what I see happening with small new things like a small show or something to that affect.

 

[Mad Dog]

Put together all the new stuff coming to MK, AK, and DHS, in reality, almost equals the lands of Epic in total. WDW has really set itself up for the rest of this decade, marketing wise.

 

[TheUniC6]

Just curious to know where you heard this from? Haven’t heard about any 10 year plan.

Maybe my predictions are a little ambitious, but I think they will have more to their sleeve in WDW to compete against Epic. Thats especially considering the changing of the guard that we now have with someone at the helm being very-much a parks person.

I believe this is what my mind was referring to:

Disney Plans to Expand Parks Investment, Doubling Capital Expenditures Over 10 Years | The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is developing plans to accelerate and expand investment in its Parks, Experiences and Products segment to nearly double capital expenditures over the course of approximately 10 years to roughly $60 billion.

thewaltdisneycompany.com

As for D23 2028, I hope for the WDW side they finally tell us what will replace animation courtyard and for DLR the first phase of Simba.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

My D23 Predictions

Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom

• Cars Area details
• Villains Land details, we get full land info and attraction details
• Haunted Mansion Parlor
• Wild Card: Space Mountain along with a tease for Tomorrowland overhaul

Epcot

• Figment (I think it’s time)
• Wild Card: Illuminations - original soundtrack mixed in with IPs. I don’t hate Luminous, but it certainly doesn’t have the appeal of Illuminations

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Monsters Inc Land details
• Wild Card: Beauty and the Beast show replacement (Tangled?)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Tropical America details
• Wild card: Lion King dark ride (less thrilling than Paris)

Other: New MK hotel north of Grand Floridian

Disneyland
Disneyland

• Tomorrowland Overhaul tease

Disney California Adventure

• Coco, Avengers details
• Zootoopia replaces Hollywoodland
• Wild card: new show for hyperion

3rd Gate

• I think plans for a 3rd gate at DLR are inevitable now with DCA being maxed out
• I think Avatar is pushed off to be a headliner along with Lion King, Mystic Manor as the icon, Frozen, Ratatouille and Encanto.
• A sort of Animal Kingdom/exploration/Epcot style park

Other: Toy Story Hotel announced for south of the Pixar hotel.

I don’t care for the cruises, so won’t speculate.

 

[TheUniC6]

• I think plans for a 3rd gate at DLR are inevitable now with DCA being maxed out
• I think Avatar is pushed off to be a headliner along with Lion King, Mystic Manor as the icon, Frozen, Ratatouille and Encanto.
• A sort of Animal Kingdom/exploration/Epcot style park

Disney knows DLR needs a third gate and that is far more likely to happen in our lifetimes then a 5th WDW gate, but I think its a ways off. Once all the existing DLForward spots are filled out at DL park and DCA, then will speculation on the third gate pick up. Maybe we might get some early teases of what might go in the Simba lot before D23 2028 spills the full beans.

 

[Mad Dog]

You people will be as old as I am, and you'll be speculating about a WDW 5th gate. It'll probably never ever happen.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

You people will be as old as I am, and you'll be speculating about a WDW 5th gate. It'll probably never ever happen.

At WDW no, but Disneyland is inevitable.

 

[rabbitsmoon]

If there's is an imagination update, I'd love to see an overhaul that gives us an entirely new pavilion, including stuff in the theater and ImageWorks. The concept of imagination is capacious enough that it could hold experiences with Figment, the Inside Out characters, and even something like Dr. Strange.

I'm sure that's not likely, but I would've thought "general theme" lands were done before they announced Tropical Americas, so maybe there's hope.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

My hopes and dreams:

Disneyland Resort:
- Bringing over the Tangled ride from Tokyo DisneySea, which will act as the addition between Avatar and Coco. This probably necessitates...
- Shortening Autopia and grading the land to the right of the Matterhorn for future development. The easiest way to do this is probably to have the left track's layout more closely miror the right track, cutting out the left track loop closest to the Fantasyland Lagoon. Technically, that land can be developed on without affecting the subs, since the indoor portion of the Submarine Voyage mostly goes underneath the right edge of the Autopia ride area.

DCA:
- I don't think the Zootopia ride is that impressive, so justify Zootopia if you're going to bring it here.
- We might be too far out for a full breakdown on the Avatar land, but a small confirmation that it's still happening alongside a model would be nice. Primarily, I'd like to see evidence that they are constructing a fully featured land, and hopefully one that uses multiple levels to fully maximize the space.
- A refresh of Grizzly River Run. Incorporate the Country Bears, add an indoor loading area. Don't mess with the trees.
- A refresh of the Sorcerer's Workshop into a play area for children, similar to Ariel's Grotto at Tokyo DisneySea. The easiest option would be porting Orlando's Tuggly Wood play area from their new Art of Animation building, which seems destined to be a big success for families this year. It's also just time to kill Sorcerer's Workshop now that 2/3rds of its offerings have been lost.
- Do something with the Hyperion Theater
- Get big names for the Avengers rides (Tom Holland, David Jonsson, Ryan Gosling, Hugh Jackman, etc).

