Ursula the sea witch, the evil queen with her poison apple, Scar and his band of hyenas... some of Disney’s most iconic characters (with the catchiest musical numbers) are the bad guys. And if you’ve always had a soft spot for the dark side, you’re going to love this announcement made at Disney’s 2026 D23 convention: the dedicated Villains Land coming to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will have two brand new attractions, including a Maleficent coaster.
Disney unveiled tons of new details about its expansions at Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, including the exciting news that Monstropolis (located in Hollywood Studios) will open its gates to human visitors in 2027. In 2025, we learned that one big chunk of Magic Kingdom — as in multiple acres of space — will become the gloomy, mystical Villains Land inspired by the wicked characters from your favorite Disney films. Now, we have our first look at concept art for the expansion’s two new attractions.
The concept of Villains Land centers on a broken wishing well, corrupted and oozing dark magic, which Disney’s villains have come to claim for themselves. “This sinister setting is tempting for those with wicked intentions, so one by one, the villains have come here to try and claim the last of the Wishing Well’s power. Villains Land will be shaped by those who have used this dark magic to conjure the perfect new lairs for themselves. These mighty fortresses and gleaming palaces not only reflect the personality of the villains who own them, they invite guests into a tantalizing treasure trove of treats, trinkets, and more temptations,” says Disney Park Blogs.
We know there will be plenty of dining, retail, and immersive experiences in Villains Land, but so far the specifics haven’t been revealed. What we do know are the stories behind the two headlining attractions coming to this section of the park:
- Maleficent Coaster: Hop in and race through the enchanted briar surrounding the Queen of All Evil’s mountaintop fortress before coming face-to-face with Maleficent herself. At D23, the Imagineering team said this coaster “will include elements they’ve never attempted before on similar attractions,” so fingers crossed we’re getting an extremely cool dragon.
- Mirror Realm Dark Ride: The ride vehicle here looks like it holds a large group, similar to Frozen Ever After at Epcot. Guests will travel deep into the Evil Queen’s catacombs to where she keeps the Magic Mirror hidden away before he sweeps them away into his realm. There he’ll conjure all of Disney’s most iconic villains (using special effects and practical set pieces).
Villains Land is one of the largest elements of Disney’s upcoming expansions acreage-wise (the size and scale have been likened to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge), but other announcements at D23 are just as exciting. A New Monsters, Inc. land is also coming and will include Disney’s first-ever suspended roller coaster themed after the door moving system inside Monsters, Inc. headquarters. Frontierland is also being redesigned into the world of Radiator Springs, complete with a road rally coaster and attractions fit for even the youngest members of the family, according to the parks. So, in the not-too-distant future, guests in Orlando will be able to stroll straight from Villains Land into Monstropolis (complete with a Harryhausen’s) and down Main Street in Radiator Springs.
Aside from entire sections of the park being built or reworked, some rides are getting a facelift, too. A new Indiana Jones attraction and an Encanto ride are slated to replace the Dinosaur and DinoLand U.S.A. attractions at Animal Kingdom. So, which announcement from D23 has you most excited?
source https://www.scarymommy.com/lifestyle/villains-land-magic-kingdom-disney-world
Comments
Post a Comment