Disney reveal future of parks, cruise ships and experiences

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro hosted an extraordinary musical celebration for Disney’s biggest fans as he unveiled the future for Disney parks, cruise ships and beyond at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa®.

“Disney Experiences is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation,” said D’Amaro. “With so many great Disney stories to tell, we’re excited to bring an unprecedented number of new projects to life in the near future, whether it be in our theme parks, on our cruise ships or through our partnership with Epic Games in the digital space.”

Among the many announcements were plans for four new cruise ships and details about six new themed lands and areas that will bring guests deeper into the stories they love, including Monsters, Inc., Cars, Indiana Jones, Encanto, Avatar, The Lion King, and the classic Disney Villains fans know and love.

D’Amaro announced plans for 14 all-new attractions featuring those stories and more, such as The Avengers, Spider-Man, and the first-ever ride-through attraction themed to Coco coming to Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort, inviting guests to join Miguel on a trip through the Land of the Dead. Among the five new shows and nighttime spectaculars coming to Disney parks around the world is “Disney Starlight,” an all-new nighttime parade coming to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

New highlights include an all-new extraordinary area in Disneyland Paris dedicated to The Lion King – One of the most beloved Disney franchises around the world and particularly in Europe, this larger-than-life area will bring guests on a journey through the African savanna and immerse them into the unforgettable adventures of Simba, Timon, Pumbaa and many other iconic characters.

For the attraction, Disney Imagineers will bring to life the majestic Pride Rock, which will serve as the gateway to an adventure-filled water attraction that will plunge guests beneath the rock to follow Simba on his journey from cub to king, in a retelling of the story from the classic animated feature film. When visiting the Pride Lands in Disney Adventure World, guests will be immersed in the world of The Lion King with Disney character greetings, themed dining, and shopping opportunities, which promises an unforgettable experience for guests of all ages.

Artist impression of the Lion King’s Pride Rock attraction / Disney

Opening of World of Frozen in Disney Adventure World, Disneyland Paris – When the Kingdom of Arendelle opens its gates in 2026, guests will not only have the opportunity to embark on an unforgettable journey alongside Anna and Elsa inside the all-new attraction at Disneyland Paris, Frozen Ever After, but they will also be able to take part in immersive shopping and dining experiences and meet the beloved sisters in person during a royal encounter!

Monsters, Inc. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida – Construction begins next year on the first full land dedicated to Monsters, Inc., coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. The land will feature the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney Park, where guests can experience what it’s like to zoom through the door vault in the factory, just like Mike and Sulley.

Villains Land at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida – Work is already underway on a new land dedicated to Disney Villains coming to the Magic Kingdom – complete with two attractions, dining, and shopping – where happily ever after may feel like a distant dream. It will be a fearless new vision of what a Disney experience can be on a grand scale that only Disney can deliver.

Cars at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida – Pixar Animation Studios’ beloved Cars franchise is coming to a reimagined area of Frontierland with two all-new attractions taking guests into the wilderness beyond Radiator Springs – a thrilling off-road rally race and a family-friendly attraction even the youngest racers will love. Construction on this area will begin early next year.

Artist impression of the WDW Test Track / Disney

Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida – Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will feature two new signature attractions – a thrilling adventure following the heroic Indiana Jones into an ancient Maya temple and a journey through the Casita Madrigal from “Encanto” following Antonio’s story on the day after he received his magical gift. It will also feature a beautiful carousel featuring animals from many favourite Disney stories, perfect for young families to enjoy. Tropical Americas is set to open in 2027.

Also, Avatar at Disney California Adventure, Disneyland Resort in California – An all-new Avatar experience will come to Disney California Adventure including an innovative new attraction that will bring all the action, the excitement, and the wonder of Avatar to life in a completely new and thrilling way, Avengers Experiences at Disneyland Resort in California – The presence of Super Heroes is expanding at Disney parks around the globe. The original Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort will double in size with the addition of two new attractions, Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab.

And finally, the expansion of Disney Cruise Line – Disney Cruise Line will add four new vessels to its growing fleet between 2027 and 2031. Once these ships are built, guests will have 13 different ways to experience Disney’s world-class entertainment, renowned dining, and impeccable guest service in more parts of the world.

D’Amaro also announced the largest expansion in history for Disney’s Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, before Shaboozey brought the house down with a new rendition of “Life Is a Highway” to announce a Cars-themed area and Rita Ora joined the Magic Mirror to perform “Trust in Me” as part of the announcement of a Villains-themed land.

“Today we unveiled an extensive slate of new experiences that only Disney can deliver,” D’Amaro said. “Work is well under way on all of the new projects we announced, and fans will start to see them come to life in the near future.”