'Sup?! Tad here, the resident family thrill-seeker and videographer. I always have my green finger on the pulse of what’s hoppening in the parks, so I am toadally excited for the upcoming events, rides and new lands coming to Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Universal Studios Hollywood and more. For those of you looking for what opened last year and even what opened the year before that, we've got you covered!

Let’s hop to it and explore what's coming to Disneyland and Universal in 2021 and beyond! Also, don't froget to bookmark this page so you can come back and see what's opened as you get closer to your trip!

What’s Coming to Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood in 2021 and Beyond

Disney California Adventure Park

A Touch of Disney — select days March 18 through April 19 — Disney California Adventure Park opened its gates for a limited-time, limited-capacity, ticketed experience this spring. A Touch of Disney allowed you to access the Disney California Adventure theme park for dining and entertainment, including your favorite characters AND your favorite theme park snacks. Rides remained closed. To see what hoppened during the sold-out event, hop over to our full event guide.

Avengers Campus — opened June 4, 2021 — A new Super Hero–themed land called Avengers Campus is now accepting recruits. You see, the Stark Expo in Hong Kong was attacked by the forces of Hydra, so that inspired the Avengers to set up new and unique headquarters around the planet to recruit and train the next generation of heroes. This new land was originally supposed to open in July 2020, but its opening was delayed until June 4, 2021.

Avengers Campus features Spider-Man and the Avengers, including members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Black Widow, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Thor, Loki, Black Panther, the Dora Milaje and Iron Man! Did you read that right? Iron Man!

Keep your eyes to the skies. What's most exciting is that a "struntronic" Spider-Man leaps and flips through the air over the rooftops and then a real live Spider-Man climbs down a wall to greet guests. It's toadally cool! Spider-Man will be swinging through Avengers Campus in a redesigned Spidey-suit.

The land will open in phases, starting with the Worldwide Engineering Brigade (WEB) and the Pym Test Kitchen. The second phase will bring another exciting ride to the land.

WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure — opened June 4, 2021 — An immersive, interactive ride-through attraction opened with the new land. WEB is an attraction-based organization (founded by Tony Stark). This is home to the new Spider-Man experience and is the first Disney ride to feature Spider-Man. Have you always secretly wished you could sling webs from your own wrist just like Spider-Man? Here’s your chance (thanks to immersive technology)! Attend an open house at WEB, where the inventors invite you to take a test drive of the WEB Slinger vehicle.

You can sling webs and help weave a web to trap Peter Parker's Spider-Bots. The bots are usually helpful, but it seems they have some bugs of their own and have gotten stuck in replication mode. Can you harness your own superpowers to save the Campus from chaos? This ride has no height requirement and is appropriate for all ages. Take a look at our video on our YouTube channel.

Speaking of Spider-Bots, both the robots and all-new WEB merchandise are now available at Downtown Disney and in the park at WEB Suppliers, Campus Supply Pod and Stage 17.

This ride is only accessible via a virtual queue. Guests can join the queue at 7 a.m. and noon daily through the Disneyland app. Here's our guide to Disneyland virtual queues.

Pym Test Kitchen — opened June 4, 2021 — You may be familiar with how Ant-Man and The Wasp can use subatomic “Pym Particles” to alter their size and mass, grow or shrink. Just wait until you see this eatery, where the foods are enhanced with Pym Particles. The foods may be shrunken down (with red particles) or grown (with blue particles) to a larger size!

Enjoy massive meals, tiny treats and shareable bites at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Being that the quick-service restaurant was built in an old lab facility, you can enjoy decor that includes giant soda cans and condiment bottles, and read the menu off massive cell phones! I am hoppin' excited to see the menus. I have a question though. Can I shrink my vegetables but expand my dessert (while keeping the calories and nutritional content the same, of course)? This location uses Mobile Order. Pick-up windows are released on a rolling basis throughout the day. Hop over to our super guide to Avengers Campus food.

