All the HUGE New Disney World Theme Park New Rides & Expansions Just Announced at D23

Last weekend Disney held the Ultimate Disney Fan Event and during the Disney Experiences Showcase revealed huge expansion plans for Disney Parks around the world. The most impressive plans are Magic Kingdom followed by the other parks at Walt Disney World.

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro blew us all away with the shocking revelation of a Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom along with other surprising announcements like Disney Cars and Monsters Inc rides all coming to Walt Disney World.

Let’s get into all the news released for Walt Disney World including details on the new Villains Land, Disney Cars attractions, Monsters Inc land, Tropical America details plus other timelines revealed for existing projects. And of course, what is being replaced at Magic Kingdom that took many of us by surprise…

Fan Favorite Villains Land Idea Becomes Reality

Disney fans have been dreaming of this possibility for years! The expansion that has been teased called “Beyond Big Thunder” has been revealed to be a new Disney Villains Land that will be home to the Disney Villains from favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios classic films.

Disney shared that the possibilities are “endless” for all these villains and the multitude of stories that can be told. Visitors that come to the “dark and thorny land” should be prepared for “whatever chaos might come their way.” Villains Land will be home to two major attractions, dining, and shopping.

Construction as already begun on Villains Land for Magic Kingdom but no specific timeline was shared.

Disney Cars Coming to Magic Kingdom

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Disney Cars is coming to Magic Kingdom's Frontierland with the goal of incorporating the American West. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared that “The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on the horizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and striving toward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from the country, a princess from the bayou … or a racecar from the big city.”

One attraction will be a thrill ride as guests race through the mountains through wild terrain across a landscape of mountain trails, geysers, and mudholes. The second attraction is built especially for smaller guests and is meant for the whole family.

Disney Removing Rivers of America for Cars Rides

Disney surprised us all by announcing that the new Cars area coming to Magic Kingdom will be replacing Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island in Frontierland. This new space is a move away from the American west to the American wilderness as the new land will feature “vast and rugged terrains” with the main attraction featuring a race through “mountains, climbing trails, and dodging geysers.”

This change is not a welcome one for many Disney fans as the Rivers of America have a strong grip on the nostalgia for many of us. But to be logical about this, when was the last time Tom Sawyer's Island was truly crowded? I can't even think of a time I ever saw more than few people there. But what I will miss more is the visual aesthetic of what the river brings to this space. I hope that they still use this space to emphasize some of the natural beauty of the area which is one of the most unique thing about the Disney Parks. Disney Imagineering knows the nostalgic hold the Rivers of America has on many of us so they likely understand the pressure to make sure this transformation impresses us all.

Disney shared that guests will have “plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today” before construction begins in early 2025.

Monsters Land Coming with Long Rumored Door Coaster

One of the most exciting announcements from D23 is the addition of a Monsters, Inc. land coming to Hollywood Studios. The land is set after the events of the film and humans have now been invited to visit the world of Monsters, Inc to help power the city with laughter. Guests will be able to visit the factory and “zoom through the building” like Sulley and Mike via a door in a new coaster. Guests will go into the factory and experience this first ever suspended coaster in a Disney Park.

Guests have been wanting a Monsters, Inc. door coaster since the movie first came out and there have been rumors swirling for years that never came to fruition. This announcement was very welcome news since this has been a long anticipated fan wish. It isn't clear yet where Monsters, Inc. land will fit within Hollywood Studios which makes us worried about the fate of MuppetVision 3D and that entire area. I hope that Disney will instead choose to build in empty, underused space rather than removing classic attractions.

Construction will begin for Monsters, Inc. land in 2025. Here's hoping our Muppets area we remain intact!

New Indiana Jones Ride Offers New Story for Animal Kingdom

Disney has previously announced that DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom is being reimagined into a land inspired by the Tropical Americas. We already had a strong idea Indiana Jones would take over DINOSAUR and now this has been confirmed at D23.

This new Indiana Jones attraction won't be a replica of existing Indiana Jones attractions and instead will tell its own story of Indiana Jones discovering a Mayan temple to find a mythical creature inside.

The Tropical Americas themed land in Animal Kingdom will open in 2027.

First Ever Encanto Attraction Planned for Tropical Americas

Along with Indiana Jones, a new Encanto themed-ride through attraction will be a part of the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom featuring the Madrigal family as guests travel inside the magical house from the films called the Casita. Once guests enter the Casita, they will follow the storyline of Antonio receiving his special gift of the ability to communicate with animals.

