Worlds of Pixar
Worlds of Pixar is a themed land at Walt [Disney Studios Park] in Disneyland Paris, France. Dedicated to stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, the area was officially introduced in 2021 as a rebranding of the park's existing Pixar-themed attractions and sub-areas.
Worlds of Pixar encompasses several popular rides, entertainment, and dining locations based on films such as Finding Nemo, [Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story], Ratatouille, and [Cars (franchise)|Cars]. It was the first of several new zones created during a multi-year expansion plan and park overhaul during the 2020s, aimed at moving the park away from its original studio-backlot theme and more towards story-centric lands.
History
When Disney Studios Park">The Walt Disney Company">Disney Studios Park opened in 2002, its animation-themed zone did not yet have a unified Pixar land, but this evolved over time. In June 2007, the park debuted its first two Pixar attractions as part of a major expansion and renaming of the animation area to "Toon Studio". This expansion introduced Crush's Coaster, a spinning indoor roller coaster themed to Finding Nemo, and Cars Quatre Roues Rallye, a Cars-themed spinning ride set at a Radiator Springs service station. Both attractions opened on 9 June 2007 and were exclusive to Disneyland Paris at the time.The Pixar presence grew further in the following years. In August 2010, a new sub-area called Toy Story Playland opened, becoming the first Toy Story-themed land at any Disney park. Here, visitors appear to "shrink" to the scale of a toy through oversized theming throughout the area. It features three family attractions, RC Racer, Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, and Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, all opened in 2010 to coincide with the release of Toy Story 3. In 2014, another expansion introduced a Parisian-themed area based on Ratatouille, including the trackless dark ride Ratatouille: L'Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy. Adjacent to the Ratatouille ride is Bistrot Chez Rémy, a table-service restaurant where guests dine among oversized props from the film. These additions gradually formed a cluster of Pixar attractions within the Toon Studio land.
In February 2018, The [Walt Disney Company|Disney] CEO Bob Iger announced a €2 billion expansion plan for Walt Disney Studios Park, marking a shift towards immersive franchise-based lands. The plan included new areas for Marvel, Frozen, and Star Wars as well as a large artificial central lake for shows. As part of this transformation, the park's original Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic ride was closed in January 2020. It was reimagined with a Pixar theme and reopened on 17 June 2021 as Cars: Road Trip, a guided tram tour along a Route 66-inspired route featuring characters and scenes from Cars.
In late August 2021, Disneyland Paris officially announced that a substantial portion of Toon Studio, encompassing all Pixar-themed rides and experienced, would be renamed to Worlds of Pixar, creating a single themed area dedicated to Pixar storytelling. This change formed part of the park’s wider strategy to increase thematic coherence and immersion by moving away from the original studio lot concept in favour of lands based on individual franchises. The remaining non-Pixar attractions, including Animagique Theater, Animation Celebration, and Flying Carpets Over Agrabah, were retained as part of a smaller adjacent zone now known as "World Premiere Plaza".
Once World of Frozen is finished, Walt Disney Studios Park is set to be renamed Disney Adventure World, reflecting its new focus on immersive lands. As one of the core lands situated at the front of the park, Worlds of Pixar will connect to the Frozen area via a lakeside promenade accessible through Toy Story Playland.