Happy New Year everyone! For the Disneyland Resort, today is also the final day of Christmas. So if you have leftover Festival of Holidays tasting tabs, time to use them. In this update, we’ll look at the first of the year crowds, construction projects, and a number of new Star Wars things . . . including an ADORABLE Baby Yoda inspired cocktail.
Disneyland Crowds
As of yesterday, the AP holiday block-out has ended. The Signature passes gained access a day before the rest of the passes, but now everyone is available to enjoy the holidays for just one more day (Monday the 6th). When we visited the parks on Friday, the crowds were very manageable, but over the weekend we heard reports about it being very busy (although, not busy enough that the Resort needed to stop selling tickets like last week).
Remember how bad Adventureland was last Christmas? Before Project Stardust, Adventureland would become packed very quickly on busy days and gridlocked on the busiest days of the year. Now that benches and planters have been removed and stroller parking moved into the old juice stand, the land is one of the easiest to navigate . . . except for that pinch point at the Tarzan Treehouse entry near Indy.
Frontierland was moving as well. Although there were long-ish waits for the attractions, the park felt comfortable. Not bad for a holiday week.
Last week we showed you PACKED conditions in New Orleans Square:
One thing we hate seeing are all the masking tape queues that Disney has been using these days. These were in front of Pinocchio. They were clearly expecting more guests than showed up.
And if it weren’t for large areas of stroller parking, the land would have flowed freely. We’re trying to think of a good way for Disney to get strollers out of the way in this land, but that may not be possible unless they are willing to gut an entire ride (like Pinnochio) and turn it into parking.
Tomorrowland On The Move
The land that Tomorrow built has been getting a lot of attention lately for all of the projects. Too bad that none of them are for new attractions. But there is a lot for us to take a look at . . .
Tomorrowland Entry Walls
After several months of virtually no progress on the tile mural walls of Star Tours and Buzz Lightyear, this week has come with an interesting development.
The wall art was originally hand carved in wood by Imagineer Mitsuo “Mitsu” Natsume. These wooden molds were then vacuum formed in plastic and painted silver. This week, the scrims on the Star Tours side was revealed, showcasing a reproduction of the original walls with a cool reflective silver shimmer.
The futuristic pattern is really highlighted by the metallic color scheme and reflects different colors from the area. Really lovely. Now, if they can recreate the original fountains in the garden, that would be very cool:
The Buzz Lightyear wall is still covered by the same printed scrim, but we saw some of the new treatment through a gap in the tarp.
Although the walls are making progress, there is still a lot of work left to finish in the nearby garden at the entry to the land. The show control box in front of the Astro Orbitor must be concealed in new ornamental details.
Here’s what the new themed gardens will look like:
Space Mountain Updates
The incredibly-popular Hyperspace version of Space Mountain will be closed on Tuesday the 7th of January to revert it back to the regular Space Mountain version of the ride. The attraction has been in Hyperspace-mode since May 4, 2019 (in celebration of Star Wars day and the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge). Ghost Galaxy was skipped over this past Halloween season so Hyperspace could be extended.
You can expect the attraction to continue to have long waits, even after reverting to the standard version. When we visited this weekend, the standby wait stayed consistently over 2 hours. This is largely caused by the excessive number of Fastpasses distributed for the attraction.
The general rule of thumb for attractions that use Fastpass is the ratio for standby guests to Fastpass users is 1:4. Meaning that Cast Members will allow 1 standby guest onto the attraction for every 4 Fastpass guests. And on days with extremely long Fastpass return lines, the ratio can be bumped up to bring standby to a complete standstill to clear the Fastpass queue.
Space Mountain’s Fastpass machines are currently covered, as are all of Tomorrowland’s Fastpass machines. A test of consolidated digital Fastpass has proven that Tomorrowland doesn’t need all those machines. Just 4 digital Fastpass machines are all that is needed for the entire land. That’s a huge space savings. It shouldn’t be too much longer until we see all the old machines removed.
Just outside the attraction, construction continues on Space Mountain’s emergency exit staircase. It looks like this project could be wrapping up shortly.
Last week, we mentioned that The Path of the Jedi had returned to the Tomorrowland Theater. The attraction has been updated to include scenes from the Sequel Trilogy of Star Wars Episodes 7-9.
