What’s New in Disney World? Every Ride, Attraction & More Coming 2023-2025

In this post, we are going to discuss all the newest Disney World rides and attractions, as well as give you a glimpse of everything coming to the parks in 2023-2025.  I know 2025 seems like a long time away, but with all the new rides that Disney is currently building, we want to prepare you for what’s next.

The easiest way to do this is to break everything down park by park.  Just in case you haven’t been to Walt Disney World in the last few years, we will give you a brief overview of the new Disney attractions, that are already in the parks and what’s coming soon.

One good way to see everything is in our Walt Disney World Construction Updates guide. 

We try to stay on top of all the different construction zones around property (and there are plenty of them) on a monthly basis so you can even see these new rides being built stage by stage.  It’s really fun to watch and will give you an insight into what actually goes into these complicated systems.

The last few years have been interesting, to say the least, and things haven’t gone exactly the way Disney originally planned. The past few years were supposed to be big years for construction, but the Disney World closure changed that from 2020-2022, and all mostly all the projects were slowed down moving forward.

We know that Disney lost billions of dollars in the last few years, and then CEO Bob Chapek announced that they were cutting the construction budget by hundreds of millions of dollars over the last couple of years.

Because of this, many of the new rides and attractions coming to Disney World were either delayed or canceled outright.

Thankfully, things are looking a bit more positive since Bob Iger has once again returned as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Management realizes the mistakes that were made during the direction from the previous regime, and it seems that Iger is intent on fixing the company’s “broken image” to its fans that the previous leadership created.

Early signs from management indicate that they will be spending more time and money investing in Walt Disney World and the other theme parks. We first saw this back at the last D23 Expo, where where Disney restored some of the lost faith in fans and showed them they are once again taking the theme park business seriously and will be heavily investing in new attractions in the coming years.

This was made even more clear at the most recent Destination D23 Event where announcements about some of the most highly anticipated new projects were made. For starters, plans for a huge Magic Kingdom expansion and a reimagining of Dinoland USA were both confirmed, and that was only the tip of the iceberg.

This will obviously take some time and Iger and the company need to be strategic with how they roll out the next wave of projects for the parks.

Since Disney World is now open once again, many of the projects that were previously planned have the green light and are moving full steam ahead, while others that we still don’t know about are no doubt in the works.

However, it just may take a little longer than we thought. Some of the attractions that we thought we were getting in 2022 or 2023, we’ll now have to wait until 2024 to experience. Likewise, some of the rides scheduled for 2024 are now pushed off until 2025, and so on.

The good news is that if you haven’t been in a few years, there are already a ton of new attractions in Disney World to come and see.

Waiting for what’s coming to the parks next is also a consideration, and either way, you’ll have many new exciting things to see and do.

One of the biggest new things in the parks will be The Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary celebration which is starting on September 22, 2023, and will probably carry over until December 31, 2023.

There aren’t any new rides, attractions, restaurants, or hotels created specifically for the anniversary, but we know that there are new experiences opening during this time that were already in the works, plus some new entertainment debut including fireworks shows, plus plenty of snacks and merchandise to enjoy.

Disney World’s 50th anniversary was viewed as a flop since there were many rumors about updated attractions that never materialized in time for the party, but thankfully, some of those are now being planned for the coming years.

The resort has felt empty for the better part of 2023 and there are too many reasons for this to get into in this article. We can just say, if you do have an upcoming trip planned, at least enjoy your favorite rides with vastly lower wait times.

You may have heard that FastPass is gone and the Disney Genie system has now taken its place. This is going to have a big effect on the way you tour the parks, so make sure you read more about it along with our Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lanes Complete Guide.

You also may know that Disney introduced new MagicBands in 2022 called MagicBand+. This accessory is the next generation and has a ton of interactive features guests can use during their stay.

After more than a year of using them, we are still not really convinced that MagicBand+ is worth the extra price, but it does have some really cool features to use, and it’ll be interesting to see if more interactivity is rolled out to the parks soon.

If you are trying to figure out which year you should plan your trip, read our post on “Going to Disney World in 2023 or 2024, Which Year is Best?” We will be updating it again soon for the new year, and there we break down the pros and cons of each year.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. We will keep you updated about the newest attractions coming to Disney World as well as Disney vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Without further ado, here is what’s new and what’s coming next to Walt Disney World from 2023 to 2025 and beyond.

Magic Kingdom

Let’s start off in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, where Disney World was born.  Honestly, if you haven’t been in a few years, there aren’t that many new things you need to see, but that will be changing in 2024.

