Avatar Experience Coming to the Disneyland Resort
During today’s Meeting of the Shareholders, Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, shared concept art of a potential new Avatar experience coming to the Disneyland Resort. No other details were shared about the concept art or the Avatar Experience besides stating that the new experience will allow guests to enter a new World of Pandora.
According to the concept art, the potential World of Pandora land at the Disneyland Resort would include mountains, waterfalls, and a new water attraction. If you look at the water area near the lower middle portion of the art, you will see some sort of raft or boat filled with guests. Of course, this is only concept art so if it is really hard to tell exactly what the experience will be. However, the concept art for the potential new land looks beautiful and the waterfall and rock work looks mesmerizing.
DisneylandForward
On April 16, 2024, the DisneylandForward project will go before the Anaheim City Council for a final vote of approval. If approved, Disney can move forward with their expansion plans for the Disneyland Resort and make the the potential Avatar experience a reality. Currently, the Disneyland Resort is land locked and most of the land that is available for development is zoned for either hotels and/or parking but not for theme park expansion. While Disney could still move forward with an Avatar experience, even one shown in the concept art shared today during the Shareholders Meeting, the actual location of the experience or any other theme park growth will depend on the the DisneylandForward vote in less than two weeks.
If approved, Disney plans to invest a minimum of $1.9 billion in expanding the Disneyland Resort and refreshing the existing infrastructure over the next 10 years. Disney will also contribute a total of $30 million to Anaheim’s Affordable Housing fund over the next five years, contribute $8 million to the City of Anaheim within one year of project approval to be used at the discretion of the City for City Park improvements or reinvestments and will contribute up to $10 million for upgrades to the Katella Avenue sewer infrastructure.
The company also has potential plans to construct pedestrian bridges over Harbor, build a potential new parking garage east of Harbor on Disney Way, new bike paths, and more. All of these contributions as well as the pedestrian and vehicle traffic upgrades can proceed following an approval vote from the Anaheim City Council on Tuesday, April 16.
You can learn more about the DisneylandForward project by visiting the City of Anaheim website.
That’s a Wrap!
I wrote a post recently about where the new Avatar land will be located, but after seeing this concept art, I really feel like the land may be constructed on one of the current parking lot areas near the Pixar Place Hotel or at the current Toy Story lot. I’m sure we will not be told the exact location until after the Anaheim City Council meeting on April 16. And it may even be weeks or months after the DisneylandForward project is approved before we are given more information. I feel like this is more of a D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event announcement. But, time will tell.
As always, I’ll “see ya real soon” Mouseketeers!