Matterhorn
On Friday as we passed by, both sides of the Matterhorn were down. We noticed some new and/or refurbished bobsleds. Note the bubble wrap on the seats.
MiceChat Anniversary & Gumball Rally
MiceChat/MiceAge turns 17 years young next year and will be celebrating with a weekend of celebrities and events at the Disneyland Resort February 7th through 9th, 2020. While our celebrity events have yet to be announced, tickets are already available for our world-famous Gumball Rally on February 8th. The Rally is a race through Disneyland to see who can ride the most attractions in a single day. It’s absolutely the most fun you’ll ever have in the parks.
Gumball Rally Tickets and Information HERE
Join over 500 of your fellow Disney fans to see who’s got the best strategy for riding the attractions. Compete in teams of 2 to 4 individuals and have the time of your lives.
For more information about the event and to register, visit the Gumball Rally Info Page HERE.
Christmas Packs Up
All good things must come to an end. Personally, I could leave my Christmas tree and decorations around my house until the end of January. One year, my mom kept her decorations through Easter —they were just too pretty to take down! Obviously, the Disneyland Resort can’t get away with that. The holidays come to a rapid end after the parks close today (January 6th). Are you looking forward to seeing the parks in their normal state again?
Tomorrowland’s only holiday offering, the Tomorrowland Holiday Dance Party, has already been taken down and removed from the entertainment schedule.
Winter will thaw beginning tonight . . .
Across the Resort, the holiday merchandise displays have been moved from their prime locations at the entrances of the stores. In their place, the new 2020 merch is prominently featured. For all you Cast Members out there, you can probably expect to see holiday merch at Company D (the cast member-only discount store) fairly soon. For us regular folk, we’re already seeing the next set of full-priced merchandise in the stores.
At Disneyana, there’s still quite a lot of holiday collectibles still for sale. Full price, mind you, but there are some fun ones like this Santa.
One thing that we’re looking forward to seeing packed away (and hopefully tossed in the garbage) are the neon trees in Downtown Disney. We don’t mind a little extra whimsy in Disney decor, but these weren’t it for our tastes.
One thing that won’t be going away are the beads and masks in New Orleans Square’s Christmas displays, some of those elements will remain through Mardi Gras!
Festival of Holidays Ends Today
If you’ve got any remaining tabs on your Festival of Holidays Tasting Card, you better head over to DCA right now! Today is the last day of the festival and will be your last chance to get your Turkey & Stuffing Tamale and the Beef Pot Roast Slider.
Although I really enjoyed this festival (as noted in the MiceChat Instagram stories!), I’m ready to say goodbye. The festival had been cut back from last year and, as much as I love the Pork Belly Adobo & Garlic Fried Rice (which is my favorite dish 2 years in a row!), I can only have it so many times before I lose interest.
The good thing about the festivals at DCA is that they’re in frequent rotation. So, starting the 17th of this month, the Festival of Holidays will be replaced with Lunar New Year, which runs through February 9th. And then, from February 28th through April 21st will be the Food and Wine Festival. So there will continue to be some delicious reasons to visit DCA through the spring.
Last year was the Year of the Pig, but this year is all about the Mouse (yes, it’s really the year of the Rat, but Disney is rebranding it a bit). It’s a very small festival (there are only 4 food booths), but is packed full of entertainment and other seasonal offerings. I always look forward to watching Mulan’s Lunar New Year Processional. It’s an interesting blend of Disney entertainment and cultural celebration.
We’ll have more info about the Year of the Mouse celebration soon!
Star Wars Land
In the lead-up to the opening of Rise of the Resistance, we’ve been visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge more often. There have been a few interesting things of note.
Star Wars land crowds have been building. Though, we got very lucky on Friday afternoon with some easy access to Oga’s Cantina.
Still no one in line at Ronto Roasters. It’s pretty good folks. Seek this one out for a quick snack.
Maz Flies Into Oga’s Cantina
At the Cantina, there was a new drink added for the New Year celebration, and people have been going crazy over it. Naturally, we needed to check it out for ourselves.
We woke up early on Friday to try to make a reservation for the Cantina, but there were none available at 7am or 8am. Just because you didn’t get a day-of reservation doesn’t mean that there’s no way into the bar. When we got to the land, asked the Cast Member if there was any room in standby, and we were put into the queue immediately.
