Pixar Pier opens Summer 2018 with new name for California Screamin’
Published: November 3, 2017 / Last Updated: November 3, 2017 / By: Arvid Bux
The wonderful worlds of Pixar will get a new home at Disney California Adventure Park when Pixar Pier opens in summer 2018, transforming the area that is now Paradise Pier with the thrilling, new Incredicoaster, four new imaginative neighborhoods, plus entertainment, themed food and beverage, and merchandise. Guests will experience Pixar stories and characters in incredible new ways on this seaside waterfront at the Disneyland Resort.
Pixar Pier, a permanent land along the southern shore of Paradise Bay, will debut during Pixar Fest, a limited-time event that begins April 13, 2018. As a new land, Pixar Pier will introduce the exciting new Incredicoaster plus four whimsical neighborhoods where guests step into beloved Pixar stories.
The first neighborhood is inspired by Disney·Pixar’s “The Incredibles” and it will open in summer 2018 with the Incredicoaster. Permanently transformed from the attraction that is now California Screamin’, Incredicoaster will invite guests into a mid-century-modern-style loading area where they board vehicles with a distinctive, new look. New character moments, new scenes and special effects, and an exciting musical score will connect the attraction’s story to Pixar’s “The Incredibles 2,” which opens in theaters June 14, 2018.
The neighborhood inspired by Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” will be developed around the popular Toy Story Mania! attraction. Another new neighborhood, inspired by Disney•Pixar’s “Inside Out,” will debut a new family-friendly attraction that’s scheduled to open at a later date.
A fourth new neighborhood will celebrate a collection of guest-favorite Pixar stories. Mickey’s Fun Wheel will be themed with a new look and each of the 24 gondolas will showcase a different Pixar character. The iconic face of Mickey Mouse will continue to beam happiness across the Paradise Bay side of the wheel. At the Games of the Boardwalk, which currently includes a game called Bullseye Stallion Stampede, guests will find that all the midway games will be inspired by Pixar characters. New games are expected to include characters from “A Bug’s Life,” “La Luna” and “WALL·E.”
To prepare for these big changes, several attractions will close Jan. 8: California Screamin’, Mickey’s Fun Wheel, Games of the Boardwalk and Sideshow Shirts.
Ariel’s Grotto restaurant and the Cove Bar will be transformed into a Pixar-themed lounge offering sparkling views of Paradise Bay and the new Pixar Pier. Ariel’s Grotto and Cove Bar will close Jan. 8, with Cove Bar reopening briefly in April before its permanent transformation. Guests wishing to reserve “World of Color” dining packages after Jan. 7 may consider Carthay Circle Restaurant or Wine Country Trattoria.
The remaining areas of the original Paradise Pier – including Paradise Gardens, Silly Symphony Swings, Jumping Jellyfish, Goofy’s Sky School, Golden Zephyr and The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure – will become a new land called Paradise Park.
The opening of Pixar Pier will add to the fun of Pixar Fest, a celebration of friendship that begins April 13, 2018. Pixar Fest will include the new fireworks show, “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular;” the return of “Pixar Play Parade,” appearing for the first time at Disneyland Park; the return of “Paint the Night,” performing this time at Disney California Adventure, and new elements added to each of those parades. In addition, guests will find friends from Disney•Pixar films, creatively themed food and beverage items and merchandise that’s exclusive to Pixar Fest.