With 2025 coming to an end, Daps Magic is looking at some of the biggest stories of the year. For the last five days of 2025, Daps Magic is sharing the top five stories of the year. There are many different things that are taken into consideration when picking these stories. This includes the impact of the story on the past, present, and future of The Walt Disney Company, how it impacted the Disney community, and how it impacted the world beyond Disney. These are just a few of the big-picture thoughts that were taken into account when picking the Top 5 Stories of 2025.
Already, Daps Magic has chosen the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration and also the announcement of a new Disney resort in Abu Dhabi. Today’s announcement focuses on what is happening in Florida and the Walt Disney World Resort.
#3 Walt Disney World Resort Enters New Era of Transformation
There are a lot of changes happening at the Walt Disney World Resort. In 2025, Walt Disney World Resort firmly entered a new era of transformation. Many of the changes that are now underway had been previously announced. 2025, however, was the year when fans had to say goodbye to many beloved attractions and areas throughout the parks. In fact, this happened in just about every park at Walt Disney World, save EPCOT, which had just completed its own transformation.
Magic Kingdom
Perhaps the biggest indicator of this era of transformation comes from the Magic Kingdom. There, fans said goodbye to the Rivers of America earlier this year. This area and its attractions have been a mainstay at the park since it opened in 1971. Soon after the closure, walls went up, and bulldozers moved in. Already, the area is nearly unrecognizable as it is transformed into the Pixar’s Cars-themed Piston Peak and also a Villains Land. Piston Peak will include two attractions, including an off-road rally ride.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is also seeing a significant transformation. Dino Land closed earlier this year to make way for a new Tropical Americas area. When completed, Tropical Americas will include an Encanto attraction, a new Indiana Jones Adventure attraction, and a new carousel. Construction on the land is moving ahead rapidly and can be seen by guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2027.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there are a couple of areas of the park that are being transformed. This year saw the opening of The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After. It also saw the closure of Muppet*Vision 3D and the beginning of the transformation of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith into a Muppet version of the attraction. Muppet Courtyard is being transformed into a Monstropolis area that will bring the world of Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. to life. This will include a new suspended coaster, a first of its kind for Disney.
“The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley,” Josh D’Amaro said of the attraction at D23 in 2024. “You’ll go into the factory and experience the first suspended coaster ever in a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We’re doing that, too. And you’re going along for the ride.”
Walt Disney World is also seeing many other updates happening currently. This includes construction on the new Disney Lakeshore Lodge, the opening of the new entrance to Disney’s Polynesian Village this month, and other updates throughout the resort.
The era of transformation of Walt Disney World Resort is just one of the top five stories of the year that were covered by Daps Magic. In the coming days, we will work our way up to the top story of the year! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media so as not to miss any of the other four.
What do you think the top five stories of the year should include? What would you put at number five? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
