Planning a Disney World vacation in 2027? From a completely transformed Animal Kingdom to new experiences at Hollywood Studios and a major Magic Kingdom refurbishment, there are plenty of changes to have on your radar.
There’s a lot happening at Walt Disney World right now. And after the massive slate of announcements Disney shared at D23 2026, that list has only gotten longer.
But there’s an important distinction to make if you’re specifically planning a trip for 2027: Not everything Disney recently announced is actually confirmed to debut next year.
Disney has revealed projects for all four theme parks, including the return of the Yeti at Expedition Everest and a new adventure featuring Figment and Dreamfinder at EPCOT. However, Disney has not announced opening dates (or even confirmed 2027 debuts) for either of those projects. The same is true for several of the massive additions currently under construction at Magic Kingdom.
So, rather than treating every recently announced project as something you’ll definitely experience next year, we’re breaking down what Disney World will actually look like in 2027, what’s confirmed to open, and what could still be under construction when you visit.
Tropical Americas Will Open at Animal Kingdom
The biggest confirmed change coming to Disney World in 2027 is the opening of Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
The new 11-acre land, also known as Pueblo Esperanza, replaces DinoLand U.S.A. and will be themed to the tropical regions of the Americas. Disney has said its inspiration stretches from northern South America through Central America and into parts of Mexico, with the land designed as a vibrant community surrounded by nature.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
And this isn’t just a new coat of paint for DinoLand. Tropical Americas represents a major transformation of this section of Animal Kingdom, bringing two headlining attractions, a carousel, a kids’ play area, new dining, shopping, and completely redesigned surroundings.
Disney has confirmed the land will open in 2027, though an exact opening date has not yet been announced.
Indiana Jones Will Replace DINOSAUR
When Tropical Americas opens, the former DINOSAUR attraction will have been transformed into an entirely new Indiana Jones adventure.
The new attraction will take guests into an ancient Maya temple alongside Indiana Jones as he searches for the mythical Jade Serpent. Disney has teased supernatural dangers, legendary creatures, and a massive serpent inspired by Maya mythology as part of the adventure.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
While the attraction will utilize the former DINOSAUR ride building, Disney has emphasized that this will be an original Indiana Jones story rather than a copy of an existing attraction at another Disney park.
For longtime Animal Kingdom visitors, this will be one of the most immediately noticeable differences in 2027. DINOSAUR and the Dino Institute will be gone, replaced by an entirely new adventure built around Indiana Jones.
You’ll Be Able to Step Inside Casita From Encanto
The second major attraction in Tropical Americas will be Disney’s first ride-through attraction based on Encanto. Antonio’s Fiesta de Encanto will invite guests inside Casita on the day Antonio receives his special gift. The Madrigal family will appear throughout the attraction, along with Antonio’s animal friends and new areas of Casita created specifically for the ride.
While Indiana Jones will provide Tropical Americas with its thrill attraction, Encanto gives Animal Kingdom another substantial experience that families with younger kids can enjoy together.
That could make a particularly big difference for parents visiting in 2027. Animal Kingdom has traditionally had fewer rides for little kids than Magic Kingdom, and the addition of Encanto will help change that.
Animal Kingdom Will Have a New Carousel and Play Area
Tropical Americas will also introduce a couple of smaller experiences that could be just as important for families. El Carrusel de los Animalitos will be a new carousel featuring 22 hand-carved animals inspired by Disney and Pixar characters. Disney has already revealed that the lineup will include characters such as Scuttle, Squirt, Pua, Pascal, Simba, Eeyore, Kuzco, and Heimlich.
The land will also feature a Maya-inspired play area where kids can explore the rainforest and discover artifacts. Between the carousel, play area, and Encanto attraction, this part of Animal Kingdom should feel considerably more family-friendly than the DinoLand U.S.A. it replaces.
But Don’t Count on the Expedition Everest Yeti Just Yet
One of the biggest surprises from D23 2026 was Disney’s announcement that the Yeti inside Expedition Everest will finally be brought back to life.
The massive Audio-Animatronic originally moved when Expedition Everest opened in 2006, but technical problems resulted in the figure remaining stationary for most of the attraction’s history. Disney has now officially confirmed plans to reanimate the Yeti.
What Disney has not confirmed is when that will happen.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
There is currently no announced opening date, refurbishment timeline, or confirmation that the updated Yeti will debut in 2027. Disney’s announcement simply confirmed that the company is bringing the Yeti back to life and promised additional details in the future.
So, while this is absolutely an Animal Kingdom project worth watching as we head into 2027, don’t plan a trip next year specifically expecting to see the Yeti moving again. Until Disney provides a timeline, its return could happen in 2027 — or later.
Monstropolis Will Open at Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also have a major new addition in 2027 with the debut of Monstropolis, the park’s new Monsters, Inc.-themed land. Disney confirmed at D23 2026 that the new land will open in 2027, bringing guests into the monster world alongside Mike, Sulley, and other familiar faces.
