New Avatar Attraction Coming to Disney California Adventure

Straight from the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney has confirmed that the world of Avatar is growing here on Earth. The Disney California Adventure park will expand and become home to a new Avatar-themed area which draws inspiration from Avatar: The Way of Water and the other upcoming sequels (Avatar 3 recently confirmed its title as Avatar: Fire and Ash). Described as “a dynamic, intense and emotional experience,” the new area will not only allow guests to not only explore Pandora’s ecosystems but send them on a ride that lets them see the seas and all the beasts that live there, such as the whale-like Tulkun.

“We’re taking our guests to a whole new location on Pandora as all of you know our land in Florida is set in a rainforest amongst the floating mountains in the Mo’ara Valley which to me feels just like we’re stepping into the first Avatar film, “Ali Rubenstein, Executive Global Management-Creative Development, Walt Disney Imagineering said on stage at the event. “Our new destination we’re inspired by the second movie The Way of Water well as the upcoming Fire and Ash, and future Avatar films. It will be at a scale and at a level that is worthy of these epic stories one thing I’m particularly looking forward to is an innovative new attraction that will bring all the action all the excitement and all the wonder of Avatar to life in a completely new and thrilling way.”

She continued, “We’ll invite our guests to take the adventure of a lifetime as we join an excursion in search of majestic natural wonders that can only be found on Pandora. Along the way we’ll discover dense forests full of incredible animals and bioluminescent Flora taking us all the way to the wide open seas of Pandora but while this world can be beautiful if we lose our way it can also be dangerous. this is going to be a dynamic intense and emotional experience on a grand scale that we know our guests, all of you, are going to love.”

Just before the new Pandora expansion for Disney’s California Adventure was revealed however, a special tribute was made to Avatar series producer Jon Landau, who passed away on July 5th of this year. 

“I just want to take a moment to recognize one member of the Lightstorm team, Jon Landau, who passed away last month,” Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro. “As the producer of both Avatar films, John was instrumental in helping Disney Imagineers bring Pandora to life. John helped us create our Avatar theme land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom I actually had the chance to work closely with him as we developed that land and I was so fortunate to experience his passion and creativity firsthand. John loved the Disney Parks he loved working with Imagineersand cast members and he was so excited to be working with Imagineers on our next Avatar experience.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 19, 2025.