PYM Tasting Lab — opened June 4, 2021 — This quick-service lounge serves adult beverages and snacks. The oversized beer can next door to The Pym Tasting Lab may clue you in to what kinds of beverages are available at this location. The Pym Tasting Lab is brewing up cocktail experiments, craft beers with unique beer taps that fill glasses from the bottom up and Snack Molecules.

The Sanctum — opened June 4, 2021 — In the late 1940s, a Stark Industries complex was built on a remote location near Los Angeles. There had long been rumors about unexplained energies and unexplainable events that took place. Now, Tony Stark has invited Doctor Strange to this Avengers Campus to teach recruits about the mystic arts. Doctor Strange has suspended the cloaking spells surrounding the area, revealing the Sanctum to the world! Wait, has it been hidden at Disney California Adventure this whole time?

See ancient ruins that have been hidden for centuries. Learn from Doctor Strange about an ancient battle that threatened to tear a hole in the fabric of time and reality and how that battle led to the creation of the Orb of Cagliostro. You'll want to visit at night, when the Orb is known to be especially active. When it's dark, you might see the Sanctum flowing with magical energy!

You'll get to experience Dr. Strange demonstrating his mystical abilities, and he will open your eyes to the mysteries of the multiverse.

WEB Suppliers — opened June 4, 2021 — No doubt after riding WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, you're going to want to get your very own Spider-Bot robot sidekick along with at-home kits to build webs and other accessories. Don't forget your Avengers swag and souvenirs at this shop!

Avengers Headquarters — exterior opened June 4, 2021 — The iconic Avengers Headquarters building opened when the land opened, but the ride it houses will come at a later date. Be sure to lift your eyes to the rooftops to spy Avengers and the Quinjet parked up there. The Avengers have heard reports that a villain called the Taskmaster is planning to break into the Avengers command center. Black Widow, Iron Man, Captain America, Captain Marvel and others will be greeting new recruits and keeping an eye out for threats. Should the Taskmaster and his crew appear, the Super Heroes will be ready to spring into action. Watch for a confrontation that takes place all over the building, including the rooftop!

This building is the entrance to a brand-new “E-Ticket” attraction (opening at a later date) that puts you right in the middle of the action. Step aboard a Quinjet and fly along with the Avengers to Wakanda and places beyond. You’ll team up with the Avengers and fight alongside them to save the world in a battle against powerful villains. Do you have what it takes to defeat them? The brand-new ride technology is unlike anything you've seen before!

"Coco" scene added to Mickey's PhilharMagic — July 17, 2021 — A new scene makes its debut in Mickey's PhilharMagic with "Un Poco Loco." The score is unique to Mickey's PhilharMagic and combines animation from both Pixar and Disney (with Donald Duck).

Disneyland After Dark: Villains Nite — TBD— ThisDisneyland After Dark Party at Disney California Adventure is dark indeed, with a villain theme! The separately ticketed event was supposed to take place in April 2020 after the park closed for the night, but guests could enter early at 6 p.m. Tickets were sold out. This party will be rescheduled after the parks reopen. A current ticket for Villains Nite will be automatically eligible for the rescheduled event. Guests can call Disneyland at (714) 781-4636 if they wish to cancel instead.

Party attendees often dress elaborately in theme (costume guidelines for special events apply). This party has a Villains Cabaret with a cast of outlaws who will sing and dance their way through a revue. Guests will be spellbound by DJ-hosted dance parties and enjoy character greetings with nefarious Disney fiends, fun photo-ops and themed food, drink, decor and merchandise. It's possible some entertainment could be modified at the rescheduled event to meet the current government guidelines.

Disneyland Park

More chances to access Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance  — reopened April 30, 2021 — This new ride in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was open for about eight weeks when Disneyland closed for the pandemic, so it is still a brand-new ride to the majority of guests now that Disneyland reopened. Step inside an epic battle between the Resistance and the First Order, with appearances by Storm Troopers, AT-AT Walkers and Kylo Ren.

