One of the most beloved attractions in Discoveryland at Disneyland Park, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, has officially turned 20. While this milestone is certainly worth celebrating, it also highlights a more sobering reality about the Disneyland Park itself.
A Milestone with Mixed Emotions
When Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast opened in 2006, it replaced the classic Le Visionarium. Although the new attraction brought fresh energy and interactive gameplay to Discoveryland, it didn’t actually increase the number of attractions in the park, it merely maintained the status quo.
Fast forward two decades, and that status quo has remained largely unchanged. Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast still holds the distinction of being the last new attraction added to Disneyland Park. In 20 years, no additional rides have been built within the park’s gates.
Growth Elsewhere: Walt Disney Studios Park
This stagnation doesn’t mean that Disneyland Paris has stood still. Quite the opposite. Nearly all major investments have been directed toward the resort’s second gate, Walt Disney Studios Park, which has into Disney Adventure World.
Over the years, this park has seen a wave of additions:
- Toy Story Playland introduced three family-friendly attractions.
- Ratatouille: The Adventure brought a fully immersive themed land inspired by the film.
- Worlds of Pixar (formerly Toon Studio) features rides like Crush’s Coaster and Cars Race Rally.
- The iconic The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror became a flagship thrill ride.
- Avengers Campus introduced Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure and a full Marvel retheme of the Backlot area.
- Most recently, a brand-new World of Frozen has opened, along with a Tangled-inspired attraction.
The second park has also benefited from seasonal overlays (notably Marvel and Star Wars), updated shows like Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure and Mickey and the Magician, and even nighttime drone shows around the Tower of Terror.
Disneyland Park: Frozen in Time?
In stark contrast, Disneyland Park has seen minimal evolution. Aside from occasional new shows, the experience remains largely unchanged. In fact, the park has lost attractions over time, such as the Frontierland keel boats and the Old Mill in Fantasyland.
Even the parade has remained nearly identical for almost a decade.
Looking Ahead to the 35th Anniversary
In 2027, Disneyland Paris will celebrate its 35th anniversary. Expectations are cautiously optimistic. Realistically, new attractions are unlikely at this stage, such projects would have been announced and under construction by now.
Instead, fans are hoping for:
- A brand-new parade
- Updated entertainment offerings
- Exclusive anniversary merchandise (which has become an increasingly central focus)
Eyes on D23
All eyes are now turning to the upcoming D23 Expo in August in the United States. Fans are hoping that, with Frozen now open and a The Lion King area in development for Disney Adventure World, Disney might finally announce long-awaited investments for Disneyland Park.
Untapped Potential Within the Park
There is no shortage of space where new attractions could be developed:
- Behind Cowboy Cookout Barbecue in Frontierland
- Next to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril in Adventureland
- And especially behind Space Mountain in Discoveryland
This last area is particularly notable. It houses the underutilized Discoveryland Theater, once home to Captain EO and later Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. Today, it shows Mickey’s PhilharMagic on a limited schedule, more of a stopgap than a true draw.
A Possible Star Wars Future?
Given its proximity to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, speculation continues about a potential Star Wars expansion within Disneyland Park itself.
Interestingly, plans for a Star Wars area were previously considered for Disney Adventure World but ultimately replaced by the Lion King project. This leaves the door open for Discoveryland to evolve instead.
A full reimagining of the area behind Space Mountain into a Star Wars-themed land could:
- Replace the aging theater
- Restore Space Mountain to its original theme (a long-standing fan request, as it currently operates as Hyperspace Mountain)
- Bring much-needed innovation back to Disneyland Park
Ultimately, such decisions may depend on the success of upcoming Star Wars projects, including the highly anticipated The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Beyond Star Wars, several other intriguing rumors continue to circulate among fans. One of the most persistent is the possibility of a Zootopia-themed land, inspired by the success of Zootopia. Such a land already exists in Shanghai Disneyland, and renewed interest in the franchise, especially with the success of Zootopia 2, has only strengthened speculation. Similar rumors have also surfaced for Disneyland Resort in California.
Another major contender is an Avatar-themed land based on Avatar. While an Avatar expansion has been announced for Disneyland Resort in California, actual construction has yet to begin. At one point, there were also rumors that Avatar could make its way to Disney Adventure World in Paris.
This raises an interesting question. Disney has increasingly reused successful concepts across its parks worldwide. For example, World of Frozen is largely based on the version in Hong Kong Disneyland. If Zootopia were to replace Avatar in California, could that also mean a shift in plans for Paris? Could Zootopia come to Disneyland Paris instead of Avatar, allowing Disney to once again share development costs across multiple resorts?
For now, these remain open questions, speculation without clear answers. As always with Disney, the future will reveal which of these ideas, if any, become reality.