Disney Villains, Pixar Cars areas coming to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
Disneyland and Walt Disney World are still not finished. According to Walt Disney himself, they are will never be.
So what’s in store for Disney’s Florida and California parks? A whole bunch of new attractions and experiences, according to the Horizons Disney Experiences Showcase on Saturday, part of Disney’s annual D23 expo. From new attractions to new lands to massive park expansions, here’s what’s in store for Disney’s Florida and California parks everything Disney announced on the weekend for Disney Parks and Cruises.
Villains land in Magic Kingdom
Roguelandwhich will honor all the classic villains from Disney films, is coming to the Magic Kingdom in Florida, and it will be “dark and thorny.”
Villains Land was announced two years ago at D23 and was confirmed Saturday. It will be located on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain — the edge of the current Magic Kingdom map — said Josh D’Amaro, president of Disney Experiences, and will extend up to where the Haunted Mansion is.
A chilling trailer for the chaotic land on Instagram refers to elements in the land representing Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Gaston, Yzma, Queen of Hearts, Hades, the Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, Captain Hook, Jafar, Kaa, Madam Mim, Cruella, Scar, King Magnifico, and Mother Gothel.
Villains Land will see two major attractions built, plus restaurants and shops “on an incredibly bizarre, grand scale.” Construction is already underway on the land, but it’s not yet known what will open.
Rivers of America is being transformed for Pixar’s Cars
The new Cars rally race ride.
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom are being repurposed to create a new area themed around Pixar’s Cars films. A Frontierland expansion that includes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is now getting a Route 66 companion.
“To make way for this all-new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast, rugged terrain for a rally race featuring some of the world’s most iconic drivers,” Disney said in a blog post Monday.
The rally race ride will take you through mountains, geysers and trails, Disney said, adding that there will also be a second Cars-themed attraction. Cars Land, which was added to Disney’s California Adventure in 2012, remains popular in the West, so it was only a matter of time before it was added in the East. Operations are set to begin next year.
Two More Avengers Attractions at Disneyland
The Avengers Infinity Defense attraction.
Disney’s California Adventure, which already houses the Spider-Man Web Slingers and Guardians of the Galaxy attractions in the Avengers Campus section of the park, is getting another two Marvel attractions.
Avengers Campus will double in size to make room for Avengers Infinity Defense, a King Thanos-themed attraction that will see you travel across the multiverse between Asgard, Wakanda and New York City to battle him. There’s also Stark Flight Lab, where you’ll sit in a two-person capsule and fly with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.
Construction of the Avengers Campus extensions will begin in 2025.
Monsters Inc. Lands in Hollywood Studios
Disney’s first suspended roller coaster takes you on a ride through the Monsters Inc. factory.
Disney World is getting a new addition to its Hollywood Studios theme park: a Monsters Inc. themed area,
Revealed alongside Mike Wazowski himself, Billy Crystal, the land lets you stroll through Monstropolis from the Pixar films. A new ride also takes you through the Monsters Inc. laugh factory aboard one of the doors to the human world — aka a hanging roller coaster.
“The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride one of those doors like Mike and Sulley,” D’Amaro said Saturday. “You go into the factory and experience the first floating roller coaster ever in a Disney park. Remember how those claws in the movie grab the doors and lift them up in the air to remove them? We do that too. And you’re along for the ride.”
Work on the Monsters Inc. site will begin in 2025.
Coco Ride at California Adventure
Concept art for the new Coco attraction.
Disney’s California Adventure isn’t just getting more Avengers, it’s getting more Pixar, too.
A Coco attraction will be built on an as-yet undisclosed part of the park, but it appears it will be a dark ride like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, filled with audio-animatronics.
“The attraction is filled with the characters – and music! – you know and love from the beloved film, as you join Miguel on his journey to the Land of the Dead,” Disney said.
Construction on the Coco attraction will begin in 2026, so it’s still a distant dream.
Avatar is coming to California
An aerial view of the Avatar themed area coming to Disneyland Resort.
The Pandora’s world is expanding from Disney World’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando to California Adventure in Anaheim. The California area will draw design inspiration from the second Avatar film, The Way of Water, and the upcoming Avatar sequels.
It will likely be part of Disneyland’s massive expansion into the theme parks that will expand the boundaries of Downtown Disney and nearby parking lots. While Disney was sparse on details and dates, the Avatar experience will be “dynamic, intense and emotional,” featuring a dark boat ride reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean “that takes guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora.”
Tropical America in Animal Kingdom
The Tropical Americas area replaces DinoLand USA and includes an Encanto ride, an Indiana Jones ride and a carousel.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World is replacing its DinoLand USA area with Tropical AmericaAlthough previously announced, Disney confirmed a few more details this weekend: Pueblo Esperanza will feel like you’re walking through a real village and will feature a huge fast food restaurant, a fountain and a merry-go-round.
Tropical Americas also features a new Indiana Jones ride through a Mayan temple and an Encanto-themed attraction where you explore Antonio’s rainforest room in the Casita.
Construction will begin this fall and open in 2027.
Four more Disney Cruise Line ships
Yes, four. In addition to the Disney Wish, which launched two years ago, the Disney Treasure, which is set to launch in December of this year, and the Disney Destiny, which is set to launch next year, Disney adds four more cruise ships to the range of seaside holidays.
The names of the ships and their destinations have not yet been announced, but they will depart between 2027 and 2031.
Everything else announced for Disney World and Disneyland
Mando and Grogu join in on the Millennium Falcon fun.
Disneyland’s Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open on November 15, with Critter Country being renamed “Bayou Country.” It will still feature the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, as well as Pooh Corner and “the newly reimagined Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree.” Two merchandise stores will also open, called Ray’s Berets and Louis’ Critter Club.
Disneyland and Hollywood Studios are adding the Mandalorian and Grogu missions to the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Epcot will open a “Reimagined Test Track” (still sponsored by Chevrolet) in 2025, celebrating “the past, present and future of automation.”
Animal Kingdom is replacing the old It’s Tough to be a Bug show at the Tree of Life with a Zootopia-themed show. Zootopia: Better Zoogether features Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde taking you through different areas of the city and is set to premiere next winter.
Magic Kingdom and Epcot are getting two new lounges: a Pirates Lounge and a Spaceship Earth Lounge, respectively. They will open in 2025.
Magic Kingdom will also get a new night parade in 2025.
Disneyland gets for the first time ever audio animatronic by Walt Disney himself, as part of a new show “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” at the Main Street Opera House in 2025.
