Technologies

Moto G 5G (2023) Review: A Tough Buy, Even for $250

Motorola’s newest affordable phone provides plenty for $250, but you may want to consider cheaper options.

The $250 Moto G 5G is not a bad phone. It’s just that you might get more value looking around.

I kept returning to that feeling throughout my weeks reviewing the phone, despite the dramatically reduced price this year’s model hits compared with last year’s $400 Moto G 5G. For instance, I like the phone’s 6.5-inch 120Hz display. But the screen isn’t dramatically better than the 90Hz displays I see in $200 phones like the Moto G Stylus or the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G.

The 5G connectivity is noticeably fast compared with 4G-only phones like the Stylus, but the Moto G 5G’s slower Snapdragon 480 Plus processor coupled with 4GB of RAM aren’t quite enough to power resource-heavy multitasking that truly take advantage of 5G speeds.

Even though the Moto G 5G’s cameras are similar those on other Moto G phones, photos are hit or miss. Images come out nice in bright outdoor areas but struggle with getting detail in low-light environments. I took the phone on a sunny Central Park picnic and got a lot of vibrant photos that I’m super happy with. But the opposite was true when I took the phone to a Kim Petras performance thrown by Motorola, where my photos on the crowded indoor dance floor came out blurry, noisy and lacked a lot of detail. It’s typical for this price range, and is a similar issue across all of the Moto G phones that I’ve tested this year.

When I compare the Moto G 5G against phones that are just $50 more, I realize how much I’m sacrificing. If you can swing it, $300 phones offer a lot of perks that are worth the upcharge. The $300 Moto G Power 5G for instance doubles your available storage space to 256GB, which is the cheapest phone I’m currently aware of offering that much internal space. The $300 OnePlus Nord N30 5G can quickly recharge its battery from nothing to 100% in 45 minutes with its included charger. By comparison the Moto G 5G takes well over 90 minutes to do the same thing.

And whenever the Pixel 6A is on sale for $299 — its power, performance, photography and longer software support outshine all of these $300 and under phones.

The Moto G 5G tries to hit a strange middle ground between $200 phones and $300 phones, but I think it’s more likely you’ll spend slightly less money or slightly more money on a different phone. Again, that’s not to say the Moto G 5G doesn’t offer a lot for $250. It’s just that you can get a very similar phone and save $50, or get a substantially better phone by spending $50 more.

Moto G 5G design, specs, performance

The Moto G 5G is one of the cheapest phones I’ve seen that has a 120Hz refresh rate display. I found the phone animates very smoothly when reading websites, scrolling apps and playing games, and that’s quite appreciated even with the display’s lower 720p resolution. But like I mentioned earlier, due to that lower resolution I don’t feel like the screen looks that much better than the 90Hz 720p displays I see in phones that cost less. It also left me missing the more detailed 120Hz 1,080p displays I see on the $300 Moto G Power 5G and the OnePlus Nord N30 5G.

The phone’s otherwise basic design comes in two color options: Harbor Gray or Ink Blue. The display includes a hole punch for its 8-megapixel selfie camera. The back of the phone highlights its two cameras, a 48-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. It’s a simple matte plastic design, which does pick up smudges.

Along the sides of the phone are a power button that doubles as a fingerprint sensor, a headphone jack, a SIM card tray and a microSD card slot. It continues to be notable that the headphone jack and microSD card remain standard features in this price range, as they are otherwise rare finds on more expensive phones.

The phone’s performance is adequate. I didn’t experience problems with most tasks such as making phone calls, reading articles, listening to music or playing games. However, more demanding apps might overwhelm the phone’s processor and 4GB of RAM, which I consistently experienced when I tried to play Marvel Snap while toggling between other tasks. The game reloaded whenever I switched apps, which was an issue because I usually like to play it while multitasking since Snap is a card game.

Those who just need a phone for making calls, sending texts, listening to music and reading news articles will likely be satisfied with the Moto G 5G. The phone’s 128GB of space should be plenty of room for storing apps, photos and media — but the option to expand with a microSD card means you can add more if you need to.

