The D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicks off in 2 weeks and we’ve started our predictions posts. Earlier this week, we began with easy wins for the parks that we hope are announced. We’ll come out with our actual predictions in a few days. Before that, it’s time to dream big. In this post, we’ll share a few major announcements that we’d love to see announced at the D23 Expo.

I should warn you right from the jump that we feel like the predictions in this post are the least likely of the three posts we’ll share. We expect this year’s park showcase to be heavy on updates with a few new announcements, not the other way around. While most of what I’ve listed below has been rumored in one way or another, the chances of every single one of these being announced is next to zero. Heck, there’s a chance that not a single one of them is going to be announced.

With that out of the way, I fall on the side of optimism. There’s something to be said for this being Josh D’Amaro’s first D23 Expo as CEO. Solely focusing on updates for existing projects isn’t going to win over fans. While I applaud some of the smaller changes the company has made on the theme park side of things since D’Amaro has taken the reins, I think there’s a bigger splash to be made. It’s like when a new owner takes over a sports franchise and wants to make a few big trades immediately. That doesn’t always work out for the best but it is exciting in the moment! All that said, I don’t recommend having your heart set on any individual big announcement.

Like our previous predictions post, these guesses will span the globe but focus heavily on the domestic parks. That’s a byproduct of having the event in Anaheim. D23 Asia seems like a more likely spot to announce upcoming projects for Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo. While the ideas I’ve listed below are heavier on the wish/hope side of things, there’s a mix of rumors and sourced information in there. That will be even more true in our final predictions post next week. Let’s get to the major announcements that we hope to hear at the 2026 D23 Expo!

The Figment Makeover

This first entry should come as no surprise. I’m going back and forth on if it will appear in my final predictions as I can’t get a feel for how likely this is. Epcot’s Imagination Pavilion, not to mention Figment, deserves so much better than what it has. The character is wildly popular and a huge money maker for Walt Disney World. The current ride stinks. Chances are that if you’re reading this Disney Parks predictions post then you know all of that.

Everyone has been asking for Figment 4.0 for years. The announcement would draw as much excitement as anything Neil Patrick Harris, Josh D’Amaro or the voice of God could say. My gut says that Epcot receives one big announcement, either an Imagination Pavilion makeover or a Spaceship Earth lengthy refurbishment and reimagining. Right now, I’m leaning toward the Spaceship Earth announcement even though it’s the less exciting of the two. But, maybe we won’t have to wait another year or two for Figment 4.0. Dream big!

Shanghai’s Second Gate or a New Park Somewhere Else?

This one’s pretty simple, the word is out that Shanghai Disneyland is going to get a second gate. A new theme park will be built there soon. Will it be announced at D23 Expo? I lean towards no, as I think D23 Asia or the 2028 D23 UDFE (let’s just stick to Expo) make more sense. Still, there’s a chance here!

Does that mean other new theme park news will be announced? Let’s look at the possibilities:

• Disneyland Abu Dhabi: Probably the next most likely announcement. I think this project is on hold indefinitely considering the political climate but that is solely my conjecture. If it’s not, then some details on this park would make sense.
• Walt Disney World’s 5th Park: Not happening.
• Hong Kong’s 2nd Park: Definitely not happening.
• Tokyo Disney Resort’s 3rd Park: Time to brush off those Tokyo DisneySky rumors? Probably not, but an announcement in the next decade wouldn’t shock me.
• Disneyland Paris Resort’s 3rd Park: Their 2nd one just started functioning properly so let’s keep it to 2 for now.
• Disneyland Resort’s 3rd Park: I think this will happen… In the next 25 years. I don’t see an announcement this year although I’d love to hear more about the new parking structure and pedestrian overpass, said unironically! I’d be the only one leaning forward in my seat during that segment of the Parks presentation.

Something, Anything Substantial at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland

Let’s all give a heavy sigh in the direction of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. The area needs some work and just always ends up on the backburner, like those mushy vegetables your grandmother used to make. The good news is that Disneyland’s Tomorrowland will likely get an update on Autopia, which will be moving to electric cars and probably a makeover in 2027.

Is it selfish to want way more than that? As you’ll notice, I titled this as “anything substantial” and I guess that means shots fired at Autopia. Tomorrowland holds so much potential and could use a top down redo in Disneyland. I still really love Space Mountain and it isn’t in desperate need of a track replacement like Magic Kingdom’s iteration, but everything else could go and I wouldn’t blink an eye. This is a bigger project than Disneyland has time and space for right now but I’d love to see some sort of surprise coming Tomorrowland’s way.

Animal Kingdom Finally Gets a Lion King Dark Ride

I predicted this one last D23 Expo and have learned my lesson not to include it in my actual predictions. Adding a dark ride (to pair with the upcoming Encanto attraction) to Animal Kingdom makes so much sense. Basing that dark ride off of The Lion King also makes so much sense. One of Disney’s most popular movies ever hasn’t received a ride stateside and that should be fixed.

This probably won’t happen though. There’s the matter of where to put it in Africa along with WDW already spending big in Animal Kingdom. I’d love to see the momentum continue but file this one under “wouldn’t be a total shock but very unlikely.” I need to come up with a better filing cabinet name for that category.

Port Discovery & Adventureland Reveal at Tokyo Disney Resort

Tokyo Disney Resort is nearing the end of one huge project, with Space Mountain set to emerge from the cosmos in 2027. We already know where Oriental Land Company is turning their attention with Aquatopia closing on September 14th. Once that happens, work will (eventually) begin on a Port Discovery expansion. There’s land to work with there and the concept art is vague but intriguing.

There’s also been mention of a redone Adventureland straight from the horse’s mouth. Oriental Land Company included this in their 10 year strategy that was released in early 2025. The language was not definitive and there has been no mention of it since but there’s reason to believe that Adventureland getting a redo is a matter of when and not if.

Details on either project would be very exciting! There has been no information on what Port Discovery will actually include and this is a prime spot to announce it, with Tokyo Disney Resort’s foreign audience continuously growing. That said, Oriental Land Company marches to the beat of their own drum. They will announce things when they want to. I think it’s way more likely that we get an in-depth model of the new Space Mountain and Tomorrowland on the show floor and then details on future projects are held for a little longer.

A New Muppets Courtyard at Hollywood Studios

With Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets now open at Hollywood Studios, everyone has had the same idea – make a new Muppets Courtyard! Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After debuted in 2025 at Sunset Showcase and is… fine. Your mileage may vary on how much you enjoy the show and, to its credit, the show is pretty popular. But it sits right by Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and I happen to know a Muppets theater show that would fit in well there. Bring back MuppetVision 3D!

I don’t think this announcement is likely, at least not yet. I could see this coming down the pipe in a year or two after Villains has a longer run and Hollywood Studios needs another boost. Frankly, I don’t think this is as ‘dream big’ of an idea as others on this list but is for me personally. As hype man for The Muppets, it was my responsibility to include it here.

Adding MuppetVision 3D back near Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster would help Hollywood Studios feel more congruent. That corner of the park is an odd fit to Sunset Boulevard already so any additional tie-ins would be a positive. On top of that, this would bring back a show that people love. There’d be a chance to remaster MuppetVision and add in a few necessary elements to make the courtyard more complete. Once this is done, we can turn our attention to the Great Muppet Movie Ride! Now that’s something to really dream about.

What are you hoping to hear announced at the 2026 D23 Expo? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Disneyland? Check out our Planning Guide here. Looking for discount tickets? Check out this site! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!