Disneyland Is At A Crossroads. New Documentary ‘worldbuilders’ Hints At What's Next

Disneyland’s yearlong, nostalgia-filled 70th day celebration has travel to an end. Attention now turns to preserving nan resort’s bequest for nan adjacent 70 years.

We’re 2 years removed from nan transition of DisneylandForward by nan Anaheim City Council, nan eager multibillion-dollar scheme to reimagine and grow nan world’s astir celebrated taxable park, and questions are now swirling connected what’s to come.

Hints tin apt beryllium recovered by looking astatine what’s already been built, astatine slightest astatine Disney’s world parks. Documentarian Leslie Iwerks did conscionable that pinch her caller movie “Disney Worldbuilders,” which will person its premiere this play astatine the all-things-Disney normal D23 astatine nan Anaheim Convention Center and past watercourse connected Disney+ starting Aug. 20.

Iwerks, nan head of nan recent, and terrific, “Disneyland Handcrafted,” comes from Disney royalty. Her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, was a legendary animator instrumental successful nan improvement of Mickey Mouse. Her father, Don, was a cinematic and typical effects wizard who worked connected galore Disney attractions, including nan Michael Jackson-starring movie “Captain EO.” As a documentarian, Iwerks has explored Disney earlier arsenic nan head of “The Imagineering Story” and has a long career of films that touch connected not conscionable Hollywood but besides authorities and biology issues.

Leslie Iwerks has dedicated a important information of her profession to analyzing nan Disney taxable parks.

(Iwerks & Co. / Disney+)

If I had immoderate concerns astir nan early of Disneyland, watching ‘Worldbuilders” helped easiness them. That’s successful portion because nan movie makes it clear that nan Disneyland template was beautiful firmly group successful spot 70 years agone by parkland patriarch Walt Disney.

While it’s wholly imaginable for taxable parkland spaces to jump nan shark, truthful to speak, particularly erstwhile they attraction excessively overmuch connected trading aliases re-creating acquainted movie and tv moments (see, say, San Fransokyo Square astatine Disney California Adventure), “Worldbuilders” zeroes successful connected nan parks’ enduring ngo of being places of play. The movie features interviews pinch nan likes of Pixar main Pete Docter, “Frozen” mastermind Jennifer Lee, Marvel maestro Kevin Feige and “Avatar” creator James Cameron, who collaborated pinch Walt Disney Imagineering to move their cinematic universes into beingness spaces for fans to interact with.

“I’m ever blown distant astatine nan audacity of Walt saying, ‘I’m going to create nan happiest spot connected Earth,’ and reasoning that could really beryllium a business model,” Iwerks tells me.

“And what I learned astir these filmmakers is that they were each inspired by nan Disney parks,” she continues. “Unbeknownst to me, they had a spark going to a Disney taxable park. It excited their imagination.”

“Frozen” co-director Jennifer Lee poses pinch a robotic Olaf astatine Disneyland Paris successful a segment from Leslie Iwerks’ caller movie “Worldbuilders.”

(Roger Do Minh / Disney+ / Iwerks & Co.)

You spot it successful Shanghai’s “Zootopia”-inspired land, pinch its oversize benches that hide parking spaces for critter vehicles beneath. It’s an area afloat of movement, pinch puppets and animatronics gracing astir each structure, aiming to seizure wonderment and silliness arsenic overmuch arsenic it is nan world of nan film, which Iwerks notes was unexpectedly inspired by nan original Disneyland. It’s present, too, successful nan “Frozen” area of Disneyland Paris, which seeks to reference and modernize nan Disney fairy tale, utilizing imagery of castles and magic not to symbolize happily ever aft but familial and relationship bonds.

“All these lands let you to explore, and let yourself to beryllium free, to play, to beryllium whimsical,” Iwerks says. “They let yourself to get retired of your ain ‘daily frets,’ arsenic Walt called them. There are a batch of technologies vying for attraction today, specified arsenic cellphones and gaming and tons of things, but location is thing tangible astir stepping done a Disney parkland that is irreplaceable. That is that tangible consciousness of play that you tin see, you tin touch and you tin smell. These are visceral memories that enactment pinch america arsenic quality beings passim our full lifetime.”

Could either “Zootopia” aliases “Frozen” make its measurement to Disneyland? Neither, I believe, would beryllium retired of place, but there’s a typical delicacy erstwhile adding to Walt’s original park. Even pinch nan transition of DisneylandForward, onshore isn’t limitless. Expansion should beryllium thought astir not conscionable for nan adjacent decade, but nan adjacent 50, leaving abstraction for caller stories yet untold. To spot “Avatar” successful Disney California Adventure is simply a definitive connection that nan audiences of 2060 will want to bent pinch nan Na’vi arsenic overmuch arsenic those of 2030.

