The picture for the next expansion at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is becoming clearer. Monstropolis will be welcoming guests in the near future and Disney World shared the backstory of that future land. In this post, we’ll share those details before adding our own commentary. Here’s everything you need to know about Monstropolis!

Monstropolis — the monster city now powered by laughter — is getting ready to give humans a glimpse of what’s been hidden from their world for generations. Which raises an interesting question: if humans were never meant to enter the monster world then 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 us, too! Humans were seen as dangerous, toxic, and completely off-limits. I mean, who could forget the decontamination protocols for a 2319?

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. Caution gave way 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.

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. We’re talking about the Department of Human Relations. This new team established by the city has been tasked with sinking their teeth – and in some cases, their very BIG 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 that invitation has a name.

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. Now that’s something to snarl about!

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.

As more of Monstropolis comes into view, one thing is clear: it is one of the greatest cities ever created! 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 — yes, THAT legendary sushi restaurant — and the Glob Theater help bring the city to life, adding even more personality, energy, and can’t-miss moments around every corner.

Commentary

This news kind of came out of nowhere. Sharing a backstory for a land that’s at least 18 months from opening (probably more like 2 years) is strange. I don’t really understand what the angle is in sharing this so far in advance but Disney World is much smarter than I am about these sorts of things so I’m sure there was a reason.

Even with the project still a long ways away from opening, I am growing more excited for Monstropolis. After spending a bunch of time at Hollywood Studios during the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opening, it was hard to miss all of the construction work going on. Monstropolis is going to be big and the offerings inside of it are promising.

As for the actual backstory shared here, it’s fine. There’s no reason to judge it before stepping foot in the land. There’s even less reason to judge it 2 years before stepping inside of Monstropolis.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and included a thought about how backstories maybe get overshared at this point. Yes, they always existed at Imagineering but fans had to sniff them out in the land, ride, queue and elsewhere. Finding the details of a spot added to the broader theme park story. That’s more or less eliminated for new attractions and lands now, unless you go radio silent.

I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. People like to know the backstories and the Imagineers (along with the Disney Parks Blog) know this. It might strike me as a little obvious, and oftentimes oversimplified, but give the people what they want!

That’s probably true for this H.U.M.A.N. Day backstory (a funny acronym!) at Monstropolis. Honestly, it seems like this land is just picking up where the original Monsters, Inc. movie stopped and that’s reason enough for this existing. I guess the backstory could explain why there are human (non acronym related) Cast Members in the land. Otherwise, this feels like a Cars Land idea where guests can just go enjoy the land they saw in the movie and don’t need a ton of explanation.

But like I said earlier, before I started talking in circles, it’s far too soon to start judging the backstory of Monstropolis. We’re excited for the land and everything that it holds. We’ll share updates on the Monsters, Inc. themed land whenever there are more to share!

Are you excited for Monstropolis? Let us know your thoughts, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide to help you out. This site offers discount tickets for those looking! If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate