Written by: Hillary Gelinas, Instagram Manager/Senior Travel Planner
D23 2026 brought a lot of exciting news for Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line fans. From new attractions and lands to major reimaginings, there is plenty on the horizon.
Here’s the breakdown of the biggest announcements for the U.S. Disney destinations and Disney Cruise Line!
Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom
Villains Land A brand-new land dedicated to Disney’s most infamous villains is coming to Magic Kingdom. Guests will explore a cursed forest, broken Wishing Well and the mystical world of the Magic Mirror, including a thrilling coaster through Maleficent’s enchanted briars.
Piston Peak The Cars-themed area coming to Frontierland received new details, including two attractions:
• Cars Ridge Run Rally — a thrilling off-road adventure through the mountains with Lightning McQueen and Mater.
• Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along — a family-friendly attraction featuring the demolition derby champion from Cars 3.
Carousel of Progress Beginning in late spring 2027, the attraction will receive an updated 1980s scene, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston joining as the show’s mom and dad.
EPCOT
Journey Into Imagination Figment and Dreamfinder are returning for a completely reimagined Journey Into Imagination attraction.
Spaceship Earth The classic attraction will receive its first major update in nearly two decades, expanding its story from human communication to the broader theme of human connection.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Tropical Americas New details were revealed for the upcoming area, including:
• Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent — an all-new Indiana Jones adventure through an ancient Maya temple.
• Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto — a family-friendly experience featuring Antonio, his animals and the Madrigal family.
Expedition Everest The Yeti is officially coming back to life, bringing the legendary Audio-Animatronic back to its full intended experience.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Monstropolis The Monsters, Inc. land is still on track to open in 2027. Guests will find Mike and Sulley, Harryhausen’s restaurant, Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza and a new theater show, along with the highly anticipated suspended coaster.
Disneyland Resort
Avengers Campus Expansion
Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure will double in size with two new attractions opening in 2028:
• Avengers Infinity Defense
• Stark Flight Lab
The expansion will bring guests into new Marvel adventures featuring familiar heroes, including appearances from Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie and Brie Larson.
Coco Attraction
Disney confirmed more details about the first Coco attraction at a Disney park.
Guests will travel by boat through Miguel’s memories of the Land of the Dead in an attraction developed by Pixar Animation Studios.
Tomorrowland Reimagining
Disneyland’s Tomorrowland will receive a major reimagining focused on honoring the land’s original legacy while creating a new vision for the future. Plans include new attractions, more open spaces and new areas for guests to explore.
Disneyland Entertainment Returns
Several fan-favorite entertainment offerings are returning in 2027:
• Remember… Dreams Come True — refreshed and returning February 2027
• World of Color — an updated version returning February 2027
• Magic Happens — returning summer 2027
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Believe
The Disney Believe will set sail in 2027 as the fourth ship in the Wish Class.
D23 provided the first look at the ship’s design, including:
• Moana welcoming guests in the Grand Hall
• Tinker Bell featured on the bow
• Buzz Lightyear and Woody featured on the stern
The ship’s theme centers around believing in yourself and pursuing your dreams.
A New Class of Disney Cruise Ships
Disney Cruise Line also announced an entirely new class of ships arriving beginning in 2029.
The new ships will be positioned between Disney’s classic ships and its newest ships in size and are expected to open the door to new destinations and experiences around the world.
This continues Disney Cruise Line’s major fleet expansion, with the fleet ultimately growing to 13 ships by 2031.
The Bottom Line
If you were looking for a reason to start planning your next Disney vacation, D23 2026 certainly delivered.
From Villains Land, Cars and the return of Dreamfinder at Walt Disney World to Coco, the Avengers Campus expansion and the Tomorrowland reimagining at Disneyland, there are some major changes coming to the U.S. parks.
And Disney Cruise Line is continuing to grow with the Disney Believe in 2027 and an entirely new class of ships beginning in 2029.
The future of Disney vacations is looking very exciting, and there is plenty to start planning for now.
