Disney Reveals Opening Dates & Details for Upcoming Rides

Walt Disney World Resort has announced details for several major updates to all four of its theme parks, including story details and an opening date for the highly anticipated Zootopia ride in Animal Kingdom.

Travel Market Report was on location for a Play ‘n’ Preview event hosted by Walt Disney Resort on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. At the event, Walt Disney Imagineering spokespeople offered updates on some of the changes coming to the park.

Zootopia: Better Zoogether!

Disney revealed that “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” will open on Nov. 7, 2025. The attraction is located within the Tree of Life, and is replacing the original opening day attraction, the 3D film “It’s Tough to Be a Bug!” which closed in March of this year.

Senior Creative Director Danny Handke also revealed more details about the ride. Incorporating characters and locations from both the original movie and the sequel, “Zootopia 2,” scheduled for release Nov. 26, 2025, the new ride will be another 3D film experience with updated effects, including “carrot vision” and a mystery scent.

Handke also described the ride’s story. Set on the fictional “Zoogether Day,” which Handke described as a mix of New Year’s Day and Earth Day, guests will see how the festivities are celebrated in four different regions of the Zootopia world, culminating with a performance by the popstar Gazelle.

The Muppets Take Over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

The other major news at the Play ‘n’ Preview event was a first look at what guests can expect from “Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets,” set to open in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2026.

“Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith” opened in the park in 1999. In June 2025, Disney announced that the ride would be rethemed to The Muppets following the (controversial) closing of “Muppet*Vision 3D.”

The re-themed ride focuses on The Electric Mayhem heading to their biggest concert ever; the problem is, the band is nowhere to be found. The guests will help Scooter get the band to their gig on time, taking a zany road trip through Hollywood in the process.

Disney also showed a first look at the reimagined courtyard outside the ride. The iconic Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster guitar will be given a fresh paint job to reflect the new Muppets focus.

Other Walt Disney World Resort Updates

Disney offered attendees at the Play ‘n’ Preview event a chance to try out the new ride vehicles and blasters that are being introduced to “Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin” at Magic Kingdom as part of the ride’s refurbishment, expected to be completed by 2026. The enhancements promise to make the attraction more engaging for guests: the targets will light up now when “shot” by a blaster, and each pair of blasters will have a distinct color, making it easier for competing guests to keep track of who hits what.

“Big Thunder Mountain” is also currently being refurbished. Disney revealed some concept art for the new story elements for that ride, including a chamber full of bats and subterranean features that will change color. Disney also hinted that there will be more of a story about the mountain being unwilling to “give up its gold.”

Finally, Disney offered a look at some of the changes coming to “Animation Courtyard” in Hollywood Studios. Set to be closed on Sept. 25, 2025, this area is being transformed into a much more inviting experience dubbed “The Magic of Disney Animation.” Inspired by the real historic animation studio in Burbank, California, this area will feature updated character meet-and-greets, a play area for children, and the main attraction experience inside the “animation studio” will be themed after the Emmy-winning short film “Once Upon a Studio.”