Disney is hard at work creating new experiences at its theme parks around the world, but at the company’s original theme park, Disneyland, there are plenty of exciting things happening. In fact, over the past year, the park celebrated its 70th anniversary, and now it’s ready to look into the future of the parks, resorts, and shopping district.
During Disney’s biennial D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, executives and creative teams laid out the plans for new attractions and experiences coming to the Disneyland Resort. The Disney Experiences panel was filled with news, touching both theme parks, and even a few surprise announcements few saw coming. So, if you’re wondering what your next Disneyland trip may look like, keep reading. These are the new and returning experiences coming to “The Happiest Place on Earth” over the next few years.
Beloved entertainment will return in 2027
Starting in summer 2027, the popular Magic Happens parade will once again make its way down Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park. This is my favorite Disney parade, and I’m so excited that it’s returning to the entertainment lineup.
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Additionally, two nighttime entertainment offerings are returning to the iconic resort. The first is Remember…Dreams Come True, a fireworks show that will light up the night sky at Disneyland Park. The show is being refreshed for its debut in February 2027, including projections on Sleeping Beauty Castle, down Main Street, U.S.A., at the Rivers of America, and on the facade of “it’s a small world.” The nighttime show originally debuted during Disneyland’s 50th anniversary and will still feature an introduction from Julie Andrews.
Over at Disney California Adventure, the original World of Color will return in February 2027, with a few updates. Disney has not shared what those updates are, but I can’t wait to be around the lagoon watching the massive water screens and fountains come to life each night.
Avengers Campus is expanding
Originally announced at the 2024 D23 event, the expansion at Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus is finally becoming clearer. The land’s expanded footprint will include two new attractions, both opening in 2028.
The biggest of the two attractions will be called Avengers: Infinity Defense. The ride will feature plenty of Marvel stars reprising their superhero roles, including Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. The main storyline of the ride will be recruits (park guests) reassembling the Avengers to battle King Thanos. The ride will feature practical sets and media scenes to go across the galaxy and back with some of the Avengers.
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The other new ride coming to Avengers Campus is Stark Flight Lab. On the new attraction, two people per ride vehicle will sit in what Disney is calling “gyro-kinetic pods” to learn what it’s like to fly like an Avenger. Some actors reprising their roles for the attraction include Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, and Brie Larson as Captain Marvel.
Coco is coming to Disney California Adventure
At D23 in 2024, Disney announced its plans to build a Coco-inspired ride at Disney California Adventure, and now the creative teams are sharing more details. The first-ever Coco ride at any Disney park will be a nod to Coco and the upcoming Coco 2, with the storyline taking place about one year after the events of the original movie.
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The ride will be located at the park’s Pixar Pier area, and the queue will begin next to the already operating Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind attraction. The slow-moving boat ride will have guests traveling through Miguel’s memories of the Land of the Dead, and lean into the music, emotion, and Mexican culture of the franchise. Even better, the ride will not have a height requirement, so everyone in the family can enjoy the upcoming attraction.
Tomorrowland will undergo a major refresh
One of Disneyland’s original lands is Tomorrowland, but over the past handful of years, fans have really begun to talk about how the land doesn’t feel like a peek into the future. Well, Disney has listened, and a full refresh of Tomorrowland is in the works. Disney says the new iteration of the classic land will “honor the legacy of the original land while reimagining its future.”
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The new Tomorrowland will feature new attractions, though Disney didn’t share details on what these would be, plus more open spaces for families to enjoy some downtime inside the park.
What order will the new attractions debut?
Besides the returning entertainment starting in 2027, Disney has announced the order these new attractions and experiences will debut. The first priority is the Avengers Campus expansion, set to open in 2028. Then Coco will open, followed by the Tomorrowland refresh. After Tomorrowland, the Avatar experience coming to Disney California Adventure will come to life. Disney did not share much about the Avatar ride replacing Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue.