The fireworks situation at the Magic Kingdom has been kind of crazy in recent years. In 2021, the Happily Ever After fireworks show was canceled and replaced by the newest nighttime spectacular Disney Enchantment. It debuted on October 1, 2021, to mostly negative reviews from fans and we definitely don’t think it lives up to its predecessor.

If you didn’t like it, no worries, Disney Enchantment is already gone and Happily Ever After is now back at the Magic Kingdom! The show made its new debut on April 4, 2023. The good news is we were even more blown away this time around than during its original run.

It still has the same incredible soundtrack, but it’s added even more special effects including projections down Main Street U.S.A., so even if you can’t get into The Hub for the show, you will still have something new to appreciate.

The Magic Kingdom definitely isn’t the park with the highest number of attractions coming in the next few years, but it has one of the biggest ones, and definitely the fastest new ride. 

The biggest by far is the TRON Lightcycle Run roller coaster.  This is a clone of the roller coaster in Shanghai Disneyland, and it has quickly jumped to becoming the most popular ride in the park.

It was originally scheduled for a Spring/Summer 2021 opening date, but it wasn’t ready in time for the 50th anniversary and instead it opened on April 4, 2023. We’ve now been able to ride multiple times, and it’s become one of our favorite rides at the Magic Kingdom.

The only complaint we have is that it’s short, but Disney Imagineers did an excellent job with this one, especially since they were operating under a reduced budget than what was originally planned for the attraction.

The big news that was dropped over the last couple of years was that one of Disney World’s most beloved attractions, Splash Mountain, getting a complete re-theming into a Princess and the Frog-themed attraction.

The Disney fans are split on whether or not it should happen, but it is happening. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will remain a log flume ride, but now set in the Louisiana Bayou and featuring Princess Tiana and Louis as they bring you on a musical journey from the film.

This is not a small project and it will take between 1-2 years to complete the re-theming. Right now, the construction is currently under way and it is coming to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in Late 2024.

You may have noticed that the Walt Disney World Railroad is now once again making loops around the Magic Kingdom.  It closed in 2018 and was closed for 4 years before finally reopening in December 2022 with changes to the track and narration of the attraction. We’re just happy to have one of our all-time favorite attractions back and running again!

At the most recent Destination D23 event we got confirmation on a few Magic Kingdom projects, some we knew about, and others that were a surprise.

This first is that rumors of the Country Bear Jamboree closing in Frontierland were in fact true. Or at least sort of. The Country Bears themselves are sticking around and will be performing a new act in 2024.

All your favorite Country Bears such as Trixie, Big Al, Henry, and the others will be reinterpreting favorite Disney songs in different genres of country music. We’re happy to see that the bears are sticking around and not being replaced with just any IP and we think that if done right if could make this classic attraction relevant once again.

Another addition fans have been clamoring for is the long-awaited Hatbox Ghost coming to the Haunted Mansion. This was an original part of the ride that was taken out shortly after debuting in 1969. The special effects at that time were just not convincing enough for Imagineers, and he was then removed.

Now we know that the Hatbox Ghost will materialize at the Haunted Mansion in “late November” and will be located near the Endless Hallway scene.

We are always ready for another great place to add to our list of Best Bars & Lounges in Disney World, and the newly announced Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge sounds like it might work its way into consideration.

This first-of-its-kind experience will extend the story of Pirates of the Caribbean as a themed lounge located near the classic attraction in Adventureland. We don’t know much at this time, but we do know that the Barker Bird animatronic is making a welcome return.

Possible locations for the lounge are the former Pirates League makeover experience space, or Tortuga Tavern across from the ride’s entrance. Either way, we are pumped!

The biggest news recently about this park is that Disney is working on a huge Magic Kingdom expansion behind Big Thunder Mountain.

They shared some ideas that are being thrown around for this land last year, and it could include Coco, Encanto, and a Disney Villains area (though Encanto is less likely now since that is probably going to Animal Kingdom).

At Destination D23 Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney Imagineering confirmed it would be a huge expansion project with attractions, restaurants, and shows, and on the same size and scope as Pandora: The World of Avatar or Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

This project hasn’t technically been green-lit at this time, but with the recent announcement, we definitely are getting something big in that space. Just don’t expect it until 2026 or beyond, but it is encouraging that Disney is moving forward with what will be the biggest expansion in Magic Kingdom’s history!

Read our Magic Kingdom Rides Guide for a more look at every ride in the park.

