The World of Pandora was presented as an enticing prospect within the $1.9 billion DisneylandForward proposal, which received approval from the Anaheim City Council in early May.
The DisneylandForward plan, which has been long on promises but short on specifics during its three-year approval process, is finally taking shape. The first project set to begin is a themed land based on the World of Pandora.
During the MoffettNathanson Media and Communications Summit on Wednesday, May 15, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that an Avatar-themed land is coming to the Disneyland Resort.
“We have just received approval from the city of Anaheim for the largest expansion of Disneyland since DCA opened in 2001,” Iger announced during the summit. “It’s a massive expansion. We haven’t provided many details about what will be included, except for Avatar.”
Earlier in May, the Anaheim City Council unanimously approved the $1.9 billion DisneylandForward proposal. This plan updates a 1990s city blueprint to allow for a mix of theme park, hotel, retail, dining, and entertainment on the eastern and western edges of the Disneyland Resort. The newly approved plan will go into effect in early June.
The idea of an Avatar-themed land was suggested as an exciting possibility during the extended DisneylandForward presentation. The proposal also mentioned potential themed lands based on Tangled, Frozen, Peter Pan, Zootopia, Toy Story, Black Panther, Coco, Tron, and Encanto as future expansion projects in Anaheim.
Iger has been hinting at an “exciting Avatar experience” for the Disneyland Resort since February 2023.
Concept art released in April for the proposed Avatar-themed land at the Disneyland Resort depicts towering rocks and floating mountains surrounded by gushing geysers and alien flora. A boat filled with riders can be seen navigating through an aqua-green lagoon heading toward a cascading waterfall. Iger described the concept art as “creative inspiration” for a potential Avatar experience being designed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Disney’s creative team is collaborating with “Avatar” filmmaker James Cameron on the new land.
The 12-acre Pandora – The World of Avatar themed land, which debuted in 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, features the $2.3 billion film franchise’s iconic floating mountains and bioluminescent plants. The land includes the Avatar Flight of Passage 3D flight simulator, Na’vi River Journey water ride, Satu’li Canteen quick-service restaurant, and Windtraders gift shop.
