Disney Reveals New MONSTEROPOLIS Details Including Harryhausen’s, Randy Newman Music, and a 2027 Opening

The doors to Monstropolis are officially opening to humans, and Disney has revealed a ton of new details about what fans can expect when the world of Monsters, Inc. comes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.

DuringHorizons: A Carousel of Progress at D23, Neil Patrick Harris welcomed Disney Imagineers Michael Hundgen and Chris Beatty to share new information about the land, including its story, restaurants, shops, entertainment, and an original song from Disney Legend Randy Newman.

The big news is that parts of Monstropolis will open in 2027 while construction continues on the highly anticipated door coaster. Steel is already rising at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios work together to turn Mike and Sulley’s monster-filled city into a place fans can actually explore.

Disney isn’t simply recreating locations from Monsters, Inc. either. There’s a story explaining exactly why humans are suddenly allowed to wander around a city that once considered us toxic.

As revealed through the Monstropolis Horn, the city has made the historic decision to welcome humans into its world.

Monstropolis picks up after the events of Pixar’s beloved film, with humans now invited to visit the world of Monstropolis, where the monsters need laughter to power the city and keep it running smoothly (same premise as Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom). The land is being brought to life through a creative collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios, giving guests a chance to finally take in all the monstrous sights, tastes and sounds of Sulley and Mike’s world.

This isn’t just the new Monstropolis land taking shape, it’s the start of a new story. Let’s begin there, with the official background–or perhaps more accurately, the conceit–that will animate the world of Monstropolis. Here’s what Walt Disney World just shared…

Monstropolis is getting ready to give humans a glimpse of what’s been hidden from their world for generations, in the city that is now powered by laughter. Which raises an interesting question: if humans were never meant to enter the monster world, why are the doors finally opening to us?

As it turns out, the answer is already making headlines in the city of Monstropolis. Through the pages of the Monstropolis Horn, the city’s official newspaper, monsters are talking about a “historic decision” that’s about to seriously mix things up for monster kind.

For generations, Monstropolis ran on fear, and not just because the monsters used screams to power their society: monsters were scared of humans, too. We were viewed as dangerous, toxic, and completely off-limits.

When James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski discovered that human laughter generates far more power than screams, it didn’t just transform the energy crisis, it transformed Monstropolis itself. Fear gave way to curiosity, and caution to connection. And for the first time, the doors separating the monster world from ours no longer felt like barriers.

What started as a breakthrough inside Monsters, Inc. quickly became something much bigger: a citywide shift in how monsters viewed humans. Scales fell from their eyes – well, at least for the monsters with scales to shed.

Monstropolis HR Department

As Monstropolis evolved, so did its connection with the human world. You may have heard of the HR department, but you haven’t heard of this HR department: the Department of Human Relations. This new team established by the city has been tasked with sinking their teeth into helping monsters better understand humans as welcomed guests.

The newly instated department has been spearheading a moment that was once thought impossible: inviting humans into Monstropolis for the very first time. And the big event for which humans are there has a name…

H.U.M.A.N. Day Celebration

H.U.M.A.N. Day, short for “Humans Understand Monsters Are Nice,” marks a historic milestone for the city. Part celebration, part cultural exchange, the event is designed to introduce humans to life inside Monstropolis while helping monsters discover that humans are not so frightening after all.

Human guests will have the chance to explore the city, meet its citizens, taste unique cuisine, and step into the everyday world of monsters in a totally new way. For the first time, two worlds once separated are meeting face to scaly, furry, and fang-filled face, brought together not by screams, but by laughter.

Exploring the Streets of Monstropolis

As more of Monstropolis comes into view, one thing is clear: move over, cities of the human world! Monstropolis is going to be the next big vacation destination!

Storefronts line the streets, industries hum alongside everyday life, and every corner reflects the quirky, character-filled world fans fell in love with. And of course, it wouldn’t be Monstropolis without a few iconic stops along the way. Places like Harryhausen’s, the legendary restaurant monsters line up for, and the Glob Theater help bring the city to life, adding even more personality, energy, and can’t-miss moments around every corner.

Glob Theater

One of the places welcoming humans is the Glob Theater, home to a new stage show called Welcome to Monstropolis.

The show shares its name with a new song composed by Randy Newman, marking the first time Newman has written an original song specifically for a Disney theme park. Guests will hear it when Monstropolis begins opening in 2027.

The Glob Theater production is designed to introduce humans to the city and demonstrate that monsters and people have more in common than either side might expect. Mike and Sulley will serve as hosts, although their approaches to putting on a show apparently differ quite a bit.

Beatty explained: “Mike and Sulley will be our hosts. Sulley has been working on a small, homespun show, but Mike – ever the showman – has a few surprises up his sleeve that he thinks will bring down the house. Hopefully not literally.”

With Mike involved, “hopefully” is doing a lot of work there.

Archies Scare Pig Pizza

Food will also be a major part of exploring Monstropolis, starting with the city’s top-rated pizza joint. The location features Archie, Fear Tech’s beloved six-legged mascot who became popular with students from both Fear Tech and Monsters University after repeatedly being “borrowed” by mischievous MU students.

Monsters University Alumni Club

Next door is the Monsters University Alumni Club, which will also welcome human visitors dining at Archie’s. The club celebrates MU history, including its various student organizations, fraternities, and sororities.

There’s also a special tribute for fans to check out inside. Beatty revealed: “Inside the Alumni Club is the elite Scarer’s Club, honoring the school’s legendary scarers from years past.”

Scareporium

Naturally, Disney isn’t going to let us visit another dimension without giving us somewhere to spend money on monster merchandise.

The Scareporium will handle that job. As Beatty described it, it’s: “… a shop where all of us human tourists can grab a great souvenir to remember our visit.”

Harryhausen’s Restaurant

One of the coolest additions, though, has to be Harryhausen’s, the restaurant where Mike and Celia had their memorable date in Monsters, Inc.

Disney is turning Harryhausen’s into a full dining location with an entirely new menu. Its famous sushi chef will also make the jump from animation into the real world as a new Audio-Animatronics figure, complete with multiple tentacles working away on monster-sized culinary creations.

Despite Harryhausen’s reputation for sushi, that won’t be the only thing available. Hundgen teased what Disney has planned: “A menu unlike anything else we offer at Walt Disney World. It will be a great place to bring your Schmoopsie-poo for a romantic meal.”

All these additions give us a much better idea of what Disney is trying to accomplish with Monstropolis. This isn’t only about finally getting the door coaster fans have wanted for years.

Disney is building out the larger world surrounding it, complete with its own restaurants, theater, university history, businesses, government department, local newspaper, shops, and an in-universe explanation for why we're there.

That storytelling could make Monstropolis one of the more entertaining areas to simply walk around and explore at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

For Monsters, Inc. fans, Harryhausen’s alone is going to be a fun deep dive into the movie. After spending generations thinking humans were toxic creatures who should be kept on the other side of the closet door, Monstropolis is finally ready to invite us in.

Just try not to trigger a 2319 while you’re there.