Tomorrow’s Tomorrowland at Disneyland could look very different than it does today.
Tens of thousands of Disney fans learned over the weekend that their wishes have finally come true: The long-running attraction at the theme park in Anaheim, California will soon be reimagined—and it’s one of many changes to the theme parks on the way. Thomas Mazloum, chairman of Disney Experiences, shared this update to loud applause from Disney’s most loyal fans during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
“Soon, we will begin reimagining Tomorrowland with optimism you all have been longing for—new attractions, more open spaces, new places for you to dream about the future,” Mazloum told the crowd.
Though Mazloum didn’t share specifics about what the next chapter of Tomorrowland will look like, Disney fans welcomed the news. Francis Dominic, a pop culture and lifestyle content creator, posted a video on social media of Mazloum making the announcement and can be heard exclaiming: “Yes! Yes! Tomorrowland update! Oh my God, we have prayed for times like this.”
Tomorrowland has become the subject of ire among some diehard Disney fans in recent years. Jill Estorino, president of Disneyland Resort, told Mickey Visit that she agrees with fans who think this section of the park is in need of an overhaul. Though Disney hasn’t shared specifics about what changes will be coming—or when—Mickey Visit cautioned that the refresh is likely “several” years away as planning is still in the early stages.
The changes to Tomorrowland are one of several coming to Disney theme parks that fans celebrated from announcements made at the three-day event. Here’s what else to expect:
DREAMFINDER IS RETURNING
With a simple thumbs up, actor Neil Patrick Harris helped to deliver another of the widely celebrated announcements at D23 when he joined Mazloum on stage dressed as Dreamfinder, a fan favorite animatronic character from the original 1980s era of EPCOT’s Journey into Imagination.
Dreamfinder will be reuniting with his sidekick, Figment, at EPCOT, which is located within Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This is notable, as USA Today reported, because the character was cut out of the attraction during a previous reimagination in the late 1990s and hasn’t made a comeback, despite the pleas of fans.
“We are taking a new journey into imagination at EPCOT with Figment and Dreamfinder,” Mazloum told the crowd. “I’m so happy to share this news tonight. We know how important this is to you. We’ve heard you, and this is one more way we’re putting you in the center of everything we do.”
NEW YETI COMING TO EXPEDITION EVEREST
Another character is getting resurrected, quite literally. at the Expedition Everest attraction at the Animal Kingdom theme park within Disney World. And that’s likely to lead to an extended closure for this popular attraction, according to Inside the Magic.
For nearly 20 years, the current yeti at Expedition Everest hasn’t moved as was originally planned, so strobe lights and effects have been used to create the illusion of movement as trains whizz past on the rollercoaster.
Relatively few guests got to experience the yeti as originally intended, as USA Today noted, and have instead been greeted by the current iteration nicknamed Disco Yeti. But that will soon change as Disney is responding to yet another long-running request from fans. “We’re bringing the yeti back to life,” Mazloum told the crowd during D23.
“Truly never thought we’d see the day,” one Redditor said of the news.
SPACESHIP EARTH WILL GET A REFRESH
But some Disney fans on Reddit were more divided about another announced change coming to Disney World. That’s because for the first time in nearly two decades the Spaceship Earth ride will get an update.
The ride currently takes visitors on a journey that tells the story of human communication, though Disney plans to reimagine it with a broader theme that’s focused on human connection and brings it “into the internet age and beyond,” according to a blog pos.
While several Disney fans noted that some technical aspects bear updating, many expressed hope that changes to the classic ride would be minimal so as not to completely take away from its charm. As one Redditor noted: “It’s one of the most original and nostalgic rides at Disney.”
OTHER CHANGES COMING TO RIDES, PARKS
The three-day event held at Disney Land offered many, many other announcements that diehard Disney fans will be keeping close tabs on the company to stay true to their promises. Here are some of the other major announcements that came out of D23:
- The Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will get a refresh in late spring 2027, and the reimagined attraction will see actors Bryan Cranston and Jamie Lee Curtis voice the roles of the parents.
- Parts of Monstropolis, a new attraction at Hollywood Studios in Disney World, will open to visitors in 2027. The new land, inspired by the Pixar film Monsters, Inc., will include a variety of attractions and dining options. Guests will be greeted with the song, “Welcome to Monstropolis,” which is the first song that Randy Newman, a Disney legend, has composed for a Disney theme park, according to a blog post.
- Disney executives shared some details about Villains Land, a “dark new corner” coming to Magic Kingdom at Disney World. The land will feature a Maleficent-themed roller coaster as well as a catacombs-centered ride featuring various Disney villains.
- The official name has been selected for an Encanto-themed attraction at the Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. According to a blog post, the attraction will feature original voice actors from the 2021 film and guests of all heights will be welcomed to Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, as the ride is being called. Guests of all ages will also be able to ride an animal-themed carousel, El Carrusel de los Animalitos, that will feature 22 figures of hand-carved animals from Disney and Pixar stories.
- New updates are coming to the Indiana Jones-themed ride at Animal Kingdom and for the first time at a Disney park, actor Harrison Ford will serve as the actual model for the next animatronic. The new attraction also has a name: Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent.
- Disney also announced that two new rides are coming to Piston Peak at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, both of which are inspired by the Pixar Cars franchise. D23 attendees also got a first glimpse of a model for Piston Peak National Park, which is part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom.
