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Credit: Inside the MagicOver two years ago, the Family Madrigal made a quiet debut at the movie theater. Not long after, when they arrived on Disney+, Encanto (2021) skyrocketed in popularity and became one of the most viral hits of recent years. We may not talk about Bruno, but Disney Parks definitely are as the universe of Encanto heads to Walt Disney World Resort amid Bob Iger’s $30 billion expansion plans.
Encanto at the Walt Disney World Resort
Are there any Encanto experiences at Walt Disney World currently?
Experiences involving the Encanto franchise are slim at Disney World. At Magic Kindom Park, guests can meet Mirabel in the Fairytale Garden location of Fantasyland. The area has been rethemed to the courtyard of the Casa Madrigal–the magical house from the animated movie. Mirabel replaces Merida from Brave (2012), who previously entertained and met guests at the location.
As for other Encanto offerings, Mirabel and Bruno can be seen in the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, which occurs numerous times throughout the day at Magic Kingdom Park. This is currently the only place for Disney World guests to see Bruno, the mysterious Madrigal who vanished from his family after his foresight powers caused chaos in the 2021 movie.
Over on the West Coast, Disneyland Resort has presented other types of Encanto interactions. In recent years, an Encanto layover has been projected onto the outside of the “it’s a small world” attraction, while a Bruno meet and greet was available during Disney California Adventure Park’s annual Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween event. Oogie Boogie Bash will take place on select nights through the fall season, with dates to be announced soon.
What Encanto experiences are coming to Walt Disney World in the future?
Looking ahead, the universe of Encanto will be making a big splash at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer, Bob Iger, recently confirmed that a $60 billion investment was being poured into the experiences sector of the House of Mouse. Later, the CEO would share that half of that, $30 billion, would be utilized for theme parks and resorts, with the other half going to cruises and tech.
Amid the news of Disney Parks getting this huge financial investment, many have speculated that Disney may be gearing up to announce a fifth theme park gate at the Central Florida resort. While there has been no official announcement, Iger did not explicitly dismiss the notion at a recent earnings call. As the popular D23 Expo returns this year, and for a four-day event, there is a possibility that big changes will be revealed to the company’s biggest fans.
Entire theme park construction aside, Disney seems to be starting smaller with the ongoing development of its flagship resort. As for the Encanto universe, many things are in motion to bring the Madrigals to Disney World. At EPCOT, a new Encanto-themed stage show called “¡Celebración Encanto!” will run at various times during the day at the new CommuniCore Plaza stage. The musical performance will include Mirabel and Bruno and can be seen from June 10, 2024, through September 6, 2024. The arrival of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza is one of the final steps in bringing EPCOT’s largest-ever transformation to life.
In addition to “¡Celebración Encanto!”, Mirabel Madrigal will soon join guests dining at 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa this April. The deluxe resort restaurant is scheduled to reopen to guests on April 10, 2024, where diners will have the opportunity to meet characters like Mirabel, Tiana, Cinderella, and Aladdin.
While Disney confirms these new offerings and has scheduled start dates for both, what is most interesting about the Encanto universe and Disney World is that the Family Madrigal seems to be in many of the Mouse House’s current expansion plans. Back in late 2022, at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro was joined by creative executives Jennifer Lee (Walt Disney Animation) and Chris Beatty (Walt Disney Imagineering) to bring a series of blue sky ideas to the table.
One of these ideas sought to bring the likes of Moana and Zootopia to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, while the other saw Coco, Encanto, and the Disney Villains come to Magic Kingdom. The area behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland has untapped potential. D’Amaro said concepts have been made to bring the worlds of Coco and Encanto to this area while also featuring the long-awaited park arrival of the Disney Villains.
However, for all the excitement this generated, there has not been a concrete announcement as to whether it will ever happen. Hopes seemed dashed when, in 2023, at the Destination D23 event in Florida, Disney revealed that the Tropical Americas would be taking over from DinoLand, U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom.
Related: Disney World’s ‘Encanto’ Land May Get Divisive Splash Mountain Treatment
The new expansion sees both Encanto and Indiana Jones arrive at the theme park, with Indiana Jones likely taking over the current DINOSAUR attraction location to bring a ride akin to the Indy ride in the Disneyland Resort to the East Coast. Per the concept art, it looks as though Encanto will feature the Casa Madrigal as the main attraction, with a walkthrough garden-style area and other buildings surrounding it. This is, of course, just a concept rendering, and the final Tropical Americas land may look vastly different than what was presented at Destination D23. However, a recent permit filing for Animal Kingdom suggests that the project may be getting underway in the very near future.
Encanto and Disney
What is Encanto?
Encanto is a 2021 animated movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios, directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard and co-directed by Charise Castro Smith from a screenplay by Bush and Smith. Encanto follows the magical Madrigal family, a Colombian family blessed with magical powers, as they work their miracles for the town where they reside. Mirabel Madrigal, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, is the only Madrigal not to have a gift, and she sets out to discover why her home is falling apart.
Encanto had a quiet opening at the box office thanks to its release during the end of the pandemic. However, upon being released on Disney+ in December 2021, the animated film grew in popularity, with songs like “Surface Pressure” and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” reaching viral status on social media and catapulting the soundtrack to record-breaking heights. Germaine Franco wrote the score, with Lin Manuel-Miranda penning the songs.
Who is in Encanto?
Encanto can be watched on Disney+ and features Stephanie Beatriz (Maribel Madrigal), María Cecilia Botero (Abuela Alma Madrigal), John Leguizamo (Bruno Madrigal), Mauro Castillo (Félix Madrigal), Jessica Darrow (Luisa Madrigal), Angie Cepeda (Julieta Madrigal), Carolina Gaitán (Pepa Madrigal), Diane Guerrero (Isabela Madrigal), Wilmer Valderrama (Agustin Madrigal), Rhenzy Feliz (Camilo Madrigal), Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Antonio Madrigal), Adassa (Dolores Madrigal), Maluma (Mariano Guzman), and Alan Tudyk (Pico).
Will there be an Encanto 2?
Presently, there are no plans to bring out an Encanto sequel. That said, back in 2022, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek confirmed that Encanto was an entire franchise, suggesting that more films are coming in the future. This was, of course, before Bob Iger returned to steer the Disney ship after Chapek was ousted from the company. While Iger has not mentioned anything about Encanto 2, sequels to popular entities are obviously top of mind.
Shortly after returning, the executive announced Zootopia 2, Frozen 3, and Toy Story 5. Then, at the end of 2023, Iger said that Frozen 4 was also in the works; earlier this year, Moana 2 was confirmed with a November 2024 release.
Related: Bob Iger’s $60 Billion Surfaces, New Attraction Officially Announced for Disney
There may not be an Encanto 2, but fans will soon be able to delve back into the world of the Madrigals with a new Young Adult novel from Disney Press. “Encanto: Nightmares and Sueños” (2024) by Alex Seguro will follow 17-year-old Bruno Madrigal as he comes to terms with his powers. The hardcover is set to be released by Penguin Random House in December.
Do you think Encanto will arrive at Disney World significantly over the next decade? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!