Beloved animated character makes surprise Disney theme park debut | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Bluey and Bingo will debut live at Disneyland, Disney World, and on Disney Cruise Lines in 2026.
Disney leverages Bluey’s popularity and the success of “Zootopia 2” to boost its strong Experiences division.
A “Bluey” feature film, co-produced with BBC and Ludo Studio, will release worldwide in 2027.

As Zootopia fever (not an actual disease — “Zootopia 2” just saw superb box office numbers) continues to rage in China, The Walt Disney Company (DIS) plans to take advantage and bring a fan-favorite animated character to Disneyland, Disney World, and the Disney Cruise Line.

While fans of “Zootopia” might be disappointed that it isn’t Nick Wilde or Judy Hopps, the fox and bunny stars of the franchise, they may be equally excited about the duo that is arriving.

Beginning March 26, Bluey and Bingo, the Australian shepherd siblings of animated hit “Bluey,” which Disney licenses and airs on Disney+, plan to delight both kids and (hopefully) their parents in a live show at Disneyland.

The two will then take their show on the road, debuting a specialized area within Disney World’s Animal Kingdom in summer 2026 and appearing on select Disney Cruise Line voyages throughout 2026, per the official Bluey blog.

Here’s the finance angle: The hyper-popular characters are hoping to a) capitalize on an animation gold rush following the insane success of “Zootopia 2” in China, and b) alleviate some of the pain of the fast-approaching implementation of dynamic pricing at U.S. Disney parks.

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, said the following in Bluey.tv’s official press release.

“Bluey has become a household name for families around the world and we are thrilled to bring her story to life in new ways. We can’t wait to watch our youngest guests and their families make memories with Bluey in our parks and on our cruises.”

You’ll want the details if you’re planning a visit, since surge prices might kick in during Bluey’s tenure. Here’s how and where your family will see Bluey & Co, as well as details on the show’s next big move, inspired by the international box office barnstorming that is “Zootopia 2.”

Fans will be seeing more of “Bluey” in Disney theme parks and on Disney cruises.

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Bluey debuts at Disneyland, Disney World, Disney Cruise Line

Bluey and her sister Bingo are coming to Parks and Cruises, both part of Disney’s particularly successful Experiences unit, on these 2026 dates: Disneyland (March 22), Disney World (summer), and Disney Cruise Line (February onward).

The “Bluey Experience,” as some — meaning just me — are calling Bluey-in-real-life, will take a few different forms. Notably, each iteration is but one part of Disney’s push to emphasize its strong Parks and Cruises division, minimizing pain and bridging gaps between its 2026 blockbusters.

Analysts concur with Disney about the strength of its Experiences Unit. “We’re most bullish on Experiences: In FY27E, we think it’ll be 55% of [operating income] and the No. 1 source of upside for the medium term,” said Wells Fargo (WFC) analyst Steve Cahall.

Here’s how the slices of the Disney pie have been divided thus far in 2026.

Disney business unit breakdown(operating income for Q3):

DisneyExperiences: Parks, Cruises, and consumer products (55%, 2.5 billion)
Disney Entertainment: Entertainment, including film, TV, streaming (22%, 1 billion)
ESPN: ESPN networks, ESPN+, and ABC (22%, 1 billion) Source: Disney

Based on this strength, it makes sense to get massive, popular intellectual property like Bluey out there and strutting (fetching?). For her and Bingo’s first appearance at Disneyland in March, the plan is to transform Disneyland’s Fantasyland Theatre into Bluey’s school from the show.

“Join the fun of Bluey’s best day ever during the fair at Bluey’s school, where you can see The Grannies, dance with Chattermax, eat fave foods inspired by the animated series at Troubadour Tavern, and more,” DisneyParksBlog reported Dec. 2.

“Throughout the day, Bluey and her sister Bingo will take the stage alongside a troupe of comedic actors and musicians to bring the best of the music and games from ‘Bluey’ episodes to life.”

Then, for her stint at Disney World, Bluey will host a dedicated “Conservation Station” in the heart of Animal Kingdom, where fans can play games and take photos with the characters, right next to actual wildlife from Australia.

Finally, the brave dogs will take to the sea on select cruises launching from New Zealand and Australia on yet-to-be-announced dates. Disney also offers booking details for cruises leaving from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on the Disney Dream starting in February 2026, and the Disney Wish beginning in June.

“Bluey” movie coming in 2027

BBC Studios (which distributes “Bluey”) is understandably psyched about integrating the characters into Disney’s iconic U.S. parks, according to BBC Studios CEO of Brands and Licensing Nicki Sheard.

However, the Parks integration is just step one of the nascent partnership among Disney, BBC Studios, and Ludo Studio (the Australia-based creators of Bluey). The next step is the production of a “Bluey” feature film, coming in 2027. The movie will have a global theatrical release (taking a lesson from “Zootopia”), stream on Disney+, and air on ABC iview and ABC Kids following its theatrical run, according to the BBC’s full press release.

The film will have a heavy Australian influence (Ludo Studio animates the show in Queensland). It will be supported by the Australian government, specifically through Producer Offset and Screen Australia.

“Over the past eight years, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team of more than fifty artists and producers whose talent, dedication, and creativity have shaped ‘Bluey’ into the beloved series it is today,” said Daley Pearson and Charlie Aspinwall, Ludo Studio co-founders and directors, in Bluey.tv’s press release.

More Disney:

“Their work has paved the way for this incredible opportunity to expand Bluey’s world onto the big screen. We’re excited to continue showing Queensland as a home for world-class talent and to share a new beautiful ‘Bluey’ story by Joe Brumm with families around the world.”

The Bluey family clearly has a dedicated ecosystem already churning out animation content. Considering that “Zootopia 2” just saw a $559.5 million opening-weekend box office, per Disney, and is on track to become the highest-earning U.S. animated film in China ever, according to TheWrap, a feature film just makes sense.

My bet is they’ll print money, especially if Disney can build off momentum following an ambitious 2026 in which it premieres “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” in the summer and relaunches its mega-blockbuster, fan favorite Marvel franchise with “Avengers: Doomsday” during the holidays.