DreamWorks Animation characters will be starring in their own land at Universal Studios Florida in 2024. 

Universal Orlando confirmed long-running rumors Thursday that DreamWorks would take over what was formerly Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone. That section of the park closed this past January, with Alicia Stella of Orlando Park Stop later reporting that DreamWorks was the surefire replacement. 

In fact, DreamWorks characters like Shrek and Donkey had already found a temporary home in the land before its closure thanks to meet-and-greets — perhaps serving as a test for the retheming that’s now been officially announced. 

That reveal was short on details, however.

Universal’s press release stated, “As guests step into this new land, their imaginations will run wild as they take in the vibrant colors, sights and sounds that surround them. They will share special moments with their favorite characters like Gabby from ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’ and explore themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring popular franchises like ‘Shrek,’ ‘Trolls’ and ‘Kung Fu Panda’ to life in the most imaginatively fun ways.”

Given the short timeframe between the old land’s closure and the new land’s debut, any major new attraction being added is highly unlikely.

Instead, rumored plans and aerial photos of construction indicate that guests will be getting new play areas, a retheme of the still-standing Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, and perhaps a new use of the old “A Day in the Park with Barney” theater. 

Universal Studios Florida’s newest addition is Minion Land and the new Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast interactive attraction. The DreamWorks land is likely to be the resort’s only 2024 addition as it prepares to open its third theme park, Epic Universe, in 2025.