One of Disneyland's opening-day attractions is getting a much-needed makeover. Autopia, the classic Tomorrowland ride where guests steer tiny cars around a winding track, is ditching its gas-powered engines for fully electric vehicles. This move means the end of the gasoline smell that has lingered over the ride for decades, a scent some parkgoers say is so strong it gives them headaches.
A Historic Ride Gets a Futuristic Upgrade
The attraction opened with Disneyland in Anaheim in 1955, when miniature cars and sleek highways were meant to represent the future of American travel. However, 70 years later, many fans argue the ride has become one of the least futuristic elements in Tomorrowland. Disney first announced in 2024 its plan to move Autopia away from gas power, initially targeting a fall 2026 completion. The company has since confirmed the ride will go fully electric, not hybrid, and that the current gas engines will be retired by early 2027 under an agreement with the California Air Resources Board.
Disneyland is now working on the design, engineering, and testing of a fully electric Autopia vehicle prototype, though the park has not yet announced when the ride will close or reopen. Autopia's last major refurbishment was in 2016 when Honda became the ride's sponsor, following previous sponsors like Chevron and Richfield Oil. Disneyland's 10-year deal with Honda is set to expire in 2026.
Fan Reactions and Future Plans
Disneyland fans have shared their excitement on social media, with many noting the 'gross' smell of gasoline that currently hovers over that area of Tomorrowland. Some even reported getting headaches from being near the attraction. 'Good news: getting rid of that exhaust smell. It's revolting,' one Reddit user wrote. 'Bad news: Autopia seems to be sticking around for many more years.' Another Reddit user expressed hope that the changes will be finished before their upcoming trip, adding that they tried Autopia once and it triggered their son's asthma, so they have avoided that whole area since. 'It's just funny to me that Autopia, for being in Tomorrowland, is always updating to what is currently happening,' another Disney fan added. 'When it was built it was to hype up the future of highways that was already being built and around. Now it's electric cars that are present and widely adopted.'
However, the company has not said whether similar changes are coming to Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland Speedway in Orlando. That Magic Kingdom attraction also features gas-powered cars that guests steer on an enclosed track. One Reddit user wrote, 'please do Tomorrowland Speedway next.' Instead, other Magic Kingdom attractions have been steadily getting upgrades, including Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which will have new hand-held laser guns as of May 2026. Over in Frontierland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad received a smoother track, updated cave scenes, and improvements to lighting effects.
Wider Disney Park Developments
One of the biggest expansions to Magic Kingdom is a new Cars-themed land, Piston Peak, coming to the Frontierland area. Walt Disney World in Orlando has also quietly released ticket prices through October 2027, with one-day admission now climbing as high as $219 per person. The new top price applies to Magic Kingdom over next year's President's Day weekend, up from $209 for the same park's peak pricing this year, setting a new record for Disney World tickets. And that may not even be the ceiling. Disney has yet to release November and December 2027 prices, traditionally the most expensive period of the year due to Thanksgiving and Christmas crowds. The cheapest off-peak tickets remain the same, starting at $119. Back in California, one-day tickets to Disneyland can cost up to $224 during peak travel season.
