Disney used the second day of D23 2026 to put its theme parks and experiences business firmly in the spotlight, outlining a broad slate of new attractions and overhauls across its global resorts. The announcements ranged from a major rethink of Tomorrowland at Disneyland to the return of familiar characters at EPCOT, suggesting Disney is balancing expansion with a renewed interest in parts of its parks that have been waiting years for attention.
The updates were revealed during the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at the Honda Center, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. While D23 presentations are designed first and foremost for Disney’s most committed fans, this year’s Experiences showcase offered a useful snapshot of where the company is directing its considerable theme park investment.
At Disneyland Park in California, Disney confirmed plans to reimagine Tomorrowland. Details remain limited, making it difficult to judge how extensive the project will be, but the announcement is significant. Tomorrowland has long faced the awkward challenge of representing a future that inevitably becomes dated, and Disney now has another opportunity to reconsider what the land should represent for a modern audience.
EPCOT is also getting a notable revival. Journey Into Imagination will be completely reworked, with Figment remaining part of the attraction and Dreamfinder set to return. That combination is likely to resonate with longtime EPCOT visitors, particularly those who remember earlier versions of the attraction. Disney has not yet provided enough information to determine how closely the new experience will draw from its predecessors.
Elsewhere, the company provided updates on several previously announced Walt Disney World projects, including Tropical Americas, Monstropolis, the Cars-themed area and Villains Land. Disneyland Resort’s pipeline includes its Coco attraction and an expanded Avengers Campus, while Disney’s international parks are preparing additions including a Lion King-themed area in Paris, Marvel experiences in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and a reworked Space Mountain in Tokyo.
One smaller announcement may generate an outsized reaction among theme park enthusiasts: Disney says the Yeti inside Expedition Everest will be brought back to life. The Audio-Animatronic has famously operated with limited movement for much of the attraction’s history, turning its restoration into something of a running wish among Walt Disney World regulars.
Away from the parks showcase, D23 also produced several entertainment announcements. Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends has been renewed for a seventh season on Disney Jr. and Disney+, while Disney is developing a new immersive Disney Princess Experience featuring characters and worlds associated with Rapunzel, Tiana, Belle, Moana and Ariel. Disney also screened LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian ahead of its Disney+ debut on September 2.
The breadth of the announcements reflects how important physical experiences have become within Disney’s wider strategy. New intellectual property remains central to that expansion, but Tomorrowland, Figment and even Expedition Everest’s troublesome Yeti show that Disney also sees value in repairing, reinventing and revisiting what is already inside the gates.