The issue with the Moto G 5G, however, is that its middling performance makes me question whether I get that much more value out of this it compared with the cheaper Moto G Stylus. In my Geekbench testing the Moto G 5G’s processor does run faster than the Stylus. Yet in real-world use, I felt like performance between the two phones was about the same — slightly sluggish but gets me through most tasks.

Geekbench 6 Benchmarks

Moto G 5G (2023) 740 1,790Moto G Stylus (2023) 448 1,471OnePlus Nord N30 5G 893 2,037Moto G Power 5G 878 2,206

Single-core
Multi-core

Note: Higher scores are better.

For some people, a faster data connection is worth the extra money. 5G networks are starting to hit a point of maturity where many devices benefit from faster video streaming and downloading while on the go. However, 4G LTE is still quite capable and ubiquitous. Unless you plan on tackling cloud gaming or have a lot of large files to regularly upload from your phone, there’s hardly anything yet that truly requires a 5G connection.

Another miss for me is that the Moto G 5G, like all Moto G phones, will receive only one software update and three years of security updates.

Moto G 5G photography

The Moto G 5G’s photos are colorful with plenty of detail when taken in daylight. While on that aforementioned Central Park picnic, both regular pictures and portrait mode photos came out vibrant with a pronounced bokeh effect on the latter. However, the mix of bright highlights, like clouds and shadows under the trees show just how limited the Moto G 5G’s dynamic range is.

Mike Sorrentino in Central Park with beer, taken on Moto G 5G.

I took the photo below with the 8-megapixel front-facing camera. This was inside of a well-lit elevator, but the photos has more details than I would have expected.

Below are closeups of pets and food, which look OK.

Chicken gyro wrap, taken on the Moto G 5G.

And here are the pictures that I took at that Motorola event with Kim Petras and Cirque Du Soleil. The Moto G 5G struggled to document the action so poorly that I switched to my personal phone to share photos with friends.

Kim Petras on stage at Motorola's event.

But these camera pluses and minuses aren’t isolated to the Moto G 5G. I had the roughly the same camera challenges across the Moto G Stylus, Moto G 5G and the Moto G Power 5G. Since you’re not getting better camera quality by paying more for the Moto G 5G, Motorola’s cheaper option could be the better choice as long as you don’t mind sacrificing 5G.

In my comparison photos below of the grass wall in CNET’s office, all three phones were similarly able to differentiate between the different shades of green featured in the decoration.

Grass wall photo taken on the Moto G 5G.

Grass wall photo take on the Moto G Power 5G.

While I’m still in the process of testing the $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, I took a comparison photo of the same grass wall, finding the image quality to be a little more saturated by comparison.

Grass wall taken on the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G.

Moto G 5G bottom line

The $250 Moto G 5G does include a lot of value for its price. You get a 120Hz display at one of the cheapest prices I’ve seen so far, along with 5G compatibility. Its processor can stand up to most tasks, even if it struggles with some multitasking. And if your carrier ends up subsidizing the phone to a price that’s free or close to free, it’s a very appealing option for someone that just wants a basic 5G phone.

But if you aren’t getting a carrier subsidy, I recommend you either consider Motorola’s cheaper Stylus or phones that are $50 more expensive. The 4G-only $200 Moto G Stylus includes much of the same functionality as the Moto G 5G along with a built-in stylus, but it comes with 64GB of storage, a noticeable step down.

There’s a lot to gain from stretching your budget beyond the Moto G 5G’s $250 price, if you can. For example, the $300 Moto G Power 5G offers twice the storage, while the $300 OnePlus Nord N30 provides exceptionally fast charging.

The Moto G 5G does include many essential features that I want to see in a cheaper phone, but it just feels lost compared with other options in this price range. In some ways it’s so similar to $200 phone options, that it doesn’t stand out enough to justify the extra money. Yet it also doesn’t stand out enough at $250 when phones that cost just a little bit more are including tangible features that can increase how useful your phone can be.

