“Disneyland will never end,” Walt Disney once said. “It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination in the world.”
And with Disneyland set to celebrate its 70th year in 2025, there’s plenty of new growth on the way — both at the original Disney park and its 53-year-old counterpart in Florida.
So what’s coming after Disneyland and Walt Disney World? A ton of new rides and experiences, according to the Horizons Disney Experiences Showcase, part of Disney’s D23 expo last weekend, and information Disney has released since then. From new rides to new lands to major park expansions, here’s everything new announced for Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line.
Visitors land in the Magic Kingdom
Villains Land, which will celebrate all the classic villains from Disney movies, is coming to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida, and it’s going to be “dark and spiky.”
Villains Land was teased during D23 two years ago and now it’s confirmed. It will be positioned on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain — or, the edge of the current Magic Kingdom map — Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro said, and will extend around where the Haunted Mansion is.
Two major attractions will be built in Villains Land, as well as dining and shopping “on a massively warped scale”. The land is already under construction, but there is still no information on when it will open.
A creepy trailer for Chaotic Earth on Instagram hints at elements on earth representing Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Gaston, Yzma, Queen of Hearts, Hades, Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, Captain Hook, Jafar, Kaa, Lady Mim, Cruella, Scar, King Magnifico and Mother Gothel.
Rivers of America is being transformed for Pixar’s Cars
The new journey of car rally racing.
Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom are being reimagined to introduce a new area themed around Pixar’s Cars movies. This expansion of Frontierland, which currently includes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attractions, will see it get a Route 66 companion.
“To pave the way for this all-new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast, rugged terrain for a rally race featuring some of the world’s most iconic racers,” Disney said in a post on blog on monday.
The rally race ride will take you through mountains, geysers and trails, Disney said, adding that there will also be a second “Cars” themed attraction. Cars Land, which was added to Disney’s California Adventure in 2012, remains popular in the west, so it was only a matter of time before it was added in the east. Work is expected to start next year.
Two more Avengers rides at Disneyland
Avengers Infinity Defense Journey.
Disney’s California Adventure, already home to the Spider-Man Web Slingers and Guardians of the Galaxy attractions in the Avengers Campus area of ​​the park, is getting two more Marvel attractions.
The Avengers campus will double in size to make room for Avengers Infinity Defense — a journey with King Thanos where you’ll travel the multiverse between Asgard, Wakanda and New York City to fight him — and the Stark Flight Lab, where sit in a two-person pod and go on a flight with Robert Downey Jr. like Iron Man.
Construction begins in 2025 on Avengers campus additions.
Monsters Inc. Land at Hollywood Studios
Disney’s first hanging roller coaster will take you on a ride through the Monsters Inc. factory.
Disney World is getting another new addition to its Hollywood Studios theme park: a Monsters Inc.-themed area.
Discovered together with Mike Wazowski himself, Billy Crystal, the land will let you walk through Monstropolis from the Pixar movies. A new ride will also take you through the Monsters Inc. Laughter Factory. aboard one of the doors of the human world — known as a hanging coaster.
“The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was get in one of those doors like Mike and Sulley,” D’Amaro said Saturday. “You’re going to go to the factory and experience the first ever hanging roller coaster at a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and lift them up in the air to take them off? We’re doing that too . And you’re going along for the ride.”
Working on the land of Monsters Inc. will start in 2025.
Check this out: Disney Parks Announcements at D23
Coco Ride on California Adventure
Concept art for the new Coco ride.
Disney’s California adventure isn’t just getting more Avengers — it’s also getting more Pixar.
A Coco attraction will be built in an area of ​​the park that has yet to be announced, but it looks like it will be a dark ride like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, complete with audio animatronics.
“The attraction will be filled with characters — and music! — you know and love from the beloved film as you join Miguel on a journey to the land of the dead,” says Disney.
Work on the Coco ride begins in 2026, so it’s still a distant dream.
Avatar comes to California
An aerial view of the Avatar-themed area coming to the Disneyland Resort.
The world of Pandora is expanding from Disney World’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando to California Adventure in Anaheim. The California area will take its design inspiration from the second Avatar film, Water Street, as well as future Avatar sequels.
It’s likely part of Disneyland’s major expansion coming to the theme parks that will cross boundaries beyond Downtown Disney and nearby parking lots. While Disney was tight-lipped on details and dates, the Avatar experience will be “dynamic, intense and emotional,” with a dark Pirates of the Caribbean-like boat ride “taking guests to the high seas of Pandora.”
Tropical Americas in the Animal Kingdom
The Tropical America area will replace DinoLand USA and will feature an Encanto ride, an Indiana Jones ride and a carousel.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World is replacing its DinoLand area in the US with Tropical Americas. While this was previously announced, Disney confirmed a few more details this weekend: Pueblo Esperanza will feel like you’re walking through a real village and will have a large quick-service dining area, a fountain and a carousel.
Tropical Americas will also have a new Indiana Jones ride through a Mayan temple and an Encanto-themed attraction where you’ll explore Antonio’s rainforest room inside the Casita.
Construction begins this fall and will open in 2027.
Four other Disney Cruise Line ships
Yes, four. In addition to Disney Wish, which launched two years ago, Disney Treasure, which launches in December of this year, and Disney Destiny, which will launch next year, Disney is adding four more cruise ships to its line of vacation in the ocean.
The names and destinations of the ships have not yet been revealed, but they will sail between 2027 and 2031.
Everything else announced for Disney World and Disneyland
Mando and Grog are joining the Millennium Falcon fun.
Disneyland’s Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens Nov. 15, with Critter Country returning to Bayou Country. It still includes many of the adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Davy Crockett’s Canoe Explorer, as well as Pooh Corner and the newly re-imagined Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree. Two merchandise stores called Ray’s Berets and Louis’ Critter Club will also open.
Disneyland and Hollywood Studios will add the Mandalorian and Grogu missions to the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Epcot will open a “Test Track Reimagined” (still sponsored by Chevrolet) in 2025, which will celebrate “the past, present and future of automation.”
Animal Kingdom will replace its old It’s Tough to be a Bug show inside the Tree of Life with a Zootopia-themed show. Zootopia: Better Zoogether will feature Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde taking you through several different areas of the city and will open next winter.
Magic Kingdom and Epcot are getting two new lounges: a Pirates lounge and a Spaceship Earth lounge, respectively. They will open in 2025.
Magic Kingdom will also get a new nighttime parade in 2025.
Disneyland is getting the first-ever audio-animatronic of Walt Disney himself as part of a new “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” show inside the Main Street Opera House in 2025.