Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration will continue into August of next year, and the resort will have some new party guests come March. That’s when Bluey and her sister Bingo from the popular Australian animated series will land in Anaheim.
The stars of “Bluey” were first tipped to start appearing in Disney parks back in 2024, and will take over Disneyland’s Fantasyland Theatre beginning March 22. The experience, dubbed, “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!,” is expected to marry games with musical show moments.
Bluey is not the only headline-worthy change or addition coming to Disneyland in 2026. The Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be receiving a new mission, and Soarin’ Around the World will get a new film, the previously announced Soarin’ Across America. And plenty of fan favorites — Lunar New Year festivities, the Disney California Food & Wine Festival — are also slated to return.
A look at what major events to expect, and at least one attraction you’ll want to say goodbye to, is below.
Say hello to Bluey
The Disney+ series will come to life in Disneyland with music, games and photo-ready installations. The Fantasyland Theatre, according to Disney, will be transformed into the grounds of Bluey’s school, where the titular blue dog will experience an all-around terrific day, hence the title of the experience, “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!”
Bluey will appear with her sister Bingo throughout the day on stage, where the two characters will be joined by a cast of actors, musicians and comedians, who will invite the audience to participate and bring to life show-inspired moments. Expect familiar Bluey games such as “Keepy Uppy,” as well as life-size renditions of the Gnome Village and Fairy Garden. Familiar characters, such as the the Grannies, Chattermax and Unicorse, are slated to appear in Bluey’s school. The nearby Troubadour Tavern will feature “Bluey”-themed foods.
Disneyland regulars should expect something similar to other play-driven Fantastyland Theatre activities, such as the “Pixar Pals Playtime Party.” “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” does not currently have an end date.
Welcome a new mission on Smugglers Run
To coincide with the release of the film “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will receive a new mission May 22. Disney has previously shared that this latest storyline will allow for additional levels of interactivity in the ride, which is already something of a full-size, walk-in arcade game.
The ride makeover will feature three new locations from the “Star Wars” films — planets such as the urban Coruscant or gas realm of Bespin, as well as the wreckage of the second Death Star near Endor. Each flight crew will determine the destination. Additionally, those seated in the ride’s “engineer” positions will be able to communicate with Grogu, colloquially referred to as “baby Yoda.”
Disneyland is teasing additional “Star Wars” promotions in 2026, noting that the Hyperspace Mountain overlay of Space Mountain will return April 28.
Bid farewell to Monsters Mike & Sulley
The Disneyland Resort remains in a state of flux and constant reimagining. That means that some beloved attractions are occasionally earmarked for destruction. Such is the case for California Adventure’s Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, which will close in early 2026 to make way for an “Avatar” ride and experience. The latter will take over the Hollywood Backlot area of California Adventure.
Disney hasn’t yet specified a closing date beyond narrowing it down to the first part of the new year. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! isn’t an original California Adventure attraction, but it’s a charmer, as the slow-moving, old-fashioned family ride takes guests though the streets and restaurants of the fictional city of Monstropolis, where silly, cartoonish details abound. The ride was added to the park in 2006, replacing the ill-fated and disastrous Superstar Limo, a short-lived concept involving paparazzi and celebrities that lasted about a year.
A timeline hasn’t been given for the new “Avatar” ride and area, but it’s likely a few years of construction away, as its arrival is dependent on Disneyland reimagining its transportation hub on the eastern side of the resort. This multi-year construction project has been stated to begin in 2026.
Soarin’ turns its spotlight to America
Soarin’ Around the World at Disney California Adventure will in 2026 be converted to Soarin’ Across America, a move timed to the 250th anniversary of the United States. The makeover will launch July 2.
Disney unveiled the news in October via a social media post with actor Patrick Warburton, who plays the chief flight attendant of Soarin’. In the clip, Warburton, as the fan favorite character of Patrick, promises “amber waves of grain” and “purple mountain majesties” while showcasing red, white and blue mouse ears fit for the Fourth of July. A post on the Disney Parks Blog hints that the new film will also capture various American cityscapes.
Party at Disneyland after hours
Enjoy shorter ride times and themed events at one of the five Disneyland After Dark festivities. New next year is the 70 Years of Favorites party, which will tie into the park’s 70th anniversary celebration. The nostalgic evening will include nods to past shows, musical events and attractions, and is set for March 3 and March 5. Tickets go on sale to the general public Dec. 11.
