We go to Disneyland Weekly. Here’s Everything New Coming in 2024 We’re Excited About.

Walt Disney was known to be constantly thinking of the next big thing to create for the parks, and “progress is impossible without change” was something that resonated with and inspired him.

Disneyland is indeed in a constant state of change with new attractions, nighttime spectaculars, new and reimagined lands, and more.

There are several new attractions, shows, and other major additions to enjoy on your next Disneyland Resort trip to Anaheim, California. Let’s check them out!

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

With Splash Mountain closed at Disneyland, the reimagining of the ride into Tiana's Bayou Adventure is underway and will open later in 2024. While the physical structure of the ride will remain the same, the theme of the ride will be inspired by Disney's Princess and the Frog movie and invites guests to join Tiana as she is preparing for a Mardi Gras celebration but is missing a key ingredient that guests must help her find.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will feature various music styles and instrumentation connected to New Orleans, dozens of new animatronics for the attraction, and performances from voice actors from the movie reprising their roles. You can read about all the details of this upcoming ride in our guide to Tiana's Bayou Adventure!

New Pixar Fest Daytime Parade

Celebrate all things Pixar with this new daytime parade at Disney California Adventure in 2024! This parade will go by the name “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration.” While there aren’t too many details surrounding this parade yet, Disney did share concept art of the floats, including Panda Mei waving to the crowd. Another concept art teaser that they shared shows a Pixar lamp covered in stickers and a float surrounded by performers in boldly-colored attire and roller skates.

This parade will be part of Pixar Fest, which will run between April 26 and August 4, 2024. This festival will also include the appearance of popular Pixar characters such as Ember and Wade from “Elemental” as well as Panda Mei from “Turning Red.” Finally, the festival will be enhanced by a nighttime spectacular firework and projection show called “Together Forever — A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” which has previously run, but new scenes will be featured.

New Star Tours Scenes

Star Wars fans should get excited for the “Star Wars” themed event called Season of the Force that will take place at Disneyland from April 5 to June 2, 2024. Disney announced that this celebration will include the debut of new scenes for the attraction Star Tours. In a previous announcement, Disney shared that Ahsoka Tano would become a part of Star Tours in the spring, so we're anticipating that she'll be featured in these scenes. Also during the celebration, guests will get a new perspective on the fireworks at Disneyland from Galaxy’s Edge with “galactic music.”

NEW Disney Channel Nite

Disney Channel lovers rejoice! Beginning in March 2024, a brand new After Dark Event called “Disney Channel Nite” will debut at Disneyland Park. The dates of this event are March 5th and 7th, 2024. A recent announcement about this after-hours event included a wealth of details about what attendees can expect! This Disneyland After Dark event promises to be an exciting one for those who remember the old days of Disney Channel Original Movies, as Disney stated that the event will highlight “favorite Disney Channel shows across various eras of programming.”

This ticketed event is slated to be chock-full of fun happenings. First, it will include a “High School Musical” pep rally with music from the beloved hit. There will also be a “Phineas and Ferb” dance party – complete with characters from the show. Next up, attendees can hop on the Sailing Ship Columbia and sing along to music from the “Descendants” trilogy. Finally, get ready to pose in front of fun backdrops in the theme Disney Channel favorites like “Lizzie McGuire,” “The Cheetah Girls,” “Teen Beach Movie,” and more!

This event will also feature specially-themed food and snacks that will be available for purchase. Some items guests can look forward to tasting are mini banana burritos and tropical banana punch at Red Rose Taverne as well as chili cheese loaded nachos and s’mores donut skewers from Café Daisy.

See everything you need to know about the new Disney Channel Nite in our guide and read about the returning themes in our guide to Disneyland After Dark.

The Return of Fantasmic!

Fan-favorite nighttime spectacular Fantasmic! is set to return to Rivers of America at Disneyland in the spring of 2024! As this show has been closed since earlier in 2023 when the Maleficent dragon caught on fire, this will be a long-awaited return. Disney has recently shared some details about the show's return and announced that the relaunch will include the reintroduction of a classic scene in the show. However, they also stated that one scene that many visitors love will be replaced.

