Disney has announced the Spring 2026 opening dates of the reimagined Disney Adventure World, as well as the World of Frozen land and other attractions and entertainment coming to the soon-to-be former Walt Disney Studios park! This post shares details & photos, plus why we’re so excited for the second gate at Disneyland Paris that’s being expanded and overhauled into a true Disney theme park.
A historic transformation is set to unfold at Disneyland Paris on March 29, 2026 when Disney Adventure World and the World of Frozen open up their doors for the first time in forever. This milestone marks the beginning of a bold new era, nearly doubling the size of the second park upon the completion of its transformation, including a brand-new attraction inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Tangled, 14 new dining locations, and an immense lake with a new nighttime spectacular.
The last several years have been a time of transformation at Disneyland Paris, and World of Frozen’s debut on March 29, 2026 is the culmination of this several years-in-the-making progress. Since 2018, Disneyland Paris has celebrated countless changes and major milestones, from the reimagining of Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel and Disneyland Hotel to the opening of Avengers Campus, plus an overhaul and new look for Disney Village.
All the while, work has been underway to reimagine the studios park and make it worthy of the Disney name. The resort’s second gate, which is currently known as Walt Disney Studios Park but will be renamed Disney Adventure World when the new Frozen-themed area opens in late March 2026, is undergoing a major expansion and embracing a fresh creative vision.
These updates are being shared as part of a major transformation plan for the future Disney Adventure World, which is coming to fruition thanks to a 2-billion-euro investment to expand the park, as announced in 2018 (albeit with several changes since).
By reimagining more than 90% of the second gate’s opening day offerings and roughly doubling its footprint, the soon-to-be-renamed park will become a truly can’t-miss experience by the end of its expansion journey.
Now, 125 days before Walt Disney Studios Park transforms into Disney Adventure World with the opening of Adventure Way — a majestic new main avenue featuring entertainment, a brand-new attraction inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Tangled, 14 new dining locations — and the debut of an immense lake called Adventure Bay, with a breathtaking nighttime spectacular.
The highlight of this expansion, the impressive brand-new World of Frozen, will fully immerse guests into the heart of the iconic films. The Kingdom of Arendelle, recreated on a life-size scale, will feature a new family-friendly attraction, a daytime show, a royal encounter with queens Anna and Elsa, interactions with beloved characters including a true-to-size Olaf made possible thanks to next-generation robotic figures demonstrated today by Walt Disney Imagineering team, a tavern, and shops. This monumental expansion is set to captivate and amaze guests at every turn.
While Disneyland Paris (the castle park) continues to bring timeless stories and enchanted tales to life, the destination’s reimagined second park will transport guests into the worlds inspired by Disney Animation, Pixar, and Marvel. Renamed Disney Adventure World from March 29, 2026 it will welcome guests to three spectacular immersive lands: the new World of Frozen, the colorful Worlds of Pixar, and the epic Marvel Avengers Campus. Disney Adventure World will later be joined by a fourth world inspired by the classic Disney Animation film The Lion King.
Adventure Way Leads the Way
After exiting the reimagined World Premiere opening act of Disney Adventure World, The journey continues along Adventure Way. This vibrant promenade will feature lush gardens for relaxation, a variety of live entertainment, and 14 brand-new culinary experiences.
The beautifully landscaped gardens are inspired by beloved Disney and Pixar tales, from the romantic Tangled Garden to the playful Toy Story Garden, where statues of Woody and Jessie stand among trees trimmed into toy shapes.
At The Gazebo Garden, there’s an English-style retreat adorned with bronze statues inspired by Disney Animation classics such as Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
New Minnie & Mickey Mouse Character Meet & Greet
On the scenic banks of Adventure Bay, the West Pavilion will offer guests a charming retreat inspired by early 20th-century architecture. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will be dressed in new Victorian outfits crafted by the talented cast members at the Disneyland Paris Costume Workshop. Shortly after the opening in 2026, even more Disney characters will join the lakeside fun.
Seasonal entertainment will also bring the space to life from Rapunzel and Flynn’s Musical Encounter in spring to Mary Poppins and the Pearly Band in summer, Miguel’s Latin Festival in fall and a variety of character greetings starting next November. Adding to the magic, the lively Disney Marching Band, led by Minnie Mouse and her 12 musicians, will parade down Adventure Way with renditions of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel favorites.
