Walt Disney World is rumored to quickly begin development on Villains Land, the Magic Kingdom enlargement ‘past Huge Thunder’ that can change a portion of the Rivers of America. This particulars the event concerning the mission, sheds new mild on what the ‘darkish kingdom’ land will entail, together with what nonetheless stands in the best way of this rumor changing into actuality.
Let’s begin with that final level, as there’s nonetheless one main hurdle for Walt Disney Imagineering to clear earlier than work can start on Villains Land or Vehicles Land in Magic Kingdom. As you may recall from final weekend’s publish, Indiana Jones & Encanto Growth at Animal Kingdom Clears Ultimate Florida Allow Hurdle, the largest obstacle to those initiatives starting in earnest–and the one permits that aren’t mainly rubber stamped–are these from the South Florida Water Administration District (SFWMD).
The SFWMD allow encompassing this mission is the “407 Basin Stormwater Modifications” mission–also called changing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island for Vehicles and Villains lands in Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World filed its newest response to the SFWMD’s request for added data on that mission again in late December, and continues to be awaiting ultimate phrase from SFWMD.
On the time, followers have been stunned that Imagineering was nonetheless continuing full steam forward on that, as there have been “rumors” of the mission being deserted. For our half, we had by no means heard these. If you happen to want additional reinforcing that Disney plans to proceed with the Rivers of America substitute, this mid-February 2025 replace must also perform as that.
There’s been forwards and backwards between Disney and the SFWMD on the Rivers of America substitute mission, which is unsurprising given the size and scope of the work. There was a little bit of this with Tropical Americas, and that’s principally a reimagining that Disney felt was grandfathered in to current functions. The 407 Basin Stormwater modifications proposal is way more bold and, impactful to stormwater displacement (SFWMD’s major concern).
The in need of the back-and-forth is that Disney filed its first allow with SFWMD again in August, and the district responded with a Request for Further Info (RAI) that sought adjustments, clarifications and different solutions or modifications to the plan. After getting an extension on the RAI deadline, Walt Disney World offered an in depth packet of knowledge on December 19, 2024, which included a 23-page letter together with numerous extra pages of maps, plans, appendices, and updates to previously-filed paperwork.
If you happen to’re actually interested in all of this, head to the SFWMD ePermitting web page and enter “407 Basin Stormwater Modifications” because the mission identify within the search. From there, try the RAI Info drop-down. There’s a bunch of stuff there, together with the aforementioned 23-page letter, in addition to the unique proposal. The underside line, although, is that that is the place issues at the moment stand–the Rivers of America substitute mission is in allow purgatory, with Disney in a holding sample till the district points approval or hits the ball again in Disney’s courtroom with one more RAI.
It wouldn’t be in the slightest degree stunning if there’s extra forwards and backwards on the Magic Kingdom enlargement mission between Florida and Disney. In studying all the SFWMD correspondence on numerous initiatives over time, the larger scale and scope of the 407 Basin Stormwater Modifications is instantly apparent, as is SFWMD’s larger scrutiny of the MK proposal. Since we’ve been masking Walt Disney World, that is the largest mission we’ve seen. Positively from a stormwater displacement perspective, however most likely interval.
This isn’t to say we expect the Rivers of America substitute allow will likely be denied (we don’t!), however we additionally wouldn’t be stunned if the subsequent step isn’t a ultimate approval. Which may not come till later this spring. One of the best case state of affairs, if the applying course of follows comparable timelines to Tropical Americas, it could be authorised in late February or early March 2025.
Not like with Dino-Rama, which closed previous to this allow being issued, nothing can occur on the Vehicles and Villains initiatives till there’s approval from SFWMD. The mission is in growth limbo till then. Based mostly on as we speak’s new growth, it could appear that Walt Disney Imagineering is anticipating approval earlier than early March 2025. There’s probability they know one thing we all know, as we’d assume there’s an open line of communication between Disney and SFWMD past what the official file displays.
Orlando actual property knowledgeable Ken Pozek uncovered a projected on a development bidding website titled “Disney Magic Kingdom Growth – Villains Land.” Work will begin on this mission March 1, 2025 based on the web page.
If Pozek’s identify sounds vaguely acquainted to longtime Walt Disney World followers, that’s most likely as a result of he’s the one who first uncovered plans to construct an In-Park Resort at EPCOT’s Entrance. Just a few years in the past, he shared the shock discover of an inventory for “EPCOT Future World Resort” within the planning schematics stage of design with a $50 to $75 million mission valuation.
The overview confirmed Walt Disney Parks & Resorts listed as proprietor, with Imagineering and Gensler as architects. This was first revealed in 2018, then republished in 2021, with one other rumor resurfacing in 2023. As might be apparent, there’s no lodge on the entrance entrance to EPCOT (but?), which is exactly why we’re submitting this Villains Land mission beneath rumor, even when it seems to be stronger than that (perhaps rumor/leak is extra correct?).
Clearly past the scope of this publish, however I’m pretty assured we’ll see in-park resorts at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom throughout the subsequent 15 years. Or a minimum of one of many two. Walt Disney World isn’t finished constructing resorts, and there’s prime actual property in each places–or will likely be, as soon as ‘past Huge Thunder’ progresses additional.
Again to the subject at hand, Pozek revealed particulars concerning the Villains Land bidding on YouTube:
That is primarily based on development bid data Mr. Pozek found on Dodge Information & Analytics, an trade website that tracks the development trade and permits bidding on initiatives by contractors. It doesn’t have a public-facing portal, so we’ve no means of verifying the veracity of what he’s presenting.
