Southern California just had a lovely weekend without needing either a raincoat or a heavy-duty jacket, and it’s about time. Now that the sun is out, and this weekend had temperatures well above 70 degrees . . . Spring is just about here. Although, we’ve had to adjust to losing an hour of sleep, it means that there’s an extra hour of sun to enjoy the parks! Today we have a lot to cover, with info on construction updates around Disneyland, some new views of the Castle, and much more.

Happy 52 Years of Swashbuckling 

Parking Garage Construction

The new parking garage is really shaping up quickly. The roof has been welded into place with additional supports and cross beams being added. The metal is also getting a white coat of paint. 

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Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
An internal white structure has been erected through the center of the circular atrium.

Some of the escalators have been installed and covered, and scrims for potential elevators have been installed

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Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Planters are being attached to the outer walls to mirror the existing structure.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
Plants will bring some much-needed color variation to this building.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Castle Construction

High winds over the weekend forced Disneyland to remove some of the castle construction scrims, giving us a temporary glimpse into the state of the refurbishment progress.

The beginnings of the newly re-colored and refurbished castle are becoming apparent. This week brought new turrets atop the castle as well, displaying the stark contrast between the old and new.

The new roof color scheme utilizes a more saturated blue palette, marking the difference between the old teal colors. While it’s very hard to tell from photos, in person the revitalized portions of the castle really stand out from the previous incarnation. 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
The tonal contrast is strikingly apparent. New on top, older section below.
Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
A turret still being shingled.

While some of the rooftops arrived at the resort preassembled, others await their shingles on site.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Shingles stacked to the left below. 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The view from the back of the castle was also unwrapped over the weekend, temporarily removing Prince Philip and Maleficent.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Get your gander while you can, those printed scrims will be back in place soon. 

 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings     Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Additional segments of the castle and the bordering wall have also been painted.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
The colors retain a fantasy charm with the shades of pink, while also alluding to a more Gothic tone with the purples and grays.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The drawbridge appears to have some additional detailing left to complete. The colors on the bench are perfect for imagining what the rest of the castle is going to look like. There is still marking tape along the benches and some of the railings, but this area should be finishing up relatively soon.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The castle is a massive project.  It’s fun to get this additional look at the progress. 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

 

Star Wars Land Construction

As we approach the opening date of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the park is putting some final details into place. If you’ve been trying to figure out how massive this land is going to be, our staff have created an overlay of the park that might help you out.

The majority of the rocks have finished their paint and finishing, The remainders are larger pieces that still have construction platforms and gear around their circumference. 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

There is still a bit of heavy equipment in place. 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

As the construction approaches its final phase for a May 31st opening, there is still a good chunk left to complete. But the land is mostly complete at this point. 

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Project Stardust

As the park braces for an influx of crowds in the upcoming months for the opening of Galaxy’s Edge, traffic flow projects continue throughout Disneyland.

Main Street still has a construction project around the garden in front of City Hall. That wall has been up for some time now with slower progress than most of the other Stardust projects. Hopefully, this project will be completed soon because it is creating a bottleneck right at the entry to the park.   

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The walls are still up in front of the Haunted Mansion. Currently, they are quite difficult to navigate through, but once they’re down, walking to and fro should be a bit easier. It will also be nice to have the full viewing space available for Fantasmic again.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The garden surrounding the exit of Autopia is behind scrims for planter reduction to provide an enlarged walkway.

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Mark Twain Riverboat

The queue for the Riverboat recently had a new coat of paint applied, but it also appears that much of the paving has been ripped up. 

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ToonTown 

This land is definitely looking a little worse for wear. Between the shingles coming off of buildings, the fountain out of operation, and the hills looking dingier than ever. As the primary focus of maintenance around the resort is currently on Project Stardust, it is sad to see this once vibrant land fall by the wayside. 

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
Although the fountain itself wasn’t working, the horn buttons surrounding it were. Even without the water, kids were jumping all around the fountain to listen to the next wonky instrument.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

This and That

Astro Orbiter

The Astro Orbiter is nearly fully reassembled. There are still some elements that are missing, like the rockets and one of the orbs. Behind the construction wall is another tarp-covered orb that will should be put into place very soon.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Pooh Corner

Much of the Pooh Corner shop is covered in brown scrims.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The shop remains open during exterior refurbishment.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Space Mountain

After what felt like a long time (although it was only 2.5 weeks) Space Mountain reopened on the 14th.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
On opening day, by the time we reached Space Mountain, FastPasses were long gone.

St. Patrick’s Day

Across the park, different areas were enjoying the holiday. Some exclusive merchandise, entertainment, and even food items could be found for the celebration this year. Yesterday, we took a look at the secret story of The Little Man of Disneyland, the park’s leprechaun resident.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
Want to learn where he lives? Click the picture to find out!
Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
The Dapper Dans were decked out in their green outfits for St. Patty’s Day

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

The popular item this year was a mint shake at the Red Rose Taverne.  

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
Enchant-Mint Shake from Red Rose Taverne

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Downtown Disney

Black Tap is supposedly to open sometime next month. If that’s the case, they’ve still got a lot of work to do.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
They have installed white subway tiles along one of the walls.

All of our Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge content can be found at the following link:

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
Click HERE

Looking to plan your Galaxy’s Edge getaway? MiceChat has you covered with special discounts:

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Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
That poor little goose has no idea what danger lies behind him.

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings

Disneyland Castle, Disneyland Update – Castle Metamorphosis and Star Wars Outcroppings
The Pink Lapacho trees are blooming again in the hub. Stunning.

Well, that about does it for this week’s update. What are your thoughts on the Castle’s progress? Do you like the new blues? Let us know below!

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Nathan Villamor
Nathan Villamor is a lover of Disney magic, rollercoasters, music, and food. He can often be found with a caramel apple in hand while singing whatever's playing over the speakers. Outside of the Disney world, he is an acclaimed operatic vocalist and classical pianist who has performed across the United States. Follow on Instagram nathanvillamorandmore