Walt Disney World is offering its clearest look yet at a sweeping slate of new attractions and expansions coming to its four Florida theme parks, including new
Walt Disney World is offering its clearest look yet at a sweeping slate of new attractions and expansions coming to its four Florida theme parks, including new details about Villains Land, a Cars-themed area, Monstropolis and the Tropical Americas.
Disney unveiled the updates Saturday during its Disney Experiences showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California. The company described the projects as the largest slate of expansions in Walt Disney World history.
Many of the projects were first announced at D23 in 2024. At the time, CBS12 reported Disney planned a Monsters, Inc.-themed land at Hollywood Studios, a Cars area in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom and an entire Magic Kingdom land devoted to Disney villains.
Here is what Disney says is now taking shape:
Magic Kingdom
One of the biggest additions is Villains Land, which Disney said will be comparable in scale to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
The land's story begins in a dark forest, where a twisted Wishing Well has been corrupted by an evil wish, spreading poisoned magic through the area. Villains including Cruella, the Evil Queen and Dr. Facilier then move in and establish their own lairs.
Villains Land is planned to include shopping, dining and two attractions. One will be a Maleficent-inspired roller coaster through a mountaintop fortress and enchanted briars. The other will be a dark ride hosted by the Magic Mirror and featuring an assortment of Disney villains.
Disney also revealed new details about Piston Peak, the Cars-inspired area coming to Frontierland.
One attraction, Cars Ridge Run Rally, will send riders racing over rugged terrain, including snow-capped Piston Peak and a geyser field that extends from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Disney says the ride will use a newly developed vehicle designed to rock, bump and drop like an off-road vehicle. A second attraction, Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along* will be geared toward younger guests.
CBS12 first reported in 2024 that Disney planned two Cars attractions in Frontierland, including an off-road rally-style ride and a family attraction.
Another longtime Magic Kingdom attraction is also getting a major update. The Carousel of Progress will add four new decades to its story along with a new scene featuring what Disney says will be its first Florida-based Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure. Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston will voice Sarah and John, the attraction's central family characters. The refurbishment is expected to debut in late spring 2027.
EPCOT
Disney says Spaceship Earth will receive its first update in nearly 20 years.
Imagineers plan to expand the attraction's storyline into the internet age and beyond while shifting its broader focus toward the theme of human connection.
The company also confirmed a new adventure featuring Figment and Dreamfinder, bringing Dreamfinder back to the Imagination pavilion after decades away.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Guests will begin entering Monstropolis, the new Monsters, Inc.-themed land, in 2027.
Disney says the land will include “Welcome to Monstropolis,” a stage show hosted by Mike and Sulley; a quick-service restaurant called Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza; the table-service Harryhausen’s restaurant; and a merchandise location called Scareporium.
A coaster inspired by the door vault sequence from “Monsters, Inc.” remains under construction. CBS12 reported when the project was announced in 2024 that it would become Disney's first suspended coaster.
The new land is replacing an area that included Muppet Vision 3D, which closed in June 2025 after 34 years at Hollywood Studios. CBS12 previously reported that Disney planned to redevelop the area for the Monsters, Inc. project.
Disney also announced a new connection between Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Fortnite. Beginning Aug. 16, guests who link their Disney and Epic Games accounts will be able to access a custom Smugglers Run adventure and a new Star Wars creative island called Smugglers Gambit in Fortnite.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
One of Animal Kingdom's most famous figures is also getting another chance to move.
Disney says the Yeti Audio-Animatronics figure inside Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountainb will “come back to life.”
The announcement was one of the biggest crowd reactions during Saturday's D23 presentation, according to Disney's event release.
Meanwhile, Disney released additional details about Tropical Americas, the land that will replace DinoLand U.S.A.
The area will include Pueblo Esperanza and El Carrusel de los Animalito, a carousel featuring 22 hand-carved animals inspired by Disney and Pixar stories.
An Encanto attraction, Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, will take guests inside the Madrigal family's Casita as Antonio celebrates his ability to communicate with animals. Disney says more than 50 animals will be represented throughout the attraction, with voice actors Stephanie Beatriz, Jessica Darrow and Diane Guerrero returning as Mirabel, Luisa and Isabela.
The land will also feature Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, an original attraction set inside a Maya temple. Disney says the ride's Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronics figures will be modeled after Harrison Ford — a first for a Disney attraction.
When Tropical Americas was announced in 2024 that the land would include both Indiana Jones and Encanto attractions and was expected to open in 2027.
The Walt Disney World projects were among a broader series of announcements made during the sold-out D23 showcase, which also included updates for Disneyland and Disney's international parks.
Disney did not announce opening dates for every project Saturday, but several of the additions are expected to begin welcoming guests in 2027 as construction continues across the resort.