Among the experiences planned for Monstropolis are a new theater show featuring Mike and Sulley, Harryhausen’s restaurant, and Archie’s Scare Pig Pizza. Disney Legend Randy Newman has also written an original song, “Welcome to Monstropolis,” for the land.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
The land’s massive door coaster remains its most anticipated attraction, giving guests the chance to experience the iconic door vault sequence from Monsters, Inc. Disney has shared that the coaster will not be part of the initial opening.
However, exactly what will be available when Monstropolis first welcomes guests remains something to watch as Disney shares more details about its 2027 opening.
Hollywood Studios Will Have a New Animation Area
Even before Monstropolis opens, another section of Hollywood Studios will look completely different heading into 2027. The former Animation Courtyard has been transformed into an area inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios campus in Burbank. The centerpiece, The Magic of Disney Animation, opens September 14, 2026, meaning it will be waiting for guests throughout 2027.
The area includes interactive animation experiences, character opportunities, places to learn how to draw Disney characters, and an Alice in Wonderland-inspired play space.
So, if you haven’t visited Hollywood Studios since before 2026, you’ll encounter a substantially different park in 2027 even before factoring in Monstropolis.
Carousel of Progress Will Reopen With Major Changes
One of Magic Kingdom’s most historic attractions will also be different in 2027. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress closed in July 2026 for a major refurbishment, with the updated attraction scheduled to debut in late spring 2027.
This isn’t expected to be a simple refresh. Disney is updating the attraction while maintaining its central concept of following an American family through changing technology and different eras.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Among the biggest changes will be a new introductory scene featuring a Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic. The attraction’s family will also move through updated eras, while a new final act will look farther into the future.
For longtime Disney World visitors, this could be one of the most noticeable attraction updates of 2027.
Frontierland Will Look Very Different
Even if Piston Peak National Park isn’t open during your 2027 trip, you’re going to notice what’s happening in Frontierland.
Disney is transforming the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island area into Piston Peak National Park, a new Cars-inspired area designed to feel like one of America’s great national parks.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
The land will feature rugged mountains, waterways, geysers, forests, and National Park Service-inspired architecture. Disney has also revealed two attractions: Cars Ridge Run Rally, an off-road racing adventure through the wilderness, and Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along, a family attraction hosted by a massive Miss Fritter Audio-Animatronic.
However, Disney has not announced an opening year for Piston Peak.
That means 2027 visitors should expect construction rather than assume they’ll be riding these attractions. Depending on when you visit, the area could look dramatically different as the new Frontierland takes shape, but we’re still waiting for Disney to tell us when guests will actually be able to experience it.
Villains Land Will Be Taking Shape
Beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, another massive Magic Kingdom expansion will also be underway. Villains Land is one of the most ambitious projects Disney has announced for Magic Kingdom, featuring two major attractions along with dining and shopping. At D23 2026, Disney revealed more of the land’s backstory, including a cursed forest, a broken Wishing Well, and Disney Villains who have harnessed its dark magic.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
But just like Piston Peak, Villains Land does not currently have an announced opening date.
For a 2027 trip, this is something to know about because of the scale of construction happening around Magic Kingdom, not because you should expect to walk into Villains Land next year.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge Will Open
There’s also a major change coming to Disney World’s hotel lineup in 2027.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is scheduled to open in summer 2027 along the shores of Bay Lake near Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The Disney Vacation Club resort is being built on the former River Country site and will feature a design heavily inspired by the surrounding natural environment.
Disney has already shared details about The Wetlands, an outdoor recreation area featuring wet and dry play spaces inspired by Pocahontas, as well as a lounge featuring a two-story gallery of archival Disney artwork.
For guests who like staying near Magic Kingdom, Lakeshore Lodge will add an entirely new option — and further transform an area of Disney World that has already changed considerably over the past several years.
What Is Actually Confirmed for Disney World in 2027?
With so many projects underway, it’s easy for the timelines to start blending together. But if you’re choosing 2027 specifically because you want to experience something new, it’s important to separate Disney’s confirmed 2027 openings from everything else that has been announced.
Tropical Americas, Monstropolis, the updated Carousel of Progress, and Disney Lakeshore Lodge are among the major changes Disney has specifically tied to 2027. Meanwhile, Piston Peak, Villains Land, the Expedition Everest Yeti, Spaceship Earth updates, and Figment and Dreamfinder are all projects to watch — but Disney has not confirmed that they will debut in 2027.
That distinction is especially important for the Yeti and Dreamfinder. Both announcements generated huge reactions at D23, but neither came with a date. Disney’s official Yeti announcement simply says the company is bringing the figure back to life, while its Dreamfinder announcement says Figment and Dreamfinder are preparing for a new journey into imagination. Neither promises that guests will experience those changes next year.
And that may ultimately be the biggest thing to know about planning Disney World in 2027. It will be a year filled with new experiences, but it will also be a year when some of Disney World’s biggest transformations are still taking shape. If there’s one specific upcoming project you’re waiting to experience, don’t book based on assumptions about the timeline. Wait until Disney gives it an actual opening date.
