What Will Disneyland Build First Now That Its $1.9 Billion Expansion Plan Has Been Approved?

Disneyland is expanding its horizons!

Now that Disney’s $1.9 billion expansion plan has been officially approved, fans can look forward to new additions coming soon to the Anaheim, California theme park. With a number of beloved franchises still missing from Disneyland, park guests may be wondering exactly what the company will start with first.

While it hasn’t been officially confirmed by Disney, the answer is likely new Avatar– thematic land.

Company CEO Bob Iger first teased the idea of Avatar “experience” coming to the California resort during Disney’s Q1 2023 earnings webcast in February 2023. The meeting follows a huge success Avatar: The Way of Waterwhich was published in December 2022.

Disney ‘Could Build 7 New Full Lands’ With Undeveloped Land Around Its Parks, CEO Bob Iger Says

Pandora – the world of avatars.

Steven Diaz/Disney Resorts via Getty

Iger later clarified that the “experience” will actually be the entire country during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference in March 2024.

“We have one Avatarheadquartered in Pandora, Florida. We’re going to put another one in California,” he said at the time. Disney World Pandora – The World of Avatar opened in 2017 at Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.

A month later, during the annual shareholder meeting in April, the company revealed the first “possible” rendering of the land, where guests will be able to fully immerse themselves in the magical world Avatar.

During the shareholder meeting, Iger called it “a first look at the creative inspiration for a possible new destination,” adding that “Imagineers have been hard at work.”

First look at Disneyland’s ‘possible’ new Avatar Land unveiled during shareholder meeting

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC

Also in April, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock confirmed that it is Avatar land was at the “top of the list” during a discussion of DisneylandForward’s proposal during an Anaheim City Council meeting, according to Orange County Register.

“We’ve all heard of Avatar an experience that is at the top of the list for the Disneyland Resort,” said Potrock. “But what we can do with this experience in terms of size and scope is inherently influenced by DisneylandForward.”

During Disney’s Q2 FY24 earnings results broadcast on May 7, Iger further teased that a new attraction is coming.

“We are incredibly excited about the many potential new stories our guests could experience at Walt’s original theme park, including the much-anticipated opportunity to bring Avatar to Disneyland,” he said during the webcast.

PEOPLE has reached out to Disney for comment on the possible new land, but has not yet heard back.

Disneyland can build new attractions up to 300 feet — their largest ever — if the new zoning is adopted

Disneyland entrance sign.

Collection Smith/Gado/Getty Images

DisneylandForward is a plan that calls for major development at the park, including new attractions, lands, lodging, entertainment, shopping and restaurants. The proposal, which promises not to expand the park’s area or square footage, had to go through multiple Anaheim City Council meetings to get final approval.

On March 11, the Anaheim City Council’s Planning Commission approved zoning and planning changes for the proposal, followed by the city council’s initial unanimous approval of the plan on April 17.

The May 7 city council vote officially marked the final approval for DisneylandForward to proceed. However, the changes cannot take effect for another 30 days after that, according to a news release from the city of Anaheim.

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Disney has committed to investing at least $1.9 billion over the next 10 years to make those changes happen within about four decades, according to the city of Anaheim’s official website.

Besides that AvatarDisney has teased the possibility of introducing other beloved themes at Disneyland, including Frozen, Coco, Black Panther, Tangled, Peter Pan, Zootopia, Toy Story and Throne.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education