Anaheim, CA (The Hollywood Times) 8/16/26 – Disney fans got a major glimpse into the future Saturday night as D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event continued with the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, bringing together theme park announcements, live entertainment, celebrity appearances and new details about attractions planned around the world.
Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris at the Honda Center, the sold-out presentation focused on what is coming next to Disney parks and experiences, from Disneyland and Walt Disney World to Disney’s international resorts.
The evening was hardly a traditional corporate presentation. Harris opened with a tribute to Disney’s famed Audio-Animatronics, while musical guests including Sheryl Crow, Beck, Los Lobos and Gloria Gaynor helped turn the showcase into a full-scale entertainment event.
Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum emphasized that the company’s connection with its fans remains central as Disney continues to expand its destinations.
“As we continue expanding and evolving Disney Experiences around the world, our fans remain at the heart of everything we do,” Mazloum said.
That expansion includes some big changes, and the return of a few familiar Disney favorites.
One of the evening’s biggest Disneyland announcements was a planned reimagining of Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park, although Disney has not yet revealed full details about exactly what the transformation will include.
Across the country at EPCOT, Journey Into Imagination is also getting a complete reimagining. Disney confirmed that Figment will remain part of the attraction, joined by the return of Dreamfinder, news likely to please longtime EPCOT fans.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, another beloved character is preparing for a comeback. Disney announced plans to bring the Yeti at Expedition Everest back to life.
The showcase also offered updates on numerous previously announced projects at Walt Disney World, including Tropical Americas, Monstropolis, a Cars-themed area and Villains Land.
Disneyland Resort is also preparing for several additions, including a new Coco attraction and an expansion of Avengers Campus.
Those projects continue Disney’s strategy of bringing movie characters and stories out of theaters and streaming screens and placing guests directly inside their worlds through attractions, environments and live experiences.
International Disney destinations are getting plenty of attention as well. Plans discussed during the evening included a Lion King-themed area at Disneyland Paris, additional Marvel experiences in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and a reimagining of Space Mountain in Tokyo.
While the biggest announcements arrived at the Honda Center, Disney fans spent the day filling the Anaheim Convention Center for panels, exhibits, shopping and interactive experiences.
The popular D23 Mousequerade, Disney’s elaborate fan costume competition, returned with participants showing off creations inspired by characters and stories from throughout Disney history.
Fans also received behind-the-scenes looks at projects including Camp Rock 3, Bluey, Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Scrubs, along with programs celebrating Marvel’s Spider-Man, Zootopia, KINGDOM HEARTS and Tinker Bell.
Disney also announced that Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends has been renewed for a seventh season on Disney Jr. and Disney+.
According to Disney, the preschool series has accumulated nearly 1.3 billion hours streamed globally on Disney+, making it Marvel’s most-watched television series on the platform and the longest-running Spider-Man television series to date.
The series introduces young viewers to Peter Parker, Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy as Team Spidey.
Another project revealed at D23 was the Disney Princess Experience, an immersive adventure currently in development.
The attraction will take guests through worlds inspired by Rapunzel, Tiana, Belle, Moana and Ariel, combining music, interactive elements and storytelling into a new Disney Princess-themed experience.
Additional details are expected as development continues.
Star Wars fans also received an exclusive first screening of LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian, an animated special from Lucasfilm scheduled to debut exclusively on Disney+ on September 2, 2026.
Voice performer Shelby Young introduced the trailer, poster and screening for the D23 audience.
Inspired by The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, the special is directed by Chris Buckley and written by Michael Price.
The weekend celebration continues with one more full day of programming at the Anaheim Convention Center before attention shifts once again to the Honda Center for the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
The 2026 Disney Legends class includes Chris Berman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Susan Egan, Eric Goldberg, Anne Hathaway, Bob Iger, Kim Irvine, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Tudyk.
With everything from Tomorrowland and Figment to Marvel, Star Wars and Disney Princesses represented, this year’s D23 is making one thing clear: Disney is continuing to mine its history while investing heavily in what comes next.
For fans gathered in Anaheim, Saturday was less about looking back at the Disney they already know and more about getting an early look at the Disney experiences they may be lining up to see in the years ahead.