This ride has a virtual queue during your visit. Hop over to our post on how to join a Boarding Group for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance before you visit for the latest updates on how to access this popular attraction. There is a new procedure to join the virtual queue in place, allowing guests to join a Boarding Group at one of two times per day. You can access the virtual queue from anywhere at 7 a.m. or after entering a theme park at 12 p.m.

Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival — spring — This event is a California foodie's paradise, and one of the top Disneyland events! The festival takes place each year during March and April. Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival offers guests the chance to partake in delicious food and wine offerings every day, plus special workshops, classes and experiences on the weekends. Tad and Lily love participating in Jr. Chef with Goofy, and we all love the free treat that comes with the free experience.

Guests can taste food and drinks at the Festival Marketplaces, themed around different tastes and drinks of California. Foodie fans can reserve seats at premium experiences with famous chefs. You’ll also encounter musical entertainment and special character meet-and-greets, including opportunities to meet some rarely-seen characters. You could do some shopping for festival-themed headwear, apparel, décor and cooking gadgets. The Sip and Savor Pass returned for all guests in 2020. We hope the pass and the event return in 2022, but nothing has been confirmed yet! In 2021, instead of Food and Wine, we were treated to A Touch of Disney.

Snow White's Enchanted Wish — opened April 30, 2021 — This classic Fantasyland dark ride, which has been around since Disneyland Park opened, recently got makeover. Snow White's Scary Adventures underwent a major refurbishment just before Disneyland temporarily closed and was ready to reopen with a new name and enhanced — or should we say "enchanted" — storyline. It now has all-new scenes with new music, state-of-the-art audio and visual technology, LED black lighting, laser projections and a new animation system. Look to see Snow White dancing with the Seven Dwarfs, and take a whiff — is that fresh apple pie?

Snow White is now getting the "happily ever after" she deserves. We are hoppy to see that one of our favorite Disneyland scary rides is a little more fun for younger children and will be sticking around to delight many more generations to come. Don't worry, you can still see the witch on the ride and the evil queen still peers out the window above the entrance. As you may know, Disney World removed Snow White’s Scary Adventures dark ride in 2012 (although Disney World guests get to enjoy the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster instead).

Take a virtual ride with us on Snow White's Enchanted Wish:

Indiana Jones Adventure Refurbishment — TBD — Speaking of refurbishments, this popular Adventureland ride was set to get some updates in 2020. The Disneyland crews are expected to replace a plank bridge and refurbish rock work. We do not have a completion date.

Jungle Cruise Encounters New Adventures — July 16, 2021 — Next door to Indy, the Jungle Cruise is getting some "gnu" adventures. The skippers and their "dry humor" already play a significant role in the ride experience. New additions to this classic attraction at both Disneyland and Disney World will feature skippers out in the habitat with sinking boats taken over by chimpanzees and the skippers interacting with ... err, escaping from ... wildlife. As it turns out, the rhino still gets the point in the end. But that's not the "hull" story.

Haunted Mansion Refurbishment — opened April 30, 2021 — As Disneyland temporarily closed in March 2020, the Haunted Mansion was undergoing a refurbishment. It's time to "hurry baaack" to the Haunted Mansion. Look for some new hair-raising horticulture and new "tales" of tragedy in the pet cemetery outside (be sure to take a whiff near the skunk!). The spirits have done some redecorating in the portrait hall that they are dying to show you. As you approach your Doom Buggy loading area, look for the return of the "April to December" portrait. (We wonder where that Haunted Mansion original has been hanging around.) Watch the woman age before your eyes. Look for some new magical enhancements throughout the ride (especially in the graveyard) when you visit the 999 happy haunts' abode.

