Disney is expected to reveal details about new attractions, shows and themed lands coming to Disneyland, Disney World and parks around the globe during the D23 fan event coming to Anaheim this week.
The three-day D23 fan expo kicks off on Friday, Aug. 14 at the Anaheim Convention Center with a Disney Parks presentation on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Honda Center.
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Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro and Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum are expected to be on hand Saturday night at the Honda Center when Emmy and Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris hosts the “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress” presentation showcasing the projects that will keep Walt Disney Imagineering busy over the next five years.
The “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress” showcase will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday night on the Disney+ streaming service.
The “Horizons” showcase is expected to answer many of the questions fans have about Disney theme park projects currently under construction while also revealing a few new surprises still in the early stages of development.
Here’s what we already know and what we hope to find out about Disney’s 13 biggest projects during the Horizons showcase at the Honda Center on Saturday night.
Concept art of the Marvel Multiverse E-ticket attraction coming to Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure. (Disney)
1) Avengers Campus
Disney California Adventure
What we know
Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab are under construction in Avengers Campus.
We’ve seen the Stark Flight Lab robot arm ride vehicles in action and scale models of the Avengers Infinity Defense motion-based dark ride vehicles.
What to expect
We know very little about the storyline for Avengers Infinity Defense.
The big question: Will both rides open at the same time? An opening timeframe will almost certainly be announced at D23.
Dr. Doom is expected to visit DCA when “Avengers: Doomsday” opens in theaters on Dec. 18.
2) Coco ride
Disney California Adventure
What we know
Disneyland has broken ground on the Coco boat ride in Pixar Pier.
What to expect
Now would be the natural time to announce the attraction name, offer up some new concept art and reveal a few story details.
Disneyland is unlikely to lock in an opening date for the Coco ride with the Avengers Campus attractions expected to debut first.
3) Avatar themed land
Disney California Adventure
What we know
The new land themed to the “Avatar: The Way of Water” film taking over the Hollywood Land studio backlot will feature a boat ride.
What to expect
We’d like to find out if the attraction will use the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure ride system from Shanghai Disneyland, but we will likely have to settle for some new concept art.
Fans have lots of questions about how the Avatar land fits into DCA, what happens to the Disneyland Monorail and when Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue will finally close in 2027.
It’s probably too soon to announce a name for the land or when it will open.
4) Tomorrowland makeover
Disneyland
What we know
Fans have been clamoring for Disneyland to announce a major renovation of Tomorrowland and there are plenty of signs this could finally be the year.
Tokyo Disneyland will open a major renovation of Tomorrowland and Space Mountain in 2027.
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Disneyland plans to retire the gas engines on Autopia early next year and update the Tomorrowland race track with fully electric vehicles.
Imagineering has been updating the Buzz Lightyear attractions at Florida’s Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.
The Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom will reopen in 2027 after a major update to the ride’s backstory and timeline.
What to expect
Disneyland could announce plans for a long-term Tomorrowland makeover at D23 that begins with the Autopia update and continues with a refresh of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Future plans could bring Tokyo’s reimagined Space Mountain to Anaheim and restore Disneyland’s Carousel of Progress in the mothballed rotating theater in Tomorrowland.
An Autopia announcement seems likely. The rest of the wish list would likely fall into a “more to come” promise from the D23 stage.
5) Nighttime entertainment
Disneyland
What we know
“Fantasmic” fans have been unhappy with the scissor lift Maleficent that replaced the massive animatronic dragon that burst into flames in 2023.
MousePlanet reports the Main Street Electrical Parade could return for a limited-time run in 2027.
What to expect
“Disneyland fans would love to hear a big reveal about a very special dragon returning to Fantasmic,” according to Nexstar theme park reporter Scott Gustin. “The Honda Center will explode if that one happens.”
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Disneyland brings back the Electrical Parade whenever it needs an entertainment boost in between new attractions. Will the nighttime parade that never “glows away” return again in 2027? We’ll find out on Saturday night.
6) Tropical Americas themed land
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
What we know
The new 11-acre Pueblo Esperanza land is scheduled to debut in 2027 with an Encanto boat ride and Indiana Jones dark ride.
An Encanto-themed land was pitched as a possible project for a proposed theme park expansion in the DisneylandForward plan approved by the city of Anaheim.
What to expect
The “Horizons” showcase would be the perfect time to reveal more of the storyline for the Indy ride and narrow the land’s opening date to “summer 2027.”
Disney could roll out a massive scale model of the Tropical Americas and show off the Encanto ride vehicles in the Imagineering: Horizons pavilion on the D23 convention floor.
7) Monstropolis themed land
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
What we know
The Monsters Inc. land replacing the Muppets Courtyard at the Florida theme park will feature a Boo’s bedroom door suspended roller coaster, Harryhausen’s restaurant and Glob Theater show.
What to expect
Disney could reveal the coaster’s name and more details about the ride, restaurant and show.
An opening window could be announced for the land that is expected to debut in the next few years.
8) Piston Peak National Park themed land
Magic Kingdom
What we know
The Cars-themed land will feature an off-road rally race thrill ride and second attraction geared toward younger kids.
What to expect
Revealing the name for the big E-Ticket ride and filling in the backstory of the attraction would be the natural next steps.
Not much is known about the kiddie ride and some new concept art would stoke imaginations and build excitement.
Disney could unveil a scale model of the Piston Peak National Park land in the Imagineering pavilion on the D23 floor.
An opening date is unlikely to be announced for the Cars-themed land that is expected to debut in the next few years.
9) Disney Villains themed land
Magic Kingdom
What we know
The villains-themed land featuring two major attractions is Disney’s answer to the monster-themed Dark Universe land at Universal Epic Universe in Florida.
What to expect
Some new concept art and additional attraction details about the Disney Villains land would fuel the already feverish fan anticipation.
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Speculation has focused on rides themed to Maleficent and Ursula and restaurants themed to Hades and Kronk.
10) Spider-Man themed land
Shanghai Disneyland
What we know
A Spider-Man thrill coaster will anchor the new Spider-Man themed land under construction at the Chinese park.
What to expect
Disney could release more concept art of the land and announce the coaster name along with an opening date.
11) Avengers ride
Hong Kong Disneyland
What we know
The expansion of the Stark Expo land will add a new Avengers-themed drop tower attraction and Marvel-themed entertainment.
What to expect
Disney could announce the name and reveal the backstory for the new ride along with an opening date for the expansion.
12) Lion King themed land
Disney Adventure World
What we know
A Simba-themed water flume ride similar to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be the marquee attraction in the Lion King land coming to the recently reimagined Disneyland Paris second gate.
What to expect
Disney has not yet revealed the name of the ride or released much concept art of the land.
13) Disneyland Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
What we know
Disney released vague concept art of its first park in the Middle East before the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.
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What to expect
Disney only needs to mention Abu Dhabi during D23 to acknowledge the project remains in the earliest blue sky phase of development.