Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicDisney has spent the last few years telling fans one big thing: Walt Disney World is entering its next era.
New lands. Bigger expansions. Massive construction plans. A future that’s supposed to push the resort forward into a new generation of theme park storytelling.
But if you’ve been paying attention, there’s also been another message hiding between the lines, and it’s one Disney never says out loud. Disney knows Universal has made massive strides.
Epic Universe is no longer a “someday” threat. And it’s already reshaping how people talk about Orlando vacations. That kind of competition doesn’t just pressure Disney to build more—it pressures Disney to build better. And now, there’s a rumor making the rounds that suggests Disney’s next CEO isn’t interested in “good enough” anymore.
According to social media chatter, Josh D’Amaro has allegedly scrapped the original plans for Villains Land and sent the entire project back to the drawing board—not to scale it down, but to make it even bigger, darker, and more intense than Disney originally planned.
If that’s true, it could mark the beginning of something much larger.
Because if D’Amaro is willing to tear up Disney’s most anticipated Magic Kingdom expansion in decades, you can bet he’s not stopping there.
Villains Land Was Supposed to Be Disney’s “Guaranteed Win”
Villains Land has been treated like Disney’s golden ticket ever since it was teased to fans.
But now, the rumor suggests that D’Amaro wasn’t impressed with what Imagineering had on the table.
The early version of Villains Land, at least based on what’s being discussed online, was apparently heavy on atmosphere and walk-through experiences, with only one major attraction anchoring the land.
Disney has never been a company that likes to admit it miscalculated.
So if this rumor is even partially true, it’s not just a creative decision—it’s a message.
It’s D’Amaro telling Imagineering that Villains Land can’t feel like a “Magic Kingdom add-on.” It needs to feel like a true game-changer. The kind of land that doesn’t just add another ride, but completely changes how people view Magic Kingdom.
That’s the reason this rumor has hit so hard online.
Because fans have spent years begging Disney to stop playing things safe.
And now, suddenly, there’s talk that Disney’s new CEO may be doing exactly that—pushing the company into a bolder direction before his first major era even officially begins.
If Villains Land Is Being Super-Sized, Everything Else Could Be Next
Here’s where the conversation gets even more interesting.
Villains Land isn’t the only major project Disney has in development right now. In fact, it’s not even the next big thing guests will see completed.
Before Villains Land opens, Disney is already moving forward with three major expansions that are expected to arrive first:
-
Monsters, Inc. Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
-
Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
-
Cars Land at Magic Kingdom
And while those projects likely already have their core designs locked in, fans are now wondering if D’Amaro could bring the same “bigger and better” mindset to those lands, too.
Not by scrapping them completely, but by adding more depth, more detail, and more ambition than what Disney might have originally planned.
Because if he’s willing to overhaul Villains Land, it would be shocking if he wasn’t also looking at the rest of Disney World’s expansion pipeline and asking the same question: Is this impressive enough?
Monsters, Inc. Land Could Be the Surprise Power Move
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has become one of the most crowded parks in all of Walt Disney World.
And that’s because it’s stacked with popular franchises.
Toy Story Land pulls families in all day long. Galaxy’s Edge still brings in Star Wars fans from all over the world. And the park has become known for having some of Disney’s most in-demand rides.
That also means Hollywood Studios doesn’t have room for a “halfway” land.
Monsters, Inc. Land has to feel like a major expansion, not just a new corner of the park with a few cute photo ops.
If D’Amaro really wants Disney to compete at the highest level again, this is one of the easiest lands for him to upgrade.
Monsters, Inc. has a built-in fanbase, a strong visual style, and enough characters to support a full environment that feels alive.
The land could become one of those areas that people don’t just visit for a ride—they hang out there for hours because it feels like its own little world. And if D’Amaro is truly pushing for more thrilling and advanced ride experiences across Disney World, Monsters, Inc. Land could be where he starts making that philosophy obvious.
Tropical Americas Has the Most Pressure of Any New Land
If there’s one project Disney cannot afford to get wrong, it’s Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom has always been different than the other parks. It’s quieter. It’s slower. It’s more immersive.
But it’s also the park that fans constantly complain about for one reason: it doesn’t feel like a full-day experience anymore.
It closes earlier than the other parks, it has fewer major attractions, and if one ride goes down, the entire park’s flow can feel thrown off.
That means Tropical Americas isn’t just a new land. Disney needs this expansion to add energy back into the park while still keeping that Animal Kingdom vibe intact. This isn’t a place where you can just throw up some themed walls and call it a day.
The environment has to feel authentic. The landscaping has to be next-level. The details have to be layered.
And if D’Amaro is truly known as the “parks guy” who wants to build experiences people can’t stop talking about, then Tropical Americas is exactly the kind of land where he could demand more.
Cars Land at Magic Kingdom Could Become a Massive Risk or a Massive Win
Cars Land is already a bold choice for Magic Kingdom.
Not because Cars isn’t popular—it is.
But because Magic Kingdom is the park fans are most protective of. Every change gets debated. Every expansion becomes controversial. Every new land has to justify its existence.
So if Disney is bringing Cars Land into Magic Kingdom, it can’t feel like a copy-and-paste project.
It needs to feel like something Disney built specifically for Florida.
And if the Villains Land rumor is true, then Cars Land might quietly become one of D’Amaro’s biggest priorities.
Because Cars Land has the potential to be visually stunning. It can bring kinetic energy, unique rockwork, and a totally different vibe than anything else currently in Magic Kingdom, particularly considering the amount of nostalgia and love for Rivers of America.
It will be interesting to see what happens as we head into these expansions and Josh D’Amaro officially takes over as CEO.