Step Inside: Disney Debuts Brand-New ‘Simpsons’ Experience at D23

Disney’s $71 billion purchase of major 21st Century Fox assets in 2019 gave the company control of a huge collection of entertainment brands. Among them was one of television’s most recognizable families: the Simpsons.

Since then, Disney has mostly used The Simpsons through streaming, particularly on Disney+. But its ownership has always created another interesting question.

What could Disney eventually do with the franchise outside of television?

At D23, the company is giving fans a small taste of that answer. Disney has introduced a new Simpsons-themed experience at the fan event, bringing Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie into a much more physical Disney setting.

It may only be a photo opportunity right now, but the timing makes it difficult not to think about what could come next.

Disney and Universal Have a Very Unusual Simpsons Situation

Disney owns The Simpsons through its acquisition of Fox, but Universal Orlando Resort still has the franchise’s largest theme park presence in the United States.

Guests visiting Universal Studios Florida can walk through Springfield, ride The Simpsons Ride, and experience other locations inspired by the animated series.

That creates an unusual competitive situation.

Universal operates an entire themed area based on a property owned by Disney, its biggest rival in the Orlando theme park market. Universal’s copyright information even identifies The Simpsons as a 20th Television property.

Meanwhile, Disney has not made the franchise a major part of its own U.S. theme parks.

Instead, The Simpsons has remained much more visible on Disney+, leaving fans to question whether Disney might eventually take advantage of the franchise in a larger way.

D23 is now giving them something new to consider.

The Simpsons Arrive at D23

D23 is running in Anaheim from August 14 through August 16, bringing together Disney movies, television, theme parks, characters, and other major brands.

This year, The Simpsons have a place in the event as well.

Disney has created a dedicated photo opportunity featuring the Springfield family. Guests can pose in front of a colorful Simpsons backdrop alongside Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie.

The display also includes giant donut sculptures, adding one of the franchise’s most recognizable visual jokes to the setup.

No, Disney has not built a Simpsons ride or announced a Springfield-themed land.

Still, seeing Disney create a physical Simpsons experience at D23 is notable because the company has rarely used the franchise this way since acquiring Fox.

It also comes while Universal’s long-term relationship with The Simpsons continues to generate questions.

My first stop at the D23 show floor: an incredible photo-op themed to The Simpsons! pic.twitter.com/k7EJUtfJzw

— Drew Smith @ D23 (@DrewDisneyDude) August 13, 2026

Universal’s Simpsons Rights Remain a Big Question

For years, reports have suggested that Universal’s U.S. theme park agreement for The Simpsons could expire around 2028.

That date has never been publicly confirmed, so it should still be treated as speculation. Reports have pointed to a rumored 20-year agreement, which would put the deal’s end around that timeframe.

That does not guarantee Universal will remove Springfield.

Disney and Universal could potentially reach another agreement, and Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman has previously expressed doubt that the Universal areas will disappear.

For now, nothing has changed. Universal continues operating its Simpsons attractions.

But if Universal’s current rights eventually expire without a new deal, Disney could have much more freedom to use the franchise inside its own American theme parks.

That could mean Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, or something completely different.

Disney has announced none of those possibilities, but the D23 experience makes them a little easier to imagine.

Disney Has Another Major Franchise Waiting

The Simpsons photo opportunity at D23 may be simple, but it represents something Disney has not explored much since its Fox acquisition.

Seven years after that deal, Disney is putting Springfield’s most famous family directly in front of its biggest fans.

Universal still controls the franchise’s major U.S. theme park presence, and there is no confirmed Simpsons project coming to a Disney park.

But Disney owns the characters, and the company’s decision to feature them physically at D23 is another reminder of how valuable that ownership could eventually become.

Disney already has Mickey Mouse, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and countless other brands across its parks.

Depending on what happens with Universal’s agreement, Homer Simpson might one day join that lineup, too.