Twas the month before Christmas and all through the parks, merchandise and treats were displayed on the carts. Tomorrowland rocks have been crushed with great care, in hopes that big crowds soon would be there. Dusty in his kerchief and I in my Mickey cap, have assembled this update filled with all sorts of Disney crap.  

We apologize in advance folks, there’s almost too much to read today. It seems that fans have taken the lack of Galaxy’s Edge entertainment into their own hands. We get great new views of Marvel Land construction. Tomorrowland is hopping with projects. And, oh yeah, it’s Christmas time.  

Presto Chango – Crowds Vanish Again

Now that the Disneyland Resort has been in holiday mode for over a week now, we’ve seen some interesting traffic patterns. Opening weekend was absolutely PACKED with holiday weekend crowds. But once Veterans Day ended, so did the big crowds. Things have settled back into a comfortable experience during the day and more hectic nights for the big shows and holiday lights. Wait times and crowd pockets do show that guests seem to be flocking to the seasonal offerings over everything else.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Doesn’t matter what day of the week, you’d usually see far more guests than this waiting to buy tickets at noon (and this was on a Friday).
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
How about the Submarine Voyage with practically no line at all.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Pirates with an empty queue garden. Now that’s a Christmas miracle.  

But, by nightfall, everything changes. The crowds come out of nowhere like holiday zombies to fill the parks with strollers, wheelchairs, and bodies all looking for a spot to watch fireworks and ride the Christmas version of Haunted Mansion and Small World.  

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Haunted Mansion is impacted most. It swells from reasonable to lengthy waits as the night-stalkers show up.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

If you’re planning on visiting the Resort any time soon, be sure to use this tip: avoid arriving near the showing of the second Christmas Fantasy parade of the day (usually 6pm) and just before fireworks (9:30pm). This is when the park is most congested. If possible, arrive before 5:30pm. Conditions degrade rapidly after that as magical Disneyland by day becomes a zombie apocalypse of slow-moving hoards on the hunt for holiday treats. 


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, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
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Need Something to Listen to?

The November MiceChat Podcast is live and ready to be heard! While you’re reading this epic update, hit Play to listen to Dusty and his podcast crew discuss most of the contents of today’s update and much more! Or you can download to listen later too.

The Disney Parks are filled with extra magic at the holidays, but this year brings cutbacks as well. We’ll show you where and how much sparkle has been lost. There’s also news of maintenance issues in the parks. It’s not all bad news, an EPIC new attraction is on the way to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. And an out of this world restaurant may have encountered a little turbulence on the way to orbit.  

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Construction Update

There are a lot of interesting construction projects around the Disneyland Resort. Let’s take a look at how things are going at the major ones.

Tomorrowland

Earlier this week we did a comprehensive update on what’s been happening in the land. Here’s a quick recap, and some new info from the last couple of days.

Tomorrowland Entrance

Now that the walls to the land have come down, the entry to Tomorrowland is much easier to navigate and walk through. The gardens have been reshaped to improve traffic flow and widen the walkway. The garden directly in front of the entrance is just a bare patch of grass now, but we are expecting enhancements to be added by spring next year.

The old view of the Tomorrowland entry (pictured below):

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Has given way to this new open vista: 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

It looks pretty good now, but some beautification is on the way. They are so close to the original look of the land. We’d love to see a few vintage touches return here. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

The panorama below shows just how wide and open the area is now.  During the evenings when the spectaculars are starting and ending, this Tomorrowland reconfiguration has been a godsend. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

On the sides of the entry, the old tile murals are still behind scrims. We know that they have been removed because during a mighty wind last week, the scrims had to be rolled up for a day or two. We assume that the tiles will be restored when the refurbishment is complete since they are featured on the scrims.    

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Space Mountain Emergency Exit

Construction continues on a new emergency exit at Space Mountian, which has an unfortunate placement right in the front of the attraction. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a lot of progress towards completing this project in the last week. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Those walls on the right obscure the new stairwell construction.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The railing on the upper patio of the Space Mountain queue (just above the Tomorrowland Theater exit) has been removed and is where the stairs will connect on the upper level.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
As you look at this beautiful sight, the new emergency exit is just behind you.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The stairs will connect just across from the old Starcade. 
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The project seems to have stalled a bit. There hasn’t been much progress in the last week.

