New details about the rides & restaurants rumored for Walt Disney World’s allegedly “bigger and bolder” plans for the upcoming Villains Land at Magic Kingdom. Here’s a rundown about how the attractions have reportedly changed, what’s been added, plus our commentary assessing the likely veracity and what’s good vs. bad about the allegedly new plans.
The latest twist on this rumor comes via an exclusive in TheWrap by Drew Taylor. This author has had Walt Disney World scoops, most recently that the Star Wars hotel would be converted to office space as well as there being two competing locations for Monstropolis following the last D23 Expo. Although Taylor is credible and is well-sourced, I want to underscore (a few times!) that all of what’s covered in this article is rumor, not official news.
Officially, very little has been revealed since Villains Land was first announced. Since the last D23 Expo, all we’ve learned is that Villains Land will feature “Conjured Architecture,” which is basically a cursed twist on Art Nouveau. Disney also revealed the 13 classic villains who will be featured in Villains Land. But that’s really about it.
For reference, the original announcement indicated that Villains Land at Magic Kingdom will be home to two major attractions, dining, and shopping on an incredibly twisted grand scale. “It’s going to be a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be,” Josh D’Amaro teased when announcing Villains Land.
Up until two weeks or so ago, it was widely believed that Villains Land will include an outdoor “story coaster” and an indoor family-friendly dark ride. This was based on a mixture of concept art (however vague), informed speculation, permits & documents filed with Florida, and a dash of credible rumors.
Against that backdrop, we had last week’s rumor via Len Testa of Disney Dish Podcast with Jim Hill (which did a deeper dive into the topic a few days ago). He kicked this all off by writing that the original plans for Villains Land had been “scrapped” and that Imagineers have been told to dream up “bigger, bolder” ideas with budget secondary.
In the 10 days that have followed, we’ve heard a lot. Rebutting those rumors, I’ve been informed that the scale and scope of the investment did change, but that happened roughly a year ago. And that even so, nothing substantive changed. That it was the same land albeit with a larger budget. Moreover, that the original plans were locked into place late last year.
Meanwhile, others have painted a picture consistent with today’s reporting in TheWrap, albeit with far less specificity. However, my hesitation with this supposed corroboration is that it’s difficult to discern just how many original sources actually exist for these rumors.
It sounds like there are several sources, but it could just as easily be a bad game of telephone with one less-than-credible origin that’s now spreading like wildfire. Ostensibly, the “scrapping” of plans might seem sufficiently sourced, but that may not actually be the reality. It could be one person going around, serving as the same source.
I mention this because it is becoming increasingly uncommon for the latter type of credible rumor. Post-COVID, the traditional rumor mill has largely dried up for this type of story. A lot has changed as compared to 2017-2019, when it was the wild west for rumors. This isn’t to say there’s not still chatter early on, but it’s usually pretty vague (the original “bigger and bolder” portion of this rumor would qualify).
The stage in the game when rumors typically crystalize is when plans go out to third parties. When the bidding process starts, outside contractors are brought on board–that sort of thing. Intuitively, this should make sense. The more parties involved, especially those external to Disney, the higher the likelihood of a leak. It’s also comparatively safer to share at that point, particularly with people you trust!
In other words, plans that were locked into place last year would have a much higher propensity to leak than ones that are still at the drawing board within the halls of WDI. The latter would almost necessarily have to be leaked by someone on the project team itself. The risk, especially in sharing anything specific, would be tremendously high. This is exceedingly rare, especially via multiple sources.
Anyway, I offer all of that as background context so you can assess for yourself the veracity of the latest rumors from TheWrap. I’ll also be offering my take along the way after each rumor.
Emperor’s New Groove Family Coaster
The roller coaster was originally planned to be the big draw, but is now viewed as the supporting attraction. As the concept art suggested, it was going to be themed to Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty.” According to Taylor, it was intended to be a real thrill ride (similar in intensity to TRON Lightcycle Run or a Universal coaster), potentially borrowing elements from the Bald Mountain concept dating to the 1990s.
The new rumor is that it’s being revisited as a more family-friendly coaster, along the lines of Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, allowing for more guests thanks to a lower height requirement. This would also, theoretically, lower the bar to make it a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass attraction.
The new family coaster is rumored to be themed to “The Emperor’s New Groove.” As you are likely aware, Yzma and Kronk actually ride a rollercoaster in that film. Building this ride in real life would offer the wish-fulfillment “pull the lever” moment.
I’d note here that, in response to my List of Disney Movies That Should Have Rides, the overwhelming reader consensus was that this exact attraction was the one I should’ve listed. (A “mistake” that I remedied with the follow-up Disney Animated Movies Deserving Dark Rides a few years later.)