The bid web page notes that the development website for Villains Land will cowl 14 acres, which is anticipated to be simply the Villains Land–not the mixed Vehicles and Villains Lands. For context, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the very same dimension and Magic Kingdom as a complete is 107 acres.
If Villains Land alone is 14 acres–and we positive hope it’s–that most likely means the darkish experience present constructing (or one thing important) finally ends up being constructed past the berm/outdoors the Walt Disney World Railroad tracks. As beforehand mentioned, we count on in depth downtime for the practice but once more on account of this mission.
The aforementioned SFWMD allow encompasses a a lot bigger space, 300 acres in complete. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of that’s wholly unrelated to the development itself, because it additionally covers the place the displaced water from the Rivers of America will go. (Simply underscoring how a lot bigger-picture of a allow that’s.)
The development bidding platform lists an estimated funds of $25 to $50 million. This could solely cowl preliminary website prep work, like clearing the land and infill. Building of the rides, eating places and retail will likely be a lot, a lot extra. Whereas Disney hasn’t launched any numbers (and doubtless gained’t anytime quickly), I’d totally count on this land to value round $2 billion.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge reportedly eclipsed $1 billion, and that was with defrayed growth prices throughout the coasts and earlier than inflation and labor prices made costs soar. Plus, nothing Imagineering does is reasonable–they will barely ‘develop’ new signage for lower than $25 million. Slight exaggeration, however the level is that this mission scope very clearly doesn’t cowl something substantive.
Frankly, $50 million looks as if it’s on the low finish only for website prep, which will likely be in depth for the ‘past Huge Thunder’ initiatives. I’m guessing there are extra bids like this that we haven’t seen but for the laydown yards, infill of Rivers of America, Vehicles Land prep, and so forth–and that these alone will put this mission above $100 million earlier than something is even constructed.
Getting again to the meat of the Villains Land development bid, the proposal lists the land as containing a curler coaster and an indoor experience.
This strains up with what Disney beforehand introduced again at D23 Expo. Throughout that presentation, Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro mentioned that Villains Land will likely be house to 2 main points of interest, eating, and procuring on an extremely twisted grand scale.
In keeping with Disney, the probabilities are limitless for the tales that may be instructed — and guests to the darkish and thorny land must be ready for no matter chaos may come their means. The brand new land will embody all of your nightmares.
D’Amaro additional declared that “preparation is already underway” at Magic Kingdom for Villains Land.
As we identified on the time, “preparation” is a obscure and nebulous time period. Technically, preparations are already underway for me to have a huge T-Rex fossil. By that, I imply I take into consideration dinosaur fossils whereas within the bathe, however since I’m neither a paleontologist nor a billionaire, it could appear my preparations are pretty hole and superficial.
In equity, D’Amaro did say extra just lately that Imagineering could be breaking floor on Villains Land “very, very quickly.” That was again on the D23 Brazil occasion in November. Frankly, it’s arduous to know what to consider of Disney’s claims, as they’ve made a variety of statements about earth transferring, preparations being underway, and so forth. The surest signal is once we really see shovels within the soil. Or on this case, shovels filling soil into the Rivers of America.
The underside line is that Villains Land seems to be on the precipice of transferring ahead, with energetic development beginning quickly.
March 1, 2025 might be the goal date. I wouldn’t sit on pins and needles ready for a groundbreaking ceremony or photograph on that particular date. It may occur then, a pair weeks later, or someday in between. If allow approval occurs subsequent week, perhaps Villains Land breaks floor late this month!
The purpose isn’t that particular date, it’s that Disney is getting the ball rolling on this, anticipating approval from SFWMD very quickly, and commencing development virtually instantly thereafter. That means that that is not going to be a type of initiatives Disney drags its toes on for months or years–even when it does take a very long time from groundbreaking to opening.
From a sensible, guest-facing perspective, we’d nonetheless count on minimal impacts for a minimum of the subsequent a number of months. This work goes to essentially begin outdoors the present boundaries of Magic Kingdom and work its means in.
Even as soon as it will get to the purpose that the waterfront space of the Rivers of America in Frontierland may very well be impacted, it’s fully attainable that Disney will use coffer dams and different methods to protect the aesthetics. Hopefully, it gained’t appear to be the above photograph till someday in 2026.
That is going to be a protracted and concerned mission, and doubtless entail one other phased closure. What we’ve beforehand mentioned in When Will Rivers of America & Tom Sawyer Island Shut at Magic Kingdom? probably stays correct.
This shouldn’t be a shock. As mentioned in our newest version of Walt Disney World’s 5-Yr Building Plan, Villains Land might be the final mission to open of these which have been introduced, and we’d estimate it’ll debut in 2030–one yr after Vehicles Land.
Clearly, the aforementioned website prep work must be finished lengthy earlier than then–hopefully by the primary half of 2026 for probably the most half, tying a minimum of partially to the Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment mission. It must be an thrilling mission to look at take form (properly, not over the subsequent couple of years except you’re a giant fan of dirt-moving), and we’ll hold you posted about all the Villains Land rumors and official information!
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Your Ideas
Ideas on the Walt Disney Imagineering probably beginning land clearing and website prep for Villains Land on March 1, 2025? Anticipate that that is simply an estimate, or does Disney already know SFWMD is approving its 407 Basin mission allow within the subsequent couple weeks? Hoping that there’s nonetheless an opportunity of fixing the plans if Florida doesn’t approve? Excited or underwhelmed by the plan to interchange Rivers of America with Vehicles land? Or, are you in wait and see mode with this? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
