New rides, restaurants, entertainment, and more is coming to Walt Disney World in 2026 & 2027. Here’s what’s rumored and official for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom: construction info, expansion plans, and opening dates so you know what to expect when planning your WDW vacation.
Walt Disney World is basically in-between development cycles right now, which is either a good or bad thing depending upon your perspective or when you last visited. Consequently, the threshold question before you even begin planning might be: Should You Skip Walt Disney World in 2026 and Wait Until 2027? The good news is that many major additions have opened within the last few years, so there’s a lot on the “what’s new” side of this list.
The bad news is that there’s not as much on the “coming soon” side. At least, not in 2026. There are additions, but the next new ride doesn’t open until 2027. In the meantime, there will be a lot of closures and construction. There’s still a lot coming in the next 2 years, including ride reimaginings, new restaurants, and much more. If you’d like to have more Walt Disney World news & rumors about what’s on the horizon, sign up for our FREE Walt Disney World Email Newsletter to receive updates.
When it comes to what’s new, several of the biggest things don’t involve construction at all, but rather, are changes to the guest experience. Walt Disney World killed off Genie+ and replaced it with Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, another new paid FastPass service. Ironically, this is very similar to FastPass+ (so quite literally, paid FastPass). See our Guide to Lightning Lane Multi & Single Pass at Walt Disney World for answers to common questions and everything you need to know.
In addition to that, Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours have replaced Extra Magic Hours in the morning and at night. These have their own pros & cons, from being only available to on-site guests (or a subset thereof) to requiring people to get up early or stay late. If you’re unfamiliar with the ins and outs of each, learn more in our Guide to Early Entry at Walt Disney World and Guide to Extended Evening Hours at Walt Disney World.
Another change is the return of more aggressive Walt Disney World discounts, many of which are on par with 2019. Several have already been released for 2026, with more likely coming soon. The reason for bigger and better deals is a mixture of attendance slowing, increased competition from Epic Universe, and more.
Most special offers can be combined with the Kids Eat FREE All Year in 2026 at Walt Disney World, meaning you may still be eligible to take advantage of other deals released for 2026 in addition to this. The Kids Eat Free offer stacks with all 2026 room-only discounts, from bouncebacks to general public discounts. Even DVC point rental is eligible for the Kids Free Dining Plan!
Speaking of which, the big new thing in Central Florida isn’t at Walt Disney World at all. It’s Epic Universe. The third theme park down the road at Universal Orlando features rides and lands based on Harry Potter, Nintendo, Universal Monsters, How to Train Your Dragon, and more.
Operating on the theory that new lands and rides cannot compete head-to-head with an entirely new theme park, Walt Disney World opted to stagger its major additions before and after Epic Universe. A bit off-topic, but if we’re talking about what’s coming soon to Walt Disney World, we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least give passing mention to Epic Universe, as it’s the big addition.
Anyone taking a Walt Disney World vacation this year or next should give serious consideration to spending a day or few over at Universal to experience the new park and more. We’ve spent several days in Epic Universe already and love the new park. However, we discuss Why You Should Skip Epic Universe (for now) if you’re infrequent visitors to Florida.
Here’s a park by park look at everything new and coming soon to Walt Disney World…
EPCOT
The front of EPCOT is looking good as the reimagined park entrance project is finished. Redesigned landscaping, flags, topiaries, and an iconic prismatic pylon fountain in front of Spaceship Earth have all been installed. These are further enhanced at night by an upgraded lighting package, including the mesmerizing Beacons of Magic synchronized displays.
The new adults-only Spaceship Earth Lounge, GEO-82, is now open. It’s essentially above the Walt statue where you see windows in the photo. This is a smaller-scale dining option, but one that is already very popular with EPCOT fans. We’ve had a chance to visit GEO-82, and it’s quite nice, ranking high our our list of the Top 25 Bars & Lounges at Walt Disney World.
Right behind Spaceship Earth, Creations Shop, Club Cool, and Connections Cafe & Eatery are all open. In addition to a counter service restaurant, Connections is now EPCOT’s permanent Starbucks location. Across from all of this is the World Celebration Gardens and CommuniCore Hall, which is one of the most disappointing additions to Walt Disney World in recent memory.
