Disneyland has big plans for Tomorrowland that will overhaul the theme park area with a focus on Walt Disney’s original 1955 vision. Before that happens, though, another Tomorrowland change will take effect for legal purposes rather than creative reasons. New updates on this project were just shared.
A classic Tomorrowland attraction is receiving a government-mandated tune-up. We have details on what’s changing and the timeline for the turnover. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Downtown Disney’s country concert series lineup and perks for Disneyland hotel guests this month.
Autopia Changes Coming Soon
Autopia, the Disneyland ride with miniature cars that guests of all ages get to drive, has been a staple of the park’s Tomorrowland area since opening day in 1955. It’s been updated several times over the decades with new car models and pathway layouts.
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As previously announced, all of the Autopia cars at Disneyland are being converted from gas-powered engines to electric. This initiative is a requirement from the California Air Resources Board after Autopia was found to be violating emissions rules.
Disney must either close the ride for updates or convert all of the attraction’s engines by February 1, 2027.
Disney has not announced when or if Autopia will temporarily close to accommodate the switchover, but we now have more clarity on some other changes being made to the ride during the transition from gas to electric, thanks to a November 2, 2026, article in The New York Times.
With the changes, Autopia will become electric, yes, but not in the way many might be expecting. The Autopia track itself will be “electrified,” removing “the need for each car to have its own battery,” the New York Times reported. We did not confirm these details directly with Disney.
“It will be electric, but not the conventional idea of a battery in a car,” Bob Gurr, who designed the original Autopia for Disneyland’s opening, told the New York Times of the revamped ride. “It’s very different.”
Gurr designed the first Autopia cars when he was 23 years old, at the start of a Disney career that ultimately spanned decades. Gurr was named a Disney Legend in 2004. Now, at 95, he’s still passionate about Disneyland, including Autopia. Disney invited Gurr to see a model of the new Autopia car earlier this year.
“For 26 years, I’ve been arguing, ‘When are you going to do anything to get rid of that gasoline?’” Gurr told the New York Times. “The dirtiest place on Earth is the Autopia attraction at Disneyland in the city of Anaheim.”
Honda is currently Autopia’s corporate sponsor. Gurr told the New York Times that Honda will remain in the sponsorship role following the changeover to electric. A Honda spokesperson told the Times that the company’s current deal with Disneyland continues “through early 2027,” and that its future sponsorship plans “are currently ongoing.” Honda will stop producing its only all-electric EV for consumers in December 2026.
The Times reported that Gurr’s representative asked to retract some of his statements, but that Gurr himself hadn’t requested any omissions at the time of the interview. The representative said that Disney has asked Gurr to not participate in Autopia-focused interviews. We assume this request only pertains to non-Disney interviews. Disney itself features Gurr somewhat frequently for official content produced for YouTube and Disney+.
Last week, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro posted on Instagram to wish Gurr a happy 95th birthday, writing, “Bob’s creativity and ingenuity helped shape @waltdisneyimagineering and the Disney experiences generations of fans have come to love. What an incredible legacy. Happy birthday, Bob!”
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More Tomorrowland Changes
The upcoming Autopia changes are among several wide-ranging Tomorrowland projects of various scales.
Space Mountain will close for a 1-day refurbishment later this month.
Disney Vacation Club Star View Station – A Member Lounge has been closed since July, and Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace has been closed since September. Disney hasn’t announced reopening dates for either of them.
In the long term, Disney will overhaul Tomorrowland, a huge project that will include new attractions. See insight from Imagineers on the ambitious Tomorrowland transformation.
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