New “Villains Land” details revealed at Destination D23
Today at Destination D23, some new details about the upcoming “Villains Land” (official name TBA) coming to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World were shared with attendees.
The idea of a land dedicated to the catalog of Disney Villains has been a long rumored and requested addition to the Disney Parks. Disney officially confirmed the project in 2024, and now we have more details.
Kicking off the panel, Andreas Deja (a Disney Legend and former animator who brought Disney Villains like Gaston, Jafar, and Scar to life) announced that he has been brought in as a consultant on the upcoming land. Andreas believes that the characters he helped create are an integral piece of inspiration on the visuals and ambiance on the upcoming land.
Next, Destination D23 shared details on what brought the idea for a “Villains Land” to fruition. It all began with the animated source material from the Iconic Walt Disney Animation Studios motion pictures. On a recent trip to Paris and Barcelona, Imagineers studied the city’s architecture with a focus on the Art Nouveau design that was prominent in the late 1800s. This will serve as inspiration for the architecture you’ll see throughout the “Villains Land.”
Imagineers pointed out that the natural motifs and swirling designs across the designs of these buildings appear as if they have been “cursed” with a sort of sinister magic. Shifting from the Art Nouveau style of Paris, the Mordenisme aesthetic of Barcelona gives off an “otherworldly” appearance to those who encounter it. What both city’s architectural styles have in common is the abundance of color and rich tones found in places like stained-glass windows and painted metals. Combining unnerving architecture with entrancing colors gives us an idea for how the upcoming land might appear.
While Walt Disney Imagineering has not shared more details about the attractions coming to “Villains Land,” even the smallest details are enough to get us excited about this massive undertaking for a brand new land at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!
Check out our other coverage for all the theme park news from Destination D23.
Are you excited for Villains Land? Let us know in the comments below!
Here’s our video from 2024 when Disney first announced the project:
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Well that was a tad misleading. They revealed what style of architecture they’re going to use.