Disney has filed a patent for a new pop-up projection surface that can appear, change shape, show effects, and then vanish completely so guests never see the hardware.
Disney Patents Projection Surface
The patent application US 2026/0153748 A1, filed December 3, 2024, and published June 4, 2026, describes a new projection system that only exists when needed. The projection screen is made with flexible fabric stretched over rings. Actuators (motors) can then pull the fabric into shapes like a cone, funnel, or pyramid shape. Once the effect is done, the fabric can fold flat and disappear.
Projectors illuminate the surface from the outside, with internal lighting elements providing effects like strobe lights or shadows. The projection surface can be synchronized to a pre-programed show sequence, be interactive with guests (using cameras, microphones, and RFID readers – such as reacting to a guest’s MagicBand), as well as location-based, since it can be viewed from multiple angles.
The patent lists several scenarios where the technology could be used:
- A fountain or mountain rising
- A tornado forming and dropping to the ground
- A tree limb or plant growing
- A character’s arm reaching out from within the surface
Historically, large-scale effects on similar terrain use static projection surfaces that are visible to guests, potentially weakening the overall illusion.
Though there is no official link between this patent and a specific attraction, with upcoming lands like Piston Peak, Villains, Monstropolis, and Tropical Americas, we could see this patent being brought to life in many different ways.
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