As Walt Disney once said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” And after the D23 Expo, the company is showing it hasn’t completed its plans to grow its parks.
The convention was held in Anaheim over the weekend with the company announcing several rides, full new lands and new experiences coming to the theme parks over the next few years.
As part of the “Horizons: D23 Disney Experiences Showcase” on Saturday, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro pulled back the curtain on what is on the drawing board at Disney Imagineering, the creative forces behind the theme park development.
D’Amaro explained that these are not “Blue Sky” projects, meaning that they were only ideas, instead they are already in phases of development to become reality.
“At Disney Experiences, Imagineers dream, create, design and build these stories into real places. And we have Imagineers in place right now all around the world because everything we’re going to share with you is in active development. Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’ve heard here tonight.”
Here are some of the highlights:
Walt Disney World, Florida
Villians’ land was one of the most anticipated announcements. There will be an entire land dedicated to the villains that give literal teeth to the fairy tales told by Disney movies.
“Once upon a nightmare… A place where poison apples are aplenty and magic potions can ruin your whole day. For all those things hiding in the shadows, it’s time to join them as we lift the veil on a forthcoming Villains Land at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World,” the company said.
The villains land will be “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” the company said.
Sticking in the Magic Kingdom, “Cars” attractions are being added to the part of the park known as Frontierland as the area is “reimagined.”
“The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on the horizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and striving toward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from the country, a princess from the bayou … or a racecar from the big city,” D’Amaro said.
The area will not be themed to Radiator Springs as the Disneyland California Adventure version “because it’s time to leave the pit stop and head west into exciting new frontiers.” The area will have two new “Cars” attractions driving into the Wild West portion of the park with one racing through the mountains and a second smaller area designed for smaller kids.
“To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers,” the company said.
The turnaround to the area which is between Big Thunder Mountain and the Haunted Mansion is expected to start next year, WFTV reported.
Moving over to Hollywood Studios, a new Monsters, Inc. land will be coming with construction also slated to start next year. The voice of Mike Wazowski, Billy Crystal took the stage with D’Amaro to tell fans about “plans to build a living, breathing, and not-at-all-scary “Monsters, Inc.” inspired area where you’ll be able to stroll the streets alongside some of your favorite monsters.”
The land will include a roller coaster through the “factory” zooming along with the doors that allowed the monsters to collect screams then laughs from children.
The dinosaurs at Animal Kingdom will soon be extinct, making way for the Tropical Americas land and Pueblo Esperanza with new rides including an “Indiana Jones” ride in the space now occupied by the Dinosaur ride. Fans of “Encanto” and the Magridal family will be welcomed into Casita. There will also be a “giant working carousel featuring” a woodcarver’s favorite Disney animals and a large hacenda that will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants on the Walt Disney World property.
For a complete rundown of more new experiences, visit WFTV.com.
Disneyland, California
Walt’s original park in Anaheim, California is also getting some new rides and experiences.
The biggest change coming to the park is at California Adventure with the addition of an Avatar-themed land. The area will not be based on the original “Avatar’ movie like the Animal Kingdom land. Instead, it will focus on “Avatar: The Way of Water” and upcoming films in the series, the company said.
“This new and thrilling excursion will bring all the action, excitement, and wonder of Avatar, taking guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora,” Ali Rubinstein said during the presentation on Saturday. Rubinstein is the Executive of Global Managment-Creative Development for Walt Disney Imagineering.
Avengers Campus in California Adventure will also be expanding with not one but two new rides -- Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab. The lab’s ride system has already been previewed by Robert Downey Jr. who will reprise his role as Tony Stark for the new ride. Downey was recently announced as the new Doctor Doom in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The park will also have the first ride based on the movie “Coco”
“The attraction will be filled with the characters — and music! — you know and love from the beloved movie, as you join Miguel on a trip to the land of the dead,” the company said. It will be inspired of such classic rides as “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Haunted Mansion” with the latest Audio-Animatronics technology.
Finally, Walt Disney is returning to the park he built, not being thawed from cryogenic, but instead in the form of an Audio-Animatronicc. It wil be the first time the company’s namesake will be in robotic form. He appeared as a hologram for the Disney 100 exhibition that has been touring the globe.
“Walt Disney - A Magical Life” will debut in 2025 and will share the Main Street Opera House in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
Cruise Line and other parks
The Disney Cruise Line fleet is growing. There are currently five ships in the fleet with four already in various phases of building. The company announced that another four ships are on the horizon bringing the total number of cruise ships to 13.
More Avengers experiences are coming to Shanghai Disneyland Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland. You can read more about those here.
Disneyland Paris is going to have a new Lion King flume ride and a section of the Adventure World portion of the park, complete with dining, shopping and character greetings.
Also in Paris, Disney Adventure World will have a new Frozen addition that will be “defrosting in 2026.”
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