I cannot corroborate any of the specifics of these rumors, but especially this one. It’s entirely possible that my info is outdated, but I have reason to believe this is a Maleficent “story” coaster. With that said, a few things…
First, I always expected this to be a family-friendly roller coaster. My guess would’ve put this somewhere between Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and TRON Lightcycle Run in terms of intensity, and it’s fair to say that Slinky Dog Dash hits that mark on that. So if the original concept actually was closer to a Universal coaster (I don’t think it was), maybe they’re revisiting that.
Second, I’m skeptical that the indoor vs. outdoor distinction (as the article suggests) has any bearing on Lightning Lane Single Pass vs. Multi-Pass status. That part just doesn’t pass the smell test for me, and is easily rebutted by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I would also hazard a guess that Disney made a miscalculation when giving Slinky Dog Dash LLMP, but it would be an awful look to ‘elevate’ it to LLSP.
I fully expect 3 new Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions between Villains Land and Piston Peak. My expectation is that Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will be downgraded to LLMP, making for a total of 4 LLSP at Magic Kingdom–two more than any other park at Walt Disney World, and more on par with the Tokyo DisneySea approach.
Third, there’s going to be much debate about “The Emperor’s New Groove” serving as the foundation for a roller coaster, and whether it’s popular enough, has merchandising potential, etc. My hot take: it doesn’t matter! A good attraction transcends its source material.
As for whether they’d build this in the first place, look no further than TRON Lightcycle Run or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. It should be telling that the two newest rides in Magic Kingdom are based on IPs that aren’t particularly popular, and both are doing just fine.
The marketing for Villains Land is going to revolve around the land as a whole, as opposed to the individual attractions or underlying IPs. In particular, TRON Lightcycle Run proved that putting guests into the story of the movie with a wish fulfillment-esque experience can be a winning move.
Finally, even though I’m pretty skeptical of this rumor…I hope it’s true! This is potentially an unpopular opinion, but roller coasters are not Walt Disney World’s strong suit. The biggest exception is Cosmic Rewind, and they spent a fortune on that. To each their own, but I would prefer Disney to spend less on roller coasters and more on dark rides. Anyone who craves big thrills should visit Universal Orlando.
Speaking of the dark ride…
Maleficent Mega E-Ticket
According to Taylor, the major indoor attraction is going to feature Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty,” and will be an indoor water-based attraction using the ride system form the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Shanghai Disneyland.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure is an excellent attraction, arguably top 10 in the entire world, and a big part of that is its innovative ride system. From a technological perspective, I can’t think of many attractions that approach Shanghai Pirates. The only one with comparable wow-factor at this point is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
It’s actually a shame that it’s taken so long for another attraction to use this ride system, because it’s that good. A superlative use of technology that melds physical show scenes with screens and can turn a leisurely boat ride into an action sequence, going from on the water to the sky or wherever. Battle for the Sunken Treasure is the reason to visit Shanghai Disneyland.
My assessment of this rumor is also a lot of skepticism.
I have heard several rumors about the dark ride for Villains Land, none of which I’d necessarily deem credible. This is the first time I’ve ever heard the Shanghai Pirates ride system mentioned. That’s not why I’m skeptical, though. It makes complete sense for Imagineering to want to bring that wow-inducing ride system stateside! (It’s probably coming to Avatar at DCA, if that land still happens.)
The reason I’m skeptical is because of the recent Filing Revealing Show Building Sizes & Locations of Cars & Villains Lands. The building for the dark ride is large, but not that large. That’s doubly true if, as I’ve heard, it will house both the dark ride and the restaurant planned for the land.
Of course, it’s possible that these plans will be re-filed, so it’s not like that’s some insurmountable obstacle. But TheWrap’s reporting insinuated that all of these changes are possible within the bounds of those infrastructure plans. I do not believe it’s realistic to have a Shanghai Pirates level attraction and dinner show (see below) within the known footprint of that building.
I’d also love to be wrong about this! Shanghai Pirates is absolutely incredible, and the Villains Land Mega E-Ticket using that ride system would be a colossal win. Frankly, it would also make sense from my perspective to extend that show building all the way behind “it’s a small world.” In which case, there would be sufficient space for this Mega E-Ticket and dinner show all in one.
I would also be surprised if both of the attractions are single IP. One of them, sure. But I’d expect the other to feature a medley of villains, a la Avengers Infinity Defense at DCA.
Hades Dinner Show
Per TheWrap’s rumor, Hades will rule over a dinner show that’s described as in the same style as the Diamond Horseshoe Revue, a (defunct) dinner show at the Magic Kingdom. Pain and Panic would be along for the fun, with additional villains filtering in.
