The 2026 Disney Parks D23 announcements included several projects aimed at updating existing attractions and entertainment. The plans span Walt Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California, and Disneyland Paris.
Some changes address long-standing problems. Others restore elements from earlier versions of attractions or entertainment. Disney also announced broader redevelopment projects that remain in the planning stages.
The Yeti at Expedition Everest Will Move Again
Disney announced plans to restore movement to the Yeti inside Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
The attraction opened in 2006. Its final sequence features a large Yeti Audio-Animatronic figure. The figure originally moved during the encounter, but technical problems led Disney to limit its movement. The Yeti has been largely stationary for nearly two decades. Disney switched to the “Disco Yeti” effect, using strobe lighting to simulate movement.
Concept art for the yeti update for Expedition Everest – Disney Parks Blog
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Disney now plans to bring the Yeti back to life as a moving figure. The company has not announced when the work will finish.
Dreamfinder Is Returning to Journey Into Imagination
EPCOT’s Journey Into Imagination will also see the return of Dreamfinder and Figment.
Dreamfinder and Figment appeared together in the original Journey Into Imagination, which opened in 1983. Disney later removed Dreamfinder when it changed the attraction in 1999, much to fans disnay.
The new project will reunite the characters. Disney has not announced an opening date or provided a detailed breakdown of the new attraction.
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Thomas Mazloum, Disney Experiences Chairman, shared at D23, “We are taking a new journey into imagination at EPCOT with Dreamfinder and Figment! I’m so happy to share this news tonight. We know how important this is to you. We’ve heard you, and this is one more way we’re putting you in the center of everything we do.”
Spaceship Earth Will Receive a New Story
Disney will also update Spaceship Earth at EPCOT. The attraction currently follows the development of human communication. The new version will broaden that story to focus on human connection.
Disney says the attraction will retain its optimistic tone while expanding its subject. The company has not announced a construction schedule or opening date.
Spaceship Earth in EPCOT at Walt Disney World – Photo Credit: Marvin Montanaro
The project also revives a concept that Disney previously announced in 2019. That earlier plan called for a much larger update to Spaceship Earth, but the project did not proceed as originally proposed.
Disneyland Will Reimagine Tomorrowland
Disney also confirmed plans to reimagine Tomorrowland at Disneyland.
The company says the project will honor the land’s history while adding new attractions, more open space, and new places focused on the future. Disney has not identified the attractions that will make up the finished project.
The announcement also does not confirm the return of the PeopleMover. The PeopleMover remains a frequent subject of speculation about Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. However, Disney has not released any details about its possible return.
Disneyland Paris Will Restore Space Mountain’s Original Concept
Disneyland Paris will bring back Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune, replacing the current Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain version.
The original attraction opened in 1995 with a story inspired by Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon. Disney later converted the attraction to its current Star Wars form in 2017.
The new version will return to the Jules Verne-inspired concept. Disney says the refurbishment will include new scenic details and enhancements while restoring elements associated with the original attraction.
Concept art for Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune – Disney Parks Blog
The original musical score by Steve Bramson will also return in a remastered form. Disneyland Paris says the project will combine those returning elements with updated technology and effects.
Three Disneyland Entertainment Productions Will Return
Disney will bring back three Disneyland Resort productions in 2027.
A refreshed version of “Remember… Dreams Come True” will return to Disneyland in February 2027. Disney says the show will use projections on Sleeping Beauty Castle, Rivers of America, “it’s a small world,” and Main Street, U.S.A.
An updated version of the original “World of Color” will return to Disney California Adventure in February 2027. The nighttime spectacular combines water, light, music, animation and projection effects to create large-scale scenes across Paradise Bay. The new version will also feature an arrangement of the theme from the Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color television series.
“Magic Happens” will return to Disneyland in summer 2027. The daytime parade originally debuted in 2020 before its run was interrupted by the 2020 lockdowns. It features floats and musical numbers based on Disney and Pixar films, including Moana, Frozen 2 and Coco.
The three projects give Disneyland Resort several returning entertainment offerings while Disney continues work on larger physical projects.
What the Disney Parks D23 2026 Announcements Mean for D’Amaro’s Parks Legacy
The Disney Parks D23 2026 announcements point to a combination of repairs, restorations, story updates, and larger redevelopment projects.
For Disney’s parks, the next stage will involve turning announcements into completed projects. Several of the most closely watched changes still lack detailed schedules. The coming years will show how much those plans change the attractions and entertainment that guests experience in the parks.
Which changes are you most excited about? Or not? Sound off and let us know your thoughts on the upcoming plans for the Disney Parks.
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