There’s a ton on the horizon within the subsequent 5 years at Walt Disney World with new lands and sights themed to Villains, Vehicles, Monsters, Indiana Jones, Encanto, and extra. There are additionally reimagined rides, new leisure, eating, and extra. This shares development and opening timelines for the entire main tasks introduced on the 2024 D23 Expo which might be coming to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom beginning in 2025.
The excellent news is that Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro emphasised this in his opening remarks to the Parks Panel on the 2024 D23 Expo: “Every thing we’re going to share with you is in lively improvement. Plans are drawn. Dust is transferring. I simply wish to be clear about this: We’re doing every little thing you’re going to listen to tonight. This isn’t Blue Sky—we’re going to do all of this.” Phew.
These had been magic phrases that all of us wanted to listen to. D’Amaro and head Imagineer Bruce Vaughn had been very clear about this, and confirmed off nearer time period tasks that’ll come on-line in 2025. In addition they shared development timelines for nearly each single challenge, so we’ve pretty concrete concepts of when work will begin for every of those new lands, sights, and many others. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless some confusion…
Josh D’Amaro mentioned throughout the Parks Panel that the time horizon is just not distant–every little thing mentioned will “begin to come to life over the subsequent 5 years.” At first blush, this means opening dates no later than 2029. It’s a simple arithmetic downside, proper? 2024+5=2029. As well as, media was individually suggested the introduced tasks would all open throughout the subsequent 5 years, which might imply by 2029. On condition that, it looks like an open and closed case, proper?
Eh, I’m not satisfied. That verbiage that D’Amaro used throughout the Parks Panel leaves a bit extra wiggle room. Initiatives that begin to come back to life within the subsequent 5 years is just not the identical as development that may end by 2029. And there’s already one large instance of additives past that point horizon–the cruise ships that’ll come on-line in 2030 and 2031.
Furthermore, the dearth of a definitive assertion that these tasks will all open by 2029 is mildly regarding. It’s one factor to inform media that, it’s one other completely to say it throughout a public presentation. Disney is pretty savvy about these items, and it’s usually the case that information is seeded to media however by no means relayed by Disney. (This occurred not too long ago with DAS and Lightning Lane adjustments. What Disney mentioned in these circumstances was true, however they didn’t wish to make direct public statements for no matter motive.)
From my perspective, there are two distinct questions: whether or not all of those tasks can open by 2029 and whether or not Walt Disney World needs to open every little thing by 2029? I’ve seen a variety of followers give attention to the primary whereas ignoring the second. Truthfully, I feel the second query is the far larger one.
The explanation there’s a lot skepticism is as a result of Walt Disney World’s current observe document isn’t precisely sterling. The Big EPCOT Dust Pit grew to become a punchline on this weblog, and it’s each hilarious and unhappy that it took the corporate longer to construct CommuniCore Corridor than the unique EPCOT Heart (the complete park). It’s an identical story with TRON Lightcycle Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Moana’s Journey of Water, or–insert any challenge from the previous couple of years that isn’t Disney Trip Membership.
We’ve lengthy been essential of the followers who use the COVID closure as a handy excuse for these prolonged development timelines. There’s no motive that lots of these tasks needed to take so long as they did. The period of time development was paused, whereas transferring full-steam forward all through Florida, is flat-out inexcusable. Specifically, Disney needs to be embarrassed by how lengthy EPCOT was a sea of development partitions, a blatant violation of the 4 Keys.
However it’s additionally foolish to faux that COVID was a non-factor. It was a giant issue! There’s no sense in partaking in revisionist historical past (in both route) to make a degree. When the parks had been first closed, analyst projections instructed that it might take 5 years for journey and tourism to start to recuperate, and {that a} return to 2019 regular would possibly by no means occur. Even over a 12 months after reopening, Disney’s parks division was hemorrhaging a few billion {dollars} per quarter. It was a massacre!
As soon as issues did normalize and “revenge journey” was clearly an enormous phenomenon that may lead to gangbusters enterprise for Walt Disney World, a brand new downside arose: different development tasks, provide chain disruptions, and employee shortages. Common’s Epic Universe sucked up a variety of assets in Central Florida, and that was removed from the one advanced development challenge.
