New "Lands" Coming to Disney World
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (125832)
Gainesville, Florida
October 3, 2025 12:51pm CST
Disney World is expanding once again. Actually, to be more specific, Magic Kingdom theme park at Disney World is expanding. Other theme parks at Disney World are expanding as well, but this discussion focuses on just the Magic Kingdom, the "original" Walt Disney World theme park.
Anyone familiar with Magic Kingdom is aware that there are distinct "lands" inside Magic Kingdom: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. These were the original "lands" that existed when Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971, and although some rides have changed over the years, and a few additional rides added here and there, Magic Kingdom has remained relatively unchanged in its 54 year history. About a decade ago, Fantasyland was expanded to add in the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster and a Little Mermaid ride, as well remodel and expand ToonTown (most of the area was built in the space that was formerly occupied by the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride, which closed in the early 90s). A Tron roller coaster was added a few years ago next to Space Mountain in Tomorrowland, but for the most part the park boundaries of Magic Kingdom have not really changed.
But now two new distinct "lands" are being added to the Magic Kingdom, one of which will take over a beloved section of Adventureland, and the other expanding outside of the traditional boundaries of the theme park.
First, the new land within the park boundaries: Cars Land is going to be built in the area of Adventureland where Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America are located. Yes, sadly, that beautiful and scenic area wedged in between the Haunted Mansion, Frontierland and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be changed. I've seen some of the concept art for the new Cars Land, and if Disney does it right, it will blend in seamlessly with the surrounding areas. I'm disappointed in losing Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, but I'm holding out hope that Disney will not disappoint with the new land they are building.
Expanding outside of the Magic Kingdom theme park boundaries is the new land I'm most excited about, Villains Land. In a project called "Beyond Big Thunder" (because the expansion outside of the traditional park boundaries will occur to the west of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad), this new land is something I have dreamed about for years: a tribute to all the Disney villains (Malificient, Ursula, Captain Hook, Cruella DeVille, etc).
Each new land will feature two new prominent rides each, which usually includes a family friendly ride and a thrill ride, along with restaurants and shopping venues. It is expected to take about 5-10 years to complete the expansion. Work has already begun in land clearing and excavation. The Rivers of America has already been drained, and the Liberty Belle steamboat has been removed.
In the attached photo, you can see the area to the bottom right that has been cleared for construction of Villains Land. In the top center, the tan/beige area is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and just to the left of that you can see the southwest portion of the winding Rivers of America. In the top left of the photo you can see the white roof of the Haunted Mansion, and just to the left of that the gray roof of It's a Small World.
Many people are upset that Disney chose to locate Cars Land where Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America is located, but I had been noticing for years that less and less people were visiting those areas. If you're a Disney fan, are you excited about the expansion, and would this prompt you to visit sometime in the future when it opens?
9 people like this
9 responses
@LadyDuck (484416)
• Italy
4 Oct
Well, I have to say that it's really sad that they are destroying Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America. I understand that they want something new to attract people who have been there many times, but I understand that many people are upset that Disney chose to locate Cars Land where Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America is located.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (484416)
• Italy
4 Oct
@moffittjc Exactly what I thought, they have so much land available, they should not remove the existing rides and attractions.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
Disney World has only developed 25% of the total land they own, so there is plenty of room to expand and add new rides and attractions without destroying or removing existing rides and attractions.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
@LadyDuck I can understand that they want to keep the parks compact and contiguous, but I think at this point they just need to accept that expansion outward is the right way to go.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
@JudyEv I go to Disney World about 25 times a year, and have been doing that for about the past 25 years. I still haven't seen everything there is to see!
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
It is bigger than the city of San Fransisco and the island of Manhattan in New York. It's huge. Disney World employs around 80,000 people, which is more people than many towns and cities have! They have their own public works system (they generate their own electricity, water and sewer and other "city" functions), and they have a semi-autonomous government that oversees the entire area (it used to be called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, but is now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District). They pave their own roads and highways, and have taxing authority over the land they control. There are two incorporated cities in Walt Disney World--Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista--and another Disney owned city a few miles away called Celebration. To call the entire theme park resort area massive is an understatement. In 2024, 142 million tourists visited Florida, and the majority of those probably visited Disney World while on their vacation/holiday.
Yes, it's big!
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@kaylachan (79750)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Oct
My days of traveling disney are long over. Even with my chair, it's just too much I think. I don't know if I'd reconize the place. But, not surprised things are changing.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Oct
I feel really bad for people with disabilities who need a scooter, wheelchair or mobility device to get around Disney World. The theme parks are so crowded now that it is even difficult for non-disabled people to move around, so I can only imagine how much worse and frustrating it is for people with mobility devices. I have always thought that it would be nice if Disney designated certain days of the years, or certain hours of the day or week, where ONLY disabled people or people with mobility devices could access the parks.
@wolfgirl569 (123202)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Oct
I have never went. But hope you will enjoy all the changes
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
Well, the good thing about you never having gone to Disney before would mean that you wouldn't be upset about any changes that affected some of the original rides. There are many old rides that are now gone that I miss, but I feel that the new rides that replaced them are just as good, if not better. And besides, technology is always changing, so Disney is always trying to update the parks to keep people wanting to come back time after time.
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@RasmaSandra (89512)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Oct
No reason for me to get excited wil will never go there,
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@RasmaSandra (89512)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Oct
@moffittjc I would love to go to Disney World and even if my bum knee let me down it would be my dream come true if Mickey Mouse helped me up after I fell, I have no finances to spend there, no way of getting there, and no one to take me.
@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Oct
That's fair enough. For some reason, Disney seems to be a theme park that people either love or hate. Or not necessarily hate, but have no desire to visit.
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@Deepizzaguy (114755)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
3 Oct
It is nice to know that Disney has new parks for their customers. My relatives want to visit Disney World in the near future.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
I hope your relatives get the chance to visit someday. Word of warning, though, tell them not to visit during November-December, because those are the busiest months of the year at Disney World, with the largest crowds. A great time to go is the second and third weeks of September, it's basically the lowest crowds of the entire year.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
19h
@Deepizzaguy Thise months don’t necessarily have to be avoided, it’s just that the parks will be the most crowded during that time period. Still fun to visit, just much longer lines for rides.
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@Deepizzaguy (114755)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
4 Oct
@moffittjc I will advise them the months to avoid,
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Oct
There is definitely a lot of changes coming to Disney World. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are both expanding as well. With the new Epic Universe at Universal Studios opening down the street, Disney World now has some stiff competition in the Orlando area. Disney die-hard fans have been calling for years for a new "fifth gate" (a 5th theme park) to keep up with Universal, but Disney is choosing to expand existing areas for right now.
Interestingly, Disney just filed its 10-year comprehensive land use plan with the state of Florida, and in that comp plan they have listed an un-named 5th them park. Exciting news to many, but that doesn't necessarily mean they plan on building another theme park anytime soon.
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@snowy22315 (197017)
• United States
3 Oct
I think whatever Disney does will be first rate. I know a good time will be had by all whatever is there.
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@moffittjc (125832)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Oct
I agree, but there are a lot of Disney "traditionalists" out there that cry and moan anytime Disney makes changes. For the most part, every one of their changes over the last 50 years have been positive ones. There are a few I still question, but overall I have been impressed about how Disney keeps ever evolving.
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