On Monday we showed you all the refurbishments and projects going on at Disneyland – you can check our coverage HERE. Today we focus on DCA but have some updates from Disneyland, Downtown Disney and parking construction as well. We wrap up today’s update with Easter Egg locations (don’t worry, we’ll warn you they are coming if you don’t want spoilers).
Author’s Note: My apologies for the lower quality photographs in today’s update. My camera broke during the capturing of Monday’s article and is in the shop. We will have coverage from my fellow Update crew-members during the next couple of weeks until my camera recovers from some very expensive repairs.
| Disney California Adventure |
Spring break has taken its toll on this rapidly evolving park. Step carefully around the crowds and let’s head in for a look.
Spring Break
Spring Break crowds have descended upon the resort. But the crowd surge has been variable. There have been times when the parks only seem two thirds full, and then there are times when they feel packed to the gills. Making matters worse is Food & Wine clogging the main parade route, which makes everything seem even busier – but it also gives the masses something to do and extra places to eat.
Another reason for clogged walkways during Spring Break is the expansion of Fastpass. Disney seems to be increasing the number of people it pushes through the system, which causes huge backups around both parks when the guests return for the allotted ride-time. This week I experienced lengthy backups that take a lot of the “Fast” out of pass.
With a 90 minute wait for standby at Guardians, the Fastpass queue stretched out of the gates and was about a 30-minute wait.
Radiator Springs was even worse. Another posted 90-minute queue with Fastpass backed up around the corner and into the intersection near Flo’s.
Guests entering Standby were stopped temporarily to allow Fastpass to cross over and use the first spill queue to hold its massive line.
This Fastpass queue extended all the way to Flo’s. Why on Earth would Disney distribute so many Fastpasses? What’s the point?
Similar problems at Grizzly as even later into the day Fastpass backed up into park walkways.
Even an attraction that does not have Fastpass struggled with Spring Break crowds this week. Monster’s Inc.’s queue spilled over and out into the courtyard.
On the other hand, Midway Mania’s queue was below its usual wait time. That is very likely due to all the construction in Pixar Pier.
We can only hope that Marvel Land will have enough capacity to soak up more of the crowds.
Bye Bye Bug’s Land
The bugs will soon get the boot to make way for Marvel land.
…The Internet was abuzz about a bug’s land closing this summer, and many folks were definitely stung by the announcement.
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train might be the worst attraction at DCA by a fair margin, but I still love it.
? RIP Heimlich. You will always be my favorite choo-choo train!
— Jules M (@ksgirlblog) March 20, 2018
I hope there’s candy corn wherever he’s going. RIP Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train. pic.twitter.com/NuMSIsg8sB
— Josh Bailey (@xjoshbaileyx) March 21, 2018
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train. 🙁 pic.twitter.com/0w5irmHobg
— Izabelle (@IzaKosti) March 20, 2018
The rest of the off the shelf rides can go on some else’s shelf though.
Pixar Pier
Construction work continues on Pixar Pier this week.
New masts have been installed for new decorative-tops for the Lamplight Lounge and the adjacent gift shop.
Disney seems to be removing the bay windows from the previous Treasures in Paradise shop.
Also this week, the Incredicoaster has started to test the launch of the trains after the induction launching mechanism and first hill safety breaks were replaced. The coaster train out testing has not been re-skinned yet.
During the day, the coaster repeatedly launches the train up the first hill only to break and have it slowly roll back down to the launching pad to test again a few minutes later.
Full coaster testing will not begin until repainting and construction work has concluded.
Scaffolding atop Midway Mania has started to come down and we can see the nice clean repaint design.
The second Scream Tube has now been repainted Pixar red.
No visible work has started inside the West Incredicoaster helix to clear the spot for the Inside Out spinner shown in the concept art.
The parade gate has been placed back on its hinges, but remains behind construction walls.
Hollywood Land
The Sunset Showcase has closed once again and A Wrinkle In Time has been removed (did any of you see the film in theaters?). The Showcase will reopen in two weeks – hosting the Pixar Film Festival during Pixar Fest starting April 13th.
“This and That”
Let’s take a ride on Monsters… Yes, I waited nearly an hour…
…and then the ride broke down on me. With Disney nailing Marvel Land to the Bugs section of the park, when will this back corner of Hollywood Land receive the attention it is so desperate for?
Disney has installed stanchion post anchors along the walkways in Hollywood Land for the anticipated Paint the Night launch in a few weeks.
A (slightly) backstage construction project is occurring on the CM pathway between Grizzly Peak Airfield and the Grand California Hotel. Hopefully, it has been paved finally.
Inside the Little Mermaid, chains have been added below the handrails to keep kids inside their lane.
In Midway Mania’s gift shop, some new Toy Story Land merchandise has shown up.
There is a new Buzz Lightyear bubble wand. A few of the buttons on his chest light up also.
| Downtown Disney |
Construction District
The shops on the west side of the shopping district have been given their final day notices. All the shops west of the Monorail station have to close by June 30th to prepare for hotel construction.
The list of closing shops:
- Rainforest Cafe
- ESPN Zone
- Earl of Sandwich
- AMC
- Westside Starbucks
- Alamo Car-rental
Disney is constructing a 700 room-5 Star Hotel on this space (including the Downtown Disney Parking lot). Demolition is expected the first few weeks of July.
The building that will contain Black Tap and Ballast Point is in the process of being repainted.
The color now matches the colors we saw in the concept art Disney posted for Ballast Point
Also, Disney has finally decided to move The Disney Dress Shop (again). It will be relocating to the space that was used for the The Dream Boutique (previously Anna and Elsa’s Boutique).
Work continues on the expansion of Naples Restaurant.
Construction work continues on the replacement ramp for the Mickey and Friends Tram.
And since it’s spring, lets get some pretty pictures of life around the shopping district.
| Mickey and Friends Parking Structure |
The new parking structure is consuming more and more land. The far end of the old tram station (including that big beautiful tree) is now gone.
Over in the Lilo Parking lot, half of the space is now closed and fenced off to make room for construction trailers.
| Disneyland |
Yesterday, Thursday, Disney began running horses along Main Street again. David Koenig spoke about the new figure-eight pattern the horses now take in his article on Tuesday. My friend dazyhill helped out with a few photos in today’s update. She is really loving the return of the horses.
Candy Palace construction has also completed.
Disney has combined the two separate counters along the outer wall into a single long counter area. This should help with crowd flow through the shop.
Over in Fantasyland, small world’s clock tower now has a low scrim around the spot where the dolls march every 15 minutes.
Construction walls have been been removed from around Pinocchio. As part of the crowd flow initiative, Disney has pulled out yet another little garden, but has left the tree.
And the base of the Dumbo spinner has been reinstalled. We are coming to the final stretch of the Dumbo refurbishment.
We will have more coverage from Disneyland on Monday. But that’s not all . . . we promised you Easter Eggs . . .
| Easter Eggs |
Spoilers! The answers to the eggs hunts are below!
If you want to be surprised, just scroll down to the comments now and skip this section.
Here are the egg locations in no particular order for California Adventure:
And don’t forget about the game going on around Downtown Disney:
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| Thank you! | |
| All of us on the Disneyland Photo Update crew would like to thank you for joining us today. Each week we’ll feature different photographers and commentators (often more than one). Today’s MiceChat Disneyland Update was shot and assembled by Brian Pinsky with additional photo contributions from Dsny Debbie and my friend dazyhill. |
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