What’s New at Disneyland and California Adventure?

If you’re heading to Disneyland Resort this year or next, then you’re in for a treat. From new things in the parks to years’ worth of events, there is plenty you’ll want to know before you go! Whether this is just another Disneyland trip or your annual family vacation, here  are all the things that are New at Disneyland Park, California Adventure Park and Downtown Disney. 

With the completion of San Fransokyo Square over in Disney’s California Adventure Park, and the new Pixar Place Hotel up and running, there are plenty of reasons to head to the parks. Because while amazing things like the new Haunted Mansion area in Disneyland, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure are arriving this year, there is even more on the way as a result of the NEW Disney Parks Announcements from the D23EXPO. And that doesn’t even include the most recent things that were New at Disneyland. Things like Tiana’s Palace Restaurant and the Hungry Bear Menu changes in Disneyland Park. Or the new Downtown Disney restaurants; Din Tai Fung, Tiendita, Centricos and Paseo. Let’s dive into all the things happening at Disneyland Resort, from annual events, to new rides, and future plans with the DisneylandForward Project. We’ll be tracking all the new things at Disneyland Resort here. 

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland 

New at Disneyland, in a much-needed refresh, Splash Mountain is set to transform into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. This Princess and the Frog re-imagining of Splash Mountain turns this boat ride into a bayou-focused ride featuring Princess Tiana, Mama Odie, and friends. Recreating a New Orleans Mardi Gras experience this ride includes jazz music, bayou culture, familiar faces from Princess and the Frog, and more. This new ride features Tiana, Naveen, and Louis the alligator preparing to host a Mardi Gras Celebration. This ride picks up where the movie left off. Opens November 15, 2024

Princess and the Frog Gift Shops in Critter Country

Coming in 2024, Disneyland’s Critter Country gets two NEW gift shops, Ray’s Berets and Louis’ Critter Club! Both will be close to the attraction, and open around the same time. Offering a variety of goods, apparel, accessories and home decor you can see Princess and the Frog elements featuring Ray, Louis, Tiana, and more! 

Haunted Mansion Area Expansion at Disneyland

Another area that is New at Disneyland, can be found in the Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou area. Featuring a brand new gift shop and garden area, the Haunted Mansion Expansion project is completing soon. Each of the new gardens will feature a unique element ranging from a water fountain and gazebo to themed statuary and landscaping. A new space will allow for guests to see the greenhouse where the groundskeepers for the Haunted Mansion grow their plants, from the queue line. The pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse will continue to reside on the attraction’s grounds. We’re most excited about this expansion just in time for Halloween at Disneyland, complete with the Haunted Mansion Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. 

Disney’s Wonderful World of Sweets at Downtown Disney

Taking over the Marceline’s Confectionery you can head to this new sweet shop for churro toffee, caramel apples, sour balls, lollipops, and more. Plus, Werther’s Caramel popcorn, being made fresh in the kitchen! Coming Winter 2024. 

Super Cute Kawaii Slime Cart at Downtown Disney

Add more cute to your creations, with any of these slime concoctions. With tons of options, like glitter mix-ins, textures and many different colors, there are a bunch of things for kids here. Coming Fall 2024

Steakhouse Restaurant at Downtown Disney

Taking over the Tortilla Jo’s location at Downtown Disney, you can soon sink your teeth into a whole new steakhouse experience. Offering an upscale feel, this one replaces Steakhouse 55 as Disney’s on property steakhouse. Chef Joe Isidori pulls together  a menu highlighting beef, chops, fresh seafood, sandwiches, and salads. Plus cocktails! 

Barbecue Restaurant at Downtown Disney

When Downtown Disney announced all the new restaurants coming to the complex, a barbecue join was also teased! Dare we have high hopes for something sweet and spicy? Also by Chef Joe Isidori, this BBQ place has unique spices, pork, beef, brisket and more. Plus you can grab moonshine, craft beers and more. 

The Earl of Sandwich Carnaby Tavern

The iconic Earl of Sandwich restaurant is coming to Downtown Disney in a new building, with the sandwich on the ground floor, and the Carnaby Tavern on the upper level. Designed as an homage to the 60’s British Invasion of pop and rock bands, this restaurant features an indoor and outdoor full service bar. 

Porto’s Bakery and Cafe at Downtown Disney

One of the most exciting things that is New at Disneyland is the pending arrival of Portos Bakery and Cafe. Previously set to open in 2024, Portos has changed it’s opening date. Everyone’s favorite pastry arrives at Downtown Disney serving California-Cuban cheese rolls and pastries sometime in 2025. Luckily, while you’re waiting for them to arrive at their new Downtown Disney location, you can simply order Portos Bakery online.The current Earl’s location on the east side closes in 2025, as Portos takes over that location. 

Avengers Reserve Shop at Downtown Disney

A new shop is coming to Downtown Disney, at Disneyland Resort, featuring all things Avengers. Here you can find apparel, accessories, toys, comics, and more. Coming in 2024. 

D-Lander Shop at Downtown Disney

Head to this stylish Disney boutique shop for apparel, accessories and jewelry.

Coco Ride at Disney’s California Adventure

Filled with characters, Coco, Dante, and Ernesto de la Cruz himself, this ride features an explosion of colors, and music as riders sail along in a boat. Advanced animatronic figures, and all the characters you know and love from the film are onboard. With Three Caballeros vibes, this ones promises to be a fun addition to the park, perfect for families. Most likely new at Disneyland sometime in 2027. Construction Begins 2026

Pandora World of Avatar at Disney’s California Adventure

 As part of all that’s New at Disneyland, and most likely part of the DisneylandForward project, the new Pandora world at Disneyland Resort is different than the one at Walt Disney World, and includes a focus on the wide open seas. This area will include a New Attraction, and awe inspiring spaces that bring the natural world to the forefront. The new ride features a boat ride element showcasing all the wonders of Pandora.

