It was created by Walt Disney and will be joined by James Cameron.
As Disneyland Resort enters its 70th year, it will open a new area dedicated to the fantasy world from the mind of film director Cameron. A long-announced “Avatar”-inspired section is coming to Disney California Adventure. The Walt Disney Co. confirmed the plans Saturday night at the D23 fan convention in Anaheim.
Concept art released by Disney has revealed a water-focused attraction that Walt Disney Imagineering, the division of the company responsible for designing the theme parks, promises to be “a dynamic, intense and moving experience on an epic scale.”
Ari Rubinstein, an Imagineering executive, said California Adventure's new area will be very different from the “Avatar”-themed area at Walt Disney World in Florida. Rubinstein said the area will be heavily inspired by “The Path of the Avatar,” the second “Avatar” movie. “Think of it as a journey to discover the majestic natural wonders you'll only find in Pandora,” Rubinstein said.
The announcement comes at a critical time for Walt Disney Co. The company reported weaker-than-expected operating profit for its parks division in the third quarter, and executives blamed the slowdown in part on weakened demand due to financial “stress” among consumers. As global tourist destinations that draw millions of people a year, any decline in attendance at Disney theme parks raises questions not only about public sentiment about the economy, but also about the affordability and appeal of the parks themselves.
Conversely, the D23 convention was seen as crucial in galvanizing fan enthusiasm for what's to come, with announcements throughout the weekend and at the parks-focused event at Honda Center on Saturday night emphasizing that the emphasis will be on projects that are currently in advanced stages of development.
“The plan for Disney has been drawn up,” Disney Experience Chairman Josh D'Amaro said from the arena stage. “This means dirt is starting to move.”
California Adventure will also feature a “Coco”-themed boat ride, which D'Amaro said will begin construction in 2026. D'Amaro said the ride will be heavily inspired by classics like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean and will feature new animatronic technology.
“We're using cutting-edge audio-animatronic technology to bring our skeletal characters to life in a big way,” he said. “These figures come to life in ways that you'll have to see in person to believe them.”
The locations of the “Avatar” and “Coco” attractions at Honda Center were not disclosed.
When it comes to Disneyland, Disney itself has taken D23 very seriously: The birthplace of the modern American theme park will celebrate its 70th anniversary in July 2025, and the company recently received approval from Anaheim to significantly expand the park, hotels, and shopping district, after a multi-year process.
The project, called Disneyland Forward, comes with a pledge from The Walt Disney Co. committing to spend at least $1.9 billion on attractions, accommodations, entertainment, shopping and dining at Disneyland over the next 10 years. Additionally, Disney has said it will double its investment in the theme parks, and in a recent SEC filing, has committed to spending $60 billion on its experiences division over the next decade, with at least half of that total going to parks and resorts.
“Turbocharging” has become a buzzword used by Disney executives in reference to proposed spending at the parks.
At a media event ahead of D23, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said Disneyland Forward gave the resort the “potential” to expand its footprint by about 50%, primarily through parking lot rezoning. Disney executives said they are well aware that fans are expecting relatively big announcements at D23, especially since the last convention in 2022 featured many potential projects but few concrete proposals.
Meanwhile, Imagineering's chief creative officer, Bruce Vaughn, said at a media event Thursday night that “some really cool” things will be announced at the convention.
“I think people want something beyond blue sky,” Vaughn said, referring to the vague creative vision the company has unveiled in recent years. “Blue sky is really fun, but building and hauling and putting shovels in the dirt is even more fun. That's what this year is all about, and that's what the next decade is all about.”
A new show telling the story of Walt Disney is coming soon to Disneyland Resort at the Main Street Opera House. The show, dedicated to the park's founder, will premiere in celebration of Disneyland's 70th anniversary next year.
“This attraction imagines what it might have been like for Walter to be in his presence,” D'Amaro said.
The robot show is set in the Disney founder's studio offices, and D'Amaro said they're taking great care to bring the founder to life, hinting that the show will include the Sherman Brothers' “Feed the Birds,” a long-time favorite of the founder.
“For the first time, we'll have an audio-animatronic puppet of Walter,” he said. “We're evolving the technology that he pioneered with Abraham Lincoln 60 years ago.”
Nostalgia fans and Disneyland purists needn't worry, either: The Opera House's current show, “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” will alternate with the Disney-focused show after its first performance.
The company also announced a “Monsters, Inc.”-themed area at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, as well as “Encanto” and attractions based on the “Indiana Jones” series at the Florida resort's Animal Kingdom.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
