Pandora at California Adventure: Model offers first look at the Avatar ride vehicle
Pandora is getting closer! At D23, Walt Disney Imagineering showed off a model of the new Avatar attraction coming to Disney California Adventure – including a first look at the boat ride vehicle and the scenery. Here are all the details!
At D23, Walt Disney Imagineering unveiled a model that gives fans their first genuine sense of the planned Avatar attraction at Disney California Adventure. One thing is immediately clear: this will be a boat ride, comparable to other water-based Disney attractions.
The vehicle on display features six rows of seating, each holding roughly four to five guests. That puts capacity at somewhere around 24 to 30 riders per boat.
The scenery is visible on the model as well: a mountainous landscape with a large waterfall cascading down the middle, framed by the alien vegetation and distinctive rock formations of the Avatar universe.
The new Pandora land will take over the space currently home to "Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!" That said, Disney has extended that attraction's run: instead of closing in early 2026, it will now stay open into 2027 – largely to keep offering something suitable for families with younger children at the park.
The Avatar project was first confirmed during a 2023 earnings call, with further details shared at D23 2024. A firm opening date has yet to be announced.
Written by DPM-VIDS · August 15, 2026, 10:29