What Might We See at D23? Predictions for "Horizons" - The Disney Experiences Showcase
After taking a look at what we anticipate from the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23, it is time to turn our attention to Disney Experiences. Once again, the team is calling its presentation “Horizons,” and Disney says this year’s showcase will build upon the announcements made at the last D23.
That description feels appropriate, because Disney Experiences appears to be moving into the next phase of a journey that has unfolded over the past several years. We went from “blue sky” concepts to actual announcements, and now, with construction underway on projects around the world, we are reaching the point where Disney can start filling in the details. I don’t anticipate the sheer scope of announcements will match the last D23, but I do expect we will leave the Honda Center knowing significantly more about many of the experiences already on the way.
Of course, Disney loves a surprise, too. So while much of Horizons will probably be about turning previously announced projects into tangible experiences, I suspect there will be a few new things to get excited about along the way.
At the Disneyland Resort, I would anticipate learning more about the Avengers Campus expansion. Construction is well underway, and Disney has already shared the broad strokes of what is coming. Now would be the time to reveal more about what guests will actually experience. An opening season for the first attraction seems possible, and I would love to see a model or mockup that helps convey the scale and ambition of the larger experience.
It would also make sense to reveal more about the upcoming Coco attraction at Disney California Adventure. That project is now under construction, so Horizons seems like an ideal opportunity to move beyond concept art and explain what the attraction will actually entail. Meanwhile, Disney needs to keep the Avatar project in the conversation. Even if construction on that area remains further away, showing new artwork or additional details would reinforce that the ambitious project remains actively in development. There is also a chance Avatar could appear during the Disney Entertainment Showcase instead, much like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was famously announced during the studio's presentation years ago.
Beyond the already announced projects, I would love to see Disney turn some attention toward Disneyland Park itself. At the top of my wish list would be a significant refresh of Fantasmic!. The show is currently in a sad state compared to what it once was, and if Disney is serious about its strategy of reinvesting in beloved existing experiences, restoring Fantasmic! to its former glory would be a meaningful statement at Walt Disney’s original park.
And then there is Tomorrowland. The construction wall at the entrance has become an ongoing joke among Disneyland fans, but I think most of us would be willing to give that wall a little more grace if Disney assured us it represented the beginning of something bigger. I don’t necessarily expect a full Tomorrowland redevelopment announcement, but even a declaration of intent would be exciting. Disneyland has invested heavily in other areas of the park over the years, and Tomorrowland increasingly feels like the land waiting for its turn.
There is obviously an enormous amount happening across Walt Disney World, which should give the Horizons team plenty to discuss. At Magic Kingdom, I would like to hear much more about Piston Peak and, specifically, how Imagineering plans to integrate the Cars-inspired area into the larger park. We are also still waiting to learn more about the smaller attraction planned for the area, although one suspects that particular reveal may be a little anticlimactic.
Then there is the mysterious Villains-themed area. This feels like one of the most obvious candidates for a major Horizons moment. We know the land is coming, but we still know remarkably little about what will actually be inside it. I would expect at least one attraction reveal, additional concept art, and perhaps even an official name for the land. There will also probably be an announcement of a smaller refresh at the park such as a redevelopment of Space Mountain.
Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Tropical Americas is moving forward quickly. We have a general understanding of the land, but I would love to learn more about what the Encanto attraction will entail beyond its basic premise. The Indiana Jones attraction is equally intriguing, particularly because Disney has stressed that it will feature an original story created specifically for Animal Kingdom. Give us the setup, some additional artwork, and perhaps an opening season, and I think fans will leave very happy.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we have a pretty good handle on what the Monsters, Inc. door coaster will be, but the accompanying theater show remains much more mysterious. The coaster will naturally receive most of the attention, but learning how the theater attraction complements the land could help us better understand what Monstropolis will feel like as a complete experience.
EPCOT, meanwhile, is the one Walt Disney World theme park without a major new project currently looming on the horizon. Perhaps this is finally the year we learn what is happening with the long-promised and much-needed Spaceship Earth refresh. And then there is Figment.
