What Do The 2026 D23 Announcements Mean For Your Disney Trip?
The 2026 D23 Horizons: Disney Experience Showcase is over and we got some exciting updates on what's to come for the Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line! But, what does all the construction and updating mean for your Disney vacations through 2026 and 2027? Let’s break it down by park and talk about which announcements could affect your trip!
Walt Disney World
For the most part, the updates at Walt Disney World mainly consisted of discussing existing projects (Cars Land, Monster’s Inc Land, Tropical Americas, and Villains Land) more in depth - even revealing the names and concepts for many of the attractions. Currently, all four of these lands are in the construction process across Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.
The expansions across these three parks do not restrict guest flow through the parks or close off any major walk ways. The biggest concern that comes from these three lands is the amount of construction walls that are up, and will remain up for several years.
However, one big announcement that will affect your 2027 trip was the announcement that most of Monster’s Inc Land (Monstropolis) in Hollywood Studios will open some time in 2027. While we do not have a specific opening date or timeframe, likely this land will open sometime next summer. The main attraction for this new land - The Monster’s Inc Door Coaster - will not be opening along with the rest of the land in 2027, and there is no update on when it will be opened. The delayed opening of this ride will not affect your ability to enjoy Monstropolis which will include a new Monster’s Inc stage show, a quick service pizza restaurant, a store, and the MUCH anticipated sit-down restaurant Harry Hausen’s pulled right from the movie that inspired the land.
Some other announcements that could send some rides into a refurbishment period include Journey Into Imagination With Figment, Spaceship Earth, and Expedition Everest. All three of these attractions are getting major updates or even full on overhauls. Inevitably, this means that at some point these rides will close to allow for updates to be made. Rides like Journey into Imagination with Figment and Expedition Everest are getting small fixes or changes (Yay to the return of Dreamfinder!!), so they may end up with shorter down times than something getting a full retheme. Spaceship Earth will likely have the longest down time as it is, reportedly, getting a full overhaul. No dates, timelines, or further details were shared during D23, but we will update you as we know!
Disneyland
The Disneyland Resort in California is also getting some major upgrades in both Disneyland and California Adventure! Let’s start with Disneyland.
One of the most major announcements out of D23 is the announcement that the Imagineers are going to be fully reimagining Tomorrowland. This is something that those who frequent Disneyland have been wanting for years. A lot has changed throughout Tomorrowland over the years and it seems to have lost its spark a little bit. Disneyland goers are excited that this section of the park is going to be getting the much needed attention it deserves! There are no other updates on timelines or closing dates for the Tomorrowland refurbishment. When the time comes for the update, it is possible that closing the entire land could affect crowd flow, walkways, as well as wait times. It is unclear whether the Imagineers plan on closing the entire land, or working on it in parks to keep certain experiences open to visitors. We will update this post with more information as we learn it.
Disneyland is also going to see the return of some beloved entertainment including “Remember…Dreams Come True” (February 2027) and the “Magic Happens” day time parade (Summer 2027)! So if you plan on visiting Disneyland in 2027, make sure you keep an eye out for these entertainment options!
Let’s move on to Disney’s California Adventure! There are several major expansions happening in California Adventure to include Avenger’s Campus attractions, a Coco ride, and a brand new Avatar inspired land!
While we didn’t get a lot of information about Avatar, we did receive some concept art for the Coco attraction which will be a boat ride! There is no current timeline for either of these projects, but we will update this post as we find out more!
The biggest news and updates out of California Adventure were centered around Avenger’s Campus which is getting two new attractions - Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense. Both of these attractions are slated to open in 2028, but as of right now current Avengers Campus operations remain unaffected! These changes should not affect any currently planned trips to California Adventure.
Disney’s California Adventure will also see the return of the original World of Color show in front of Pixar Pier. This show will return in February of 2027 so keep an eye out!
Disney Cruise Line
There were some fun announcements about Disney Cruise line to include more details on the newest ship - The Disney Believe! Moana will be at the forefront of the ship in the grand hall, Tinkerbell will grace the front of the ship, and Buzz and Woody are featured on the back!
Disney also announced that they will soon be unveiling an entirely new class of ships! The new class will be a mid-size ship that is built with the intention of being able to visit more destinations! This new class of ships will be arriving in 2029.
Disney Cruise line also announced that they will be DOUBLING the amount of sailings leaving from California - which means even more opportunities for west coast Disney fans to sail!
There were no announcements that would inhibit or disrupt any future sailings, but it sounds like Disney Cruise Line is making it so even more people can enjoy their ships!! We will continue to update you as we find out more information about the new Disney Cruise ships coming to the fleet!
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There are so many fun and exciting things happening around the Disney Parks, Resorts, and Cruise Ships. If you are planning a trip, make sure you consider these refurbishments and changes and how they could affect your trip!
If you need any help planning your next vacation, or have questions about which destination you should choose, fill out the form below and we will connect you with your very own Magic Planner!
In the meantime, take the quiz below to find out which major expansion at the Disney Parks matches your personality!
