Credit: Pixar Animation StudiosDisney California Adventure has been through more reinvention than any other Disney park in the United States. The park that opened in 2001 as a loosely California-themed collection of attractions has been rebuilt in stages into something genuinely ambitious, with Radiator Springs Racers and Cars Land arriving in 2012, Pixar Pier reshaping the waterfront in 2018, and Avengers Campus opening in 2022 to establish the park as a destination worthy of its place next to Disneyland.
Each of those transformations required the removal of something that came before, and longtime guests know well the bittersweet feeling of watching a familiar attraction or area disappear to make room for what is coming next. The latest transformation of Disney California Adventure is now moving from concept to permit stage, and it is bringing a significant change to Hollywood Land.
Disney has filed nine confidential demolition permits with the City of Anaheim covering Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure, including the show building for Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! Disneyland Resort officials confirmed to The Orange County Register that the permits support “long-term work to enable expansion projects” in Hollywood Land. The area will be demolished and replaced by a new Avatar land that will include a boat ride, inspired by the franchise’s second film, Avatar: The Way of Water.
What the Permits Cover and What They Signal
Disney filed nine permits simultaneously, which is an unusually large coordinated filing for a theme park development. The permits indicate the planned removal of existing structures in Hollywood Land, including the Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! show building and surrounding facades. The filings also suggest plans for infrastructure work including utility relocation, which is typically an early step in preparing a site for major new construction. The permits do not include start dates for demolition.
Filing nine permits at once signals a large-scale, coordinated development rather than piecemeal updates to existing structures. The scope suggests Disney is preparing a significant clean footprint in Hollywood Land to accommodate the advanced ride systems and construction requirements of a modern major attraction.
Disneyland Resort officials confirmed the permits to The Orange County Register and described their purpose as supporting “long-term work to enable expansion projects.” These filings fall under the Disneyland Forward initiative, Disney’s multi-decade expansion plan that received approval to rezone and develop land in Anaheim beyond the constraints of the parks’ existing footprint.
The Monsters, Inc. Ride Is Staying Open Longer Than Originally Planned
Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! was originally expected to close in early 2026. Disney has decided to keep it open through 2027, extending its operating life to give families with young children more options in Disney California Adventure during what will be an active construction period elsewhere in the park.
Disney has stated that the delayed closing will not impact the construction timeline for the Avatar land. That statement implies the permits and planning are sufficiently advanced that the ride’s extended operation represents a scheduling decision rather than a constraint on the development itself.
The attraction, which opened in 2006 on the track of the former Superstar Limo ride, has served as the anchor of Hollywood Land for nearly two decades. Its interactive Roz animatronic, themed after the bureaucratic monster from Monsters, Inc., became one of the more charming details of the experience and a favorite for guests who appreciate practical character interactions. The ride’s closing will mark the end of one of the last remaining structures tied to Disney California Adventure’s original 2001 layout.
What Is Replacing It: Avatar Land
The replacement for Hollywood Land’s current footprint has been confirmed as a new Avatar land inspired by Avatar: The Way of Water, the 2022 sequel to James Cameron’s record-breaking original film. Disney has not announced an opening timeframe for the new land. The confirmed inclusion of a boat ride as part of the land’s offerings aligns with the water-centric themes of The Way of Water and suggests an attraction experience built around the aquatic world of Pandora introduced in the sequel.
Avatar already has a presence in the Disney parks through Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, which opened in 2017 and has been consistently well-received for its environmental immersion and its two flagship attractions, Avatar Flight of Passage and the Na’vi River Journey boat ride. A California version of an Avatar land would be the franchise’s second Disney parks installation and its first on the West Coast.
The fan community has been divided between Avatar and Zootopia as the expected replacement for Hollywood Land, with the Shanghai Disneyland Zootopia land and its trackless dark ride Zootopia: Hot Pursuit generating significant discussion as a potential model for a California installation. The confirmed permit language and Disneyland Resort’s confirmation of the Avatar land’s development settle that debate.
How This Affects a Disneyland Resort Vacation
For guests visiting Disney California Adventure in the near and medium term, the Hollywood Land development will be the most visible ongoing construction project at the park. The Monsters, Inc. ride will continue operating through 2027, giving guests visiting in 2026 the opportunity to experience it before it closes. Guests planning trips specifically to ride the attraction before it closes permanently should not assume it will be available indefinitely and may want to plan accordingly as 2027 approaches.
The construction footprint in Hollywood Land will grow as demolition and site preparation work begins. Guests should expect that portions of Hollywood Land will be affected by construction walls and rerouted pathways during the development period, which will last through the Avatar land’s eventual opening. The nine-permit filing suggests work is getting closer, though the absence of start dates in the permits means the specific timing of visible construction activity has not been established.
For guests considering which Disney park to visit during the development period, Disney California Adventure continues to offer its full lineup of other experiences including Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!, Radiator Springs Racers, Avengers Campus, Incredicoaster, Pixar Pier, and Buena Vista Street, none of which are affected by the Hollywood Land development.
We will continue tracking the Hollywood Land demolition permits and Avatar land development as Disneyland Resort moves through the construction timeline. For the most current information on Disney California Adventure attraction availability and construction updates, our Disneyland Resort guide is updated regularly. Check it before your visit so your plans reflect what is actually operating during your trip.