What are the new rides at Disney World? Walt Disney World is always growing and improving each year which means we can expect something new at the parks constantly. Whether it is a brand new attraction, a park celebration or improved areas there is always something new at Walt Disney World.
This year at Walt Disney World brings a highly anticipated new attraction along with the opening of other projects that have been in the works for the past few years.
Keep reading for new rides at Disney World in 2025, including details on current and major upcoming projects!
This article has been checked for accuracy for 2025 and updated with all currently available information.
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New Rides at Disney World
Recently, we got a huge update on new rides coming to Disney World via a big presentation on the future of the Disney theme parks at D23. With that update, we have a lot more clarity around what is expected at the parks.
Before we dive into all the details of what is opening at Walt Disney World, let's first look at the calendar of new Walt Disney World additions. These are all the dates we have now for what is new at Walt Disney World in 2025 and beyond.
Opening in 2025
- New Zootopia show coming to Tree of Life
- Reimagined Test Track
- New nighttime parade “Disney Starlight”
- Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge
- New lounge inspired by Spaceship Earth
- New villains show in Hollywood Studios
- Little Mermaid show in Hollywood Studios
Opening in 2026
- New mission featuring Mandalorian and Grogu coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Opening in 2027
- Tropical Americas land opening featuring Encanto and Indiana Jones
No Specific Date
- Magic Kingdom expansion introducing new Villains Land
- Two Cars rides coming to Magic Kingdom (work beginning in 2025)
- Monsters, Inc. Land coming to Disney Hollywood Studios (work beginning in 2025)
Recently Opened
- Magic Kingdom Park's TRON Lightcycle Run
- Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana
- Luminous: The Symphony of Us
- Hatbox Ghost added to Haunted Mansion
- EPCOT construction finished
- Tiana's Bayou Adventure
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree
Keep reading for specific details about new rides at Disney World!
Villains Show at Hollywood Studios
A new live show featuring favorite Disney villains will be coming to Sunset Showcase in Hollywood Studios. Sunset Showcase will be transformed into the “mysterious, reflective realm of the Magic Mirror” for this show that will feature appearances by dozens of villains. Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent will take the stage in live numbers.
The new show will debut in the summer of 2025. The announcement of the show came after the reveal that a Villains Land would be coming to Magic Kingdom, which you can read about below…
Beyond Big Thunder Mountain Expansion
A potential expansion behind Big Thunder Mountain was teased at the 2022 D23 Expo which began with the question, “Do you ever wonder what's behind Big Thunder Mountain?” In the D23 presentation, Imagineers and Disney Animation took viewers on a imagination journey (Sorry, Figment wasn't part of this one!) and discussed the possibilities that this space in Magic Kingdom could hold. Three clear land options were discussed such as a Villain's land, an area focused on Encanto, and the World of the Dead from Coco.
Now, at the most recent D23, Disney has confirmed that a Villains Land will be coming to Magic Kingdom. The new land will feature villains from favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios classic films. It will have two major attractions, dining, and shopping. “Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls,” Josh D'Amaro said. “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.”
See everything we know so far about this Villains Land at Magic Kingdom and our breakdown of the concept art Disney released.
We also then learned that another aspect of the expansion in this area will now be themed to…
Two New Cars Rides Coming to Magic Kingdom
A new area inspired by Cars will be coming to Magic Kingdom as part of a reimagined section of Frontierland which will be replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island.
The area will feature two new Cars-themed attractions. One will be a rally race through the mountains as you climb mountain trails, dodge geysers, and splash through mudholes, and the other will be a family-friendly attraction for younger kids. Work on this new part of Frontierland begins in early 2025.
CLICK HERE – See all the concept artwork for the new Cars attraction coming to Disney World
Little Mermaid Show in Hollywood Studios
The former “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” show in Hollywood Studios is being reimagined into “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.”
The show will feature new set pieces, cutting-edge effects, and a new design that “captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her.” It will include favorite songs like “Daughters of Triton,” “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl.”
The show's opening has been pushed back to the summer of 2025. You can read more details about the Little Mermaid show here!
Tropical Americas Land Featuring Encanto and Indiana Jones Coming to Animal Kingdom
Disney originally announced that DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom would be replaced by an area themed to the Tropical Americas, teasing that Indiana Jones and Encanto could be featured. Now, Disney has confirmed the presence of Indiana Jones and Encanto in this new land that will be called “Pueblo Esperanza.” See some of the details Disney has shared so far in our guide to the new Tropical Americas land that will open in 2027.