Moto G 5G vs. Moto G Stylus vs. Moto G Power 5G vs. OnePlus Nord N30 5G vs. Google Pixel 6A

	Moto G 5G (2023)	Moto G Stylus (2023)	Moto G Power 5G (2023)	OnePlus Nord N30 5G	Google Pixel 6A
Display size, resolution	6.5-inch HD Plus LCD display (720p resolution); 120Hz refresh rate	6.5-inch IPS LCD; 1,600×720; 90Hz refresh rate	6.5-inch LCD display; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 120Hz refresh rate	6.72-inch FHD (1080p resolution); 120Hz refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED; (1,080 x 2,400); 60Hz
Pixel density	269 ppi	269 ppi	405 ppi	391 ppi	429 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.45 x 2.95 x 0.33 in.	6.41 x 2.91 x 0.36 in.	6.41 x 2.94 x 0.33 in.	6.51 x 2.99 x 0.32 in.	6.0 x 2.8 x 0.35 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)	163.94 x 74.98 x 8.39mm	162.9 x 74.1 x 9.2mm	163 x 75 x 8.45mm	165.5 x 76 x 8.3mm	152.2 x 7.18 x 8.9mm
Weight (ounces, grams)	189g (6.66 oz.)	195 g	185 g (6.52 oz.)	195g (6.97 oz.)	6.3 oz.; 178g
Mobile software	Android 13	Android 13	Android 13	Android 13	Android 12
Camera	48-megapixel main, 2-megapixel macro	50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro)	50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth sensor)	108-megapixel main, 2-megapixel macro, 2-megapixel depth sensing	12.2-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultra wide)
Front-facing camera	8-megapixel	8-megapixel	16-megapixel	16-megapixel	8-megapixel
Video capture	720p at 30 fps	1080p at 30 fps	720p at 60 fps	1080p at 30 fps	4K
Processor	Snapdragon 480 Plus	MediaTek Helio G85	MediaTek Dimensity 930	Qualcomm Snapdragon 695	Google Tensor
RAM/Storage	4GB + 128GB	4GB + 64GB; 4GB + 128GB	4GB RAM + 128GB; 6GB RAM + 256GB	8GB + 128GB	6GB RAM/128GB storage
Expandable storage	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	None
Battery/Charger	5,000 mAh (15W charging)	5,000 mAh (15W charging)	5,000 mAh (15W wired charging speed, 10W adapter included)	5,000 mAh (50W wired charging)	4,410 mAh capacity; 18-watt fast charging (adapter sold separately)
Fingerprint sensor	Side	Side	Side	Side	Under display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	None
Special features	5G enabled, dual stereo speakers, Moto Gestures	Stylus, Moto Gestures	Estimated 38-hour battery life, Moto Gestures, stereo speakers	50W SuperVooc fast charging, 108-megapixel main camera, game mode, dual stereo speakers	5G-enabled, 18W fast charging, WiFi 6E, security updates for 5 years, Android OS updates for 3 years, dual SIM, IP67 water resistance
Price off-contract (USD)	$250	$200	$300	$300	$349 ($299 when on sale)
Price (GBP)	N/A, Converts to £195	Converts to £158	Converts to £240	Converts to £238	£349
Price (AUD)	N/A, Converts to £380	Converts to AU$295	Converts to AU$445	Converts to AU$443	AU$599

How we test phones

Every phone tested by CNET’s reviews team was actually used in the real world. We test a phone’s features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it’s bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s performance to the extremes using both standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.

All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily as well as running a series of battery drain tests.

We take into account additional features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds, foldable displays among others that can be useful. And we balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value.

Technologies

First Truckload of Antimatter Could Help Explain Origins of the Universe

Technologies

Shipping Antimatter by Truck to Understand the Universe

The BASE experiment at CERN has figured out how to transport antimatter by truck, enabling scientists to study antimatter in greater detail without interference from CERN’s giant magnets.

A truck makes a historic trip around CERN’s facility on the France-Switzerland border, transporting the world’s most expensive material for the first time.

The antimatter inside is made by CERN’s enormous particle accelerator, and then antimatter particles are decelerated and captured for storage, shipment and study.