EPCOT

If we were putting this list in order of the parks with the highest number of new rides and attractions coming in the next few years, there is no doubt that EPCOT would be #1.  Even after 4 years, it’s still one big construction zone, and that’s the price we have to pay after years of letting things go.

The good thing is that things are looking up and there is a great, big, beautiful tomorrow in store for EPCOT, as construction is winding down now.

If you haven’t heard yet EPCOT is getting a complete transformation, with new attractions and a complete re-do of the old Future World. 

In the last few of years, Future World has disappeared, and instead, the park has been divided up into 4 new neighborhoods. These are home to the current as well as the new attractions that are coming.

We’re sorry that the EPCOT Experience exhibit at the Odyssey Pavilion has been closed. It was a great way to see the future since it had a huge model and an awesome video of EPCOT and all the pavilions that will be seeing changes in 2023, and extending until 2024, and beyond.

Looking into the front half of the park at World Celebration (the old Future World), this is where we see the most changes happening.

One of the main features of this newly designed area in EPCOT was to be the 3-story Festival Center, which has since been canceled. Located high above World Celebration, it was going to have shops, restaurants, and an observation deck on the top level, providing amazing views into World Showcase.

This was going to be a huge part of the new EPCOT expansion, however, with Disney’s budget cuts for new rides and attractions, the original version of the festival center was no longer viewed as “necessary” and Disney is building something much smaller in its place.

This new area sits on the old location of the former CommuniCore West building and is now more like a festival area rather than an actual elevated pavilion structure in the original concept art. It will be called CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza after the former Future World pavilion.

There will be an indoor area with a Mickey & Friends character meet, as well as a flexible exhibition and gallery space, offering a wide variety of experiences that highlight art, live music, food, a demonstration kitchen, a mixology bar, and more.

CommuniCore Plaza will have the flexibility to host intimate musical performances that extend out into the nearby gardens, as you can see in the rendering above, as well as large-scale concerts

The EPCOT Gardens will make the park more nature-friendly and fill World Celebration with as much green as possible and include a vast network of lush gardens. This area will be filled with plenty of seating for guests, and shade (something EPCOT is currently missing).

“Dreamer’s Point” is an area in World Celebration that will feature a storytelling fountain and also a statue of Walt Disney called “Walt the Dreamer.” Since he never got to see EPCOT built, this is a fitting tribute to the man who started it all.

Construction on World Celebration is already far along, so all the above-mentioned additions will be open by December 2023.

The biggest new attraction at EPCOT is the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster which opened on May 27, 2022.  That means it will be open on your next trip to EPCOT and will likely be one of the highlights.

This is a groundbreaking new ride and is one of the longest indoor roller coasters in the world.  It uses new ride vehicle technology called the “Omnicoaster”, awesome storytelling elements, and crazy special effects which have instantly made it the most ride in EPCOT.

We’ve now had a chance to ride it dozens of times and were completely blown away by the new ride system and all the incredible special effects Disney Imagineers worked so hard on over the last few years. This could be the best roller coaster in Disney World and it’s a must-do for the majority of guests.

The Moana: Journey of Water attraction is one that was just announced a few years ago, and the first attraction based on the Walt Disney Studios hit film.  It is located near The Seas, in the area that Innoventions West used to call home.

Moana: Journey of Water opened on October 16, 2023 and we’ve had a chance to interact with magical, living water in this interactive experience ourselves, and it’s really cool. It’s not an actual ride so don’t get your hopes up for that, but it’s a nice addition to World Celebration and aesthetically gorgeous.

There is also a Moana Character Meet coming to the same area starting on October 16, 2023 with a meet and greet space with a similar look to Journey of Water.

On the other side in World Discovery, the Play! Pavilion is being built in the old Wonders of Life building.  Disney describes it as an “immersive and interactive city” where they promise interactions with your favorite Disney characters, and it will be another addition aimed at a younger audience. 

No specific IPs have been announced yet, but the concept art gives away who you can expect to see.

This was supposed to be open in time for the 50th Anniversary in 2021, but with so much time passed and so little done on the project at this time, we are not even sure if it will get built. At the earliest, we can expect it in 2025, but we aren’t hopeful at this time.

One announcement we definitely were not expecting, but we’ve been hoping for is the reimagining of Test Track in World Discovery. Imagineers and teams from Chevrolet are looking back to the classic EPCOT ride World of Motion for inspiration of the next version of Test Track.

