D23 Dropped a Pile of Walt Disney World News. Here's What I Actually Think.
D23 just happened, and Disney announced enough WDW stuff to fill a notebook. You can get the full news recap anywhere — this isn't that. These are my rapid-fire takes as a 40-year Disney veteran who lives 15 minutes from the parks. The good, the skeptical, and the "finally."
Villains Land (Magic Kingdom)
Yes, Villains Land is actually going to be the name — and before you roll your eyes, it makes sense. Every area in Magic Kingdom already has "land" in the title, so at least it's consistent.
Three main villains announced: Maleficent and the Evil Queen — two of the first villains anyone thinks of — and Dr. Facilier. Maleficent and the Evil Queen are no-brainers. Facilier, I'm less sure about. Love the character, not sure how he fits the rest of the lineup. We'll see.
Two rides: a Maleficent roller coaster and a Magic Mirror boat ride. The coaster I'm cautiously excited about — just hoping it's not too extreme. I like a thrill, but I don't need to be launched into a neighboring county. The Magic Mirror boat ride, though? Love the concept. Seeing things from the viewpoint of the Magic Mirror is genuinely creative, and that's the kind of ride Disney used to be known for. Some real promise here.
Tropical Americas (Animal Kingdom)
Two rides announced. Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto — and yes, it's a trackless ride, which is a very good thing. Disney World only has two other trackless rides right now, so anytime they add one, I'm in. The concept art looked genuinely amazing, and trackless tech lets them do things a tracked ride just can't. Color me excited.
Indiana Jones and the Legend of the Jade Serpent, though — this one I'm genuinely excited for. They can finally use Harrison Ford's likeness, and the Mayan storyline fits that area of the park perfectly. This is the one I'll be watching closest.
Monstropolis
Word is it opens earlier than expected. But — and read the fine print here — it's a phased opening, which means no door coaster yet. Disney loves a phased opening. (Industry translation: "phased opening" is corporate for "we're opening part of it on time so we have something to announce, and the rest shows up whenever." I've worked enough openings to know the drill. Manage your expectations accordingly.)
Carousel of Progress
Spring 2027, with Bryan Cranston as the voice of the father and Jamie Lee Curtis as the mother — and yes, that is brilliant voice casting.
This one's got controversy because people love the original, and I get it. But I like the update. It lines up with Walt's whole vision: Disney is always changing, always updating. A park that never changes is a museum, and Walt never wanted a museum.
Piston Peak
Glad it doesn't look like a copy of the Disneyland Cars ride. Good. The last thing WDW needs is a port of an existing ride — we've got enough of those.
The Big Three
Now we get to the three that actually matter, in my opinion.
Spaceship Earth is getting an update. It's been really feeling its age — anyone who's ridden it lately knows it. Disney's promising to keep the original feel of EPCOT, which is the right promise to make. The question is whether they keep it.
The Yeti in Expedition Everest is finally getting fixed. Finally. If you know, you know — that animatronic has been broken for so long that a whole generation of guests don't even know it was ever supposed to move. Fixing it is the bare minimum, but credit where it's due: they're fixing it.
And the big one: Dreamfinder is coming back. Of all the announcements, this is the one that got me. Fans have been begging for Dreamfinder for years.
Spaceship Earth, the Yeti, Dreamfinder — all three of these are things fans have been loudly asking for. So here's the real question:
Is Disney finally listening to their fans?
I don't know. But it's nice to feel heard.
What This Means for Your Trip
If you're reading all this and wondering "okay, but how does any of it affect a trip I'm planning?" — great question. The answer depends on when you're going, what you care about, and whether you want to wait for any of this to open. That's literally the kind of call I make with clients every day. Disney announcements are exciting, but they're also a planning puzzle — and the "do I go now or wait for the new land?" timing is the part that trips people up.
Until the next announcement…