Disney Just Scrapped Its Entire Villains Land Plan—And the New Version Is Way More Ambitious

Disney’s upcoming Villains Land at Magic Kingdom has been completely redesigned from the ground up—and what’s replacing the original plans is bigger, bolder, and honestly more exciting than anything we expected to see.

According to an exclusive report from The Wrap published February 26, 2026, Imagineers were told before the new year that the previous plans for the land had been scrapped entirely. The directive from incoming Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro: go bigger. And the new details emerging from that redesign effort are genuinely jaw-dropping.

What Got Scrapped

The original Villains Land concept centered on a darker, more intense experience anchored by a Maleficent-themed roller coaster. It was edgier in tone—closer in spirit to Universal’s Dark Universe at Epic Universe—and while it had its fans, it apparently wasn’t the direction D’Amaro wanted to take one of the most high-profile Disney Parks projects in a decade.

That coaster isn’t gone. It’s been reimagined.

The New Attractions Planned

The redesigned Villains Land reportedly includes four distinct experiences, each tied to a beloved Disney villain:

Emperor’s New Groove Coaster: The Maleficent coaster concept has been converted into a family-friendly coaster inspired by The Emperor’s New Groove, complete with a signature “pull the lever” moment. Think Slinky Dog Dash energy, but with Yzma and Kronk.

Maleficent Water Ride: A major indoor water-based attraction themed to Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, modeled after the acclaimed Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure experience at Shanghai Disneyland. This would be a premium Lightning Lane Single Pass experience—and if it even approaches the ambition of the Shanghai version, it could be one of the best rides Disney has ever built in the U.S.

Hades Dinner Show: A sit-down restaurant with prix fixe dining in the tradition of the old Diamond Horseshoe Revue, featuring Hades, Pain, and Panic from Hercules. A villain-hosted dinner show is exactly the kind of unique, high-value experience Disney Parks has struggled to deliver in recent years.

Ursula Spinner Ride: A carnival-style flat ride based on Ursula from The Little Mermaid, similar in concept to Dumbo the Flying Elephant but with a very different vibe.

Why This Feels Like a Big Shift

What’s notable about the new direction isn’t just the attractions themselves—it’s the philosophy behind them. According to the report, the design approach has shifted from using Dark Universe at Epic Universe as the benchmark to using Isle of Berk (the How to Train Your Dragon land) as the model.

That’s a meaningful distinction. Isle of Berk is expansive, family-friendly, and packed with multiple revenue touchpoints: several rides, food options, immersive entertainment, and exclusive merchandise. It won the 2026 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theme Park Land category. It’s bright, joyful, and welcoming—and it performs extremely well.

The original darker Villains Land concept had a narrower appeal. This new version is designed to maximize both guest satisfaction and revenue, which is exactly what D’Amaro—who built his reputation running Disney Experiences, the company’s largest business segment—is known for prioritizing.

The Stakes for D’Amaro

There’s a personal dimension to this redesign that’s hard to ignore. As one insider reportedly put it: “Every CEO gets a chance to put a land in the Magic Kingdom. This is his shot.”

D’Amaro is expected to formally become Disney CEO on March 18. Villains Land is reportedly his signature project—the thing that will define his early legacy in the top job. The revised plans are due for board approval in the coming weeks, with an opening estimated around 2029. That’s potentially a year later than originally planned, but if the new vision delivers on its ambition, the wait will be worth it.

What This Means for Guests

If you’ve been holding out hope for a Disney villains experience that feels as immersive and theatrical as the best Universal has to offer, these new plans suggest that’s exactly where things are headed.

A boat ride that rivals Battle for the Sunken Treasure. A dinner show hosted by Hades. A coaster with a Kronk “wrong lever” moment baked in. This is Disney leaning into the theatrical, experiential side of its IP in a way that could deliver something genuinely special.

We’ll be watching this one closely as the board review plays out and more details emerge. For now, the message from the new regime at Disney seems clear: bigger, bolder, and done right.