By Katie McGonagle in Anaheim
Disney has announced plans for four new cruise ships, a Lion King-themed area at Disneyland Paris and the largest-ever expansion of Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida during a star-studded fan event in California.
The Florida resort will debut a new Villains Land celebrating favourite Disney villains through the years, along with the brand’s first suspended coaster and two new attractions based on Pixar movie Cars.
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They were among six themed ‘lands’ and 14 new attractions revealed at the biannual D23 event in Anaheim, which also saw performances from celebrities including Rita Ora, Meghan Trainor, Billy Crystal, John Stamos, Plain White T’s, Darren Criss and American Idol winner Abi Carter.
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, said: “Everything we announced [at D23] is moving – we’re actually doing this. Dirt is moving in some cases, plans are already drawn, these things will come out of the ground and surprise and delight our guests in incredible ways.
“At Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, we will have our biggest expansion ever in 50-plus years at that park, with the addition of Villains and Cars lands.
“At [Hollywood] Studios, we’re introducing a Monsters, Inc. land with a coaster like we’ve never seen before. At Animal Kingdom we’re completely redoing DinoLand and bringing in fan favourite franchises like Encanto and Indiana Jones.”
He added: “This is storytelling on a grand scale.”
Disney Cruise Line’s fleet is set to expand with four ships joining between 2027 and 2031, bringing the fleet to 13 in total. They will follow the launch of Disney Treasure in December 2024 and Disney Destiny in 2025, the latter featuring onboard shows based on Hercules and Frozen.
D’Amaro added: “These ships are so powerful from a storytelling perspective and we’re actually going to be able to bring these Disney stories around the world, so I am incredibly excited by what we’re doing from a cruise perspective.”
At Disneyland Paris, it was revealed that the new World of Frozen in the ‘reimagined’ Disney Adventure World (the new name for Walt Disney Studios Park) will open in 2026. A revamped meet-and-greet will see Anna and Elsa perform real ‘magic’ for youngsters, plus a new nighttime show will feature Disney and Pixar characters projected on Sleeping Beauty Castle. Paris will also gain an area themed on The Lion King, with a Pride Rock water attraction telling the story of Simba’s journey from cub to king.
At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Magic Kingdom’s new ViIlains Land is already under construction, while two new Cars attractions – an off-road rally ride that sees guests splashing through mud holes, and a second gentler ride aimed at younger racers – will revamp Frontierland, with construction to begin in early 2025. There will also be a new nighttime parade featuring characters from Peter Pan, Frozen and Encanto.
Over at Florida’s Hollywood Studios, the new Monsters, Inc. coaster is set to start construction next year, while an 11-acre Tropical Americas area at fellow Orlando park Animal Kingdom will include the brand’s first Encanto-themed attraction – a journey through the Casita Madrigal – and an Indiana Jones adventure through an ancient Maya temple, when it opens in 2027.
The Anaheim parks – which mark their 70th anniversary in 2025 – will also gain several new attractions. Disney California Adventure will feature the company’s first ride based on popular film Coco, along with a new Avatar experience that designers say introduces a new location in the world of Pandora, following the success of Florida’s Avatar attraction. The Avengers Campus at Disneyland Park will double in size with a new Avengers Infinity Defense attraction and the Stark Flight Lab.
Disney also revealed “aggressive” expansion into digital development, including character tie-ins with popular video game Fortnite.