This reportedly would be a full-service, sit-down restaurant with pre fixe dining. It allegedly would take the place of a restaurant themed to Madam Medusa from “The Rescuers.”
This one partly passes my smell test and partly fails it spectacularly. A Hades-hosted dinner show that’s basically “Villains Tonight!” with a montage medley of baddies makes sense. It checks all of the boxes, from being a lucrative upcharge to featuring a wide range of characters.
It would also offer an indirect replacement for Villains Unfairly Ever After at DHS as well as (uh oh) Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular at MNSSHP. This is the first I’ve heard of this concept, but it makes complete sense–especially the “monetize a stage show” angle.
Where it fails for me is first in the suggestion that Madam Medusa, a character who I had to Google, was previously the proprietor or whatever for the venue. I know I just wrote that underlying IP doesn’t matter if the concept is strong enough, but this nevertheless strikes me as dubious.
Not only that, but Disney previously released the list of 13 villains in the land, and Madam Medusa was not one of them. This might seem nitpicky, but when dissecting rumors to determine veracity, the devil is in the details.
Family Friendly Third Ride
According to TheWrap, there will also be a third ride in the land, which was not part of the original plans. This is expected to be a flat ride, likely a Dumb-style spinner, but themed to Ursula from “The Little Mermaid.” This is supposedly a recycled pitch from DCA.
This is another story of partly passing the smell test and partly failing it. If this rumor were simply that the flat ride previously planned for Piston Peak had shifted over to Villains Land, I would 100% believe it. Such a scenario makes perfect sense, as it would give more breathing room to the Cars Rally Racer E-Ticket, and allow for more placemaking in Piston Peak.
That would help explain where the space for the rushing river and other water features came from that are found in the Fun Map. It would also make sense of the conspicuous omission of the second Cars attraction in literally everything we’ve seen since D23. We recently speculated that this was because of a confidential patent filing, but hey, maybe it’s because there’s been internal debate about whether that attraction should shift to Villains Land.
If I had a vote in this matter, I would advocate for that.
Piston Peak National Park is a subsection of the existing Frontierland. When all is said and done, it’s probably going to be viewed as Frontierland as opposed to its own distinct thing. And Frontierland already has its own attractions. Not only that, but more space for placemaking is a huge win in my book.
By contrast, Villains Land being yet another new land with only 2 attractions is less optimal. There’s already been a lot of fan criticism about this, and while I don’t necessarily agree (New Orleans Square is an excellent land!), I get it. There’s definitely something to be said for the Fantasy Springs approach.
My skepticism here is the notion that Magic Kingdom is going to have yet another Dumbo style spinner.
More flat rides are great. Unlike a lot of Disney fans, I strongly believe they have a place in the parks and help round out ride rosters. But I question the idea that Magic Kingdom is getting yet another Dumbo spinner as opposed to something that’s actually flat on the ground.
I’m not just skeptical because Magic Kingdom already has several spinners; there’s also the likelihood that such a ride would almost certainly be centrally-located, and an aerial attraction like this might appear to “cheapen” the land’s aesthetics and atmosphere. Any flat ride between Piston Peak and Villains Land is probably going to be easier to conceal or blend in with the landscape.
Family Focus & Inspiration
According to theWrap, the “point of reference” for Villains Land has gone from Dark Universe to How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, both at Epic Universe. Isle of Berk won the 2026 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theme Park Land category; it’s larger, contains more rides and restaurants, merchandise, and more. Isle of Berk is also brighter and more family friendly.
This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to anyone who read our previous commentary, as I shared that Imagineers were blown away by Monsters Unchained, but not Dark Universe as a whole. This is hardly a closely-guarded secret, and is a pretty common reaction to Dark Universe, unless you’re like a goth or something.
I’ve shared on several occasions that it was the land I was most excited for, but the one that I found most underwhelming. Very online fans might hate to hear this, but Dark Universe does not resonate with mainstream audiences in the same way as the other core portals at Epic Universe.
Even so, the comparison to Isle of Berk falls apart for me. It’s a great land, to be sure; the most well-rounded and complete of those at Epic Universe. At the same time, it doesn’t have strong parallels to what’s described in the above rumors.
Those make Villains Land sound more comparable to Fantasy Springs or a mix of components from Epic Universe, and perhaps closest to Super Nintendo World? (I assume they’re going to find a way to monetize interactivity in the land a la the Power Up Bands.)
With that said, I’m not the least bit surprised about Villains Land being family-friendly. But as with some of what’s discussed above, I would’ve assumed this was the plan all along!