Antimatter is the mirror opposite of matter. The particular type of antimatter transported was 92 antiprotons, the negatively charged equivalent to the positively charged protons found in regular matter. This perplexing and precious material could hold the key to unlocking some of the largest looming mysteries remaining in physics, going back to the origins of our universe.

When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate, turning most of their mass into pure energy. This reaction is the stuff of science fiction, powering spaceships and super weapons. However, with current technology, it would take billions of years to acquire enough antimatter to do any serious damage.

Annihilation is routine at CERN’s antimatter factory, happening on a small scale with individual particles and showing up as a line on a graph (pictured below).

One of the mysteries the study of antimatter could solve is the reason why there’s so much more matter than antimatter in the observable universe, a question with roots going all the way back to the big bang.

So far, the science shows that matter and its antimatter equivalents are identical opposites in weight and magnetism. Stefan Ulmer, founder and spokesperson of the BASE experiment at CERN, believes more precise measurements could help find discrepancies which could hold the key.

The search for these discrepancies means that the antimatter particles must leave their birthplace at CERN because the same enormous magnets necessary to produce antimatter also make it difficult to study due to magnetic interference.

This may seem like a lot of work just to get more precise measurements of particles, but Ulmer says chasing answers to the biggest questions in science «makes you creative,» and this is his own version of heaven.

To see the truckload of antimatter make its historic trip, check out the video in this article.

Technologies

Disney Parks in 2026: Leia, Luke and Han Hit Galaxy’s Edge

Plus all the details on new rides, lands, shows and more in Disneyland, Disney World and beyond.

Disneyland had a huge 2025 when it kicked off its 70th anniversary, a celebration that continues at the original Disney theme park this year. Three new rides are also being built at California Adventure, as well as a whole new Avatar area.

And at Walt Disney World in Florida, four new lands are being constructed right now, themed around villains, Pixar characters and more.

Here’s everything you need to know about Disneyland, Disney World and Disney Cruise Line in 2026 and beyond.

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge: new old characters

New characters will begin roaming around the Star Wars-themed lands in Disneyland this month, as the area «expands its timeline» to include Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo. The original trio of Star Wars main characters will begin roaming Batuu and interacting with guests and other characters from April 29.

To help tie them in with the more modern Star Wars land, there will also be new props, graphics and music in Galaxy’s Edge.

«Black Spire Outpost will roll back in time several decades, thoughtfully introducing beloved characters from across the Star Wars timeline,» Disney Parks Blog announced on Friday, April 17. «Each era will be brought to life with the same care and attention to detail that the land was originally designed with, masterfully weaving together stories from across time and space in one location.»

Darth Vader will also be joining the fun, and you’ll still be able to see Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorian, Grogu, Rey, Chewbacca and R2-D2.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets gets an opening date

While MuppetVision 3D closed last year to make way for an entire land themed around the Monsters Pixar movies at Hollywood Studios, the Muppets are being moved to the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

Apparently, that overlay didn’t take long to complete — Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith had its last day of operation on March 1, and the Muppets-themed version just announced its opening date of May 26.

«The legendary ride roars back to life with a rock-charged remix that drops guests straight into the middle of The Electric Mayhem’s biggest night yet. With high-speed thrills, a pulse pounding soundtrack, and a VIP list like no other, this reimagined attraction hits all the right notes,» Disney Parks Blog posted on April 16.

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Replacing the old Muppets area of Hollywood Studios, meanwhile, Monstropolis — home of the Monsters, Inc. movies, shorts and Disney Plus streaming series — will feature Disney’s first suspended roller coaster inside the city’s laugh/scream factory.

«The first time I saw Monsters, Inc., all I wanted to do was ride on one of those doors like Mike and Sulley,» Disney Experiences Chair Josh D’Amaro said at D23 in 2024. «Remember in the movie how those claws grab the doors and hoist them up into the air to take them away? We’re doing that too. And you’re going along for the ride.»

A TikTok shows the design concept for the Monsters Inc. ride.

MuppetVision 3D closed permanently on June 8, 2025, but we don’t expect Monstropolis to be complete for another year or two.

