Disney unveils ambitious plans for Disneyland Resort
Major expansion plans are set to bring new experiences and attractions to Disneyland Resort and Disney's California Adventure over the next few years.
The second night of D23, Disney's ultimate fan convention held every two years in Anaheim, focused on Disney experiences including theme parks, hotels and cruise ships.
Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, hosted an event Saturday at Honda Center to unveil the entertainment giant's plans for Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure, as well as Disney properties in Florida and around the world.
In California, more specific details have been announced about a new “Avatar”-inspired area that was announced last year but with few details revealed.
D'Amaro announced Saturday that the new area will be built at an undisclosed location in Disney California Adventure. Unlike the area already in Orlando that's inspired by the first film, California's new Avatar area will be inspired by the 2022 sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” and the upcoming third film, “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” The area will include water attractions, according to photos released at Saturday night's event.
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Explore the world of Pandora even further at Disney California Adventure! 🌿 This destination draws inspiration from “Avatar: Water's Way” and the upcoming Avatar film, bringing Pandora to life in an all-new way. (Disney Parks) -
Explore the world of Pandora even further at Disney California Adventure! 🌿 This destination draws inspiration from “Avatar: Water's Way” and the upcoming Avatar film, bringing Pandora to life in an all-new way. (Disney Parks)
Another new attraction being added to DCA will be the popular Pixar film “Coco.” It will be the first attraction inspired by the film to be added to a Disney park, and Disney officials say it will utilize advanced audio-animatronics modeled after classic attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.
Walt Disney himself will also return to Disneyland with a new audio-animatronic experience at the Main Street Opera House: “Walt Disney: A Magical Life,” featuring an animatronic Walt and musical accompaniment, which will alternate with the existing “Great Conversations with Mr. Lincoln.”
D'Amaro said it's been a longtime dream to create an animatronic for Walt Disney, but the company wants to be patient until the technology catches up to their lofty expectations.
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The first attraction themed on Pixar's “Coco” will be coming to Disney California Adventure. (Disney Parks) -
The first attraction themed on Pixar's “Coco” will be coming to Disney California Adventure. (Disney Parks) -
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa – Ernesto de la Cruz took to the stage at the Disney Experience marquee showcase on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Honda Center. Fans of all ages from around the world came together to experience D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa, taking place for the first time at Honda Center on August 9, 10 and 11, 2024. It is a one-of-a-kind, multi-day fan experience showcasing the best creative storytelling and unparalleled innovation from across the world of Disney. The event has been reimagined to be bigger and more immersive than ever before, giving fans even more access to the things they love. (The Walt Disney Company) Ernesto de la Cruz -
The first ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic is coming to Disneyland! “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will premiere in 2025 in the Main Street Opera House, alternating with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” (Disney Parks) -
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by VISA – Josh D'Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experience, The Walt Disney Company, appeared at the Disney Experience Marquee Showcase on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Honda Center. Fans of all ages from around the world experienced D23, a one-of-a-kind, multi-day fan experience showcasing the best in creative storytelling and unparalleled innovation from across the world of Disney, at the Marquee Showcase, which will be held for the first time at Honda Center on August 9, 10 and 11, 2024. The event has been reimagined to be more expansive and immersive than ever before, giving fans even more access to what they love. (Walt DisneyJosh D'Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experience, The Walt Disney Company) -
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa – Fans of all ages and around the world experienced a massive showcase of the Disney Experience at Honda Center during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa. Taking place for the first time at Honda Center on August 9, 10 and 11, 2024, the showcase is a one-of-a-kind, multi-day fan experience showcasing the best in creative storytelling and unparalleled innovation from across the world of Disney. The event has been reimagined to be bigger and more immersive than ever before, giving fans more exposure to what they love. (The Walt Disney Company)
Many of the most anticipated announcements concerned Marvel's Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure.
In a shocking development, not one but two new attractions were announced on Saturday.
The first attraction will be located in the Avengers' massive headquarters, which takes up much of the campus and has long been rumored to be the home of an eventual larger attraction. The attraction, “Avengers: Infinity Defense,” will transport passengers to various locations in the Marvel Universe, including New York City, Wakanda and Thor's home planet of Asgard, as the Avengers battle King Thanos and try to stop him from plunging the universe into chaos. Construction on the attraction is set to begin next year.
The second new attraction at Avengers Campus, and the fourth in the entire area, is Stark Flight Lab. The story of this attraction revolves around a testing lab for new Avengers equipment. Riders are paired with an Avengers hero and fly around the store. Each experience is different depending on which hero the rider is paired with.
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Disneyland's Avengers Campus doubles in size with the addition of two new attractions: Get ready for Avengers: Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab. (Disney Parks) -
Disneyland's Avengers Campus doubles in size with the addition of two new attractions: Get ready for Avengers: Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab. (Disney Parks)
Disney CEO Bob Iger was testing out the new attraction with a familiar face: Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr., who Disney announced will reprise his role as Tony Stark once the attraction opens to guests.
A new vehicle experience, Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run, is currently in development at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni said the new vehicle, inspired by the upcoming film The Mandalorian and Grogu, is being developed using Unreal Engine, a game engine developed by Epic Games.
Also, Disneyland now has an official opening date for “Tiana's Bayou Adventure,” inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios' film “The Princess and the Frog.” The attraction, which already takes visitors on a tour of the bayou at Walt Disney World, is set to officially open at Disney's first theme park on November 15.
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“Stop by” with Princess Tiana this summer when Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens at Magic Kingdom Park on June 28. The new attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, invites guests to join beloved characters and new friends on a thrilling adventure surrounded by the music and excitement of New Orleans. (Olga Thompson, Photographer) -
This summer, you can “drop in” with Princess Tiana when Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens at Magic Kingdom Park on June 28. (Olga Thompson, Photographer) -
This summer at Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Imagineering unveiled a never-before-seen look inside Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a highly anticipated attraction scheduled to open at Disneyland later this year. (Disney) -
A bird's-eye view of Splash Mountain at Disneyland, which is scheduled to close in 2023 and be re-themed as Tiana's Bayou Adventure, on January 28, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) -
Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens June 28 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The ride takes guests on a musical adventure that follows on from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog.” Guests will meet fan-favorite characters like Prince Naveen and Mama O'Die and enjoy all-new music. (Photographer: Bennett Stoops) -
Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle encourages employees in a “Thank You Fête” honoring cast members along with Princess Tiana during a preview event for “Tiana's Bayou Adventure” at Magic Kingdom in Bay Lake, Fla., Monday, June 10, 2024. The attraction, a redevelopment of the park's original Splash Mountain, will officially open to Disney guests on June 28. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via The Associated Press)
D23 takes place over the weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center, followed by a star-studded paid presentation at the Honda Center. Sunday is the convention's final day, with an evening event honoring the latest “Disney Legends,” including Harrison Ford, Kelly Ripa and Miley Cyrus.
