💡 The Big Idea: Bigger. Bolder. Brighter?

Disney reportedly scrapped the original plans for Villains Land and told Imagineers to start over: bigger, bolder, and with more ambition.

What started as a Len Testa forum post has now been reinforced by a detailed report from The Wrap's Drew Taylor, and the details are fascinating.

Here's what's rumored to have changed:

• The land's tone is shifting to be brighter and more family friendly, going from Dark Universe to Isle of Berk.
• The Maleficent coaster is now an Emperor's New Groove family coaster.
• A massive indoor Maleficent boat ride is being designed with a similar ride system to Shanghai's Pirates and on the scale of Rise of the Resistance.
• A third ride, possibly an Ursula spinner, has been added.
• A Hades dinner show will be a villainous take on the Diamond Horseshoe Revue
• Improvised character interactions throughout the land.

That's a lot. Let me break down what it all means.

📊 The Analysis: Darkmoor, no more?

This story broke in two waves. First, Len Testa — owner of Touring Plans, author of the Unofficial Guides, and not someone who trades in hype — posted that the original Villains Land plans had been scrapped. That got my attention, but the timeline was vague. Then Drew Taylor's piece in The Wrap landed with a ton of specifics. Taylor has a strong track record. He was right about Monstropolis replacing Muppet*Vision when that still seemed like it could land in Animation Courtyard. He's well sourced, and I trust he's reporting what he's hearing.

A few things stand out to me:

Epic Universe is clearly on Imagineering's mind. Taylor's sources reference Dark Universe, Isle of Berk, and even the viral success of Igor: all in the context of what Villains Land should aspire to. This is competition at its best, and exactly why I've said that Disney fans should root for Epic Universe to succeed. A thriving Universal pushes Disney to raise the bar.

The "budget secondary" comment is encouraging. Disney announcing $60B in parks investment was talking the talk. Building Villains Land with real financial commitment behind it is walking the walk. With the right creative vision and proper budget, this could be seismic for the Orlando market.

Now, the creative direction... and this is where it gets controversial. Fan reaction to the reported changes has been mixed, so let me break down the key elements:

The tone shift. The comparison has moved from Dark Universe to Isle of Berk. Before anyone panics about this, Berk is arguably the best, most fully realized land at Epic Universe. It won the 2026 Thea Award for a reason. The scope is impressive: multiple rides, an immersive stage show, detailed environments, animatronics built into the land, free-roaming dragon robots, great food, and tons of exclusive merchandise. If Disney is using Berk as a reference for the scale and variety of offerings, that's genuinely exciting.

Where I'd pump the brakes is on tone. Dark Universe was never going to be the right template for Magic Kingdom. It would be too severe a tonal shift, and Alien Encounter showed the challenges of pulling off horror in MK. But Berk's exact vibe doesn't fit Villains either. It's too bright and friendly. What I'm hoping for is something in between: parts that feel bright and campy, other parts that feel spooky, creepy, and mysterious (a la Knockturn Alley).

The coaster. Personally, I wanted a high-thrill coaster. Magic Kingdom already has four family-friendly coasters that cover a broad age range. But the family coaster is probably the smarter play. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Slinky Dog are two of the most popular rides at Disney World, and Hiccup's Wing Gliders proves that a family coaster can be innovative and thrilling for all ages. If Imagineering is being told to go bigger and bolder, I'd expect something along the lines of Hiccup's.

The Maleficent boat ride. This is the make-or-break attraction. Magic Kingdom's biggest expansion ever needs to be anchored by its biggest attraction ever, so something on the level of Rise of the Resistance makes sense. It needs to be the kind of ride you plan a vacation around. My hope is that it isn't a Maleficent-only story. She's arguably Disney's most popular villain, and I can picture show-stopping scenes with her in dragon form. But the promise of Villains Land is seeing these characters together for the first time. They need their team-up ride. Their Monsters Unchained moment. Maybe Disney doesn't want to seem like they're copying Universal, but the idea is so rich that I think Disney can find their own unique angle on it and make an all-timer.

The third ride. An Ursula spinner makes sense on its own, but does Magic Kingdom really need a fourth spinner? A well-themed flat ride to round out the offerings is smart. I just hope it's not another spinner.

The Hades dinner show. This sounds great, and could be a strong use of next-generation audio-animatronics (which I dive into in my latest Future World video on Animatronics). Imagine an AA Hades hosting the show, similar to how Disney is incorporating an Olaf animatronic into the drawing class at Magic of Disney Animation.

The interactive characters. This is the part I feel most confident about. Igor has been a massive hit, and Berk features plenty of free-roaming character interaction too. But Disney is already doing this on the Disney Destiny, where the whole ship is built around interactive "meet and play" moments rather than traditional meet-and-greets. Dramatic story moments open opportunities for guests to interact with characters in unexpected ways — like Cruella busting into De Vil's and demanding you write her a new song. Many of the creatives at Disney Live Entertainment work on both parks and cruise line, so none of this is happening in a vacuum. This could be the secret sauce that makes Villains Land a true destination. You keep coming back because you don't know who you'll bump into.

👆 The Takeaway: Villains in Flux

I trust Taylor's reporting, but it's possible Disney is using this as a trial balloon. Taylor notes that Imagineers are still working on their pitch for board approval, due in a couple of weeks.

It wouldn't surprise me if this is one of multiple plans, and that Disney is gauging fan reaction to see how a more family-friendly direction or an Emperor's New Groove coaster lands with the public.

The piece makes clear that Disney wants to create something fans will love: something unmissable. They're even digging into old fan concepts like the mythic Dark Kingdom.

Everyone at Disney knows how high the stakes are. I wouldn't be surprised if reaction to these leaked plans shapes what ultimately gets pitched to the board.

So the big picture is that this is all in flux. We'll see what Disney conjures, and hopefully learn more at D23 this year.

⭐️ The Recommendation

If you're planning a Walt Disney World trip for 2028 or beyond, keep your expectations flexible. These plans suggest Villains Land could open no earlier than 2029, and the creative direction is still being finalized.

However, with Tropical Americas, Monstropolis, and Piston Peak all having broken ground, there will be plenty of new things for Disney World guests to experience

🎢 Park Intel

• Disney announced Learn to Draw with Olaf! coming to the Magic of Disney Animation, opening at Hollywood Studios later this summer. It will feature an Olaf AA figure as part of the character drawing class. Here's a first look.
• EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival starts March 4.
• Robert Downey Jr. was named the Disney Adventure's Godparent. Why do Disney's ships have godparents? Check out my interview with Disney Destiny Godparent Susan Egan for an explainer.​

See Ya Real Soon!

What's your take? What do you think about the potential new direction for Villains Land? Does Villains Land need a villain team-up ride, or is Maleficent big enough to carry it solo?

Reply and tell me. I read every one.

Have a great week! Until next time,

James