A new audio-animatronics figure of Walt Disney will welcome guests to the Carousel of Progress and introduce the show in a newly created scene.
Cinderella Castle will return to its roots at Walt Disney World, with an updated color palette reminiscent of the original.
For a limited time starting Sept. 15, guests can experience a “Tron: Ares”-themed version of TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise with tunnels of bright red and orange light trails, set to the pulsating sounds of Nine Inch Nails.
Walt Disney Imagineers traveled to Paris and Barcelona to study Art Nouveau architecture design and the unique form, scale, and color that define this style, which flourished in the late 1800s. The architectural aesthetics will serve as the overall design inspiration for the Villains-themed land coming to Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
The Electric Mayhem will crank out rocking tunes in the recording studio inside of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. Along with the finest audio engineers (all penguins, of course) guests will see Scooter doing his best to convince Electric Mayhem to stop jamming and get to their increasingly restless fans.
Guests will be able to meet Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde at the Zoogether Day Gathering Spot near the Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Napa Rose at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., will take its dining experience to the next level with an enhanced outdoor patio that will offer more seating for al fresco dining, with Disney California Adventure park serving as the backdrop for a unique culinary adventure.
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro unveiled a slew of new parks announcements to a packed Honda Center during 2024's D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
World of Frozen will open at Disneyland Paris in Spring 2026.
Wayfinders' Table will offer Moana-inspired dining at Hong Kong Disneyland.

A classic Disney attraction is changing.

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is getting a new audio-animatronic of Walt Disney himself, the company revealed at its Destination D23 fan gathering over Labor Day weekend.

Disney’s first audio-animatronic of Walt Disney premiered at Disneyland in July, as part of the California resort’s 70th anniversary celebration. This next one will anchor a new introductory scene on the Carousel of Progress, a staple of Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland for 50 years.

Walt Disney personally worked on the Carousel of Progress, which debuted at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair and operated at Disneyland before being moved to Disney World. The revolving theater attraction chronicles how technological advances have shaped the lives of an American family, primarily across the 20th Century. No timeline was shared for the update, but Disney said it will also include what that family has been up to.

Here’s what else Disney announced for its parks, at Destination D23 and beyond.

Walt Disney World

  • Cinderella Castle reset

The icon of Magic Kingdom and larger Florida resort is going back to its original look. Cinderella Castle was painted pink for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2021. At Destination D23, Disney announced the castle will be repainted with updated greys, creams, blues and gold. It’s not clear when.

  • TRON: Ares overlay

Ahead of "Tron: Ares" opening in theaters in October, TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom and TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland will get a limited-time Tron: Ares overlay, featuring red lighting and pounding music from Nine Inch Nails. Disney World’s TRON overlay begins Sept. 15; Shanghai’s starts the following day.

  • Villains land inspiration

Many details on Magic Kingdom’s highly anticipated new Villains land remain under wraps, but Disney Imagineers revealed that they’re drawing inspiration from European Art Nouveau architecture. Disney Legend Andreas Deja – the former animator behind iconic villains like Gaston, Jafar and Scar – is consulting on the land.

  • Rock 'n' Roller Coaster changes

At a separate media preview preceding Destination D23, Disney revealed more details on the reimagining of Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, the recording studio G-Force Records has come under the ownership of Scooter’s uncle and instead of Aerosmith, the Muppets’ Electric Mayhem must rush to get to their concert on time. While the storyline echoes the original attraction, everything from the giant guitar outside to landmarks along the limo ride will get a Muppets touch next year.

  • Zootopia: Better Zoogether! debut

At that same media event, Disney announced that Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this Nov. 7. The new 4D show in the Tree of Life Theater will be centered on Zoogether Day, which the Disney Parks Blog describes as "a celebration of unity amongst the diverse biomes across the city." It’ll feature familiar faces and settings from the first film and upcoming sequel, as well as new characters like a "slick-talking wolf" named Heidi Howler and a musical finale starring Gazelle. Guests will also be able to meet Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps near the Tree of Life.

Disneyland

  • New Disneyland documentary

A new documentary will take fans behind the ideation and creation of Disneyland this winter. "Disneyland Handcrafted" will feature rarely seen, newly restored footage from the Walt Disney Archives, according to Disney. Created by Oscar and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, the daughter and granddaughter of Disney Legends, the documentary will debut on Disney+ and Disney YouTube.

  • Napa Rose reimagined

At Destination D23, Disney shared a first look at concept art for the reimagined Napa Rose restaurant at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Featuring craftsman-style decor and California cuisine, it’s one of the higher-end eateries on property. When it reopens, it will offer more opportunities for elevated al fresco dining, according to Disney Parks Blog. A reopening date was not shared.

  • D23 returning to Anaheim

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will return to Anaheim next year. Previously called D23 Expo, this biennial event is where Disney drops major announcements for its parks and other enterprises, like the doubling of its cruise fleet. The 2026 event will be held Aug. 14-16 at Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center.

Disney parks abroad

  • Disney Adventure World transformation

World of Frozen will open at Disneyland Paris next spring. When it does, it will mark the transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World. There is currently a World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland and a Frozen section within Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea.

  • A Disney Villains party

A new Villains-themed street party is coming to Hong Kong Disneyland. "Uninvited! A Villains Takeover Party" will open Sept. 19 with the resort's Halloween festivities. According to the Disney Parks Blog, it’ll include "elements of a cavalcade, street show, and musical spectacle."

  • Moana-inspired dining

Disney also shared concept art at Destination D23 for Hong Kong Disneyland’s new Moana-inspired restaurant. Wayfinders’ Table opens Sept. 12.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney is changing an iconic attraction: Biggest parks announcements from Destination D23

Reporting by Eve Chen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect