Disney World will change like never Before: All the new Things Coming to the Orlando Parks 2027
Disney revealed a new slate of projects for Walt Disney World that includes entire areas dedicated to villains, Cars, Monsters Inc. and the Americas, plus new Indiana Jones and Encanto attractions.
Walt Disney World is entering a period of change that could significantly alter the experience for those who travel to Orlando in the coming years. It's not just about updating some attractions: Disney is preparing new themed lands, roller coasters, restaurants, and experiences that will affect its four main parks.
The company revealed new details during the Disney Experiences showcase held at D23 on August 15, 2026. Among the projects are some particularly ambitious ones: Villains Land and Piston Peak at Magic Kingdom, Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom , in addition to major renovations at EPCOT.
For those planning a trip to Disney World in 2027 or later, these announcements matter for a practical reason. Depending on when you travel , you may find the parks considerably different from what they are now, and, during construction, certain areas undergoing significant transformation.Travel and transport
What you will find in this article:
- Disney World's new attractions will change all four parks
- Villains Land will be one of the biggest changes in the history of Magic Kingdom
- A Maleficent-themed roller coaster will be a highlight of Villains Land
- Cars will have its own land within Magic Kingdom
- Magic Kingdom will incorporate a Walt Disney figure
- EPCOT to renovate Spaceship Earth after nearly two decades
- Figment will reunite with Dreamfinder
- Monstropolis will open a new chapter for Hollywood Studios
- The Monsters Inc. roller coaster will be one of the park's biggest attractions.
- Star Wars will blend the physical park with Fortnite
- Animal Kingdom is preparing a huge transformation with Tropical Americas
- Encanto will have a family attraction at Animal Kingdom
- Indiana Jones will have a new adventure exclusive to Disney World
- The Yeti from Expedition Everest will move again
- Is it worth waiting to travel to Disney World?
- What to keep in mind if you're going to Disney World in 2026 or 2027
- Frequently Asked Questions about the new attractions at Disney World
- What new attractions will open at Disney World in 2027?
- When does Villains Land open at Magic Kingdom?
- Where will Encanto's new attraction be located?
- Will there be a new Indiana Jones attraction at Disney World?
- Will Cars have a new attraction at Disney World?
Disney World's new attractions will change all four parks
The magnitude of the announcements is best understood when you look at the big picture. Disney will not concentrate its investment in a single park.
Magic Kingdom will receive two major expansions and changes to one of its historic attractions . EPCOT will renovate Spaceship Earth and bring back a beloved figure from the park's longtime fans. Hollywood Studios will have a complete Monsters Inc. land, while Animal Kingdom is moving forward with a transformation especially important for Latin American visitors: a land inspired by South America, Central America, and Mexico.
Disney describes this process as the most ambitious expansion project in the history of Walt Disney World.
And there's another interesting change: many of the new attractions aren't just about riding a single ride. The trend is to build entire areas where architecture, restaurants, shops, characters, and rides all come together to form a cohesive whole.
Villains Land will be one of the biggest changes in the history of Magic Kingdom
This is probably the project that will generate the most curiosity. Disney will finally bring its villains to their own land within Magic Kingdom. Villains Land will be on a scale comparable to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge , which gives a sense of the project's magnitude.
The story begins when visitors leave the safe path and enter a dark forest. There they will find a Wishing Well—the traditional wishing well—corrupted by dark magic. Cruella, the Evil Queen, and Dr. Facilier will be among the characters who inhabit this territory. But the real draw will be its attractions.
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A Maleficent-themed roller coaster will be a highlight of Villains Land
Villains Land will have two major attractions . The most intense will be a roller coaster inspired by Maleficent. The ride will take you through a fortress perched atop a mountain and a landscape covered in enchanted brambles.
The second attraction will be a dark ride guided by the Magic Mirror , featuring various Disney villains. It won't just be an area with rides. Disney confirmed that the land will also have restaurants and shops, following the model of immersive areas like Galaxy's Edge.
For a family deciding when to return to Disney World, Villains Land may become one of the strongest arguments for waiting for this new stage of Magic Kingdom.
Cars will have its own land within Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom will also expand into Frontierland with Piston Peak , a new area based on Cars.