Sweehearts Nite returns for nine evenings throughout January and February. Expect character couples and the opportunities to dance. General public tickets also go on sale Dec. 11.
Later this year look for Disney Channel Nite for three evenings in April, Star Wars Nite for four evenings in April and May, and Pride Night on June 16 and June 18. Ticket on sale information has not yet been announced for the latter three, but stay tuned to the Disneyland site for more information.
Disneyland is for festivals
Disney’s holiday calendar in recent years has expanded, and though the resort’s Lunar New Year festival at California Adventure doesn’t take over the park in the same way as Christmas or Halloween, it’s become a reliably festive source for inventive food and character interactions that aim to explore Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean traditions. For the Year of the Horse, vintage character Horace Horsecollar will be on hand. The event runs Jan. 23 to Feb. 22.
Starting shortly after Lunar New Year ends and extending into the spring is the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. Expect a handful of pop-up food marketplaces offering small bites, cocktails and an emphasis on California beer and wine. The event boasts a number of tasting seminars and cocktail-making sessions and typically features some upscale dinners at resort restaurants and bars. Goofy in his chef costume is usually given a starring role, but our favorite detail of the Food & Wine festival is no snack or sugary beverage. It’s long been the annual return of Soarin’ Over California, the original rendition of the flight simulator attraction. Disney, however, declined to comment on if the original version of the attraction would return this year. The Food & Wine Festival runs March 6 through April 27.
Smaller-scale festivities are peppered throughout the year. Next year the Bluey event will force Celebrate Gospel — the weekends of Feb. 20 and Feb. 27 — to move to the Downtown Disney District. Look for concerts from Hezekiah Walker (Feb. 21) and Yolanda Adams (Feb. 28). Local hockey fans will want to bookmark Feb. 22 for Anaheim Ducks Day and families with little ones may be interested in the Disney Jr. Let’s Play! Party. The latter runs Aug. 13 in California Adventure before moving to the Downtown Disney District.
Start thinking about next Halloween and Christmas
Summer, increasingly, means Halloween. While the parks’ Halloween Time won’t officially launch until Aug. 21, the ticketed after-hours California Adventure event the Oogie Boogie Bash will host its first gathering Aug. 18. The evening, which typically features unique meet-and-greets with Disney villains as well as a parade and an illuminated, ever-so-slightly spooky walk through the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, usually sells out.
Oogie Boogie will run on 33 nights from mid-August to Oct. 31. On sale information has not yet been announced. Coinciding with the arrival of Halloween Time on Aug. 21 is California Adventure’s Plaza de la Familia, a Día de Los Muertos celebration that heavily relies on imagery from the Disney/Pixar film “Coco.” It runs through Nov. 2.
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort will follow shortly after, beginning Nov. 18 and lasting through early January. While Disney has not yet detailed next year’s offerings, expect staples such as the makeover of It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion attractions, as well as the return of California Adventure’s Festival of Holidays. It’s one of our favorite times to visit.
A summer deal for kids
Disneyland, of course, is not cheap. If you’re curious to visit the resort but looking to save a little on tickets, Disneyland has announced a new California ticket offer that goes on sale Dec. 3 and takes effect Jan. 1. The deal is for a three-day park-hopper ticket, which can be used on non-consecutive visits, and starts at $249 per person, which amounts to $83 per day.
Coming next year, however, will be a new ticket offer for those ages 3 through 9. Available to purchase Jan. 21, the Kids Summer Ticket Offer is good for dates May 22 though Sept. 7, and can be had for $50 per child for a one-day, park-hopper ticket. For an additional fee, one can add up to three days as well as line-skipping features. Details and fine print can be found on the Disneyland site.
New — and revamped — dining experiences
Set to reopen in early 2026 after being closed for more than a year is the Disney Grand California’s upscale dining destination Napa Rose. An official date has not yet been set, but Napa Rose was the park’s destination for a formal, multi-course meal.
Downtown Disney will also continue its years-in-the-making revamp. Though there’s still a ways to go on construction, Disneyland is still targeting 2026 openings for its Earl of Sandwich outpost and Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby, the latter pegged as an upscale gastropub with ‘60s-influenced entertainment, making it, no doubt, a future hangout for the Disney adult crowd.
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