The Disney theme parks, specifically Walt Disney World, have seen significant changes and updates over the last several years, though even bigger things are still on the horizon. Guests can look forward to all kinds of new rides, attractions, and expansions, with The Walt Disney Company investing billions of dollars into its theme parks over the next decade.
There’s no doubt that Disney has taken a different approach to crafting new theme park experiences as of late. Intellectual property drives most of Disney’s ideas, and while this trend can be dated back a few decades, modern-day Disney seems primarily focused on ensuring its theme parks line up with the company’s other entertainment products.
This begged the question: where is the Encanto ride?
After the smash success of Walt Disney Studios’ Encanto (2021), with lovable characters and songs going viral on TikTok, many fans wondered if there was room at Disney’s parks for an attraction based on the film.
Calls for Disney to build an Encanto ride or even a new pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase have been loud and clear, with singer, songwriter, and frequent Disney collaborator Lin-Manuel Miranda even going to bat for Encanto.
In a 2022 interview with The Wrap, Lin-Manuel Miranda discussed Encanto and his work on Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid remake. When asked about how he felt about an Encanto ride or even a Colombia pavilion in World Showcase, Miranda had this to say:
Well, I took my kids to Disneyland for the first time pre-pandemic a few years ago. And we sat through The Little Mermaid thing five times in a row. That’s where my brain goes. It’s like, I want to go in and out of this casita and see those characters and see the house respond because that’s something Disney can do that no one else can do.
But yeah, in terms of the world of the characters, it’s really early days on that. I don’t know what that will be.
Miranda also talked about a chat he had with former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, making his case for this proposed attraction:
“I talked to him and said, ‘I know there’s a world in which this casita lives in a theme park and we get to actually walk through it in real life.’”
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wishes would eventually come true.
In 2024, Disney announced an Encanto-based attraction for its Animal Kingdom theme park. The new ride is part of a significant overhaul of the park’s DinoLand U.S.A. area, a land based on dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.
Half of the land closed permanently this January, with the other half set to close sometime in 2026. Eventually, this land will be known as Tropical Americas, a new hub filled with fun and adventure. Not many details on the Encanto ride are known, but it will offer a ride through the Madrigal family’s Casita.
The attraction and the rest of Disney World’s Tropical Americas are expected to open by 2027.
What do you think about the idea of an Encanto-themed ride at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments below.
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Credit: Disney
