Walt Disney World has released their lineup of new attractions and entertainment opening in 2025! There are many upcoming projects we have been eagerly awaiting on this list along with information on when some attractions will close to make room for new offerings.
This list helps you prepare for your Walt Disney World trip for 2025 if any of these new attractions are at the top of your list so you can see when things are opening.
Let's get into all the 2025 new Walt Disney World project timelines, along with our commentary, on how these timelines are laid out.
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Should You Visit Disney World in 2025?
Most of the new entertainment coming to Walt Disney World in 2025 will be ready to go by summer with a new parade and two new shows at Hollywood Studios. The other lineup of new offerings include two themed lounges at the start and end of the year along with a new entertainment option at Animal Kingdom in time for the holiday season.
In terms of new attractions, the only new ride we will see open at Walt Disney World in 2025 is the reimagining of the Test Track attraction. While technically a new offering, it's not necessarily a new ride, just a retheming of an existing attraction. Since the opening date of Test Track is pushed out to the end of summer, this makes a trip to Walt Disney World around that timeline to be the most desirable so you can see the new entertainment offerings along with Test Track. You can read through our Walt Disney World crowd calendar to see which dates have the best crowd ratings as you plan your trip.
It does appear to be a slow year at Walt Disney World with new offerings but this is also because the parks are gearing up to begin building all the promised new offerings that were revealed at D23 in August 2024 which included more information on the Tropical Americas land at Animal Kingdom and the new Magic Kingdom expansion with Villains Land. This appears to be the calm before the storm so to speak and this year is a good time to visit if you want to experience the parks before construction really takes off.
We also can't ignore the brand new third gate theme park opening at Universal Orlando in May 2025. Epic Universe is the first major theme park we've seen open in the Orlando area since the late '90s with the opening of Animal Kingdom and Islands of Adventure. This is going to be a huge draw for guests and something they can easily combine with a few days at Walt Disney World to enjoy the new entertainment options that should be ready for the start of the summer. The addition of Epic Universe should be a case of a rising tide lifts all boats. Many guests who come for Epic Universe will also then end up visiting Disney World.
Below the new Disney World offerings are organized in the order in which they will debut in 2025.
Spaceship Earth Lounge Offers Fireworks View
Spaceship Earth Lounge pays tribute to the iconic “golfball” visual of EPCOT and will open in late spring. This elegant lounge will honor the history of Spaceship Earth and EPCOT with “breathtaking views” of the park from an “entirely new angle.” The lounge provides views of the World Celebration Gardens along with a new perspective of the nightly fireworks. The lounge also offers a new themed menu!
This is a great addition to EPCOT and is sure to be popular because of that fireworks view. This is the first new offering opening next year.
Disney Villains Show Debuting at Hollywood Studios
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is the brand new show coming to Hollywood Studios this summer. This show begins with the wicked mirror from Snow White summoning the villains which will include Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent live on stage. The show also has teased a few more “favorite villains” through the magical mirrors.
The concept art we've seen for the new show seen features iconic Disney Animation villains like Jafar, Hades, Scar, and more. This show replaced Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy which closed in October 2024.
Little Mermaid Stage Show Returns
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“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” reopens this summer at Hollywood Studios with new sets, puppets, live performers, and visuals. The show also will include two new musical numbers added to the show, “Daughters of Triton” and “Kiss the Girl.”
Both of these new shows will greatly expand the entertainment offerings at Hollywood Studio this summer which might take some of the pressure off the attractions in the park which are some of the most popular at the resort. More offerings at Hollywood Studios helps space out the crowds in the park which make touring the park far easier in the morning and using Lightning Lane.
Hopefully both of these shows open around the same time this summer to maximize the offerings for that time of year, since many of the other new experiences are coming “later” this summer.
Highly Anticipated Nighttime Parade Timeline
The new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom, “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away,” will be ready in time for summer at Walt Disney World. This new nighttime parade will combine nostalgic Disney characters from “Pinocchio” and “Peter Pan” along with new favorite characters from “Encanto,” “Frozen,” “Moana,” and more.
Walt Disney World guests have long lamented the absence of a nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom and are often envious of Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade's consistent return and retirement so this parade is a big deal amongst Disney adults! This means the confirmed lineup of new offerings ready for the start of summer includes the Spaceship Earth Lounge, the shows at Hollywood Studios and this new nighttime parade.
Test Track Return Timeline Revealed
One of the most highly anticipated projects in 2025 is the reopening of Test Track at EPCOT with a brand new theme. The attraction will now be inspired by the original World of Motion ride including six exhibits with each one focused on different vehicles and the people who created them. New show scenes are being added showcasing technological advances and how our lifestyles and relationships to mobility connect everyone.
Probably one of the most disappointing reveals today is how this opening timeline is much later than we expected with the attraction being ready to return in late summer. We assumed initially the ride would be ready in early summer to open alongside the other new offerings coming to Walt Disney World to promote the summer season. It is likely Walt Disney Imagineering just needs more time to finish up the work and since this is such a beloved ride for many, I'd rather they take their time than rush it along. It also likely means that there are actually some substantial changes being made to the scenes within the ride.
Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern
The Pirates of the Caribbean inspired tavern will open in Magic Kingdom in late 2025. This new lounge is located in Adventureland just near the attraction and will be open to guests of all ages. One of the more exciting aspects of the lounge is the return of the popular Barker Bird animatronic, often referred to as “Peg-Leg Pete.” The Barker Bird was an animatronic bird that originally was featured outside the attraction and it would shout lines at guests before they entered the ride.
Since the timeline says late 2025, I anticipate this lounge will open in the fall after the summer season. I am disappointed to see how far out in 2025 this timeline is consider how long Disney has been working on this new space but that seems to be a pretty consistent theme of this lineup, we aren't seeing many offerings ready before summer next year.
Animal Kingdom's New Zootopia Show
“Zootopia: Better Zoogether” is the new show replacing the It's Tough to Be a Bug attraction inside the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom. This new 4D production will open in winter 2025 and feature Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and more for this “wild adventure” that kids will likely have a stronger connection with than the prior attraction.
Another Year of… DINOSAUR?
One of the most highly anticipated projects we know is coming to Disneyland is the brand new Tropical Americas land which will replace Dinoland with new Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions. In this announcement, Walt Disney World revealed that guests will have another year to visit DINOSAUR before the ride closes.
This is the most disappointing news we received with this timeline in my opinion since this guarantees the work on the Indiana Jones portion of Tropical Americas isn't likely going to get moving at a strong pace until next year. I personally wish Disney would just start the year with closing DINOSAUR to make room for the new Indiana Jones attraction rather than draw out the inevitable.
Disney After Hours Return Confirmed
The popular Disney After Hours ticketed events will return at Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Magic Kingdom next year.
These After Hours events take place after the theme parks close for the day and offer access to the parks with minimal wait times along with free snacks like ice cream, popcorn, and refreshments.
Disney World Water Park Perk Starting
Next year will also be the start of the new Walt Disney World water park perk. When guests check into their Disney World resort hotel, they can enjoy admission to a water park on their arrival day which is included for free as a part of the hotel stay.
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