Thus, a wide-angle attack is best. When Pandora — nan World of Avatar was built successful Animal Kingdom astatine Florida’s Walt Disney World, it was done truthful pinch a thesis connected themes of conservation and environmentalism much truthful than a attraction connected immoderate of nan film’s characters. Disney California Adventure’s ain Cars Land is a emotion missive to Route 66 and roadside Americana arsenic it overmuch arsenic it is an ode to nan Disney/Pixar films.

At D23 successful 2024, Disney released conception creation of an “Avatar”-inspired attraction said to beryllium coming to Disney California Adventure.

(20th Century / Disneyland Resort)

“Worldbuilders” makes it clear that arsenic overmuch arsenic Disney’s parks person stayed nan same, really we build themed lands has changed. Gone, for instance, are nan large shelter ideas of Frontierland, Adventureland and Fantasyland. Theme parkland designers coming return a much targeted approach, bringing to life afloat realized cinematic worlds specified arsenic Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge aliases nan aforementioned Cars Land. That’s not needfully a negative. Galaxy’s Edge, for instance, succeeds because it’s a not a point-by-point re-creation of immoderate locale seen successful nan films. Instead, it’s a spot we tin visit, and create our ain tales.

It’s a reminder, for instance, that Disneyland, despite nan prices, nan crowds, nan trading aliases immoderate hang-up 1 whitethorn find, endures because it allows america to, well, play. To beryllium a small silly. And that was nan instruction of Iwerks’ “Worldbuilders.”

“It’s astir original thinking,” Iwerks says, erstwhile asked whether she believes it’s important to continually archive nan Disney taxable parks. “So overmuch of Imagineering is focused connected original thinking. People tin beryllium really smart, but it doesn’t mean they’re an original thinker. One of nan top things successful nan world is to create thing retired of nothing.”

We whitethorn get astatine a “Frozen” onshore wanting to spot Anna, Elsa or, especially, nan robotic Olaf, but we retrieve it because it gave america support to ideate an alternate, much fanciful reality. Thus, it’s a treatise that it is not nan intelligence spot that makes Disneyland unique; it’s nan belief successful a much communal, playful world.

Speaking of D23 ...

Theme parkland fans should get fresh for immoderate news this weekend.

Expect updates and specifications connected antecedently announced — and good into improvement projects — specified arsenic Disney California Adventure’s “Coco” vessel thrust and 2 Marvel attractions, which will efficaciously double that park’s Avengers Campus. The centerpiece of nan second is simply a thrust featuring galore of nan Avengers successful conflict crossed nan multiverse pinch King Thanos.

The attraction, first announced successful 2019, was fixed a sanction astatine 2024’s D23, Avengers Infinity Defense, and it will characteristic locations specified arsenic nan Black Panther federation of Wakanda, Asgard and New York City. Early looks person it leaning heavy connected ocular effects interspersed pinch beingness sets, but expect a deeper unveiling this weekend.

A caller photograph of building astatine Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus, wherever 2 attractions are nether development.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

Longer-term, fans are eager for connection connected what’s planned pinch nan “Avatar” franchise, previously announced to return complete portion of nan Hollywood-themed conception of nan parkland presently location to a “Monsters, Inc.” family acheronian ride. That attraction, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to nan Rescue!, is slated to adjacent successful 2027 to make measurement for nan Cameron-created franchise. There’s been immoderate chatter, astir of it online-driven and unsubstantiated, that Disney would pivot from “Avatar” to alternatively halfway “Zootopia,” but I’m not convinced. Clarity will get successful nan coming days.

I’ll refrain from diving excessively heavy into rumors, but expect astatine slightest 1 longer-term hint astatine a bigger swing, hopefully, for instance, nan reimagined plans for what is presently nan Toy Story Lot, arsenic good arsenic nearer-term updates connected Disneyland’s post-70th entertainment. Fans, of course, will everlastingly beryllium hoping for Walt Disney Imagineering, nan section of nan institution responsible for taxable parkland experiences, to unveil that it is remaking Tomorrowland, which, while location to galore a celebrated attraction, is besides stuck pinch a number of underutilized buildings. While I promote optimism and dreaming arsenic overmuch arsenic immoderate Disney parks fan, I’ll judge it erstwhile I spot it.

Disneyland fans, however, whitethorn person to travel to grips pinch nan truth that immoderate of nan astir breathtaking updates will beryllium centered connected Florida’s Walt Disney World. Imagineering is expected to astatine agelong past item nan attractions coming to nan Magic Kingdom’s hotly-anticipated Villain’s Land. Also of note, a uncover of nan “Encanto” attraction plotted soon for Animal Kingdom.

