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What is being built at Downtown Disney?

New Downtown Disney Zone: Parkside Market Downtown Disney District is building a whole new area on the west side featuring the Parkside Market. A blend of varied culinary expressions, this space will house four distinct dining spots.



As of early 2026, the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort in California is nearing the completion of its multi-year "west end" transformation. Key projects being finalized include the highly anticipated Porto’s Bakery and Cafe, which is moving into the former La Brea Bakery location. Additionally, new dining venues like Parkside Market (housing four diverse culinary concepts) and the refined Din Tai Fung are already welcoming crowds. Construction is also wrapping up on a brand-new outdoor stage and lawn area for community events and live performances. On the "retail" side, several storefronts are being refreshed to feature modern, botanical aesthetics that align with the area's new "garden-like" theme. This expansion is part of a larger roadmap to modernize the shopping district, making it more pedestrian-friendly and offering a wider variety of high-end dining and entertainment options for guests staying at the nearby Disneyland Hotel.

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The former Downtown Disney AMC location will be home to a Din Tai Fung soup dumpling restaurant and a new Earl of Sandwich along with other shops, a stage for musical acts and a grassy open space for special events.

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Rides & Attractions Coming To The Disney Parks In 2024
  • Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disney World and Disneyland. ...
  • Fantasy Springs: Tokyo DisneySea. ...
  • New Star Tours scenarios: Disneyland, Disney World, Disneyland Paris. ...
  • Revamped Country Bear Jamboree: Magic Kingdom, Disney World.


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The Hyperion Theater opened with the park on February 8, 2001; the theater closed on August 31, 2023.

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The new Journey of Water area (part of World Nature) will be opening up on October 16, 2023 This new exploration trail connects guests to the story of our planet's water. Disney says “Just like Moana, you're encouraged to become a protector and friend to our natural resources.”

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The actual 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company will take place on October 16, 2023. Although Disney has not announced an end date to the Disney100 Celebration, previous events of this nature have lasted 15 to 18 months.

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Disneyland Park Ride closures:
  • Fantasmic! ...
  • Splash Mountain is closed and is being re-themed.
  • Tarzan's Treehouse is closed until further notice.
  • Wonderous Journeys ends on August 31, 2023.
  • The French Market restaurant and the Mint Julep bar are closed and will reopen on September 7, 2023 as Tiana's Place.


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Downtown Disney District continues to see progress in its transformation. Each week, it seems like there are changes to be found as buildings grow up, walls are painted, and the new version of Downtown Disney District comes to life. This transformation is expected to be completed by the 2024 holiday season.

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Disney also revealed its plan to change the name of the area to Disney Springs in order to give it a small-town feel, playing off and highlighting an existing lake. We were told that the number of restaurants, shops and venues would double to 150.

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Unlike Disney Springs, Downtown Disney isn't big enough to plan a visit for an entire day, but it is worth visiting for at least a morning, afternoon, or evening. Weekends and evenings are typically busier, so it's best to keep that in mind, especially when booking dining reservations.

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You don't need a ticket to access Downtown Disney. One of the best things about Downtown Disney is that it's completely free to visit. You can people watch and window shop to your heart's content.

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Disney's latest announcement states that Disneyland Park will improve next year. At some point in 2024, Haunted Mansion at New Orleans Square will close indefinitely as Imagineers add to this section. Specifically, Disney will expand the Haunted Mansion campus so that it can enrich the lore surrounding this attraction.

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Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain creatures sang their last notes in January of 2023, and Disneyland's on May 31, 2023. Now, the ride has closed its doors forever. The brand new ride replacing it, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, is inspired by Tiana, the radiant star of the 2009 animated hit The Princess and the Frog.

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2023 marks the 100th anniversary of Disney.

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