The landscape of Disney’s global parks is shifting: in Marne-la-Vallée, a new Up-themed ride is being erected inside the recently opened Disney Adventure World, while other international projects face reassessment. This article outlines the tangible progress on the Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings, details seasonal programming for the 2026–27 winter period, and summarizes developments affecting Shanghai Disneyland.
All figures and dates given below are preserved exactly as announced by the operators and construction teams. The focus here is on verified elements of structure, programming and confirmed construction milestones rather than on speculation.
Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings takes shape at Disneyland Paris
At Disney Adventure World, the attraction provisionally named Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings is under assembly opposite the Raiponce Tangled Spin on Adventure Way. The ride pays direct homage to the scouting club featured in Up through décor and character placement, and the installation crew has already set a central mast that measures 12 metres in height and weighs 22 tonnes. Teams from Walt Disney Imagineering in Paris are managing both the heavy-lift operations and the careful placement of delicate themed elements.
Around the central column, the first themed panels and figurative elements are being mounted. Visitors will find hand-painted portrayals of Russell and Dug, a canopy populated beneath by hundreds of colourful balloons, and an exterior canopy surface made up of 16 decorative panels with a bespoke graphic motif. Atop the roof sits a golden finial depicting Carl’s house lifted by balloons, echoing the rooftop silhouette motif used on the nearby Raiponce Tangled Spin.
Context within the resort expansion
The new attraction is part of the wider Disney Adventure World complex, which opened earlier this year as one element of a larger €2 billion resort expansion. The addition of themed lands such as World of Frozen alongside new rides aims to broaden multi-day guest itineraries and deepen immersion across both park gates.
Holiday programme and World of Frozen’s first Christmas season
Disneyland Paris will stage Disney Enchanted Christmas from 7 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, using both Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World. For the first time, World of Frozen will host a dedicated Christmas setting: the village of Arendelle will receive Nordic-inspired decorations, and musical offerings will occur at the foot of North Mountain. Named character appearances from Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff are scheduled in the new winter environment.
Meanwhile, Disneyland Park retains its traditional seasonal presentation on Main Street, U.S.A., including a 24-metre Christmas tree and the return of Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade. New Year’s Eve programming is set for 31 December 2026: celebrations around World of Frozen at Disney Adventure World and a night-time display above Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park offer visitors distinct choices for year-end festivities.
Shanghai Disneyland: confirmed projects continue while a second park is reportedly paused
Elsewhere, Disney continues work inside Shanghai Disneyland on a series of confirmed projects even as reports indicate a larger, separate park proposal has been set aside for now. The resort has expanded multiple times since opening in June 2016 and reached a milestone of welcoming its 100 millionth visitor in October 2025. Ongoing developments include a new Marvel-themed area centered on Spider-Man, where construction began in May 2025. The roller coaster’s track installation was completed in June 2026, and the attraction received its first ride vehicles in August.
Additional confirmed investments at Shanghai include the nine-storey Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel, scheduled to open on 16 December 2026, offering 400 rooms overlooking Wishing Star Lake and the park. Plans for a fourth hotel and expansion of Disneytown’s offerings are also progressing. By contrast, work on a rumored second Shanghai park—sometimes discussed under project code names and concept sketches—appears to have been deprioritised; internal staffing changes in design and planning groups have been linked to that reallocation of resources.
In sum, tangible progress is visible on specific rides, hotels and seasonal programs in both Paris and Shanghai. The Paris installation of an Up-themed swing ride and the first World of Frozen Christmas represent concrete additions to guest experiences, while Shanghai continues to expand within its existing footprint even as broader proposals are reassessed.
