The biggest news from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026
by Explore Disney+ Contributor
Revised: 20 August 2026
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event has come to a close for 2026. Here is a recap of some of the biggest announcements and events from the weekend
August 14–16 marked the annual D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California, and we’ve got the latest updates, surprises, and first looks including new teaser trailers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 and the upcoming Coven Academy, plus the announcement of an original anime series inspired by the globally beloved video game franchise Kingdom Hearts. Scroll for a recap of what unfolded across panels and the Disney Entertainment Showcase.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event: table of contents
Announcements & news
All about D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Watch the trailer for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026
Showcases, panels & activations
Disney Legends Award ceremony
Experience D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event from home
What to watch on Disney+ after D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
D23 2026 announcements & news
Here’s a roundup of some of the highlights from panels and showcases at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 teaser trailer & release date revealed
Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) joined Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano) on stage with Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni to showcase the Season 2 teaser trailer and confirm the January 20, 2027 Disney+ premiere date.
Sheryl Crow debuts a new song for Cars: Lightning Racers
Lightning McQueen, Mater, and friends will be racing onto Disney Jr. and Disney+ in the new preschool show Cars: Lightning Racers. Ahead of the show’s 2027 release, Sheryl Crow performed 'Built to Last,' new original music written for the show, along with her hit 'Real Gone,' as a part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the original Cars movie.
Watch Disney and Pixar's Cars movies, shows, and more with the Cars Collection on Disney+
Teaser trailer for Coven Academy unveiled
The brand-new supernatural teen drama revealed its first teaser trailer set to Olivia Rodrigo’s hit song 'Brutal.' The show premieres on 2 October, with all episodes streaming on Disney+.
Kingdom Hearts video game set to become an original anime series
An original anime inspired by the globally beloved video game franchise is coming to Disney Channel and Disney+.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3 teaser trailer debuts
Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson) and surprise guests Ming-Na Wen (Hera) and Andra Day (Athena) took the stage to debut the teaser trailer for the show’s third season. As was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, the new season will stream on Disney+ from 20 November.
Add Percy Jackson and the Olympians to Watchlist
Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends renewed for season 7 & first look at the special
The preschool megahit about everyone’s favourite web-slinger has been greenlit for a seventh season coming to Disney Jr. and Disney+. The Celebrate 65 Years of Marvel’s Spider-Man! panel also included a first look at the upcoming Spidey and the Avengers: Halloween Team-Up! special, featuring voice performances by GRAMMY® Award-Nominated musicians Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy and Este Haim of HAIM.
Add Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends to Watchlist
D23 2026: All about The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Find out key details about this year’s event.
What is D23?
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, often referred to simply as 'D23,' is an exclusive, multi-day Disney fan celebration featuring sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes access, performances, immersive experiences, shopping and major announcements, that’s been an annual event since 2009.
Fun fact, D23 is actually the name of the official Disney fan club, made by fans, for fans. The 'D' stands for Disney, and '23' represents 1923, the year that Walt Disney arrived in California and founded what was to ultimately become The Walt Disney Company.
Become a D23 member and join the club
When was D23 2026?
D23: The Ultimate Fan Event ran for three days, from Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August 2026.
Where was D23 2026 held?
D23: The Ultimate Fan Event was held in Anaheim, CA, with most major events taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center.
What was new for D23 2026?
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 expand across Anaheim with a larger event schedule, more shopping at the Anaheim Convention Center, three Honda Center presentations, and new interactive experiences tied to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu. This year also introduced a new way for fans to experience D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event with the D23 Fan Pass – Afternoon Only ticket.
Watch the trailer for D23: The Ultimate Fan Event 2026
D23 2026: Showcases, panels & activations
Find out what panels, immersive experiences, showcases, and more were part of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event and can be streamed on Disney+.
Major showcases & presentations
Two showcases and an award ceremony took place at the Honda Center. The Disney Entertainment Showcase and the D23 Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, which featured appearances from stars and storytellers, plus exciting surprises, and a replay of the D23 Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase is streaming now. On Sunday, August 16, Ryan Seacrest hosted the 2026 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony Live, honouring the creatives and leaders who have helped shape Disney across the decades, and can also be streamed on Disney+.
Panels, first looks & exclusive announcements
More than 50 panels and presentations took place at Anaheim Convention Center, offering behind-the-scenes insights from Disney storytellers and creative teams. Highlights included the D23 Mousequerade: The Ultimate Disney Costume Contest presented by AT&T and the premiere of the new documentary, Disney Worldbuilders, by Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. Read our interview with Leslie Iwerks for more on her recent documentary, Disneyland Handcrafted.
Additional panels streaming on Disney+ include the Beauty and the Beast: A Tale as Old as Time - Live from D23, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Live from D23, and Disney Rewind Concert - Live from D23.
D23 2026: Disney Legends award ceremony
Find out who was honoured at the 2026 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony Live at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, including award-winning actors, sports broadcasters, legendary movie producers, and more.
Disney Legends award honourees at D23 2026 (in alphabetical order by last name)
Chris Berman
A Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, Berman was crucial in shaping ESPN’s voice during its infancy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Over his career, he’s covered nearly every type of major U.S. sports event, and in 2027, he joins ESPN’s first-ever Super Bowl coverage.
Jerry Bruckheimer
An Academy Award®-nominated producer, Bruckheimer’s career spans more than half a century, during which he’s worked on some of the most iconic and highest-grossing films and TV shows of our time. His credits include the Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure movies.
