One of Disneyland’s biggest upcoming expansions just got pushed farther into the future.
Disney has confirmed a major change to its development timeline following D23 2026: the massive Avatar-themed land planned for Disney California Adventure is being pushed back, with Disney instead prioritizing its newly announced reimagining of Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park.
But before anyone starts mourning Pandora completely, there’s an important distinction here. The Avatar project has NOT been canceled.
It’s still planned for Disney California Adventure — Disney is simply changing when it intends to build it.
According to the updated development timeline, Disney California Adventure’s already-underway Avengers Campus expansion and Coco attraction remain ahead in the construction pipeline.
After those projects, however, Disney will turn its attention toward the major reimagining of Tomorrowland at Disneyland before moving forward with Pandora at Disney California Adventure.
Disneyland Resort President Jill Estorino explained the decision during D23, saying the company believes this order is the right way to deliver the projects for guests while allowing Disney to reimagine Tomorrowland and continue bringing new stories to Disney California Adventure over time.
That means the current order is essentially:
- Avengers Campus expansion
- Coco attraction
- Reimagined Tomorrowland
- Avatar-themed land
And that last project currently does not have a newly announced opening timeframe.
What Happens to Monsters, Inc.?
There’s another interesting side effect of this delay. Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! gets a longer lease on life.
The attraction currently occupies part of the area that will eventually be transformed for the Avatar expansion. Disney previously announced that the ride would remain open into 2027, but officials have now confirmed that it will stay open beyond early 2027 due to the Avatar project’s delay. An exact closing date has not been announced.
So if you weren’t ready to say goodbye to Mike and Sulley just yet, you’ve officially got some extra time
Perhaps the most important takeaway is that Disney hasn’t abandoned its plans for Pandora. In fact, Disney just displayed a physical model of the upcoming land at D23, reinforcing that the project remains part of the long-term plans for Disney California Adventure.
The change is all about timing and construction priority. And considering Disneyland just announced a substantial reimagining of one of its original lands, it appears Disney has decided that bringing a new future to Tomorrowland needs to happen before bringing Pandora to life across the Esplanade.
We’ll be watching closely for an updated construction timeline.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for the latest Disneyland expansion news, Tomorrowland updates, Avatar land developments, Disney California Adventure construction, and everything changing around Disneyland Resort.
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