Disneyland has officially announced that an all-new Tomorrowland is in development. Revealed by Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum during the D23 2026 Disney Experiences Showcase at the Honda Center, the project is being overseen by Imagineer Emily “Emo” O’Brien.
Disney is prioritizing the new Tomorrowland project over the AVATAR project at Disney California Adventure. Although AVATAR remains officially on the schedule, its timeline will be postponed so that attention can shift entirely to Tomorrowland. Construction on Tomorrowland can commence once the Coco attraction and the Avengers Campus expansion finish opening at Disney California Adventure.
The Bottom Line
- The Leadership: Emily “Emo” O’Brien, Walt Disney Imagineering’s Portfolio Executive Creative Producer for Disneyland Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort, is overseeing the Tomorrowland project.
- The Timeline: The project is in development.
- The Strategic Trade-Off: Disney is prioritizing the Tomorrowland project over the AVATAR project at Disney California Adventure, which will be delayed.
A Legacy of Reboots and Realities
Disneyland’s Tomorrowland is an opening-day land, featuring attractions such as Space Mountain, Autopia, the Disneyland Monorail, and the Submarine Voyage. Throughout the decades, Tomorrowland and its traditional rides have undergone multiple revisions, receiving substantial overhauls in 1967 and 1998. The year 2005 brought an entirely new track and an upgraded show to Space Mountain, alongside the opening of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters during that exact same year. The Submarine Voyage reopened in 2007 as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Autopia has received several updates over the years, including the most recent in 2016.
According to MiceChat, the announcement drew cheers and applause from an audience of 12,000 fans inside the Honda Center. Additional attractions include Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, the Astro Orbitor, and a Disneyland Railroad station.
The Global Imagineering Pipeline
Tokyo Disneyland’s updated Tomorrowland is currently being supervised by Emily “Emo” O’Brien, a multi-faceted effort that involved completely tearing down the original Tokyo Space Mountain to build the brand-new Space Mountain Earthrise structure.
Here is how the major operational milestones stack up across international parks and current domestic initiatives:
| Project / Initiative | Location | Timeline / Status | Key Leadership / Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Mountain Earthrise | Tokyo Disneyland | Opening 2027 | Overseen by Emily “Emo” O’Brien |
| Tomorrowland | Disneyland Park (Anaheim) | In development | Overseen by Emily “Emo” O’Brien |
| AVATAR project | Disney California Adventure | Planned but delayed | Delayed to prioritize Tomorrowland |
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Disney’s Experiences Chief discussed the Tomorrowland refresh at D23.
What Comes Next for the Anaheim Skyline
Autopia anticipates the introduction of fresh electric vehicles by the year 2027, though this upcoming rollout might face alterations due to these recent developments.
For now, the project is just getting off the ground. No details were released in the announcement, as the project is just getting off the ground.
How do you think Imagineering should handle the classic attractions like the Monorail and Space Mountain during this overhaul? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
