Walt Disney World is set to embark on the most ambitious expansion in its 53-year history. At a weekend fan expo, Disney announced expansion plans for all four Walt Disney World parks. In Magic Kingdom alone, a villains-themed land is in development, and two attractions based on the popular Pixar film franchise Cars are also underway. Read on to discover more about the thrilling details of this historic expansion, including upcoming and ongoing expansion projects at the other three Walt Disney World parks namely Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Epcot.
Magic Kingdom to Add Villains Land, ‘Cars’ Attractions, and New Parade
The yet-to-be-titled Villains Land at Magic Kingdom will “be home to the villains that you know and those that you loathe, which means happily ever after … it may feel like just a distant dream,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairperson of Disney Experiences, during Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Saturday, August 10.
The Villains Land will house two new attractions and dining and shopping areas on an “incredibly twisted grand scale,” said D’Amaro. “Since the beginning, our Disney Villains have given us endless possibilities to tell new stories. In this new land, you’ll see storytelling on a grand scale that only Disney can deliver,” the top exec added.
While details on the two attractions inside the Villains Land are yet to be revealed, WDW Magic pointed out that the single piece of concept art released for the upcoming land shows what looks very much like a rollercoaster track, themed to Maleficent Dragon.
“Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls,” D’Amaro further teased of the Villains Land. “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.”
Elsewhere at Magic Kingdom, two Cars attractions will be added to the park’s Frontierland. “We’re leaving Radiator Springs behind and we’re heading off to the wilderness,” D’Amaro said. One of the Cars rides will be a race rally across the frontier, while the other will be geared to small children. Construction on both Cars attractions will start in 2025.
“This is going to bring some new energy to Frontierland,” said D’Amaro who added that the Cars attractions will delve into “what it means to explore the American wilderness.”
Magic Kingdom will also introduce a new nighttime parade called Disney Starlight. Set to debut next summer, the new parade will be led by the Blue Fairy and include characters from movies like Encanto, Frozen, Peter Pan, and others.
It was also revealed at the fan event that the previously announced pirate-themed tavern for Magic Kingdom will open in 2025.
‘Monsters, Inc.’ Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be the home of the new Monsters, Inc. Land, which will feature the first-ever Disney Parks suspended roller coaster that will tour through the park’s laugh factory. The construction of the attraction will begin next year, D’Amaro said.
Elsewhere at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will get a new story connected to the theatrical release of the 2026 movie The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Expansion Update
Also on Saturday’s fan event, D’Amaro gave updates on the previously announced expansion plans for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which will soon become the home to attractions inspired by the movies Encanto and Indiana Jones.
Construction on the replacement attractions for Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland will kick off this fall. All of those attractions are expected to open in 2027 and will be collectively known as the Tropical Americas area.
The Indiana Jones attraction, set to replace the current Dinosaur ride, will feature a completely original story unlike any other Indy ride at Disney parks. As Bruce Vaughn, chief creative officer at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained, “It takes place in an ancient Mayan temple that Indy has recently discovered, and he’s heard rumors about a mythical creature that lives deep within this temple.”
Guests will journey from Discovery Island into the new Tropical Americas land, where they’ll discover the charming town of Pueblo Esperanza, home to the Encanto attraction. Vaughn elaborated, “In the ride based in the animated house of the Madrigal family, Antonio has just received his special gift — the ability to communicate with animals — and his room has transformed into a rainforest.”
In other Disney’s Animal Kingdom developments, the Zootopia: Better Zoogether show in the Tree of Life Theater at Animal Kingdom will arrive in the winter of 2025.
New Development at Epcot
At the fan event, it was announced that the revised version of Test Track will debut at Epcot in 2025. A Spaceship Earth lounge is also planned for the park for next year.
While the time frame for all these expansions at Walt Disney World is a bit loose, D’Amaro told the audience at the fan event that these plans were not in the blue-sky category. “Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving,” he said. “I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’re going to hear tonight.”