“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
Those were the words of Walt Disney at the opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. Nearly 70 years later, Walt’s words are truer than ever as Disney Experiences has grown beyond the gates of Disneyland and into the hearts and minds of millions around the world.
On Saturday, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa® unveiled an unprecedented slate of projects including new attractions, lands, and more that demonstrate why Disney remains the undisputed leader and trailblazer of the experiences industry. The announcements showcase the ambitious vision for Experiences segment over the next decade.
“Only Disney can create the kind of timeless experiences that entertain and inspire people of all ages, across generations and geographies,” D’Amaro said. “At Disney Experiences, we invest in stories that stand the test of time and bring them to life in ways that surprise our guests and fans every day.”
Here are some of the exciting announcements that Disney Experiences revealed at D23 on Saturday:
Villains, Cars, and the Largest Expansion at Magic Kingdom Ever
The world’s most-visited theme park will be getting its largest land expansion ever with Disney’s iconic villains and its hit franchise Cars moving into the Magic Kingdom.
The expansion at Magic Kingdom — the keystone park of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida — will bring new and beloved stories to life as Disney Imagineers craft a land based on the wickedly wonderful Disney villains you just love to loathe. While more details are coming, this new land is underway with two new attractions planned as well as dining, shopping and more.
“Since the beginning, our Disney Villains have given us endless possibilities to tell new stories,” D’Amaro said. “In this new land, you’ll see storytelling on a grand scale that only Disney can deliver.”
Away from those vicious villains, Cars is also racing into the Magic Kingdom. In a reimagined section of Frontierland, guests will leave Radiator Springs behind and head off into the wilderness with two new Cars attractions — one that will be an off-road thrilling rally race, and a family-friendly attraction that even the youngest racers will love.
Cars is one of Disney’s most popular franchises, bringing in $1.4 billion at the global box office and inspiring the beloved Radiator Springs at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California.
“As we develop the next generation of Disney Experiences, we’re always looking for new ways to tell the stories people love,” D’Amaro said. “We’re thrilling Cars fans by building on this incredibly successful franchise and creating the next chapter in this story.”
Esperanza, Encanto, and the Exciting Adventures of Indiana Jones
Speaking of major expansions at Walt Disney World, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is also getting a new land, which will take guests on adventures in Tropical Americas.
Guests will enter the land through Pueblo Esperanza, a fictional village in heart of the rainforest that will feel lived-in, with a long, rich history.
On the outskirts of the town, an adventure awaits with pop culture’s most beloved archeologist, Indiana Jones. The attraction takes place inside a mysterious Maya temple and will be an all-new adventure, unlike any of the existing Indy attractions around the world.
The land will also feature a new attraction based on one of Disney’s most popular franchises, Encanto. The experience — which is the first ride-through attraction of the film for a Disney park — takes place inside Casita on the day after young Antonio receives his gift of communicating with animals.
“With Tropical Americas, we’re bringing huge projects to life for generations of fans,” D’Amaro noted. “This is the type of signature storytelling that our Disney Imagineers have been creating for 70 years.”
Tropical Americas is set to open in 2027.
Monsters, Inc. at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World is the home to attractions from some of cinema’s biggest blockbusters, such as Toy Story and Star Wars. Now, another popular film franchise is coming to life: Monsters, Inc.
The Pixar franchise is getting a new land, which will welcome guests to tour the Laugh Factory with an amazing new attraction that what will be the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney Park.
“The power of friendship and laughter is at the heart of so many Disney stories – especially Monsters, Inc,” D’Amaro said. “Now we’re giving fans a whole new way to experience this world in a Disney theme park and connect with the characters they love.”
Avengers and Avatar
New lands and attractions are also coming to Disneyland Resort.
On Saturday, D’Amaro announced that two new thrilling E-ticket Marvel-themed attractions are coming to Disney California Adventure. Avengers Campus will expand, doubling its current size to house the new attractions.
Marvel — which has already made more than $30 billion at the global box office — is not the only popular film brand that is coming Disneyland Resort.
Avatar — the innovative science fiction series that has brought in more than $5 billion at the global box office — will come to Disney California Adventure including an innovative new attraction that will bring all the action, the excitement, and the wonder of Avatar to life in a completely new and thrilling way.
The new destination is inspired by the second Avatar film, Avatar: The Way of Water, as well as the upcoming films.
For D’Amaro, the announcements at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event on Saturday are just the beginning of what Disney Experiences can do.
“Disney Experiences is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation,” he said. “With so many great Disney stories to tell, we’re excited to bring an unprecedented number of new projects to life in the near future.”
He continued, “Today we unveiled an extensive slate of new experiences that only Disney can deliver. Work is well under way on all of the new projects we announced, and fans will start to see them come to life in the near future.”