After months of speculation about two huge upcoming projects, we finally have confirmation that Walt Disney World IS expanding. Disney has confirmed that both a Tropical Americas land and Beyond Big Thunder expansion are coming in the near future.

Animal Kingdom’s Tropical Americas Expansion

Screenshots taken from a Disney Imagineering video show Casa Madrigal (left) and a Temple from Indiana Jones mapped out using 3D technology.

The Tropical Americas land, which is set to replace Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand U.S.A., is the most concrete of the two expansions so far.

Disney posted an Instagram video featuring Neal Emery, Principal Landscape Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering. He shared that the Disney team has been scoping out Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula for some inspiration. The video also shows early 3D modelling, including that of an Indiana Jones Temple and Casa Madrigal from Encanto. 

Watch the video for yourself below...

Beyond Big Thunder

The second project, which was confirmed during an Imagineering media event earlier this week, is the Beyond Big Thunder expansion. This project will be located behind Big Thunder Mountain in Magic Kingdom and will be a similar size to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. 

According to a report by CNN, Michael Hungden, the WDW Site Portfolio Executive, stated that this would be the “largest expansion ever at Magic Kingdom,” so it’s no surprise that fans are extremely excited.

Journalist Scott Gustin first broke the news to eager fans in an X thread where he shared that Imagineers are expected to file water management permits in the next couple of weeks.

While the details of this new Magic Kingdom land are under wraps for now (we’re hoping more will be revealed during D23 in August) many are speculating that this could be a villain land. This ties in nicely with the blue-sky concept art Disney teased a couple of years ago when this land expansion was first mentioned.