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Disney has revealed new story details for Monstropolis, the first-ever land inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort.
The new land will be built around a city-wide celebration known as “HUMAN Day,” which stands for “Humans Understand Monsters Are Awesome.” This story gives guests a reason to enter Monstropolis, where humans are welcomed into the world of monsters for the first time.
This story is set after the events of the original Monsters, Inc. movie. In the film, James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski discover that human laughter is more powerful than screaming, changing the way Monstropolis generates energy and reshaping the way monsters view humans.
That discovery now serves as the basis for the new Hollywood studio land. In the story, the leaders of Monstropolis make what Disney describes as a historic decision to open a door between the human world and the monster world.
To prepare for that first encounter, the city established the Bureau of Human Relations, a new organization designed to help monsters and humans better understand each other. This department is responsible for welcoming guests arriving in Monstropolis.
HUMAN Day serves as the backdrop for the guest experience. Disney explains that the event is part celebration and part cultural exchange, with people invited to explore the city, interact with its residents, and experience Monstropolis through laughter rather than fear.
Disney says that as the land continues to take shape, guests can expect a fully developed Monster City with colorful streets, active industry, and locations inspired by the movies. Harryhausen Restaurant and Globe Theater are among the famous destinations expected to bring the world of Monsters, Inc. to life.
The land will also feature Disney’s first suspended roller coaster, themed after the Door Vault sequence from Monsters, Inc. Disney has not announced an official opening date for Monstropolis.
Disney faces new pressure from Universal’s epic universe
The Monstropolis project comes amid increased competition in the Orlando theme park market following the opening of Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort.
Epic Universe is Universal’s biggest Orlando expansion in years, adding major new themed lands tied to brands such as Harry Potter, Super Nintendo, Hiccup to Train Your Dragon, and Universal Monsters. Analysts expect Epic Universe to attract millions of visitors and potentially lure some away from Walt Disney World, even though Disney continues to command a much larger share of theme park attendance in Florida, according to Reuters.
For Disney, the addition of Monstropolis at Hollywood Studios is part of a broader effort to keep the park fresh and competitive as Universal looks to turn more Orlando vacations into Universal-centric trips. Hollywood Studios already has major intellectual property-driven areas such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land, and the addition of Monsters, Inc. land gives Disney another home for family-friendly Pixar at a time when the Epic Universe is gaining national attention.
Details about Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be announced at a later date.
