The dirt is moving. If you’ve flown into Orlando lately, you’ve seen the cranes. There is a massive construction site sitting right between Universal Boulevard and the Orange County Convention Center, and it has sent the Disney rumor mill into a literal tailspin. People keep asking the same question: Is there a new Disney park in Orlando coming to rival what Universal is doing?
Honestly, the answer is complicated.
It depends on whether you're talking about a brand-new, fifth gate with a separate turnstile, or the "Beyond Big Thunder" expansion that is basically a park-sized addition tucked inside the Magic Kingdom. For years, Disney purists have begged for a fifth park. They want a "Villains Land" or a dedicated "Dark Kingdom." While Universal is days away from opening Epic Universe in 2025, Disney is playing a very different, very expensive game of catch-up.
The $60 Billion Elephant in the Room
Disney isn't just sitting on its hands. CEO Bob Iger and Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro have committed to spending $60 billion over the next decade. That is a staggering amount of money. To put that in perspective, you could build several entire theme parks for that price. But instead of announcing a new Disney park in Orlando with a new name and a new parking lot, they are doubling down on "capacity expansion" within the existing four parks.
Why?
Tax districts and infrastructure. Building a fifth gate from scratch is a logistical nightmare. You need new roads, new Monorail lines or bus loops, and thousands of new hotel rooms to justify the footprint. By expanding "Beyond Big Thunder" in Magic Kingdom or reimagining DinoLand U.S.A. into the Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, they get the benefit of a "new park" feel without the headache of starting from zero.
It’s a bit of a shell game. You’re getting the content of a new park, just spread out across the property.
What "Beyond Big Thunder" Actually Means for You
This is the project that most people confuse with a new Disney park in Orlando. At the 2024 D23 event, Disney finally confirmed that they are moving forward with the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. They are literally going past the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad tracks into the woods.
This isn't just a new ride. It's a massive plot of land.
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The centerpiece? A dedicated Villains Land. Fans have been screaming for this for twenty years. Imagine a place where the Maleficent dragon isn't just a parade float but a permanent fixture of the skyline. This area is expected to feature two major attractions, dining, and shopping. It’s designed to be the "dark" counterpart to the whimsical nature of the rest of the park.
Then you have the Cars-themed area coming to Frontierland. This is controversial. To make room, Disney is filling in the Rivers of America and closing Tom Sawyer Island. Some fans are heartbroken. They see it as losing the "soul" of the park. Others say, "Good riddance, it was wasted space." Regardless of which side you’re on, the scale of this construction is on par with building a standalone park.
Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom
Meanwhile, over at Animal Kingdom, DinoLand is being demolished. In its place, we’re getting the Tropical Americas. This brings Encanto and Indiana Jones into the fold.
- The Casita from Encanto will be a ride.
- The current Dinosaur ride is being re-themed to an Indiana Jones adventure (similar to the one in California, but with a unique storyline).
- A massive new carousel is being carved featuring Wood Sprite animals.
This is Disney’s strategy for the next five years. They are "plussing" what they have to keep people from spending their entire vacation across the street at Universal's new Epic Universe.
Is a Fifth Gate Truly Off the Table?
Not necessarily. But don't book your tickets for 2027.
Disney recently settled its long-standing legal battle with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly Reedy Creek). Part of that settlement includes a development agreement that explicitly allows Disney to build a fifth major theme park and two minor parks (like water parks). They have the legal "right" to do it now.
But there’s a massive gap between having the right to build and actually breaking ground.
Most industry analysts, like those at Themed Reality or MiceChat, suggest that Disney is waiting to see how the market reacts to Epic Universe. If Universal successfully steals enough "market share" (which is just corporate speak for "your money"), Disney will be forced to pull the trigger on a fifth gate. If Disney can maintain its attendance numbers just by adding Villains Land and Tropical Americas, they’ll save the multi-billion dollar fifth park investment for the 2030s.
The Epic Universe Factor
We have to talk about the competition. Universal's Epic Universe is the first "new" major theme park Orlando has seen since 1999. It’s going to have Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe (monsters), and a new Harry Potter land.
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It is a massive threat to the Disney bubble.
Historically, when Universal expands, Disney responds. When the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened in 2010, Disney fast-tracked New Fantasyland and Pandora: The World of Avatar. The current rush to build a new Disney park in Orlando—or at least the appearance of one through massive expansions—is a direct response to Mario and Donkey Kong.
What You Should Do Now
If you are planning a trip specifically to see a "new" park, wait. 2025 is Universal's year. 2026 and 2027 will be the years where Disney’s massive construction projects start to bear fruit.
Here is how to handle the current situation:
1. Check the Permits
Before you buy a multi-day pass, look at the refurbishment calendars. Because Disney is expanding inside the parks, a lot of your favorite spots might be behind construction walls. Frontierland is going to be a mess for a while.
2. Manage Your Expectations on Timelines
Disney moves slow. They "measure twice, cut once." While Universal builds at a breakneck pace, Disney expansions like TRON Lightcycle / Run took years longer than expected. Don't expect Villains Land to be open next summer. We are looking at a 2028-2030 window for the "Beyond Big Thunder" projects to be fully realized.
3. Watch the "Blue Sky" Announcements
Disney loves to announce "Blue Sky" ideas—concepts that aren't finalized. If you hear a rumor about a new Disney park in Orlando that involves Star Wars or Marvel, take it with a grain of salt until you see the actual permits filed with the South Florida Water Management District. That’s where the real truth lives.
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4. Consider the "Other" Florida Parks
Don't forget that as Disney and Universal fight, smaller parks like SeaWorld and Legoland are adding "mini-lands" and high-thrill coasters to stay relevant. Often, these are much cheaper and less crowded than the "Big Two."
The landscape of Orlando is shifting. It’s no longer a Disney-only town. While we might not get a "Disney's Fifth Kingdom" sign on the highway this year, the sheer volume of new attractions coming to the existing parks means you'll have plenty of new ground to cover. Just pack your patience and maybe some extra snacks for the lines.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your vacation dates: If you want the "new" experience, postpone your Disney trip until at least late 2025 when the first phases of the Tropical Americas are expected to show progress.
- Monitor the Disney Parks Blog: This is the only place where they confirm official names and opening years. Ignore the "my cousin's friend works for Mickey" rumors on TikTok.
- Book DVC or Disney Hotels early: As these new lands open, hotel capacity will tighten significantly. If you’re eyeing a 2026 trip, start looking at your lodging options 11 months out.
- Prioritize Magic Kingdom for future visits: Since this is where the bulk of the "park-sized" expansion is happening, it’s going to be the epicenter of the Disney vs. Universal war for the next decade.