Disneyland Expansion: New ‘Coco’ Ride, ‘Avatar’ Experience Coming

Big changes are coming to the Disneyland Resort in California. The iconic park that Walt built will add some new attractions and remove others while improving the transit situation to and from the park.

We now know where the new “Coco” attraction will be located and that the Hollywood Backlot will be transformed to make room for a brand new “Avatar” experience.

Let’s take a closer look at the details.

New Disneyland Attractions

Disneyland Resort announced that it will expand its Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim, California, with 2 new attractions, a new parking structure, and a transportation hub.

A new ride inspired by the hit film “Coco” and a new land based on the film “Avatar: The Way of Water” were first announced last year at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, but details have been scarce.

We now know that the “Coco” attraction will be a water ride and will be located near Paradise Gardens Park and Pixar Pier! It looks like most of the area that will be used is currently backstage, so guests don’t need to worry about losing any space or attraction to make room for Miguel and friends.

Construction is scheduled to begin this fall, though there’s no opening date set.

Also coming to the Hollywood Backlot area is a brand new “Avatar” experience.

Although this will “draw inspiration” from Pandora over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Disney says that this attraction will bring Pandora to life in a brand-new way.

Details are still very limited for this attraction, but based on previous artist renderings, guests can expect this to feature an indoor water ride as well. The only downside is Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! will be closing in 2026 to make room for the new experience.

New Transportation Hub

To support Disneyland Resort’s future growth, an all-new parking structure and transportation hub will be built on the east side of the resort.

This new area will take over part of the cast member parking lot and will bring roughly 6,000 parking spots, shuttles, rideshare areas, security screenings, and improved traffic flow throughout the area.

The hub will be connected via a pedestrian bridge that passes over Harbor Boulevard. This will lead guests to a new esplanade arrival experience, which will improve access to the parks and the Downtown Disney District.

Final Thoughts

Big changes are coming to Disneyland! We now know where the highly anticipated “Coco” ride and the new “Avatar” experience will be located, which is all great news except for the necessary closure of one of our favorite attractions.

Plus, infrastructure is getting a big investment, which will make getting to and from the parks a better experience for guests and cast members.