D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event may have been dominated by announcements for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, but there was a fascinating story developing beyond the two American flagships. Away from Florida, California and Disneyland Paris, Disney used the weekend to show that its international theme park ambitions are becoming increasingly ambitious, with major developments taking shape in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai, while the company offered perhaps its most intriguing early glimpse yet at what could eventually become Disneyland Abu Dhabi.
The international announcements were not simply a collection of new rides. Taken together, they show Disney continuing to develop attractions that are specifically tailored to their individual locations, rather than simply copying experiences from one resort to another.
From a new Avengers facility in Hong Kong to a completely rebuilt Space Mountain in Tokyo, a Spider-Man land in Shanghai and Imagineers studying the heritage of Abu Dhabi, there was plenty for international Disney fans to take away from D23 2026.
Hong Kong Disneyland gets ready to expand Stark Expo
Hong Kong Disneyland had perhaps the clearest international reveal of the weekend, with Disney showcasing the next stage of its growing Marvel presence at the resort. The existing Stark Expo area in Tomorrowland is set to receive a major expansion, centred around a brand-new Avengers Pavilion. Disney describes the pavilion as part of the Avengers Research Testing Labs, where guests will be introduced to new technology being developed by the Avengers and their allies.
Spider-Man remains at the centre of the story. The project was originally announced at D23 in 2024, when Disney revealed plans for a new attraction in an extended Marvel-themed area of Tomorrowland. The story follows Peter Parker as the newest Stark Industries intern, demonstrating new technology when, inevitably, a supervillain arrives to cause trouble.
At this year’s D23, however, Disney provided a much clearer picture of how the area is coming together. The new Avengers Pavilion will form part of an expanded Stark Expo, alongside a new Quinjet landing platform and experiences that will take the story beyond Earth.
That last detail is particularly interesting because Hong Kong Disneyland has increasingly developed its own Marvel identity rather than simply importing attractions from elsewhere. The park already has the Iron Man Experience and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle!, both of which were created specifically for Hong Kong. The new project will add another original experience to that portfolio.
The expansion is also expected to include new entertainment, shopping and dining, turning the Marvel area into more than simply a collection of attractions. Hong Kong Disneyland confirmed earlier this year that construction was already well underway on both its Marvel and Pixar projects.
There is another major project happening at the resort at the same time. A new Pixar entertainment experience is expected to debut in 2027, using a combination of physical and digital environments to create an immersive theatrical adventure. So while World of Frozen may have been the headline expansion that transformed Hong Kong Disneyland in recent years, the resort is not finished growing. Its next chapter looks increasingly focused on Marvel and Pixar.
Tokyo Disneyland looks to the future with two major Tomorrowland attractions
Tokyo Disneyland’s news was particularly interesting because of the unusual relationship between Disney and Oriental Land Company, which operates Tokyo Disney Resort.
Rather than simply receiving a Disney announcement during the D23 presentation, Tokyo’s biggest developments were already being formally revealed by Oriental Land in the days surrounding the event. Nevertheless, D23 gave fans a valuable look at how those projects are progressing. The biggest of the two is the completely rebuilt Space Mountain.
Now officially known as Space Mountain: Earthrise, the attraction will become the centrepiece of a reimagined Tomorrowland. Disney describes the new experience as a journey into space that will ultimately give guests a new perspective on Earth, combining the thrill of a roller coaster with a story about the relationship between our planet and the universe.
The attraction is not simply a refurbishment of the existing Space Mountain. The old attraction is being replaced with a completely new experience, accompanied by a redesigned Tomorrowland Plaza. That makes Earthrise one of the most significant changes to Tokyo Disneyland in decades. The intention is not merely to modernise the ride, but to rethink the entire area surrounding it and create a more contemporary Tomorrowland while retaining the identity that has made the land so recognisable. And Space Mountain will not be the only major addition.
The other new attraction is Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue, inspired by Wreck-It Ralph. Guests will enter the world of the Sugar Rush video game alongside Ralph and Vanellope, helping to deal with rogue sugar bugs while attempting to stay ahead of King Candy.
The attraction is an especially good fit for Tokyo Disneyland because it gives the resort another distinctly playful, colourful experience while also allowing Disney to introduce a property that has not previously received a major ride at a Disney park. The two attractions are part of a broader redevelopment of Tomorrowland, meaning that Tokyo Disneyland is effectively preparing an entirely new version of one of its classic lands.
It is also worth remembering just how significant Tokyo’s wider transformation has been. Tokyo DisneySea recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, while the resort welcomed its 900 millionth guest earlier this year. Disney has already confirmed that substantial changes are on the horizon, including the rebuilt Space Mountain and the new Wreck-It Ralph attraction. For Tokyo Disney fans, D23 therefore provided something perhaps more valuable than a completely unexpected announcement: a clearer picture of what the next generation of Tokyo Disneyland will look like.
Shanghai Disneyland is getting its first Spider-Man land
If Hong Kong is becoming Disney’s Marvel destination in Asia, Shanghai is about to take the concept in a very different direction. Shanghai Disneyland will receive the first Disney Parks land dedicated entirely to Spider-Man.