Honestly, I’ve been surprised by some of the comments we’ve received in response to Villains Land. It sounds like some fans are assuming this is going to be Halloween Horror Nights-adjacent. My assumption all along has been that it’d be tamer than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
I’ve shared that, from the beginning, Disney has been uncertain about how Villains Land would be received. That there were internal apprehensions about moving forward with Villains Land. That it would be “too dark” or “not sufficiently mainstream” for Magic Kingdom, and debate about just how much budget to blow.
With that said, if I’ve heard these concerns, so too has Walt Disney World. I thus wouldn’t be surprised if they’re finding little ways to make it more family friend, such as brightening up the color palette. I would also expect it’s family-friendly nature to be emphasized at the 2026 D23 Expo. But I nevertheless doubt that this has gone from a HHN adult-oriented land to a family-friendly one.
Additional Commentary
Most of what follows is modified from our original commentary covering the original rumor of a ‘bigger and bolder’ Villains Land. I’m resharing it here because, by and large, it’s what I still believe to be the case.
Even today, Villains Land is still ~4 years away. It was ~6 years away when first announced. It’s plausible for changes to the plans at this stage, and there is plenty of past precedent for such changes to occur. This is especially true given that Josh D’Amaro will soon become CEO, and actual construction has not yet commenced, only site prep. There has been and is still the opportunity for adjustments or enhancements to Villains Land.
There is also the motive for betting bigger on the expansion, with the new CEO having the chance to make his own mark on the company with big and bold changes early during his tenure. There’s also the perception that Villains Land is D’Amaro’s baby, and he will nurture it accordingly.
I want to reiterate again that I’ve heard nothing credible to suggest that the ‘meat’ of the plans for Villains Land have changed. Which is to say that, to the best of my knowledge, Villains Land still consists of a roller coaster and a dark ride, plus retail and a restaurant. Along with that, Piston Peak features an E-Ticket and a flat ride.
If those foundational elements between the two areas are unchanged, I would have a difficult time saying the plans have been “scrapped” or that Imagineering has gone back to the drawing board. This is more a matter of enhancing existing plans to unlock their full potential than starting from square one with a blank slate.
It’s probably not like what happened early during the development of what became Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or Fantasy Springs. It’s probably not even akin to New Fantasyland, which had Seven Dwarfs Mine Train added after the original announcement. Although I suppose that is possibly the best comparison if we find out that a third ride has been added–or shifted from Piston Peak.
Nevertheless, my impression is that Disney has become increasingly bullish on Villains Land.
The fan response has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s the project for which creatives are most excited, as discussed in our article about Walt Disney Imagineering’s Comeback.
Likewise, it sounds like the project for which the new CEO is most excited, as suggested by his outward enthusiasm for Villains Land during My Meeting with Josh D’Amaro. If any project was going to change from the slate at the last D23 Expo, it’s most likely to be Villains Land–and for the better.
However, my expectation is that Disney is pulling a “Reverse Toy Story Land” with Villains Land. That they’re spending lavishly on the land, albeit within the original plan’s parameters. That it’ll have polish and detail on par with Tokyo DisneySea as opposed to a normal Walt Disney World project.
If these Villains Land plans end up being even modestly more ambitious than before, that alone is a win. And I absolutely think that’ll be true. Josh D’Amaro wants this to be a home run, Imagineering has the ideas and talent to deliver one, and will get the budget to deliver.
There’s every reason to believe Disney is going big and bold on Villains Land. Even before this rumor, Imagineering President Bruce Vaughn said he’s been “blown away” by the concepts for Magic Kingdom.
Ultimately, we shall see what ends up happening with Villains Land. Rumors are always fun, and we enjoy daydreaming about the “what if?” nature of it all. At the same time, this one has a high level of specificity that’ll make it easy to ‘grade’ based on what actually ends up being announced when the curtain is pulled back on Villains Land.
Whether it happens during the upcoming Shareholder Meeting or at the 2026 D23 Expo or sometime in between, I strongly suspect we’re going to find out soon. And even though I’m skeptical of some of these details–I sure hope they’re right and I’m wrong!
Even beyond this, I fully expect a slate of “New Sheriff in Town” announcements from Josh D’Amaro in the coming months that vindicate theme park fans who are optimistic about the new CEO and future of Walt Disney World. (See 11 Great Changes Josh D’Amaro Could Make at Disney World for Big Wins as New CEO.) Buckle up for a lot more news & rumors like this, because it’s probably going to be a wild ride!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the rumor of a bigger, bolder and more family-friendly Villains Land? Believe any of this, or are you skeptical? Still in ‘wait and see’ mode? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? 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!