Here’s why Disney fans are freaking out.
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Fans have seen the Walt Disney World Resort undergo numerous changes over the last few decades, though nothing compares to what’s currently in the pipeline. Soon, “The Most Magical Place on Earth” will look and feel totally different, with several large-scale projects now in development.
Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland were built with the mindset that they would never truly be “finished” but rather always exist in a state of improvement. This mindset was key to the founder of the theme parks himself, Walt Disney, though recent developments are leaving fans divided in more ways than one.
Disney’s D23 Event
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Each year, Disney shares more details about its upcoming slate of film and television productions, as well as new rides and attractions planned for the parks. A chunk of these details are announced during Disney’s D23, an event similar to other expos like Comic Con, only focused solely on the Disney company.
Recent D23 events have been quite impactful, though nothing compares to what went down last year. In August 2024, Disney hosted D23 live from the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center in California. This event was bookended by exciting announcements for Disney’s film and television wings, but the juiciest bits of information involved Disney’s theme parks, and boy, did Disney deliver.
Many were anticipating that Disney would share more information regarding one of its most interesting projects, the overhaul of DinoLand, U.S.A., a prehistoric-themed area inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. While fun, this land has proven quite divisive among fans and guests alike, with many criticizing it as feeling tacky. It’s hard to disagree when looking at the rest of the Animal Kingdom, but DinoLand offers a certain nostalgic charm that seems to be vanishing from the Disney parks.
Disney shared the first bits of information about this project at a D23 event several years prior, but in 2024, fans finally got confirmation that, yes, the dinosaurs inside Animal Kingdom would finally be going extinct. Three new rides will come to Animal Kingdom, all of which will be tied together in a new land inspired by South America.
These new rides include a dark ride based on Encanto, a new carousel, and a new “E-ticket” Indiana Jones thrill ride. The original plan for DinoLand included building Moana and Zootopia-themed attractions, which proved quite controversial and unpopular among fans. To say that Encanto and Indiana Jones were seen much more positively would be an understatement, though DinoLand has its fans.
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However, the real controversy did not break out until Disney started divulging its plans for its original Florida theme park, Magic Kingdom. Often seen by fans as an “untouchable” destination, any and all projects and renovations tend to stir up controversy when it comes to the Magic Kingdom.
While there are certainly areas inside the park that need work, fans are always on edge, awaiting the news that a classic attraction such as Peter Pan’s Flight or Haunted Mansion is getting the boot. This is unlikely to happen, but with so many changes coming to the parks, fans never really know what Disney has up its sleeves.
At D23, Disney announced that a new Cars-themed expansion, similar to the one seen at Disneyland in California, would be coming to Magic Kingdom. However, this time, the new main thrill ride would be an off-roading adventure. Concept art showed guests riding along in an off-roading vehicle right in the middle of the park’s Frontierland. This is when fans started to second-guess Disney’s plans.
Frontierland is one of Magic Kingdom’s most classic and iconic areas, housing fan-favorite rides and attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. However, in recent years, the western-themed land has undergone significant changes, with Splash Mountain, an iconic log flume ride, transforming into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The Country Bears also recently received a big overhaul.
It’s not so much that fans weren’t happy with a new Cars experience, but rather where this experience would be going, as some argue that autonomous cars with giant eyeballs do not really fit into the rest of Frontierland. However, the true controversy wouldn’t start until Disney revealed what would be closing to make way for this new Cars expansion.
The Battle for Disney’s Rivers of America
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Magic Kingdom is just as much a collection of rides and attractions as it is a collection of iconic views and incredible locales, and the Rivers of America are perhaps the most serene man-made body of water inside the Walt Disney World Resort. The river flows through Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, separating the rest of the park from Tom Sawyer Island, an interactive and explorable playground. While certainly not the most popular attraction at the park, Tom Sawyer Island and, in turn, the Rivers of America had become quintessential parts of the Magic Kingdom, adding to the park’s feeling of wonder and magic.
Disney eventually dropped the bombshell that it would be paving over the Rivers of America to make way for this new expansion, and the Disney community was lit ablaze. Disney has announced controversial projects before, but few have been as fiery or as fierce as Disney’s plan to close the Rivers of America.
Fans came figuratively rushing to defend this area of the park online, with many calling out Disney for abandoning what makes Magic Kingdom so special in the first place. Others praised Disney, seeing a new Cars expansion as a big win for a park that desperately needs even more to do.
However, losing the Rivers of America has prompted many to criticize Disney directly, with certain movements forming online. Multiple online petitions can be signed to “Save” Magic Kingdom’s Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, though, like other petitions, these are unlikely to have any effect on The Walt Disney Company’s plans.
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The Rivers of America was just one part of the controversial puzzle, with Disney also making a game-changing announcement for its Muppet-themed area inside Hollywood Studios. The Muppets have occupied their own space, Muppets Courtyard, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for decades. The Muppets even headline their own attraction, Muppet*Vision 3D, inside Muppets Courtyard, a fun and immersive 4D experience that has become a fan-favorite attraction over the years.
During Disney’s 2024 D23 event, the company revealed that a new Monsters Inc.-inspired land would be built inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios, sending a wave of excitement throughout the community. However, Disney curiously left out the exact location of this new land, sending panic through the community, too. Concept art seemed to show two possible locations for this new Monsters Inc. land, with one photo placing it where Star Wars: Launch Bay currently sits and the other putting it right where The Muppets call home.
Fans had to wait multiple days for Disney to eventually confirm where this new Monsters Inc. land would be located, with many holding out hope The Muppets would be saved from destruction. This was not the case, however, with Disney announcing Muppets Courtyard would be transformed into a new land for Mike, Sully, and the rest of the crew from Pixar’s iconic animated film.
The Rivers of America decision was controversial, but the decision to close The Muppets’ one and only attraction in Walt Disney World tore the community apart. Not only had fans come to know and love The Muppets at Disney World, but Muppet*Vision 3D had essentially become a living tribute to Muppets creator Jim Henson himself. Muppet*Vision 3D was the last Muppets project Henson worked on prior to his death, making the 4D show a very special experience.
The thought of losing Muppet*Vision 3D was unbearable for Muppet fans and Disney World fans alike, though others agreed it was time for The Muppets to go. However, in a twist of fate, Disney revealed that The Muppets would not totally be evicted from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as the company also revealed that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coater would be getting reworked.
Aerosmith will be getting the boot, leaving the roller coaster without a headliner. Who better to lead this attraction than Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, The Muppets’ own rock band. To say this announcement was met with confusion and bewilderment would be an understatement, though many were happy The Muppets would still be represented inside Hollywood Studios.
It’s a far cry from their original 3D show, but fans will still be able to see Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and more during their time at Hollywood Studios. It’s unclear what will happen to Muppet*Vision 3D, as Disney has stated it is looking for ways to “preserve” the attraction. It remains to be seen what exactly this means, but it’s safe to say that Disney’s Hollywood Studios is headed down a controversial path, too, just like Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.
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All of these projects and more are set to begin in 2025, with certain developments already taking place earlier this year. In January, Disney closed half of DinoLand and began demolition work as the park prepares to build its new South America land.
For now, the other half of DinoLand U.S.A., including DINOSAUR, remains open, but Disney has confirmed the land will shut down in its entirety sometime early next year.
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