Speaking of music, as guests step onto Adventure Way, they’ll be greeted by a brand-new musical score composed exclusively for this promenade. This original 40-minute theme, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, creates a magical soundtrack that complements the lush gardens, elegant architecture, and vibrant entertainment along the avenue.
New Ride: Raiponce Tangled Spin
Adventure Way will also debut a new family attraction, Raiponce Tangled Spin, inspired by the beloved Disney Animation film Tangled. Seated in finely sculpted gondolas, guests will whirl gracefully beneath a sky illuminated with floating lanterns, surrounded by frescoes depicting Rapunzel’s adventures.
Accompanied by legendary music from the film, including “I See the Light,” guests will spin and twirl, immersed in the romantic atmosphere of the Festival. Mandy Moore, the original voice of Rapunzel, has specially recorded audio announcements for the attraction, adding an authentic touch.
Adventure Way Culinary Crawl
With 14 brand-new food and beverage locations along Adventure Way, there’s even more offerings to savor. La Terrasse Panoramique will serve hearty bread bowls, New York rolls, and comforting hot beverages.
Café Luminosity will feature an original hot dog with four signature recipes, paired with sweet treats like cinnamon rolls. Chalets and mobile carts will offer new bites such as filled brioche rolls, stuffed potato waffles, and whimsical desserts inspired by Disney Princesses.
Pictured above is the current Chalets used around WDSP to illustrate the scale and size of most of these dining options. It’s not as if Adventure Way is adding a dozen-plus fully-fledged restaurants. Think more like EPCOT marketplaces. We’d likewise expect these to be more thematically-ambitious than past kiosks at WDSP.
The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge
Just beyond Rapoince Tangled Spin, you’ll find the elegant The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge.
This table-service restaurant will offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a refined atmosphere decorated with embroidered drapes, floral tapestries, delicate wood moldings, and stunning murals of Disney Princesses.
Every detail of The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge has been crafted meticulously with artistry in mind.
Ornamental plates inspired by Disney Princesses were handmade by Royal Delft, the renowned Dutch porcelain manufacturer and official supplier to the Dutch royal family. Above the entrance, a magnificent canopy created by workshops in Alsace showcases ironwork expertise dating back to the early 19th century.
You’ll also have the chance to meet a few princesses at Regal View Restaurant & Lounge, which will be a character dining experience.
Appearing royalty will include Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Merida from Brave, Jasmine from Aladdin, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Mulan from Mulan and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
Over on the lounge side, you’ll find the very first bar located at either of the two Disneyland Paris parks. This elegant space is decorated in royal-blue hues and features a striking wooden bar accented with gold. Adorning the lounge are artworks celebrating the beloved animal companions of Disney Princesses, including Heihei from Moana, Pascal from Tangled and Mushu from Mulan.
Here you can unwind with signature cocktails, indulge at the bar, and enjoy the artwork. Both the restaurant and lounge will feature breathtaking views of Adventure Bay and World of Frozen, making it the perfect spot to watch the new nighttime show.
New “Disney Cascade of Lights” Nighttime Spectacular
As day ends, at park close Adventure Bay will become the stage for a groundbreaking new nighttime spectacular “Disney Cascade of Lights.” This 360° show will offer a ballet of hundreds of drones, choreographed fountains, water screens, and pyrotechnics, all set to a powerful orchestral score.
Designed as the grand finale to each day at Disney Adventure World, the show will deliver an unforgettable experience for guests of all ages. Designed in a 360° configuration, with tiered viewing areas, it allows visitors to enjoy exceptional views from around the bay.
Pushing the boundaries of innovation, the production will feature the world’s first integration of a revolutionary aquatic drone system along with next-generation aerial drones, creating breathtaking choreographies that unfold simultaneously across the sky and the water.
This new production will invite every guest to step into the story and embrace their own heroic journey, inspired by the courage and determination of stories including Disney Animation’s Mulan, Hercules, Moana, and Zootopia, Pixar’s Up, and from the Marvel Universe.
This show will combine immersive staging with cutting-edge effects to create an experience unique to Disneyland Paris. Guests will enjoy unprecedented proximity to a wide range of elements, including water screens, choreographed fountains, large-scale projections, dynamic lighting, special effects, and pyrotechnics.
