The biggest and most complex project slated for the Disneyland Resort right now is the Avatar destination coming to Disney California Adventure. Since its original announcement, this expansion has been met with mixed reception from fans—some are excited to see the world of Pandora come to life, and others question if it has a place in the parks.
Right as the new Avatar: Fire and Ash has hit theaters, Disney has released a statement teasing this upcoming project. Keep reading for all of the details, plus our thoughts on the film and how Disney may incorporate elements into this new land. At Mickey Visit, we report on all of the latest Disney news, like changes to offerings, new discounts, and ride closures recently announced, and 7 things that are leaving Disneyland in 2026 (some permanently). Disneyland hit a new milestone on an impactful project.
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Disney Confirms Disneyland Resort Avatar Land
The third film of the Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, was just recently released in theaters this past weekend. It was the No. 1 film at the box office both domestically, grossing $89 million, and internationally, grossing $258.1 million.
Ahead of the film’s release, The Walt Disney Company confirmed that more details are coming for the new Avatar destination coming to Disney California Adventure. Here is what they shared:
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“Avatar will expand its presence across Disney Parks, with the current Hollywood Backlot area at Disney’s California Adventure becoming home to a new Avatar destination. This project is still in early development, and additional details will be revealed at a later date.
We do know that the Avatar destination is still quite a way off, which is why Disney is not in a rush to reveal too much information right now. In our discussion of when Disneyland’s new rides will open, we predicted this would open sometime in 2029.
So far, the biggest impact is the closure of the Monsters, Inc. ride in early 2026 to make way for this new experience. During that announcement, Disney shared that the Avatar destination will replace a portion of the current Hollywood Backlot area in Disney California Adventure, but the Hyperion Theater will be staying. “Early 2026” could be anywhere from January to March, but we don’t have an exact date yet.
At the time of writing, we have a general sense of what is coming to this new land, based on what Disney has previously shared. This new addition in Disney California Adventure will draw inspiration from Avatar: The Way of Water and upcoming Avatar films. Based on the water-centric design of the concept art Disney has shared thus far, we can assume that the second film is the primary inspiration for the land.
Beyond the general concept art, the only offering of the land that Disney has formally announced is the new boat ride that will be the main attraction. During the ride, guests will go on an adventure in search of Pandora’s natural wonders. The ride will take guests “all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora” as they discover the beauty and danger that come with the journey. Disney promises that the ride will be “dynamic, intense and emotional experience on a grand scale.”
Here is a look at one of the concept art images Disney shared for the ride. We can see a Tulkun breaching in front of a backdrop that appears to be the Cove of the Ancestors, the sacred site of the Metkayina, as portrayed in Avatar: Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash.
We assume that the ride will utilize both screens and physical sets, like the popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Shanghai Disneyland, for a fully immersive experience.
Spoilers! What May Be Coming to New Avatar Land
Now that we’ve seen the third film, we have some general thoughts about how it will tie into the new Disney California Adventure land.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for the new Avatar: Fire and Ash film!
The Avatar: Fire and Ash film is the longest film in the Avatar franchise thus far at a whopping 3 hours and 15 minutes. While I thoroughly enjoyed this installment, there is no denying that you can really feel the length, especially as you hit the two-and-a-half-hour mark. Overall, I thought the story of the film was a little tighter and featured more compelling plot and character conflict than its predecessor, Avatar: Way of Water. The stakes definitely felt higher in this one.
The introduction of the Mangkwan Clan (the Ash People) and the relationship between Varang and Quaritch was the most compelling part of the film for me, alongside the absolutely incredible performance from Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri. She has been brilliant as this character from the beginning and adds new complexity and depth in every subsequent film.
That being said, it is definitely starting to feel like they keep respinning the same story over and over again. Upon leaving the theater, my dad commented that the movie was good, but the visual appeal is becoming the main draw of the franchise. I think that many may have similar reservations about the upcoming Disney California Adventure land—that it will prioritize spectacle above real substance and creative storytelling. As a big fan of the franchise and someone who really wants this land to be done well, that is my concern as well.
There is still so little we know about this new addition, and seeing the new film deepens my curiosity about how they will incorporate Avatar: Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash. I have mentioned in the past that, in addition to the shopping and dining that typically come with any themed expansion, we may see anything from a second surprise ride to an immersive experience like the Moana’s Journey of Water walkthrough, a kids’ play area, new live entertainment, or even meet-and-greets with puppets representing the creatures of Pandora.
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For those last two points, I’m thinking specifically about the absolutely amazing aquatic robotics figures that Disney shared in their recent episode of “We Call It Imagineering” on YouTube. We now know those were being developed for the new show in Disneyland Paris, but we would be so thrilled to see them incorporate that technology into this new land to represent the aquatic creatures of Pandora.
There are definitely some much darker elements in Avatar: Fire and Ash that may not transfer to a theme park setting. I loved the bold designs featured in the Mangkwan Clan’s village and dwellings, but I anticipate these would be too frightening in person for a younger audience. There are still plenty of suitable elements to pull from this film for the new Avatar destination, but it remains to be seen what those will be. Disney may reveal more details soon in the wake of the third film’s release.
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