Disney reveals new lands and attractions coming to Disneyland and Disney World from 2027

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Every two years in Anaheim, California, The Walt Disney Company unveils the projects it has kept tightly locked behind the doors of Walt Disney Imagineering during the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event.

In 2022, the showcase was dubbed " A Boundless Future " and highlighted some of the big, bold, "blue sky" ideas Disney was working on behind the scenes. Rather than specifics on what would be coming to its parks, Disney provided insight into what guests might eventually experience. At the 2024 showcase , Disney revealed a slew of all-new lands and attractions — some already in active development, while others were still just concept art on a very big screen at Anaheim's Honda Center.

The theme of this year's showcase, held on the evening of August 15, was Horizons: A Carousel of Progress. As the name suggests, much of the evening was spent providing progress updates on the projects that were announced in 2024. The energy in the room was electric, and when singer Sheryl Crow wasn't performing "Real Gone" from "Cars," and actress Glenn Close wasn't on stage dressed as Cruella de Vil, we learned more about what was happening behind Disney's construction walls and what the parks will look like in the next few years.

Here's everything that guests can experience at Disney World, Disneyland and Disney's global parks in 2027 and beyond.

Walt Disney World

Disney World currently has more construction projects underway than at any other time in the park's 55-year history. While nothing entirely new was announced, there were some exciting updates for attractions at all four parks ... including a few surprises.

Cars land at Magic Kingdom

Cars Ridge Run Rally at Magic Kingdom. DISNEY Construction started last year on a "Cars"-themed area called Piston Peak in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland. Tom Sawyer Island was closed, Rivers of America was drained and the Liberty Bell was docked backstage. It was announced at D23 in 2024 that the area would have two attractions, and this year, we learned more about them, including their names.

Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin coming to Magic Kingdom. DISNEY Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along will feature an animatronic version of the legendary demolition derby schoolbus, Miss Fritter, from "Cars 3." Riders will buckle into their own demolition derby cars and take to the track.

Cars Ridge Run Rally at Magic Kingdom. DISNEY While Cars Ridge Run Rally will take riders up, down and around Piston Peak, traversing the rocks, bumps and drops you might experience on an off-road adventure through America's national parks. The ride will end with a lap around Old Tankfull geyser before sprinting to the finish, where Lightning McQueen and Mater await.

The ride will use all-new vehicles and ride technology that go beyond merely mimicking the feel of driving on rugged terrain to create a realistic driving experience. Guests will "feel every bump, drop, and rock because this vehicle's tires and suspension are truly driving over and reacting to them," Michael Hundgen, Vice President Creative for Walt Disney World, said during the event.

Villains Land at Magic Kingdom

Villains Land logo. DISNEY The biggest surprise at 2024's D23 was that Disney was expanding Magic Kingdom to create a land based on everyone's favorite villains. At the time, not much was revealed other than that the land would have two major attractions and would be roughly the size of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios.

This year, Disney shared the name of the land and more details about the two attractions, including which villains will be represented. Though it's what everyone has already been calling it for the past two years, it was officially announced that the land will be named Villains Land (I mean, really, what else would you call it).

The land leans into Disney's darker side and will tell an all-new, original story featuring Disney's biggest, baddest, meanest characters. Villains Land will be home to an evil wishing well with dark, mysterious powers. There's nothing a Disney villain likes more than dark, mysterious powers, so they've all come to Villains Land to claim some of that power for their own.

Villains Land Wishing Well concept art. DISNEY The first of the two rides will be a coaster featuring Maleficent, "Sleeping Beauty's" Mistress of All Evil herself. Riders will race through the brambles and briars that entangle Maleficent's mountaintop fortress on a coaster that Disney said will utilize never-before-seen elements.

Villains Land dark ride coming to Magic Kingdom. DISNEY Based on concept art, the second ride is currently described only as a dark ride with physical set pieces and special effects that transport riders through the Magic Mirror's Mirror Realm, where villains from across the Disney universe have gathered to show you what it's like on the other side of the mirror.

