BREAKING: Disney Villains Land Confirmed for Magic Kingdom

Disney has confirmed that the biggest Magic Kingdom expansion in history will include a Disney Villains land.

Disney Villains Land

Fantasy landscape with rocky terrain, futuristic city, waterfalls, glowing structures, dark castle on a peak akin to Disney villains' lairs, birds in the sky, and a perched crow in the foreground.

Once upon a nightmare… A place where poison apples are aplenty and magic potions can ruin your whole day. For all those things hiding in the shadows, it’s time to join them as we lift the veil on a forthcoming Villains Land at Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World Resort.

As Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced during Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, this new land will be home to the Disney Villains we know and loathe from our favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios classic films — “Which means happily ever after may feel like just a distant dream.”

The evil ambition of all these Villains means that the possibilities are endless for the stories that can be told — and visitors to the dark and thorny land should be prepared for whatever chaos might come their way. 

The new land will encompass all your dreams- er, nightmares. The space will be home to two major attractions, dining, and shopping on an incredibly twisted grand scale. “Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls,” Josh teased. “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.”

You might have just felt a shiver run down your spine. That’s because preparation is already underway at Magic Kingdom for this new land. Maybe think twice before you indulge in that next shiny red apple…

This will be the first new Magic Kingdom land since Mickey’s Birthdayland, later renamed Mickey’s Toontown, opened in 1988. It’s likely the “Beyond Big Thunder” blue sky concept first announced at D23 Expo 2022. At the time, concept art seemed to include areas inspired by “Coco,” “Encanto,” and Disney Villains. Imagineering later referenced the project, confirming it was still in development, at Destination D23 2023. The announcement of the Tropical Americas land including “Encanto” for Disney’s Animal Kingdom indicated that IP was no longer slated for Magic Kingdom.

Two “Cars” rides were also announced for Frontierland during D23.

Disney began filing permits for the area earlier this year and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is expected to close for an extended refurbishment. Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island may close, too — possibly permanently.

Frontierland has already seen some updates this year with the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Country Bear Musical Jamboree.

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