The plans for Disney's Villains Land only highlight why a 5th gate is needed

As Disney announces what the new Villains Land will be like, it just proves why a 5th gate would be better for WDW!

D23 had a lot of big announcements for Disney World. Among them was the transformation of Frontierland into a Cars-themed area, getting rid of the Rivers of America, which has not been a popular decision.

There's also the confirmation of the long-rumored Villains Land, which does make sense. An area dedicated to Disney villains is logical, and the artwork is unique, showcasing it. We now have a bit more info courtesy of D23 Brazil as Disney Parks head Josh D'Amaro announced which villains are coming to the land:

The Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland); Jafar (Aladdin); Lady Tremaine (Cinderella); Yzma (The Emperor's New Groove); Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians); Captain Hook (Peter Pan); Gaston (Beauty and the Beast); Mother Gothel (Tangled); Ursula (The Little Mermaid); Hades (Hercules); Chernabog (Fantasia); and both versions of the Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) and Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty).

D'Amaro added more, including a hint at the storyline creating this land:

"In our story, a mysterious spell has been cast, summoning villains from every realm. In this land, heroes don't come to save the day — and there may not be a happy ever after! Their evil ambitions give us endless possibilities to tell new stories. This new land will be home to the villains you know and loathe!"

There's still no word on the attractions themselves, but the announcement only highlights how this would be better for a 5th gate than an expansion for Magic Kingdom. 

The Villains Choice

First, the choice of villains is interesting. Many are no-brainers of Hook, Gaston, Ursula, Cruella, and Maleficent. Yzma is an interesting choice, as Emperor's New Groove has always been more of a cult classic than a major hit. Notably absent are Scar, Dr. Facilier, and others who might have fit nicely. Throwing in Yzma still seems a little odd and Gothel may be a top foe but not the same iconic place as the others.

Disney is going for the more high-profile baddies and ones who can deliver some sinister overtones. The artwork hints at things like a dark castle and a roller coaster with what looks like Maleficent in her dragon form. The idea of mixing the baddies together sounds good, yet it might have been better for areas dedicated to each one. 

And that may be a key issue for guests: Rather than an expansion to Magic Kingdom, Villains Land could have been the basis for a 5th gate to solve so many other Disney issues. 

Why a 5th gate serves this idea better

The idea of a spell bringing the foes together may make sense for them in one area. Yet it seems Disney is leaving a lot on the table, not trying to expand this idea for an entire new park that could showcase other parts of Disney's Imagineering's dreams.

Imagine an area dedicated to Alice in Wonderland with a recreation of the Disneyland ride, the flower maze from Disneyland Paris, and maybe a new take on the Teacups with the Queen overseeing it all. A Rapunzel area with a boat ride recreating the lantern journey and scaling her tower. 

Want daring? Imagine an area based on Neverland with a full-scale boat featuring Hook and his pirates that makes its way to an "undersea" area boasting Ursula in a darker take on a Little Mermaid ride? Mixing Hades and Chernaboug into a dark ride into the underworld is natural. 

Some can argue it makes sense to keep the villains in one area, but making it part of Magic Kingdom seems to limit the concept while another park can build on it and spread out the ideas. Not to mention, it would also make a lot more sense for a Cars-land to be there, built from scratch, rather than transform Frontierland for it. 

It's not like Disney doesn't have the space as about two-thirds of the WDW property is undeveloped. One would think Epic Universe would be kick-starting this plan even more. It's not just these areas; a new park gives Disney a chance for bigger ideas based on other IPs or even (shocking idea) an original area not based on movies or such. 

Still, it's astounding Disney doesn't grasp that a 5th gate would be a boon for such ideas. It can have versions of Frozen and Zootopia lands in international parks; a video game city based on Wreck-It Ralph (imagine seeing classic video game characters mingled with the Disney characters); a bit of Marvel and/or Star Wars, and more. 

Epic Universe should be a good blueprint as it lands based on Harry Potter, Nintendo and Universal Monsters, and it has some original ideas, too. It makes no sense Disney, which is always about expanding to bigger heights, ignores this throwing down of the gauntlet to add another park. If nothing else, another park would justify higher ticket prices and the merchandise/concessions/etc would be a bigger boost to Disney's coffers than adding another land on. There's also how it offers so much more space for future rides and attractions with the promise of more fun coming down the road. 

It may be that this is a terrific addition and the Villains Land a fantastic experience. Yet it's also confusing that Disney seems to be limiting themselves with expansions and transforming popular spots rather than just creating a fifth park that offers a lot more room for their dreams to become reality, which was once the Disney way.