The last time we were in the Starcade portion of Space Mountain’s queue we saw screens had been installed, but there was nothing on them. This week, they now advertise the attraction’s game on the Disney Play app.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Have you had a chance to play?

Tomorrowland: The Musical: The Disney+ Preview

The Path of the Jedi has temporarily been replaced by a commercial for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (on Disney+). We are perplexed as to why they aren’t instead promoting The Mandalorian, which would at least fit in with all the Tomorrowland Star Wars attractions. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The preview has been paying to a packed empty house

Autopia Reopens After Refurb

Autopia has been reopened after a brief refurb. The roof was repaired in the circular queue building. Additionally, the safety boxes in front of the car loading zone have been repainted.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

One more recent change. To make room for more stroller parking AND to get the exit closer to the entry (easier for families to reunite if exits aren’t too far away from the entry), a long walkway has been created at the exit which leads toward Star Wars Launch Bay. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. 😉
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The walkway previously ended where the blue wall on the right terminates. The fence with railing on top is new and leads all the way to that planter in the distance.

This was just a quick refresh on the classic attraction. A longer refurb (we’re guessing about 6-8 weeks) is expected sometime in January for more extensive changes. With a Tomorrowland redo in the (maybe not-so-distant) future, we’re curious about what changes could lie ahead. If you’re interested about what Tomorrowland’s future could look like, be sure to read Fab’s rumor article below:

Rumor Update: Tomorrowland’s Future at Disneyland

Matterhorn Mayhem

The Matterhorn repairs are nearly complete and almost ready to reopen. The attraction has been operating at half capacity since August after a chunk of the rockwork broke. We’re expecting the attraction to have both sides working this week if all goes well. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Once the other side reopens, it will help relieve wait times on the attraction. Right now, Matterhorn is usually the longest wait in the park, with the average time being over an hour. Although we love this ride, we could never justify waiting 90+ minutes as has been common here. It’d be nice to see Harold’s familiar face again without waiting (what feels like) an eternity in line.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The construction should be complete very soon

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

For most of the downtime for half of the mountain, they didn’t use Fastpass. But just before the Veterans Day Weekend, they opened it back up, which ballooned the wait times. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
By 3pm Saturday Fastpass were completely sold out!

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Runaway Railway

Construction on Disneyland’s next major attraction is well underway backstage. This aerial view shows that backstage buildings have been removed and you can see where the new show building will be built.  

Are you looking forward to Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway? We are hearing lots of wonderful things about this fun and fast-paced attraction. The big question is if audiences will accept the new style Mickey so close to the classic Mickey just a few doors down.    

Avengers Campus

DCA’s upcoming land is making some serious progress towards its opening date next summer. Although, it’s still hard to imagine them opening in time.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
From the parade route, you’ll mostly see construction scrims
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
But you’ll also see that some of the frame has been boxed in.

Let’s take to the sky to see a bit more . . . 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Overview of the Spider-Man ride area. That’s the old Tough to be a Bug theater.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
If we zoom in a bit, you can see they’ve lifted the scrim a bit at the bottom so they can access the building.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
That tower is likely for an aerial stunt show. Let’s hope it doesn’t get cut like all of the Star Wars entertainment.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Moving to the east a little, here’s the Brewery and shopping area. This is the former Bugs Land area.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The Ant-Man microbrewery appears to have topped out.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
And this is the southern portion of the new land and where the shop is expected.