One thing we do know is that the infamous, fire-catching Maleficent dragon figure will not return with the show—for the time being, at least. It’s unclear whether it will ever be reincorporated into the show, but the company did hype up the crowd by noting that the return of Fantasmic! will include “exciting new magic.”

New Downtown Disney Restaurants

Get ready to feast your eyes—and your appetite—on new Downtown Disney restaurants in 2024! There are three new restaurants coming in 2024, and they all sound delicious. First up, we have Paseo and Céntrico, which will serve Mexican cuisine by Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytán. This new dining hot spot will occupy the space formerly held by Catal and Uva Bar. Next up, Din Tai Fung is coming to Downtown Disney to serve up its famous soup dumplings and noodles. This is a new location of the world-famous Chinese restaurant that originated in Taiwan and the menu features a wide range of amazing family-style Asian dishes. This restaurant will occupy a creative space near the new lawn pavilion. See our review of another one of Din Tai Fung's locations for an idea of what to expect!

Porto’s Bakery & Cafe is another exciting restaurant set to open at Downtown Disney. They will serve California-Cuban cheese rolls and pastries. This Southern California staple is going to take up the former spot of La Brea's Bakery, near the Esplanade. In the interim, a temporary Earl of Sandwich Co has been occupying this space but will eventually be moving to make way for Porto’s construction.

Finally, plans are underway for a food hall-style space coming to Downtown Disney called Parkside Market, which will offer a large variation of food, such as Korean rice bowls, fried chicken sandwiches, and coffee. This food hall will occupy a brand new 11,000 square-foot building.

Haunted Mansion Area Expansion

This iconic ride opened at Disneyland Resort in 1969, and in 2024, it’s set to get a bit of an upgrade! The queue of Haunted Mansion is going to get a makeover starting in January of the new year. Concept art surrounding the update to the popular attraction shows that there will be an expanded outdoor queue that will further immerse guests in the theming of the ride.

This slated expansion looks like it will extend the gates of the attraction past where the extended queue area typically exists, which sits adjacent to the attraction itself. This should allow for a much easier flow of traffic in New Orleans Square when the line for Haunted Mansion is at its longest.

Perhaps the most exciting part of this queue enhancement is that it will bring stories of Haunted Mansions’ original building to the forefront. The story goes that the mansion was originally built by a prosperous sea captain with the mansion's staff faithfully maintaining the grounds. Beyond incorporating this origin story, the queue will have new gardens that are inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota, and the one-eyed cat. These gardens promise to be beautiful and eye-catching additions, with elements such as a water fountain, gazebo, themed statuary, and gorgeous landscaping.

The expansion will also add a new retail shop adjacent to the attraction’s exit, improve the accessibility of the area by adding an elevator exit from the attraction for guests with disabilities, and make enhancements to the plaza adjacent to Tiana's Palace. See everything you need to know about the Haunted Mansion expansion and the extended Haunted Mansion closure.

Paradise Pier Hotel Re-themed to Pixar Place Hotel

One of the few hotels on Disneyland property is getting a massive makeover! Paradise Pier Hotel is being rethemed into the Pixar Place Hotel, complete with new food options and a “Finding Nemo’’ splash area for the kids. You will find different elements of Pixar around the hotel, including Pixar artwork and fun decorations like the iconic Luxo lamp and ball in the lobby. The Pixar Place Hotel will feature reimagined guest rooms, a new sit-down restaurant with legendary breakfast, and more, and its transformation will be officially complete on January 30, 2024.

See all details about the reimagining in our guide to the Pixar Place Hotel!

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

This family-friendly attraction is the newest addition to Toontown! This dark ride, led by Engineer Goofy, will take you through the zany cartoon world of Mickey and Minnie. The lobby of the theater (queue) has a collection of different movie props and memorabilia from Mickey’s movie career. The queue brings you to the world “prem-ear’’ of Mickey and Minnie’s latest cartoon short at the El-CapiTOON theater called “Perfect Picnic.” See our review of the ride for details and everything you need to know!

The ride offers a Genie+ Lightning Lane option, and it also has a standby lane for guests to take advantage of, with waits usually averaging between 20-40 minutes (though they can be longer during more crowded seasons). Make sure to plan accordingly, as this ride may close to accommodate fireworks performances.