The concept is quite different from Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. Here, Disney will blend Pixar characters and vehicles with landscapes inspired by U.S. national parks.
The result will be a kind of mountainous terrain where cars will travel along roads, peaks, past geysers, and over rugged ground. There will be two attractions.
Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along will be family-oriented and will feature the enormous school bus from Cars 3. The most ambitious experience will be Cars Ridge Run Rally , a race through Piston Peak that will traverse snow-capped summits and a geyser field visually connected to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad environment.
Disney says the vehicles will have a new design capable of shaking, bouncing, and descending like off-road vehicles on extreme terrain. This suggests a very different experience from traditional Cars attractions.
Magic Kingdom will incorporate a Walt Disney figure
One of the most symbolic changes will occur at Carousel of Progress , one of the attractions with the strongest historical ties to Walt Disney.
The experience will be revamped with four new decades and an additional scene. But the change that will likely generate the most attention is another: Disney will incorporate the first Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure developed in Florida .
The renewal is scheduled to begin in late spring of 2027. In addition, Sarah and John, the main characters in Carousel of Progress, will be voiced by Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston.
EPCOT to renovate Spaceship Earth after nearly two decades
The enormous sphere at EPCOT isn't going away, but the experience inside is getting a major upgrade. Disney announced the first major renovation of Spaceship Earth in nearly 20 years .
The attraction will continue to revolve around one of EPCOT's historic concepts—communication and connection between people—but will extend its narrative into the digital age and the future. It's a delicate move because Spaceship Earth isn't just another attraction: it's one of the most recognizable visual symbols in all of Walt Disney World.
Figment will reunite with Dreamfinder
Another announcement is aimed directly at those familiar with EPCOT's history. Dreamfinder will return alongside Figment in a new adventure connected to the Imagination pavilion. The character was part of the original Journey Into Imagination experience , which opened in the 1980s, and his return has been requested by park fans for years.
There are still important details to be revealed about what this new experience will be like, so it's important to differentiate between what has been confirmed and what Disney has not yet explained.
Monstropolis will open a new chapter for Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios will also have a brand-new land. Monstropolis , inspired by Monsters, Inc. , will begin welcoming visitors with various experiences in 2027. The idea is that humans will finally be able to enter the city of monsters.
One of the first experiences will be Welcome to Monstropolis , a show starring Mike and Sulley at the Glob Theater. The land will also offer a considerable range of dining options.
Archie's Scare Pig Pizza will recreate the college atmosphere of Monsters University , while Harryhausen's will bring the restaurant from Monsters, Inc. to the park . The latter will even include an Audio-Animatronics sushi chef. There will also be a shop called Scareporium .
The Monsters Inc. roller coaster will be one of the park's biggest attractions.
Monstropolis' most anticipated project remains its roller coaster, originally announced in 2024 and currently under development. Disney is promoting it as the first suspended roller coaster in a Disney park .
That makes it one of the new attractions that could most significantly alter the balance of Hollywood Studios, a park where attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Tower of Terror and Slinky Dog Dash concentrate a large part of the demand.
The show, restaurants, and store are planned for 2027. The documentation released by Disney does not specify an opening date for the roller coaster in this announcement.
Star Wars will blend the physical park with Fortnite
Another new project from Hollywood Studios even breaks the line between a physical attraction and a video game. Disney and Epic Games developed an integration between Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Fortnite .
Visitors will be able to link their Disney and Epic Games accounts to access a new personalized adventure within the attraction and, simultaneously, the Star Wars Smugglers Gambit creative island within Fortnite.
Unlike many of the big projects announced, this new feature is immediate: the experiences are available from August 16, 2026 at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Animal Kingdom is preparing a huge transformation with Tropical Americas
One of the biggest changes is coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Tropical Americas will be an approximately 11-acre land inspired by the landscapes, cultures, and stories of South America, Central America, and Mexico.
Its core will be Pueblo Esperanza , a fictional community surrounded by nature.
The choice is of particular interest to the Latin American public because Disney will bring cultural and environmental references from this part of the continent to the park, although integrated within a fictional territory and the stories of its films.
