The wait is almost over. D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is officially just under a week away, kicking off in Anaheim, California, from August 14 to 16, 2026. For Walt Disney World fans, this convention is essentially the Super Bowl of theme park news. This year, Neil Patrick Harris will lead the Disney Experiences panel, and fans have high expectations. Credit: DisneyWhile the last few years have brought a flurry of “Blue Sky” concepts and initial project confirmations, the 2026 event promises to be a highly grounding moment. The dust has settled, the construction walls are up, and heavy machinery is actively moving dirt in Central Florida. But we are still missing crucial pieces of the puzzle for several massive expansions. As we count down the final days until the highly anticipated Disney Parks panel, I have put together my top predictions for the Walt Disney World announcements we can expect to see.From Magic Kingdom expansions to long-awaited EPCOT revamps, here is what I think Disney will reveal next week.Magic Kingdom: Piston Peak, Villains, and a Sci-Fi ClassicRight now, Magic Kingdom is the absolute epicenter of Walt Disney World’s construction efforts. Disney previously confirmed that Piston Peak National Park—a sprawling Cars-inspired expansion—is replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. We know this massive undertaking will feature an E-ticket off-road rally race through a rugged, parkitecture-inspired wilderness. But Disney also teased a second, family-friendly attraction for the land. At D23, I predict Disney will finally update us on the second ride at Piston Peak. Will it be a Mater-themed whip ride, or perhaps a spinning tractor attraction? We expect concept art, a ride system reveal, and an official name for this secondary attraction.Credit: DisneyFurthermore, I fully expect Disney to give us an opening timeline for Piston Peak. With the Rivers of America gone and construction well underway, a 2029 timeline seems like a safe bet to keep fan excitement high while managing expectations.But Cars is not the only property coming to the park. Imagineers are actively working on the highly anticipated Villains Land, set to rise ominously beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. While we know the land will feature two major attractions, dining, and shopping on an incredibly twisted scale, details have remained agonizingly scarce. This year’s D23 will be the moment when Disney offers more details on Villains Land, pulling back the curtain on the specific villains who will take up residence, the mechanics of the two rides, and, hopefully, revealing a stunning physical model on the expo show floor.Credit: DisneyFinally, for Magic Kingdom, the focus is on a beloved classic that desperately needs some TLC: Space Mountain. The iconic indoor coaster has operated on an aging track for decades, while its counterparts at Disneyland and Tokyo have received—or are currently undergoing—massive, ground-up rebuilds. Disney could announce a complete Space Mountain makeover next week, featuring a brand-new track, modernized effects, and new ride vehicles. The kicker? I expect they will announce that the ride is set to close at the end of the year and embark on a multi-year refurbishment to secure its legacy for the next fifty years.Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Laughing All the Way to MonstropolisOver at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, fans are eagerly awaiting more news on the newly announced Monstropolis. This Monsters, Inc.-themed land promises to let guests explore the vibrant streets of the monster world alongside Mike, Sulley, and the rest of the laugh-floor crew. The undisputed crown jewel of the land is set to be a suspended family roller coaster that simulates the iconic door vault chase from the original Pixar film—a ride fans have been begging for since 2001.Credit: DisneyWhile the initial concept art looks phenomenal, Disney has been suspiciously quiet about when we can actually set foot in Monstropolis. My prediction for Hollywood Studios is straightforward but essential: Disney will give a concrete opening timeline for Monstropolis. Given the sheer scale of building a suspended coaster and creating a fully immersive land from the ground up, I expect D23 to reveal a target opening year, setting up Hollywood Studios for its next massive evolution following Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.Disney’s Animal Kingdom: The Final Countdown for Tropical AmericasDisney’s Animal Kingdom is currently undergoing its most significant transformation since Pandora – The World of Avatar. The massive Tropical Americas expansion is taking over the former DinoLand U.S.A. footprint. This lush new area will feature a brand-new Encanto-themed dark ride that ventures into the Magical Casita, as well as an exhilarating Indiana Jones adventure that replaces the DINOSAUR attraction.Credit: DisneyWe already know this massive overhaul is slated for a 2027 debut. However, “2027” is a massive 12-month window. At this year’s D23, I predict Disney will finally give the exact opening date for Tropical Americas. With Universal’s Epic Universe fully dominating the theme park conversation, Disney needs a massive marketing win for late 2027 to draw crowds. Announcing an exact date next week would be the perfect way to build intense hype and get families booking their Walt Disney World vacations for next year.EPCOT: Sparking Imagination and Expanding the WorldEPCOT has finally wrapped up its years-long historic transformation of the central spine, but any true EPCOT fan knows the park is never really finished. There are two glaring items on the park’s to-do list that I predict will finally be addressed next week in Anaheim.Credit: DisneyFirst, Disney will announce a complete makeover of Figment and the Journey Into Imagination pavilion. The current iteration of the ride has been widely criticized for decades, and fans have been practically begging Imagineering to restore the magic, wonder, and high-tech creativity of the original 1980s attraction. With Figment’s massive resurgence in popularity—including his wildly successful meet-and-greet and endless waves of merchandise—now is the absolute perfect time for Disney to invest in a brand-new, state-of-the-art ride experience starring the purple dragon and the Dreamfinder.Second, I predict Disney could potentially announce a brand-new country in World Showcase. It has been decades since Norway was added as the last completely new pavilion. Whispers of a Brazil or Spain pavilion have circulated in the Disney rumor mill for years, with expanding concrete pads and leftover expansion plots tantalizingly sitting empty around the World Showcase Lagoon. Announcing a new pavilion would completely break the internet and inject a massive surge of culinary, cultural, and architectural energy into EPCOT’s back half.Credit: Steven Miller, FlickrThe Final WordWith D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event less than a week away, the anticipation within the theme park community is electric. Whether it is tearing through the wilderness of Piston Peak, surviving the door vaults of Monstropolis, exploring Tropical Americas, or finally giving Figment the spectacular ride he deserves, the next few years at Walt Disney World are shaping up to be legendary. We will be watching Neil Patrick Harris’ presentation very closely next weekend to see which of these predictions officially becomes a reality.The post D23 2026 Walt Disney World Rumors: Ride Closures, Opening Dates, and Major Park Expansions appeared first on Inside the Magic.