Bluey has arrived at Disneyland

Spring brought an addition to Disneyland: Bluey and her family are now hosting a stage show and themed area at the original Disney park. Debuting Sunday, March 22, Bluey’s Best Day Ever is located at the Fantasyland Theatre next to Mickey’s Toontown and drew hours-long queues during its first week.

The theater has been transformed into Bluey’s school classroom and grounds, including a gnome village and fairy garden. Bluey and her sister, Bingo, will appear several times each day, along with actors and musicians, to «bring to life the popular music and games emblematic of beloved Bluey episodes.» Those games will include «keepy uppy» and the «grannies,» as well as appearances by Chattermax and Unicorse.

There are also puzzles, games and photo ops throughout the Bluey area, and Disneyland is serving up Bluey-themed foods at Troubadour Tavern.

The hugely popular Australian cartoon about a family of dogs is a worldwide hit, and Disney is slated to release a Bluey movie in 2027. (In the meantime, you can watch Bluey episodes and minisodes on Disney Plus.)

California Adventure celebrates 25 years

The second Disney theme park built in Anaheim opened 25 years ago on Feb. 8, 2001. While the look of the park has changed a lot over those years, California Adventure has a few ways it’s celebrating the quarter-century milestone: It’s switching the Soarin’ attraction back to Soarin’ Over California until July 1; dressing Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on Buena Vista Street with new outfits, featuring sun motifs like the one originally on the roller coaster; and offering various special anniversary-themed food items, merchandise and drinks.

Soarin’ Across America from coast to coast

At Disney’s California Adventure and Disney World’s Epcot, the Soarin’ Around the World attraction is getting a US-themed makeover. Soarin’ Across America will arrive on July 2, 2026, and will feature scenes, sounds and scents from more than a dozen cityscapes and scenic areas.

Disney released a trailer starring Patrick Warburton, the original Soarin’ narrator and pilot, in which he says we’ll soon «sail across spacious skies» and may see «amber waves of grain» and «purple mountain majesties.» It’s part of Disney’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Disneyland’s 70th anniversary continues

Disneyland is continuing to celebrate its 70th anniversary this year, following its kick-off in May 2025. You’ll have plenty of time to get there as its last day is Aug. 9, 2026 — after which it’ll transition back to Halloween on Aug. 21, then the holidays on Nov. 18, before fully returning to its natural state in early 2027.

There are many 70th anniversary shows to see, including the Paint the Night parade, Celebrate Happy Cavalcade and the Wondrous Journeys fireworks and projection show on the castle. Mickey and friends are also wearing 70th celebration outfits.

You can catch 70th anniversary-themed merchandise, food and drink items as well as a projection show at Carthay Circle and a 50-foot sculpture of Sleeping Beauty Castle on the esplanade between Disneyland and California Adventure; you can also find decorations sprinkled throughout Downtown Disney, Main Street USA, Disney’s hotels and even inside the Toy Story Midway Mania ride.

Disneyland expansion begins as the Avatar area is constructed

Disneyland is finally expanding after unveiling plans almost five years ago. The expansion is expected to take a couple of years to complete and will push the park’s current boundaries past Downtown Disney and into the nearby parking lots. It’ll also transform «a portion of the current Hollywood Backlot area,» leading to the closure of the Monsters Inc. attraction permanently in 2027.

The biggest part of the expansion will be adding an Avatar-themed land, based on the second film, The Way of Water, as well as Avatar: Fire and Ash. It will include a dark boat ride much like Pirates of the Caribbean, «taking guests all the way to the wide-open seas of Pandora.»

It follows the success of the world of Pandora, based on the original Avatar film, in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. Disney has no dates or details yet on when it’ll be complete.

Coming sooner than the Avatar land, however, is a new esplanade entry «experience» to replace the current walkway entry at the east side of Disneyland, as well as a new parking structure and pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard. Construction on this begins in the fall.

A Coco ride is coming

It won’t be launching this year, but construction has begun backstage at California Adventure to build a new dark ride. It’ll be themed for the beloved Pixar movie Coco and populated by audio-animatronics.

The Coco ride will be located in the area near Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens, in what is primarily backstage areas for cast members currently. It’ll have characters and music from the movies as you travel through the land of the dead with Miguel.

