An all-new lake show featuring fountains, drones, lasers and music will come to Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris in 2026. A new nighttime spectacular will premier in Disneyland Paris in January 2025 New missions will be added to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort Guests can follow Simba’s journey from cub to king when the first-ever attraction inspired by “The Lion King” debuts at Disney Adventure World in Paris. Disney has announced a spate of major renovations and expansions – including four new cruise ships and six new themed lands at iconic sites including in Disneyland Paris, in Florida and California.
The company said that its expansion at Magic Kingdom — the keystone park of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida — will be its biggest ever, with the incorporation of some of its most popular franchises. The announcements were made at Disney’s annual D23 convention on Saturday by Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro. “Disney Experiences is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation,” he said.
“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.” Guests can follow Simba’s journey from cub to king when the first-ever attraction inspired by “The Lion King” debuts at Disney Adventure World in Paris. A new themed area in Disneyland Paris will be dedicated to The Lion King, bringing guests on a journey through the African savanna and immersing them into the adventures of Simba, Timon, Pumbaa and other iconic characters.
"For the attraction, Disney Imagineers will bring to life the majestic Pride Rock, which will serve as the gateway to an adventure-filled water attraction that will plunge guests beneath the rock to follow Simba on his journey from cub to king,” it said. There will also be Disney character greetings, themed dining, “and shopping opportunities”. Disneyland Paris will also see the opening of Frozen Adventure World in 2026.
Visitors to the Kingdom of Arendelle will journey alongside Anna and Elsa inside the all-new attraction, and “take part in immersive shopping and dining experiences”. A new nighttime spectacular will also premier in Disneyland Paris next January, featuring popular songs from Disney Animation and Pixar films told through projections on Sleeping Beauty Castle and down Main Street. A new nighttime spectacular will premier in Disneyland Paris in January 2025 According to D’Amaro, a land expansion in Orlando will be the largest ever, though specific details are still being developed.
However, a large part of the additions will be devoted to Disney villains. “Since the beginning, our Disney Villains have given us endless possibilities to tell new stories,” he said. “In this new land, you’ll see storytelling on a grand scale that only Disney can deliver.
” One of Disney’s most popular franchises – Cars, which has brought in $1.4m at the global box office – will also gain two new attractions; an off-road rally race ride, and another family-friendly attraction. Elsewhere in Florida, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will also see the introduction of a brand new land – “Tropical Americas” – with a southern American feel.
Guests will now enter the park through the fictional, rain forest village of Pueblo Esperanza. The expanded section will feature attractions related to globe-hopping archeologist Indiana Jones and another recent popular franchise, Encanto. The ride-through experience will be the first related to the animated film.
Tropical Americas is set to open in 2027. New missions will be added to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, also in Florida, the Monster’s Inc. franchise will be coming to life.
The Pixar franchise is getting a new land, which will welcome guests to tour the Laugh Factory with a new attraction that will be the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney Park. “The power of friendship and laughter is at the heart of so many Disney stories – especially Monsters, Inc.,” D’Amaro said.
“Now we’re giving fans a whole new way to experience this world in a Disney theme park and connect with the characters they love.” Major expansions on the west coast will include a doubling in size of The Avengers Campus at the Disney California Adventure resort to house two new E-ticket Marvel-themed attractions, according to D’Amaro. In addition, Avatar — the blockbuster science fiction series that has brought in more than $5 billion at the global box office — will come to the California resort, with a destination inspired by the second Avatar film, Avatar: The Way of Water, as well as the upcoming films.
Disney Cruise Line will also add four new vessels to its growing fleet between 2027 and 2031, the company announced. “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 said. “Today we unveiled an extensive slate of new experiences that only Disney can deliver.
Work is well underway on all of the new projects we announced, and fans will start to see them come to life in the near future.” - Additional reporting by Pól O Conghaile Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.
