New aerial photos offer the clearest overhead look yet at the Monsters Inc. Door Vault roller coaster show building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The images show a dense grid of structural steel, sections of roof decking, and multiple cranes still active across the site. We previously shared aerial photos showing the first coaster track installed inside the structure. Here’s a closer look at what the new photos show.
Monsters Inc. Door Vault Coaster | September 2026 Aerial Construction Photos
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- New aerial photos show the show building’s steel framework and roof decking
- Distinct rust-primed and painted steel structures are visible across the site
- A look back at the coaster’s construction milestones so far
Monsters Inc. Door Vault Construction Progresses
These new aerial photos from friend of the site Bioreconstruct give us an overhead vantage point of the latest construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The show building’s structural steel spreads across a wide footprint. This building will end up being one of the largest attraction show buildings at Walt Disney World. The densest concentration of framing sits toward the north side of the site. Two distinct steel systems stand out in the photos. A rust-colored, primed steel grid forms the bulk of the perimeter and support framing. A separate system of light gray, painted steel columns and cross-bracing clusters in specific areas. Diagonal cross-bracing connects the vertical columns in several of those gray-steel sections.
Several curved steel segments also appear among the straight framing, set apart in shape from the rest of the grid. The load station for the attraction features an “M”-shaped, arched design, which we detailed when curved steel for the station was first installed in August.
Large sections of corrugated metal roof decking now cover parts of the structure, with plywood decking laid alongside it in some areas. A couple of tall concrete block shafts also rises through the steel framing. This is likely for elevator access to areas of the ride for maintenance or guest evacuations.
Multiple red lattice-boom crawler cranes still sit around the site’s perimeter. Numerous green boom lifts and scissor lifts are staged throughout the building for work at height. The surrounding lay-down yard holds stacks of blue-painted steel pipe, bundled rebar, and lumber. A poured concrete foundation slab is visible in areas not yet covered by steel.
Walt Disney World has already announced that Monstropolis, the Monsters Inc.-themed land, will open in phases. The phased opening will begin next year. The door vault roller coaster will likely open in 2028.
Story So Far
- August 2024: Walt Disney Imagineering revealed a detailed concept model of the Door Vault coaster at the D23 Expo, showing the M-shaped load station design for the first time.
- March 2025: Disney offered a sneak peek at the load station’s vertical lift system during a SXSW panel with Pixar and Walt Disney Imagineering.
- April 2026: The first roller coaster support columns were installed at the construction site, marking the start of above-ground steel work.
- June 2026: Track installation began on the coaster, with the first section connected to the support structure inside the show building.
- August 2026: Curved “M”-shaped steel was installed for the coaster’s load and unload station, visible from the Hollywood Studios guest parking lot.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!