The new land will become Shanghai Disneyland’s ninth themed land and will sit next to Zootopia. It is also the park’s third major expansion since opening in 2016. At the centre of the development will be a brand-new high-energy coaster featuring Spider-Man.
Disney’s D23 presentation offered fans a closer look at the concept, with the land being developed around Peter Parker, Spider-Bots and the Worldwide Engineering Brigade, or W.E.B. The idea is that Peter and his friends are experimenting with new technology, creating the perfect recipe for an attraction to go spectacularly wrong.
There is an important milestone here too. Construction has moved well beyond the conceptual stage. The final piece of track for the new coaster has already been installed, with ride vehicles and testing now forming the next stages of development.
That gives the Shanghai project a very different position from some of Disney’s other international announcements. This is not a blue-sky concept waiting for construction to begin. The land is physically taking shape. Disney also revealed that more than 20 murals will be created throughout the new area in collaboration with local artists. Those murals will celebrate science, Spider-Man and the Avengers, helping to connect the new land with the wider Marvel story while giving it its own Shanghai identity.
The project was first announced at D23 in 2024, so the 2026 event effectively marked the next major step in its evolution. Shanghai Disney Resort had already confirmed that the land would contain the resort’s first major Marvel-themed attraction, surrounded by shopping, dining and entertainment.
This is an important distinction for Shanghai Disneyland. The resort has previously built lands around properties such as Zootopia and Toy Story, but Spider-Man will introduce a completely new type of experience to the park. It also gives Disney a chance to create a Marvel attraction from the ground up for Shanghai rather than adapting an existing international ride.
With Zootopia on one side and Spider-Man on the other, Shanghai Disneyland is continuing to develop into one of Disney’s most distinctive theme parks.
And then there is Abu Dhabi
Perhaps the most intriguing international story from D23 was not an opening date, a ride announcement or even a new land. It was a glimpse at Disney Imagineering’s research for the company’s future Abu Dhabi resort.
Disney and Miral announced plans for a Disney theme park resort on Yas Island in May 2025. The project will become Disney’s seventh theme park destination and its first resort in the Middle East. Miral will finance, develop, build and operate the resort, while Walt Disney Imagineering is responsible for the creative design and Disney will provide operational oversight.
There is still no announced opening date.
What D23 did provide was a fascinating look at how Disney is approaching the project. Footage shown during the event featured Disney Imagineers visiting Al Ain Oasis and Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi. Neither location has been confirmed as the inspiration for a particular attraction, land or building, but their inclusion provides an early indication of the research being undertaken as Disney develops the resort’s identity.
Al Ain Oasis is particularly significant. The vast oasis contains thousands of date palms and traditional falaj irrigation systems, with a history stretching back thousands of years. Qasr Al Hosn, meanwhile, represents a different part of Abu Dhabi’s story, with the historic fort tracing its origins to the city’s early development.
That research matters because Disney has previously described the future resort as being “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati”. The phrase is important.
Disney has built international resorts before, but Abu Dhabi offers an opportunity to create something that could be genuinely different from every existing Disney destination. Rather than placing a familiar American-style Disney park into the Middle East, the stated ambition is to combine Disney’s storytelling and Imagineering with the culture, architecture and environment of Abu Dhabi.
The footage shown at D23 therefore feels like the beginning of a much bigger story. There was no sudden announcement of a Disney castle, no list of attractions and no opening date. Instead, Disney showed fans that Imagineers are already looking closely at the history and physical character of the UAE. For a project that could eventually become Disney’s seventh resort, that may ultimately prove to be more significant than announcing a ride at this stage.
A very different future for Disney’s international parks
Taken together, the international news from D23 2026 paints a fascinating picture.
Hong Kong Disneyland is doubling down on its role as a Marvel powerhouse, with a new Avengers Pavilion and Spider-Man-led expansion of Stark Expo.
Tokyo Disneyland is rebuilding Tomorrowland around a new Space Mountain and introducing Wreck-It Ralph’s Sugar Rush to the park.
Shanghai Disneyland is preparing to open the world’s first Disney theme park land dedicated entirely to Spider-Man, complete with a major new coaster.
And in Abu Dhabi, Disney Imagineering is beginning the process of creating something that could be unlike any Disney resort that has come before it.
What stands out is that none of these projects feels like a simple copy-and-paste exercise.
Hong Kong’s Marvel expansion builds upon the resort’s existing relationship with Tony Stark and Stark Expo. Shanghai is taking Spider-Man and turning him into an entire land. Tokyo is using the redevelopment of Tomorrowland to create a new vision of the future, while Abu Dhabi is still at the earliest stage of developing a Disney experience rooted in its own location.
That may be the most interesting takeaway from D23. Disney’s international future is no longer simply about exporting the same attractions around the world. The company appears increasingly willing to create experiences that belong to the individual destination. And with Disney investing heavily in its Experiences division globally, these four destinations could become some of the most interesting Disney parks to watch over the next decade.
For fans in Europe and the UK, that also makes the international Disney map far more interesting. With Disneyland Paris deliberately excluded from the conversation, there are still three established Asian resorts undergoing major development and a completely new Disney destination beginning to take shape in the Middle East.
The next era of Disney Parks is not just being built in Florida and California. It is being built in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai and, potentially, Abu Dhabi too.