Guests will follow Antonio as his room transforms into a rainforest and will take off to explore with him as the ride features other members of the Madrigal family.

The Tropical Americas themed land in Animal Kingdom will open in 2027.

First Night Time Parade at Walt Disney World in Years

Walt Disney World hasn't had a regular non-party exclusive nighttime parade in years and it's something we've wished would return to the parks to help create a stronger presence of nighttime entertainment.

Our wishes were answered and Disney has announced that Magic Kingdom is getting a new nighttime parade called Disney Starlight. The concept art depicts popular classic and new characters from Peter Pan, Wendy, Blue Fairy to the Encanto characters on a brightly colored parade float.

Disney Starlight will debut at Walt Disney World in summer 2025.

Test Track Reimagining Details and Opening Date

Test Track in EPCOT is in the process of a reimagining to change the ride to “celebrate today’s innovation while highlighting the past, present, and future.” Disney announced more details about this process and we learned that the ride will now have six different exhibits in the queue with each room celebrating the vehicles and the people behind them “that push the envelope and help get people to our next chapter in our motion journey.”

New scenes are being added to the ride featuring technological advances and focusing on how our relationships to mobility connect everyone. Guests will experience scenes with onboard technology, customization, and personalization as they travel through a scenic outdoor route focused on the joys of driving, the world around us, and spending quality times with loved ones.

Construction is underway on Test Track and the reimagined ride will be opening in 2025.

Disney Relaunching Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Ride With New Storyline

In conjunction with “The Mandalorian and Grogu” movie coming to theaters in 2026, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will get a brand-new story with a new mission coming to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. This new story will feature the Mandolorian and Grogu and completely reboot the original storyline of the ride.

Guests will be able to experience what it's like to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on a thrilling and dangerous missions.

The new Mandalorian and Grogu mission will debut in 2026 along with the new film.

Pirates and EPCOT Themed Lounges Plus New Zootopia Show

Disney also revealed the opening date for two new lounge spaces coming to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. The Pirates of the Caribbean and Spaceship Earth lounges will both open in 2025.

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Over at Animal Kingdom, the opening date for the Zootopia themed show, “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!”, will open next winter 2025. The show will take audience on an adventure through the different biomes of the film. Disney described the new show as “filled with humor and action, taking you into some of the different biomes you see in the film and some you have yet to see yet.”

Historic Expansions Planned for Magic Kingdom

Disneyland also received a number of significant announcements this past weekend including a new Coco ride and details of the upcoming Avatar themed land. But even all that news about upcoming projects for Disneyland doesn't compare to the historic expansions planned at Walt Disney World.

The addition of Villains Land as part of the “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” project will greatly add a significant amount of space to Magic Kingdom. While we don't have all the details quite yet, the concept art provides a strong visual to how large this expansion will be if it stays true to this initial vision.

While the addition of Cars isn't an expansion, the replacement of Rivers of America with this space will make the area of Magic Kingdom feel far larger. Rivers of America takes up a significant amount of real estate in Magic Kingdom, most of which isn't walkable or usable beyond Tom Sawyer's Island or experiencing a ride on the Liberty Belle Riverboat. This transformation will create more space naturally which in turn will make the theme park feel larger to the average guests.

Disney Reimagines Outdated Areas in Other Parks

Over at Animal Kingdom, the Tropical Americas project to replace DinoLand U.S.A. is a welcome one, I don't know many guests that are lamenting the loss of that area although I know some fans are disappointed to see DINOSAUR replaced with Indiana Jones. This is another example of space that is underutilized and once it's redone into Tropical Americas this will provide another strong area of the park that will become a draw for guests. Perhaps this will also lead to an extension of longer hours at Animal Kingdom!

As for the Monsters Inc. land at Hollywood Studios, I am nervous to see it potentially replace MuppetsVision 3D and I join the many other cries of Disney fans online that are urging Disney to find another space to add this addition. We need to use all the available real estate at Walt Disney World to really expand these parks, not replace beloved attractions. Let's hope that Monsters Inc. will come to Animation Courtyard and the Muppets will get to live on.

Disney delivered on big news at their Ultimate Disney Fan convention, D23, and this was a solid response to Universal Orlando opening their brand new theme park, Epic Universe, next year. While these projects from Disney won't be complete for a few years, Villains Land does not have a set timeline at all, it's good to see action and construction updates set in stone for the other announced expansions and additions.

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