Disney confirms ‘Villains Land’ coming to Magic Kingdom: What to expect

(NEXSTAR) – Be prepared for sensational news, Disney fans.

Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney Experiences, revealed at the company’s annual D23 event that Disney World’s Imagineers are working to bring a long-awaited “Villains Land” to the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

“We love our Disney villains, right? Their evil ambition gives us endless possibilities to tell brand new stories, which is why I’m so excited to announce we’re building a Villains Land at the Magic Kingdom,” D’Amaro told cheering fans at Saturday’s event in Anaheim, California.

D’Amaro’s announcement was preceded by a performance from British recording artist Rita Ora — who plays a villain herself in the latest installment of the Disney Channel’s “Descendants” franchise — singing “Trust In Me” from “The Jungle Book.”

The Magic Mirror from “Snow White” also made an appearance on a large video screen, promising a “dark new creation” and a “twisted and broken” land.

“This land will be home to the villains that you know and those that you loathe,” D’Amaro added, “which means that ‘Happily Ever After’ may feel like just a distant dream.”

Specific details of the experiences expected at Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land were slim, but D’Amaro confirmed two new attractions as well as dining, shopping and entertainment venues. Construction is already “underway,” according to the Disney Parks Blog, but an opening date has not yet been announced. (A representative for Disney World was not immediately available for comment.)

“So be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls,” ‘D’Amaro said. “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be.”

News of a new Disney land dedicated to villains was met with enthusiasm on Reddit, where users in the platform’s Disney communities could only speculate as to what the new area would entail.

“I want to see Maleficent’s castle rival Cinderella’s,” one fan wrote.

“Something Ursula theme[d] would be so fun,” another said.

Others pointed out that the concept art released by Disney appeared to show at least one coaster-type track among the jagged rocks, dim castles and fire-breathing dragon in the image.

“Top left looks like a mine cart-looking rollercoaster but what about the coaster right in the middle at the bottom[?]” one Reddit user wrote.

Still, some were skeptical of the magnitude of the two attractions teased at D23, theorizing that they may not be “rides” at all, but rather shows. A few also felt Disney’s Villains Land could pale in comparison to Universal’s upcoming Epic Universe theme park, which will have its own Dark Universe section with several rides and attractions based on Universal’s monster characters. (Universal’s Epic Universe is expected to open in 2025. )

In addition to a Villains Land, Disney revealed a number of other expansions coming to Disney World and beyond, including new areas dedicated to the “Cars” and “Monsters, Inc.” franchises, among other upcoming attractions.

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