“Disneyland will never be finished,” Walt Disney once provided for. “It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination in the world.” With the original Disney theme park is celebrating his 70th birthday this year, there's plenty of new growth on the way—both at Disneyland in California and at the 53-year-old Walt Disney World in Florida.
So what comes next? From new rides to new lands to massive park expansions, here everything new is coming to Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line this year and beyond.
Disneyland's 70th Birthday Celebration
Kicking off in mid-May is the celebration of Disneyland's 70th anniversary since its opening on July 17, 1955.
'Celebrate Happy' is the theme and new events will include a Mickey and Friends Cavalry, projection shows at It's a Small World and Carthay Circle, Mickey and Friends clothing, a World of Color Happiness show and the first ever Walt Disney Audio Animatronics himself, as part of the Walt Disney: A Magical Life show at the Main Street Opera House. The Paint the Night Parade, Pixar Pals Parade and Wondrous Journeys Fireworks will also return.
The 70th celebration begins on May 16, 2025.
Two more Avengers ride in California Adventure
Avengers Infinity Defense ride.
Disney's California Adventure, which is already home to the Spider-Man Web Slingers and Guardians of the Galaxy attractions in Avengers campus area of the park, will be obtained two more Marvel attractions.
The Avengers campus will double in size to make room for Avengers Infinity Defense — a Ride of King Thanos where you'll travel across the multiverse between Asgard, Wakanda and New York City to fight him — and Stark Flight Lab, where you'll sit in a two-person pod and go on a flight with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.
Construction begins in 2025 on additions to the Avengers campus.
Coco's ride on the California adventure
Concept art for the new Coco ride.
Disney's California Adventure isn't just getting more Avengers — it's getting more Pixar, too.
A Coco attraction will be built in a yet-to-be-announced part of the park, but it sounds like it will be a dark ride like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, complete with audio animatronics.
“The attraction will be filled with characters — and music!” — you know and love from the beloved movie, as you join Miguel on a journey to the land of the dead,” says Disney.
Work on the Coco ride begins in 2026, so it's still a long way off.
Bluey comes to both resorts
Meet and greet Bluey and her family will be coming to Disneyland and Disney World, as well as on Disney cruises, starting in 2025.
“Bluey has become a household name for families around the world, and we're thrilled to bring her story to life in new ways,” said Josh D'Amaro, president of the Disney Experience. “We can't wait to see our youngest guests and their families make memories with Bluey at our parks and on our cruises.”
On very popular The Australian TV series about a dog family is a worldwide hit, and Disney will release the film in two years. (In the meantime, you can watch Blue minisodes on Disney Plus.)
Avatar is coming to Anaheim
An aerial shot of the upcoming Avatar-themed area at the Disneyland Resort.
On the world of Pandora is expanding from Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando to California Adventure in Anaheim. The California area will take its design inspiration from second Avatar movie, Water Road.as well as the upcoming Avatar sequels.
It will probably be part of a huge expansion of Disneyland is coming to theme parks that will push the boundaries past Downtown Disney and nearby parking lots. While Disney didn't have details or dates, the Avatar experience will be “dynamic, intense and emotional,” with a dark Pirates of the Caribbean-like ship ride “taking guests to the wide open seas of Pandora.”
The villains land in the magic kingdom
Disney's magical kingdom of the world is getting a land of villains.
Land of villainswhich will celebrate all the classic Disney movie baddies, is coming to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida, and will be “dark and gritty,” according to the Horizons Disney Experiences exhibit (part of Disney's D23 Expo in August) and information that Disney has released since then.
Villains Land was teased during D23 before 2022 and now confirmed. It will be positioned on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain – ie. edge of the current Magic Kingdom map – and will extend around to where the haunted palace is.
Two major attractions will be built in Villainland, as well as dining and shopping “on an incredibly twisted grand scale.” The land is already under construction, but there is no word yet on when it will open.
A scary trailer as the chaotic land of Instagram hints at the elements of the land represented by Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Gaston, Ysma, Queen of Hearts, Hades, The Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, Captain Hook, Jafar, Kaa, Mistress Mim, Cruella, Scar, King Magnifico and Mother Gothel.
Pixar's Cars area takes over Rivers of America
The new drive for rally cars.
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer's Island in the Magic Kingdom have been repurposed to include a new area themed around Pixar's Cars movies. This Frontierland expansion, which currently includes Tiana's Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attractions, will see it get a Route 66 companion.
“To make way for this brand new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrain for a rally race featuring some of the world's most famous racers,” Disney's blog post on Monday said.
The rally ride will take you through mountains, geysers and trails, Disney said, adding that there will also be a second Cars-themed attraction. Cars Land, which was added to Disney's California Adventure back in 2012, remains popular in the west, so it was only a matter of time before it was added in the east. Work should begin this year.
Monsters Inc. land in Hollywood Studios
Disney's first suspended roller coaster will take you on a ride through the Monsters Inc. factory.
Disney World is getting another new addition to its Hollywood Studios theme park: a Monsters Inc. themed areato replace the current Muppets area (with the Muppets replacing Aerosmith's theme in Rock 'n' Roller Coaster).
Revealed alongside Mike Wazowski himself, Billy Crystal, the land will let you walk through Monstropolis from the Pixar movies. The new ride will also take you through the Monsters Inc. Laugh Factory. on one of the doors to the human world — known as the hanging slide.
“The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride in one of those doors as Mike and Sally,” D'Amaro said at D23 in August. “You will enter the factory and experience the first ever suspended coaster at a Disney park. Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and blow them up to take them away? And we do that. And you go for a ride.''
Monsters Inc land work. will start in 2025.
Watch this: Disney Parks Announcements on D23
Tropical America in the animal kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World is replacing its Dinoland area in the US with Tropical America. While this was previously announced, Disney has confirmed a few more details: Pueblo Esperanza will feel like you're walking through an actual village and will feature a huge quick-service dining location, a fountain and a carousel.
Tropical America will also feature a new Indiana Jones ride through a Mayan temple and an Encanto-themed attraction where you'll explore Antonio's rainforest room at the Casita.
Construction began this fall and will open in 2027.
The Tropical America area will replace DinoLand USA and will feature an Encanto ride, an Indiana Jones ride and a carousel.
Four more Disney Cruise Line ships
Yes, four. In addition to A Disney wishwhich was launched two and a half years ago, on A Disney treasurewhich sails in December and Disney Destiny, which is set to sail this year, Disney is adding four more cruise ships on his vacation line on the ocean.
The ship's names and destinations have yet to be revealed, but they will set sail between 2027 and 2031.
Everything else new at Disney World and Disneyland
Mando and Grogu join the Millennium Falcon party.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland now open as of November 15, Critter Country has been rebranded as Bayou Country. The area still includes “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” and Davy Crockett's “Explorer Canoes,” as well as Pooh's Corner and Hungry Bear's BBQ Jamboree. Two merchandise stores have also opened, called Ray's Berets and Louis' Critter Club.
Disneyland and Hollywood Studios will add Mandalorian and Grogu missions to the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run ride in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
Epcot to open 'Test Track Reimagined' (now sponsored by GM) in 2025, which will celebrate “the past, present and future of automation”.
Animal Kingdom will replace its old show “It's Hard to Be Bugs” on the Tree of Life with a Zootopia-themed show. Zootopia: Better Zoogether will feature Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde leading you through several different areas of the city, opening next winter.
Magic Kingdom and Epcot are getting two new lounges: a pirate lounge and a Spaceship Earth lounge, respectively. They will be opened in 2025.
The Magic Kingdom will get a new nighttime parade in 2025.
Magic Kingdom is also getting a new show: Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After.