Miguel, Hector and their family members from the Land of the Dead will join the characters from Incredibles, Toy Story and Inside Out when the world’s first Coco attraction opens in Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure.
Disneyland will begin construction this fall on a new Coco boat ride at Disney California Adventure as part of the $1.9 billion DisneylandForward expansion plan.
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The 2017 Pixar animated film follows the journey of 12-year-old Miguel Rivera into the colorful Land of the Dead in search of his family’s true history. Along the way, Miguel meets the charming trickster Hector, famous musician Ernesto de la Cruz and deceased members of the Rivera family.
New concept art depicts visitors entering the Coco attraction under an adobe archway, leading to a plaza area surrounded by walls with Spanish clay roof tiles. Marigold flower bunting, Papel Picado banners and string lights will add to the festive decor. A domed bell tower will loom over the courtyard.
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A hand-painted sign on the archway beneath a lone mission-style bell reads “Casa Museo de la Familia” – suggesting the attraction queue will be set up as the Rivera family museum.
Earlier concept art for the new Coco ride showed an eight-person boat gently traveling through a Mexican village beneath exploding fireworks. Marigolds lined the gunwale of the boat with a pink and blue Sugar Skull painted on the stern.
Walt Disney Imagineering will draw inspiration from the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean for the new Coco dark ride that will feature the latest Audio-Animatronic figures.
The Coco attraction will be predominantly nestled backstage between Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens, according to Walt Disney Imagineering officials.
The new Coco ride will back up to the western helix of the Incredicoaster roller coaster in Pixar Pier, according to the concept art.
(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The new attraction will be built on a plot of underused land occupied by a backstage access road connecting to Disneyland Drive.
A backstage gate between Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens will eventually serve as a passageway to the Westside expansion area of Disney California Adventure. Visitors would cross a themed bridge passing over Disneyland Drive to get between Pixar Pier and the new DisneylandForward expansion area south of the Pixar Place Hotel.
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Disneyland has not yet announced an opening date for the new Coco boat ride, but the attraction is expected to debut in 2027 or 2028.
Pixar recently announced “Coco 2” would be coming to theaters in 2029 – and then almost immediately walked back the opening date for the animated film sequel.