California Adventure: 2 more Avengers rides

Avengers Campus already has two rides: Spider-Man Web Slingers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Soon, this will double as Disney builds two more Marvel attractions at California Adventure.

«We’re doubling the size of the land with two new attractions,» a structural engineer said in a video posted to Walt Disney Imagineering’s Instagram account on Feb. 26. The engineer showed off how the Avengers Infinity Defense structure is looking now, including its columns, foundations and a catwalk that will «support projectors, speakers and other types of show elements.»

Avengers Infinity Defense will see you assemble alongside the Avengers, battling King Thanos — set in a multiverse — featuring appearances by Black Panther, Ant-Man and Hulk.

Stark Flight Lab, the second ride, will see you help test Tony Stark’s latest tech.

«In Stark Flight Lab, guests will sit in ‘gyro-kinetic pods’ and roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm,» Disney said. «This robot arm will hoist you into the air where you’ll make several high-speed maneuvers inspired by Iron Man and some other Avengers.»

Construction began in 2025, but no launch dates have been revealed yet.

Villains Land at Disney World: 1 year closer

While it won’t be ready in time for 2026, construction is well underway for Disney’s first villains-themed area. Villains Land, which will celebrate all the classic baddies from Disney films, is coming to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida.

Imagineers have been drawing inspiration from architectural structures in Paris and Barcelona — like Gaudí’s buildings in the latter — to design Villains Land, Disney revealed during Destination D23 in August 2025.

«Paris is a city full of classic Art Nouveau … natural motifs and swirling designs there make nature appear to be ‘cursed,’ like magic has frozen it into place,» Disney said on its Parks Blog. «Barcelona’s art style is Modernisme, which has less natural patterns but gives the architecture an otherworldly, unnerving appearance.»

Villains Land, first teased during D23 2022, will be positioned on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain at the top left edge of the current Magic Kingdom map and will stretch around to where the Haunted Mansion is.

Two major attractions are planned, along with dining and shopping. Still no word yet on when it’ll open.

First peek at Piston Peak

The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom have been closed and removed from the online map, as Disney works to construct a new land themed after Pixar’s Cars movies. Cars Land, which was added to Disney’s California Adventure back in 2012, remains extremely popular in the west, so it was only a matter of time before it was added to the eastern outpost.

In an expansion of Frontierland — which also includes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad — Route 66 will feature a look inspired by the Rocky Mountains and the «American Frontier and its national parks.»

The Disney Parks Blog described the new area as «an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers.» Disney Imagineers are «using a style of architecture called ‘Parkitecture,’ which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.»

There will be two attractions, one of which is a rally race. Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter and Imagineer Michael Hundgen spoke about the new ride vehicle for this, and you can see a TikTok of Imagineers testing out off-road vehicles in the Arizona desert to create what the ride will feel like. Each rally car will have its own personality, name and racing number, Docter said.

«These are all things Lightning McQueen and Mater haven’t experienced before, like racing over rocky terrain, ascending to mountain peaks and dodging around geysers — how do you take these real-world elements and put a Cars spin on it?» Disney Parks said in a previous blog post.

While construction has begun and Disney has even released a map showing what the land may look like (geysers shooting water, a running river, an off-road rally track, mountains, a visitor’s lodge, a Ranger HQ and walking trails), we don’t expect Piston Peak to open until at least 2027 or 2028.

Dinosaur closes to make way for Tropical Americas Land

Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand USA area is no more, with the area on the Disney World map now a blank sea of grass as Disney slowly builds out the new Tropical Americas Land.

Construction began in the fall of 2024, with TriceraTop Spin and the midway area closing down in January 2025. The Dinosaur ride remained open until Feb. 1 this year but has now closed its doors as it’s transformed into a new Indiana Jones ride through a Maya temple (a relatively easy overlay since Disneyland’s Indiana Jones reportedly follows almost exactly the same ride track as Disney World’s Dinosaur).

The Pueblo Esperanza area will be themed like a South American village, with an Encanto-themed attraction, where you get to explore Antonio’s rainforest room inside the Casita, as well as a huge quick-service dining location, a fountain and a carousel.