One of the most exciting additions to Walt Disney World is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is a hybrid roller coaster. Cosmic Rewind is awesome–the best new ride at EPCOT in decades. In large part, this is owing to the Marvel characters, humor, and use of music. It’s exactly the blockbuster attraction that EPCOT needed, and is another great modern hybrid of story and fun from Imagineering. (Read our Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Review for more.)
Another recently-reimagined attraction is Test Track 3.0. This attraction pulls inspiration from the original World of Motion, and brings that spirit of optimism to the next iteration of Test Track. The reimagined ride pushes innovation forward and celebrates humanity’s enduring drive on the thrilling road to a brighter tomorrow. Read our Test Track 3.0 Ride Review: Good, Bad & Ugly for more.
Another addition at the front of EPCOT is Moana: Journey of Water. This is the first-ever attraction based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios hit film, Moana. It’s a fun little walk-through that fits with the spirit of EPCOT.
Nearby, Soarin’ Across America will debut by Memorial Day 2026. Our expectation is that this actually means a few days before the holiday itself–in time for the long weekend, but not earlier in April or May.
What’s unknown is whether there will be a brief refurbishment to Soarin’ prior to the change, or if Disney will swap the films out overnight. We could see it going either way–Soarin’ could use a bit of TLC, so hopefully a few days’ of downtime are in order.
Next door in the Imagination pavilion, you’ll once again find Figment. The not-so-little purple dragon is meeting in the ImageWorks area, which is the exit of Journey into Imagination. You can either ride the attraction and see him on your way out, or enter through the gift shop. We highly recommend meeting Figment!
Turning to World Showcase, Frozen Ever After is getting a major enhancement for the first time in forever, with the upgraded Audio Animatronics of Kristoff, Anna & Elsa. Walt Disney World has not yet announced the specific reopening date for Frozen Ever After, but we would expect it to be finished by Presidents’ Day and Mardi Gras.
You can currently catch Luminous The Symphony of Us, has now officially debuted as the new nighttime spectacular. This replaced Harmonious, which was intended to be a permanent lagoon show but failed, and the interim EPCOT Forever. Luminous is very good, and should stick around for years to come.
Check out our Best Fireworks Viewing Locations at EPCOT for recommendations on where to watch. One of our favorite fireworks locations in EPCOT is the Japan pavilion (pictured above), is also home to a new restaurant. Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya has replaced Tokyo Dining, and is now open.
Magic Kingdom
Next up is Magic Kingdom, we’ll start with what’s on the horizon in the next year followed by what’s new, and what’s coming in the longer term. Thanks to the Walt Disney World’s 2026 Calendar of Events: Dates & Details for Reimagined Rides, Areas & Attractions, we now have insight into opening dates for ongoing projects at Magic Kingdom.
Following that calendar release, Walt Disney World also announced dates & details about the return of the classic Cinderella Castle color scheme after 5+ years of the makeover for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. The updated paint will feature grays, creams, blues, and touches of gold, aiming to enhance the castle’s architecture. The Cinderella Castle repainting project starts in early 2026.
Guests will soon be able to see Walt Disney through the magic of Audio-Animatronics technology in Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland. This is one of the few projects without a start or end date, suggesting it might be a late 2026 or early 2027 addition.
Before you follow an American family (and Rover!) over four generations of progress as technology transforms their lives and paves the way for once-unimaginable innovations, you’ll be able to catch a brand-new introductory scene and hear from the legendary man behind the magic, Walt Disney.
Also in Tomorrowland, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is now closed for a major overhaul that’ll modernize the blaster attraction (concept art pictured above). All Walt Disney World has officially announced with regard to a timeline is that it’ll reopen sometime in Spring 2026.
Elsewhere in the park, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away debuted last summer. This is Walt Disney World’s first night parade in roughly a decade, and it pulls inspiration from Main Street Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic while featuring modern technology and fan-favorite characters.
We love Disney Starlight Night Parade and highly recommend making a point of watching it during your trip. The parade isn’t perfect, but it has great “bones” thanks to a celestial soundtrack and excellent floats. It’s a worthy addition to Walt Disney World’s legacy of nighttime entertainment, and we cannot get enough of it. See our rundown of the Best Starlight Night Parade Viewing Spots & Tips to Beat Magic Kingdom’s Massive Crowds!