This week successful SoCal taxable parks

Key issues stay successful national statement talks betwixt nan Walt Disney Co. and its parade, show and costumed characters.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

• A conflict successful statement talks. Disneyland labor down its parade, show and costumed characters person been negotiating their first national statement pinch nan Walt Disney Co. since October 2024. The 2 sides stay isolated connected a number of cardinal issues. Disney’s connection to nan astir 1,700 workers represented by Actors’ Equity omits paid parental time off and cuts paid holidays from 12 to 11, according to an April 6 email reviewed by The Times. Disney says nary benefits are being trim because nan portion organized successful 2024 and nan talks are mounting first-contract position alternatively than modifying an existing agreement. Times Business writers Wendy Lee and Samantha Masunaga person much connected nan negotiations.
  
• New sound barriers coming to Hollywood Drift, says councilmember. Universal Studios Hollywood appears to beryllium taking steps to address sound complaints regarding its caller high-speed, outdoor roller coaster. The agency of L.A. City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian stated nan taxable parkland will instal 2 further sound barriers to mitigate nan sound of rider screams connected its caller thrust Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, which person been described by adjacent residents arsenic “disturbing” and “untenable.” Nazarian’s agency made nan announcement Monday evening on societal media. A Universal Studios Hollywood spokesperson has not yet responded to a petition for comment.
  
• Montezooma’s is now open! Knott’s Berry Farm’s four-year overhaul of Montezooma’s Revenge into Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress has reached its conclusion. The historical thrust began welcoming guests precocious past week. Look for a study connected nan remodeled attraction present soon.
  
• Attendance astatine Disney parks is up. The Walt Disney Co. noted successful its caller net telephone that attendance astatine its home parks for nan three-month play that ended June 27 is up 3% complete nan comparable play past year. International visits stay a challenge, but nan institution noted that summertime promotions helped substance nan increase, particularly astatine Florida’s Walt Disney World.
  
• Cheap! A afloat twelvemonth of Knott’s! At a clip erstwhile it seems for illustration everything is getting much expensive, Knott’s Berry Farm is presently moving a dense waste connected 2027 play passes. Through Sept. 7, a guidelines level walk is conscionable $99, down from its non-sale value of $215. A “gold pass,” which besides includes admittance to Six Flags Magic Mountain, is presently $129, down from $240. while a “prestige pass,” which includes parking and a number of different perks, is $329, down from $399.
  
• Slash is backmost astatine Halloween Horror Nights. Guns ‘N Roses guitar slinger Slash is a staple astatine Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights, and is returning to create a soundtrack for a haunted location this year. Slash is providing euphony for a location titled ‘“Killceañera: Music by Slash,” an original maze that flips nan book connected a teenage rite of passage. Here, a 15-year-old woman seeks revenge connected those who person wronged her. Halloween Horror Nights begins Sept. 3.

The champion point I ate astatine nan parks this week

The food and chips from Gordon Ramsay astatine nan Carnaby astatine Downtown Disney.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

I admit, Downtown Disney’s Gordon Ramsay astatine nan Carnaby is increasing connected me, particularly if 1 tin get seated connected nan outdoor barroom patio, which is far much welcoming than nan pub’s indoor bar. I recovered nan second a small acold and unwelcoming, but nan backmost patio is much lively, particularly pinch pennant title shot connected its large surface TV. I vanished a caller Disneyland time pinch nan Carnaby’s food and chips, which is fundamentally 1 elephantine portion of cod pinch fries and “mushy peas.” It’s pricey, astatine $33, but it’s besides incredibly hefty and filling. It’s surely nan strongest food and chips connected Disneyland property, and oversea salt-infused batter was truthful crisp and rich | that it almost felt incorrect to slather nan food successful tartar sauce. I couldn’t rather spot my digit connected nan spirit — I’ve publication that Ramsay’s food and chips look includes custard powder — but location was a burnt buttery reside that was acold from dry. I’ll beryllium back.

Tell america your stories. Ask america your questions.

Have a taxable parkland communicative to share? Whether it was a bully time aliases less-than-perfect day, I would emotion to perceive astir it. Have a question? A tip? A nosy photograph from nan parks to share? Email maine astatine todd.martens@latimes.com. I whitethorn characteristic your statement successful an upcoming newsletter.

Ride on,

Todd Martens

P.S.

Stay tuned to Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride this week for each nan large Disney parks news from D23. Saturday evening Disney will beryllium hosting a sheet astatine nan Honda Center to uncover caller specifications connected attractions coming to its taxable parks astir nan world, and I’ll beryllium location delivering breaking sum consecutive to your inbox.

Also, opportunity hullo if you spot maine wandering nan Anaheim Convention Center. I’ll person Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride stickers to share.