Tropical Americas is planned to open in 2027.

Discounted Disneyland tickets and a new Magic Key

California residents can currently get a three-day Park Hopper ticket for $249, a 50% discount. You can visit from now until May 21 using this ticket. After that is a Kids’ Summer Ticket deal, with a one-day Park Hopper ticket costing $50 per child, ages 3 through 9. You can purchase it now and use it between May 22 and Sept. 7.

Disneyland is also adding (and removing) a Magic Key option: The Explore Key will replace the current Enchant Key. All California residents will be able to purchase it — not only Southern California residents. It will allow access on weekdays in June and July, which are currently blocked out for Enchant Key holders.

The Explore Key went on sale earlier this year. It costs $999, with a $99 down payment and 0% APR on repayments for 12 months. Disney said its «full value» can be unlocked in just four visits to the parks, thanks to Park Hopper admission, 25% off parking, Lightning Lane Multi-Passes and 10% off merchandise and dining.

Disney World discounted summer tickets

For what Disney World is calling Cool Kids’ Summer, it’s offering two free nights and two free theme park days when you buy a four-night, four-day Disney hotel and ticket package for a visit during May 26 through Sept. 15. You can also save up to 30% on some Disney hotels between May 1 and Oct. 4.

Also part of Cool Kids’ Summer is a free day at a Disney water park (Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach) on your check-in day when staying at a Disney hotel between May 26 and Sept. 8; and a free dining plan for kids aged 3-9 when you buy a dining package for guests over 10 and a room at a Disney hotel.

Disney Cruise Line: New ships

Disney has been all in on launching cruise ships over the last few years, including the Disney Wish in 2022, the Disney Treasure in 2024 and the Disney Destiny in 2025.

The Disney Adventure sailed on its maiden voyage from Singapore on March 10, the first of four new ships set to embark soon. Disney’s next cruise liner, the Disney Believe, was unveiled by new CEO Josh D’Amaro on March 18.

«The Disney Believe will bring to life the magical worlds of Encanto and Frozen, the wishing wells of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the depths of the sea with Moana and The Little Mermaid,» Disney said.

The Disney Believe is expected to set sail in late 2027. The other ship names and destinations have yet to be revealed, but they’re expected to sail before 2031.

Everything else coming soon

Here’s what else is new and coming soon to the theme parks:

A 3D-printed prop canoe was added to the Jungle Cruise ride in January.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin closed at the Magic Kingdom in August to receive new ride vehicles with video monitors and two handheld blasters featuring always-on lasers in two different colors (so you can finally see which laser is yours). It’s also getting a new opening scene starring Buddy the friendly robot, and static Z targets will light up when you hit them. The ride reopens next week on April 8, though its soft opening began this week.
Disneyland and Hollywood Studios are adding Mandalorian and Grogu missions to the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, tying in with the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu in cinemas. The new missions will launch on May 22, 2026.
Disney World’s water park Blizzard Beach reopened on Feb. 15, and Typhoon Lagoon is reopening on May 12.
Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom is currently being repainted in its original theme colors: gray, cream, blue and gold.
From July onwards, you’ll be able to book a wedding at the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland. Weddings will be hosted at the courtyard right outside the mansion’s front doors. The area can seat up to 25 guests. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include thematic midnight ceremonies — you can only host your wedding there in the early morning before park opening. Other new Disneyland wedding venues include the Magnolia Park Gazebo (right outside Tiana’s Palace), Magnolia Park Terrace (right outside the new Haunted Mansion queue) and Fantasy Faire Garden (opposite the castle).
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is reopening in the spring at Magic Kingdom after a lengthy refurbishment. It will include «a journey through the spectacular natural phenomena of the Rainbow Caverns.»
Bluey and Bingo meet-and-greets are coming to Disney World at the Conservation Station at Animal Kingdom as part of the Cool Kids’ Summer celebration, which goes from May 26 until Sept. 8.
Following the release of the Walt Disney animatronic at Disneyland, Disney announced that a similar animatronic will be added to Disney World’s Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom in a new introductory scene to the ride.