Disney Announces New ‘Avatar’, ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Encanto’ Attractions

Disney said it will deepen its investments as it reimagines attractions at its 12 parks around the world. (AP Photo)

ANAHEIM: Walt Disney will build a new “Avatar” experience at its Disney California Adventure theme park, based on the second film in the sci-fi franchise, “Avatar: Waterfall,” the company announced Saturday.

A show based on the life of Walt Disney, featuring an audio-animatronic figure of the company’s founder, will open to commemorate Disneyland’s 70th anniversary next year, the company said, one of several announcements made at the D23 event for Disney fans this weekend.

Disney also announced two attractions for the new Tropical Americas expansion set to open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in Orlando, Florida. One follows Indiana Jones on his quest to find a Mayan temple. The other is based on the Disney animated film “Encanto” and follows the character Antonio on the day he receives his magical gift. Tropical Americas is expected to open in 2027.

The announcements reveal how the company will begin deploying $60 billion in capital investments.

Disney said it will deepen its investment in its parks, nearly doubling spending over the next decade, while reimagining attractions at its 12 parks around the world and expanding capacity at its cruise line.

“Everything we’re going to share with you tonight is in development,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences. “That means plans are being made. That means things are moving. I just want to be clear with all the fans. This is not a dream.”

Disney’s parks have become a reliable profit driver, helping cushion the impact of the decline in traditional television and losses in its streaming video business, which generated profits last quarter.

The experiences unit, which includes parks, cruise ships and consumer products, contributed 60% of the company’s operating profit in the most recent quarter, up from 30% just a decade ago.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company plans to spend $17 billion over the next decade at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

These investments would build on recent attractions such as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, inspired by Disney’s animated film “The Princess and the Frog”, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster and the Tron Lightcycle/Run.

The company faces increasing competition in Central Florida from rival Universal Studios, which plans to open Epic Universe next year, adding 700 acres that will be populated by Harry Potter, dragons from the Viking world of “How to Train Your Dragon,” classic Universal movie monsters such as Frankenstein and Nintendo’s Donkey Kong.

In Anaheim, California, Disney earlier this year won approval for a development plan that paves the way for a $2 billion investment in the Disneyland Resort.

The company has not yet provided details, saying only that it is seeking the flexibility to combine hotels, shops and attractions within a single themed world, as it did at Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea Park.

“We have an obligation to continue to grow these tremendous businesses and these extraordinary experiences that we have here in California and Florida,” D’Amaro told Reuters in June. “And we’re going to invest aggressively, massively and intelligently.”