Aaah, Magic Kingdom… Home to whimsical spinning teacups and soaring elephants, 999 Happy Haunts, and a Fairytale Hall full of Disney Princesses. It’s where you can end your day inspired to find your very own “Happily Ever After,” and look forward to “A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.” From Fantasyland to Adventureland to Tomorrowland and beyond, it’s a place where dreams come true! But WAIT…
Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
Do you feel it? A sense of foreboding? Perhaps the presence of something evil lurking this way… If so, that might just be because Disney Villains are coming to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in a BIG WAY! Disney has officially announced that Magic Kingdom is expanding the theme park with a brand new Villains Land. And if you are one of the MANY fans who is already gearing up to channel your inner baddie in this new area, you are likely wondering WHEN this new addition is opening in Walt Disney World’s original park.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event took place in early August 2024, and of all the HUGE announcements that were dropped during the weekend, perhaps the biggest of all was the reveal by Josh D’Amaro, Disney Experiences Chairman that Villains Land is indeed coming to Magic Kingdom.
VILLAINS LAND IS CONFIRMED FOR MAGIC KINGDOM AT #D23!!! pic.twitter.com/KvJegH7utx
— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) August 11, 2024
Throughout this post, we’ll share a few more quotes from D’Amaro and additional statements from The Walt Disney Company regarding this highly anticipated new experience. But before we discuss the When of Villains Land, let’s tackle the Who, the What, and the Where.
Villains Land — Who
The “dark and thorny” new land — or perhaps we should say, new LAIR — will be home to those famously evil Disney Villains and might make happily ever “feel like just a distant dream,” according to D’Amaro.
It’s Maleficent!
Though Disney has not yet revealed exactly which dastardly Disney ne’er-do-wells might be coming to Villains Land, we have been having fun making some guesses based on both the land’s concept art, as well as possible hints dropped during the announcement. For instance, when D’Amaro made the initial announcement, he also teased: “Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls, it’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.”
“Be Prepared….” What does that make you think of? It sure brings Scar from The Lion King to mind for me. And, of course, “Poor Unfortunate Souls” just so happens to be Ursula’s show-stopping number in The Little Mermaid.
Ursula at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
And, maybe it’s just us, but far off in the distance of the Land’s concept art, there appears to be a castle high on some pointed rocks.
Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom ©Disney
By the looks of it, perhaps this is Maleficent’s castle towering high above the land?
While we await official word, it’s fun to dream about who we might encounter. All of this begs the question… who would YOU most like to see in Villains Land?
Take a DEEP DIVE into the Villains Land concept art HERE.
Villains Land — What
So, what’s coming to Villains Land? Disney has shared that TWO major attractions, along with new dining and shopping experiences will be presented “on an incredibly twisted grand scale.”
Villains Land Concept Art
©Disney
We await official details on the new attractions, eateries, and beyond. BUT… in looking very closely at the concept art, our little eyes have spied what we believe to be tracks for a possible roller coaster.
Is Villains Land in Disney World Getting A CAVERN COASTER? Let’s talk about it…
Villains Land — Where
Even before the official announcement confirming Villains Land, in September of 2022, Disney first publicly floated a “blue sky” project — “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” — that would potentially bring a NEW land (or possibly lands) to Magic Kingdom. Just as the name of the then-mystery project implies, there is some land past Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (which is located in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland) that has been deemed suitable for new construction.
RCID Comprehensive Plan map and map of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland
Just days following the official confirmation of Villains Land (on August 12th, 2024, to be exact), Disney confirmed that Villains Land will indeed be set “BEYOND Big Thunder Mountain!”
Villains Land — When
Okay! NOW we’re at the WHEN… When will Villains Land open in Magic Kingdom? Disney has not revealed a timeline for the completion of this massive park expansion (which also includes the addition of a Cars-themed area to Frontierland). However, based on recent major expansions to the Disney World theme parks, we can wager a few educated guesses. For example, a possible reference is the timeline for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which is located in Disneyland park and Disney World’s Hollywood Studios.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Construction on the Star Wars land began in April 2016 in both Disneyland and Disney World. In Disneyland, it opened three years later in May 2019, and in Disney World, it opened four years later in August 2019. That said, Galaxy’s Edge was initially announced in August 2015. So within the next five years could be a potential timeline for the opening of Villains Land.