We waited less than 5 minutes before making it to the front of the line. Now, this trick isn’t always available, but because our party was just 2 people, and it was a slow period of the day, we were lucky enough to get in.
The last time we were in the Cantina, it was filled to the brim with people. This visit, there was plenty of room, although most of it was standing.
The drink introduced for New Year’s was the Takodana Quencher. But it’s the special limited-edition coaster that is served with the drink that everyone really wants. It was supposed to be a one-night thing but has stayed into the new year. The coaster features Maz (from The Force Awakens), and the Arubesh translation of the drink’s name. The caveat is it isn’t on the menu. In order to get it, you have to ask your server about the special drink (which most people call “that taco-thing”) and they’d fill you in.
The Takodana Quencher features Bacardi Dragonberry Rum Blue Curaçao, Simple Orange with Pineapple, and Kiwi. Like most of the drinks on the menu, it looks prettier than it tastes. Dragon Berry is a tough flavor to work with because it tastes like cough syrup, and the other alcohols are pretty much straight sugar, so the drink ended up tasting like a bad Dragonberry Starburst candy (yes, that was a real thing).
When we saw reports that the coasters were limited-edition, we knew they’d be gone very quickly. Our server said they had run out, but mysteriously produced one saying “it was the last one!” Later that same day, a member of our team visited the Cantina and was able to procure two of them. They are likely gone by now, but for you collectors, this is going to be a hard one to get your hands on.
Along with the new off-menu drink, came new menus. These new ones are smaller and feel more like waxed manuscript paper. Our server described the previous menu as feeling fleshy, which was simultaneously accurate and offputting. Surprisingly though, there were no new additions to the menu with this reprinting. The most recent new menu item was the Happabore Sampler (the Star Wars take on a charcuterie board) added back in October last year.
In the end, Dusty ordered the Takodana Quencher and I got the Jedi Mind Trick. All’s well that ends well (enough). Although, when push comes to shove, I’d rather have a drink at Trader Sam’s than at Oga’s any day.
Back in the Habitat
For the last two weeks, the little Dianoga in the Marketplace has been out of commission. But he’s back to his old tricks of shocking water fountain drinkers.
Rise of the Resistance Previews
Let’s head over to the “Old Outpost” where Cast members (and their one invited guest) will be able to preview the brand new Rise of the Resistance attraction starting this week. And in just 11 short days, it will be open to all of Disneyland’s guests.
Are you ready? Will massive crowds finally show up in Galaxy’s Edge and shut down the Disneyland Resort? We think there’s a good chance of that.
In case you missed it, we recently completed our 2019 Disneyland Year in Review. Spoiler, several of our top projects were Star Wars land-related, but our top one will surprise you. It sure as heck surprised us when we were assembling it. Check out the article below.
Disneyland 2019 Year in Review: The Force That Changed EVERYTHING
Upcoming refurbs
- Closing Jan 7
- Space Mountain (One Day)
- Small World (reopening January 17th)
- Mark Twain River Boat (reopening February 1st)
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- Snow White (reopening TBA) – More information on the changes
- Jan 21
- Haunted Mansion (reopening TBA)
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- King Arthur Carrousel (reopening TBA)
The Child Tastes Delicious
The Baby Yoda craze continues! Now, you can find the little green guy at Trader Sam’s in the form of a drink. Although “Baby Yoda” isn’t officially on the drink menu, you can ask one of the bartenders to make you a “green drink” and you’ll get the cutest drink you’ll ever see.
The drink consists of Midori melon liqueur, vodka, Malibu rum, pineapple juice, Luxardo cherries for eyes, and lime wedges for ears. And you can’t forget about his napkin tunic!
Can’t get enough of The Child? Well, that’s a natural reaction, so you’re not alone. Here’s a look at all the Baby Yoda merch available at Disneyland right now.
AP Exclusive Lounge?
The Alfresco Tasting Terrace at Disney California Adventure has reopened to become an AP exclusive (well, sort of) cocktail bar (upstairs at the winery). There are 5 area-specific cocktails that are inspired by the history of DCA. Because it is now an AP area, you (or someone in your party) need to have a valid annual pass in order to gain access. We have a feeling that the “exclusive” access will result in long waits.
