Disney’s New Dark Ride Construction Taking Shape on California Streets
Construction activity visible from Disneyland Drive appears to be the first work on the new Coco attraction at Disney California Adventure. The activity was spotted on the back side of the park, across from the Pixar Place Hotel.
Ride Location and Visibility
Given its location behind Pixar Pier, this appears to be early construction on the Coco dark ride announced at D23 in 2024. The construction is visible from public streets, allowing observers to track progress without park admission.
Concept art suggests the attraction will be located past current parade gates, between Incredicoaster and Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta. This positioning requires expansion beyond Disney California Adventure’s current guest-accessible footprint.
D23 Announcement
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced the Coco attraction at the 2024 D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event during the “Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase.”
D’Amaro described the boat ride as bringing skeletal characters to life through latest Audio-Animatronics technology. He stated figures will appear in ways guests will have to see to believe.
Walt Disney Imagineering is drawing inspiration from classic dark rides including Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, suggesting ambitious immersive storytelling and elaborate show scenes.
Permits and Timeline
Permits filed in 2025 indicated construction would begin imminently. The newly spotted activity represents the first visible confirmation that work has commenced.
Disney hasn’t announced an opening date. Major dark ride attractions typically require multiple years of construction, suggesting the Coco ride likely won’t debut until 2028 or later.
Technology Focus
The promise of the latest Audio-Animatronics technology addresses the challenge of bringing animated skeleton characters to life. Coco’s skeletal characters feature exaggerated movement and expressions requiring advanced animatronic capabilities.
The technology showcase distinguishes this attraction from older dark rides while maintaining classic ride format that has proven successful for decades.
Ride Design Inspiration
Comparing the Coco attraction to Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean signals ambitions to achieve a similar status as a defining immersive dark ride. Both referenced attractions represent pinnacle achievements featuring elaborate scenes, musical elements, and memorable animatronic figures.
The boat ride system offers an extended journey through themed environments rather than a brief experience, with substantial show scenes that develop the narrative over multiple minutes.
Broader Park Expansion
The Coco ride is part of a significant Disney California Adventure expansion. Disney also announced two new Avengers Campus rides, doubling the land’s size, and an Avatar: The Way of Water attraction.
These simultaneous projects indicate a substantial capital investment that is transforming the park’s capacity and appeal through multiple major attractions rather than isolated additions.
Current Coco Presence
While construction continues, Disney California Adventure hosts Plaza de la Familia celebrations during Día de los Muertos. “The Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate The Musical World of Coco!” maintains Coco’s presence while the permanent attraction is built.
These seasonal offerings provide Coco content for guests visiting before the dark ride opens.
Fan Significance
Visible construction transforms abstract announcements into concrete progress. Fans who have been waiting since 2024 can now see tangible progress, confirming the project is actually happening.
The ability to monitor construction from public streets creates ongoing conversation as fans share updates through social media tracking the attraction’s evolution.
Ride Location Strategy
Placing the attraction behind Pixar Pier in expansion space means Disney is adding capacity rather than replacing existing attractions. This avoids upsetting fans who prefer preservation over replacement.
The location choice maintains Pixar theming cohesion while creating new experiences in underutilized areas.
What to Expect for this Ride
The Coco attraction will feature a boat ride system, advanced animatronics depicting skeletal characters, inspiration from classic dark rides, and immersive environments celebrating the film’s Land of the Dead setting and Día de los Muertos themes.
The attraction represents a significant addition, bringing Pixar storytelling to the classic dark ride format while celebrating Mexican culture through environments and technology, showcasing Disney’s themed entertainment capabilities.
Construction visibility from Disneyland Drive provides fans with ongoing opportunities to track development as the Coco attraction takes shape over the coming years, leading up to its eventual opening.
