Walt Disney World

Encanto Ride at Animal Kingdom Gets Its Name and No Height Limit

Walt Disney World – October 22, 2026 -- The Encanto attraction coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom is officially called Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto, and it will have no height requirement, so the whole family can ride. Disney revealed the name and new details at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studios and writer and director of Encanto, presented the project.

Antonio's gift day drives the story

Guests are invited to Casita to celebrate Antonio's new gift, the ability to communicate with animals. The attraction's message is that we are all part of the familia of living things, regardless of our special gifts or abilities.

Stephanie Beatriz, Jessica Darrow and Diane Guerrero return to voice Mirabel, Luisa and Isabella. Darrow called the film "a perfect film" for taking colors and excitement into a real-world experience.

Magic Kingdom's Villains Land: Maleficent Coaster, Mirror Dark Ride

Walt Disney World – October 21, 2026 -- Magic Kingdom's villain-themed expansion now has an official name, Villains Land, and two headline attractions: a Maleficent coaster and a Magic Mirror dark ride. Disney revealed the details during the Disney Experiences showcase, Horizons: A Carousel of Progress, at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

A Magic Mirror appeared onstage and introduced Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum. Walt Disney Imagineering's Bruce Vaughn, President & Chief Creative Officer, and Caroline May, Executive Creative Director, then took over the presentation.

Villains Land is named to match the rest of Magic Kingdom

Vaughn and May said they chose the name because several areas in the park, such as Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, already end in "land." The team compared the size and scale of the new area to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. It will include shops, restaurants and the two major attractions.

Disney Unveils 3D Street Mural in NYC for New Lakeshore Lodge Resort

NEW YORK – October 02, 2026 -- Disney Experiences brought a preview of its newest Walt Disney World resort to Manhattan on Oct. 2, installing a 3D street mural at Flatiron Plaza to showcase Disney's Lakeshore Lodge, set to open July 1, 2027.

The mural, on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the corner of 23rd Street and 5th Avenue, depicts Daydream River, the resort's lazy river attraction, allowing passersby to step into the artwork for photos.

Street artist Tracy Lee Stum designed the interactive chalk installation

Stum, an American muralist known for colorful, illusion-based 3D chalk art, created the piece. She set a 2006 Guinness World Record for the largest chalk painting completed by an individual.