Villains Land Is Casting a Darker Spell on Magic Kingdom

D23 opened the storybook, started the engines and apparently packed an archaeologist’s hat. Disney revealed a substantial collection of new details about attractions and lands coming to Walt Disney World Resort.

Magic Kingdom is preparing for two major expansions with the villainous forests of Villains Land and the rugged roads of Piston Peak National Park. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is filling out the story of Tropical Americas with Encanto, Indiana Jones and a new carousel, while EPCOT favorites Spaceship Earth, Figment and Dreamfinder are preparing for new chapters. Even the Yeti inside Expedition Everest is getting back into the action.

Here’s the grand tour of the Walt Disney World announcements, with all the twists, turns, serpents, snowcapped mountains and suspiciously magical mirrors included.

Villains Land Is Casting a Darker Spell on Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom’s upcoming Villains Land will be inspired by classic Walt Disney Animation Studios characters, but it will tell an entirely original story rather than simply gathering familiar villains in one place.

The trouble begins with a Wishing Well destroyed by an evil wish. Dark magic from the shattered Well poisons the surrounding forest, drawing Disney Villains who arrive to claim its remaining power. They build imposing fortresses and palaces throughout the land, creating a wicked new fairytale setting filled with places to shop, dine and explore.

Disney has compared the size and scale of Villains Land to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and two major attractions will anchor the expansion.

Maleficent Gets a Mountain—and a Coaster

One of those attractions will be a coaster starring Maleficent. Guests will race through enchanted briars surrounding the Mistress of All Evil’s mountaintop fortress. Disney says the attraction will feature elements that have never previously been attempted on similar attractions, giving this trip through the thorns an especially ambitious edge.

The Magic Mirror Opens Another Realm

Villains Land’s second major attraction will be a dark ride hosted by the Magic Mirror. The adventure begins in the catacombs beneath the Evil Queen’s pristine palace, where guests find the Mirror before being transported through the glass into his mystical Mirror Realm.

Inside that mysterious world, an assortment of Disney Villains will appear through a combination of physical sets and special effects. Between a poisoned forest, villain-built palaces and two headline attractions, Magic Kingdom’s fairytale is getting a wonderfully wicked new chapter.

Piston Peak National Park Puts Cars in the Wilderness

Elsewhere in Magic Kingdom, Piston Peak National Park is bringing the world of Cars into a fictional wilderness inspired by the Rocky Mountain region, the American Frontier and the history and iconic scenery of America’s national parks.

The landscape will feature towering trees, waterfalls, rivers, geysers and snowcapped mountains. Guests will also find a visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and other details designed to make the area feel like a national park—with considerably more horsepower.

Imagineers are drawing from “Parkitecture,” the architectural style developed by the National Park Service to help buildings blend with their natural surroundings.

Cars Ridge Run Rally Heads Off Road

Cars Ridge Run Rally will send racers into the “wheelderness” on an off-road journey through Piston Peak. The route climbs the mountain to an icy, snow-covered summit before heading down a camelback descent.

Racers will continue through a geyser field, circle Old Tankfull geyser and sprint toward the finish while Lightning McQueen and Mater provide live coverage for the Racing Sports Network.

The attraction is also introducing a completely new ride vehicle designed to behave like an actual off-road vehicle. Its tires and suspension will respond to bumps, rocks and drops along the route rather than simply creating the appearance of rugged terrain.

Miss Fritter Starts a Very Unsubtle Demolition Derby

The second attraction is Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along, inspired by the self-proclaimed “Diva of Demolition” from Cars 3. Miss Fritter will host her wildest demolition derby yet, complete with a school-bus-sized Miss Fritter animatronic at the center of the festivities.

Piston Peak will continue the geographical storytelling that has connected Liberty Square and Frontierland since Magic Kingdom opened. That journey stretches from colonial America and upstate New York in Liberty Square through the North Woods, New Orleans at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the Arizona bluffs surrounding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

The national park will be part of the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. Trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and neighboring areas, rugged peaks will rise along the waterway across from Grizzly Hall, and geysers extending from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will continue into the rally landscape.

Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto Welcomes Everyone to Casita

Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the upcoming Tropical Americas land has a name for its Encanto attraction: Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto.

The attraction was detailed during the “Horizons: A Carousel of Progress” presentation at D23 and is being developed with help from Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studios and the writer and director of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto.

The story takes place on Antonio Madrigal’s gift day, when he receives the ability to communicate with animals. Guests join the Madrigal family’s celebration inside Casita, with a story centered on the idea that every living thing belongs in the familia, whether it has a gift or not.

Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto will have no height requirement, making the attraction accessible to guests of all heights.

Casita Has Some Furniture Ready for a Ride

Inside the magical house, guests will board vehicles inspired by pieces of furniture that Casita brings to life. The vehicles will respond to scenes around them while traveling through rooms created specifically for the attraction, expanding Casita beyond the spaces shown in the film.

The journey eventually travels upstairs to Antonio’s room, which becomes a lush rainforest filled with animal life. More than 50 animals will appear throughout the attraction, including a capybara receiving a hair trim, a toucan and a donkey.

Several familiar voices from Encanto are also returning. Stephanie Beatriz will reprise Mirabel, Jessica Darrow will return as Luisa and Diane Guerrero will voice Isabela.

Disney Imagineering partnered with Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team to make sure the attraction’s animals accurately represent Colombia. The project team also traveled to Colombia to study how colors, materials and structures relate to the region’s climate, terrain and culture.

A New Carousel Joins Tropical Americas

Tropical Americas will also feature El Carrusel de los Animalitos, an animal-themed carousel designed for guests of all ages. The classic-style attraction will include 22 hand-carved animal figures inspired by Disney and Pixar stories.

First announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in 2024, Tropical Americas celebrates the myths and magic of the rainforest. Beyond the Encanto attraction and carousel, plans include an expansive hacienda that will rank among the largest quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort, shopping locations and a Maya-inspired play area where young explorers can dig for artifacts through hands-on play.

Then, of course, there’s the archaeologist setting off for a temple nearby.

Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent Goes Underground

On August 15, 2026, D23 revealed new details about Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, an all-new attraction coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom as part of Tropical Americas.

The adventure combines the thrills of an Indiana Jones expedition with the cultural detail at the heart of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Riders will travel alongside Indy beneath an ancient temple ruin, with Maya culture and its deep connection to nature shaping the setting and story.

Harrison Ford Makes Disney Attraction History

Disney Legend Harrison Ford will serve as the actual model for the attraction’s Indiana Jones animatronic. This will be the first time Ford’s likeness has appeared in a Disney attraction anywhere in the world.

A Cenote, an Underworld and One Protective Serpent

Inside the temple, adventurers rendezvous with Dr. Jones as he investigates a mysterious site near a cenote, a formerly water-filled underground cave. Local legend says a passage there leads directly to the Maya Underworld, protected by a serpentine creature known as the Tsukán.

Things go predictably sideways for an Indiana Jones expedition when riders are accidentally pulled through a portal into the Underworld. Their escape will involve monstrous bats, enormous scorpions, fire, flame and, naturally, snakes.

Spaceship Earth Explores a Bigger Idea

D23 also brought news for several existing Walt Disney World attractions. For the first time in nearly two decades, EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth will receive updates.

The reimagined journey will broaden its focus beyond the history of human communication to explore the larger idea of human connection. Disney says the attraction will retain the optimism and wonder that have defined Spaceship Earth for generations while introducing new magic throughout the experience.

Dreamfinder and Figment Are Together Again

Another familiar face is returning to EPCOT’s Imagination pavilion. Dreamfinder, the whimsical character who originally brought imagination to life in the pavilion’s original attraction, will reunite with Figment for a new adventure.

For longtime EPCOT fans, that means one of the park’s most memorable partnerships is officially preparing for another spark of imagination.

The Yeti Is Coming Back to Life

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has one more rather large update lurking inside the Himalayas. The iconic Yeti Audio-Animatronics figure in Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain is set to come back to life deep within the attraction.

The return adds another notable update to a park already preparing for the arrival of Tropical Americas, Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto, El Carrusel de los Animalitos and Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent.

A Very Busy Future for Walt Disney World

Taken together, the D23 announcements paint a particularly ambitious picture for Walt Disney World Resort.

Magic Kingdom is expanding its American frontier with Piston Peak while venturing into an entirely new villainous fairytale. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is combining Colombian wildlife, the magic of Encanto, Maya-inspired storytelling and an Indiana Jones expedition in Tropical Americas. EPCOT, meanwhile, is revisiting some of its most recognizable stories with changes to Spaceship Earth and the return of Dreamfinder alongside Figment.

Add a reawakened Yeti to the mix, and the road ahead has no shortage of surprises. Future Walt Disney World vacations are going to have quite a few new adventures competing for space on the itinerary.