When complete, the land should look something like this: 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Concept art for Disney’s Avenger’s Campus at California Adventure

Star Wars Land Update

In the hidden land of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, there have been a few quiet changes in the last few weeks.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Entering Black Spire Outpost

Docking Bay 7 Menu Name Change

A few weeks ago we reported that Walt Disney World’s Docking Bay 7 had removed all mention of Star Wars terms from their menu, instead of calling each item by their regular Earth names. Now those changes have hit Disneyland as well.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

At least Disneyland has balanced the concession somewhat by combining Earth and Star Wars terms. So, instead of Endorian Fried Tip-Yip, it’s Endorian Fried “Chicken” Tip-Yip.  You’ll also find Pot Roast, Pork Ribs, Roasted Chicken Salad, and other Earthling-friendly terms.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Around the corner at the rarely busy Ronto Roasters, the signs are still a little foreboding to many guests. I watched as guest after guest walked up to the counter to get some explanation on what a Ronto Wrap is. Then they’d walk away without buying. It’s actually a pretty delicious sausage in a pita, there’s a vegetarian version as well which I really enjoy.  I’m afraid that if business doesn’t pick up in this spot soon, they’ll dumb-down this menu as well.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Appointment Availability

On our visit to Star Wars land, we were curious about the availability of the land’s exclusive activities of building a lightsaber or visiting Oga’s Cantina and we had some interesting findings.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Lightsaber Building

We stopped at Savi’s Workshop midday on Thursday and asked a cast member about availability before checking the Disneyland app. To our surprise, he told us we could join the current group as a walk-in or come back anytime later.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Savi’s Wishing Tree

Out in Disney World, another aspect of originality was removed. The Wishing Tree at Savi’s Workshop has had its wishes (ribbons tied to make a wish) removed.

For the time being, the Wishing Tree in California is unchanged. Although, who knows if it goes the way that Florida’s Docking Bay 7 menu here too.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Oga’s Cantina

That same day, we checked for timeslots for Oga’s Cantina and the app showed that the only slot open was 11pm. However, another cast member mentioned that it’s better to talk to the Oga’s staff if there are any cancellations than to go off of what the app says. Sure enough, we could join right away. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Life Day Celebration

November 17, 1978 has become a day in Star Wars history marked with infamy. It was the release date of the made-for-TV special film, The Star Wars Holiday Special, and has become the date for a Wookie celebration, Life Day.

“I hope that this day will always be a day of joy”- Princess Leia 

A day of joy it was. Sunday afternoon, Black Spire Outpost saw its first Life Day celebration. But it wasn’t put on by Disney, it was organized by fans. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Chewie got his hands on a Life Day orb

Droids, Wookies, light side, and dark, all joined for a day of harmony and peace beginning in the old Batuuan ruins. Chewie blessed the celebration, which was filled with carols such as “Snowy the Taun-Taun” “I’m Freezing in a Hoth Ice Cave” and “I’ll Be Home for Life Day” followed by a procession of Life Day orbs to the Millennium Falcon and Wishing Tree. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Vi Moradi joined the attendees in the old ruins

Many of the attendees were dressed in all kinds of Star Wars garb, from Life Day inspired red outfits to mini-Wookies.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Quite a few custom-painted, fan-made, droids were on display

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, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Someone even brought Jabba’s son

Everything was fan-made including the carols and orbs. While we believe the caroling is against park policy, guests are not allowed to put on their own performances and take away from the Disney entertainment, this was an otherwise entertaining event. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Attendees were given Life Day bracelets
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
A custom-made Life Day orb

We’re interested in how Disney will react to the fan-created Life Day. It seems guests are interested in Star Wars entertainment but have to create their own since the land doesn’t really offer any celebrations, live music, or performances beyond a few walk-around characters.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The procession from the ruins to the Millennium Falcon

As we’ve mentioned previously, Life Day could, and probably should, be a part of a seasonal overlay for Galaxy’s Edge. It is an official part of the Star Wars universe after all.  

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Galaxy’s Edge Crowds Leave Early

As we mentioned above with Savi’s Workshop, on most days there is more availability here than you might imagine. We find that most guests who are interested in Star Wars visit the land first thing in the morning. Then, by mid-day, the land empties out. 

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Of course, all of that may change once Rise of the Resistance opens in January.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Speaking of, there’s some work being done on the Rise of the Resistance walkways and emergency exits.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

 

Tarzan’s Treehouse

Last week, there was an incident with a guest breaking a portion of Tarzan Treehouse’s rope bridge. Since then, the broken slat has been replaced, but it has brought serious safety concerns to light. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Multiple slats appear to have been replaced.

