Disney Unveils Largest Expansion Plans in History with New Lands and Attractions
Disney World has unveiled its largest expansion plans in history, featuring new lands and attractions that will transform the Orlando resort over the next few years. The announcements were made at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where fans eagerly took in major updates on movies, shows, attractions, and theme park expansions.
The new expansions include Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, which will feature a dark and twisted environment inspired by the beloved Disney villains. The land will include two major attractions: a Maleficent-themed coaster that races through her mountaintop fortress and enchanted briars, and a Magic Mirror dark ride that takes riders into a supernatural realm.
Another new area is Piston Peak, set within Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, which takes inspiration from the spirit of America's National Parks and the Cars franchise. The area will feature Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along, featuring a giant audio-animatronic of the demolition derby legend in Cars 3, as well as Cars Ridge Run Rally, an off-road racing experience up and down a snow-capped mountain and through a geyser field.
Disney's Animal Kingdom is also undergoing significant changes, with the transformation of DinoLand U.S.A. into a vibrant new region called Tropical Americas, set in the fictional village of Pueblo Esperanza. The area will feature El Carrusel de los Animalitos, a family-friendly carousel featuring 22 hand-carved animals inspired by Disney and Pixar stories.
Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent is another new attraction at Animal Kingdom, which will take riders into a hidden passage into a Mayan underworld guarded by a massive audio-animatronic mythical serpent named the Tsukán. The animatronic figures will be modeled by none other than Harrison Ford.
Monstropolis, an entirely new Monsters, Inc. land, is targeting a 2027 opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The area will introduce the world of monsters and feature new shopping and dining locations, including Harryhausen's with an animatronic sushi chef behind the counter.