You can check availability and check-in for seating at the station in front of the Blue Sky Cellar. This area is open from 11:30am until one hour before the park’s closing time. It works on a first-come, first-served basis. We’re interested in seeing how making this area AP-exclusive(ish) will affect its traffic.
Don’t you wish Annual Passholders had a place to relax while enjoying some time with their guests? Behold: Alfresco Tasting Terrace is that place! Come over, check out the menu, purchase a new specialty drink, and have a good time. Valid AP required. https://t.co/4EArf4DxLu pic.twitter.com/Zs4EcMVNen
— Disneyland AP (@DisneylandAP) January 5, 2020
This and That
No Disneyland Update is complete without some of the smaller news from around the Disneyland Resort.
New Donuts at Maurice’s Eats
The unassuming snack stand at the Royal Theatre, Maurice’s Eats, has a couple of new menu items that are worth stopping by for.
You can now get an order of Churro Gears (an order comes with 2), which are a French Cruller-style donut covered in cinnamon sugar. My tip: ask for the gears to be topped with a little extra cinnamon sugar. Trust me, you won’t regret it (but your New Year’s resolutions might!).
The other new items are donut holes, Maurice’s Pieces. An order is 6 of them, and you can mix or match the flavors, Chocolate, French Toast, or Plain. You can also order additional flavored sugar (cinnamon sugar, peanut butter & jelly sugar, or cookie butter sugar) as well.
Coral Collection Merchandise
At the Disney Showcase on Main Street, we found a collection that was previously unnoticed by us. Which is unusual because of how florescent this color line is! The Cast Member referred to it as the Coral Collection, but had been in the park for about 3 weeks now. The line includes a spirit jersey, a gaggle of t-shirts, and even a button-down men’s shirt.
For a look at more recent merchandise around the Resort, check out the article below.
Wooden Puzzles at Disneyana
These puzzles aren’t anything new, but I had never taken a close look at an assembled one before this week. The U-Gear Puzzles are made of laser-cut wood and have moving parts. For the Small World model, the children of the world come through the doors of the attraction, and the Disneyland Train is a functional model. If only I had seen these before Christmas…
Stop by Disneyana on Main Street and move one of these around. Turn the gears at the bottom of the Small World model and the doors open and the little children of the world march out.
Asian Eats Opens at Downtown Disney
The newest food option at Downtown Disney opened on New Year’s Eve. The original opening date was set for late fall of 2019, but it’s better to be late than never.
The menu is very limited, mostly because it’s more of a takeout window than a restaurant. It includes standard Asian fare, like rice bowls and potstickers, along with scallion pancake wraps.
Overall, it was decent. Downtown Disney has been lacking an Asian food joint, and this one is pretty affordable in comparison to some of the other offerings in the area. It’s fairly standard Asian food, but it’s something I can see myself eating again.
Vegan Ice Cream at Salt and Straw
The artisanal ice cream parlor in Downtown Disney, Salt and Straw, has a new set of seasonal flavors. All of these flavors are created with veganism in mind. The Toasted Oat Milk and Cookies stands out to me in particular. Definitely looking forward to having a scoop (or three) next time I’m in the area.
Wind Advisories, Firework Cancellations and other Entertainment Changes
This week in SoCal we’re expecting to see some intense Santa Ana winds. So, when visiting the parks this week be sure to plan ahead. In the case of high winds, fireworks will be canceled, generally with little or no prior warning. However, the wind advisory ends for most SoCal cities Monday or Tuesday. Mickey’s Mix Magic with Fireworks is planned for Jan 10-12, and switching to the projection version during the week starting Jan 13.
Fantasmic! showings this week will be performed nightly. Although starting next Monday, the nighttime spectacular will only run on the weekends (and Jan 20) through the end of the month. We don’t know if this is a permanent change or if it just while the Mark Twain is being refurbished, but this schedule continues into next month as well. We’ll have more info about this soon.
Are You Ready for a Disney Getaway?
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Let’s Hear From You
Will you be heading to the park today to experience the final hours of the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort? Are you sad to see Christmas leave? Are you looking forward to what’s coming in 2020? And what about that Baby Yoda drink? Let us know in the comments.
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