Tons of construction is coming for Disney World in 2025, and it’s time to really break down what we need to expect.
Magic Kingdom
Yes, we know WHAT’S coming — a new Villains Land and Cars-themed Land in Magic Kingdom, Muppets Courtyard is becoming Monsters, Inc. Land in Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas aka Pueblo Esperanza is taking over Dinoland U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom — but what will all of this construction actually look like in the parks? Let’s take a look at the maps — they reveal a LOT.
This sounds like loads of construction to begin with, but when you take a look at what areas it’s going to close on the maps, it really becomes quite the big deal. Let’s start over in Animal Kingdom, because this is the only area so far that we have an exact date on when closures and construction will begin.
Dinoland, U.S.A.
TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures will all have their final day of operation on January 12th, 2024, and then they will close to make way for the first round of construction. The rest of Dinoland U.S.A. is expected to close throughout the year, and it’s our assumption that one of the last ones will be the beloved Dinosaur attraction. So what will this closure look like on the map?
This WHOLE area will be closed
Dinoland U.S.A. takes up roughly 1/7 of the park (if you include the entrance and Oasis as its own section, 1/6 of the park if you don’t), and while that may seem like not a big deal, this park doesn’t have many attractions to begin with, and this closure will take out TWO of them. Plus, it’s possible you won’t be able to use the shortcut to get from Discovery Island to the Finding Nemo show to the right of Dinoland, which will be a BIG bummer.
Dinoland U.S.A.
Meanwhile over in Hollywood Studios, this closure shouldn’t shut off any pathways, which is a relief. Muppets Courtyard in Grand Avenue is already set off the “main road,” which means that the entrance to this area should be the only thing closed off, not the whole walkway that takes you from Star Tours into Galaxy’s Edge.
This closure won’t affect walking paths as much
The closure will also mean saying goodbye to Muppet*Vision 3D, as well as TWO restaurants in the park, which isn’t nothing, but at least there are plenty of other shows, restaurants, and attractions to visit in the park. From concept art, it also appears that Monsters, Inc. Land will be expanding backwards, in the current green area unused behind the current area, so we’ll likely see the new land be larger than currently shown.
©Disney
And Magic Kingdom — oh Magic Kingdom. This park has, arguably, the most going on in 2025, because there are TWO sections of the park that will be under construction. However, construction on Villains Land (marked in black below) is being worked on in a currently unused area of the park behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. While it is (likely) part of the reason the attraction will be closed for basically all of 2025, it will otherwise leave the park alone…unless they close the Walt Disney World Railroad for it, which is a possibility.
Magic Kingdom has a LOT going on
The area marked in red though? Yeah, that’s where the new Cars-themed land is going, and as you can see, it’s going to make a MESS of everything. Getting to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and around Frontierland and Liberty Square in general are likely going to be more difficult with very heavy crowds, and TWO attractions will be going away to make room for it. That’s a total of three, potentially FOUR, Magic Kingdom attractions that will be unavailable for the majority of 2025, and that’s going to be quite the adventure.
Liberty Square Riverboat
As you can see, 2025 is set to be an interesting year for Disney World, and we’ll be keeping you updated on all the latest news, so stay tuned to DFB!
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I really dislike that Disney is doing away with Rivers of America and the riverboats/Tom Sawyer Island. Without that beautiful river the park is going to feel hotter due to the cement surfaces. I really wish that the powers that be would change their minds on this decision and create a CarsLand with other land they have to be developed.
Disney will regret removed Rivers of America, Liberty Bell and Tom Sawyers Island more than they’ll ever know. Ignore the masses and suffer the consequences. Stupid fools. Just shows they don’t care what people want. Guess it’s time to move on to Universal.
I agree, Linda D.!
For years, Disney has been crowing about the thousands of acres at their disposal, so why not develop some of this unused land? Create a 5th park, or (at the very least) add cars land to DHS, where it belongs.
MK is not and should not be infected with random Disney IP! Maybe make a dark copy of MK and call it Villains World. But don’t take away one of Walt’s favorite creations, and one of his last directives, by destroying the Rivers of America & Tom Sawyer Island!
Any way around it, they should wait until the uncooperative governor of Florida is out of office. No sense giving him the credit for all the extra building and $$ influx…
Getting rid of the paddle boat, liberty square, and things that remind us of a past we should treasure is just plain stupid! Iger & company have plenty of space elsewhere to develop new worlds! Just another example of trying to forget history and just make another gazillion dollars! Iger isn’t doing things any better than the idiot he replaced!
What baffles me the most about what we are losing is what is remaining untouched. There are huge areas in these parks pulling in far fewer people than the areas we’re losing (with the possible exception of Dinoland, I hate to say). I also agree with the many people who have pointed out that there is supposedly plenty of other land that could be developed. In some ways, it has got to be harder, take more time, and be more expensive to tear down and rebuild an area than to just start out fresh somewhere else. If Disney just wants money, why not open the Starcruiser as a hotel with exclusive access to HS? That would have required no additional investment other than the staff to keep it running, and would have brought in plenty of revenue. I hope Disney knows what they’re doing, but through many decisions in recent years, I’m not seeing proof of that yet.
I agree their land use graph is way off base. Put Cars in Hollywood Studios where it belongs. It has no place in Magic Kingdom. And if you need some more room there leave Muppets alone and get rid of Indiana Jones which has become a boring fractional shell of what it was. Think about it. Isn’t the new Indiana Jones ride coming to Animal Kingdom? Why do we need it in Hollywood Studios?
Imagineers? Short sided blindness is what is running Disney. Sadly, Walt’s dream is slowly being put to death.
If Walter could save the Muppets, so can I
When they take down the Rivers of America and the Liberty Belle, they will no longer be known as that “magical” place called Disney World. They will be nothing more than a Six Flags, Busch Gardens or Kings Dominion amusement park. They are doing away with everything that made Disney special and no one is going to come from foreign countries and across American at $200+ a day admission (excluding parking, lightning lane passes, super high priced food, souvenirs, etc) to go to this place. The magic in Epcot and Hollywood are non existent. They’ve ruined those parks, and AK will probably not be far behind, there isn’t that much there now. The MK was the park to go to. The place that let you be a kid again. Without the beauty of that river, that boat, the island, I’d rather spend my money going to Universal. At least they don’t cater to woke, they don’t involve themselves in political matters that affect the park and it feels more “family-fied” than Disney does now. The idea of having bars all over the park is sickening. I thought liquor laws protected children from being around that crap? Who wants to take their children around people getting drunk and fighting? I can’t believe they’ve sunk to this. I love Disney so much but this will do it for me and many others I’ve spoken to. The corporates may think they’re God there and make all the decisions, without listening to their loyal following? They think they know what’s best for us? Well just watch and see Disney. The people have spoken and one day maybe you’ll listen, while in foreclosure.