Tomorrowland (hopefully) has a great big beautiful tomorrow
All the big Disneyland announcements from the 2026 iteration of D23 are here. Let's dig into 'em.
There were about 30 seconds where I really thought it was going to happen. When the compound noun that’s been whispered on the tongues of Gen Xers and uttered on the lips of babes in tepid wonderment seemed it was going to be said by the person we’ve all been waiting to say it — the one person whose words actually have the power to manifest it, to turn idle wonder into reality, his words spreading across the universe and altering the very fabric of spacetime as we know it.
PeopleMover.
We endured the technical glitches, the meaningless chatter, the YouTubers that were for some reason on stage, the well-rehearsed jokes that didn’t land (and the ones that did, to be fair), and we made it to the end. It was way past bed time, but there we were, when suddenly, the impossible suddenly seemed possible again, as Chairman of Disney Experiences Thomas Mazloum (Josh D’Amaro’s old job) stood on stage and suddenly began talking about Tomorrowland at Disneyland.
And just as quickly, he pivoted away from Tomorrowland and the show suddenly ended. But it opened up a Pandora’s box for Disfluencers and newsletter writers to undoubtedly mine the rumor mill for however long we have before the details start to actually come in.
It was a big week for Disneyland. The D23 event, which seems to have grown from a way for Disney to make big announcements to essentially it’s own con nearly at the scope of Comic-Con, featured tons of meat for fans to walk away with. I, of course, was focused on the parks announcements, which were delivered at the Horizons showcase on Saturday night, complete with a celebrity host (Neil Patrick Harris rules), musical numbers, Sheryl Crow having people wondering if she actually knew the words to the Cars song, and plenty of technical glitches on the live stream.
Here’s all the important stuff pertaining the OG Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
Tomorrowland is getting a major update
As they say in the business, don’t bury the lede. And, well, I didn’t, I talked about this at length in the lede, but it bears repeating: One of the biggest announcements at D23’s park experiences showcase this year was that Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park will be “reimagined.”
What does that mean exactly? All we know so far is: “new attractions, more open spaces and new places for Disneyland guests to dream about the future.”
Mazloum promised that it will be a new era for Disneyland, one that retains everything we love and feel nostalgic about while actually looking to the future with the same optimism Walt brought when the park opened.
If PeopleMover isn’t included in that, we revolt.
Otherwise, it will be fun to think about what changes are coming. Space Mountain is untouchable. Star Tours? Not so sure. Buzz Lightyear? TDB. Autopia? Sadly, probably not going anywhere. Nemo submarines? I hope it stays, maybe time for a robust refurb.
From there, Disney has a lot to play with, and we will be speculating about it at length for the months and years to come as this exciting project gets underway. Personally, I’ve been hoping for a return of Mission to Mars since I was four years old….
Avatar-themed expansion is “delayed”
In more news that definitely will not lead to further rumor and speculation, Mickey Visit reports that the Avatar-themed expansion at Disneyland has been delayed with no new official dates attached to the project.
One of the big things on my radar this year was whether they might announce a replacement for Avatar… this isn’t that, but it’s not NOT that.
At first it seemed that Avatar was inevitable as photos circulated of the expansion’s model on exhibit at D23. But with this news, it’s truly anything but certain. I think Josh D’Amaro is biding his team time to see how the Avatar franchise unfolds and whether they want to back out and use that space for a different, more beloved IP that might have a longer shelf life.
Don’t get me wrong, it looks cool and all. The Pandora experience at Walt Disney World is pretty rad. But I’m good with it staying in Florida. If you’re going to rip out a dark ride from a franchise that appears to have much better staying power (Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, whose end of life date keeps getting moved) and eat up that space, why not put something in that will have fans frothing at the mouth? Like a TRON cycles clone? Just sayin’.
The new Avengers Campus rides are coming in 2028
Get ready for two more years of slow rolling updates and rumors on the new Avengers Campus attractions at Disney California Adventure.
But we’re getting closer. First up, some updates on the e-ticket attraction that is giving serious Rise-of-the-Resistance-with-a-cape-on vibes — Avengers: Infinity Defense.
It’s not a Quinjet ride. It’s not even a boat ride (I don’t think so, anyways…). Instead, it’s a ride… of some kind. What we learned at D23 is that it will feature a giant Thor’s hammer, alongside other major physical set pieces.
I like this. It shows it’s not just a CGI motion ride, but something that will move visitors through real scenes. Surely, there will be some CGI involved as well, as it was also announced that a bevy of characters will reprise their roles for the ride, including Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel (in the pre-show), Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. I guess at this point I shouldn’t be surprised that RDJ is reprising his iconic Marvel role given the chance, but still, that’s pretty dang cool.
