Disneyland Bulldozes Perimeter for Expansion, Landscape of Walt's Original Park Forever Changed

This week, Disneyland Resort bulldozed several trees and other landscaping on the perimeter of Disney California Adventure Park to make way for a Coco (2017) ride that Walt Disney Imagineering promised as part of the upcoming DisneylandForward expansion project. Photos show swaths of flat dirt near a parking lot at the edge of the second Southern California Disney theme park.

Coco (2017) Ride

Concept art for the first-ever 'Coco' ride, coming to Disney California Adventure Park. — Credit: Disney

At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering announced plans to bring a Coco ride to Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park. Disney hasn’t shared much about the attraction, but the only publicly available concept art shows that it will be a boat ride.

Disneyland Resort has indicated that guests will follow Miguel into the Land of the Dead, inhabited by skeletal audio-animatronics and, of course, accompanied by the iconic soundtrack from the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ film. An opening date has not been announced.

Land Clearing Outside Disney California Adventure Park

Mickey's Fun Wheel and Incredicoaster on Pixar Pier at Disneyland Resort's California Adventure — Credit: Brandi Alexandra, Unsplash

Photos taken by WDWNT this week show that at least a dozen trees were removed from the site of a future Coco ride outside the current border of Disney California Adventure Park. The mulched remains of the trees and their stumps remain on site, presumably to be removed in the coming days.

Theme park journalist Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) also shared these before-and-after photos on X (formerly known as Twitter):

Clearing along Disneyland Drive continues as Disneyland moves forward with work on the upcoming Coco attraction at Disney California Adventure.

Here’s a before-and-after look showing how many trees have been removed as the project progresses.

Clearing along Disneyland Drive continues as Disneyland moves forward with work on the upcoming Coco attraction at Disney California Adventure.

Here’s a before-and-after look showing how many trees have been removed as the project progresses. pic.twitter.com/hLDpY8K8os

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) March 12, 2026

The foundation of the Coco attraction is visible behind a perimeter fence installed in February. Camouflage netting is now onsite but hasn’t been installed on the fence yet; it will likely eventually conceal the work from Disney Park guests walking nearby.

What do you think about Walt Disney Imagineering’s Coco ride concept art? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!