Disney Teases S.E.A. Coming to Matterhorn, Maybe.

During the 2026 D23 Expo, it was promised that the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.) would explore a new frontier: the Imagineering Pavilion. In the lead-up to the event, Disney hyped up that S.E.A. was working with W.D.I. on a special appearance. We had hoped and assumed that would result in Lord Henry Mystic and Albert appearing on stage, or even coming to Walt Disney World or Disneyland as walk-around characters. At least as of right now, that does not appear to be the case.

Let’s start with basic background about the Walt Disney Imagineering booth at this year’s D23 event in Anaheim. This is the largest pavilion that WDI has ever done, and wow does it show. It’s basically model mania with something for everything currently under construction, highlighted by the massive Piston Peak National Park model. There’s also space for presentations and a whole lot more.

I’m live on the ground at the 2026 D23 Expo (if you see me, please say hello!) and I’ve spent about 75% of my time at the Imagineering: Horizons pavilion. Between poring over these models to spot new-to-me details and watching the presentations on the Tom Morrow-land Terrace Stage, most of my weekend is accounted for. One of my must-dos at this stage was the “Inside Look at the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.”

Earlier this week, Walt Disney Imagineering teased the following about that particular panel:

S.E.A. is collaborating with Walt Disney Imagineering to show the world more about the organization. In particular, S.E.A. wants to share more about the adventurers who demonstrate an insatiable curiosity for the world’s mysteries who make up their organization. While there’s no shortage of secrets across history and even in your everyday life, they might (emphasis on might!) discuss some enigmas which even eluded the Society.

And keep this private, but S.E.A. has a new, well, “newly rediscovered” artifact ready for the presentation! For the past three months, an S.E.A. archivist has been cataloguing all the artifacts in the Society’s collection. They’ve re-discovered incredible pieces of S.E.A. history, such as intricate Greek amphoras from Lord Henry Mystic or “acquired” sarcophagi courtesy of Harrison Hightower III.

One crate unearthed from the archives, unopened for at least a century, is making its way to D23. But, the surprise is…neither Imagineering or S.E.A. has any clue what’s inside! It’s just one of S.E.A.’s enigmas, like what the Voynich manuscript really says or what exact books were lost in the Burning of the Library of Alexandria. So, the Society is eager to reveal a piece of S.E.A. and share the spirit of discovery together with you!

If you’re curious about what the artifact is, or you just want to learn more about S.E.A., then stop by the Society’s D23 presentation, “An Inside Look at the Society of Explorers and Adventurers,” on August 14th!

Now here’s what actually happened:

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the amazing… the colossal… the stupendous… the ninth wonder of the world… the inside of empty crate! pic.twitter.com/8p8Shpaj1Q

— Disney Tourist Blog (@DisTouristBlog) August 14, 2026

In case you don’t have ~3 minutes to watch all of that, the moral of the story is that after much build-up, a Jungle Cruise skipper opened the crate, and the newly-rediscovered artifact was missing! A note left inside dares D23 attendees to recover it.

Prior to that, the presentation was mostly basic background about the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. One odd thing that myself and a couple of other friends clocked was that Matterhorn was treated as if it’s already part of S.E.A., and was featured on two different slides covering the locations of the secret society. But I don’t think Matterhorn has actually been incorporated into the S.E.A. lore–unless it’s in the script for the Disney+ series that hasn’t happened, and that’s somehow canon?

There was one other offhand remark during the presentation that hinted at the Matterhorn being a cool place for S.E.A., suggesting maybe this was meant to be a tease or clue? I’m not really sure. It would’ve worked better that way if there were subtle references in the presentation and not, ya know, actual slides treating the Matterhorn as a current outpost for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

In any case, we’re expecting a crate or two with the S.E.A. logo and an existing member’s name to show up inside the Matterhorn Bobsleds over the weekend, along with an answer to this mystery. It’ll be interesting to see whether S.E.A. leads to Matterhorn getting another refurbishment and reimagining, or if this is just easily-added story lore. Our guess is the latter, but stay tuned for more!

Society of Explorers & Adventurers Background

For the uninitiated, the Society of Explorers and Adventurers is devoted to, well, adventure and exploration! S.E.A.’s mission is to reveal truths, right wrongs, and live to tell the tale. You might’ve heard of their original motto, “Exploratio continua” in Latin or “continued exploration” in English. In the modern day, that saying is coupled with “wonder, explore, and discover.”

That also means the Society is always looking for the next blood-rushing, exciting adventure to embark on! From mounting expeditions into the unknown to chronicling the explorations of other adventurers, S.E.A. is proud to protect the artistic achievements of human society. Society members climbed the highest mountain peaks, rowed through the world’s longest rivers, and built countless imaginative inventions that expanded the organization’s ability to explore.

With humble beginnings dating as far back as the 1500s, S.E.A. was founded by a distinguished body of mariners, scientists, inventors, and artists. The Society traces its origins back to the mythic Fortress Exploration; its earliest known headquarters. Here, early explorers exchanged information about daring adventures, new inventions, and shared their collective knowledge for innovation for all.

Since then, S.E.A. remained a hub of ingenuity and discovery, passionately dedicated to exploring what is not yet understood. To accomplish this, members meticulously document their long history—from finding lost artifacts to retracing the steps of their adventurer alumni—and embark on modern expeditions to under-researched locations. Or, to put it simply: they identify, conserve, and curate the world’s unknowns around us. After all, a mystery is only the catalyst to adventure!

 S.E.A. Members

Do the names of Mary Oceaneer, Dr. Albert Falls, or Lord Henry Mystic sound familiar? If you’ve heard of them, then you’ve almost certainly heard of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

In keeping with the Society’s traditions, their modern-day members are more than adventurers. Members are academics, artists, athletes, and everyone in-between. In fact, most of their members are proud interdisciplinarians.

For example, Imagineering is in contact with a particularly enthusiastic archivist, who takes care of S.E.A.’s massive collection of artifacts as a part-time historian, part-time curator, and full-time explorer. Or, for a historical example, Society member Camellia Falco was an avid aviator who invented her own devices to further humanity’s understanding of flight as well as embark on new adventures throughout the sky.

In fact, traces of S.E.A. members can be found all over the world and across history. You might’ve seen Dr. Falls’ map of the world’s rivers or Lord Mystic’s manor of various historical curiosities. For eagle-eyed readers, you might’ve even spotted oars with their members’ names and notable expeditions engraved on them! At their core, all Society members possess natural curiosity and an unbreakable desire for adventure.

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Your Thoughts

What do you think of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers? Hoping that S.E.A. is added to Matterhorn, or that the surprise discovery and subsequent mystery concerns something else? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!