The Walt Disney Company has unveiled details of new experiences coming to its US Disney Parks later this year and into 2026.
Opening 7 November 2025 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Zootopia: Better Zoogether! is a new 4D show replacing It’s Tough to be a Bug! Which closed permanently in March this year. The new film invites guests to celebrate ‘Zoogether Day’, a holiday commemorating the unity of Zootopia’s diverse biomes. The story at the Tree of Life Theatre builds on Walt Disney Animation’s “Zootopia” franchise, featuring ‘fan-favourite’ furry friends and new faces. Alongside Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and a brand-new character created exclusively for the attraction named Heidi Howler, guests will join a watch party filled with performances in honour of the special day.
Just outside the theatre in Discovery Island, guests can meet Judy and Nick in their new looks from “Zootopia 2” in a new dedicated character greeting space, the Zoogether Day Gathering Spot.
Full speed ahead in the wilderness
Looking ahead to 2026 at Magic Kingdom Park, the caverns and peaks of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will once again echo with the delighted sounds of thrill-seeking guests and the thunder of speeding train cars. Reinvesting in the classic roller coaster, the familiar drops of the ride are set to be refreshed, alongside what Disney calls ‘an infusion of new magic’. Newly released renderings reveal some of the fresh experiences coming to the iconic mountain, including a journey through the spectacular natural phenomena of the Rainbow Caverns, which ‘may not be as welcoming as they first appear’.
The revamped coaster will be a stone’s throw away from the new Cars-inspired area, Piston Peak, currently under construction in Frontierland.
Time to rock on
Over at Hollywood Studios, Aerosmith are set to depart Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster as a classic IP takes over in 2026. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will keep the high-energy concert vibes going with the Electric Mayhem, and guests are invited to riff along for the ride. Thanks to ‘new management’ under Muppets tycoon and owner of The Muppet Theatre, J. P. Grosse, groovy vibes will take over the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Courtyard including a new psychedelic wrap on the giant guitar marquee – complete with one gold key on the piano motif, a nod to a certain far-out band leader’s gold tooth.
The story amps up at the recording studio, where J. P. Grosse’s nephew Scooter and his penguin audio engineers are trying to convince the band to wrap up a recording session and get to their increasingly restless fans. Guests will be tasked with boarding the elongated coaster train and getting the band across town and onstage in time, while the sounds of Electric Mayhem playing iconic hits to keep the music and adrenaline pumping.
“From fresh investments in beloved experiences to new magic across the resort, there’s always more to discover at Walt Disney World Resort,” notes a Disney representative.
Even More Magic Coming in 2026
Other enhancements will also include a fresh gameplay experience at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom Park, a new adventure based on Lucasfilm’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” in Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and as recently announced, The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Photos: Disney
