‘Avatar’ Land Coming to Disney California Adventure, Concept Art Revealed

Disney has finally confirmed that the Disneyland Resort “Avatar” experience Disney CEO Bob Iger announced over a year ago will be a boat ride.

‘Avatar’ Boat Ride

A large audience watches a detailed fantasy landscape image on a big screen during a presentation. A person, looking like an avatar from the vibrant world on display, stands on stage below the screen, with an orchestra to the side.

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced the ride at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

The experience will further explore the world of Pandora.

While Pandora—The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is based on Oscar-winner James Cameron’s “Avatar” film, this new destination draws inspiration from “Avatar: The Way of Water” and upcoming Avatar films to bring Pandora to life in a brand-new way.

Imagineer Ali Rubinstein joined Josh on stage to dive deeper into the new space including how guests will go on the adventure of a lifetime in search of majestic natural wonders that can only be found on Pandora and the beauty – and danger – that come along with the journey. This new and thrilling excursion will bring all the action, excitement, and wonder of Avatar, taking guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora. 

This is going to be a dynamic, intense and emotional experience on a grand scale that we know our guests will love. Ready to explore this breathtaking experience worthy of these epic stories? 

“At Disney Experiences, Imagineers dream, create, design and build these stories into real places. And we have Imagineers in place right now all around the world because everything we’re going to share with you is in active development. Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’re going to hear tonight.”

The boat ride will be in Disney California Adventure, utilizing some existing space in Hollywood Land and some space not currently in the park. It’s rumored to use the same ride system as Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Shanghai Disneyland, making it different from Na’vi River Journey in the Florida land.

Disneyland Resort Avatar experience concept art

Iger announced an “Avatar” experience for Disneyland Resort in early 2023. D23 said it would be “as amazing” as Pandora – The World of Avatar in Walt Disney World. Disney remained secretive about the exact nature of the “experience” and its location. At the November IAAPA Expo, a Disney representative said it would be located at Disney California Adventure but Disney later stated a location had not been announced. In an apparent slip of the tongue, Iger called the experience a “land” but Disney backtracked on that as well.

In February, “Avatar” producer Jon Landau shared a photo of himself at Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters, stating he was “talking about the future.” Landau sadly passed away a few months later but D’Amaro confirmed he worked on the “Avatar” experience for Disney California Adventure.

Disney shared the above concept art of the “Avatar” experience during the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

There have been two “Avatar” films and three more are in the works. The title and concept art for “Avatar 3” were just released. Pandora – The World of Avatar opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2017.

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