A model of the Avatar experience in the Imagineering booth at the 2026 D23 Expo reveals the scale & scope of the Pandora land replacing the Hollywood Backlot (and more) in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort. This post features photos of the details, along with everything we know so far as this expansion.
Before looking at the model, let’s start with basic background from the 2024 D23 Expo (not a typo–two years ago) when the project was finally fleshed out and given concept art as part of that year’s Parks Panel. With this so-called “Avatar experience,” we’re venturing deeper into Pandora with a new destination at Disney California Adventure.
While Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is based on Oscar-winner James Cameron’s “Avatar” film, this new destination at Disneyland draws inspiration from “Avatar: The Way of Water” as well as other sequels to bring the world of Avatar to life in a brand-new way.
Back in 2024, Imagineer Ali Rubinstein joined Josh D’Amaro 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. The excursion will take guests in search of majestic natural wonders that can only be found on Pandora, discovering dense forests, and more along the way.
That announcement answered some questions, but many persisted. The biggest was the location, which was assumed to be the Hollywood Land Backlot. That was subsequently confirmed last summer. The new model helps further visual the layout of Pandora West thanks to the presence of the monorail on the far right side.
For reference, the Avatar experience won’t just be taking over the Hollywood Land Backlot and (mostly) unused soundstages. Thanks to the new Eastern Gateway (above) re-routing the Esplanade entrance and moving bus drop-off elsewhere, the rockwork-covered show building for this boat ride will basically be built where guests enter the Esplanade today.
This would seem to suggest that Pandora West or the Avatar Experience or Destination or whatever you want to call it will be oriented sideways. That would mean that the guest path faces the park entrance and the rockwork at the back of the land basically abuts Harbor Boulevard. I could be mistaken about this as I’m quite sleep-deprived at the moment, but that’s my read on the orientation of the land and model. It should be the little bit of building on the far left of the above concept art.
It’s also the one that makes the most sense, as it wouldn’t require re-routing the monorail or concealing its presence in an on-stage environment that’s supposed to be the lush landscape of Pandora. It’ll simply be hidden by virtue of its location along the backside of scenic elements, rockwork and (presumably) show buildings.
Let’s take a look at the Avatar experience model from the 2026 D23 Expo show floor:
The other good news when it comes to the Avatar experience is that the boats are massive, seating 5 guests per row with 6 rows. Without double-checking, this reminds me a lot of the high-capacity Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Shanghai Disneyland. Interesting.
That’s not the only recent boat ride to go with high-capacity seating. Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea also has boats like this for multiple attractions, and the newer Frozen rides in Hong Kong and Paris likewise accommodate more guests than the Maelstrom retrofit at EPCOT. High capacity boat rides are a big win, especially for high demand rides!
Otherwise, the biggest news from the Avatar experience model beyond the land’s orientation around the monorail and ride vehicles is its very existence. Previously, Pandora was thought to be on thin ice. Avatar appearing in model form at the 2026 D23 Expo addresses one of the biggest questions coming into the event…
Our Commentary
It’s been a long and winding road for the so-called Avatar Experience at Disneyland Resort.
As noted above, Disney’s big reveal of Pandora West came at the last D23 Expo in 2024, when multiple pieces of concept art were revealed during an on-stage presentation; a small model of the rockwork appeared thereafter in the Imagineering booth on the show floor.
Disney CEO Bob Iger first announced an Avatar “experience” coming to Disneyland back on February 8, 2023. Sure, we have new concept art, a specific park, and even a land within that park where it’ll be located. But we still don’t know a whole lot beyond that, over 3 years later.
Disney has now repeatedly stated that the new Avatar “destination” is still in “early development.” This suggests construction isn’t slated to start anytime soon–and never was. No changes; nothing to see here. The project will likely reach its 4th anniversary without visible progress having been made.
The most recent “development” was that the Avatar Experience still appeared on a slide about future projects Disney released during its August 2026 earnings call. That followed months of chatter that Zootopia was replacing Pandora, a narrative the spread like wildfire, and was being treated as a foregone conclusion. Despite this, we still have yet to hear a single credible rumor to support this. It is, as before, purely speculative!
That slide certainly suggests that Avatar hasn’t been axed, but we didn’t view it as conclusive. There’s a lot in there that’s inaccurate or outdated, and it’s meant to illustrate the scale of the monetary investment, not be an exhaustive or complete picture of projects.