A "Princess and the Frog" re-theming of Splash Mountain — TBD — Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Disney World will undergo a major re-theming with a new storyline, starring Princess Tiana. Guests will be "goin' down the bayou" with Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Louis, Ray, Mama Odie and other favorites from the film "Princess and the Frog" to continue the adventure post-kiss and join the hoppin' Mardi Gras celebration. To quote Tiana, these frogs think it'll be "the bees knees!" Disneyland reopened with the current version of Splash Mountain so guests can take a farewell voyage. One thing we can rely on is the heart-pounding drop. Gonna take you down, gonna take you down, gonna take you all the way down ...

Adult Drinks at Blue Bayou — reopened May 27, 2021 — Diners at Blue Bayou restaurant in New Orleans Square may now order beer, wine and limited cocktails. Wait. What?! This news comes as a shock as Disneyland has had a strict policy against serving alcohol in Disneyland Park (outside of the exclusive private Club 33). Oga's Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was the first bar to serve adult drinks, but guests are visiting Batuu and it's like they are on another planet anyway, right? But this brings drinks into the original theme park.

According to the OC Register: "Disneyland made the decision to add alcohol to the Blue Bayou menu after the park’s food and beverage team received thousands of requests over the years from international travelers and young adult visitors for more beer, wine and cocktail options at the restaurant."

Mommy Frog is chiming in. She says that after the year we've been through, a Hurricane cocktail or the sparkling wine with dessert package sounded pretty good to her. The competition for reservations is fierce. For kids like me and adults who do not drink, Blue Bayou has nonalcoholic seasonal varieties of the New Orleans Square mint julep and Louisiana lemonade. Yum! I prefer mine with a glow cube to set the right mood.

Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite — TBD — This Disneyland After Dark event was scheduled to take place inside Disneyland in 2020, inviting members of the dark side and the light side to come together once Disneyland Park closed for the night. This separately ticketed event was set to fall on opening night of the Star Wars Celebration, a fan convention that was to take place at the Anaheim Convention Center Aug. 27 to 30, 2020. However, that event has been postponed for two years (due to COVID-19), and Disneyland is postponing the Star Wars Nite to a different date yet to be determined. A ticket for the original Star Wars Nite will be eligible for the rescheduled event option. Guests who no longer wish to use their current ticket may call (714) 781-4636 for assistance.

For the originally scheduled Star Wars Nite, guests were to access the park as of 6 p.m., and the event was going to be underway from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Those details could change once a new date is set. For the event, look for a battle in the skies above Disneyland with special Star Wars–themed fireworks spectacular! Star Wars fans can also enjoy galactic dance parties, character encounters, themed decor, event merchandise and inspired food and beverage. Grab your lightsaber and prepare to pose for Star Wars–themed photo opportunities. Unlimited PhotoPass downloads are included.

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway — opening 2023 — All aboard! Woot, woot! This new ride rolling into Mickey's Toontown will be the first major Mickey-themed ride at Disneyland. The ride features an original story (and catchy theme song) where Mickey and Minnie are premiering their newest short, “Perfect Picnic,” at the El CapiTOON Theatre. Before you enter the theatre, you'll explore the special exhibit featuring props and costumes from the toon world. Then, you’ll step from the human world straight into the unpredictable cartoon world of Mickey and Minnie, and board a trackless train with Goofy as the engineer.

What could possibly go wrong in this magical, out-of-control ride with surprising twists and turns? Hold onto your ears, because it's a multi-dimensional cartoon world, so anything can happen! The ride will have state-of-the-art technology and dazzling visual effects to immerse you into Mickey's and Minnie's zany animated world.

Don’t worry! This ride will not replace any of the other Toontown rides. The entrance will be where the current Gag Factory store is. Toontown will be getting a fresh makeover in honor of the new ride. If you thought this ride was set to open in 2022, well, it was. This train schedule is experiencing delays due to COVID-19. It looks like we will have something to look forward to in 2023.