Now, you may be thinking, “Hey, I tuned in to all the MAJOR Disney news from the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, so I know that a whole new land is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and that’s supposed to open in 2027. So what’s the hold up in Magic Kingdom?”
Pueblo Esperanza Concept Art ©Disney
Great question! The difference here is that the new Animal Kingdom land based on The Tropical Americas — which will be called Pueblo Esperanza — is ultimately a transformation of an existing land: what is now DinoLand, U.S.A. is being rethemed into Pueblo Esperanza, and one of the new attractions coming to the land will be a transformation of an already existing attraction, as well. (DINOSAUR is being rethemed into a brand new Indiana Jones attraction.) So breaking new ground complete with all-new construction will likely lend to a longer timeline.
What we can say with certainty is that work for Villains Land is already in progress!
The Evil Queen is EXCITED (or some other less happy emotion) about VILLAINS LAND!
In April 2024, for instance, Disney confirmed that permits were going to be filed for storm drainage and other foundational work for what what then simply referred to as “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain.” Additionally, at the D23 event, D’Amaro stressed that “plans are drawn” and “dirt is moving” for the major initiatives presented on that weekend chock full of breaking news.
You see, Villains Land wasn’t the only major expansion announced for Disney World… not by a long shot. Check out our YouTube video below to see it ALL! (P.S. There’s a LOT. So, as AJ says, “Buckle up!”)
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I am floored that people are thrilled with adding this to a family friendly park but yay! More space to enjoy the happy stuff for our family
I will believe it when I see it. The U.S. is likely to experience a recession in the next five years, and Disney is great at not following through with these type of projects. The dirt is likely moving for the removal of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island (which I am extremely unhappy about), and not for the construction of the Villains Land. This is another cost-cutting measure on Disney’s front. The water and the paddle boat require extensive annual maintenance, and Disney wants to cram more guests into this space. Frontierland is slowly disappearing, and Magic Kingdom will now have more concrete to make it more hot and miserable in the summer. All of this for two rides based on ho-hum IP that will require one hour+ wait times for a few minutes of enjoyment. No thanks. One of the reasons we have always enjoyed the WDW parks is the water and the wildlife it brings with it. The water also helps keep the parks cooler in the hotter temperatures. The water brings in the ducks, egrets, great blue herons, and occasionally even bald eagles. The birds will go away once the water disappears. Without the ambience, the parks are nothing more than another amusement park to us. I am anxious to see what Epic Universe does since Universal has stated that they are bringing the “park” back to the theme park.
Bring on the villains!! And villains merch!
I am not for another castle as this would take away from the main castle which is lovely iconic and very positive. Having a castle shape or castle in the villain land will create a divide of good castle evil castle and that to me doesn’t enhance either experience. Also villains do not all live in castles in Disney stories. villains should not be just evil they should be based on their character traits. It will be interesting to see what they do!
Isn’t there a Beauty and the Beast castle in Magic Kingdom? Do you all not like Halloween? Universal has Halloween Horror Nights, so let’s not trash talk WDW.
I think a villain land will be exciting and enjoyable, particularly for teens and older guests. I do think, however, that I will always miss the riverboat; it was a surprisingly nice little ride that I discovered by accident on one visit. I still miss the old submarine ride!
The Villains idea is a good one, but Disney needs to create a 5th park for all these new lands. Don’t shoehorn Cars land into MK, because, not only does it remove a “Walt-approved” and classic area, it really does not belong there. They should just move all these new projects into a fifth gate – an IP land, if you will. They have all these thousands of acres in Florida – it’d make sense to start using them.
Another gate = more $$, Disney higher-ups, if you’re listening…