Whether you’re heading to Walt Disney World for the first time or planning your tenth return trip, 2025 is shaping up to be a great year! With new entertainment, updated rides, immersive dining options, and larger-than-life themed lands on the horizon, there’s no shortage of ways to experience the magic in new and thrilling ways.
Here’s a roundup of everything new—and what’s still to come—across the four Walt Disney World theme parks and resorts.
What’s New Right Now
Live Entertainment at Hollywood Studios
- Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is a darkly delightful stage show where iconic villains like Cruella, Hook, and Maleficent get their moment to shine in a spectacle of mirrors, music, and mischief.
- The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure brings Ariel’s underwater world to the stage in a newly reimagined show filled with puppetry, digital effects, and a storyline told from Ariel’s perspective.
New Lounge at EPCOT
- GEO-82 has opened inside EPCOT’s iconic Spaceship Earth. This sleek, retro-futuristic lounge is perfect for guests 21+ looking for craft cocktails, global bites, and views of the World Celebration Gardens. Reservations required.
Cool Kid Summer (Now through Sept. 1, 2025)
Across all four theme parks, families can enjoy limited-time dance parties, character visits, and hands-on games that bring extra fun to summer days.
Highlights include:
- Magic Kingdom:
- Big Top Bash at Storybook Circus with Pluto and DJ-led games.
- Galactic Blast dance party with Stitch in Tomorrowland.
- EPCOT:
- GoofyCore dance party at CommuniCore Hall.
- Meet Phineas and Ferb near the main entrance.
- Hollywood Studios:
- Get Animated courtyard fun with magicians, Disney Junior characters, and crafts.
- Animal Kingdom:
- Earn limited-time Wilderness Explorer badges, and catch A Celebration Sing-Along at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
At Select Resort Hotels:
Special events at Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, and Wilderness Lodge include games, character greetings, and music—all part of the Cool Kid Summer lineup.
Still to Come in 2025
July 20 – Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away
Magic Kingdom’s newest nighttime parade celebrates dreams and wishes with floats featuring characters from Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Encanto, Frozen, and Moana. It’s also the first time some of these favorites are appearing in a Disney nighttime parade.
July 22 – Reimagined Test Track at EPCOT
Test Track returns with a new look and concept inspired by human innovation and the road ahead—while keeping the high-speed thrills guests love.
Late 2025 – More New Attractions
- The Beak and Barrel at Magic Kingdom is a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed tavern full of nautical surprises and themed snacks.
- Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will debut at the Tree of Life Theater in Animal Kingdom as a 4D show featuring Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
- Last chance to ride DINOSAUR before it closes to make way for Tropical Americas land.
Disney After Hours Returns
Enjoy select evenings at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios with low wait times, shorter lines, and snacks like popcorn and ice cream included with your separate event ticket.
Resort Guest Perks Get an Upgrade
In 2025, Disney Resort guests get admission to a water park on their arrival day included with their stay, along with continued early park entry and resort-exclusive experiences.
The Magic Doesn’t Stop in 2026 and Beyond
Coming in 2026:
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets brings musical mayhem to Hollywood Studios.
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin gets a much-needed upgrade, with new scenes and improved gameplay.
Coming in 2027 and Beyond:
- Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom will feature new attractions inspired by Encanto and Indiana Jones.
- Piston Peak National Park, a sprawling expansion of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, will bring the world of Cars to life in a lush national park-style setting.
- Monsters, Inc. Land at Hollywood Studios will feature the park’s first-ever suspended coaster through the Door Vault.
- Villains Land at Magic Kingdom is officially in the works—a dark and twisted realm with its own rides, dining, and shops inspired by Disney’s most infamous characters.
Seasonal Favorites Return
Don’t worry—fan-favorite events aren’t going anywhere. EPCOT’s festivals (like the International Festival of the Arts and Food & Wine Festival) and holiday hits like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Very Merry Christmas Party continue to add seasonal sparkle throughout the year.
With so many new rides, shows, dining options, and expansions on the horizon, 2025 is a dream year for Disney fans of all ages—and it’s only the beginning. Whether you’re coming for the nostalgia, the new experiences, or a bit of both, Walt Disney World is making sure there’s something magical waiting for everyone.