Disney fans have been predicting a Journey Into Imagination overhaul at virtually every D23 for years, and I have generally resisted joining them. This year feels different. With Disney increasingly talking about listening to fans and investing in beloved existing experiences, Figment feels like exactly the sort of character who could benefit from that strategy. I am finally willing to say it: I think a Journey Into Imagination announcement is actually possible.
We know the Disney Believe will be revealed in October, and Disney may be reticent to say too much about the three additional ships coming in 2029 when they remain several years away. That doesn't mean Disney Cruise Line has to be absent from Horizons, however.
Instead of another major ship reveal, perhaps this is where Disney announces an investment in the existing fleet. A new Walt Disney Theatre production, refreshed entertainment, or another enhancement to one of the current ships would fit nicely with the broader strategy of balancing major expansions with smaller projects that improve existing experiences. With Disney Cruise Line growing so rapidly, making sure the older ships continue to receive attention will become increasingly important.
Disneyland Paris has found early success with Disney Adventure World, and I would expect Horizons to celebrate that momentum. We will probably hear more about the already announced Lion King attraction, particularly as that project moves closer to becoming reality. But perhaps the early response to Disney Adventure World will give Disney the confidence to start discussing what comes after The Lion King.
I anticipate we will hear about another new land or major attraction for Disney Adventure World, but it would be great to hear about something substantial for Disneyland Park. It has been decades since that park received a truly new ride-through attraction, and while Disneyland Paris remains one of Disney’s most beautiful castle parks, it deserves something new to complement the classics that have carried it for so long. Even an early announcement would demonstrate that Disney sees investment in Paris as extending beyond the transformation of the second gate.
The Spider-Man-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland appears to be moving along quickly, so maybe now is the right time to provide significantly more information about the experience and perhaps even an opening season. I am particularly interested in hearing Imagineering explain how the attraction will be more than simply a Marvel roller coaster. The coaster system may be exciting on its own, but what will make it feel distinctly Disney will be the storytelling, environments, characters, and technology surrounding it.
Hong Kong Disneyland's upcoming Marvel attraction could also receive some attention. The resort has steadily built out its Marvel presence over the years, and additional details could help us understand how the new attraction fits into the larger Marvel story that Disney has been telling there.
Perhaps the most fascinating international Disney project right now is also the one we know the least about with Abu Dhabi. The resort remains in the early stages of development, so I am not expecting attraction announcements or anything approaching a complete map. But Horizons feels like an opportunity to give fans their first meaningful glimpse at Imagineering’s creative direction. Some early artwork showing the broad architectural ideas, environments, or storytelling principles guiding the project would be more than enough at this stage.
Disney has described Abu Dhabi as something unlike its existing destinations, and that naturally raises the question of what that actually means. We probably won't get a complete answer at D23, but I would be surprised if Disney passed up the opportunity to tease what Imagineering is dreaming up.
If I had to sum up my expectations for Horizons, I would anticipate a presentation built primarily around adding details to the projects announced at the last D23, punctuated by a handful of fan-focused surprises. The announcements of the past few years created the roadmap. Now Disney has the opportunity to show us what traveling down that road will actually look like.
Disney's recent success with its “singles and doubles” strategy should also give the company confidence to pursue projects that may not transform an entire park but can still generate tremendous enthusiasm among fans. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is a perfect example. It may not be a multibillion-dollar new land, but it takes an existing asset, combines it with beloved characters, and creates something that can engage longtime Disney fans while still appealing to the broader audience. There are countless opportunities for Disney to apply that philosophy across its parks and resorts.
Of course, Disney loves to surprise us, and predicting D23 is usually an excellent way to discover just how wrong you can be. So perhaps the best thing to do is enjoy the journey Disney Experiences has in store for us Saturday evening, followed by the even longer and more exciting journey of watching these projects move from artwork and models to places we can finally experience ourselves.