Not much is known about what it will be like yet, but with the current version being about 13 years old already and much maligned, we are very excited to see if Test Track can return to the glory days.

The rumor that won’t go away is big changes coming to the Imagination! Pavilion, and though changes are needed desperately, nothing has been announced so far.  This is one project that even if Disney did have plans for, it has likely been pushed way back.

If we do eventually get a new ride, we expect Figment to still play a major role, but don’t expect anything new to open here until 2024 or later.

At least the Figment character meet debuted on September 10, 2023, though it doesn’t seem complete without The Dreamfinder! Maybe he will join Figment in the future.

Hungry guests in World Celebration will be happy to know there is a new dining choice in the front half of EPCOT as Connections Café & Eatery has taken over the old location of the Electric Umbrella. The food here is excellent and there are lots of great pizza, burger, and salad options to choose from.

Of all the new rides coming to Walt Disney World, this next project is the one we are personally most curious about. Work was supposed to get started a few years ago on a complete refurbishment of Spaceship Earth called: “Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story.” 

This classic attraction was getting a total overhaul, with new scenes, changes to the existing ones, and a new way of telling the story to guests.

That has officially come to a halt, and when Disney World reopened, Spaceship Earth returned with it, in its prior form. It will probably still happen eventually, but it wasn’t necessary when money is tight right now.

We were a bit nervous about the development of this new take on a classic EPCOT ride, and hope that when it eventually does get built that it doesn’t lose some of what makes it so special. 

At this point, construction hasn’t even started and there is no telling now when it might start. The rumor was that this is an 18-month project, so we likely won’t see it finished before 2025 or 2026 even if they do decide to do it.

On a positive note, Spaceship Earth has new lights installed in between each of the panels on the outside of the structure for the new nighttime light show “Beacons of Magic.”

This is one of the coolest additions to EPCOT in years and it looks absolutely stunning in person. The show repeats every 10-15 minutes once the sun sets, and we highly recommend going down near Spaceship Earth to watch it!

The front half of EPCOT isn’t the only area that is getting new attractions.  There are plenty of amazing new changes to World Showcase as well, starting with Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure.

This interactive experience replaces Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure and lets guests join Scrooge McDuck, Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Launchpad, and Webby in search of priceless treasure.  It opened on December 16, 2022.

Canada has been getting an exterior makeover, but its film recently got one too in “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 3D.”  It has new scenes, a new musical score, and updated visuals that will take your breath away.

The huge expansion to the France Pavilion is probably one of the most exciting new additions in Disney World for many guests.  Disney took arguably the best pavilion in World Showcase and made it even better.

The new area is now open and starts in the back of the France pavilion. There you will come across a beautiful new plaza, filled with shops and dining options.  In fact, you must try the La Creperie de Paris, where we have been spending a lot of our time eating crepes!

The crown jewel of the France expansion though is Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.  This is a copycat of the ride already found in Disneyland Paris and it offers yet another family-friendly attraction in EPCOT. It has instantly become one of the best new rides for Kids in Disney World.

Guests hop inside a unique trackless vehicle and are shrunk down to the size of a rat.  You’ll join Remy through a wild adventure in Gusteau’s kitchen where you’ll fly under tables, through the walls, and avoid danger at every turn. 

The expansion to the France pavilion and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opened on October 1, 2021, and after riding it many times, we can say it’s a blast! And don’t worry, you no longer have to use the virtual queue for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as there is now a standby queue.

Another film, “Beauty and the Beast” Sing-Along, has taken over the Impressions de France theater, most of the day that is.  This is a recent effort by Disney to introduce more characters into EPCOT.

We aren’t usually as harsh as some, but this show is bad and there is no doubt that this is a downgrade to the original show. We just wish there were more showings of Impressions de France every day instead of being relegated to the end of the evening.

The last new film coming to EPCOT is another Circle-Vision 360 film coming to the China pavilion called “Wondrous China.”  This film replaces the old one, again with entirely new scenes being filmed. 

There is no exact date for it yet, but expect it to debut sometime in 2024.

Perhaps the most intriguing new attraction coming to Disney World in the next few years now is not coming after all. In 2019, Disney announced a new attraction based on one of Disney’s most beloved characters of all time, Mary Poppins.

Details around the Mary Poppins attraction have been hush-hush so far, but plans called for it to completely transform the back of the U.K. pavilion into a real-life Cherry Tree lane.

Construction never began on the project, however, and Disney has announced the project has been canceled for now. Disney leadership said that they haven’t forgotten about the project, but whether it ever gets built remains to be seen.

