It’s D23 Expo week, and we’re excited! BlogMickey.com will be covering all of the latest Disney news from the show floor and the Honda Center again this year. D23 Expo is an overwhelming whirlwind of all things Disney in the best way possible. For theme park fans, this is the singular date that we have circled on our calendar for two years. That said, Disney has been not-so-subtly lowering expectations for the event when it comes to theme park projects. I believe them. Here’s why.
Disney Lowers Theme Parks Panel Expectations for D23 Expo
I’ve got a predictions article sitting in drafts to publish before we get on a plane, but I’ll be honest, it’s a bit, well, predictable. Following the blockbuster 2024 D23 Expo, I think we’re in an “off-year” this year. In 2024, the tagline was we are going to do everything you hear tonight. It was a refreshing (and smart) underline at the end of each announcement following a 2022 D23 Expo that felt very “Blue Sky”. This year, the tagline is the next chapter of Disney Experiences isn’t just being imagined. It’s being built.
Back in mid-July, Disney D23 announced the full lineup of panels and programming that guests could expect for D23 Expo 2026. In that announcement, Disney offered the first glimpse into what the substance of the Disney Experiences Showcase (theme park keynote) would offer. One segment of the announcement stuck out like a sore thumb: “Building on the ambitious projects announced in 2024, this year’s showcase will take fans deeper into the creative vision behind what’s to come…”
To me, that was the first attempt at setting expectations that this year’s keynote would mostly be filled with updates about known projects. That said, the wording here wasn’t necessarily misaligned with how Disney has framed keynotes of the past. However, today’s announcement went even further when it comes to managing expectations.
D23 Expo 2026: Theme Park Fans Should Manage Expectations
The month leading into any D23 Expo is always a fun time to be a Disney theme park fan. Anyone with a blog, vlog, or podcast launches into predictions for the D23 Expo. It’s a fun exercise in thinking “what if” for the theme parks we all know and love. Something like 90% (a completely unscientific number) of predictions are not only wrong, but probably news to the decision-makers who read and listen to these fan predictions.
Of course we all think that this is Figment’s year (it is, right?). Of course Disney is going to finally build a hotel at the front of EPCOT. Yes, the water management drawings did, in fact, show that a Haunted Mansion parlor is coming to Magic Kingdom. Naturally, Disney is going to finally add a table service restaurant to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Why wouldn’t Disney re-announce that Tomorrowland is getting an overhaul at Disneyland? And on, and on.
There are, of course, even more wild predictions floating around, but it seems like Disney is working really hard to manage expectations for what this year’s Disney Experiences Showcase will really be about. Look no further than the most recent press release from the Disney Parks Blog.
In a piece titled What to Expect at ‘Horizons: A Carousel of Progress’, Disney outlines what fans can expect. In short, expect updates on existing projects.
If you joined us during D23 in 2024, you’ll remember a whirlwind evening packed with reveals for Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, and destinations around the globe. From new lands and attractions to ships and experiences still on the drawing board, Disney Experiences shared an unprecedented look at what was ahead. Now, many of those projects are no longer concepts on a screen. They’re being designed, engineered, built, tested, and brought to life by teams across the globe.
And that’s exactly what Horizons: A Carousel of Progress will be all about.
Perhaps this is some elaborate bait and switch, but my gut says to trust Disney on this one. Yes, there will be surprises and things that fans haven’t even thought of in their own predictions article – that’s true of just about any D23 Expo. That said, I think that the vast majority of the keynote, live-streaming on Disney+, will be focused on filling in the details for existing projects.
So, what would be a major announcement that would prove my gut wrong? I think an immediate answer would be a new land. In 2024, Disney announced three(ish) new lands: Monstropolis, The Lion King, and Piston Peak National Park (technically an expansion of Frontierland, but close enough).
Disney Cruise Line could throw out a new ship or two, but would that really be a big surprise given the breakneck speed at which they’re expanding? Maybe. At the risk of making this my own predictions article. Let’s get back on track by asking: why is this an off-year at the D23 Expo?
Simply put, most of the projects announced in 2024 are still very much in development. Here’s a rundown of the major announcements and their current status:
- Four New Cruise Ships – Believe just revealed, most still unknown
- Monsters Inc. Land – Still under construction, rumored 2028 opening
- Cars at Magic Kingdom – Still under construction, going vertical soon, rumored 2029 opening
- Villains Land at Magic Kingdom – Still under land prep, rumored 2030+ opening
- Tropical Americas Land – Still under construction, opening 2027, rumored Fall 2027 or later
- Pandora at Disney California Adventure – Far-off project, likely not beginning construction soon
- Walt Disney: A Magical Life – Open
- Marvel abroad – Still under construction and yet to start
- Avengers Campus Expansion – Still under construction, rumored to open late 2027
- The Lion King at Disneyland Paris – Still under construction
- Coco at Disney California Adventure – Early land prep
- GEO-82 and Beak & Barrel – Open
- Test Track 3.0 – Open
- Mandalorian & Grogu update for Smugglers Run – Open
- World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris – Open
- Disney Starlight Parade – Open
Honestly, there is enough under construction and yet-to-begin to take Disney through the next D23 Expo, presumably in 2028. At least, at Walt Disney World. I think we could be in for a surprise or two at the Disneyland Resort.
Now, is that to say that this year’s D23 Expo won’t be exciting? Not at all! If done correctly, filling in the blanks when it comes to existing projects such as Villains Land, Piston Peak National Park, and even Monstropolis could be a lot of fun. The Avengers Infinity Defense attraction is highly anticipated, and more details there could be great. And yes, if a Figment reimagining is announced, the previous 1092 words won’t matter at all.
High expectations, low expectations, it doesn’t matter! D23 Expo 2026 is just around the corner, and we’ll be there to bring all of the news to you through photos, video, and more!
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!