Fans went wild when Disney first revealed a new theme park land focused on animated Villains would be coming to Walt Disney World in Florida. Beyond confirming the project was in development, though, Disney has been tight-lipped about what exactly this new Villains-themed land will be, until now.
Disney finally revealed the rides coming to the Villains’ theme park land, plus the land’s formal name and which bad guys will star in the story. We have the details for what might be the most anticipated Disney theme park project in years, including exclusive insight Imagineers shared with Mickey Visit. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Magic Kingdom’s massive new thrill ride and how to plan around a rare early closure date coming up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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Villains are Taking Over Magic Kingdom
A new land themed to Disney Villains is coming to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The land will partially take up a plot of land that previously belonged to a portion of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. The rest of the new land’s real estate will expand the park’s footprint into previously undeveloped property.
Disney first announced the project in 2024, when it shared the concept artwork above, which features a foreboding castle on a cliff, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty in her dragon form, and what seems to be roller coaster tracks disguised as thorny brambles. However, Disney didn’t formally announce any specific entity or attraction, leaving fans to imagine the possibilities from the artwork.
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Disney also kept the project’s official name elusive. At first, the company referred to it formally as Villains Land, then started calling it a Villains-themed land.
We now know the answers to all of these queries, as revealed at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 to an arena packed with Disney fans during the special Disney Experiences Showcase, Horizons: A Carousel of Progress, as well as during a smaller conversation Mickey Visit was invited to attend with Imagineers.
The official title of the Villains-themed land coming to Magic Kingdom is: Villains Land!
“We know that that’s probably what our guests are going to be calling it, so we like that,” said Caroline May, Walt Disney World Executive Creative Director, during the exclusive media presentation Mickey Visit attended. May also pointed out that the Villains Land name follows the precedent set by other sections of Magic Kingdom, like Adventureland and Fantasyland.
Villains Land will feature two new rides. Let’s explore both of them.
Maleficent Roller Coaster
A roller coaster starring Maleficent is coming to Villains Land at Magic Kingdom! This was implied in the 2024 concept art, but now it’s officially confirmed, along with this new concept art pictured above.
“You will encounter Maleficent herself as you chase through the enchanted briar, around her mountaintop fortress,” May said of the new attraction.
The ride will contain elements that Imagineers “haven’t done before in a Disney coaster.” In addition to the Maleficent coaster, one other ride will headline Villains Land.
Dark Ride Starring Evil Queen and Magic Mirror
A dark ride, a term used for indoor, usually slow-moving, storytelling-based rides, will be part of Villains Land at Magic Kingdom. The attraction will star the Evil Queen and the Magic Mirror from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
May described the attraction this way:
“You enter into the Evil Queen’s palace, where you will go deep down into the catacombs, where you will meet the man in the [Magic] Mirror, who will act as a host of sorts for your experience as he takes you into the Mirror Realm and conjures visions of your favorite Villains.”
Some of those Villains include:
- Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians
- Ursula from The Little Mermaid
- Jafar from Aladdin
- Scar from The Lion King
- Doctor Facilier from The Princess and the Frog
Note that these Villains are all antagonists from Walt Disney Animation Studios films. Villains from other areas of Disney, such as Pixar or live-action movies, are off the table.
Imagineers promised lots of practical effects and physical show sets for the Magic Mirror dark ride.
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The Story of Villains Land
As with any immersive theme park land of the modern era, the backstory plays a large role in Villains Land. Here, the backstory begins with questioning the mythology of a classic fairy tale trope: the wishing well.
“We always think of a wishing well as being this happy, positive thing, and that people are only making good wishes, especially within the context of Magic Kingdom,” explained May. “We wondered, ‘What happens when a mysterious stranger makes an evil wish in a wishing well? What happens if that wish corrupts the well, breaks it open, and fuses the forest with this poison magic?’”
In the story of Villains Land, classic Disney Villains hear about the poison magic and travel to the cursed land to craft their very own perfected evil lairs.
“In each one of these, the architecture reflects the personalities and characteristics of each of the Villains who owns it,” said May. “We know the Villains have high standards. They have impeccable taste. They’re very elegant and sophisticated, so we wanted to make sure that the architecture reflected that, as well.”
The Imagineers partnered with the artists of Walt Disney Animation Studios to create the story of Villains Land. May described the partnership as “foundational” to the project’s development.
Several spooky-looking “guardian trees,” as Imagineers call them, will welcome guests to Villains Land. Clay models of “early explorations” of the trees’ designs are on display on the D23 Show Floor. They evoke the terrifying forest Snow White runs through in her 1937 film to escape the Evil Queen.
Anticipation is through the roof for Villains Land. Imagineers are aware of fans’ excitement, and they’re aiming to deliver on that anticipation by leaning into what makes Disney Villains special.
“These are incredibly intriguing characters because they’re unashamed of who they are,” said May. “They don’t ask for permission. They’re really smart. They’re stylish. They’re funny. That gives us, as designers, the spirit of breaking the rules, too, especially when it comes to when we’re designing these experiences in the park.”
The Villains Land news is one of many Disney theme park announcements just revealed. Click here to see all the news revealed at D23 with our ongoing coverage!
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