There is no shortage of amazing places to eat in EPCOT, but a bunch of new restaurants have opened in the last couple of years that have placed themselves among the best in the park.

Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue is a quick service restaurant that opened in 2020 and quickly became one of our favorite counter service restaurants in Disney World.

Located in the American Adventure pavilion, it offers authentic BBQ, and has a menu that will make your mouth water! Oh yeah, and its mascot is Sam the Eagle from the Muppets too!

Definitely, the most ambitious new restaurant coming to Disney World, or any theme park in the world for that matter is a space-themed restaurant called Space 220. 

Located near Mission: SPACE in Future World, this restaurant takes diners out of this world and the giant LED windows make it look like you are eating in outer space! 

Space 220 finally opened in 2021, but it is one of the hardest-to-get dining reservations in Walt Disney World, selling out months in advance. It’s absolutely incredible, however, and we highly recommend going. Check our guide to Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations for tips on getting a table at any restaurant in Disney World.

If you are a sushi fan, head over to the Japan pavilion as you definitely won’t want to miss the new replacement restaurant for Tokyo Dining, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya. The food here is awesome, with lots of great options other than sushi such as tempura and rice bowls. Plus the view is amazing.

There are also plenty of new entertainment options in EPCOT with a brand new fireworks show lighting up World Showcase Lagoon.  Unfortunately, there have been many changes to get to this point.

First of all, we had to say goodbye to our all-time favorite Disney fireworks show “Illuminations,” but after 20 years, it was time for something fresh.

The big replacement show which was supposed to be permanent debuted in 2021 and was called: “Disney Harmonious.” It was one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney theme park but it wasn’t a smash hit with guests and it was more like a Disney concert gone bad.

Until its final performance in December 2023, you can still watch EPCOT Forever. It features some cool new effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, and fireworks. While not our favorite show, it’s still worth seeing and it will be around until the new show debuts.

We don’t know exactly what Luminous will be about (except for the whole “us” part, but Disney is making a concerted effort to appeal to a younger generation in EPCOT, only time will tell if those efforts pay off while at the same time not isolating the park’s older fans.

Lastly, there are most likely more new rides and attractions coming to EPCOT in the next few years that Disney has yet to announce. 

There is always the rumor of new World Showcase pavilions coming too. Right now Brazil still seems like the most likely, but nothing is 100% at this time, and with the economic downturn, don’t expect this before 2024 or 2025.

Only one thing is certain, EPCOT is going to be a completely new park when you step foot inside it in 2023 or 2024, and we can’t wait to see what’s coming next!

Read our EPCOT Rides Guide for a more in-depth look at every ride in the park.

Hollywood Studios

If EPCOT is more about the future of Disney World, Hollywood Studios is already in the here and now.  If you came to Hollywood Studios a few years ago, it was one big construction zone, much like EPCOT is today. 

Disney has spent billions of dollars on the park over the last few years, leading to some of the best new Disney World rides we’ve seen in a long time!

If you haven’t been to Toy Story Land yet, then you’ll definitely want to check that out on your next visit.  Guests step into Andy’s backyard and ride 3 attractions that are good for the whole family.

Toy Story Mania! is still there, though it has a brand new interactive queue that you will love.  It’s still one of the best rides in Hollywood Studios and a must-do.

The two newest rides there, however, are Alien Swirling Saucers and Slinky Dog Dash.  Alien Swirling Saucers is a classic spinner ride, and fun if you like the theming, but not one of our favorites.

Slinky Dog Dash, on the other hand, we absolutely love it, and it is one of the newer roller coasters in Walt Disney World.  Make sure you buy a Genie+ pass or get in line for it early on your next visit.

There was some disappointment with Toy Story Land when it opened, and Disney is already expanding it, adding a new table service restaurant called Roundup Rodeo BBQ.  It’s already open, and from our first experience there we really liked it.

It’s not the best food in the world, but it was a whole lot of fun and you will enjoy it if you are a Toy Story fan!

The real big addition to Hollywood Studios, however, is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.  We’d heard about this new immersive land for years, and finally, it’s now open.

Even though it does have some flaws, we have to say that Disney hit it out of the park with Galaxy’s Edge and it’s one of the best theme park experiences we’ve had in a long time.

Besides the amazing land itself, the many dining options, and the custom lightsaber and droid building experiences, Star Wars Land is also home to two of Hollywood Studios’ newest rides.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run lets you step onto the iconic spaceship from the Star Wars movies, and pilot your way on a secret smuggling mission on the outer rim.  You actually get to pilot the ship yourself and we think it’s a whole lot of fun.