Avengers Campus Expansion at Disney’s California Adventure

 When Avengers Campus was originally New at Disneyland, the crowds went wild! And now, doubling in size, the Avenger’s Campus area of Disney’s California Adventure Park is adding Two New Attractions. The new rides, Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab brings you up against the best of the Avengers, and Thanos too. Adding to an already robust area of the park. Construction Begins 2025

Infinity Defense Ride at Avengers Campus Disney’s California Adventure

Featuring “technology that allows you to jump between worlds” this ride will bring you to locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City as you zoom through the ride, helping the Avengers get back the tech that Thanos himself has stolen. Construction Begins 2025

Stark Flight Lab Ride at Avengers Campus Disney’s California Adventure

This ride features two person pods that deploy to a test station. Giant robot arms grab your pod and whirls you around in this simulated flight ride. Luckily Tony Stark himself is on hand to help in the Stark Flight Lab to help get you back to safety. Construction Begins 2025

The DisneylandForward Project

By far the biggest thing that is New at Disneyland is the pending expansion project. Taking over parking lots, free space and even cast member roads, the is part of  Disney’s $1.9 billion dollar commitment to Disney Parks and Experiences over the next 10 years. The DisneylandForward project in Anaheim, California has officially been greenlighted. So what does this mean for the Happiest Place on Earth? Whether you’re a regular Disneyland Resort visitor, or just looking for another reason to add Walt’s west coast park to your travel bucket list, there’s quite a bit coming to Disneyland Resort as part of the Disneyland Forward project. From new lands, and spaces, to how its going to affect your Disneyland trip now, here are all the details.

DisneylandForward Location

Tucked into the spaces between Katella Ave., Harbor Blvd., Ball Rd. and Disneyland Dr. the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim has had little stretching room. Maximizing every last inch of it’s 4800 acre footprint, it sometimes feel more “theme park” than the magical world we’re used to experiencing at Walt Disney World, covering 30,000 acres. 

Limited to what Anaheim would allow in terms of a Disneyland expansion, it’s helpful to remember that Anaheim is very much a working and functioning city in it’s own right. Any Disneyland visitor will tell you they pass shops, hotels, businesses, and even the Anaheim Convention Center on their way to the parks. Disneyland guests even often use Anaheim’s Public Transportation system, with an ART bus stop right at the entrance of the parks. 

Is a Third Park Coming to Disneyland?

There are currently no plans to add a 3rd park to Disneyland Resort. The DisneylandForward Project instead proposes an expansion of current parks. Utilizing adjacent areas near the Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotels, Downtown Disney and several parking lot areas.  

Where is DisneylandForward Going to Be?

Since DisneylandForward is not a park, but instead just a project name, it’s important  to remember that it’s not necessarily going anywhere. The project calls for changes, and demolition to current parking lots and nearby spaces to allow for new lands and rides. As you can see from the DisneylandForward Map above, and the current map below, the areas that are set to be overhauled will be the spaces near the current hotels, as well as possibly the Anaheim GardenWalk. 

What are the DisneylandForward Changes Affecting Disneyland Resort Now?

If you have a Disneyland Vacation planned anytime in the next few years, you can expect some disruptions, especially if you’re staying on Disney property. That said, if you’re visiting, we’d recommend hotels within walking distance of Disneyland parks instead, so that you’re not disturbed by construction projects that could take years. However, something else to consider is that due to this, you may be able to grab a discount on a Disneyland hotel. Fingers crossed. Spaces that will be affected by the Disneyland Forward project are. 

• Areas near Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel and Downtown Disney
• The Toy Story Parking Lot ( Harbor Blvd.)
• Downtown Disney Parking Lot ( Magic Way)
• Cast Member Parking Lot ( Disney Way)
• Magic Way Rd. 

All of these spaces will be going under some sort of construction to move forward with the Disneyland expansion project. And most notably the parking situation will get overhauled. Transportation and Parking changes to expect at Disneyland Resort will include new ways to get around throughout the resort, more walkways, and new parking areas. 

• A new parking area on Disneyland Resorts east side. 
• Pedestrian bridges from the new parking area to the resort. 

With the potential of a pedestrian bridge that connects the parking to the resort area, most likely going over Harbor Blvd, there is an opportunity to instate that “Disney Bubble” experience that is so common at WDW. In Anaheim, however, Disneyland Resort has very much remained a place within the city that you walk to. And previously it has been difficult to “ignore” the city around you, as you seek the immersive experience of the parks. With a more developed transportation system, walkways and parking infrastructure, Disneyland Resort, may be able to further craft the guest experience and make for an all around better Disney Vacation. 

How Long will the Disneyland Expansion Take?

Plan for 10 years at least. While there will surely be things that open within that timeframe, the parks 2024- 2034 duration is for the “completion” of projects included. And if previous project timelines have shown us anything, it’s to not set too much by this. Throughout that time there will surely be new technologies that delay, speed up or reconfigure previous plans. 

Disneyland Resort Hotels

If you’re ready to plan your next Disney trip to the west coast parks, take a look at our Disney Resort reviews for Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. While we almost always recommend just staying at a Disneyland Hotel within walking distance of the parks instead, the newest Lightning Lane Multi-Pass changes have us wondering if on-property is best for busy times. Plus, catch up on the news of the newly refurbished Pixar Place Hotel, previously Paradise Pier, over in the Downtown Disney area. 

What’s New at Disneyland Resort?

There you have it! The plans, so far, for everything New at Disneyland that is the works. Be sure to check out the Disneyland Event Calendar for opening dates as we get them.