Disneyland unveils jaw-dropping first look at massive new Avatar land

Anyone visiting Disney California Adventure in Anaheim will soon be able to experience a new oceanic world inspired by “Avatar.”

At the recent D23 Disney fan event, Disneyland offered new details about what the Avatar experience will look like, unveiling physical models of the planned attractions. 

The California version will be a very different kind of aquatic destination from its East Coast counterpart.

Unlike the Avatar experience at Walt Disney World in Florida, which features the floating mountains of the Valley of Mo’ara inspired by the 2009 film, Disney California Adventure’s version will draw heavily from “Avatar: The Way of Water” and upcoming films in the franchise.

An artist’s rendering shows the new Avatar experience coming to Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California. D23

The sprawling physical models of it showcased a coastal biome featuring towering, wave-like rock formations and a central cascading waterfall, blending an alien forest with a massive aquatic environment.

A detailed physical model of the oceanic Avatar experience coming to Disney California Adventure is displayed at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California. Disney Parks Blog
Sleeping Beauty Castle is seen at Disneyland on Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Anaheim, California. (GC Images) GC Images

At the heart of the new land will be a highly anticipated boat attraction. Disney Imagineering displayed a detailed model of the ride vehicle, revealing a large, open-air boat with six rows of seating. Each row appears designed to accommodate four to five guests, suggesting a high-capacity attraction built to handle Disneyland’s large crowds.

The ride will feature both indoor and outdoor portions, taking guests from tranquil encounters with Pandoran sea creatures to more intense moments in the planet’s open seas.

The Avatar expansion will eventually take over the Hollywood Backlot area currently occupied by “Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!”

Disney, however, confirmed that the classic ride will remain open into 2027 as construction continues elsewhere at the resort.

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