Everything that has come to Disney World over the last few years, however, pales in comparison with the land’s second attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.  This is the most immersive ride experience Disney has ever built, and it will completely blow you away.

Not only is it the newest attraction in Disney World, it’s also the best.  That’s why the entrance to Hollywood Studios is packed every morning, and why people are getting in line for hours at a time just to ride.

If there is only one new Disney attraction you do on this list, make sure it is Rise of the Resistance. It surpasses all expectations!

But wait, there’s more.  As if there weren’t enough new attractions in Disney World, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opened in the Chinese Theater on March 4, 2020. 

This is the first Mickey Mouse-themed attraction in a Disney park, and it has lived up to expectations and is now one of our favorite attractions in the park.

Join Mickey and Minnie on a zany adventure in yet another new attraction that uses trackless ride vehicle technology, with many surprises along the way.

Speaking of Mickey Mouse, the Mickey Shorts Theater also recently debuted and features hilarious animated shorts from the “Mickey Mouse” series.  This took over the space in the ABC Sound Studio, the former home of Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, which is now gone.

And though not quite as interesting as some of the aforementioned attractions, you should check out the new Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy over off Sunset Blvd, especially if you have kids or are fans of the Cars franchise.

Beyond what has recently been added, not too much is on the schedule for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but this was the park that got the most attention in the past years, so Disney can be happy stepping back for a while and seeing all the new Disney rides that are now part of the park.

One change we do know about is that Ahsoka scenes are being added to Star Tours, so if you are a fan of that show you will certainly want to ride it.

We also know there is going to be a third phase to the overhaul of Hollywood Studios coming in the future, but the details of that are not confirmed at this time, and we are looking at 2025 or later until we actually see anything of substance besides what we’ve talked about already.

Read our Hollywood Studios Rides Guide for a more look at every ride in the park.

Animal Kingdom

Up until recently, Disney’s Animal Kingdom didn’t have too many new attractions planned in the next few years, or at least not that Disney was willing to talk about at that time. This has changed in a big way and we are now getting a whole new land.

For years we’ve been asking “what is Disney going to do with DinoLand U.S.A?” A while back, Primeval Whirl closed permanently, and the entire structure has been demolished, leaving the surrounding area pretty dead.

What is going to go in its place? At the latest Destination D23 event, we got some exciting news as Josh D’Amaro and executives from Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios gave us an updated look at the potential DinoLand replacement.

The concept art they showed for the Animal Kingdom expansion land includes two areas, one for Indiana Jones, and another for Encanto, with what seems to be three rides in total.

The way it was presented, the new land would be themed to the tropical Americas and would replace the entire DinoLand U.S.A. area. With this, the popular ride Dinosaur would be re-themed to Indiana Jones.

This is a stark change from the original blue sky concept for this land that was shown at the latest D23 Expo. That concept art included two areas, one for Moana, and another for Zootopia. However, with Moana already in EPCOT and Zootopia coming to another part of the Animal Kingdom (more on that in a minute), they must have liked the Encanto/Indiana Jones combo more.

Disney Imagineering head Bruce Vaughn said: “Imagineering has been talking about stories from this part of the world; Encanto with Indiana Jones just rose to the top. They give us so much to play with. We have a long way to go now and a lot more to discover. But our team here in Florida is all over it.”

That is unclear at this time if this is the version of the land that Disney will settle on, but one thing is certain, they are committed to giving Dinoland U.S.A a re-theme. Just remember, nothing has been decided upon 100% at this time. Even when they do finalize the plans, it wouldn’t arrive until 2025 or later. 

We’ll have to wait and see just exactly what they have in store for us.

We have been holding out hope for a Zootopia Land coming in the future, but now it looks like that will not be happening at the Animal Kingdom. Instead, a new Zootopia show is coming to the Tree of Life and replacing “It’s Tough to be a Bug.”

The final concept for the show is still being determined and no closure date for the old show or debut date for the new show have been announced at this time.

Let’s also not forget the big additions to the park we got when they added the $400 million dollar land, Pandora: The World of Avatar.

Even though Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the bigger draw right now, for some fans, the best land in Disney World actually lives in the Animal Kingdom.  Pandora opened in 2017 and has been amazing guests ever since with its breathtaking views, incredible scenery, and two great new rides.

The Na’vi River Journey is a classic Disney river ride, bringing you inside a living, bioluminescent forest on the planet of Pandora. 