At its centerpiece, a world-exclusive ballet of 379 drones, developed in collaboration with official technology provider Dronisos, will illuminate the sky and water with intricate formations and dazzling choreography. New aquatic drone technology has been created exclusively for the new show, in keeping with the resort’s continued focus on innovation in entertainment.
The experience will be brought to life with a powerful soundtrack, recorded by a 90-piece orchestra. Featuring new arrangements of beloved Disney music, the score includes an original adaptation of “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana as well as an entirely new anthem created for the show, “We Can Be Heroes.”
Together, these elements will showcase an unprecedented blend of technology, artistry, and storytelling, establishing the production as a new milestone in Disney nighttime entertainment.
In the coming months, the Disney Live Entertainment team will undertake extensive rehearsals to perfect the seamless choreography of aerial and aquatic drones, combined with cutting-edge special effects, ensuring a breathtaking experience from the very start of the expansion.
World of Frozen Opens March 29, 2026
World of Frozen will open as part of Disney Adventure World, an extraordinary new land that brings the kingdom of Arendelle to life like never before. This expansion will feature stunning architecture, including the towering North Mountain crowned by Elsa’s Ice Palace, and a vibrant village square inspired by Nordic design.
At the heart of the land is Frozen Ever After, a family-friendly boat ride that journeys through iconic scenes from the films, enhanced by lifelike Audio-Animatronics figures and cutting-edge projection technology. Discover a Royal Encounter with Anna and Elsa inside Arendelle Castle, or join in the festivities with “A Celebration in Arendelle,” a daytime show staged on Viking longships in Arendelle Bay.
Speaking of which, “A Celebration in Arendelle” is a newly-announced entertainment offering exclusive to the Disneyland Paris version of World of Frozen! “A Celebration in Arendelle” brings the Snowflower Festival to life. Presented several times a day, the show unfolds aboard three majestic Viking longships, each crafted with extraordinary care.
Walt Disney Imagineering partnered with a renowned French shipbuilder from the Bordeaux region to design and build these vessels. Their intricate decorations were entrusted to artisans who have long collaborated with Disneyland Paris. For example, Kristoff’s longship was made by a historic workshop near Dijon known for its exceptional craftsmanship. These authentic touches create a setting as rich and detailed as the story itself.
The land will also offer quick-service dining at Nordic Crowns Tavern, exclusive merchandise at Arendelle Boutique, and interactive surprises like meeting Rúna, a baby troll companion. Every detail, from handcrafted décor to new music composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, has been designed to push the boundaries of storytelling.
Disney Adventure World in 2027 & Beyond
In the not too distant future, you’ll also soar into the whimsical world of Pixar Animation Studios’ Up. This family-friendly, flying carousel will add motion and energy on Adventure Way.
This was a later addition to the Disney Adventure World lineup, hence the flying ride not making the March 29, 2026 opening day. It’s unclear when this Up attraction will open, but our expectation is 2027.
My potentially unpopular opinion is that Disney Adventure World could use a few more secondary attractions like this to round out the ride roster. Definitely more to break up the space on Adventure Way, but also in the Frozen and Lion King lands. Almost can’t believe I’m saying the second gate we first experienced in its saddest state needs more flat rides, but it beats single-ride lands.
Further down the road, construction is finally underway on the other themed-land at Disney Adventure World. This will be the first themed area dedicated to Disney Animation’s The Lion King, known informally as the Pride Lands.
Set on Adventure Bay, this new land will feature a major attraction combining water-based thrills with next-generation Audio-Animatronics figures and unforgettable songs from the 1994 masterpiece, plunging guests deep into the Pride Lands to follow Simba’s adventures.
The land (area?) based on the Lion King was previously going to be home to a version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, but it’s our understanding that this was quietly cancelled (but never announced) even pre-COVID after the tepid initial response of the domestic lands.
We’d much rather have the Lion King than a scaled-back Galaxy’s Edge (or even a fully-fledged Galaxy’s Edge, for that matter), but it’s unfortunate that the land was delayed so long and only finally announced at last year’s D23 Expo. That’s roughly 6 years after the original announcement of the second gate expansion and overhaul.