We’d further recommend scoring a spot that’s good for both Starlight and the fireworks, Happily Ever After. The beloved nighttime spectacular features enhancements, such as projections on Main Street and more. Our Viewing Guide to the Happily Ever After Fireworks at Magic Kingdom covers the best & worst spots to see the nighttime spectacular.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the reimagined replacement for Splash Mountain in Frontierland. The ride brings guests into the world of “The Princess and the Frog” after the events of the movie. As discussed in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Ride Review: Failure, Flawed or Fantastic?, the attraction is a mixed bag. It’s also the most polarizing attraction in a long time.
Also in Frontierland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is Closed for Refurbishment at Magic Kingdom until Spring 2026! The iconic roller coaster is receiving a complete re-tracking, along with new effects and more. The retracked BTMRR will feature a new Rainbow Caverns opening scene (concept art above).
The Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern, known as the Beak & Barrel Bar, is now open in nearby Adventureland (near the attraction). This is like Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, except themed to pirates. It’s an intimate setting, featuring the Barker Bird Audio Animatronics figure. Beak & Barrel is already insanely popular, and for good reason–it’s fantastic.
Looking further into the future, Walt Disney World announced two all-new Cars attractions in a reimagined ‘Piston Peak’ area of Frontierland and Villains Land expansion at Magic Kingdom, essentially behind the Piston Peak Cars Land, and between/behind Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion. Those are likely pluses from a ride roster perspective in the long-term once they debut between 2028 and 2030.
To get there, the Rivers of America will be filled in, meaning that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat are now permanently closed. That has a lot of fans upset, worried about how it’ll negatively impact the atmosphere of Magic Kingdom. Even if it does manage to be a net positive long-term, it’s still going to be a rough few years of construction walls.
Since this post largely revolves around 2026, it’s worth noting that the near-term will only involve walls. There’s a lot of site development to be done before vertical construction even begins, and that could take until late 2026 or early 2027. In the meantime, the Walt Disney World Railroad is operating in “shuttle mode” due to the temporary closure of Frontierland Station.
Animal Kingdom
The only new addition at Animal Kingdom is Zootopia: Better Zoogether, which replaced It’s Tough to Be a Bug late last year. See our Zootopia Better Zoogether Review: Walt Disney World’s Zoorst New Attraction of 2020s.
The concept for Zootopia: Better Zoogether has guests visiting the different biomes you only glimpse in the film, traveling along with Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and other characters.
Not only will you see Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde at Zootopia: Better Zoogether, but the pair is greeting guests at Discovery Island near the Tree of Life at the Zoogether Day Gathering Spot.
Beginning in Summer 2026, you’ll be able to take an excursion to Conservation Station in Animal Kingdom to play and dance with Bluey and Bingo!
Grab the whole family and snap some pictures alongside your Blue Heeler pals to remember this one-of-a-kind adventure. Plus, as part of your wild excursion, step outside to discover an experience with animals native to Bluey’s home country of Australia.
No date has been revealed for Bluey and Bingo to take up residence at Rafiki’s Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom. For more details, see Bluey, Bingo & Australian Critters Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Summer 2026!
Animal Kingdom is also the park that’s first up for additions during the next development cycle. Dino-Rama closed last year for construction to begin on Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom. This land is likely to open in the second half of 2027, probably in or after October 2027.
Tropical Americas will feature three mini-lands, in essence. One will be home to the Encanto Magical Madrigal Casita Dark Ride, and another will be Indiana Jones Adventure. In between will be Pueblo Esperanza or the “Village of Hope” along with a critter carousel and large-scale counter service restaurant.
The portions of this land that are considered Dinoland USA are safe for longer. This includes the Restaurantosaurus, Trilo-Bites, and–most notably–DINOSAUR. Walt Disney World has indicated that DINOSAUR will close on February 2, 2026 along with the rest of Dinoland USA.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Since it debuted 6 years ago, there have been additions and changes to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the most popular of which is the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda walk-around characters who meet and greet guests. The insanely popular dynamic duo does not have specific appearance times, nor do they have a dedicated location. You’re most likely to spot them around Black Spire Outpost between 10 am and 5 pm.
The centerpiece of those changes is the new Mandalorian and Baby Yoda mission coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in celebration of the new Star Wars film “The Mandalorian and Grogu” coming to theaters. This new mission will debut on May 22, 2026–the same date as the new movie.
Sometime in late 2027 or 2028, a brand-new Monstropolis land will come to life at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Picking up after the events of the first film, humans have now been invited to visit the world of Monsters, Inc.
