D23 wasn't only about showing Disney fans what could be built next. Some of the more surprising news involved attractions guests can already experience at Walt Disney World.
Or, in one case, could experience until very recently.
Disney has now laid out plans to revisit three classics, and these aren't all simple refurbishments. The projects involve new scenes, returning characters, and even a different central idea behind one of EPCOT's most recognizable attractions.
There are still plenty of unanswered questions, particularly regarding timing. Disney hasn't announced when two of these projects will begin.
But the current versions guests know aren't all sticking around.
One Classic Has Already Started Its Transformation
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress is already well into the process.
The Magic Kingdom attraction closed in July 2026 and will remain unavailable until 2027. Disney plans to use that lengthy downtime to introduce significant changes throughout the experience.
The basic idea isn't going away. Guests will still follow an American family through different eras as technology transforms everyday life.
The eras themselves, however, are changing.
Disney is introducing scenes centered around different decades and incorporating updated technology into the experience. That means guests won't simply return to the same show after an extended refurbishment.
Disney is also making an important addition before the journey through those decades begins.
A Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic figure will appear during the attraction's introduction, creating a new connection between Walt and an experience closely associated with his vision of technological progress.
Carousel of Progress will keep its identity, but its previous version has officially reached the end of its run.
EPCOT could soon experience a similar transition.
An Old Friend Is Returning to Figment
Journey Into Imagination With Figment is preparing for another reinvention.
Disney confirmed at D23 that Dreamfinder will return alongside Figment, bringing back a character who hasn't appeared in the current attraction.
That alone guarantees some change in storytelling.
Exactly what that looks like remains a mystery. Disney hasn't revealed how Dreamfinder will appear or how extensively Imagineers plan to alter the existing attraction.
A substantial refurbishment could allow Disney to add new Audio-Animatronics, refresh older effects, or make technical improvements to the ride experience. For now, those remain possibilities rather than confirmed additions.
Timing is another unanswered question.
A late 2026 or early 2027 closure could be possible if Disney moves quickly, but the company hasn't announced a date.
And that's not the only EPCOT project without a schedule.
Spaceship Earth Is Moving Beyond Its Familiar Story
Disney also confirmed a new direction for Spaceship Earth.
The EPCOT attraction has spent decades telling the story of human communication and the advancements that changed how people share information.
Its reimagining will broaden that story.
Disney plans to shift the focus toward the evolution of human connection, potentially giving Imagineers opportunities to rethink how existing scenes fit into the attraction.
Disney has indicated that portions of Spaceship Earth will receive new magic, though it hasn't specified which scenes or effects will change.
Artificial intelligence was briefly referenced during the D23 presentation. While Disney did not directly announce any AI-based features for Spaceship Earth, it remains an interesting possibility for the attraction's interactive finale.
Guests currently answer questions before receiving a personalized look at their possible future. AI could potentially expand that concept, but Disney hasn't confirmed anything along those lines.
Spaceship Earth could close in late 2026 or early 2027, though that timeframe remains speculative.
Disney Is Keeping Two Important Dates Secret
For now, Journey Into Imagination With Figment and Spaceship Earth remain the biggest timeline questions.
Disney hasn't announced official closure or reopening dates for either attraction.
Carousel of Progress offers an example of how lengthy one of these transformations can become. Its refurbishment stretches from summer 2026 through late spring 2027.
If Figment or Spaceship Earth requires a similar amount of work, either attraction could disappear from EPCOT's lineup for an extended period.
Disney could also stagger the projects, keeping one operating while Imagineers work on the other. Until official dates arrive, however, there's no way to know how Disney will handle the closures.
Disney's Reimagining the Classics
The distinction matters with these three projects.
Disney isn't tearing down Carousel of Progress, Journey Into Imagination With Figment, and Spaceship Earth to construct unrelated attractions.
It's replacing significant pieces of the versions guests previously knew.
Carousel of Progress is moving into new decades. Dreamfinder's return will alter Figment's current story. Spaceship Earth is broadening its central concept from communication to human connection.
Each attraction will maintain ties to its history.
But once Disney finishes these projects, guests won't be stepping back into the same experiences they remember.