To this present day, delays persist for causes out of Disney’s management. ( instance is Cake Bake Store, which has turn out to be one other punchline. Neither Disney nor the proprietor of that wishes to see it frequently pushed again–there’s zero profit in doing so. It’s out of their collective arms.)
Level being, when work begins in earnest on all of those tasks at Walt Disney World in 2025, have you learnt what received’t be almost as large of an element? Epic Universe development, pandemic-era delays and disruptions, and development employee shortages. This isn’t to say all work at Common Orlando and different tasks round Central Florida will finish, however they received’t devour assets to almost the identical diploma.
The dynamic shall be extra like regular years pre-2019, when Walt Disney World development was arguably too sluggish (a minimum of for us impatient followers), however nonetheless nothing like 2020 to 2024. What precisely does that imply? Listed here are a number of tasks for mileposting:
- Pandora – World of Avatar: Introduced 2011, Building 2013, Opened 2017
- Toy Story Land: Introduced 2015, Building 2016, Opened 2018
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: Introduced 2015, Building 2016, Opened 2019
- Disney Skyliner: Introduced 2017, Building 2017, Opened 2019
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway: Introduced 2017, Building 2017, Opened 2020
How we lengthy for these halcyon days when development started a few months after D23 bulletins and tasks–even main ones–opened 2-3 years later. I bear in mind grumbling about ‘work being purposefully unfold out over a number of fiscal years’ on the time, however I’d fortunately return to that period.
And possibly we are going to! In mild of the above timelines, there’s no motive to consider the entire tasks on this record can’t be completed by 2029 if Walt Disney World so wishes. Most will start in 2025, which leaves 4 years to complete them. That’s a variety of time, even in an period the place delays are more and more widespread.
For this reason the higher query, from our perspective, is whether or not Walt Disney World will need to open all of those additions by 2029?
One of many different issues we’ve seen within the post-reopening interval is Walt Disney World purposefully staggering new sights and experiences for optimum affect. Remy’s Ratatouille Journey might’ve opened a full 12 months earlier than it did. Cosmic Rewind and TRON had been likewise intentionally slow-rolled. (I’ve no clue what occurred with CommuniCore, past the plain.)
My large concern is that the earliest new land to open shall be Tropical Americas in 2027. After that, I’ve a tough time believing that Walt Disney World will need to open a couple of new land per 12 months. In that case, it as soon as once more turns into a math downside: there are 3 different new lands and solely 2 years earlier than 2030.
Anyway, listed below are the development and opening timelines for every little thing on the horizon at Walt Disney World…
OPENS IN WINTER 2025 – Zootopia: Higher Zoogether has friends visiting the totally different biomes you solely glimpse within the movie, touring together with Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and different characters. That is a alternative for “It’s Powerful to Be a Bug,” the 3D present contained in the Tree of Life. That attraction is predicted to shut sooner or later in early 2025.
- Building Begins: Early 2025 (Perhaps?)
- Opening: Winter 2025
There’s some confusion about whether or not Walt Disney World will debut this in a number of months or over a 12 months from now. Usually, Disney means January by means of early March (pre-Spring Break) when referring to winter. December is sort of at all times known as the “holidays” or “late” from a seasons perspective. So we’d assume that is the subsequent new addition on the horizon, however then again, there have been no substantive updates or teases, suggesting possibly it’s nonetheless over a 12 months away.
Calm down with family and friends at two themed lounges coming to Walt Disney World impressed by Pirates of the Caribbean and Spaceship Earth.
- Building Started: 2024
- Opening: 2025
Building has already began on the Pirates of the Caribbean tavern outdoors the attraction within the exit space reward store. It might conceivably be executed by any level subsequent 12 months, particularly if it’s following the Oga’s Cantina mannequin. It’s an identical story for the Spaceship Earth lounge, which is just changing the company sponsor space vacated by Siemens.
