Summary
- A newly announced Avatar expansion at Disneyland’s California Adventure Park incorporates future franchise lore, including from
Avatar: Fire & Ash
. - As the company learns from the handling of past IP expansions, Disneyland should be able to future-proof the design of their new Avatar park.
- Despite challenges, Disneyland’s new Avatar park will showcase Imagineering might.
The wilds of Pandora are brought to Earth, as Disneyland is developing an incredible Avatar expansion for their California Adventure park at D23, complete with connections to the franchise’s upcoming installments. James Cameron’s visually stunning sci-fi hit returned in 2023 with Avatar: The Way of Water, and is expected to continue when the upcoming Avatar: Fire & Ash takes viewers to less stable and hospitable regions of Pandora. With the third film having already finished filming and entered the post-production phase, a fourth and fifth movie are in early development and will bring the franchisee to a bleak depiction of Earth’s future.
While the D23 Disney Entertainment Showcase explored the future of Cameron’s sci-fi epic on screen, Screen Rant was present when it was revealed that a huge Avatar expansion will be brought to the Disneyland California Adventure park. While the franchise’s original Florida presence depicts the rainforest and floating mountains of the first movie, the new park will explore the regions featured in Avatar: The Way of Water and future installments. Alongside grand recreations of Pandora’s biomes, a new immersive boat ride will also be developed that places guests into the action.
Avatar Is Avoiding Past IP Park Pitfalls
Early Development Is Considering The Franchise’s Future
Though Avatar has proven itself as an asset for Disney with Avatar: The Way of Water’s box-office success, viewers may be left waiting for some time to walk among the shimmering seas and volcanic peaks of Pandora for themselves. With D23 bringing only an announcement and glimpses at concept art for the expansion, it is clear that the park may not be open until closer to, or potentially after, the release of Avatar: Fire & Ash. However, it is clear the corporation is taking on the lessons of past expansions, both successful and failed in constructing the park.
Related
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Disneyland in Anaheim is divided into nine themed lands, the best of which include Fantasyland, New Orleans Square, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
As seen with Disneyland’s handling of their Avengers Campus locations and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge parks, the Imagineers behind each park are capable of creating a theme park experience that fully immerses a guest within their source material. However, each park also bears the difficult caveat of being restricted to a specific location or setting from their franchise, with the hard work of cast members in costume helping keep the park up to date with new releases. However, with the Avatar California expansion incorporating yet-to-be-seen lore from far-off installments into its development, the expansion is future-proofing itself from similar pitfalls.
While past Disneyland IP developments have for the most part been successful, Disneyland’s California Avatar expansion is sure to be a challenge. Cameron’s worlds pushed digital visual effects forward and left viewers stunned, which means it’ll be no easy task bringing them to life. However, with insight into where viewers will visit Pandora in the near future and plenty of experience, the new expansion could stand out as a marvel of Imagineering might once it opens its doors.
Avatar 3
Avatar 3 is the third entry in James Cameron’s five-movie franchise set in the fictional world of Pandora. Following Jake Sully and Neytiri’s first encounter in 2009’s Avatar and Colonel Miles Quaritch’s retaliation in 2022’s The Way of Water, Avatar 3 sees the Na’vi heroes come across a fire Na’vi tribe known as the Ash People.
- Release Date
- December 19, 2025
- Studio(s)
- 20th Century
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century