This year’s D23 Expo was full of surprises and big announcements including the addition of Star Wars Lands at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, but there’s more than just Star Wars in the works.
Filmmakers James Cameron and Jon Landau shared some additional details about the new themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including the official name of the land – Pandora – The World of AVATAR. This area will include and E-ticket attraction, AVATAR Flight of Passage.
The Star Wars-themed lands at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland park will each be 14 acres in size and will transport guests to a never-before-seen planet with two signature attractions, including a mission on the Millennium Falcon.
Star Tours – The Adventure Continues will feature new locations and characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens starting later this year. And, the Star Wars Launch Bay interactive experience will open later this year at the Animation Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park.
This experience will take guests into Star Wars: The Force Awakens with characters, special merchandise, and food.
And starting in 2016, guests will be able to celebrate the Season of the Force, a new event on both coasts. In Disneyland guests can enjoy special entertainment, themed food locations, and a reimagining of Space Mountain into Hyperspace Mountain. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can enjoy a new fireworks show on weekend nights that is set to the Star Wars score.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also be home to Toy Story Land, a new 11-acre land that transports guests into Andy’s backyard. This area will include two new attractions in addition to an expansion of Toy Story Midway Mania. The attraction including a Slinky Dog-themed family roller coaster and an Alien saucers attraction.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will debut Rivers of Light next spring on Discovery River. Guests will also be able to enjoy Kilimanjaro Safaris after dark for the first time ever.
And in Epcot and Disney California Adventure, Soarin’ and Soarin’ Over California will be updated to Soarin’ Around the World sometime next year.
