The Disneyland Resort is officially trading one Sully for another. At the D23 Expo last year, Disney confirmed James Cameron’s world of Avatar would be coming to its California Adventure theme park in Anaheim, as well as a new ride based on Pixar’s Coco. What the company didn’t reveal at the time was where the heck those things would fit into the already crowded area. Well, Thursday night, Disney announced those locations and revealed that the addition of Na’vi leader Jake Sully meant everyone’s favorite blue monster, Sulley, would be saying goodbye
Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, a family-friendly ride which opened at Disney California Adventure in 2005, is officially closing in early 2026 to make way for this new Avatar “experience.” Avatar will also take over the majority of that area of the park, the Hollywood Backlot, meaning a signature California area will be leaving California Adventure. As for Coco, that ride will be going on the other side of the park near Paradise Gardens Park and Pixar Pier. Which is fitting, as that’s where many other Pixar-themed rides reside. Nothing will be leaving for that, though, as it’ll largely take over “backstage” areas.
Construction on Coco will begin this fall. Avatar is “still in the early stages of development,” so we still don’t know what, specifically, it’s even going to be or when it’s going to start construction. Just that to do so, Monsters Inc. will permanently close in 2026.
Of course, with Monsters Inc. leaving the West Coast, we should mention it’s being reborn on the East Coast. Don’t forget that back at the D23 Expo, it was also announced a full Monsters Inc. land was coming to Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, highlighted by a wild-looking roller coaster. So, the hit Pixar franchise isn’t being totally shafted, just shifted.
Finally, in a piece of news that is basically just for people who live on the West Coast, with Disneyland doing all of this construction, it will also be adding a new transportation hub and parking lot. Which, we know, doesn’t sound all that exciting. But if you’ve ever driven to Disneyland and been stuck in traffic at one of its two giant parking lots, anything to alleviate that pressure is a big deal. It’ll be on the east side of the park, behind Tomorrowland, and will offer all manner of improved transportation solutions.
You can read more about that, Coco, and Avatar at the official Disney Parks blog. Anyone out there super bummed to see Monsters Inc. go?
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