Something wicked this way comes ...
Back in 2022 during the "A Boundless Future: Disney Parks Experiences and Products" panel at D23 Expo, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D'Amaro took the stage with Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios Jennifer Lee and Creative Portfolio Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering Chris Beatty and shared some "very real [...] very serious discussions [they're] having about the future of [the] parks and experiences." One of these Blue Sky discussions included wondering what lies "beyond Big Thunder Mountain" ... such as "an area overrun by villains."
Well, we no longer have to wonder.
Two years later at the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, D'Amaro took the stage once again and — after prefacing the entire showcase with the announcement that "this isn't Blue Sky" and everything they were going to talk about was "in active development" — shared the long-awaited news that a Villains Land is coming to Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort.
What We Know About Villains Land at Magic Kingdom
After a phenomenal performance of "Trust in Me" from "The Jungle Book" by Rita Ora (who recently portrayed the conniving Queen of Hearts in "Descendants: The Rise of Red"), D'Amaro went on to share that this new land will be home to "the villains that you know and those that you loathe." With "two major new attractions, dining, shopping and so much more fiendish fun" to come on an incredibly twisted grand scale, this malevolent new land will exemplify "a fearless new vision for what a Disney experience can be."
"Be prepared, you poor unfortunate souls," for whatever chaos might come your way in this dark and thorny land. The possibilities are endless for the stories that can be told here and hoppily ever after isn't as close as you think it is ...
While we don't have any sort of timeframe yet for this land, we do know that preparation is already underway for it at Magic Kingdom. We'll be sure to update this blog as soon as we have more information!
Where You Can Find Disney Villains at Walt Disney World
Disney's Hollywood Studios
While the villains await their new home in Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios currently is the villains' playground. Here's who you can find in the park today:
- Gaston in Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage
- Hans in For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration (animated clips)
- Evil Queen, Maleficent, Jafar, Ursula, Chernabog, Cruella de Vil, Scar, Frollo and Hades in Fantasmic! (animated clips)
In addition, a brand-new Disney Villains-themed show will debut in summer 2025, transporting audiences into the realm of the Magic Mirror and featuring dozens of Disney Villains, including Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent, as they break through the glass to take the stage in live production numbers.
Magic Kingdom
Heading back to the Most Magical Place on Earth, here are the villains you can currently find at Magic Kingdom Park:
- Iago in Mickey's PhilharMagic (animated clips)
- Captain Hook in Peter Pan's Flight (animatronic)
- Evil Queen in Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (animatronic)
- Ursula, Flotsam and Jetsom in Under the Sea — Journey of The Little Mermaid (animatronics)
- Ursula, Scar, Jafar and Maleficent in Happily Ever After (castle projections)
- Anastasia and Drizella in Fantasyland (meet and greet)
Don't froget to grab a Warm Cinnamon Roll at Gaston's Tavern while you're in Fantasyland!
EPCOT
Hopping over to EPCOT, here's where you'll be able to spot some villains causing mischief:
- Gaston and LeFou in Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along (animated clips)
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Lastly, you can meet one Disney Villain at a character dining experience:
- Evil Queen at Story Book Dining at Artist Point
What attractions or shopping and dining experiences are you hoping materializes in Villains Land at Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: What's Coming to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando in 2024 and Beyond
Hoppy planning!
