The two expansion directions Hong Kong Disneyland just announced couldn't be more different. On one side, a plush toy so shy it curls up into a ball; on the other, Stark Industries' tech lab. The same park is telling its most intimate emotional story and pulling off its most sprawling universe-scale expansion — at the same time.
At the recently concluded D23 global fan expo, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort unveiled the next step for Toy Story Land: in the first half of 2027, the park will open a new theater featuring an immersive Pixar-themed stage show. Familiar faces like Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, and Hug the Dragon will return, but the true star is an original character created specifically for the show — Poppy.
Poppy is a plush toy who moves from Hong Kong to live next door to Andy, following her young owner Aria. The most concrete detail in her backstory: when she feels nervous or overwhelmed, she curls up into a small ball, and Andy's toys take turns stepping up, each teaching her in their own way how to make friends. This thread weaves together the worlds of Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Cars, The Incredibles, and Inside Out, co-created by Hong Kong's team and Disney Live Entertainment in the US, with a theme song titled "Bloom." A shy toy slowly opening up thanks to the company of a whole crew of old friends — that's the most complete narrative backbone the stage show has offered so far.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Disneyland's Marvel-themed area expansion is operating on an entirely different scale. At its core is a brand-new attraction centered on the Avengers, and the park will also add a Quinjet Pad, serving as a permanent spot for guests to encounter the superheroes. In the "Stark Expo" area, a new pavilion will rise, adding a fresh silhouette to Tomorrowland's skyline — set up as the Avengers Tech Lab, where Stark Industries and experts like Spider-Man develop technology to combat future threats. The story's next chapter: the new tech attracts a formidable enemy, and guests will fight alongside Spider-Man, with the action extending to settings like Wakanda and Kamar-Taj.
So far, officials have only confirmed that the Pixar theater will open in the first half of 2027. Completion timing, ticketing, and opening details for the Marvel expansion area have yet to be announced.
