Disney World is in the middle of a sweeping, multi-park expansion that will bring new themed lands, rides, and a resort to the Bay Lake property over the next few years. Aerial footage has offered some of the clearest looks yet at just how far along construction has come.
The most dramatic changes are happening at Animal Kingdom, where an 11-acre, more than $1 billion project is replacing Dinoland U.S.A. with a fictional village inspired by the film Encanto. The area will feature the first-ever Encanto ride, the Esperanza Character Carousel, and the Casita. The former Dinosaur ride is also being reimagined as an Indiana Jones adventure set inside a Maya temple, with that section targeted to open in 2027.
Magic Kingdom is seeing major changes as well. Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island have been removed to make way for Piston Peak, a Cars-themed land with a large new ride track. Villains Land is also under construction behind it, and the beloved Carousel of Progress is receiving a refresh with all-new sets. Disney has even confirmed plans to add a second ferry to handle the increased visitor traffic the expansions are expected to bring.
At Hollywood Studios, the former Muppet Vision area is being transformed into Monstropolis, with a Monsters Inc. door coaster taking shape. That area is expected to open around 2028. Separately, a new thousand-room Disney Vacation Club resort is rising near Fort Wilderness, complete with a lazy river, splash pads, and resort pool amenities — with an opening scheduled for 2027.
This report comes from WESH, which captured aerial footage of the construction sites and spoke with Alicia Stella of Orlando ParkStop about what the progress reveals.