When the solar units within the Magic Kingdom, a brand new parade will waltz down Important Avenue! Get able to witness “Disney Starlight.” This all-new parade will proceed the nighttime spectacular legacy began by the Important Avenue Electrical Parade, utilizing the most recent expertise to inform new tales concerning the characters you like. All of this is delivered to life by the magic of the Blue Fairy, along with beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios movies “Peter Pan,” “Encanto,” “Frozen,” and extra.
- Building Started: 2024
- Opening: Summer time 2025
“Building” in all probability isn’t the fitting phrase for a parade, however we first heard about Disney Starlight (albeit not by that identify) months in the past. Even at the moment, substantive work was already being executed–suggesting that this wasn’t only a pitch or in early improvement.
It doesn’t seem to be this shall be a race towards the clock to finish, that means that it’s more likely to open round Memorial Day than mid-summer. If Walt Disney World had been good, they’d debut Disney Starlight–and regardless of the summer season celebration goes to be–throughout shoulder season after Easter to assist unfold out crowds. Though a splashy kickoff Memorial Day weekend could be enjoyable!
Discover the previous, current, and way forward for automation with a newly-rethemed Check Observe, which Disney confirmed will open subsequent 12 months (as extensively anticipated). Moreover, new particulars had been shared concerning the pre-show, queue reveals, and present scenes.
- Building Started: 2024
- Opening: 2025
That is an bold challenge with an aggressive timeline and ample assets, nevertheless it nonetheless might take round a full 12 months to complete. It’s possible that Imagineering began with a desired end date for Check Observe 3.0 in Summer time 2025 and labored backwards from there to find out when the present incarnation of the attraction wanted to shut. To that time, I’d hazard a guess that the goal opening date for Check Observe 3.0 is round Memorial Day 2025, additionally as a part of a summer season kickoff celebration.
That doesn’t imply it would open then–it might happen earlier and even later. There’s at all times the potential for work being accomplished forward of schedule or delays occurring. However my educated guess is that we’re taking a look at a late spring or early summer season opening. Spring Break 2025 being absolutely the earliest and July 4th being the most recent.
Mando and Grogu have a brand new journey on the horizon coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Be a part of the Mandalorian and Child Yoda on brand-new adventures coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in celebration of the brand new Star Wars movie “The Mandalorian and Grogu” coming to theaters in 2026.
- Work Begins: 2026
- Opening: 2026
The Mandalorian & Grogu film is (at present) set to be launched on Could 22, 2026. This new mission for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will possible debut round then, in all probability barely earlier than as a promotional push for the movie. We don’t count on any materials adjustments to the queue or pre-show, that means a prolonged closure shouldn’t be vital. Hopefully, it’ll occur in a single day like the brand new scenes in Star Excursions.
Tropical Americas will come to Disney’s Animal Kingdom that includes Indiana Jones and the magical casita from Encanto. (We’ve separate posts for the Encanto Magical Madrigal Casita Darkish Trip and Indiana Jones Journey.)
- Building Begins: Fall 2024
- Opening: 2027
In keeping with Walt Disney World, development on the land is about to start in Fall 2024 and can open in 2027, “however don’t fear, you’ll nonetheless have loads of time to expertise Dinosaur once more (and get that dino).”
On condition that assertion, we’re making a few assumptions. The primary is that Dinosaur is just not closing till someday in 2025. Since that experience reimagining is not being fast-tracked, we’re additionally assuming the land received’t open in phases. (In all probability a sensible transfer–didn’t go properly for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.)
If this land is opening unexpectedly as a substitute of in phases, there’s extra work to be executed on Encanto–a model new construct–than there’s on Indiana Jones Journey, which can reuse the prevailing experience system from Dinosaur. This additionally signifies that Dinosaur might conceivably stay open by means of Spring Break 2025 to assist soak up these crowds. Clearly, all of that is unconfirmed–and the longer DINOSAUR is closed, the extra time Imagineering has to do justice to an bold reimagining. So we’d like to see it shut earlier.
It’s laughter they’re after when Sulley, Mike, and the remainder of the crew from Pixar Animation Studios’ “Monsters, Inc.” transfer into Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and let people contained in the manufacturing unit for the primary time.
