If you are looking for the biggest updates on new rides at Disneyland, the most important change inside Disneyland Park is the new Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run mission featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu, which launches on May 22.
Around the broader Disneyland Resort in California, Disney is also bringing back Soarin’ Across America in Disney California Adventure on July 2, and there are a few smaller 70th celebration attraction updates worth noticing.
When I am planning a Disneyland day, I like to separate ride news into three buckets: what just opened, what is opening soon with an actual date, and what Disney has announced but still feels farther off. That makes it much easier to decide whether a trip should happen now or whether it is worth waiting.
For a broader overview before you build your park day, I would start with this general Disneyland guide, compare it with a practical plan a trip to Disneyland breakdown, and then check the official Disneyland Resort site for the latest park calendar and refurbishment updates.
New rides at Disneyland inside Disneyland Park
This is the part most people actually want. If you mean Disneyland Park specifically, the list is shorter than a lot of headlines make it sound. What is happening right now is more selective, with one major ride update inside Disneyland Park and a few smaller attraction enhancements that are still worth knowing before your trip.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run gets a new Mandalorian and Grogu mission
This is the biggest ride update I would personally pay attention to. On May 22, Smugglers Run adds a new mission featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu. That matters because it gives one of Disneyland’s most replayable attractions a fresh hook, especially for people who already know the original version well.
If you spend a lot of time in Disneyland Star Wars areas and attractions, this is probably the most exciting ride-related update in the park right now. It also helps to compare it with the park’s best Disneyland attractions if you are trying to decide whether this should be one of your top priorities.
NOTE: It is also the kind of change that can quietly boost wait times early in the day and again at night when Galaxy’s Edge feels especially immersive.
From experience, I would not save this for the middle of the afternoon if it is high on your list. New ride content inside an existing popular attraction tends to pull both first-time visitors and repeat fans.
Small but real ride changes during the 70th celebration
Disney has also added a few smaller attraction updates tied to the 70th celebration. These are not major new rides, but they are still worth knowing about because they can change how familiar attractions feel.
The most notable Disneyland Park change here is the added Miguel and Dante figures in “it’s a small world,” which arrived as part of the 70th celebration that began on May 16.
I would call that a celebration-era enhancement more than a full ride addition, but it is still the kind of detail frequent visitors notice right away. The resort is also doing other anniversary-era attraction touches, but inside Disneyland Park itself, this is the clearest example that actually affects a ride you can board there.
If you like catching this kind of stuff, it pairs well with a more open-ended park day and a list of Hidden Mickeys at Disneyland or a flexible stroll through your favorite lands instead of treating the whole day like a sprint.
What just opened at Disneyland Park versus what is still coming soon around the resort
One thing that trips people up is how Disney talks about attractions before they open. Sometimes a project is announced so early that it starts sounding like it already exists. I always think it is better to separate confirmed live experiences from projects that are still clearly in the future.
Already open or actively running now
Right now, the Disneyland Park updates I would treat as real and usable for trip planning are:
- the new Smugglers Run mission starting May 22
- the added Miguel and Dante figures in “it’s a small world,” added during the 70th celebration that began May 16
If you are talking about the broader Disneyland Resort, then Soarin’ Across America at Disney California Adventure also belongs in the conversation. That is why being clear about Disneyland Park versus Disneyland Resort makes a big difference when you are deciding whether a repeat visit feels fresh enough to justify another trip.
Announced but not open yet: Avengers Campus expansion at Disney California Adventure
This is the big one people hear about and then sometimes accidentally assume is opening immediately. Disney has confirmed two new Avengers Campus attractions: Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab. They sound ambitious, and the concept art and descriptions make them feel like a major future expansion.
But as of now, I would not plan a Disneyland trip around them being open unless Disney gives a firm opening date. They matter for the long-term direction of Disney California Adventure, but they are not in the same category as a ride you can count on riding during your next visit, and they are not inside Disneyland Park.
That distinction matters because I have seen people get excited for something that is still deep in the construction phase, then feel disappointed when they realize it is more of a future promise than a current park offering.
Which of these updates are actually worth planning around at Disneyland Resort
Not every ride update changes the value of a Disneyland trip. Some are fun bonuses. Others genuinely affect crowd flow, park priorities, and how you structure your morning.
Worth planning around if you love Star Wars
If Star Wars is a main reason you are going, the new Smugglers Run mission is the headline. I would absolutely treat that as a reason to revisit Disneyland, especially if you have already done Rise of the Resistance and want something in Galaxy’s Edge to feel fresh again.
This is also where I would pair ride strategy with a wider look at the full list of rides at Disneyland so you can stack nearby priorities instead of bouncing all over the park.
Worth planning around if you like classic California Adventure nostalgia
If your trip includes Disney California Adventure, Soarin’ Across America is still one of the most meaningful ride updates around the resort, especially with its July 2 start date. People who love older California Adventure energy tend to get excited for this version, and I understand why. It feels warmer and more rooted in place than the current around-the-world version.
I would just label it correctly in your planning. It is relevant to a Disneyland Resort vacation, but it is not one of the new rides inside Disneyland Park itself.
If your trip has a slower pace and you like mixing rides with food breaks, this is also a good day to map out where to eat at Disneyland Park, grab a treat like Dole Whip at Disneyland, and avoid turning every park hour into a line-chasing contest.
More of a bonus than a trip-defining reason
The 70th celebration ride tweaks are fun, but I would not book a whole Disneyland vacation just for those. They are the type of plus-ups that make a familiar attraction feel a little more special once you are already there.
If this is your first visit, your bigger wins probably come from logistics and timing, like reading through Disneyland tips for first timers, checking the Disneyland attendance calendar, knowing the best times to go to Disneyland, and understanding whether you need one day or more at Disneyland before you lock in dates.
My honest take on whether Disneyland has enough new rides right now
Honestly, I do not think this is the kind of stretch where Disneyland Park suddenly feels unrecognizable because of brand-new rides. It feels more like a year of one meaningful Star Wars update, a few smaller attraction additions, and future groundwork around the resort. That does not make it a bad time to go. It just means expectations matter.
If you have not been in a while, the new Smugglers Run mission plus the limited return of Soarin’ Across America at Disney California Adventure can definitely make a Disneyland Resort trip feel fresh.
If you go often, the smaller 70th celebration changes are nice details you will appreciate, but probably not the main reason you show up.
For most people, the smarter question is not just whether there are new rides, but whether the current mix of ride updates, seasonal entertainment, and crowd patterns makes sense for the kind of day they want. That is where practical planning matters more than hype.
If you are still piecing the budget side together, it also helps to look at how much a trip to Disneyland costs, Disneyland parking, the nearest airport to Disneyland, and how many days you need at Disneyland before deciding whether to go now or wait for bigger additions later.
Best way to visit if these ride updates are your priority
When I go on a day with one or two ride priorities, I try to be realistic instead of overplanning everything. That usually means getting in early, focusing on the specific land where the update matters most, and leaving room for the rest of the day to breathe.
For the new Smugglers Run mission, I would aim for an early start or a later evening ride when Galaxy’s Edge feels at its best. For Soarin’, I would keep an eye on whether it is pulling nostalgic demand and decide early whether Disney California Adventure needs to be your first park if you are doing both parks.
If you are building around a short trip, I would also compare your timing with Disneyland rope drop tips, a realistic Disneyland planning guide, and an itinerary for adults at Disneyland if your group is more ride-focused and less centered on character stops.