My hunch is this will be one of those mixed-media rides, ala Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
There was also a model shown at D23 for Infinity Defense that included a rendition of the potential ride vehicle. And it looks like… drumroll… uh, well, it looks like any ride vehicle, I guess.
Not much to read into the vehicle just yet.
And then there’s Stark Flight Lab, the one that I will definitely need to take a Dramamine before riding, but am super excited to experience. Again we have RDJ appearing (as you’d expect, given the name), Anthony Mackie again, and a special treat with Brie Larson returning as Captain Marvel.
Not much more to reveal here. This looks to be the Smugglers Run of Avengers Campus at DCA. And to be clear, that’s not a knock, but it is a comparison.
The Coco attraction looks like it will be what I hoped it would be
D23 Horizons also gave us a short update on the Coco attraction. We already knew it will be a boat ride, but now we know it will be narrated by Miguel as he looks back on his memories traveling to the land of the dead.
If I’m reading into this correctly, it sounds like it will essentially be a dark ride with highlights from the first movie. And I am 1000% good with that. Frankly, that’s all I want from a ride like this!
Don’t try to promote something. Don’t try to create something out of nothing. Just put me inside a magical world that I already love and give me a new way to experience it. That’s what made Disneyland great when it opened, and what continues to make it great.
What’s New is OId Again — Classic Entertainment Returns to Disneyland
If there was one message it was clear was demanded asked to be communicated at Horizons, it was that the Disney Parks division is on a mission to put fans first. And a big way they plan on doing so is by restoring the stuff people loved and have been clamoring for.
This is also the reason I really thought there was a chance PeopleMover was about to get a mention during that Tomorrowland announcement. But I digress…
Apparently that restoration also includes the shows.
One bonus with a focus on shows is that these are all coming in 2027, which feels a bit more tangible than some of the other (non) timelines we’ve been given.
When it comes to fireworks, I’m not someone who remembers the name of the show. Things like dreams, happiness, imagination, and friendship are somewhere in there, and that’s all I know. I might remember there was that one cool projection, but honestly that’s about it.
That said, if you attended the 50th anniversary celebration of Disneyland back in 2005-06, and you actually remember the nighttime spectacular AND really loved it, then boy are you in luck. “Remember… Dreams Come True” will be coming back in February of 2027, with a few enhancements. I would love to tell you what that includes, but I don’t remember, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t even visit the park during that time. But again, for the RDCT fans out there: good for you.
At the same time, over in DCA they’ll be bringing back the original World of Color show. It’s so old school, it doesn’t even have a fun name, just “World of Color.” I’ll admit, I’m actually kind of pumped for this one, as it features scenes from The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story. When Mufasa shows up, that is going to hit hard.
And finally, summer of 2027 brings back the Magic Happens parade. Once again, the title of this parade means absolutely nothing to me. Maybe when I see it it will spark some memory of a float I thought was cool. I will admit, I like the phrase, and I may start using it to replace another, less magical saying I use often in my personal life that’s just one word different.
There’s plenty to like about the direction Disneyland is headed
I had hoped Horizons would feature a “hype” announcement, as my child would say, that was totally unexpected.
It may not have been totally unexpected, but announcing the reimagining of Tomorrowland — alongside the delay of Avatar land to put it in motion — was pretty hype. And that comes alongside plenty of new details that weren’t mind-blowing, but paint a picture of where things are headed under D’Amaro’s leadership.
We’re not going to love everything that happens (they just announced the Disney Play app is going away, which is a bummer for my line-wait time), but it’s clear there’s a commitment to bringing new experiences while retaining the nostalgia that’s always made Disneyland great.
I’m on board. Especially if I’m boarding a slow-moving vehicle that tours Tomorrowland.
Quick Hits
You’ll find many Easter eggs around Disneyland that honor past legends. Bob Iger can now be added to that list, as he now has a window named after him on Main Street, U.S.A.
I just might book a trip to Disneyland during next year’s D23 — not for the event, mind you, but for the crowd levels. Touring Plans marked the entire weekend as a 1 out of 10.
The Paint the Night parade and Wondrous Journeys nighttime spectacular both have their final performances on August 20. No comeback dates are on the books, so it could be their final shows… until someone announces they’re coming back 20 years from now.
Oogie Boogie Bash kicks off today, August 18. Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake, a new street party exclusively for the event, looks like it will be a fun addition.
Something is going on outside the Little Mermaid attraction in DCA. Construction walls are UP, baby. The ride is still open. Maybe it’s just an external refresh, or could be related to the work for the Coco ride.