Disney Just Named Villains Land and Brought the Yeti Back to Life: Every Big D23 2026 Reveal for Walt Disney World

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event wrapped in Anaheim on August 16, 2026, and the “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress” Experiences showcase turned into the single biggest Walt Disney World news dump of the year. Disney finally put names on its two most-anticipated Magic Kingdom expansions, confirmed a beloved Animal Kingdom animatronic is being repaired after more than a decade dormant, and revealed a brand-new class of Disney Cruise Line ships arriving in 2029. Here is what actually got announced, straight from Disney’s official reveals — not the rumor mill.

Magic Kingdom Finally Names Villains Land and Its Cars-Themed Attractions

The headline for Walt Disney World fans: two enormous Magic Kingdom projects got real names and ride details. According to Disney’s official D23 announcement, the Cars-themed expansion set in Piston Peak National Park will include two attractions — Cars Ridge Run Rally and Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along — both shown in fresh concept art.

The bigger surprise was the antagonist-driven land, which Disney confirmed will officially be called Villains Land. Disney detailed two anchor attractions: a thrilling coaster that sends riders through Maleficent’s thorny briars from “Sleeping Beauty,” and a dark ride built around the Evil Queen’s Magic Mirror from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” that will feature multiple villains.

We’ve watched Disney tease “a place for villains” at Magic Kingdom for years without specifics, so seeing named rides and ride systems attached is a meaningful jump from vaporware to genuine pipeline. Disney did not attach an opening year to Villains Land, which is worth flagging before anyone books a trip around it. Full announcement details are on the Disney Parks Blog D23 2026 recap.

The Expedition Everest Yeti Is Coming Back to Life

For Animal Kingdom regulars, this was the emotional high point of the night. Disney confirmed that the Yeti audio-animatronic inside Expedition Everest is being restored to full operation. The figure — long stuck in the strobe-lit “disco Yeti” B-mode fans have grumbled about for years — is finally getting fixed.

Disney announced this alongside a broader Animal Kingdom slate. The upcoming Tropical Americas land will include Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, an attraction set in a Maya temple with a serpent-inspired creature, plus Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, a family-friendly Encanto attraction featuring exclusive rooms.

We have ridden Expedition Everest countless times since it opened in 2006, and the dormant Yeti is one of the most-asked-about “why doesn’t it work?” questions we hear from first-timers. Getting Disney to publicly commit to reviving it — rather than quietly leaving it in strobe mode — is a legitimately newsworthy repair. As always with animatronic restorations, Disney gave no target date, so treat it as confirmed-but-undated. Details are in Disney’s official Experiences showcase coverage.

EPCOT’s Figment Returns and Hollywood Studios Gets Monstropolis in 2027

Disney spread reveals across the other Walt Disney World parks, too. At EPCOT, Disney announced that Figment and Dreamfinder are “getting ready to embark on a new journey into imagination” — the clearest signal yet that the Imagination pavilion is being reimagined around its original mascot duo. Disney also confirmed Spaceship Earth will receive its first substantial update in nearly two decades, evolving its theme from human communication to human connection.

Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney announced Monstropolis, a new “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land opening in 2027. According to Disney’s announcement, it will feature a Mike and Sulley theater show, a Harryhausen’s location, an Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza spot, and an original Randy Newman song written for the land.

Here is our quick reference for the confirmed Walt Disney World opening timelines from the showcase:

Project	Park	Confirmed timing
Monstropolis	Hollywood Studios	2027
Carousel of Progress 1980s scene refresh	Magic Kingdom	Late spring 2027
Villains Land	Magic Kingdom	Year not announced
Cars / Piston Peak land	Magic Kingdom	Year not announced
Figment “new journey” & Spaceship Earth update	EPCOT	Year not announced

Disney Cruise Line Reveals a Whole New Class of Ships for 2029

The showcase closed the loop on Disney Cruise Line’s fleet plans. Disney revealed an entirely new class of three ships debuting in 2029, positioned in size between Disney’s classic ships (like the Disney Wonder) and its newer Wish-class vessels. Disney Cruise Line executive Claire Weiss said the mid-size design “gives us some amazing opportunities to visit new places and reach brand new audiences we haven’t before.” Names and amenities were not announced.

That new class arrives after the Disney Believe — the fourth Wish-class ship — sets sail in late 2027. At D23, Disney unveiled the Believe’s Grand Hall icon (Moana), its bow figure (Tinker Bell), and its stern art (Buzz Lightyear and Woody), with the ship’s design inspired by stories including Encanto, Frozen, Moana, and The Little Mermaid. Disney has scheduled a dedicated Disney Believe livestream reveal for October 7, 2026, which will offer the first detailed look at the ship’s dining, theater shows, and lounges.

For anyone tracking Disney’s expansion pace, the math is striking: these announcements put Disney Cruise Line on a path toward 13 total ships in the coming years — a scale of growth the line has never attempted before.

If you’re mapping out which of these projects might actually affect a near-term trip, start with our evergreen guide to planning a Walt Disney World vacation around construction and new-attraction timelines.