Disneyland Autopia Must Go Electric by Feb. 1, 2027, Under State Rule

Autopia, the Tomorrowland ride where kids and adults steer small cars along a track, has to give up gasoline. The California Air Resources Board found the attraction was breaking emissions rules, and Disney must either close the ride for work or convert every engine by Feb. 1, 2027, according to the Disney news site Mickey Visit.

Disney has not said whether Autopia will shut down for a stretch during the switch, or when. Families planning a trip to Anaheim in the coming months have no closure dates to plan around yet.

An electrified track instead of car batteries

The new version may work differently from what many visitors picture. The New York Times reported on Nov. 2, 2026, that the track itself will carry the electric power, so each car will not need its own battery. Mickey Visit said it had not confirmed those details with Disney.

Bob Gurr, who designed the original Autopia for the park’s opening, described the revamp to the Times as electric but “not the conventional idea of a battery in a car.” Disney invited him earlier this year to look at a model of the new car.

A ride that dates to opening day

Autopia has been part of Tomorrowland since Disneyland opened in 1955. Over the decades it has received new car models and changes to its route. Gurr drew the first cars at age 23, and Disney named him a Disney Legend in 2004. He is now 95.

Gurr told the Times he had pushed for 26 years to get gasoline out of the ride. “The dirtiest place on Earth is the Autopia attraction,” he said.

The Times also reported that a representative for Gurr later asked to take back some of his comments, and said Disney had asked him not to give interviews focused on Autopia. Gurr himself had not asked for anything to be left out when he spoke.

Honda’s role as sponsor

Honda sponsors Autopia now. Gurr told the Times that Honda will stay on after the ride goes electric. A Honda spokesperson was more careful, saying the current agreement runs “through early 2027” and that talks on future sponsorship are ongoing. Honda will stop making its only all-electric car for consumers in December 2026.

What it means for families visiting Disneyland

Autopia is one of the few rides where children get to drive, which makes it a regular stop for many families. The legal deadline means the gas cars will be gone by early 2027 at the latest. Whether that happens with the ride open or behind construction walls is still unknown, and Disney has not announced a timeline.

Other Tomorrowland changes

Autopia is one of several projects in that part of the park, according to Mickey Visit:

• Space Mountain is scheduled to close for a 1-day refurbishment later this month.
• Disney Vacation Club Star View Station, a lounge for members, has been closed since July.
• Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace has been closed since September.
• Disney has not given reopening dates for the lounge or the terrace.

Over the longer term, Disney plans a large overhaul of Tomorrowland with new attractions, built around Walt Disney’s original 1955 ideas for the land.

Source: travel