One of the scariest safety concerns about this unsupervised attraction is one of the first things encountered. Just after you cross the rope bridge, there is a landing with a box that is easily climbable. But should an unsupervised child do so, they could easily hoist themselves up and over the rope, possibly falling to the ground below. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Going down the steps, you can feel which boards are firm and sturdy, and also the ones that are spongy and potentially ready for replacement.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Perhaps if they had some Avatar money floating around they could do a refurb that addresses some of these issues and gives the attraction a new lease on life.  

ABC Holiday Filming

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

This week was the filming for ABC’s Holiday broadcast of Disney’s seasonal offerings. There was a special set of stages created for the taping in front of it’s a small world and in Star Wars land. There will be THREE holiday specials from the parks this year. You can watch The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration on Thanksgiving. Disney Channel Holiday Party @ Walt Disney World airs Friday, Dec. 13. And Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade on Christmas morning. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

There was also some filming in Galaxy’s Edge. The specials are going to be a giant commercial for all sectors of Bob Chapek’s empire – Parks, Cruise Line, Vacation Club, consumer products, and beyond. But, somehow, we can’t turn it off. We watch and then complain about it every year.  There are some things in life that we all love and hate at the same time.  

All that Glitters is not Gold

Although the holiday season is when Disneyland is at its peak magical state, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some problems we’ve noticed. Now that we’ve had some time to soak in sparkle and magic of the holidays, there are some glaring cutbacks around the parks. 

Festival of Holidays Belt Tightening 

One of the most glaring cutbacks this year is the Festival of Holidays. Last year there were 12 booths, but this year there are only 8. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

One of the other things we noticed was that the entrance into the Festival route no longer had an overhead archway. It may not be as important to some, but we can tell when corners are cut.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
This is how it looked in previous years. This year there is no entry to the festival.  

Although, that’s not to say that the Festival isn’t enjoyable, we LOVE it! But scaling back a successful event just leads to overcrowding of booths and a general feeling that it’s too chaotic. 

Disneyland Holiday Cutbacks

Over in Disneyland, we’re noticing that there are fewer decorations in the park compared to previous years. While Main Street still has its gigantic tree decked out in vintage-style ornaments and holiday decor in the shops, we can’t help but notice that other lands are lacking.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

In Frontierland, we have yet to see the decorations themed to the area. Last year there were wreaths with cowboy boots and spurs in the land. This year it’s just generic greenery.

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, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

In Adventureland, the only decoration is the Christmas tree made from pieces of ships, coconuts, and fish bones left over from the dearly departed Jingle Cruise. Disney World had their holiday Jingle Cruise overlay return, but out here in California, we just get a tree to remind us of what we’ve lost.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

New Orleans Square and ToonTown remain the most decorated parts of the park, but most of the rest of the park has no Christmas decor or very little. Although we love Christmas at Disneyland, it’s sad to see it slowly being eroded. Hopefully we’ll see some more of that Disney magic return soon.

Downtown Disney

The holidays seem to be taking a bit longer to get ready for in Downtown Disney. There are several projects in the area that have caught our attention.

The 80s Called, and They Want Their Neon Trees Back

Once you make that final curve towards the Disney store, you’ll see something that crawled its way out of an 80s electro-synth Christmas music video. A small forest of neon pink and green trees are a stark contrast to the otherwise normal-looking shopping district. Hopefully, they will be kept contained in just one small section of Downtown Disney and not let the neon disease spread throughout. What do you think of them?

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
These suckers are tall!
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
At night they are lit with blacklights.   

The tree halos match the ugly Christmas trees. But most of the halos still don’t work.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Some of the other decorations in Downtown Disney could benefit from a thorough cleaning. Hopefully, that will happen 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
We aren’t sure if the character sculptures will remain, but they’ve been here so long that they are starting to get really dirty. Donald still stands on a sea of white pumpkins. 

