Magic Kingdom is getting a BIG expansion, and Disney keeps teasing us with little updates and new details!
Cinderella Castle
In case you haven’t heard, Disney has teased a HUGE expansion for Magic Kingdom, repeatedly stating that something new is coming “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain.” At the 2022 D23 Expo, we heard about possible Coco, Encanto, and Disney villains-themed lands. Now, Disney has dropped another mysterious hint about this huge update!
Hidden at the end of Disney’s recent announcement about the new Country Bear Jamboree show was this update: “But hold your horses, we’re not done yet. We have a lot of growth and investment planned for our theme parks in the coming years and look forward to sharing more announcements about Frontierland … so y’all come back now, ya hear?”
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
How mysterious! C’mon, Disney — couldn’t we get a little more detail? For now, we’ll just have to use our imagination and look back at some other updates we’ve heard about this major expansion.
Frontierland sign
During the 2022 D23 Expo, Disney leaders tossed around some “what if” ideas about the possible new themed areas in Magic Kingdom. Jennifer Lee said, “What if you could walk into the Madrigals’ casita…What if Mirabel is your guide…What if you could step up to a door and discover your own magical gift?”
Concept art of potential Magic Kingdom expansion
Then, during the 2023 Destination D23 event, Josh D’Amaro (Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman) and Bruce Vaughn (Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Imagineering) dropped more hints during the Disney Parks panel.
Potential Coco Area in Magic Kingdom
Bruce Vaughn said that the future expansion plans for Magic Kingdom are the “largest ever” for the park. He reiterated that Imagineers are looking to tell stories “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain.”
Big Thunder
Apparently these stories will be told on a scale similar to things like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora – The World of Avatar, including the addition of new attractions, restaurants, shows, and more! That means BIG changes for the iconic Disney World park.
©Disney
Disney has stated that they’re looking to invest a LOT into their parks. In fact, they’ve announced that they’re going to invest about $60 BILLION in the Parks, Experiences, and Products segment of the company over the next 10 years. Part of that budget could include the Magic Kingdom expansion!
©Disney
We’ll keep watching for more updates from Disney, so stay tuned to DFB!
Disney Teased New Lands and Attractions in the Theme Parks…but How Likely Are They to Actually Happen?
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Not an Encanto fan. Loved the Wish movie so much more. But if they don’t do a Villains Land, they are really really missing the boat! I think there is so much potential and that is a land that everyone would love, except maybe the youngest Disney visitors. But that would be something they could grow into when they tire of the Carousel, Small World, and Dumbo. And just think of the themed restaurants they could put in this Land!
C’mon – It’s good to be bad! We want a land devoted to the Villains! We have been teased about an evil domain for years – time to make it happen!
Considering all the hotel expansion over the last few yeats increasing occupancy , what is needed is a whole new Park to help absorb the Overcrowded, high wait times WDW has become. Not just a land expansion.
Wondering what the new tease was? Still the same info as before.
Totally agree with Dottyanna. Let’s ALL have some fun! Hope all of these teases don’t turn into little nothings.
More classic Disney is needed. Kids don’t know who Goofy and Pluto are.
Also not a fan of Encanto. Would love a villains themed land.
Would love a villains land, esp the old time villains. Disney is doing away with the Classics little by little. And with the way the newer movies are doing in the box office, why would you want to dedicate a new land to them??? But then again, I am old school.
I’m usually for the good guys, but I think that Disney is really going to make a huge mistake if they don’t have a Villain’s land!