You don’t need to be in Anaheim. Horizons: A Carousel of Progress — the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event — streams live on Disney+ on Saturday, August 15, beginning at 7pm PT.
Host Neil Patrick Harris will be joined by Walt Disney Imagineering leaders and creative talent for a look at the projects shaping the future of Disney parks, resorts, and cruise ships worldwide.
Here’s how to watch the Disney Experiences Showcase, who’s appearing, and what to expect.
Quick Summary
- Horizons streams live on Disney+ Saturday, August 15 at 7pm PT / 10pm ET
- Neil Patrick Harris hosts alongside Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum
- Nine Walt Disney Imagineers are confirmed to appear
- Four have Walt Disney World portfolios specifically
- No additional steps beyond a standard Disney+ subscription
- Villains Land, Cars Land, Monsters Inc., and Tropical Americas are all under construction
How to Watch
Horizons: A Carousel of Progress streams live on Disney+ on Saturday, August 15, at 7pm PT (10pm ET) for all Disney+ subscribers.
No additional steps are required beyond a standard Disney+ subscription.
Throughout the D23 weekend, Disney+ subscribers can also access special perks, offers, and experiences.
What the Show Will Cover
If you were watching in 2024, you’ll remember Josh D’Amaro’s showcase packed with reveals for new lands, attractions, ships, and destinations. Many of those projects are now well past the concept stage — they’re being designed, engineered, and built.
Expect:
- Project updates
- New artwork and renderings
- Behind-the-scenes stories
- Creative insights
- A closer look at how anticipated experiences are coming together
Disney is promising high-energy performances, special moments, and Disney magic alongside the Imagineer conversations.
Why 2026 Should Differ From 2024
This is the useful expectation-setting point.
2024 was a reveal show. Concept art, announcements, and applause lines for things that didn’t exist yet.
2026 should be a progress show. Villains Land, Cars Land at Magic Kingdom, Monsters, Inc. at Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom are all under active construction. The interesting content this year is how they’re actually being built, and what’s changed since the concept art.
That’s a different kind of presentation — less spectacle, more substance. Whether you find it more or less exciting depends on what you want from these events.
The Imagineers Taking the Stage
Disney confirmed the following will appear alongside Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum and host Neil Patrick Harris:
Bruce Vaughn — President and Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Imagineering
Ali Rubinstein — Senior Vice President, Global Creative & Development Studios. Rubinstein came to Imagineering through theater and film, and now shapes experiences that balance the familiar and the new.
Michael Hundgen — Vice President Creative, Walt Disney World. Hundgen is directly involved in bringing the biggest projects on the horizon for Walt Disney World to life.
Emily “Emo” O’Brien — Portfolio Creative Producer, Disneyland Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort. O’Brien helped create Cars Land at Disney California Adventure and Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea.
Caroline May — Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney World
Claire Weiss — Principal Designer and Creative Director, Disney Cruise Line. Weiss focuses on immersive environments and spaces that tell stories.
Brent Strong — Executive Creative Director. A lifelong Disney fan who builds stories that put guests at the center of the adventure.
Chris Beatty — Portfolio Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney World. Beatty has spent decades helping Disney stories leap from concept into reality.
Jason Grandt — Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney World. Grandt focuses on experiences that bring imagination to life.
Read the Lineup for Signals
The roster tells you where the emphasis falls.
Four names carry explicit Walt Disney World portfolios — Hundgen, May, Beatty, and Grandt. That’s the largest single-resort contingent on the list, which suggests substantial WDW content.
Claire Weiss represents Disney Cruise Line, relevant given the fleet expansion with five additional ships planned through 2030.
Emily O’Brien covers Disneyland Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort, which points to international content — possibly the Tokyo Tomorrowland overhaul.
Michael Hundgen is the name to watch. He appeared in Disney’s recent media panel discussing reinvestment philosophy and the Carousel of Progress updates coming in 2027. His presence alongside a show subtitled “A Carousel of Progress” is unlikely to be a coincidence.
What’s Under Construction
With Villains Land, Cars Land, Monsters, Inc. at Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom all under active construction, there’s plenty of progress to share.
Recent developments worth watching for updates on:
- Tropical Americas — Encanto rockwork and the Indiana Jones Maya temple both rising, targeting 2027
- Carousel of Progress — new scenes coming in 2027 covering the 1960s, 1980s, and The New Millennium
- Piston Peak National Park — a physical scale model was reportedly crated for the event
- Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge — opening summer 2027 on Bay Lake
Watch Party Notes
- 7pm PT is 10pm ET. Plan accordingly if you’re on the East Coast.
- It’s live, so announcements break in real time rather than through embargoed press releases.
- Disney+ subscribers get weekend perks beyond the stream itself.
- Five other D23 events also stream across the weekend, including the Disney Legends Award Ceremony on Sunday.
The Bottom Line
The Disney Experiences Showcase — Horizons: A Carousel of Progress — streams live on Disney+ Saturday, August 15 at 7pm PT / 10pm ET, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris with Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum and nine Walt Disney Imagineers.
Four of those Imagineers hold Walt Disney World portfolios, and the projects they oversee are all under construction rather than in concept.
No extra steps beyond a Disney+ subscription. Expect progress updates and new artwork rather than a repeat of 2024’s reveal-heavy showcase.
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I’m a die-hard Disney fan with 38 years of visits under my belt, having stepped into Disney World 120+ times. Proud to be a Disney Annual Passholder, a Vacation Club member since ’92, a Castaway Club Member, and a runDisney enthusiast. Oh, and I’ve graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge. Need Disney insights or planning tips? I’m your guy!
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