Susan Egan
A Tony Award®-winner, Egan made Disney history playing Belle in the first Broadway adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. She went on to work with Disney concerts and live performances, including Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Concert at the Hollywood Bowl, and a number of shows for Disney Cruise Line.
Eric Goldberg
Goldberg is a renowned Disney animator, designer, and director. He’s responsible for bringing many iconic characters to life through animation, including Genie in Aladdin (1992), Phil in Hercules, and the trumpet-playing alligator, Louis, in The Princess and the Frog. He’s also part of the restoration team for classic animated movies like Cinderella (1950). For more work from Goldberg and other Disney legends, check out our animated Disney movie Watch Guide.
Anne Hathaway
Hathaway is an Academy Award®-winning actress who started her Disney career as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries movies. Since then, she’s played a number of critically acclaimed roles, including Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Find out more about the 2026 sequel in our The Devil Wears Prada 2 article and check out all the looks from the red-carpet premiere.
Bob Iger
Iger led The Walt Disney Company for two decades, overseeing historic acquisitions including Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Under his leadership, the company made significant technological advances, such as the launch of Disney+, as well as significant expansions into new international territories.
Kim Irvine
Irvine was quite literally born into the world of Disney. The daughter of Disney animator Harvey Toombs and Imagineer Leota Toombs, Irvine spent 55 years working at Walt Disney Imagineering. Throughout her career, she was instrumental in shaping the look and feel of Disney Parks and Resorts, particularly Disneyland in Anaheim.
Dwayne Johnson
With roots in WWE as The Rock, Johnson has become a global movie star, known for action-adventure films such as Jungle Cruise. He also voices demigod Maui in Moana, a role he’s reprising in the 2026 live-action movie.
The Jonas Brothers
Multi-talented brothers Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas found global success as the Jonas Brothers and through their solo music careers. They also appeared in classic Disney Channel movies such as Camp Rock. In 2025, the brothers starred in their own holiday movie titled A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, and in 2026, they’re back as the Gray brothers in Camp Rock 3.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Miranda rose to prominence as the creator and original star of the smash-hit musical Hamilton. His musical partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios has given us anthemic classics like Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go” and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto.
Alan Tudyk
Tudyk is a veteran actor of stage, screen, and television whose voice performances feature in every Disney animated movie since his turn as King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph. His most notable credits include the voices of Heihei the rooster in Moana and Duke Weaselton in Zootropolis and Zootropolis 2. Meet the rest of the Zootropolis 2 voice actors in our Zootropolis 2 cast guide.
Experience D23: The Ultimate Fan Event from your home
Find out how to watch presentations from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where to watch the movies and shows that inspired the weekend’s activations.
Watch D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Disney+
Disney+ is giving subscribers even more ways to experience D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event from home. With select panels and showcase presentations streaming on Disney+.
Experience Epic Worlds From D23 From Your Couch
These Disney+ movies and shows let you enter their worlds through floor experiences, immersive photo opportunities, and panels at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. If you can't make it this year, or you want to relive the magic of these fan-favourite storylines at home after, read more and add them to your Watchlist from here:
What to watch on Disney+ after D23: The Ultimate Fan Event
Put your feet up after a long weekend of immersive experiences, panels and presentations, and check out some of these Disney+ highlights.
FX’s Alien: Earth
When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s sci-fi horror series Alien: Earth. As members of the crash recovery crew search for survivors among the wreckage, they encounter mysterious predatory life forms more terrifying than they could have ever imagined
Add FX’s Alien: Earth to Watchlist
Camp Rock 3
When Connect 3’s opening act bails out at the last minute, the band heads back to Camp Rock to find fresh talent for their national tour. The competition heats up as an ambitious newcomer Sage goes all in, even if it means clashing with her brother Desi. Sage plus bad-boy guitarist Fetch, cello prodigy Rosie, and energetic drummer Cliff make the quest for the spotlight emotional and intense. But as friendships form and feelings build, the campers must decide if there’s more to life than winning.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
20 years after Andy’s challenging, fabulous, and life-changing months at Runway magazine, it’s time for her to enter Miranda Priestly’s office again. Miranda faces a magazine publishing industry in flux, and reunites with a more confident, mature Andy. Together, they face Miranda’s former 'first' assistant, Emily, now a major player at a luxury brand.
Add The Devil Wears Prada 2 to Watchlist
High Potential
When janitor Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson) stumbles across an LAPD case file, she uses her extraordinary ability to spot often-missed clues to solve it. Surprised and impressed, the LAPD brings her on as a consultant, pairing her with detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata). This partnership between by-the-book detective and offbeat genius makes for comedic friction as the pair tackle Los Angeles’ toughest mysteries.
Add High Potential to Watchlist
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
Set after the events of The Clone Wars, Maul plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire. There, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan, who could be the apprentice he is seeking, that will aid him in his relentless pursuit for revenge.
Add Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord to Watchlist
Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one as they investigate the mysterious death of a neighbour in their New York City apartment building.
Add Only Murders in the Building to Watchlist
King of the Hill
King of the Hill depicts the life and times of Hank Hill (Mike Judge), his family, and their neighbours in the fictional suburb of Arlen, Texas, the heartland of America. A hard-working, loyal family man and proud Texan, Hank always strives to be a voice of common sense and reason. After years away, Hank and Peggy Hill return to a changed America, while Bobby balances owning a restaurant and enjoying life as a young adult.
Add King of the Hill to Watchlist
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
In this reality show, a group of Mormon mom influencers navigate fame, friendship, and the fallout after their private lives turned into a public scandal overnight. The story follows the lives and relationships of the moms as they navigate, and sometimes break, Mormon cultural norms.
Add The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to Watchlist
