Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Disneyland has confirmed where its new Avatar land is going.
Credit: Disney
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Disneyland announced Thursday night that Monsters Inc., Mike & Sully to the Rescue, will close permanently in 2026 to make way for the resort’s upcoming Avatar land. The classic dark ride has entertained guests for nearly two decades, debuting at Disney California Adventure in 2006.
Disney shared more details on its West Coast Pandora at the company’s D23 event in August 2024, revealing a land seemingly inspired by the second film in the ongoing sci-fi franchise, Avatar: The Way of Water (2022).
Mike and Sully to the Rescue replaced the short-lived and ill-fated Superstar Limo, which is often credited as being the worst attraction to ever be featured at the Disney theme parks. Mike and Sully to the Rescue is essentially a Monsters Inc.-themed reskin of the former attraction, using the same track and ride vehicles. While not as thrilling or imaginative as other Disneyland classics, Mike and Sully to the Rescue has become a fan favorite over the years.
Disney’s first Avatar-based expansion opened at its Animal Kingdom theme park in 2017. Titled Pandora – The World of Avatar, this expansion has proven to be one of the company’s most immersive, popular, and well-received additions ever.
Disney World’s Pandora features two rides, Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey, two very different yet both fun attractions. Pandora is also home to Satu’li Canteen, a fun and inventive quick-service restaurant, as well as a gift shop and a drink stand.
It’s unclear what kind of attractions guests will see at Disneyland’s version of Pandora, though fans can likely expect the same level of detail and immersion found in Florida.
A West-Coast Pandora was hardly the only thing discussed during Disney’s D23, with the company also sharing details on a number of other projects, including the retheming of DinoLand at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the closure of Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom, and the replacement of Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
In a funny twist of fate, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is actually gearing up to receive its own Monsters Inc.-inspired land. Named Monstropolis, this new land will feature several Monsters Inc.-inspired locations and a new suspended roller coaster, a first for Walt Disney World.
These are a handful of all the new additions coming to the Disney theme parks, with plenty more on the horizon.
Stay tuned for more Disney theme park news updates.
