At this year’s D23, Walt Disney Imagineering revealed new details about the villains-themed land coming to Magic Kingdom in Florida.
Walt Disney World’s new villains land, part of a major Magic Kingdom expansion, was announced at D23 in 2024. It will include two attractions, as well as retail and dining experiences.
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney’s theme parks and experiences division, said at the time: “Since the beginning, our Disney villains have given us endless possibilities to tell new stories.
“In this new land, you’ll see storytelling on a grand scale that only Disney can deliver.”
Yesterday (31 August) at D23, Disney Imagineers Wyatt Winter and Caroline May revealed that the design of the new land has been largely influenced by the Art Nouveau style of architecture in Europe
To develop the land, Imagineers started with the animation source material, as well as research trips to Paris and Barcelona.
Imagineering research trips for new land
In Paris, for example, the team “highlighted the way natural motifs and swirling designs there make nature appear to be ‘cursed’ like magic has frozen it into place”, Disney said in a blog post.
“On the other hand, Barcelona’s art style is Modernisme, which has less natural patterns but gives the architecture an otherworldly, unnerving appearance,” it added.
Also, details such as “colorful stained-glass windows and painted metals helped us understand how we might bring the beautiful, deep jewel tones of the animated villains to life in the land’s buildings”, Disney said.
During this year’s D23, it was also announced that Disney legend and former animator Andreas Deja, best known for helping to create villains like Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Jafar in Aladdin, and Scar in The Lion King, is officially consulting on the new land.
In more news from D23, Disneyland Paris has announced that it will open its new World of Frozen land in spring 2026.
Images courtesy of Disney
