Disney World is growing at an almost unprecedented rate!
Piston Peak ©Disney
Right now, for better or worse, every one of the Walt Disney World Resort’s theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom — has several large-scale projects happening. In all my years of visiting and writing about Disney’s theme parks, I can’t recall many other instances where that’s been the case.
All of this construction can be a bit overwhelming, making it tough to keep track of each project and its respective locations. However, fear not, as these maps will help keep things in perspective.
Let’s begin in Animal Kingdom, where the area that’s been known as DinoLand U.S.A. since the park opened is being transformed into the new Tropical Americas land, scheduled to open in 2027. Set in the fictional town of Pueblo Esperanza, the land will feature an Indiana Jones-themed attraction, which will take over Dinosaur…
©Disney
… an Encanto attraction located near the former site of Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama…
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… and a nature-themed carousel that will be designed to look like it was carved by one of the locals.
©Disney
Over in the park’s Discovery Island area, the Tree of Life’s theater, which had been home to It’s Tough to Be a Bug since 1998, will welcome Zootopia: Better Zoogether in late winter 2025. The new attraction features characters from the popular film and its upcoming sequel, including Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
©Disney
Moving on to the Magic Kingdom, we have the highly anticipated Villains Land. The long-rumored (and we mean going back to the 1990s long-rumored) land dedicated to the company’s most reviled antagonists is being built on the expansion pad “beyond” Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
©Disney
Somewhat more controversially, the Cars-themed Piston Peak is also under construction at the Magic Kingdom. The massive national park’s themed area, which will feature an off-road E-Ticket attraction as well as a family-friendly ride, is replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, a move that has upset many Disney fans and traditionalists.
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Over in Hollywood Studios, work has begun on transforming Grand Avenue — the land once known as Muppet Courtyard, and before that part of the Streets of America — into a new sprawling Monsters, Inc. land. This recreation of Monstropolis will feature retail, dining, and a coaster inspired by the film’s door factory scene.
©Disney
The Muppets aren’t going away for good, however, as the iconic characters will be the stars of a newly rethemed version of the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster. This new take on the thrill ride is scheduled to open in 2026.
©Disney
Finally, we actually have a major project that’s completed! In July of 2025, Disney opened a new version of Test Track — dubbed Test Track 3.0 by fans– at EPCOT. This refurbishment gives the attraction more of a classic EPCOT flavor, including references to Horizons and World of Motion.
©Disney
All of these new projects are part of a massive and ongoing reimagining of the Walt Disney World Resort. Stay tuned to DFB for more on this transformation.
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The piston peak number 1
And the all the animal kingdom
I’m looking forward to the AK Indy and Encanto vision being realized….hoping the rides are not too dark, scary, jerky or cause motion sickness..and I hope they bring in another Indy gift shop that used to be in Hollywood Studios! BUT there’s no talk of bringing in animals native to Central and South America!? This is Animal Kingdom after all!!! They already got rid of Camp Minnie and Mickey plus the Pocahontas show. All other park changes we have zero interest in….we don’t like Zootopia, Monsters Inc, Villains or Cars. (We love the Muppets…best day at MK a few years ago was their show in Liberty Square! But Disney only bought them….didn’t create them….so they really belong in Hollywood Studios. Sadly we wouldn’t survive a dark roller coaster with music blaring but hopefully it will be fun for others)!