- Building Begins: 2025
- Opening: 2028 (Perhaps?)
Walt Disney World nonetheless hasn’t introduced the place this shall be situated, which suggests to us that an official determination has not but been made. (If it 100% had been Animation Courtyard, they’d’ve introduced that by now–since nobody cares.) Although we predict it’s prone to be Animation Courtyard, we stay fearful that it’ll find yourself changing Grand Avenue and MuppetVision 3D.
In any case, a choice must be made quickly, and as soon as it’s made, demolition might want to start. Disney has already indicated work will begin in 2025. Even when that’s simply demolition for the primary 12 months, there’s nonetheless loads of time to have this open by 2028. It’s the only challenge of the most important new lands. Having Monstropolis open in 2028 maintains Disney’s annual opening cadence, so it looks like a simple conclusion.
Begin your engines, fan favourite tales and characters from Pixar’s “Vehicles” race into Magic Kingdom with two new sights and enjoyable for the entire household.
- Building Begins: 2025
- Opening: 2029 (Perhaps?)
Subsequent to D23, Walt Disney World revealed that the Vehicles space will truly exchange the Rivers of America, that means that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Sq. Riverboat will completely shut. Whereas work on the Vehicles land begins in early 2025, this doesn’t imply that the Rivers of America will shut then. Moderately, that’s when work on the laydown yards behind the park will start, and that prepwork itself is probably going a reasonably concerned challenge that may take a number of months.
So far as closing timelines go for the Rivers of America, all Walt Disney World has introduced is that this: “Forward of labor revving into excessive gear subsequent 12 months, friends can have loads of time to expertise the appeal and nostalgia of Frontierland as it’s right this moment.” Our guess is that this implies these closures received’t happen till after Easter 2025.
The truth is, it wouldn’t be stunning if Magic Kingdom tries to get by means of Summer time 2025 earlier than closing Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. Disney Starlight Parade goes to be massively common upon debut and can want ample viewing area throughout its opening summer season alongside the promenade in Frontierland. Building partitions up on one aspect of the walkway would cut back viewing capability.
Regardless, filling within the Rivers of America after which constructing Vehicles land on high of that could be a very bold challenge. Followers will bemoan the prolonged timeline, however this debuting in 2029 truly appears pretty aggressive given the size and scope of labor.
That is no fortunately ever after. Get able to see a darker aspect of your favourite fairytales when the Villains solid a spell over Magic Kingdom. Villains Land shall be house to 2 main sights, eating, and procuring on an extremely twisted grand scale.
- Building Begins: “Quickly”
- Opening: 2030 (Perhaps?)
The protected wager is that Villains Land will debut in 2030 or 2031. Not as a result of it’ll essentially take that lengthy to construct, however as a result of it seems to be section 2 of the Magic Kingdom enlargement, coming on-line after Vehicles land. And that land might be delayed into 2030 given how issues go together with the staging websites, filling within the Rivers of America, and development on the land itself.
Then there’s the difficulty of section 2s, which infamously don’t occur. No matter how you are feeling concerning the present economic system, there are respectable odds of a recession between now and 2030. And though the idea artwork seems nice, I’m involved that they haven’t settled on what this land will truly characteristic. If there’s one challenge that has me frightened with a Pandora-like timeline, it’s Villains Land.
Personally, I feel that Villains Land is a implausible thought and one which shall be large for Magic Kingdom. If I had been in cost, I’d completely be fast-tracking this addition and attempt to open it simultaneous with Vehicles land for a really blockbuster enlargement of Magic Kingdom and relaunch of the park on par with Disney California Journey 2.0, which debuted with each Vehicles Land and Buena Vista Avenue. Apples to oranges comparability, however there’s nothing stopping Walt Disney World from opening each in 2029 besides urge for food to take action. Villains Land is a largely on new land, so it might begin development earlier than the Vehicles land.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Motels Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing you should know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you count on all of those upcoming Walt Disney World tasks to open by 2029? Suppose any of them will slip into 2030-2031, or presumably be cancelled fully? What has you most and least excited? Something you’re hoping doesn’t find yourself coming to fruition? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
