News Villains Land Announced for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

[TalkingHead]

This land didn’t get built twenty years ago when WDI had a stronger roster of talent that actually had experience designing and writing creepy attractions. They decided it wasn’t good enough to take to market. But, sure, it’s a better idea now in the hands of designers who have a shakier track record.

 

[Big_Shakalaka]

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Supposedly Disney told the media last night that everything announced is intended to be done within 5 years. Take that for what you will.

that would be.... supercharged

 

[KDM31091]

Yes. While one part may open before the other, they will be built concurrently. I could see a Cars 2028, Villains 2029 situation.

Not sure where Monsters, Inc. fits in. Presumably its opening around 2028.

I seriously can’t see them completing filling in the river, site prep, construction, etc in just 3 years when Tron took 5 years on previously unoccupied land.

But hopefully I’m wrong. Even the 20k leagues demotion and fill in took a year and a half IIRC. And the ROA is much larger.

 

[Gusey]

According to the site that shall not be named, media was told everything announced should open within the next 5 years (by 2030). Anyone else heard anything like that?

 

[CentralFLlife]

Yea I was gonna say horror and dark fantasy are huge right now and have been gaining for the past ten years in gaming the most popular games outside of Mario and call of duty are stuff like Dark Souls, Elden Ring and Lies of P and horror is going through a renaissance at the box office including artsy horror fantasy stuff like The Green Knight. Disney needs to start tapping into this stat.

if I was Iger I wouuld give his the biggest budget and get the manpower to expedite construction now

Using The Green Knight as a justification for the horror renaissance is crazy. It lost money, and is just a fantasy A24 movie.

Outside of that, you’re correct about everything else. Horror/dark fantasy movies are one of the few things that is consistently making money for Hollywood at this point. TWDC needs to lean into it.

 

[JD80]

I seriously can’t see them completing filling in the river, site prep, construction, etc in just 3 years when Tron took 5 years on previously unoccupied land.

But hopefully I’m wrong. Even the 20k leagues demotion and fill in took a year and a half IIRC. And the ROA is much larger.

I think they are using the lower elevation of the river in the attraction. I don't think they will be filling it in.

 

[ctrlaltdel]

I seriously can’t see them completing filling in the river, site prep, construction, etc in just 3 years when Tron took 5 years on previously unoccupied land.

But hopefully I’m wrong. Even the 20k leagues demotion and fill in took a year and a half IIRC. And the ROA is much larger.

They definitely slow-walked Tron to a ridiculous degree. I would hope and it seems that there is quite a bit more urgency in Disney this time around to get things done. 5 years is a pretty generous timeline, especially if they are starting real construction next year.

 

[Bocabear]

If the Villains Area are were literally behind the Haunted Mansion...there would be no real impact to the ROA...Likewise if the Carsland Area were back behind Tiana and accessed by walking under the tracks at the Frontierland Train Station, it could have no impact on the train or the ROA either.... no one is saying that the areas will connect....are they??

 

[Captain Barbossa]

He’s talking about nothing being built beyond the berm. He thinks Cars is taking the entirety of TSI/that part of RoA and Villains is in whatever space is between the back half of RoA and the railroad berm. Tom wouldn’t say anything based on personal speculation, he only says things given to him by his inside sources. WDI even tells us things early. People demonize him over rumors that end up being changed but were true at one point. I know Tom personally and can attest for his commitment to only reporting rumors that have someone backing them up.

We had this whole discussion yesterday when people were attacking Brayden/MickeyViews- just because a rumor turns out to be false doesn’t mean it wasn’t true at a time. Disney changed plans all the time- Brayden predicted Radiator Springs Racers and Woodys Round Up for new Frontierland and ended up only being right about the Cars IP. Does that mean he was totally wrong? Also, the Moana Tiki Room and Woody Country Bears were both true but cancelled. We have concept art and insider statements to prove it, no matter what people choose to believe. You’re entitled to your beliefs and you’re valid for having them, but the facts are that WDW and MickeyViews aren’t gambling on personal headcanons.

This community is so toxic when it comes to rumors and attacking people who say them. People like Tom and Brayden aren’t making things up for clicks, the parks are their passions and they’re reporting what they feel people aught to know. If no one ever reported rumors we wouldn’t have the Country Bears anymore.