Downtown Disney

Expansion of Downtown Disney into Buena Vista Street — Nov. 19, 2020 through early March 2021 — During the 2020 holiday season, we got a special treat. The Downtown Disney District expanded into the Buena Vista Street area of the closed Disney California Adventure Park. Shopping and dining were open, but characters and entertainment were not available. Access is now closed. Hop over to our posts on Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street shopping and dining for all of the deets.

You can now purchase balloons in Downtown Disney. At 8 p.m. the light-up balloons come out.

Disneyland Resort

Disney Vacation Club location — TBD — If you are a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, then you will be hoppy to hear that Disneyland has filed a permit with the City of Anaheim to build a new DVC tower adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel. It includes a restaurant, deck area, Mickey pool and pool restrooms. The DVC tower project area is located between South Walnut Street and the Disneyland Hotel’s Frontier Tower and swimming pool. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa has 17 DVC units and is currently the only DVC resort on the West Coast.

DisneylandForward

Disneyland Resort is seeking approvals from the City of Anaheim, the city in which it is located, to expand the resort in multiple areas. This is a long-term plan that may take place over the next few decades. Details are still developing, but Disneyland is looking to expand the theme park, retail, hotel, dining, entertainment and parking options, utilizing space around the resort. Disneyland will be asking the city for more flexibility in plans approved in the 1990s for the eastern and western edges of the Disneyland Resort.

The Immersive Theme Park west side expansion could include a theme park expansion on the land that currently surrounds the Disneyland Hotel, parts of Downtown Disney (where the unused ESPN Zone and AMC theater are currently located), Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and some surrounding parking lots. The streets that surround this area include Katella Avenue, Walnut Street and Magic Way.

The other major area being looked at for east side expansion is the current Toy Story lot near the Anaheim Convention Center. The Disney Entertainment Destination expansion, if approved, would include hotels, retail, dining, entertainment and theme park experiences.

A parking lot off Disney Way with a pedestrian bridge across Harbor Boulevard could create a new access point to Disneyland. The bridge would upgrade accessibility for hotels and businesses located along Harbor Boulevard. Disney is not asking for any public funding to complete this project.

It could take a few years for the planning and approvals to be complete and take many years to construct. But it's toadally exciting to see what may be coming to the Disneyland Resort!

Universal Studios Hollywood

A Taste of Universal — select days March 12 through April 4, 2021 — A limited-time, separately ticketed event got us into the closed theme park for food, photos and a little wizarding magic. Rides and shows remained closed. Hop over to our Taste of Universal and Universal Studios Hollywood reopening post for all of the yummy details. The lands of the Upper Lot were open, with fan-favorite foods available. Adult tickets included five tastings and child tickets included three tastings. The event was held Fridays through Sundays from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash — opened April 16, 2021 — If you’ve always felt like a puppy inside, then your imaginary tail must be wagging with the news that an all-new immersive ride based on “The Secret Life of Pets” movies has arrived at the Upper Lot near Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. The adventure includes star pets from the movies and gives you and other riders the chance to take on the role of stray puppies in search of a family.

Once you enter the incredibly themed queue, you'll come to realize from the other pets that you are a puppy in need of home. The other pets are worried about you, so they work together to get you to a Pet Adoption event so you can find a family of your own. You'll weave in and out New York apartments with talking pets in the queue and eventually hop in a cardboard box vehicle to get to the event. You'll encounter hyper-realistic media as you move through bustling New York City streets toward the Pet Adoption event and the ultimate happy ending: fur-ever homes. Your fellow animal pals will help guide you toward their destination. You'll need to get groomed along the way so your new family cannot help but want to bring you home. What a treat! This ride opened when Universal Studios Hollywood reopened April 16, 2021. The ride exits into the new Pet Store, where you can adopt your own furry plush friend. This ride has a Virtual Line at times.

New Ending to Jurassic World — The Ride! — opened April 16, 2021 — This ride has evolved with an all-new ending! Watch as the lifelike Indominus rex lunges from the bushes and goes to battle with Tyrannosaurus rex ... and you're in the middle of it.

