Monstropolis Rises: Disney Unveils Its Biggest Land Since Galaxy's Edge
Monstropolis is taking shape at Hollywood Studios, and the scale is already staggering.
Monstropolis Takes Shape at Hollywood Studios
Disney has pulled the curtain back on Monstropolis, the Monsters, Inc. themed land under construction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the details are worth every ounce of anticipation fans have been stockpiling. EYNTK Disney Parks reports that the land's official logo, "Monstropolis: The City Frightful," is a playful nod to Orlando's own "The City Beautiful" tagline. That kind of specificity tells you Imagineering is thinking about this land at the level of texture and tone, rather than just concrete and steel.
The Disney Parks Blog has revealed the underlying storyline: humans are visiting Monstropolis for the first time, courtesy of the H.R. Department, which differs from the department that handles expense reports. The narrative conceit gives Imagineering a clean reason for guests to exist inside the world of the films, which matters more than it might sound. The best Disney lands work because you feel like you belong there, not like you wandered onto a movie set.
EYNTK's reporting from a recent media visit provides the clearest sense yet of the land's physical footprint. Standing on the former second floor of PizzeRizzo (itself a successor to the old Pizza Planet), the writer describes an entirely transformed sense of scale. The demolition of the Stage 1 Company Store, once the Muppet Studios Store, opened the sightlines dramatically. What formerly felt like a charming dead-end around MuppetVision 3-D now reads as a genuine city center. Aerial construction photos from Bioreconstruct on X confirm the scope, with EYNTK mapping out the eventual entrance, the Glob Theater attraction, Harryhausen's restaurant, and the construction zone for the Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster stretching deep into the site.
Two major attractions anchor the investment. The Door Coaster appears to be the land's signature draw, with construction visible well beyond the old Grand Avenue boundaries. The Glob Theater adds a second attraction layer. A themed quick-service restaurant, Harryhausen's, rounds out the walkable cityscape. The combination of two attractions, dedicated dining, and a fully realized environment puts Monstropolis in the same weight class as Galaxy's Edge, at least in terms of ambition. Whether it matches that land's immersive density remains to be seen, but the early signals are strong.
The Parks
The Monstropolis news lands during a summer already packed with change at Walt Disney World. The single biggest update guests can experience right now is Soarin' Across America, which officially debuted May 26 at EPCOT. This is the third iteration of the beloved attraction, following the original Soarin' Over California and Soarin' Around the World, and EYNTK reports it may be the most emotionally effective version yet. The attraction opens with a Kennedy Space Center rocket launch instead of the old drift-through-the-clouds intro, a choice that drew audible reactions from riders. From there, guests soar over Cape Canaveral, New York Harbor, the Portland Head Light Lighthouse in Maine, the National Mall, bayou swamplands, Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Denali National Park, Diamond Head in Hawaii, Los Angeles, Hollywood, and finally EPCOT itself.
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Tom Fitzgerald, Imagineering's creative director and chief storytelling executive, told the Disney Parks Blog that "each scene helps to create a portrait of what we believe makes America so special." A new musical arrangement by composer Bruce Broughton, who scored the iconic Spaceship Earth soundtrack, underscores the flight. EYNTK notes the film uses significantly less CGI than the Around the World version, leaning into authentic footage of American landscapes. The smell effects, historically one of Soarin's signature touches, initially seemed limited to a single grass scent, but EYNTK updated their reporting to confirm additional smells on a return visit, including a flowery perfume scent. The attraction also opens July 2 at Disney California Adventure.
Meanwhile, a beloved Tomorrowland institution is closing its current chapter. EYNTK confirms that Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress closes after July 5 for a major update. Before the internet sharpens its pitchforks, there are reassurances worth noting. Imagineers confirmed that the animatronics and "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" will return. The team spoke about keeping practical effects and dad jokes at the heart of the experience. Disney executives described their approach using a Smokey the Bear philosophy of leaving things better than how you found them. The update is expected to be relatively quick, in the mold of the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring The Muppets transformation. This is hardly unprecedented. Walt Disney himself altered the fourth act to align with his Progress City vision, and the attraction swapped its song to "The Best Time of Your Life" when it moved from Disneyland to Magic Kingdom in 1975 before reverting to the original in 1993. Progress, as the attraction itself argues, is the point.
