Disney World visitors will be forced to stray from a safe path and enter the bewitching and foreboding Dark Forest full of mischief and cursed magic when a new land themed to Disney Villains opens at Florida’s Magic Kingdom.
Walt Disney World revealed new details about the Villains Land coming to the Magic Kingdom during the D23 fan expo in Anaheim.
“I am incredibly excited to be working on Villains Land because I’m a huge fan of the villains,” Walt Disney Imagineering Executive Creative Director Caroline May said during a D23 media briefing. “We know that we have an incredible fan base when it comes to the villains.”
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The massive new Villains Land with a Maleficent thrill coaster, Evil Queen dark ride, themed restaurant and shops will be on the scale of the twin Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge themed lands at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Imagineering is partnering with Walt Disney Animation Studio to create a new story for Villains Land inspired by classic Disney animated films, according to May, who describes herself as an “art school emo indie goth girl” who usually wears all black.
The centerpiece of the new land will be a broken and twisted wishing well that summons Disney Villains and infuses the Dark Forest with poisoned magic.
“What happens if a mysterious stranger makes an evil wish in a wishing well?” May asked during the D23 media briefing. “What happens if that wish corrupts the well, breaks it open and infuses the forest with this poisoned well’s magic?”
A pair of maquettes showing off the Dark Forest trees inspired by Snow White’s animated film were on display in the Imagineering: Horizons pavilion during the D23 expo.
The Evil Queen from 1937’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Cruella de Vil from 1961’s “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” and Dr. Facilier from 2009’s “The Princess and the Frog” will play starring roles in Villains Land.
“These are incredibly intriguing characters because they’re unashamed of who they are,” May said. “They don’t ask for permission. They’re really smart. They’re stylish. They’re funny. And that gives us as designers the spirit of breaking the rules too, especially when it comes to the way that we’re designing these experiences for the park.”
The Evil Queen, Cruella and Dr. Facilier will each have their own lairs in the new land that reflect their own style, humor and personality.
“We know that the villains have high standards. They have impeccable tastes. They’re very elegant and sophisticated,” May said. “We wanted to make sure that the architecture reflected that as well. You’ll see that carried not only throughout the look of the land, but also in the way that the characters present themselves and the way that their costumes look as well.”
The Maleficent coaster with first-of-its-kind ride elements will race through an enchanted briar and around the mountaintop fortress of the Mistress of All Evil from 1959’s “Sleeping Beauty.”
The Evil Queen dark ride will use a combination of special effects and practical show sets to transport riders through the Magic Mirror as they travel through the catacombs below her palace.
“This is where you enter into the Evil Queen’s palace, where you will go deep down into the catacombs, where you will meet the man in the mirror who will act as a host of sorts for your experience as he takes you into the mirror realm and you will conjure different visions of your favorite villains.”
Concept art shows riders on the Evil Queen dark ride will meet Cruella, Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Jafar and Scar during the journey through the Magic Mirror.
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Disneyland used the D23 fan event to provide updates on the Avengers Campus expansion, new Coco boat ride, Tomorrowland transformation and new Avatar themed land.