Accordingly, one of the entries in our 12 Things Disney Will (and Won’t) Announce for Disneyland was “Avatar Axed or Affirmed.” Here’s what we wrote:
As an “only good news” event, it’s unlikely that the company is going to state, outright “Avatar is dead.” But one way or another, we’ll be able to read between the lines and know where Avatar stands after the Parks Panel. If Disney announces Zootopia for DCA “by popular demand” or as a result of “listening to feedback from our fans,” that will mean Avatar is dead. If Avatar is not mentioned except in passing, that will mean Avatar is dead. Conversely, if extensive time is devoted to it, that will (obviously) mean it’s happening.
Even before the Parks Panel, this ‘Avatar Experience’ model in the “Imagineering: Horizons” pavilion on the show floor of the 2026 D23 Expo most definitely affirms the Avatar land project. At least, for now. Timelines being what they are for this and other projects, it’s still on “cancellation watch.”
This model will certainly put the Zootopia “rumors” to rest, at least for another 6 months or so. However, as previously discussed, we’re still not expecting construction to even begin on Pandora West until after Eastern Gateway comes online (or is in the home stretch of construction), so the rumors will almost assuredly resurface in the next two years when there’s minimal movement on the project.
That also gives Disney time to reevaluate and quietly cancel the project with a bit of cover, should they so desire. What else, if anything, is announced for Disneyland Resort during the 2026 D23 Horizons Parks Panel will be a tell. If there’s a lot in addition to what’s already on the table, perhaps that hints at Pandora still being on thin ice. But for now, this model firmly affirms that the Avatar Experience is happening.
As previously discussed, there are a few valid reasons for the uncertainty around the Avatar Experience, even after Disney has shared more, beyond just the distant timeline that pushes Pandora’s opening into the 2030s.
The first is how Avatar: Fire and Ash performed at the box office. Although I find the “Avatar is actually unpopular” narrative to be exhausting, we can’t help but point out that the franchise has had diminishing returns, especially at the domestic box office. How it’s performing in China is irrelevant at a park where over half of guests come from California.
The second is that Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke off-the-cuff about the Pandora expansion at Disneyland way back in 2023, announcing a project that was not in active development at Imagineering. Or at least, wasn’t ready for a reveal. That they’ve been scrambling since to figure out something, and that process isn’t fast.
The third was the CEO change that happened earlier this year, when Josh D’Amaro took over from Iger. In 11 Great Changes Josh D’Amaro Could Make at Walt Disney World for Big Wins as New CEO, we discussed how it’s common for CEOs to make major changes to set the tone and legacy build. Of the projects that are underway, Avatar is the most obvious candidate for that. We’ve gone on to discuss how Zootopia would be a savvy switch for several reasons, from logistics to costs to fan reception.
The final possibility, and the one that strikes me as most likely, is that Pandora is really-for-real project that will come to fruition, but won’t open until 2031 or later. Because the second point above is probably accurate, and because work can’t begin in earnest until Eastern Gateway gets going. Equally significant, since Pandora involves outside input from known perfectionist James Cameron.
We’ve more or less been down this road before with Pandora – World of Avatar at Walt Disney World. It was announced very early in development, nothing happened for a few years, fans assumed it was cancelled, and then the full reveal happened. It was built as announced and is still a smash sensation, almost a decade later.
To that and a couple of these points, Disney recently shared during an earnings call that Pandora – World of Avatar is the #1 ranked land at Walt Disney World in terms of guest satisfaction. (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is #1 at Disneyland.) From that perspective alone, it makes sense that Disney would want to build a lavish version of Pandora – World of Avatar in DCA.
Ultimately, our assumption is that Disney is going to bet big on Pandora West. That it’ll feature a blockbuster attraction utilizing the same ride system as Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Shanghai Disneyland. For one thing, the concept art suggests as much. It looks like a land that’ll rival the Animal Kingdom version, just with different twists–and a potentially better headliner attraction.
For another thing, the approval of DisneylandForward comes with a requirement that Disney invest at least $1.9 to $2.5 billion over the course of the next decade. Beyond that, investing in Disneyland pays dividends, as the parks have been busier than ever and consistently crowded since reopening. Even more so than Walt Disney World. Part of that is obviously demographics, but Disneyland clearly has room to grow as a bona fide tourist destination.
There’s also the simple reality that you never bet against James Cameron. Everyone’s always saying that Avatar is a “forgettable” franchise, and yet, everyone also goes to see the movies and the rides have long lines, so it kinda seems like it’s also popular. Going big on Avatar at Disney California Adventure just makes sense, even if this seems to be the project about which Disneyland fans are least excited (for now…let’s revisit that enthusiasm once if/when it opens!).
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of Disneyland Resort getting Pandora West? What ride system do you think this innovative attraction will utilize? Excited for the prospect of the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure technology making its way stateside? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
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