The land will feature two signature attractions. In the land's new Indiana Jones experience, Indy has gone to explore a Mayan temple after he hears rumors of a mythical creature within, and he brings us along for the journey.
The land will also be home to the first-ever Encanto-themed ride-through attraction. Guests will explore alongside Antonio, who inside the Casita has just received his special gift enabling him to communicate with animals and discovered his room transformed into a rainforest.
New Zootopia Show Coming to Tree of Life
Disney previously announced that a new Zootopia show would be coming to the Tree of Life Theater at Animal Kingdom with Zootopia characters and different biomes from the film. Disney shared that the show featuring Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more Zootopia friends will be called “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” It will open in the winter of 2025.
Reimagined Test Track
Test Track at EPCOT is undergoing a reimagining reaching back to the original World of Motion attraction for inspiration. The reimagined version of the ride will “celebrate today’s innovation while highlighting the past, present, and future.”
There will be new scenes added focusing on onboard technology, customization, and personalization, followed by a spin through the outdoors highlighting the joys of driving and the importance of soaking in the world around us and spending quality time with loved ones. Construction is underway, and Disney shared that the attraction will be opening in late summer of 2025. See more new details that were announced for the reimagined Test Track in our article!
New Nighttime Parade “Disney Starlight”
There will be a new nighttime parade coming to Magic Kingdom this summer called “Disney Starlight.” The new parade will continue the legacy started by “Main Street Electrical Parade” using the latest technology to highlight favorite characters. The Blue Fairy brings this to life with her magic, and the parade features characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios films like Peter Pan, Encanto, Frozen, and more.
Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge
Disney originally announced a new Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge coming to Magic Kingdom at Destination D23. This new space is where “bandits and buccaneers-to-be from every corner of the seven seas” will come together to toast a pirate's life. See everything we know so far about the Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge coming to Magic Kingdom. This lounge will open in 2025.
New Lounge Inspired by Spaceship Earth
There will also be a new lounge inspired by Spaceship Earth coming to EPCOT. The space will be “inspired by the stories, shapes, and enduring legacy of this timeless icon” and feature “rich textures and warm metallic tones.” See the concept art for this new addition above.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Getting New Mission Featuring Mandalorian and Grogu
The Lucasfilm team uses Epic’s Unreal Engine to make some of the virtual sets for The Mandalorian, and now as a product of the partnership between Disney and Epic Games, Epic's Unreal Engine will help to bring a new mission to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Star Wars creative executive Dave Filoni shared that the ride will enable guests to “fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions.” The new mission will debut in 2026, the same year that the new film The Mandalorian and Grogu comes to theaters.
Monsters, Inc. Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios
There will also be a new Monsters, Inc. Land coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios. This new Monsters, Inc. land picks up after the events of the film, where humans are invited to visit and monsters need laughter to keep the city running.
The Monsters, Inc. land will feature a new coaster that will enable guests to zoom through the building of the factory via a door! This will be the first-ever suspended coaster in a Disney park. Work on this new land is planned to begin in 2025.
Recently Opened Rides and Experiences at Disney World
See all of the new Disney World rides and experiences that recently opened below!
Tiana's Bayou Adventure Splash Mountain Retheme
Tiana's Bayou Adventure is the new ride theme for Splash Mountain inspired by “The Princess and the Frog.” The story of Tiana's Bayou Adventure begins after the film ends and focuses on a musical adventure to prepare for Princess Tiana and Louis's first Mardi Gras performance. The ride opened last year—see our review of Tiana's Bayou Adventure here.
EPCOT Construction Updates & Redesign
EPCOT's large redesign of the previous “Future World” came to a close last year. This large redesign has split the previous Future World into three different World neighborhoods.
Where Future World once stood, three new neighborhoods have been created: World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature. And of course, the original World Showcase remains unchanged by this project as the main focus has been a facelift of the previous Future World area of EPCOT.
World Celebration
In the new World Celebration area of Epcot is where the classic Spaceship Earth remains the park's icon. But the new additions to World Celebration include a move towards more open space plus a new outdoor music stage. World Celebration features a hub divided into different gardens with their own identities that'll change along with the festivals offered at EPCOT throughout the year. At night the gardens will light up and be enjoyed year round with different nighttime experiences that will change with the seasons.
Also new to the World Celebration area are the new CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza, a multi-use facility and outdoor event space. The CommuniCore Plaza is a place to host musical performances that can extend into the gardens to host small and large scale concerts.
