Disney’s New ‘Monsters, Inc.’ Land to Bring Monstropolis to Life in 2027 First Look Revealed

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been enhancing its lineup with immersive, story-driven areas, following the successful models of Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story’s Andy’s backyard. This strategy has proven effective, prompting Disney to focus on one of Pixar’s cherished worlds for its next major addition to the park.

First hinted at back in 2024, this project has mostly been kept under wraps until recently. During the D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney unveiled details about Monstropolis, a complete “Monsters, Inc.” themed land set to debut in phases at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World starting in 2027.

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, alongside Disney Legend Billy Crystal, the voice of Mike Wazowski, announced that the land will continue the story after the original film. Instead of portraying monsters as frightening, the narrative introduces a new Department of Human Relations, allowing guests to explore Monstropolis safely and discover that laughter, not screams, powers the city.

As reported by Variety, the initial phase will feature the city thoroughfare experience “Welcome to Monstropolis,” along with Harryhausen’s restaurant and a new theatrical show. A signature suspended roller coaster will follow in later phases. This coaster, first revealed in 2024, will take riders soaring through the iconic door vault from Monsters, Inc. headquarters, marking Disney’s first-ever suspended coaster.

Michael Hundgen, Vice President of Creative for the Walt Disney World Portfolio at Walt Disney Imagineering, discussed with Variety the significance of this project. He stated, “‘Monsters, Inc’ is among the most iconic locations,” emphasizing that the chance to visit a world where monsters live, work, and play made this project a natural fit for Disney.

Hundgen also shared insights about Harryhausen’s revamped menu, which will feature sushi dishes inspired by the monster world, complete with playful names from the film. The restaurant will include a fully animatronic octopus sushi chef who will cook and entertain guests throughout their meal, adding a unique theatrical element to the dining experience.

The new theater show, also named “Welcome to Monstropolis,” will feature Mike and Sulley as hosts welcoming humans into their realm, with Disney confirming that Mike has some surprises planned for the audience. Testing is already in progress for the animatronic sushi chef, indicating that the technical aspects of the land are further along in development than many fans might have anticipated.

Hundgen framed this project as a crucial milestone for Disney’s future theme park endeavors, noting that Monstropolis will be one of the first of several major new lands to open, helping to set the standard for future developments. He praised the project’s team for overcoming genuinely challenging obstacles during its development.

With construction in full swing and testing already underway for some of the land’s more complex technical features, Monstropolis is poised to become one of Walt Disney World’s most eagerly awaited openings in years. With immersive city streets, the reimagined Harryhausen’s, and the anticipated suspended coaster still to come, Disney seems committed to making this one of its most ambitious land openings yet.

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