Over at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run has received a substantial update timed to "The Mandalorian & Grogu" film. EYNTK details a hidden Grogu Mode that replaces the Mandalorian's voice with Grogu's babbles and laughs throughout the mission. Activating it is straightforward: both gunners need to buckle up, avoid pressing any buttons, then press and hold the last white square button beneath the gunner screen before pressing the glowing orange activation button. The cockpit lights turn green to confirm success. The update also adds new planets, new missions, better music, and more engaging storylines. EYNTK recommends saving Grogu Mode for your second ride, since the adorable babbling replaces mission-critical dialogue.
Disney Springs continues building out its reputation as a dining destination in its own right. EYNTK reports that The Edison, the steampunk-inspired restaurant in The Landing, now offers a weekend brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. The menu features brunch-specific entrees like a $24 Early Bird (buttermilk fried chicken on a Belgian waffle with cherry pepper maple syrup), $23 French Toast built bread-pudding style, and a $23 Big Ol' Biscuit Sando with house sausage, bacon, and two fried eggs. Cocktail options include a $18 Piggyback Maple Old-Fashioned made with WhistlePig bourbon and a $12 Rubus Shandy. The Edison also runs bi-weekly cocktail classes at $120 per session, with upcoming themes ranging from Japanese whisky tastings to a session called "Smokeshow."
Not far from The Edison, Splitsville Luxury Lanes is running summer drink specials at its main dining location and Bamboo Bar. EYNTK highlights four options, including the Living the Dreamsicle, described as an adult milkshake blending Pina Colada with Orange Crush and topped with a Good Humor Creamsicle bar. The Blue Horizon mixes frozen blue raspberry, vodka, lemonade, and grain alcohol. All drinks can be taken to-go within Disney Springs property, a perk that makes the shopping and dining complex feel increasingly like its own self-contained experience.
Rounding out the Disney Springs food beat, Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' is hosting a one-day-only Bloody Mary Mixology Class on May 29 at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $150 and include four signature Bloody Mary variations, five menu items (including Thigh High Chicken Biscuits and Hummingbird Cake), plus take-home merchandise like a shaker and Bloody Mary mix. For Star Wars fans with a sweet tooth, EYNTK reports that Disney Springs offered limited-time treats for May the 4th celebrations, including new Across the Stars Ganache Bars at The Ganachery featuring flavors inspired by Star Wars planets: corn and nuts for Kashyyyk, dragon fruit for Tatooine, spicy cherry for Mustafar, and mint-lime for Hoth.
Finally, Walt Disney World's Cool Kids' Summer program runs May 26 through September 8 across all four theme parks, Disney Springs, water parks, and hotels. EYNTK reports that Disney has released kid-focused guide maps highlighting food, shows, attractions, and character experiences at each park. Highlights include Jessie's Roundup: A Rip-Roarin' Revue at Magic Kingdom's Diamond Horseshoe, GoofyCore at EPCOT's CommuniCore Hall (featuring DJ-led dancing and games like Loopy Limbo), and Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! at Hollywood Studios. The guides are free at each park.
The Vault
The Carousel of Progress update is worth pausing on for what it reveals about Imagineering's current philosophy. The team's insistence on retaining animatronics, practical effects, and the signature song signals something deliberate. In an era when screens dominate new attraction design, the choice to keep the Carousel grounded in physical performance is a statement about what makes the attraction iconic in the first place. The rotating theater, the animatronic family aging through decades of American innovation, and the warm simplicity of the format are elements that cannot be replaced with a projection screen and called progress.
The Smokey the Bear reference from the development team is an unexpectedly revealing detail. Smokey belongs to the U.S. Forest Service rather than being Disney IP. However, the message to leave it better than you found it speaks to a creative standard that fans have been asking Imagineering to articulate for years. When Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin are updating alongside Carousel of Progress, and Monstropolis is rising from the bones of a courtyard that never quite found its identity, the pattern suggests a company investing in its existing footprint with unusual care. Whether the results match the intent is a story that will unfold over the next year. For now, the words are right.
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