The Monsters, Inc. Doors Coaster will put you right in the middle of the monster action. Guests will be able to visit the Laugh Factory, hear the laughs and zoom through the building just like Sulley and Mike Wazowski, via a door. Muppets Courtyard and MuppetVision 3D have now closed to make way for the monsters, and construction on the Monstropolis land project is now underway.
As an olive branch to fans, the company also announced that the Muppets are taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and replacing Aerosmith. The old Aerosmith version of the attraction will close on March 2, 2026, and the new version will open in Summer 2026.
As discussed recently in Walt Disney World Quietly Closes Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Preshow, Imagineering has already gotten a headstart on transforming the pre-show. This means that it’s already too late to say your goodbyes to the full Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. It also means that the most elaborate aspect of the reimagining is already underway.
That’s not the only big addition coming in 2026. Animation Courtyard is being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot. The biggest change is that the Roy E. Disney Animation Building is replacing Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios, and will house an all-new family experience, “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The new-look Walt Disney Studios Lot is also reimagining the common areas of Animation Courtyard. It’ll have grassy grounds and a courtyard area where families can relax under lush trees. The land will draw inspiration from several buildings found on the Disney campuses in Burbank, California. This will include the Studio Theater and other buildings, which will get facelifts, plus a fresh Disney Jr. show at the soundstage. There’s also going to be the “Drawn to Wonderland” indoor playground.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot will open in Summer 2026. It’s expected that the new area will open in phases, with “The Magic of Disney Animation” debuting later in Summer 2026.
During construction of the Walt Disney Studios Lot, guests will still be able to go under the sea with Ariel in “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and enjoy the exhibits and film presentation at Walt Disney Presents.
Speaking of which, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has debuted a couple of smaller-scale stage shows this year. Both “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and “Villains Unfairly Ever After” are now performing.
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure is a reimagined rendition of Voyage of the Little Mermaid. The show features new set pieces, cutting-edge effects, and a bold new design that captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her. With that said, it should be substantially similar to the old puppet-and-performer show it’s replacing.
Villains Unfairly Ever After will take guests into the mysterious, reflective realm of the Magic Mirror. The show will feature appearances by dozens of the most infamous evildoers, with fiendish foes Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent each breaking through the glass to take the stage in live production numbers.
WDW Resort Hotels
A few resorts have opened at Walt Disney World within the last 5 years.
Most recently, the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness debuted within the 18 months. There’s yet another Disney Vacation Club property being built, the long-delayed Disney Lakeshore Lodge, which is slated to open in 2027. Given the explosive pace of progress, our expectation is that Disney Lakeshore Lodge will open in early 2027. (Aerial construction photo above courtesy of bioreconstruct.)
From now through 2027, several resorts are undergoing refurbishment, construction, and expansion projects. We would recommend consulting our list of Construction & Refurbishments at Walt Disney World Hotels, which we update regularly for insight into changes at existing hotels.
Disney Springs
Then there’s Disney Springs. This is the entertainment and shopping district previously known as Downtown Disney. Producing a comprehensive list of what has opened here in the last ~5 years would be daunting, as around 75% of this area has been overhauled.
Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to Life is the most recent entertainment offering to debut, performing in iconic white circus tent on the Westside. In addition to that, Salt & Straw scoop shop has opened, as has Gideon’s Bakehouse. There are also a bunch of new stores, from M&M’s to Corkcicle to Lululemon. A second Gideon’s Bakehouse concept (not necessarily cookies) will debut in 2026.
In terms of major additions, Summer House on the Lake has been built on the site that was slated for Beatrix. This California coastal cuisine in a modern setting actually looks better than Beatrix to us. Summer House on the Lake is now open!
Another new Disney Springs restaurant is EET by Maneet Chauhan, a modern Indian restaurant that replaced Wolfgang Puck Express location in the Marketplace. We’re really looking forward to this one, which is also now open.
As you can probably tell, there is a lot that’s new and coming soon to Walt Disney World in the next few years.
With that said, don’t fret too much about the construction–even with an unprecedented amount, must of its out-of-the-way of guest areas, and there are still a ton of attractions to do at Walt Disney World no matter when you visit!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Which attractions coming to Walt Disney World in 2026, 2027 or beyond are you most excited to experience? Are you delaying your next visit to maximize seeing ‘new stuff’ or moving it forward to avoid the crowds? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!