UPDATED November 7, 2025

If you’ve been a Disney World fan for all of about five minutes, you probably know that the parks are constantly changing.

Not only that, but change can happen a lot more quickly than you might think. In the past five years, we’ve seen new attractions, restaurants, skip-the-line services, price increases, and more. With so much change happening in such a short period, it’s only a matter of time before we might look at Disney World and hardly even recognize it. We might not be able to see the future, but we can take a look at what the next five years look like for Disney World!

Magic Kingdom

A MAJOR expansion is in the works for Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World’s original theme park!

At the 2022 D23 Expo, Disney announced a “blue sky” project — “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” — that would potentially bring a NEW land (or possibly lands) to Magic Kingdom. Then, in April of 2024, Disney confirmed that the first steps had been taken to make this massive expansion a reality. And, in August 2024, Disney shared exactly what the expansion will entail!

So… what IS coming “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain”? Well, you may want to BEWARE… there is something wicked on the way to the park. In August 2024, Disney officially announced that Magic Kingdom is expanding the theme park with a brand new Villains Land! TWO major attractions, along with new dining and shopping experiences will be presented “on an incredibly twisted grand scale.”

Disney has not shared a timeline for the opening of Villains Land; however, the company has confirmed that preparation is already underway at Magic Kingdom. In April 2024, Disney had confirmed that permits were going to be filed for storm drainage and other foundational work. This means that work is officially happening NOW on this new land!

EXPLORE everything coming to Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land HERE!

Along with Villains Land, Disney announced another addition to Magic Kingdom: a Cars expansion coming to the park’s Frontierland. Guests can look forward to two NEW Cars attractions coming to an area of Frontierland that will ultimately become Piston Peak!

The areas that were Rivers of America (home to the Liberty Square Riverboat) and Tom Sawyer Island are being transformed into this brand-new land coming to the park. Though this area does not technically lie “beyond Big Thunder Mountain,” the massive new Villains-themed land, together with the Cars expansion will make up the largest expansion in the history of Disney World’s original theme park. 

To that end, the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Square Riverboat closed permanently on July 7th. You can see our coverage of the final day with these beloved classic attractions here.

EXPLORE everything coming to Cars-themed expansion — Piston Peak — HERE!

Smaller, but still significant, changes are also in the works for Magic Kingdom. For instance, Disney has announced that Cinderella Castle is being repainted back to its previous color scheme of blues, creams, and grays. A timeline for this transition is not yet known.

Additionally, after three decades, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland is getting a major update with an audio-animatronic figure of Walt Disney himself!

We recently saw the first-ever Walt Disney animatronic added to Disneyland Park for the new show, Walt Disney — A Magical Life. Now, Disney World will boast its own figure of Walt!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

A NEW LAND is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in 2027.  At the 2023 D23 Expo, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared that Disney would be “building on what makes Animal Kingdom so, so special” with a new area focused on the Tropical Americas! Then, in August 2024, Disney shared more details on what we can expect from from this new land, now officially named Pueblo Esperanza. 

Pueblo Esperanza will become home to two signature attractions — an Encanto ride featuring the Madrigal family and a new Indiana Jones adventure ride!

With this announcement, Disney also confirmed that what is now DinoLand, U.S.A. will become Pueblo Esperanza. 

While Pueblo Esperanza is expected to open in 2027, the transition of DinoLand is taking place in phases. To begin, the last day for TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures at Animal Kingdom was January 12th, 2025, and they are all permanently closed as of January 13th. Additionally, The Boneyard in DinoLand closed permanently on September 2nd, 2025.

Dino-Bite Snacks and Trilo-Bites both permanently closed on October 20th, 2025.

The remainder of DinoLand, however, will not close until February 2, 2026 (with the last day to experience the land being February 1, 2026). This includes the DINOSAUR attraction, the Dino Institute Shop, Restaurantosaurus, and Restaurantosaurus Lounge. 

EXPLORE everything coming to Pueblo Esperanza HERE!

It’s Tough to be a Bug!, which was presented inside Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life, has permanently closed (as of March 17th, 2025) to be replaced by a brand new show, Zootopia: Better Zoogether! 

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! opened on November 7th, 2025! Guests will see Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more characters from Disney Animation’s Zootopia in a production that Disney shares “will take guests on an adventure through different biomes seen in the film.” The all-new 4D show begins when you arrive at the main stage just in time for Zoogether Day festivities, where you’ll spot some new and familiar faces!

Learn more about the new Zootopia show — Zootopia: Better Zoogether!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is preparing to open a BRAND NEW THEMED LAND featuring those lovable monsters from MONSTERS, INC.! 

In August 2024, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro made the official announcement as he shared, “The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley. You’ll go into the factory and experience the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We’re doing that, too. And you’re going along for the ride.”

Monsters, Inc. Land will feature Disney’s VERY FIRST suspended coaster, which “will put you right in the middle of the monster action. Just be sure to fill out your paperwork! Roz is always watching…”

In November 2024, Disney confirmed the upcoming location of the new land. Monsters, Inc. land will be taking over the Grand Avenue south side of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This area also housed the Muppets Courtyard.

To that end, a phased closure of the Grand Avenue area began in May. Mama Melrose’s is officially closed as of May 11th. Then, Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo closed permanently on June 8th.

BUT this isn’t the end of The Muppets in Hollywood Studios. In fact, The Muppets will be moving to Sunset Boulevard and taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in the summer of 2026! The Muppets will be the star of the show on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and will be teaming up with some of “music’s biggest stars for a rockin’ music festival.” 

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will be “fueled by the tasty tunes of the Electric Mayhem and the high-speed hijinks of The muppets.” Disney has also confirmed that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will remain open through all of 2025.

Oh, and don’t you worry… if you’re feeling a teeny bit frightened about the presence of monsters in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, just remember the Monsters, Inc. motto: “We Scare Because WE CARE!”

EXPLORE the upcoming Monsters, Inc. Land HERE!

But would you believe that’s not all that’s in store for Hollywood Studios? Animation Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios closed permanently on September 25th to make way for a new addition to the park, which will open in 2026. This includes a permanent closure for Star Wars Launch Bay as well as a closure of Disney Jr. Play and Dance to make way for “a fresh Disney Jr. show,” according to Disney.

In fact, Disney has announced that the entire courtyard will be reimagined into The Walt Disney Studios. Star Wars: Launch Bay will be turning into “The Magic of Disney Animation,” which is inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios and will even feature Mickey’s famous Sorcerer Hat on top of the building. 

The new building will let you into the studio, “as the animators have temporarily stepped away,” and characters come to life and take over! This is heavily inspired by the Disney short “Once Upon A Studio” and will even have moments where portraits come to life. Disney even teased that ” you’ll even pencil in some time to learn how to draw your very own character sketch.” And there’s even more in store… 

Check out EVERYTHING there is to know about The Magic of Disney Animation and more new experiences coming to Hollywood Studios!

A NEW Disney World Resort Hotel

A NEW Disney Vacation Club Resort hotel will be opening in Disney World in 2027: Disney Lakeshore Lodge! Disney shares that the brand-new hotel is “inspired by the majesty of nature and its enduring influence on Disney artists.”

In 2019, Disney originally announced Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge Resort. Reflections had an expected opening date of 2022; however, construction was halted following the 2020 global health crisis. It was set to occupy the former home of Disney’s River Country water park near Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Disney Lakeshore Lodge will be constructed in that same location. 

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What do you think the next five years look like for Disney World? Let us know in the comments!