Overview
- At D23 this weekend, Disney officially confirmed the new Magic Kingdom area will be called Villains Land and unveiled an original story in which an evil wish shattered a wishing well and drew Disney villains to a corrupted forest.
- Disney announced two headlining attractions: a Maleficent‑themed roller coaster that Imagineering says will include elements it has never attempted on a Disney coaster and a Magic Mirror–hosted dark ride that transports guests into a Mirror Realm where many villains are conjured with special effects and physical sets.
- Imagineering described a design approach called “Conjured Architecture,” inspired by Art Nouveau and Modernisme research trips to Paris and Barcelona, and said the land’s footprint will be comparable in scale to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge with space for shops, restaurants, and themed guest areas.
- Several operational and technical details remain undisclosed, including the coaster’s ride system, the full roster of villains in the land, a formal opening date, and whether the Magic Kingdom Railroad will connect to the new area.
- Some outlets report animator Andreas Deja will consult on the project, but that involvement has been reported by third parties and was not a focal point of Disney’s D23 presentation.