UPDATED: September 7, 2024

If you’ve been a Disney World fan for all of about five minutes, you probably know that the parks are constantly changing.

Not only that, but change can happen a lot more quickly than you might think. In the past five years, we’ve seen new attractions, restaurants, skip-the-line services, price increases, and more. With so much change happening in such a short period, it’s only a matter of time before we might look at Disney World and hardly even recognize it. We might not be able to see the future, but we can take a look at what the next five years look like for Disney World!

Magic Kingdom

A MAJOR expansion is in the works for Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World’s original theme park!

At the 2022 D23 Expo, Disney announced a “blue sky” project — “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain” — that would potentially bring a NEW land (or possibly lands) to Magic Kingdom. Then, in April of 2024, Disney confirmed that the first steps had been taken to make this massive expansion a reality. And, in August 2024, Disney shared exactly what the expansion will entail!

So… what IS coming “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain”? Well, you may want to BEWARE… there is something wicked on the way to the park. In August 2024, Disney officially announced that Magic Kingdom is expanding the theme park with a brand new Villains Land! TWO major attractions, along with new dining and shopping experiences will be presented “on an incredibly twisted grand scale.”

Disney has not shared a timeline for the opening of Villains Land; however, the company has confirmed that preparation is already underway at Magic Kingdom. In April 2024, Disney had confirmed that permits were going to be filed for storm drainage and other foundational work. This means that work is officially happening NOW on this new land!

EXPLORE everything coming to Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land HERE!

Along with Villains Land, Disney announced another addition to Magic Kingdom: a Cars expansion coming to the park’s Frontierland. Guests can look forward to two NEW Cars attractions coming to the area!

The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into this brand-new land coming to the park. Though this area does not technically lie “beyond Big Thunder Mountain,” the massive new Villains-themed land, together with the Cars expansion will make up the largest expansion in the history of Disney World’s original theme park. 

Disney has shared, however, that construction on the new Cars area in Frontierland will begin early in 2025. That is also when the existing Liberty Square Riverboat (which sails down the Rivers of America) and Tom Sawyer Island will close to accommodate construction.

EXPLORE everything coming to Cars-themed expansion HERE!

Disney has also revealed that a new tavern is in the works for Adventureland in Magic Kingdom.

That tavern will be themed to Pirates of the Caribbean, and it will open in 2025! So there is something to look forward to visiting VERY soon in addition to the longer-term projects.

Check out EVERYTHING we know about the new Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern HERE!

And finally, a brand new nighttime parade is coming to Magic Kingdom in the summer of 2025. Get ready for Disney Starlight!

In August 2024 at the D23 Ultimate Fan Event in Anaheim, California, Disney shared the big news about this new nighttime spectacular, revealing that Disney Starlight will be “using the latest technology to tell new stories about the characters you love.”

Check out Disney Starlight HERE!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

A NEW LAND is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in 2027.  At the 2023 D23 Expo, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro shared that Disney would be “building on what makes Animal Kingdom so, so special” with a new area focused on the Tropical Americas! Then, in August 2024, Disney shared more details on what we can expect from from this new land, now officially named Pueblo Esperanza. 

Pueblo Esperanza will become home to two signature attractions — an Encanto ride featuring the Madrigal family and a new Indiana Jones adventure ride!

With this announcement, Disney also confirmed that what is now DinoLand, U.S.A. will become Pueblo Esperanza. 

While Pueblo Esperanza is expected to open in 2027, the transition of DinoLand will take place in phases.

EXPLORE everything coming to Pueblo Esperanza HERE!

Additionally, It’s Tough To Be a Bug — an attraction uniquely housed in Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life — will receive a Zootopia-themed makeover. The Tree of Life Theater will soon present an all-new show: Zootopia: Better Zoogether! 

Guests will see Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more characters from Disney Animation’s Zootopia in a production that Disney shares “will take guests on an adventure through different biomes seen in the film.” Get ready for Zootopia: Better Zoogether! to make its debut in winter of 2025!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is preparing to open a BRAND NEW THEMED LAND featuring those lovable monsters from MONSTERS, INC.! 

In August 2024, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro made the official announcement as he shared, “The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley. You’ll go into the factory and experience the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We’re doing that, too. And you’re going along for the ride.”

Monsters, Inc. Land will feature Disney’s VERY FIRST suspended coaster, which “will put you right in the middle of the monster action. Just be sure to fill out your paperwork! Roz is always watching…”

Construction on the new land will begin in 2026, and we’re so excited! But don’t you worry… if you’re feeling a teeny bit frightened about the presence of monsters in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, just remember the Monsters, Inc. motto: “We Scare Because WE CARE!”

EXPLORE the upcoming Monsters, Inc. Land HERE!

EPCOT

As of June 2024, EPCOT has recently completed a multi-year transformation; so, for now, the park gets to rest a bit from major changes and we as guests can enjoy a (MOSTLY 😉 ) construction wall-free park! However, there is still something new and exciting on the way… 

A NEW LOUNGE has been announced for EPCOT! For over 40 years, Spaceship Earth has welcomed park visitors to EPCOT as the park’s beacon and one of the most memorable buildings in all of Disney World.

Well, a newly-announced lounge is coming to EPCOT, and its sleek look is inspired by the “stories, shapes, and enduring legacy” of this beautiful icon. The decor draws inspiration from its unique geometric sphere and hopes to offer a zen space for families filled with “rich textures and warm metallic tones, giving it a mysterious and elegant intimacy.”

This NEW lounge is set to open in EPCOT in 2025.

Click HERE to check out the upcoming Spaceship Earth Lounge!

Operational Changes

For the most park, all of the changes to park operations we cover below have already taken place, but of course, we’ll continue to update this information with any further changes as announced.

Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Changes

BIG CHANGES have come to Disney World’s Lightning Lanes as of July 24th, 2024!

The Disney Genie service made its debut within Disney World’s My Disney Experience app in October 2021. Disney Genie provided access to “Lightning Lanes” (which allow guests to bypass Standby lines for select attractions with an extra purchase) as well as other on-the-go planning tools to help guests maximize their time in the four Disney World theme parks:  Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. 

But BIG changes have come to the service! First, as of July 24th, 2024, there have been official name changes for the Lightning Lane services that were previously part of Disney Genie.

Disney Genie+ is now Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Individual Lightning Lanes are now Lightning Lane Single Pass. In addition to these changes, as Disney shares, guests can now:

• Make Lightning Lane plans before you’re in the parks, “for added confidence:”
• Choose experiences and times prior to purchasing, so you know exactly what you’re getting with your purchase;
• Book Lightning Lane passes for multiple vacation days, all at once, if you wish!

You will DEFINITELY want to be in the know about Lightning Lanes before you visit Disney World, sooo…

Click HERE to find out Everything You Need to Know About Lightning Lanes in Disney World

But that’s not the only operational change for 2024 vacations… here is a quick rundown, and you can click any of the links below for more details:

• And Disney plans on keeping its current system for rewarding Disney Resort hotel guests with bonus time in the parks. Early Theme Park Entry will continue to be offered for Disney hotel guests for all four parks. Extended Evening Hours will continue to be offered for guests of Disney Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas on select dates in select parks through 2025.
• The previously required Theme Park Pass Reservations are NO LONGER NEEDED for those who have date-based tickets!!! 
• The Disney Dining Plan is BACK at Disney World as of January 9th, 2024!

Keep following DFB for the latest Disney News!

What do you think the next five years look like for Disney World? Let us know in the comments!