Disneyland Unveils Expansion with New Parking Garage, Harbor Bridge, Coco Ride, and Avatar Area Replacing Monsters Inc.

Jun 06, 2025 in "Disneyland Resort"

Gallery / 1 Photo
DIsneyland Transportation Hub Concept Art

Posted: Friday June 6, 2025 9:32pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has shared new information about upcoming expansion plans at Disneyland Resort, including a large new parking and transportation hub, along with locations for future attractions based on Coco and Avatar.

New Eastside Parking Structure and Transportation Hub

DIsneyland Transportation Hub Concept Art

Disneyland Resort will break ground in fall 2026 on a major infrastructure project: a new parking structure and transportation hub located on the east side of the resort. The facility will be built on a portion of the current Manchester cast member parking lot and include:

Around 6,000 new parking spaces
Areas for shuttles and rideshares
Onsite security screening
A new vehicle entrance directly from Disney Way

A pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard will connect the new parking hub to an all-new esplanade-style arrival area. This bridge will also offer improved pedestrian access from Harbor Boulevard. Disney says the project will ease parking congestion and traffic throughout the surrounding area.

This arrival and transportation overhaul is described as a foundational step ahead of major expansion at Disney California Adventure, including multiple new attractions.

Location for Coco Attraction Confirmed

The upcoming Coco-themed ride at Disney California Adventure will be located near Paradise Gardens Park and Pixar Pier. The new attraction will use areas that are currently backstage, with construction scheduled to begin in fall 2025.

Disney California Adventure 'Coco' Attraction Concept Art

Avatar Project Replacing Part of Hollywood Backlot

Disney also confirmed that a new Avatar-themed experience will be built in the Hollywood Backlot area of Disney California Adventure. While still in early development, the new attraction will occupy space currently home to Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, which will permanently close in early 2026.

AVATAR concept art for Disneyland

These developments are part of a broader push to expand the park’s footprint, including two additional attractions that will double the size of Avengers Campus. Disney has not yet released opening timelines for the new Coco or Avatar attractions.

Discuss on the Forums

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truecoatJul 01, 2025

We'll know soon whether Disney is moving the park out a bit, like Brickey speculates.

TheDisneyParksfanC8Jun 29, 2025

Disney IrishJun 14, 2025

Agreed, this is much more fun. :)

BrianLoJun 14, 2025

It’s my favourite part of this fandom. And not actually arguing about finances and profit returns. 😂 Bring on the construction threads!

Disney IrishJun 14, 2025

We're gonna have lots of fun with these construction projects when we get knee deep into them starting next Spring, lots of dates and timeline discussions going to be had over the next 5-6 years. :)

BrianLoJun 14, 2025

Thanks, I got confused and tried to google the answer and edited my post. I had thought Spring. It does seem doable and probably the plan.

Disney IrishJun 14, 2025

Fall 2026 is when construction starts for the new entry plaza, ie the EGW. Construction for Avatar "officially" starts when Monsters Inc closes in Spring 2026. So I think a Fall/Winter 2029 opening is possible to coincide with the Avatar 4 opening in December 2029.

BrianLoJun 14, 2025

DAK only took slightly over 3 years (Jan 2014-May 2017). For a very similar infrastructure precursor project, the Rivers of America closed Jan 2016 for a 2019 Galaxies Edge debut. That said, Fall 2026 start puts it at a disadvantage.

MistaDeeJun 14, 2025

CoastalElite64 said: Hopefully: Avengers - Summer 2027 Coco - Spring 2028 Avatar - Summer 2029 Disneyland 75th - 2030 Apart from the seasons, your timeframe reads right to me. It wasn’t making sense that the EGW was yet to start. But the Coco move suggests the timelines jostled. It always seemed a bit too optimistic how far Disney was acting like the Pandora project was given development started blankly in 2023. I think a 2030 major Disneyland project is likely. Avengers - Summer 2027 Coco - Spring 2028 Avatar - Summer 2029 Disneyland 75th - 2030 this would be a best case scenario, I think this is probably more likely Avengers - Summer 2027 Coco - Spring 2028 new parade or show in Hyperion - Summer 2029 Avatar + Disneyland 75th - 2030 though the chatter that Avatar will be more like a mini-land than a full Pandora would make it easier to accomplish that 2029 opening date

Disney IrishJun 07, 2025

Yep, I highly doubt its going to expand beyond what is currently described in this project. As this structure has been essenstially approved since the 90s, as it was part of the original DSRP. The EGW was never going to replace the entire resort parking as you've described here. The biggest area that will be freed up for future DLF expansion by this new Pumbaa (I assume that is what it'll still be called) structure is the Simba lot. And I assume the CM parking will be part of this new structure as well, as that was part of the original plan. Again this is only 800 spaces short of the original project so I don't know where you getting the idea that its smaller than "needed".

BrianLoJun 07, 2025

Apart from the seasons, your timeframe reads right to me. It wasn’t making sense that the EGW was yet to start. But the Coco move suggests the timelines jostled. It always seemed a bit too optimistic how far Disney was acting like the Pandora project was given development started blankly in 2023. I think a 2030 major Disneyland project is likely.

BrianLoJun 07, 2025

There is capability for a phase 2, but is unneeded currently. The parking deficit will have been addressed by Pixar Pals and the Eastern Gateway. None of those other parking lots are being utilized this decade.

britainJun 06, 2025

Oh, you're right! I wasn't looking closely. I just saw we're in the Disneyland Forward thread, and you said something so I figured I should disagree. Signing off, have a nice Friday night everyone!

Disney IrishJun 06, 2025

Maybe we're talking about different things. We were talking about the possibility of more details on the Avengers Infinity Defense project for Avengers Campus being announced at Destination D23, not anything to do with the EGW project.