Disney+ Booth

Disney+, Disney’s new streaming service, began operating on the 12th. The Disney+ booth in front of the Disney Home store is open and ready for business. From what we’ve seen, it is manned by two guest relations cast members and a Disney+ cast member. Although, I have yet to see people stop by for more information about the Disney+ streaming service. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

If you stop by the booth, you’ll get a Disney+ button.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

As you walk through the first half of Downtown Disney you’ll see Disney+ banners, but they switch to holiday ones just past the Disney+ booth.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

If you’re looking for things to watch or want to read some honest opinions before choosing to sign up or not, be sure to check out our Disney+ page here.

Jamba Construction

Jamba is dropping “Juice” from its name. The store is undergoing a major renovation which will have it closed through early 2020. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Asian Street Eats

The Asian-inspired takeout window is still not operating. Nothing has really changed over the last few weeks while it’s been parked in place. All we know for the moment is that it’s supposed to start serving food this holiday season. Meanwhile, all of the other food trucks have been canceled. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Grand Californian Hotel

Disneyland’s top-tier hotel has added a little extra holiday magic.  

Gingerbread House Completed

This year’s gingerbread house has been finished. It’s a feat of epic culinary proportions and is something worth making the trip out to the Grand Cal to take a look at.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
Here’s the front.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
And here’s the back.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Yes, that’s $70 per person to build a gingerbread house. Disney seems to be really testing the limits to what folks will pay for everything these days. But as long as there are people out there willing to pay, Disney’s just going to keep pushing the boundaries.  Disney’s own investors are now questioning the sanity of this strategy from Bob Chapek: 

Iger Admits Galaxy’s Edge Issues & Attendance Decline

Christmas Tree and Treats

One of my favorite things to do at the Disneyland Resort is to grab a hot chocolate (that may or may not have a shot of Peppermint Schnapps in it…) and a gingerbread cookie from the Grand Californian’s snack stand and take a seat in the warm and inviting fireplace seating area of the lobby.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
If you’re craving a gingerbread cookie but don’t want to wait in line at Jolly Holiday before calling it a day in the parks, head over to the treat station and pick one up without a wait on the way back to Mickey and Friends!

The massive Christmas tree, topped with a trio of golden reindeer, and decorated with stained glass lanterns, is an elegant icon. Light jazz interpretations of Christmas carols and Disney tunes play by a live pianist are a nice touch too. What more could you ask for?

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Hearthstone Lounge Mixup 

This week, we took a trip over to the Grand Cal’s Hearthstone Lounge for a drink. While we were there, we had something of a curious experience. All around the Resort, there are all sorts of seasonal foods and drinks, but at Hearthstone there was nothing.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Although, when I looked on the Disneyland app for the menu, there was quite a selection of seasonal offerings. When I asked my server is she knew about the holiday-themed drinks, she had no idea that the restaurant was even doing them!

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

But in the end, the bartender was able to get me the right drink (glow cube included). Other than that, Hearthstone is a nice and tucked away spot that a surprising number of people don’t know about.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Holiday Entertainment

Snowfall Along Rivers of America

This show caught us by surprise. Seeing the Royal Street Bachelors out on the Rivers of America was very special, and when the snoap began to fall, it was really quite magical.

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Mickey’s Happy Holidays Cavalcade

This is one of the new holiday offerings at DCA for the Festival of Holidays. It’s a very miniature version of a cavalcade, but with all the characters wearing Christmas attire. It’s cute, but not worth waiting for.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Missing Dueling Pianos Show

After the last show of Laughing Stock ended its run back in September, there was supposed to be two new offerings of entertainment: a wandering magician and a dueling piano show. So far we know of the magician (but every time we get to the park they must have left for the day because I still have yet to watch a single magic act with my own eyes), but no further information has been put out about the dueling piano show.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

So for the time being, this has become just another quick-service restaurant. It’s a shame because this space is so unutilized and has so much potential, not to mention significant Disney history.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

But even without entertainment, the place was packed with guests looking for a spot to sit and eat chili and chicken strips.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

This and That

Holiday Food and Treats

As an avid foodie, I always love coming to Disneyland to see what I haven’t tried yet. And with the coming and going with every season, there’s always something new to try!