Our Commentary
It’s heartening to see the World of Frozen project and Disney Adventure World overhaul finally nearing the finish line. It’s been a long road, but the park is almost there.
We’re really excited to experience this park anew, especially since we argued after our first visit back in 2012 that the Walt Disney Studios Park was not actually a “Disney” theme park. This transformation should finally put that to rest (if it hasn’t been already in the intervening years) once and for good.
Honestly, I’m looking forward to the little changes as much as the big ones. Things like World Premiere, the reimagined opening act that replaces the former Disney Studio 1 soundstage. I suspect this is a lot of lipstick on a pig, and would’ve preferred a whole soundstage-less new entrance, but such a dramatic transformation would’ve been even more ambitious than going from Sunshine Plaza to Buena Vista Street at DCA.
Of course, we’re looking forward to World of Frozen, which we believe will be a pleasant surprise to most guests–especially those who have only experienced Frozen Ever After at Walt Disney World. Expectations seem somewhat muted for World of Frozen in Paris, perhaps because this will likely be “third place” to the Frozen areas in Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
However, it’s also fair to point out that those are two world-class lands, so third place here isn’t necessarily a bad thing. To the contrary, we were very surprised by World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland, finding that land punched way above its weight and was better than it had any right to be. We expect this to also hold true for the Disneyland Paris version of Arendelle.
We’re also pleased by the little additions for the World of Frozen in France that’ll differentiate it from HKDL. If the atmospheric entertainment is as good in the Parisian version of this land as it is in Hong Kong, it’s going to be a surprise hit for many Disney fans. Disneyland Paris usually does entertainment really well, so we have incredibly high expectations for this incarnation of the Frozen-themed land.
All in all, we are really looking forward to visiting the second gate at Disneyland Paris. Those were not words I ever thought I’d type back in 2012 after experiencing the Walt Disney Studios Park for the first time. I knew everyone thought it was bad, but I couldn’t believe it was that bad. And after spending a couple days in the beautiful Disneyland Paris, I also thought that maybe Parisian Disney fans had too high of expectations. Nope.
If anything, diehard Disney fans grade the Walt Disney Studios Park on a curve. That the park is (or was) so bad they look for any nuggets of positivity. Crush’s Coaster and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure are two of the most overrated Disney attractions on earth. They’re good, but are sometimes made out to be a top 10 ride worldwide. We seldom do Crush’s Coaster because the wait in that boring extended queue is never “worth it” to us…and because we spend 90% of our time in Disneyland Paris.
In any case, what a difference a decade or so makes. The Walt Disney Studios Park still has a long way to go, but each new update on the park has me more excited for Disney Adventure World. It’s an unprecedented feeling for the second gate at Disneyland Paris. I’m really looking forward to the expansion debuting on March 29, 2026, as well as what’s further down the road.
My biggest complaint is that all of this has happened too slowly and with too few attractions, but it’s still a massive win for Disneyland Paris. A massive leap forward in the right direction after years (decades?) of neglect and underinvestment in the European parks.
When comparing the first decade of WDSP to what’s on the horizon in 2026 and beyond, it’s just a night and day difference, and an almost unfathomable improvement. I really hope the relaunch of Disney Adventure World on March 29, 2026 is an immediate smash success, and the result is that the company immediately greenlights and expedites further expansion. Hopefully, by the 2026 D23 Expo!
For the basics of planning a visit to Disneyland Paris, check out our Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Guide. Find the best place to stay in Disneyland Paris Hotel Reviews. Check out 101 Disneyland Paris Tips for some (101, to be exact) of our best random tips for doing DLP like a pro. See Disney Park Tickets Tips & Tricks for ways to save on tickets. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. Finally, for advice beyond Disney, check out our Ultimate Travel Guide to Paris, France.
Your Thoughts
Will you be visiting Disney Adventure World on March 29, 2026 for the big relaunch of the second gate at Disneyland Paris? Thoughts on World of Frozen, Adventure Way, Disney Cascade of Lights nighttime spectacular, or anything else? Do you view these as good additions? Are you excited for the Lion King Pride Lands or any other future additions? Hope more is announced at the 2026 D23 Expo? Excited to finally stroll around the central lake and experience the reimagined park? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!