In case you need a refresher on this year’s D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event Experiences Showcase (a mouthful, I know), here’s the TL;DR: there’s a lot coming to Walt Disney World over the next few years.
In fewer words, between now and 2030 ish, we’ll see Tropical Americas open at Animal Kingdom, Monstropolis open at Hollywood Studios, Piston Peak National Park open at Magic Kingdom, and Villains Land open at Magic Kingdom. We’ll also see Disney World’s newest resort and newest Disney Vacation Club property, Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, open in the summer of 2027. Smaller yet nonetheless meaningful updates will arrive in the parks as well, including a brand-new Carousel of Progress.
Don’t fall for the trap of thinking that now is the time Disney World is finally getting around to making big changes, because they’ve been busy adding new things to the parks for the last year already. Before we can even tackle all of these new additions, we have to recap what has already opened at Walt Disney World between 2025 and today. Spoiler: it’s a lot.
If you’re currently planning your first vacation back to Disney World in over a year (maybe you’re planning a Halloween or holiday visit), it’s to your benefit to take a look at a park-by-park breakdown of what’s new and noteworthy since your last trip.
What’s new at Magic Kingdom
The recent changes at Magic Kingdom are apparent the moment you step into the park. Cinderella Castle’s new paint job harkens back to the original color scheme, and I for one am happy to see the pink castle days are behind us (I didn’t mind the pink, but I much prefer its original white and blue colors).
As you continue to make your way through Magic Kingdom, you’ll experience new enhancements to the park in the form of refreshed attractions. Notable changes are at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which has a much smoother ride these days and new visual effects around the first lift. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin went through a hefty refurb as well, now equipped with new blasters and scoring system.
Because of the refreshed attractions, your Lightning Lane strategy at Magic Kingdom may change. Both rides are included as part of your Lightning Lane Multi Pass purchase. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently a tier 1 attraction along with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Space Mountain. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is a tier 2 attraction.
Over in Adventureland, the Beak and Barrel opened next to Pirates of the Caribbean, serving small bites as well as alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. At night, you’ll want to check out Magic Kingdom’s new nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.
It has been a while since a non-holiday nighttime parade performed in Magic Kingdom, so if you haven’t been since last summer, this is definitely one change you’ll want to check out. You’ll also want to keep in mind the construction walls surrounding the former Rivers of America area of Frontierland as construction continues on Piston Peak National Park.
READ MORE: EVERY DISNEY WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT FROM D23: THE ULTIMATE DINSEY FAN EVENT
What’s new at EPCOT
EPCOT received sizable changes in the past decade, with the front half of the park (formerly known as Future World) broken into three distinct neighborhoods: World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature. Even with this major shift, EPCOT has still seen multiple changes and new openings in the last year or so.
Last summer, EPCOT opened its first adult-exclusive bar and lounge, GEO-82. The lounge can be found near the exit of Spaceship Earth and boasts panoramic views of the park. Guests ages 21 years and older may dine at GEO-82.
EPCOT received a pair of reimagined attractions since last summer. Test Track reopened with its third iteration in 2025, bringing the joy of driving front and center. The new Test Track takes inspiration from World of Motion, an opening day EPCOT attraction.
More recently, Soarin’ Across America opened in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. This new version of Soarin’ brings riders to iconic natural and man-made wonders of the United Stats, including the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, and beyond.
Here are a few reminders of where EPCOT’s rides currently stand with Lightning Lane. Both Test Track and Soarin’ Across America are available when purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Test Track is a Tier 1 attraction along with Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Soarin’ Across America is a Tier 2 attraction.
What’s new at Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has received multiple new offerings in the last year or so, with the most recent being a newly opened Walt Disney Studios Lot inspired by the studios in Burbank, California. The lot took over the former Animation Courtyard.
The Walt Disney Studio Lot leads to the Magic of Disney Animation, a new indoor experience that includes animation classes led by an Audio-Animatronic Olaf, play spaces for little ones, character meet and greets, and more. The Magic of Disney Animation officially opens on September 14.
The new headliner ride is a reimagined take on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. The original version Starring Aerosmith closed in early 2026 and quickly turned over to debut as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.
While the mechanics of the indoor coaster are exactly the same, this new version comes with plenty of new Muppets hijinks along with an impressive pre-show.
Over in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, the Mandalorian and Grogu have teamed up in a new storyline on Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run. In addition to the dynamic duo joining the ride, it now features new randomized destinations.
It’s worth mentioning here that both Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets and Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run are available with the purchase of Lightning Lane Multi Pass and are both tier 1 attractions at Hollywood Studios.
It would’t be Hollywood Studios without live entertainment, and the park received a pair of new stage shows in 2025 you’ll definitely want to check out. In “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After,” guests hear from three of the most notorious Disney villains – Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and Captain Hook – to decide who among them is the most misunderstood.
“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” is a refreshed version of the long-running stage show inspired by the 1989 animated film. Both “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” have numerous performances throughout the day, making it easy to fit it into your park schedule.
As work continues on Monstropolis, you’ll notice construction taking place around the former location of Muppet*Vision 3D and the surrounding Muppets Courtyard area.
What’s new at Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom hasn’t been a stranger to significant changes, either. With the phased closure of DinoLand U.S.A. reaching its conclusion earlier this year, the park has seen a few new openings that include Zootopia: Better Zoogether, a 4-D show performing in the Tree of Life Theater (the former home of It’s Tough to Be A Bug). Zootopia: Better Zoogether is a cute show that is a great way to escape into air conditioning much of the year.
Young kids have a lot to take advantage of in Animal Kingdom these days, especially since Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station opened in the summer of 2026. This lively dance party gives families the chance to interact with the popular pair of Australian pups from the hit TV series Bluey, Bluey and her sister Bingo.
Hungry? There are tons of fantastic new food and beverage items around Animal Kingdom. In fact, this park has quickly become my favorite right now in terms of new and exciting food offerings. Highlights include the Pulled Pork and Pulled Chicken Cheese Arepas from Smiling Crocodile as well as the Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich available at Terra Treats.
The ice cream sandwich is made with a Brownie layered with Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Chocolate Chips and Edible Cookie Dough. The hype is real; it’s delicious and worth waiting in a short line for.
If you haven’t been to Animal Kingdom in a minute, you’ll want to keep in mind that DinoLand U.S.A. completed its phased closure and work is well underway building the new land that will take its place, Tropical Americas.
What’s new at the resorts and Disney Springs
You’ll find new additions to Walt Disney World outside of its four theme parks, too. One of the most notable additions includes Level 99, a new interactive gaming experience, at Disney Springs. It can be found in the former location of Disney Quest and the NBA Experience.
Over at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, guests can enjoy a newly refreshed lobby space complete with a new lobby bar called The Perch.
Whew! There’s a lot of ground to cover if you haven’t been to Disney Wold since before last summer – as you can see, there’s a lot of new activities to see and do! And that’s just the beginning, as even more new additions are on the way to each of the four theme parks in the coming years. Be sure to follow along ahead of your next Disney World vacation to stay up-to-date on all of these important changes.
READ MORE: START PLANNING YOUR 2027 DISNEY WORLD VACATION TODAY!
Planning Your First Disney World Vacation in Over A Year? Here’s Everything That’s New was originally published on The World of Spark.