At Coke Corner, you can find a French Dip Sandwich, as well as some food items that have stayed on from the Main Street Electrical Parade this summer, like the Firefly Hotdog.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

If you’re a fan of Disneyland’s peanut brittle and churro toffee, you should pick up a bag of seasonal Harvest Brittle. It’s made with a variety of nuts, cinnamon, and cranberries for a treat perfect for fall. It’s only available through November. But starting December, you can find Pecan Brittle in the candy shops around the Resort.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
It looks very similar to the other brittle packages, so be sure to read the tag on the back!

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

There are also so many other candies and treats that it’s hard for me to leave the Resort with just one. You can find all of these at Jolly Holiday.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The brownies have a white chocolate-dipped cone filled with frosting
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
It’s hard to resist a good looking cupcake!
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The Mickey gingerbread is soft and delicious

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

It’s always fun watching them make candy and cake pops through the windows. If you’ve got a minute to spare, it’s definitely eye-opening to see how much work goes into stuff that gets eaten in a fraction of the time it took to make.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

I had never seen them make Churro Toffee before. This is one of my top 10 Disneyland favorites. Have you had a chance to try it yet? Do you agree?

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Over at the Golden Horseshoe, you won’t find the dueling piano show, but you can find some green ice cream sandwiches.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

If you’re in the mood for beignets, be sure to take advantage of mobile order. The last thing you want from keeping you from eating those piping hot sugar vessels is waiting in a long line, not unlike this one. Just like Fastpass unnecessarily balloons attraction lines, this is what mobile order is doing to restaurant waits. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
This line stretches all the way back to the restrooms!

My last food tip is you should definitely try the Candy Cane Beignets. Dense and doughy but with a light peppermint flavor.

Haunted Mansion’s Fake Wall

In the Haunted Mansion’s portrait gallery, there is a faux wall that has replaced a portion of the existing walls which were damaged during the installation of the holiday overlay.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
The photo heightens the contrast of what it would look like in normal lighting. However, when it’s dark it closely matches the other segments.
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
They’ve been having a lot of trouble regulating the flow of guests in the attraction lately. They keep sending elevators without regard to how many guests are already waiting in the hallway.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Jango Fett Mug

There is a new sipper available in Tomorrowland in the form of Jango Fett’s head. It’s neat. But I’m not sure how many more cheap plastic sippers and popcorn buckets we need.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

 

Main Street Window Change

Two of the windows leading into the Emporium have been updated with selections now on Disney+

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
This used to be Cinderella
, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
And this used to be The Little Mermaid’s 30th anniversary

Disney Vacation Ads in Tropical Hideaway

At a recent pitstop for a snack (all I did on this trip was eat), we noticed that Tropical Hideaway now has real-life advertisements for Disney Travel. There are ads for the Disney Cruise Line, as well as Disney Vacation Club and Adventures by Disney. 

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Fantasyland Tree Project

Some of the newly planted trees in Fantasyland have protective wrapping on them.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Santa and Mrs. Claus at Critter Country

If you’re looking to tell Jolly Old Saint Nick what you want for Christmas, you can head over towards Critter Country. Not only will you get to spend some quality time with snowbear Pooh, but you can also take in all the decorations in the area.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again , Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

As for meeting with Santa, you can expect there to be a line at almost any given time. Although, they usually move fairly quickly.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

If you’re lucky, you might run into Mrs. Claus. We saw her out and about in Critter Country chatting up a storm with guests.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

Happy Birthday, Mickey!

And to conclude this mega-sized update, all of us at MiceChat are wishing Mickey Mouse a very happy 91st birthday! For being in his 90s, he sure is looking pretty darn good.

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again


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, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

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, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again
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Let’s Hear from You!

Well, you did it. You made it through another epic-sized Disneyland Update. With so much to see, it’s hard to remember what was covered! Better go back and read it again! How do you feel about the unofficial Star Wars Life Day event? Is it time for Disney to do their own entertainment and festivals in Galaxy’s Edge? Do you feel the cutbacks for the Festival of Holidays? Do you have a favorite holiday treat? Let me know in the comments below. Thank you so much for reading . . . and for giving me an excuse to eat another 5,000 calories of research on your behalf.  

, Disneyland Update:  Holiday Presto Chango – Everything New is Old Again

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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