Guests visiting Disneyland Resort in California will one day get to walk through the planet of Pandora, the mystical setting of the Avatar films. The large-scale theme park land will be one of Disneyland’s most significant expansions in years, and Disney just shared a sneak peek at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, the company’s official convention.
Despite earlier rumors of the project being canceled, Disneyland’s Avatar land is still happening. During a press preview at D23, we heard the latest update on this highly anticipated project, including a look at the headliner attraction’s ride vehicles. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a massive new ride coming to Magic Kingdom and a new Nightmare Before Christmas collection coming to Bath & Body Works.
READ MORE – These 10 Disney Rides Are Far Better Than The Ones They Replaced
Avatar Land Coming to Disneyland
A new theme park land based on the Avatar movies is coming to Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort.
The land will be located in a location currently inhabited by two very different entities:
- a portion of Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure, including the Monsters, Inc. ride
- the Disneyland Resort transportation hub, located immediately outside of Disney California Adventure’s current perimeter
Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
To accommodate the new Avatar land, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! will permanently close. Additionally, construction is underway on a new transportation hub east of the Disney theme parks, which will include a bridge traversing over Harbor Boulevard traffic and directly leading to the theme park entrances.
The headliner of the Avatar land coming to Disney California Adventure will be a boat ride featuring both indoor and outdoor segments, with both calm and thrilling moments.
The information above has been known for quite some time, and we’ve been following the project closely. On August 13, 2026, we got a sneak peek of the Show Floor that will be open to D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event attendees from August 14 to 16. Among the many exciting exhibits on the Show Floor is a model of a portion of the Avatar land and a maquette, or small statue, of the boat ride’s vehicle.
In the photo above, note how the boat ride passes in front of a tranquil waterfall at the foot of that huge statement piece of faux-mountainous landscape. This will be breathtaking.
Also note the Disneyland Monorail on the right. The land will be located very close to the Monorail track, but the huge architecture will seemingly conceal it from view, or at least when at the base of the mountain.
Here’s a wider view. This will all be massive.
READ MORE – How to Get the Disneyland Lightning Lane Time You Want Almost Every Time
The model also indicates that the backside of the mountains will be themed, which isn’t always the case for Disney architecture. This will provide a lovely backdrop for the Monorail as it glides by.
Here’s a look at the ride vehicle for the boat attraction. Each boat will contain six rows.
The acknowledgement of the Avatar project’s continued existence, confirmed last week, is important. Rumors circulated earlier this year that Disney had swapped the Avatar land in favor of a different expansion based on another intellectual property (IP). The mere fact that the project has this much of a presence on the D23 Show Floor is a sign of Disney’s confidence in the project.
The Avatar land is among tons of Disney theme park news breaking this weekend. Click here to see all the news revealed at D23 with our ongoing coverage!
Don’t Miss the Latest Disney News
Don’t miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.
