Embodiments are directed to displaying data items in a carousel display panel and to efficiently presenting virtualized data in a carousel display panel. In one example, a computer system accesses a list of data items that include at least a first data item and a last data item which are to be displayed in a carousel display panel. The computer system displays the selected portion of data items in the carousel display panel and receives a user input indicating that the last data item in the list is to be displayed in the carousel display panel. The computer system then rotates the data items displayed in the carousel display panel to the last data item. The last data item is thus displayed, along with at least a portion of a second-to-last data item and the first data item in the list.