Super Nintendo World — TBD — 'Sup gamers? While there are not a lot of details released yet, Universal Studios Hollywood is planning on bringing an expansive and immersive Nintendo-themed area to Universal Studios Hollywood in the next couple of years. You can see construction underway in the Lower Lot, to the left of Transformers: The Ride-3D. Check back for updates, but we have been hopping with excitement to see construction continuing for this new land during the park closure. 

Bravo Top Chef Food & Wine Festival — postponed in 2020 but may return — This new culinary event was inspired by Bravo's hit series "Top Chef." The separately ticketed event was set to kick off at 7 p.m. It offered live competitions, special panels, dozens of delectable culinary tastings and beverages. The event was for adults 21+ and included curated wines, craft beers and spirits. Regular admission did not include theme park attractions, although there were day/night combo tickets that allowed entrance into the theme park at 12 p.m. The VIP package also allowed entrance into the park as of 12 p.m. the day of the event and other perks. Hop back to find out if this event will hoppen in 2021.

Universal CityWalk

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen — opening 2021 — A Universal Orlando CityWalk family favorite is coming to the West Coast, and we are hopping with excitement! We're also hopping to burn some calories in advance, because we plan to do some damage when it opens! The menu offers all-day brunch (yes, please!), lunch and dinner items, but the creative milkshakes and decadent desserts are what really get my attention. The steampunk-decorated restaurant will be found in the former Hard Rock Cafe location, near the Universal Cinema. Toothsome will join other recently opened restaurants at Universal Studios Hollywood CityWalk, including Antojitos Cocina Mexicana, VIVO Italian Kitchen, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Voodoo Doughnut.

What's Coming to Other Southern California Theme Parks in 2021 and Beyond

SeaWorld San Diego

Emperor Coaster Opening — TBD — SeaWorld has not dropped the specific date of this coaster's opening, but our happy feet are swinging with frogcitement for this new floorless, penguin-themed dive coaster. Emperor is expected to make a splash in 2021. With speeds over 60 mph and a dive plunge over 150 feet (and over 90 degrees), Emperor Coaster will be the tallest and fastest dive coaster in California. That makes sense to me, as the emperor penguin is the tallest of all of the penguins.

Knott's Berry Farm

Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair — opened May 6, 2021, for passholders and May 21, 2021, for the general public — A closed Knott's ride from 1975 has returned as a 4-D interactive dark ride. The new story takes place 34 years after the original adventure. Riders follow Boysen Bear and Girlsen Bear as they travel to the Country Fair to earn the blue ribbon prize for their famous boysenberry pies. Uh, oh! It looks like Crafty Coyote is back with his mischievous pups. They plan to steal all the pies for themselves. (Admittedly, the boysenberry pie at Knott's is delicious, but don't steal it or be selfish like Crafty Coyote.)

Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair takes guests on an exciting journey through reimagined show scenes from the original dark ride, including the Boysenberry Pie Factory, Frog Forest, Fortune Teller Camp, Thunder Cave and Weird Woods. It culminates in a celebration at the County Fair.

Guests climb aboard ride vehicles equipped with jelly blasters to try to recover the stolen boysenberry pies. They travel through whimsical and beautiful environments while competing for the highest score. We can also look forward to celebrating 100 years of Knott's Berry Farm in 2021, from May 21 through Sept. 6, 2021. Read more about it in our Knott's Berry Farm summer post.

If you are as excited about what’s coming to Disneyland and Universal in 2021 and beyond as I am, then you might be planning your next visit. If you are looking for discount theme park tickets, rental cars, transportation or hotels near Disneyland or Universal Studios you can score some hoppin’ good deals through Undercover Tourist. Choose “Los Angeles” and then you can narrow down your search.

Related: Best Disneyland Snacks and Where to Find Them

Stay cool!