Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL, has shared details of an expansion and new projects across its four theme parks, including Magic Kingdom Park.
The expansion of Magic Kingdom officially begins as permits are filed this week to start moving ground, starting with Frontierland. The Frontierland expansion will be themed around a new story inspired by Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars.” To make way for this new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race. The area will be home to two new “Cars” themed attractions taking guests into the wilderness beyond Radiator Springs. Guests can join some of their favorite characters, like Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen, for a rally race across the landscape, climbing mountain trails, dodging geysers and splashing through mudholes.
Guests will also be able to venture Beyond Big Thunder Mountain into a new section featuring Disney Villains. The multi-acre expansion will include two major attractions, plus dining and shopping.
Besides Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World also offers three more parks. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park will welcome guests to venture into the Tropical Americas with a new 11-acre land. Here, guests can visit Pueblo Esperanza, a town complete with a large fountain where villagers like to gather and tell stories. This town has an open-air market and a large hacienda, which will be one of the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World. The new land will also have three new attractions:
- A new adventure centered on Indiana Jones, which will take guests inside a Mayan temple
- The first-ever “Encanto” themed attraction where guests join the Madrigal family and explore their magical home
- A new carousel featuring intricate wood carvings of animals from Disney stories
Work on this project is set to begin in fall 2024, but guests will still have time to experience DINOSAUR. The new Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will open in 2027.
A new show based on “Zootopia” will make its debut in the Tree of Life theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom next winter. In “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” guests will have the chance to visit different biomes seen in the film, traveling along with fan favorites Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can explore the world of Pixar Animation Studios’ “Monsters, Inc.” in an expanded area. Guests will be able to stroll the streets of a “Monsters” themed area alongside some of their favorite characters. They will also have the chance to experience what it’s like to zoom through the door vault in the factory just like Mike and Sulley. The first-ever suspended coaster at a Disney park will put guests into the action as they race along for an adventure filled with laughs. Work on this project is slated to begin in 2025.
Walt Disney Imagineering is working together with Lucasfilm and Epic Games to create a new mission for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu. Guests visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can embark on new adventures aboard the iconic ship featuring the duo.
In summer 2025, Walt Disney World will debut a new nighttime parade, “Disney Starlight.” This parade will use the latest technology to tell new stories featuring favorites including Peter Pan, Anna and Elsa, and the magical Madrigal family.
Guests visiting EPCOT are in for an exciting ride when Test Track presented by Chevrolet opens in 2025. The queue will feature six exhibits showcasing technological advances and how guests’ relationships to mobility connect them to each other—from onboard technology to customization and personalization. Construction on this updated experience is already underway.
Walt Disney World will also introduce new lounges in 2025, including a new “Pirates of the Caribbean” themed tavern in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom; and Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.
More details on all of these new projects will be shared soon.
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