Walt Disney World:
- Names and details for all the 2027-2031 attractions
- Move that Emperor's New Groove coaster concept to a Peru pavilion. You make money almost instantly through Pisco Sour and pan flute sales.
- Alternatively, build a Mulan ride. I think it's about time. If Shanghai is truly getting an Epcot, then make them pay for the R&D.
- Alternatively or concurrently, really plus the existing Future World attractions to bring them in line with the quality of Test Track 3.0. An Imagination refresh, a Spaceship Earth overall, Project Hail Mary in Mission: Space, more critters in Living with The Land. Anything.
- One more new ride for Animal Kingdom, please don't leave it alone for ten years again.

Disneyland Paris:
I think the French are happy

Tokyo DisneySea:
I think the Japanese are happy

Hong Kong Disneyland:
Will inexplicably get a Moana ride that nobody else will have.

Shanghai Disneyland:
If they announce a second gate, then we're not getting any information on it.

Abu Dhabi
We will learn what this actually is through a So Cal Attractions video six years from now.

Timeline:
2027 - Avengers and Tropical Americas
2028 - EPCOT refresh project, Space Mountain refresh, Grizzly River Run refresh, Monstropolis
2029 - Coco and Piston Peak
2030 - Tangled + Villains Land
2031 - Peru or Mulan

 

[Jake S]

At WDW no, but Disneyland is inevitable.

I'll eat crow on this if I'm wrong, but I really think this overstates the likelihood of a third gate in Anaheim.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I'll eat crow on this if I'm wrong, but I really think this overstates the likelihood of a third gate in Anaheim.

I think building out Anaheim (more hotels plus parks) will be a desire/need post DCA overhaul.

Once the new parking area opens up, that Toy Story area is prime real estate.

I’d prioritize Tomorrowland overhaul first, but after that they have little expansion space

 

[Columbo]

You people will be as old as I am, and you'll be speculating about a WDW 5th gate. It'll probably never ever happen.

Still more likely than them fixing the PeopleMover or Yeti!

 

[Jake S]

they have little expansion space

They have a ton of space on the west side of the Disneyland Forward area, should they choose to utilize it for theme park expansion. I think building out hotels is a bigger priority for the resort than building more theme park space; at least, for now.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

They have a ton of space on the west side of the Disneyland Forward area, should they choose to utilize it for theme park expansion. I think building out hotels is a bigger priority for the resort than building more theme park space; at least, for now.

I think in-park hotels are highly likely for the Disneyland Forward spaces. It'd be short-sighted to only use them as park expansions.

 

[TheUniC6]

My hopes and dreams:

Disneyland Resort:
- Bringing over the Tangled ride from Tokyo DisneySea, which will act as the addition between Avatar and Coco. This probably necessitates...
- Shortening Autopia and grading the land to the right of the Matterhorn for future development. The easiest way to do this is probably to have the left track's layout more closely miror the right track, cutting out the left track loop closest to the Fantasyland Lagoon. Technically, that land can be developed on without affecting the subs, since the indoor portion of the Submarine Voyage mostly goes underneath the right edge of the Autopia ride area.

DCA:
- I don't think the Zootopia ride is that impressive, so justify Zootopia if you're going to bring it here.
- We might be too far out for a full breakdown on the Avatar land, but a small confirmation that it's still happening alongside a model would be nice. Primarily, I'd like to see evidence that they are constructing a fully featured land, and hopefully one that uses multiple levels to fully maximize the space.
- A refresh of the Sorcerer's Workshop into a play area for children, similar to Ariel's Grotto at Tokyo DisneySea. The easiest option would be porting Orlando's Tuggly Wood play area from their new Art of Animation building, which seems destined to be a big success for families this year. It's also just time to kill Sorcerer's Workshop now that 2/3rds of its offerings have been lost.
- Do something with the Hyperion Theater
- Get big names for the Avengers rides (Tom Holland, David Jonsson, Ryan Gosling, Hugh Jackman, etc).

Walt Disney World:
- Names and details for all the 2027-2031 attractions
- Move that Emperor's New Groove coaster concept to a Peru pavilion. You make money almost instantly through Pisco Sour and pan flute sales.
- Alternatively, build a Mulan ride. I think it's about time. If Shanghai is truly getting an Epcot, then make them pay for the R&D.
- Alternatively or concurrently, really plus the existing Future World attractions to bring them in line with the quality of Test Track 3.0. An Imagination refresh, a Spaceship Earth overall, Project Hail Mary in Mission: Space, more critters in Living with The Land. Anything.
- One more new ride for Animal Kingdom, please don't leave it alone for ten years again.

Disneyland Paris:

See you left out Paris. The only thing I see for that are updates on the LK land. And then at D23 2028 we will get confirmation on the post LK land. Some insiders (Marni1971) now think it could be Zootopia and debut in the 2032 timeframe.

They have a ton of space on the west side of the Disneyland Forward area, should they choose to utilize it for theme park expansion. I think building out hotels is a bigger priority for the resort than building more theme park space; at least, for now.

With how Disney keeps dragging their feet on finding some IP to theme a TL overhaul to, IMO the first thing they will do for DLForward might be the Simba buildout. There has been some permitting that has pointed to the area near Coco being future proofed for the bridge.