Credit: DisneyDisney dropped plenty of major theme park news at D23, but some of the biggest announcements weren’t about entirely new attractions.
Instead, Disney is returning to several Walt Disney World classics.
Longtime attractions are preparing substantial reimaginations that will replace major parts of their current versions. Some familiar scenes are disappearing, while other changes go directly to the ideas driving these attractions.
Not every closure date has been announced, and Disney hasn’t revealed every detail. But after D23, we know three classics are facing significant changes.
And one is already closed.
Carousel of Progress Is Getting New Decades
We already knew Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress was heading toward one of its biggest updates in years.
The Magic Kingdom attraction closed in July 2026, beginning a lengthy transformation that will keep it unavailable until 2027.
Disney isn’t abandoning the Carousel of Progress name, characters, or central idea. Instead, the company is replacing major portions of the version that guests previously experienced.
The attraction traditionally follows an American family through different eras as new inventions change everyday life. The new version will introduce scenes centered around different decades while incorporating more modern technology.
One of the biggest additions will come before guests begin traveling through those decades.
Disney is adding a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic figure to the introductory portion of the experience, giving Walt a physical presence in an attraction closely tied to his vision for progress.
Carousel of Progress will remain Carousel of Progress, but the previous version has ended.
And it isn’t the only classic getting that treatment.
Figment Is Changing Again
Journey Into Imagination With Figment is also heading toward another major transformation.
Disney confirmed at D23 that Dreamfinder will return alongside Figment, bringing an important piece of the pavilion’s history back into the attraction.
That’s significant because the current ride doesn’t include Dreamfinder. His return means Disney isn’t simply refreshing a few effects. At least one fundamental piece of the current concept will need to change.
Exactly how extensive the project becomes remains unclear.
Disney could introduce new Audio-Animatronics, improve aging effects, and make technical upgrades throughout the attraction. A lengthy refurbishment could also provide an opportunity to improve the ride experience. Those possibilities haven’t been confirmed.
A closure in late 2026 or early 2027 is possible if Disney moves quickly, but no timeline has been announced.
Whatever the timing, Dreamfinder’s return ensures the next version will differ significantly from the attraction guests experience today.
Spaceship Earth’s Reimagining
Spaceship Earth also received major attention at D23.
For decades, the attraction has largely followed the development of human communication, taking guests through advancements that changed how people share information.
Disney now plans to broaden that idea.
The reimagined experience will focus more heavily on the evolution of human connection, giving Imagineers room to rethink how familiar scenes contribute to the overall story.
Disney indicated that portions of the attraction will receive some new magic. That could mean updated scenes, effects, or more modern representations of how people connect, although Disney hasn’t revealed the complete lineup.
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.
The current attraction allows riders to answer questions and create a personalized vision of their future. Disney could potentially use AI to make that experience more personalized, though nothing has been confirmed.
Like Figment, Spaceship Earth could potentially close in late 2026 or early 2027. Any specific closure window remains speculation.
Disney Hasn’t Announced Every Closure Date
This is where the timeline becomes important.
Disney has not announced official closure or reopening dates for Figment or Spaceship Earth. Carousel of Progress gives us an idea of how substantial these transformations can become.
That attraction is undergoing a refurbishment that will run from summer 2026 into late spring 2027.
If Disney’s EPCOT projects require similarly extensive work, Figment and Spaceship Earth could disappear from the park lineup for lengthy periods rather than receiving quick refurbishments.
Disney will ultimately determine whether those projects overlap or happen one after another.
For now, Carousel of Progress has the clearest schedule while EPCOT guests wait for Disney to reveal when its next transformations will begin.
Three Classics Are Entering New Eras
None of these announcements means Disney is demolishing three attractions and building unrelated replacements.
The “replacements” are the previous concepts and versions themselves.
Carousel of Progress is replacing major scenes and decades. Journey Into Imagination With Figment will change elements of its current story to accommodate Dreamfinder. Spaceship Earth is moving beyond its longtime emphasis on communication toward the broader story of human connection.
All three will retain connections to what came before.
But once these transformations are complete, the versions Disney World guests knew for years will no longer exist in the same form.
For three Disney World classics, D23 confirmed that one era is ending as another begins.