CommuniCore Hall is an exhibition and gallery space that can be flexible to hosting a variety of experiences like art, live music and food for the various festivals offered at EPCOT throughout the year. Next to this hall is a new Mickey & Friends location for character meet and greets. This is a large expansion highly focused on creating more space to expand and enjoy the popular EPCOT festivals which is a good use of this space, in my opinion!
World Discovery
The World Discovery neighborhood is where the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction is which opened to rave reviews. This area also includes Test Track and Spaceship Earth plus the NEW Space 220 Restaurant. You can see what the hype is about in this new Space immersive-style restaurant in our Space 220 restaurant review.
World Nature
One of the most highly anticipated new attractions Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” recently opened and is located in the new World Nature neighborhood. This first-ever experience inspired by the film will let guests interact with magical, living water in a beautiful and inspiring setting. The other attractions considered part of World Nature include the entire Imagination, Land and Seas pavilion which are home to Soarin', Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Living with the Land, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
Walt Disney Statue Now at EPCOT
The new “Walt the Dreamer” statue has been placed in the area of World Celebration called Dreamers Point. There is a PhotoPass photographer stationed to take photos.
New Scentsy Experience at Magic Kingdom
A new interactive experience has come to Magic Kingdom presented by Scentsy. This new experience called “Smellephants on Parade” is a family-friendly search and sniff adventure in Storybook Circus. A Cast Member gives you a map of the land and sticker sheet, then you embark on a scavenger style hunt to find all these scratch-and-sniff locations in Storybook Circus. Fragrances include popcorn, churro, cotton candy, and more.
New Rides at Disney World- TRON Lightcycle/Run
TRON Lightcycle/Run recently opened in Magic Kingdom! This roller coaster takes you on a thrilling race across the Grid. TRON Lightcycle/Run is one of the fastest coasters at any Disney park and features a 0-59 mph launch!
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New Rides at Disney World- Moana Journey of Water
Another experience that's new at Disney is the Moana themed experience available now at EPCOT. Moana's Journey of Water is in the new World Nature Neighborhood in EPCOT (more about EPCOT construction updates further down in the article!) not far from Spaceship Earth. Journey of Water will seek to immerse guests in a lush environment focused around the cycle of water as guests interact and play with water.
The eye catching part of this experience is the 16 foot tall Te Fiti that you will encounter in this new Moana experience. Disney World construction updates early on were able to easily spot the top of Te Fiti from the monorail due to its sheer size! Read our full review in our Moana's Journey of Water guide.
New EPCOT Disney100 Nighttime Spectacular
Walt Disney World developed a brand new nighttime spectacular in honor of Disney's 100th anniversary celebration. Luminous: The Symphony of Us is now showing in EPCOT.
HatBox Ghost Now Appearing in Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion
The popular Hatbox Ghost, which was only featured in the Disneyland Haunted Mansion,has now been added to the Magic Kingdom Haunted Mansion. This was such a no brainer for an addition to one of the most popular attractions in both theme parks.
New Figment Meet and Greet
A Figment meet and greet first took place back in 1983 and he is now meeting guests again in EPCOT at the Imagination pavilion. If you don't know who Figment is (how dare you!) he's the small purple dragon that is in some ways the mascot of EPCOT. You can ride his attraction at the Imagination pavilion at EPCOT.
Happily Ever Fireworks Returned to Magic Kingdom
While not one of the new rides at Disney World, nighttime spectaculars are just as worthy of fanfare and excitement. Arguably one of the best fireworks shows at Walt Disney World, Happily Ever After, has returned to Magic Kingdom. Happily Ever After was replaced by Enchantment, a show created for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary.
Many guests are thrilled to see Happily Ever After return. Find out how to get the best fireworks spot in our Walt Disney World fireworks guide.
New Rides at Disney World- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
EPCOT is a must see park since it also is home to one of the best new rides at Disney World. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is the newest attraction at EPCOT and it's a must see for your visit. See what all the hype is about in our Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind tips and strategy guide.
New Toy Story Land Restaurant
A new restaurant is now open in Toy Story Land! Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. The story goes that Andy built this new restaurant to be a rodeo arena made out of his favorite games and play sets. Guests will feel like they've been shrunk down to the size of a toy themselves.
See our full review of the new Roundup Rodeo BBQ in our guide!
DuckTales World Showcase Adventure
Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure is available now at EPCOT!
This experience was originally announced in 2019 and described as using the Disney Parks app to take guests on a trip around World Showcase to discover exotic destinations, mysteries along with a few, thieves, villains and supernatural guardians of artifacts. Guests can join Scrooge McDuck, Donald, nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, Launchpad and Webby in search of priceless treasure around the World Showcase.
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Will the Electric Parade come back to Disney World?