Disney Upfront spotlights theme park-connected fandoms from ‘Ahsoka’ to Savannah Bananas
Disney’s 2026 Upfront presentation featured several franchises and live entertainment properties with direct ties to Disney Parks and experiences, including Ahsoka, the Savannah Bananas, and comments from Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro about multi-generational fandom.
While the annual presentation held on Tues, May 12, 2026, focused primarily on upcoming television, streaming, and sports programming, multiple moments connected directly to attractions, immersive entertainment, and Disney’s expanding experiences business.
‘Ahsoka’ season 2 preview ties into Disney Parks experiences
A sneak peek at Season 2 of “Ahsoka” was shown during the presentation, with Sigourney Weaver introducing Rosario Dawson in a video message before Dawson appeared on stage.
The Disney+ series already has a visible presence inside Disney Parks through ‘Star Tours – The Adventures Continue‘ in both U.S. locations, where Ahsoka Tano was added to attraction scenes alongside locations and characters from the series.
Courtesy of Disney
Ahsoka also appears in Galaxy’s Edge entertainment
At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort, Ahsoka has appeared as part of limited-time entertainment offerings and new character encounters tied to the larger “Star Wars” universe.
Disney continues using Disney+ “Star Wars” series to expand the storytelling connected to attractions, entertainment, and themed lands across its parks portfolio.
Savannah Bananas open Disney Upfront ahead of Walt Disney World appearance
The Savannah Bananas opened the Upfront presentation with a performance inspired by “The Greatest Showman,” bringing the team’s signature choreography and entertainment style to the stage. The appearance comes shortly before the Savannah Bananas play at Walt Disney World Resort later this month.
Disney and ESPN continue expanding Savannah Bananas partnership
Disney and ESPN have increased coverage of the Savannah Bananas across television and streaming platforms as the baseball entertainment brand continues growing nationally.
Even bigger is Disney’s announcement that the Savannah Bananas’ “Banana Bowl” special will stream on Disney+, further expanding the team’s presence across Disney-owned entertainment platforms ahead of their upcoming appearance at Walt Disney World.
Courtesy of Disney
The team’s inclusion during the presentation highlighted Disney’s broader focus on live entertainment properties that connect sports, music, comedy, and large-scale audience experiences.
Josh D’Amaro discusses generational Disney fandom
During his first Upfront presentation as Disney CEO, Josh D’Amaro spoke about his connection to Disney dating back to childhood. Introduced on stage by Anne Hathaway, D’Amaro described Disney audiences as deeply connected across generations.
“Our audiences are the ones who have been showing up as generations,” D’Amaro said during the presentation. “Ours are the ones that are all in.”
The presentation included a strong emphasis on Disney’s largest entertainment brands, live events, sports programming, and experiential offerings across the company.
Disney also highlighted “Avatar: Fire and Ash” as the film prepares to debut on Disney+ June 24, 2026. The “Avatar” franchise already anchors ‘Pandora – The World of Avatar‘ at Walt Disney World, while Disney has also announced plans for a future “Avatar” destination at Disney California Adventure.
The presentation ties to Disney exploring closer connections between Disney+ and the Disney theme parks, cruises, gaming, and live entertainment under CEO Josh D’Amaro. Recent reports have described Disney+ as becoming a larger digital hub for the company’s entertainment ecosystem, potentially incorporating deeper integration with Disney Experiences offerings in the future.
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