Tropical Americas at Disney's Animal Kingdom

A new attraction themed after the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Encanto." DISNEY The Tropical Americas land already has a 2027 opening date, and it was previously announced that the land would have an attraction based on "Encanto," one based on "Indiana Jones" that will replace the recently closed Dinosaur ride and a carousel featuring favorite Disney animals.

This time around, we learned a bit more about each attraction, which only added to the excitement of next year's opening.

El Carrusel de los Animalitos. DISNEY On El Carrusel de los Animalitos, guests can ride on one of 22 hand-carved animals based on favorite Disney critters like Heimlich from "A Bug's Life," Crush from "Finding Nemo," Hei Hei from "Moana," and Kevin from "Up."

Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto. DISNEY On Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto, guests will enter Casita from the film "Encanto" on the day that Antonio receives his gift of communicating with animals. The ride vehicles will be designed to resemble magical pieces of furniture that will carry you through the house as you discover more than 50 animals along the way. You may hear some familiar voices speaking and singing to you on the ride as the original voice actors from "Encanto" reprised their roles for the attraction. Disney also revealed that the ride will have no minimum height requirement, allowing parents and children to enjoy the experience as a "familia," regardless of age.

Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent. DISNEY The final ride coming to the Tropical Americas themed land is based on "Indiana Jones" and will be called Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent because any good Indiana Jones ride needs to have snakes. The ride will take guests deep inside a Maya temple, into the underworld guarded by a mythical serpent named Tsukán.

Tsukán will come to life as a large animatronic, but that won't be the only lifelike animatronic on this attraction. Walt Disney Imagineers used Harrison Ford, the original Indy, as the model for the ride's Indiana Jones animatronic.

'Monsters, Inc.' land at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Entrance to Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios. DISNEY It was announced that portions of the "Monsters, Inc."-themed land coming to Hollywood Studios will open in 2027. The land's premier attraction, a coaster based on the iconic door vault from the films and the first-ever suspended coaster in a Disney park, will open at a later date.

"Welcome to Monstropolis" show coming to Hollywood Studios. DISNEY But there is plenty of fun to be had in Monstropolis as we await this groundbreaking coaster. When the land opens next year, guests can see a show starring Mike and Sulley called "Welcome to Monstropolis." The show will take place in the Glob Theater, the former home of Muppet*Vision 3D.

Harryhausen's in Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios. DISNEY The land will have two dining outlets, a quick-service pizza place called Archie's Scare Pig Pizza and Harryhausen's Restaurant, the restaurant where Mike and Celia go on a date in the first "Monsters, Inc." film. It will feature a full-size animatronic of the octopus-like, sushi-making creature from the film.

Spaceship Earth reimagining at Epcot

Epcot's Spaceship Earth. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY Spaceship Earth is one of Epcot's few remaining opening day attractions. Because of that, fans are fairly protective of the ride's iconic show scenes, characters and storytelling. It was announced in 2019 that the ride would undergo an upgrade, but that refurbishment never came to fruition when Disney reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic.

It appears Disney didn't totally table what's next for Spaceship Earth, because it was shared that attraction will receive an update for the first time in nearly 20 years. The attraction has always focused on the progress of human communication, but it will soon shift to highlighting human connection across the ages and extend its timeline into the present day and beyond, including updates to every show scene.

The original Yeti will return to Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest Yeti at Animal Kingdom. DISNEY The first of many surprises of the night, Disney revealed that they will repair the long-broken Yeti animatronic on Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest coaster. When the ride opened in 2026, the experience culminated with a massive Yeti swiping down at the ride vehicle as you narrowly escaped his attack.

After only a few months, the Yeti malfunctioned and hasn't worked since. Joe Rhode, the Imagineer who primarily worked on the attraction, has stated in the past that it would be difficult to safely repair the Yeti and restore it to operation. When he retired, many fans gave up hope that the Yeti would be repaired.

During the showcase, Thomas Mazloum, chairman of Disney Experiences, shocked the crowd when he revealed that the Yeti animatronic will be restored to its fully operational former self.

