Disney California Adventure in Anaheim will soon offer a new oceanic world inspired by the "Avatar" franchise. At a recent D23 Disney fan event, Disneyland unveiled physical models and new details about the upcoming attraction, which will draw heavily from "Avatar: The Way of Water" and future installments.
This new land will differ from the Avatar experience at Walt Disney World in Florida, which features the floating mountains of the Valley of Mo’ara from the 2009 film. The California version is designed as a coastal biome, with towering, wave-like rock formations and a central cascading waterfall that blends an alien forest with a large aquatic environment.
The centerpiece of the expansion will be a boat attraction. Disney Imagineering displayed a model of the ride vehicle, which is described as a large, open-air boat with six rows of seating, each designed to accommodate four to five guests. The attraction is expected to have a high capacity.
The ride will incorporate both indoor and outdoor segments, guiding guests through tranquil encounters with Pandoran sea creatures before venturing into the planet’s open seas. The Avatar expansion is slated to eventually occupy the Hollywood Backlot area, currently home to "Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!" Disney has confirmed that the existing "Monsters, Inc." ride will remain operational until at least 2027 as construction progresses on the new land.