Pacific Wharf Becomes San Fransokyo

In Disney’s California Adventure Park, Pacific Wharf has been reimagined into San Fransokyo from the movie Big Hero 6. This new area, inspired by San Fransisco and Tokyo, includes a reimagined dining area, the dazzling San Fransokyo Gate Bridge that connects San Fransokyo Square to the Paradise Gardens park obelisk, a character meet-and-greet area where guests can meet Baymax, new food options, and shopping to enjoy! See some of our favorite San Fransokyo Square foods that we would recommend

For more details about the backstory of this new land, check out our article on the transformation of Pacific Wharf into San Fransokyo.

NEW Tiana's Palace Restaurant

 

Tiana's Palace, a brand new dining location replacing French Market in New Orleans Square, is themed to Princess and the Frog and offers Creole and Cajun cuisine. The quick service restaurant offers foods like House Filled Beignets with lemon filling, Gulf Shrimp and Grits, House Gumbo and 7 Greens Gumbo, Beef Po'boy Sandwich, and more. The restaurant features a beautiful sign that comes alive at night with several twinkling lights!

You can see the full menu and our thoughts on the new foods offered in our guide to Tiana's Palace.

Re-Imagined Mickey’s Toontown

Mickey’s Toontown was recently reimagined! This area features Chip'n' Dale’s GADGETcoaster, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, and the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad. Toontown also features CenTOONial park, which includes a vibrant fountain and play area with a tree that was inspired by Walt’s childhood “daydreaming tree” in Missouri.

You can also meet Mickey and Minnie at their houses, and kids can explore Goofy's interactive How-To-Play-Yard that takes you on an adventure through his home. At Donald’s Duck Pond, there is a splash area for younger children to enjoy. You will also be able to meet some new friends in Toontown like Pete and Clarabelle Cow!

Toontown has two different food options, Cafe Daisy and Good Boy! Grocers, and a merchandise location to purchase souvenirs. There is a lot to do and explore, so check out our full guide on navigating Toontown and its new additions. 

Avengers Campus

Calling all superheroes! There is a recently added land in Disney California Adventure Park, Avengers Campus, that will allow you to meet your favorite Marvel characters, with various numerous superhero sightings throughout the day. You can meet Iron Man, say hi to Black Panther, and even find Loki misbehaving.  The Dora Milaje army comes out to perform, and you may even see Spiderman hanging out near WEB SLINGERS: a Spiderman Adventure!

For dining, you will find Shawarma food stands, Pym’s Test Kitchen, and Pym’s Tasting Lab. There are two rides located at Avengers Campus: WEB SLINGERS: a Spider-Man Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! Both of these rides are very popular, so I would recommend going to ride one at rope drop and picking out a lightning lane on Genie+ for the other. 

To make the most of your trip, be sure to check out our review of everything to see and experience at Avengers Campus.

New Rides at Disneyland! Everything Coming in 2023 and Beyond

Beyond this list of new things at Disneyland, there is a whole set of new Disneyland rides planned for the next couple of years. We have an article looking forward and tracking all of the new rides and attractions planned for Disneyland. From a new Marvel-themed massive E-Ticket ride in Avengers Campus to the retheme of Splash Mountain into Princess and the Frog, there are tons of exciting new projects. You can also see more on new rides at Disney World in Florida here.

Top 10 Disneyland Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home

Do you ever crave a Dole-Whip or a delicious Mickey-shaped pretzel but your next Disneyland trip will not be for a while? You can make some of these delicious treats at home. We've compiled the top 10 Disneyland copycat recipes for you to experience the Disney magic right from your kitchen!

Does Disneyland Serve Alcohol?

During your Disneyland day, a mid-afternoon or evening libation can be the perfect, magical way to relax. In our guide to alcohol at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, we'll discuss the various spots that offer alcoholic drinks at the parks and which we recommend for quick stops and fine dining.

Which Airport to Use Flying Into Disneyland

If you're traveling a long distance for your Disneyland trip, you want your experience to be as smooth as possible so you can get right to enjoying the magic! Read our guide on flying to Disneyland to find out which airport we recommend and learn about the best transportation options. You can also read about the best hotels near Disneyland here.

The post what's new at Disneyland in 2023 was produced by Mickey Visit.