A new Journey Into Imagination at Epcot

Figment at Epcot. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY Speaking of surprises, Disney did what it likes to do at such events and pulled out a surprise announcement just after telling those in attendance the show was over. Before anyone could get up to leave, Mazloum told guests, "We are taking a new journey into imagination at EPCOT with Dreamfinder and Figment! I'm so happy to share this news tonight. We know how important this is to you. We've heard you, and this is one more way we're putting you in the center of everything we do."

In its current iteration, Journey Into Imagination at Epcot follows Figment, a precocious purple dragon, through the Imagination Institute's Sensory Labs. But when the ride opened in 1983, Figment was joined by his human friend, Dreamfinder, who helped bring him to life.

Soon, guests will once again be able to ride along with Figment and Dreamfinder on an all-new journey through the world of imagination.

Disneyland

Moving over to the West Coast, Disney also shared a mix of updates and new announcements.

Avatar-themed land at Disney California Adventure

Model of Avatar-themed attraction coming to Disneyland. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY Surprisingly, Disney shared no new information on the Avatar-themed area already announced for Disney California Adventure. The Pandora-themed area was announced in 2023, but not much concrete information has been shared since. Disney did have a model based on the original concept art for the land on display in the Imagineering Pavilion at D23, along with a ride vehicle model. But no additional details were shared during the showcase.

Avengers Campus expansion at Disney California Adventure

During the 2024 D23 event, Disney revealed the names and theming of two new attractions coming to Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure. Together, these two rides will double the size of Avengers Campus. We now know a bit more about each attraction and when the expansion will open.

Avengers Infinity Defense in Avengers Campus. DISNEY Avengers Infinity Defense will have guests stepping in as new recruits, a pre-mission briefing from Iman Vellani, reprising her role as Ms. Marvel from the show of the same name. Several other Avengers actors will be reprising their roles, including Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. Your mission? Reassemble the Avengers to battle King Thanos. The ride will blend physical sets with massive media screens (I'm picturing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot) as riders travel to familiar locations from the films, including Wakanda, Asgard and New York City, as they race to stop King Thanos.

Stark Flight Lab in Avengers Campus. DISNEY Stark Flight Lab will also see the return of several of Marvel's on-screen heroes, including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Anthony Mackie as Captain America and Brie Larson as Captain Marvel. Riders will sit in gyro-kinetic pods that simulate a test flight using a series of high-speed maneuvers. Stark Flight Lab will feature a variety of test flights and heroes, so the experience will be different every time you ride.

Both rides are set to open in 2028.

'Coco' attraction at Disney California Adventure

Disney announced in 2024 that the world's first "Coco"-themed attraction at any Disney park would be opening at Disney California Adventure. This year, Disney revealed that the storyline for this boat ride through the Land of the Dead will pick up a year after the events of the original film.

“Coco” attraction coming to Disney California Adventure. DISNEY In the queue, guests can visit a "casa museo" dedicated to the music of Miguel's great-great-grandfather, Héctor Rivera. Once on board, guests will join Miguel on a trip through the Land of the Dead, journeying through the music and characters from the film along the way.

This ride will have no minimum height requirement.

Returning Disneyland entertainment

SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY Disneyland brought out a slate of new entertainment offerings to celebrate its 70th birthday, but as the celebration comes to a close, several favorite nighttime shows and parades will soon return to the park.

A refreshed version of the nighttime fireworks spectacular "Remember ... Dreams Come True," which debuted during the park's 50th anniversary in 2005, will return to Disneyland in 2027; the original World of Color nighttime spectacular will return to Disney California Adventure in February 2027; and the "Magic Happens" parade that debuted in 2020 during the park's 65th anniversary, will return to Disneyland park in summer 2027.

The future of Tomorrowland at Disneyland

Tomorrowland at Disneyland. DISNEY This was another wildcard that fans were hoping for, but weren't sure what, if any, news would be announced. Just before the event's closing, Mazloum announced that a reimagined Tomorrowland is in the works for Disneyland. No details were given about what would be included in the refurbishment, aside from noting that the transformation will honor the land's legacy while bringing it into the future for the next generation of fans.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.