The Disney D23 Expo 2026 is underway in Anaheim, California, running August 14 through August 16 at the Anaheim Convention Center and the nearby Honda Center. Officially rebranded as “D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event,” this year’s gathering pulls Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and 20th Century Studios under one roof for three packed days of panels, exhibits, and theme park reveals.
Held every two years, the event remains Disney’s largest official fan celebration. It draws tens of thousands of attendees from across the country and beyond, all hoping for a first look at what’s coming next from the Walt Disney Company.
A Weekend Built Around Three Major Showcases
D23 2026 centers on three headline presentations at the Honda Center, each tied to a different piece of the Disney empire.
Friday, August 14, kicked things off with the Disney Entertainment Showcase at 7 p.m. Pacific. This two-hour panel spotlighted upcoming film and television projects from Disney Animation, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios, giving fans early looks at the next wave of movies and streaming shows heading to theaters and Disney+.
Saturday, August 15, belongs to theme park fans. The Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase takes the Honda Center stage at 7 p.m. Pacific, hosted by actor Neil Patrick Harris and built around a Carousel of Progress theme. This marks the first Experiences showcase since Thomas Mazloum took over as Disney Experiences Chairman in March 2026, following Josh D’Amaro’s move up to Disney CEO. Imagineers, designers, and executives are joining Harris on stage to share updates on parks, resorts, and Disney Cruise Line projects worldwide.
Sunday, August 16, closes the weekend with the Disney Legends Award Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. at the Honda Center, hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
Disney Legends 2026: Who’s Being Honored
The Disney Legends Award is the company’s highest honor, recognizing individuals who have shaped the Disney legacy over the decades. This year’s class includes 11 honorees:
- Bob Iger, former Chairman and CEO
- Anne Hathaway, actress
- Dwayne Johnson, actor
- Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer and songwriter
- The Jonas Brothers (Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas), marking their 20th anniversary
- Alan Tudyk, actor and voice performer
- Jerry Bruckheimer, producer
- Eric Goldberg, animator
- Susan Egan, Broadway performer and voice actress
- Kim Irvine, Imagineer
- Chris Berman, longtime ESPN broadcaster
Hathaway is being recognized for a career that began with “The Princess Diaries,” while Johnson’s honor spans work ranging from voicing Maui in “Moana” to starring in “Jungle Cruise.” Bruckheimer is being celebrated largely for steering the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, and Goldberg for his animation work on the Genie in “Aladdin.” The ceremony airs live on Disney+ starting at 6 p.m. Pacific on August 16.
What’s New on the Show Floor
Beyond the Honda Center panels, the Anaheim Convention Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and packed with exhibits, shopping, and photo experiences. Highlights include the Imagineering: Horizons pavilion, which previews new attractions coming to Disney parks, and features an up-close look at Olaf and Grogu animatronics.
The Disney+ and Hulu Experience booth offers photo opportunities themed to shows including “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “American Horror Story,” “VisionQuest,” and “Scrubs.” Long lines have formed at the Disney-inspired Crocs booth, where fans are picking up limited-edition merchandise, including a pair styled after Ramone from “Cars.”
Saturday also brings back D23 Mousequerade, the costume contest presented by AT&T, along with the Disney Experiences Auction and intimate conversations with members of the newest Disney Legends class.
Tickets and Membership Details
General D23 membership remains free, while D23 Gold Membership carries an annual fee starting at $49.99 and is required to purchase event tickets, subject to availability. Three main ticket types are available this year:
- D23 Fan Pass, granting access to Anaheim Convention Center panels, presentations, shopping, and exhibits
- D23 Ultimate Fan Pass and D23 Ultimate Preferred Fan Pass, which add access to the Honda Center showcases
- D23 Fan Pass – Afternoon Only, a new ticket type introduced for 2026
Honda Center shows are reserved exclusively for Ultimate Fan Pass and Ultimate Preferred Fan Pass holders, and there are no standby lines or day-of reservations available for those presentations.
Anaheim Celebrations Beyond the Convention Center
The Disney D23 Expo 2026 festivities actually began before the main event weekend. On August 8, the Walt Disney Archives opened a new exhibition, “Capturing Life, Creating Character: The Art of Live-Action Reference,” at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim. The exhibit features rare photography, costume pieces, and artwork exploring the connection between live-action performance and Disney animation, and it runs through November 1, 2026.
The lead-up also included D23 Night at the Anaheim Packing District on August 11, complete with a DJ and Disney trivia, and D23 Night at Angel Stadium on August 12, where fans watched the Los Angeles Angels take on the Texas Rangers with special giveaways and photo ops. D23 Day at Disneyland followed on August 13, offering themed surprises across the resort.
Streaming the Big Moments From Home
Fans who aren’t in Anaheim don’t have to miss out. Disney is streaming several major D23 2026 panels live on Disney+, including the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, which is being live-streamed for the first time ever. The Disney Legends Award Ceremony also streams live on Sunday evening. This expanded streaming lineup gives a national audience real-time access to reveals that, in past years, were reserved almost entirely for ticket holders inside the Honda Center.
Why This Year’s Expo Matters
The 2026 event carries extra weight because it’s the first Disney D23 Expo held under new leadership across both the studio and parks divisions. With D’Amaro now serving as CEO and Mazloum leading Disney Experiences for the first time at a Horizons showcase, fans are watching closely to see how the next chapter of Disney’s parks strategy takes shape. The Friday night entertainment lineup, meanwhile, offered a rare moment where Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney Animation all shared the same stage in a single, tightly packed two-hour window.
For Southern California residents and visiting fans alike, the Disney D23 Expo 2026 offers a rare, concentrated look at where the company is headed next, from theme park attractions still years from opening to films that won’t reach theaters until 2027 and beyond.
Have you been following the Disney D23 Expo 2026 reveals? Share which announcement excited you most in the comments below!