Walt Disney World – AKA “The Most Magical Place on Earth” – is a theme park run by the Disney Company (founded by Walt Disney) in Orlando, FL. It is made up of Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. There are interesting shows, delicious food, and thrilling (as well as relaxing) rides to entertain both young and old visitors. When asked by reporters if Disneyland (the original Disney park) would ever be completed, Walt Disney responded that “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
In honor of Walt and his dream of progress, the Disney parks around the globe have continued to evolve and change. A huge exposition event hosted by the official Disney fan club, D23, happens every other year, as well as multiple smaller conventions that happen annually. The meetings are used to announce changes coming to the Disney Parks around the world. The big expo is scheduled for 2026, but many large and exciting announcements have been made for Walt Disney World. Here is what to expect in the future of “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”
Monstropolis Replacing Muppets Courtyard – Hollywood Studios
Say goodbye to Muppet Courtyard in Hollywood Studios, as Disney has announced it will be replaced by Monstropolis, a new themed area inspired by Monsters, Inc., that will feature a brand-new suspended roller coaster. Muppets Courtyard consisted of a 3D Muppet theatre show, a Rizzo the Rat Italian restaurant, and a gift shop. The new land will have a suspended roller coaster through the door vault of Monsters, Inc., a brand new theatre show, as well as places to shop and dine. No opening date has been announced, but be prepared for at least 2 years of construction.
The Muppets Takeover Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster – Hollywood Studios
Don’t be too sad about Monstropolis replacing Muppet Courtyard, because the Muppets aren’t going far! Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will now be Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets. This rebrand will be the first Disney ride to feature the Muppets and is speculated to keep the same track as the original, with a few changes to the plot and soundtrack. It will be opened to the public next summer, so get ready for a 57 mph ride with the Muppets!
Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Piston Peak – Magic Kingdom
Yet another classic Disney attraction will be lost to IP (Intellectual Property) integration. Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America are no longer open, closing to make way for the new attraction, Piston Peak, which will be themed after the 2006 movie Cars. The concept art suggests a major attraction (likely a variant of the Cars ride already in California Adventure) and heavy influence from national parks. Piston Peak should be open by 2027, but no set date has been released.
A Tropical Americas Meteor – Animal Kingdom
Dinosaur Land at Animal Kingdom is now extinct. It will be revamped into a Tropical Americas land called Pueblo Esperanza, which will join the Africa and Asia pavilions. This is one of the few new lands with announced attractions. It will feature an Encanto ride and an Indiana Jones ride. There are already multiple Indiana Jones attractions, but Disney has confirmed that it will be a different plot that is appropriately themed to Pueblo Esperanza. 2027 should be a huge year for new Disney experiences because Disney announced Pueblo Esperanza has a 2027 opening date!
“Who is the Most Misunderstood of All?” – Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios received an original show all about the Disney villains over the summer. The show features Captain Hook, Maleficent, and Cruella de Vil. A driving factor in the show’s current popularity is that the ending is decided by the audience. Each villain comes on stage, pitches how they are the most misunderstood villain, and the more cheers from the audience determines the winner. I was able to personally attend this show in July, and the best way to describe it is visually stunning, perfectly enticing, and a must-see!
It Just Got Tougher to be a Bug – Animal Kingdom
Fans of the 2016 film Zootopia will be overjoyed to learn that “It’s Tough to be a Bug” is being repurposed into the new Zootopia show “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” The new show will replace the old show’s theatre under the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom, which will feature an original plot with animatronics and on-screen characters. The opening date is fast approaching, because this new and exciting show will be open to visitors on November 7, 2025!
Mr. Disney is Back – Magic Kingdom
By late 2026, Walt Disney will be in Disney World! In Disneyland this year, a Walt Disney animatronic was unveiled for a show all about Walt for a celebration of Disneyland’s anniversary. A similar thing will be happening in Disney World soon, but the animatronic will be at the beginning of “The Carousel of Progress”, which is an original ride all about technological progress that Walt Disney himself worked on. He never made it to Disney World, as he died before he could visit the construction site or the finished product. Now he will get to be in Disney World all the time, even if he is only a robot.
Cinderella Castle Color Change – Magic Kingdom
A few years ago, in honor of Disney World’s 50th anniversary, Cinderella Castle was painted rose pink with blue and gold accents. However, it will return to the original colors of gray and cream, with blue and gold touches. This was the look of the castle on opening day in 1971. The change has no released or guessable timeline, but do not expect to see the pink of Disney World’s castle gone before 2026, as the holiday decorations will be up for a few more months.
Test Track is Finally Back – EPCOT
There have been multiple reincarnations of Test Track since it opened in 1999, but the newest version (affectionately called Test Track 3.0) opened on July 22 of this year. Fans love the new queue and the removal of the queue out front, though many have expressed sadness at the lack of the Chevrolet Design Studio. Riders used to be able to design a car while waiting to get on and then test it during the ride. Hopefully, this will be the final form of Test Track (although that seems unlikely).
Evil Has a New Home – Magic Kingdom
The largest announcement regarding Disney World is that Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America will also make way for a Villains-themed part of Magic Kingdom. It is safe to say that fans were ecstatic to hear this news, although it will be an IP-based attraction replacing a classic one. During D23 (where the land was originally announced), Josh D’Amaro, who is the chairman of Disney Experiences, revealed that there will be two major attractions, restaurants, and shops. The concept art shows a heavy amount of Maleficent-reminiscent architecture and a large dragon, which has led many to predict that one major attraction will be a Maleficent roller coaster. However, Maleficent is not the only villain with influence over the land. 12 others were confirmed to be inspiration for the land, a few being Yzma (from Emperor’s New Groove), Ursula (from The Little Mermaid), and Hades (from Hercules).