There you will see beautiful visuals throughout the journey, and encounter perhaps the most impressive audio-animatronic figure ever built, the Shaman of Songs.  We wish it was a little longer, but it’s a solid ride.

Before Rise of the Resistance became big, Flight of Passage was the new, must-see attraction in Walt Disney World. 

Do you know what it feels like to ride a banshee? Think of how you feel when riding Soarin,’ and then triple the excitement level.  We think this is the most thrilling attraction in Disney World and is a close 1b for our favorite.

Since Pandora opened, things have been relatively quiet in the Animal Kingdom.  There have been some smaller additions to the park, but nothing E-Ticket.

Animal Kingdom is still having a difficult time finding a headline daytime or nighttime show for the park. The most recent daytime show, “Disney KiteTales” has come and gone, and so has “Rivers of Light: We Are One.”

We still think the Animal Kingdom is in need of a new nighttime show, but Disney needs to wait a bit to make sure the next one is a success. Perhaps a new nighttime show could make it to Disney’s Animal Kingdom sometime in 2024, but we may have to wait longer than that.

We’ll keep an eye out here for you and let you know as soon as more new Disney rides and attractions are officially announced here.

Read our Animal Kingdom Rides Guide for a more look at every ride in the park.

Resorts

Just because we’ve gone over everything coming to the Disney World parks in 2023-2025, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other new things like hotels and restaurants to be excited about in the next few years.

The next big resort is the recently announced new DVC Tower coming to Disney’s Polynesian Resort. The new tower is being built on the old Spirit of Aloha site and will offer incredible views across the lagoon.

We’re not crazy about the style of the new tower as it looks kind of generic to us, but what do we know? It will definitely have amazing views of the lagoon and fireworks shows, and it will also probably have some more yummy food options to choose from.

We don’t have an exact date at this time, but we expect it to open sometime in 2024.

Disney has also recently announced big plans to renovate The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort into a new DVC property with a completely different look than before.

“Design concepts offer a fresh take on the current cabin experience and are inspired by the resort’s idyllic setting, while also paying homage to the resort’s unique culture and heritage through the magic of Disney storytelling.”

The Cabins are also expected to open sometime in 2024.

Besides what is coming, we’ve seen the opening of a few new hotels in Disney World that we really enjoy.  The first, the Gran Destino Tower, is actually an addition to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. 

We love staying there and think that it’s now the best moderate resort on property. The rooms have great views and we really like Toledo’s restaurant on the top floor.

After that came Disney’s Riviera Resort.  This DVC Resort is built onto the same site as Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and is a first-class hotel. 

We’ve stayed here now multiple times and have always had an amazing time. We loved everything from the grounds to the restaurants and guest amenities. You have to eat at Topolino’s whether you are staying here or not!

Though it’s had a few hiccups early on in its operation, things have been going smoothly for months now, and the Disney Skyliner has quickly become our favorite mode of transportation in Walt Disney World. 

On our last trip, that’s literally all my sister wanted to do was ride the Skyliner back and forth! Hahaha.

The Disney World Swan Reserve also just opened next to the Swan and Dolphin Resorts and is a high-end, boutique resort aimed at executives and those wanting a luxury resort experience.  This opened in late 2021, and while most families won’t stay here, it does give you one more location on property.

If you are looking for a place to stay on the Seven Seas Lagoon, you are in luck as Disney is bringing some new options for guests. In June 2022, more than 200 new resort studios opened at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

We think they did an incredible job with the theme and they were able to keep the Victorian-age charm while adding in a subtle hint of Mary Poppins. There is also a huge refurbishment to the lobby at the Grand Floridian coming in 2023 which will bring a modern, yet timeless look to the iconic resort.

Right across the lagoon, the rooms at the Contemporary Resort got a refurbishment and now are themed to the Incredibles. We don’t like this one as much, it’s a little too cheesy for a deluxe resort. Kids, on the other hand, seem to really like it so it depends on what type of audience you are visiting with.

The biggest disappointment is the closing of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Hotel.  This wasn’t just a hotel, but it was a 2-night Star Wars experience and adventure that you and your family could live out.

We got to stay here on March 1, 2022, for the hotel’s maiden voyage, and it was unlike any other hotel experience we’ve ever experienced in the world.  Guests stepped onboard the “Halcyon” ship and felt like they were actually being transported to stay on a starcruiser in space. 

Of course, there were onboard dining and immersive experiences that all helped make it feel real. 

