It's been a long time coming!
Disney World has been going through quite a few changes over the past few months. First, Disney announced the temporary closing of Thunder Mountain for most of 2025. Then, it announced that Hollywood Studios’s MuppetVision 3D was getting a rebrand and all the Jim Henson characters we know and love would be moving across the park to take over another attraction.
Disney World as we know it will never be the same, but big changes also equate to big improvements, meaning all of the newness is definitely for the better. Now, one more exciting made-over attraction is reopening at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, and it’s going to be unlike anything Disney fans have ever experienced.
Keep reading to find out which newly rebranded attraction is headed to Disney World and when you’ll be able to check it out for yourself.
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What reimagined Disney World attraction was just announced?
A brand-new 4D show—Zootopia: Better Zoogether!—is headed to Disney World’s Animal Kingdom! It’s making its debut in the Tree of Life Theater, the former home of It’s Tough to Be a Bug, one of the original Animal Kingdom attractions that premiered in 1998, on the same day the park first opened; the attraction was inspired by the Pixar film A Bug’s Life. This makes Zootopia: Better Zoogether! the first new show to take up residence in the Tree of Life Theater in over 25 years!
What can guests expect from the new Zootopia show?
Zootopia: Better Zoogether! is more than just a remodeled attraction—it’s a whole experience. For starters, the show will be hosted by Heidi Howler, who Disney describes as a “slick-talking wolf who hosts the Zoogether Day LIVE! broadcast with excitement, energy, and quite a bit of howling.” (And no, you’re not misremembering things; she wasn’t in the 2016 animated movie.)
The show includes special performances that celebrate the diverse biomes all over the city, and guests will get to enjoy ice-skating events, synchronized swimming, drone shows and a species-studded musical finale. And the famed bug-eye glasses from A Bug’s Life will be replaced with special CarrotVision 3D glasses so guests will feel fully immersed in the Zootopia world.
As for the stars of the show, the incredibly talented cast members from the films have lent their voices to these fun and celebrated characters. So you’ll hear performances from the likes of Ginnifer Goodwin (Judy Hopps) and Jason Bateman (Nick Wilde).
When is it scheduled to open?
If, like us, you can’t wait to experience this brand-new 4D show, it’s time to book your Disney World trip! Zootopia: Better Zoogether! opens on Nov. 7 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
What other changes are coming to Disney World?
The brand-new Zootopia: Better Zoogether! attraction isn’t the only big change heading to Disney World in the next few months. Big Thunder Mountain, which closed in January for updates, is slated to reopen in 2026—with the addition of stunning Rainbow Caverns, complete with shimmering stalagmites and stalactites.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is also transforming from the classic headbanging version to an all-new one featuring the Muppets. The updated ride, starring the Electric Mayhem, the Muppets band, will open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2026. According to Disney, “the iconic scenery and landmarks of Tinseltown will feature a Muppet twist.”
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Sources:
- Disney Parks Blog: “Zootopia: Better Zoogether! Opening Date Announced at Disney World”
- Disney Parks Blog: “The Electric Mayhem Arrives at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets”
- Disney Parks Blog: “New Magic Coming to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World”
