Rapunzel Is Finally Getting Her Own Attraction at Disney World After 15 Years
Since Tangled hit theaters in 2010, fans have wondered why one of Disney’s most successful animated films of the modern era never received the theme park treatment given to other princess properties. While Frozen got a new ride and The Little Mermaid as well, Rapunzel has been limited to meet-and-greets in generic princess locations and occasional parade appearances.
That’s about to change.
Rapunzel’s New Home
Disney has announced that Rapunzel will be featured in The Magic of Disney Animation, a major new experience opening late summer 2025 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The princess will have her own permanent character encounter location within a section called “Off the Page!”
Her space is themed around the Layout department of an animation studio, and it’s designed to celebrate the multiplane camera—a groundbreaking piece of technology that allowed animators to create depth by photographing different layers of artwork at varying distances. Disney says guests will be able to position themselves so that the layered backgrounds align perfectly, creating a unique visual effect in their photos.
Why This Matters
For a film that’s now 15 years old and has grossed over $590 million worldwide, Tangled’s theme park presence has been surprisingly limited. The movie introduced one of Disney’s most popular modern princesses, spawned a successful animated series, and remains a merchandise powerhouse. Yet walk through any Disney park and you’ll find more substantial representations of films that performed less well at the box office.
The new meet-and-greet won’t satisfy fans who’ve been hoping for a boat ride through a lantern-lit lake or a tower-climbing adventure, but it does represent the first time Rapunzel will have a themed, story-specific environment at Walt Disney World. That’s significant.
Part of Something Bigger
The Rapunzel encounter is one component of The Magic of Disney Animation, which reimagines how guests experience Disney’s animated legacy. The attraction is built around the idea that animated characters are stepping out of their two-dimensional world and into ours—a concept inspired by Disney’s recent short film “Once Upon a Studio.”
“Off the Page!” features six different animation department themes, each hosting a different character:
- Story Department – Mulan meets guests in front of giant storyboard panels
- Layout Department – Rapunzel’s multiplane camera environment
- Hand-Drawn Animation Department – Character to be announced
- Computer Animation Department – Character to be announced
- Lighting Department – Character to be announced
- Effects Department – Character to be announced
Each location uses oversized animation tools and layered artwork to create immersive photo opportunities.
Other Elements
Beyond the character encounters, The Magic of Disney Animation includes “Drawn to Wonderland,” an indoor playground for young children inspired by Mary Blair’s concept art for Alice in Wonderland. The entire experience features interactive moments where characters emerge from portraits, participate in drawing activities, and create unexpected surprises throughout the space.
Looking Ahead
The Magic of Disney Animation is part of the reimagined Walt Disney Studios area at Hollywood Studios, representing what Disney calls its largest animation-focused expansion at the park. It opens alongside “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!,” a new stage show debuting earlier in the summer.
For Tangled fans, this announcement brings mixed emotions. It’s wonderful to see Rapunzel getting recognition, but it also highlights how differently Disney has treated this film compared to others in its princess lineup. Still, after 15 years of waiting for anything substantial, having a permanent, themed location is a step in the right direction.
The Magic of Disney Animation opens late summer 2025 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