My issues with Tom don’t really stem from his history of creating false info/clickbait to generate attention and rile people up. But I will admit that him making a fool of himself does provide some great entertainment. Remember 5 years ago when he started the crap about the Tiki Room and things got so bad that Disney released an official statement where they slammed him? Fun times. But no, my dislike for Tom comes from the fact that he and his crew have stolen from this site (and others) and tried to pass it off as their own, original stuff. (plagiarism) Pretty sure links to his site aren’t allowed here.

 

[bork]

The only reason I say this is that it wouldn't disturb the railroad and could still be considered beyond big thunder (in fact could be across the remaining portion of ROA), but I admit it could be on the other side of the railroad. This would make more sense to have entrances/exits from two different lands (like Galaxy's Edge in DL)

I was wondering where they could connect it to Fantasyland? Build something over the backstage roads and come it somewhere between the Pinnochio bathrooms and Storytime with Belle?

 

[Bocabear]

So we can expect Villains sometime in 2030...if they are not beginning construction in 2025....and giving them 5 years for construction ( the time it took Universal to build Epic Universe)...

 

[WowFactor]

I'm very happy with the prospect of this land (although I'll only believe it when I see some vertical work). I like to think that my blue sky presentation and the acceptance of the monsters in the neighboring park, contributed in some way to making this happen.

PS: Oh, there's a thread here on WDW Magic with more details about this.

 

[Phicinfan]

Okay per many sites I have seen or read, TSI and Rivers are gone, that will be Cars land, and Beyond Big Thunder so past Big Thunder and Cars will be Villains land. I don't see them keeping ROA or TSI at all.

 

[rtmachine]

So our ole buddy Tom Corless, who we know suffers from a severe case of diarrhea of the mouth, is saying that “nothing is beyond Big Thunder anymore” in response to a question about Villains Land. We’ll see if this turns out to be one of his signature pieces of false info.

So TC was right so far with the removal of TSI and ROA today, not sure about VL on where that could go

 

[rtmachine]

I seriously can’t see them completing filling in the river, site prep, construction, etc in just 3 years when Tron took 5 years on previously unoccupied land.

But hopefully I’m wrong. Even the 20k leagues demotion and fill in took a year and a half IIRC. And the ROA is much larger.

But EU will be done soon,,we will see..but that's a lot of work crews available that work on the major starting of these projects.

 

[CosmicDuck]

I was pretty underwhelmed with the Fortnite presentation. I had guessed given the investment and partnership we’d see something like a reskin of the Fortnite game within a Disney universe (a la Infinity 4.0).

Instead, we got….Disney character skins? And maybe a storyline? They’ve done that for tons of movies and properties over the years. Just a really underwhelming choice

They've definitely got something much bigger in the works, I think the initial announcement alluded to that. But game development can be incredibly slow, I expect for now we'll just continue to see more of this kind of integration into the game and maybe by next D23 they'll have a much bigger unveil of what they're working on.

 

[brb1006]

I agree but I think we need to manage expectations on "scariness". They're not going to put a legitimately scary land in MK. I'm expecting a dark gothic tone overall but nothing "scary" or inappropriate for children.

Unless they're really taking bigger risks with this than assumed (1971 Snow White?)... But given the social climate we live in now it's hard to imagine from Disney.

Oogie Boogie Bash felt like Disney testing the waters in terms of intensity when it comes to having an event entirely dedicated to Disney Villains and other antagonists.

A notable example is Villains Grove which transforms the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail into an ominous area taken over by Disney Villains. Villains Grove became the highlight for DCA's Halloween Event with guests (especially from older guests) being positive. So at least Disney is trying to go back to the scarier aspects while not being "too scary".

 

[brb1006]

...A drunk driver who drives headfirst into a train and ends up in Hell...

Correction: J. Thaddeus Toad isn't a drinker, he's just suffering from a case of "Motor Mania".

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Love the idea, but I hope we get a better name than Villiansland. Need something catchy. i.e. Darkmoor

 

[Big_Shakalaka]

Love the idea, but I hope we get a better name than Villiansland. Need something catchy. i.e. Darkmoor

Villains Lair