There was even an excursion to go on in Galaxy’s Edge and missions you and your family had to carry out.  Even Kylo Ren and the First Order made their presence known on board the Star Wars Hotel during your stay.

However, Booking a stay on the Galactic Starcruiser wasn’t a cheap proposition and it was out of reach for the majority of families who really wanted to experience it. We had doubts that Disney would be able to make it work long-term, and unfortunately, we were right.

The hotel was well received by guests who actually stayed onboard, but it just didn’t have staying power as the months went by.

If you never got to experience it and want to see what it was like, you can read our review and see why we feel the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is worth the high price to stay there.

At this point, we can say with certainty that the Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge project has been officially canceled. This was another DVC resort planned to be built on Bay Lake at the old River Country site. It would have brought 1,700 new rooms on property in an ideal location near Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

The latest word on the street however is that Disney has already scrapped the Reflections resort with the concrete being taken up and grass seed planted over the property.

We are the first ones to recommend renting DVC points to save big money on your trip, but Disney certainly doesn’t need more DVC rooms at the moment with all the others opening, so it would make sense if they don’t build it. What is surprising is that it was one of the only locations on property where construction was continuing during the closure.

Even though it won’t get built any time soon, we hope Disney will come back and put something good on this piece of land. It’s such prime real estate, it would be a shame to not have anything here. Plus that means we won’t be getting the Princess Tiana restaurant, which would really be irritating!

These are the latest new resorts opening in 2024 and beyond, and whichever ones end up getting built, for the most part, they sound like they are going to be incredible!

Disney Springs

A very underrated part of Walt Disney World that many forget to take full advantage of is Dinsey Springs.  This is home to world-class shopping and dining, and honestly, I think we’ve eaten here more over the last 3 years than any other place on property.

Even more new dining options have come to Disney Springs in the last couple of years.  The City Works Eatery & Pour House is incredible, and a great location to enjoy a beer and some good food, and watch the latest sporting event during your stay.

Everything, including the appetizers, main courses, and desserts totally blew us away. Whatever you do, save room for the famous Peanut Butter Snickers Pie which is to die for!

Some more amazing treats have come to Disney Springs in the last year or so and stopping at Gideon’s Bakehouse is now a rite of passage when you come to Disney World. These are seriously the most delicious cookies we’ve ever eaten and they are HUGE!

Just be prepared to wait in line for a while as it can be an hour or more, so the earlier you get here in the morning the better!

If you are more of a donut person, I have good news for you. Head over to Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew for some monumental and decadent treats. I wish I could do breakfast like this every day!

We also have to say that the new Salt & Straw is now our favorite place for ice cream in Disney Springs. We like it even more than Ghirardelli’s. The flavors are all so unique and the ice cream is of a much higher quality than most places on property. Stop by after dinner one night and be amazed.

What we are most excited about though in Disney Springs is the new show Cirque du Soleil – Drawn to Life.  This has replaced the old Cirque show and is inspired by Disney animation and storytelling.

We got to see this on a recent trip, and we were blown away! We thought the old show was still awesome, and the new one is right up there, if not even better. The new acrobatics and choreography are breathtaking as always, and we love how they will tie it all together with the Disney characters.

If you are going to Disney World in the next few years make sure to take the time to go here one evening. If it is half as good as the previous show, you will love it!

That wraps up our look at everything that is new in Disney World, and what’s coming next in 2023, 2024, and beyond.  Honestly, if you haven’t been to Disney World in a long time, the next few years are as good as any time to do it.

There are so many new rides and attractions coming to Disney in the immediate future, and you will have an almost unlimited amount of things to see, do and explore.

Who knows what else Disney has in store for us.  For sure, there are more attractions in the works that they haven’t announced yet. 

Some are even hoping for a new 5th Disney theme park in Disney World. While we don’t think that this will happen in the next 10 years, we could see something like that coming at some point after that.

We are just bummed that the High-Speed Railway system won’t be coming directly to Disney World in the next few years, which would have given guests another way to reach the resort or visit other parts of Florida while they are here.

Whatever the case, we are ecstatic to have all these new projects coming up to look forward to, and it certainly does seem like there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow is just a dream away.

Make sure to read our post on the Best Rides at Walt Disney World for a full list and rankings of all the rides. Also if you are thinking about an upcoming trip, read our Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for answers to all your most common questions and planning needs.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about what’s new and next coming to Disney World in 2023-2025 and beyond…

• Which new Disney attractions are you most excited about?
• What else would you like to see come to Disney World in the near future?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