Disney Experience Chairman Josh D’Amaro unveiled ambitious plans for Walt Disney World, including new attractions and in-park destinations.
D’Amaro announced the plans to the company’s most ardent supporters on Saturday at the Disney fan event D23 in Anaheim, Calif. The biennial expo is a must-see for Disney fans, featuring franchises that span fandoms such as Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars” and Marvel Studios’ “The Avengers.”
A-list celebrities often take to the stage to promote upcoming projects, and Disney executives typically use the platform to show off big announcements to delighted fans.
Disney fans attended D23 on Saturday. Araya Doheny/Getty Images
This weekend was no exception.
“The Disney Experience is accelerating its ambitious path of growth and innovation,” he said in a press release. “With so many great Disney stories to tell, we’re excited to bring to life an unprecedented number of new projects in the near future.”
D’Amaro was talking about a major expansion at Walt Disney World in central Florida, where the Magic Kingdom will feature Villains Land, where guests will get to spend time with some of Disney’s most infamous villains.
The villain-centric land is a win for Disney fans, who have been championing the idea on Reddit and other forums for years.
The Magic Kingdom will also feature two attractions based on the “Cars” series: an off-road rally race and a family-friendly ride.
“As we develop the next generation of Disney experiences, we’re always looking for new ways to tell the stories people love,” D’Amaro said. “We’re building on this incredibly successful series and thrilling ‘Cars’ fans by creating the next chapter of this saga.”
Magic Kingdom is adding new attractions, including two rides inspired by the movie “Cars.” Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
The Magic Kingdom isn’t the only theme park in Florida undergoing renovations.
The company is building a new area at Animal Kingdom called Tropical America, which will feature a rainforest village called Pueblo Esperanza, where guests can join Indiana Jones on an adventure through a Mayan temple.
The lineup will also include a new “Encanto” attraction, which will be the first “Encanto” ride-through attraction located inside a casita.
Tropical America will open in 2027.
At Hollywood Studios, Pixar fans can explore a new area inspired by Monsters, Inc. Guests can tour the Laugh Factory, in addition to an unreleased attraction that will be the first suspended coaster at a Disney park.
Disney’s Money Making
Disney’s theme parks are a major source of revenue, but the company’s announcement of the expansion came four days after executives acknowledged that its theme parks had slowed in the third quarter.
Revenue from the Experiences division rose 2% year over year, but operating profit fell 3%, a figure Disney cited in its most recent earnings report as a factor in part due to inflation.
“We’ve talked about the fact that lower-income consumers are feeling a little bit more stressed. Higher-income consumers are taking a little bit more international travel,” Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said during a Q&A webcast this month. “We think that we’re going to see those trends continue on the revenue side.”
Disney reported that its experiences division revenue fell in the third quarter. Walt Disney World
Disney Expansion
This also comes after the Central Florida Tourism Board approved a $17 billion development deal that could transform Disney’s Central Florida properties.
The development deal is the product of a bitter legal battle between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who last February wrested control of the local tourist district from Disney, which until now has managed development in the area independently through its own board with little government oversight.
The legal battle began in 2022 and ended in March this year when the parties agreed to a settlement.
At the time the development deals were approved, Disney hadn’t revealed how it planned to spend the billions of dollars, but D23’s new announcement may be a sign of things to come.
Representatives for Walt Disney World did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Disneyland outside of Florida
D’Amaro also shared details about how other Disney theme parks will be expanded.
Disneyland in California is seeing a significant Marvel expansion: Avengers Campus will be twice its current size and will feature new attractions, and following the success of James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” a franchise-inspired attraction is coming to Disney California Adventure, D’Amaro said.
Disney is investing heavily in its domestic theme parks. Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disneyland.
The company also Cruise Operation The fleet will add four new ships between 2027 and 2031.