Encanto will have a family attraction at Animal Kingdom
One of the main characters in Tropical Americas will be the Madrigal family. Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto will allow viewers to enter Casita's world and join in the celebration of Antonio's gift for communicating with animals.
It will be an attraction with no height restrictions , which is important for families traveling with young children. Disney has announced that more than 50 animals related to the Encanto universe will appear , and that several original voice actors from the film will return, including Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel, Jessica Darrow as Luisa, and Diane Guerrero as Isabela.
Pueblo Esperanza will also have The Little Animal Carousel , with 22 carved animals inspired by Disney and Pixar stories.
Indiana Jones will have a new adventure exclusive to Disney World
Tropical Americas' most intense offering will be Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent . And there's an important difference compared to other Indiana Jones attractions: it won't simply be a copy of an existing experience.
Disney is preparing an original story in which Indiana Jones enters a dry cenote inside a Mayan temple in search of a passage to the underworld. There he will encounter the Tsukán , a gigantic serpentine creature from regional mythology, which Disney will recreate using large-scale Audio-Animatronics.
The attraction will also mark another milestone: according to Disney, it will be the first of its attractions anywhere in the world with Audio-Animatronic figures of Indiana Jones modeled directly after Harrison Ford .
The Yeti from Expedition Everest will move again
Among so many new projects, one piece of news has emerged that may seem minor, but is especially significant for those familiar with Animal Kingdom. Disney announced that the enormous Yeti Audio-Animatronics from Expedition Everest will be brought back to life .
The figure was originally conceived as one of the most impressive technological elements of the roller coaster, but for years it has functioned in a limited way and is usually seen through lighting effects.Geographic reference
Its restoration will return to Expedition Everest some of the experience for which it was originally designed.
Is it worth waiting to travel to Disney World?
The answer depends a lot on your situation.
If this is your first trip to Orlando, waiting several years just to experience all these projects probably doesn't make much sense. The four parks already offer enough attractions to justify a full trip, and besides, Disney World is constantly evolving: when one project is finished, another usually begins.Travel and transport
The decision changes if you've already visited the parks and are thinking of returning. In that case, 2027 starts to look like a particularly interesting year , because Disney has confirmed Tropical Americas and a significant part of Monstropolis will be open by then, in addition to changes to Carousel of Progress.
Villains Land and Piston Peak represent even bigger projects, but it's not advisable to plan a trip around them until Disney announces specific opening dates.
That's probably the most important piece of advice for planning: differentiate between an advertised attraction, an attraction under construction, and an attraction with an official opening date.
What to keep in mind if you're going to Disney World in 2026 or 2027
Large expansions have an inevitable downside: construction work.
If you travel while these projects are underway, some areas may have modified routes, construction walls, or attractions temporarily closed. This doesn't necessarily mean you should postpone your trip, but it is worth checking the official schedule a few weeks before visiting the parks. It will also be important to decide which park warrants more time.Travel and transport
Animal Kingdom, which traditionally could be explored more easily in a single day than Magic Kingdom, may require a different strategy once Tropical Americas is fully operational. Something similar could happen with Hollywood Studios when Monstropolis adds new attractions and restaurants.
Disney isn't just adding rides; it's altering the distribution of experiences within the parks. And that will ultimately change how people plan a trip to Walt Disney World.
Frequently Asked Questions about the new attractions at Disney World
What new attractions will open at Disney World in 2027?
Disney announced Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom and various Monstropolis experiences at Hollywood Studios for 2027. The Carousel of Progress is also slated for renovation starting in late spring 2027. Specific dates may vary depending on the project.
When does Villains Land open at Magic Kingdom?
Disney confirmed Villains Land and revealed details of its two attractions, restaurants and shops, but in the information released on August 15, 2026, it did not establish a specific opening date.
Where will Encanto's new attraction be located?
Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto will be located within Tropical Americas, the newest land at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It will be a family-friendly attraction with no height restrictions.
Will there be a new Indiana Jones attraction at Disney World?
Yes. Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent is coming to Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom and will feature an original story set around a Mayan temple and a cenote.
Will Cars have a new attraction at Disney World?
Yes. Piston Peak is coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom and will feature two attractions: Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along and Cars Ridge Run Rally.
