Disney World is entering its villain era
Disney unveiled plans to expand its theme parks, including Walt Disney World, at its D23 fan event.
Villains Land is coming to Magic Kingdom alongside two attractions based on the movie "Cars."
Disney Experiences, which includes theme parks, is a profitable division. But it underperformed last quarter.
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro unveiled ambitious plans for Walt Disney World, including new attractions and in-park destinations.
D'Amaro presented the plans to the company's most ardent supporters on Saturday at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California. The expo, which comes every two years, is a coveted event for Disney enthusiasts, including cross-fandom franchises like "Star Wars" from Lucasfilm and "The Avengers" from Marvel Studios.
A-list celebrities often take the stage to promote upcoming projects, and Disney executives typically use the platform to unveil major announcements to delighted fans.
This weekend was no different.
"Disney Experiences is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation," he said in a press release. "With so many great Disney stories to tell, we're excited to bring an unprecedented number of new projects to life in the near future."
D'Amaro discussed a wide-scale expansion at Walt Disney World in Central Florida. Magic Kingdom will become home to Villains Land, where guests will spend time with Disney's most notorious baddies.
The villain-centric land is a victory for Disney fans who've rallied behind the idea on Reddit and other forums for years.
Two attractions based on the "Cars" franchise will also arrive at Magic Kingdom: an off-road rally race and a family-friendly ride.
"As we develop the next generation of Disney Experiences, we're always looking for new ways to tell the stories people love," D'Amaro said. "We're thrilling Cars fans by building on this incredibly successful franchise and creating the next chapter in this story."
Magic Kingdom isn't the only Florida-based park undergoing renovations.
The company is building a new land in Animal Kingdom called Tropical Americas, which includes a village in a rainforest called Pueblo Esperanza. Guests will be able to adventure with Indiana Jones in a Mayan temple.
A new "Encanto" attraction is joining the roster, too. It will be the first ride-through attraction for "Encanto" and will take place inside Casita.
Tropical Americas opens in 2027.
At Hollywood Studios, Pixar fans can explore a new land based on Monsters, Inc. Guests can tour the Laugh Factory in addition to an undisclosed attraction that will become the first suspended coaster at a Disney park.
Disney's moneymaker
Disney's theme parks are a big money-maker. But the company's announcement of its expansions came four days after executives acknowledged that the theme parks stumbled in the third quarter.
The Experiences division's revenue grew 2% year over year, but operating income declined by 3%. Disney's most recent earnings report blamed inflation, among other factors.
"We talked about the fact that the lower-income consumer is feeling a little bit of stress. The high-income consumer is traveling internationally a bit more," Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said during a Q&A webcast this month. "I think you're just going to see more of a continuation of those trends in terms of the top line."
Disney's expansion
It also comes after The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District approved a $17 billion development deal for Disney that could transform its Central Florida properties.
The development deal is the product of a contentious legal battle between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration took control of the local tourism district from Disney last February. Disney had previously self-managed any development in the area with little government oversight through its own board.
The legal battle began in 2022 and ended this March when both parties agreed to a settlement.
When the development deal was approved, Disney hadn't disclosed how it would use the billions of dollars, but the new D23 announcements could be a sign of things to come.
Representatives for Walt Disney World did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Disney beyond Florida
D'Amaro also shared details about how other Disney theme parks would expand.
At Disneyland in California, Marvel will get noticeably bigger. The Avengers Campus will double its current size to hold new attractions. And following the success of James Cameron's "Avatar: The Way of Water," D'Amaro said an attraction inspired by the franchise is coming to Disney California Adventure.
Although Disney is investing heavily in its domestic theme parks, it also plans to expand Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disneyland.
The company will also bolster its cruise operations by adding four new ships to its fleet from 2027 to 2031.
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