UPDATED Disneyland News!!! Two Steps Forward and Two Steps Back

Disneyland can’t catch a break. The reopening of Buena Vista Street came just as Orange County rolled back to Purple Tier, which limited retail occupancy to 25%, half of what it had been the week prior. But it turns out that Purple isn’t as low as you can go. Today starts even more restrictions for Disney and many other businesses across the state.

UPDATED WITH PHOTOS FROM THE FIRST DAY OF RESTRICTIONS!  

In today’s Disneyland Update, we’ll take a look at many changes across the resort, but not all of them are bad news. There’s some new technology being rolled out, hints at shopping expansions, and lots of beautiful photos to share . . . 

RESTRICTED . . . But Only A Little

(KEEP READING BELOW FOR NEW PHOTOS ADDED AFTER DOWNTOWN DISNEY OPENING TODAY)

Safer-At-Home orders went into effect for many regions of California today. And that may sound like everything is shut down, but doesn’t impact the Disneyland Resort as much as you might think. While shopping is still allowed, it will need to be limited to 20% capacity or less for at least the next three weeks. But it’s restaurants that will be hit hardest. Indoor dining had already been nixed a few weeks ago, but now outdoor dining is also off the table. Restaurants may only offer take-out and delivery.  

In any region that triggers a Regional Stay Home Order because it drops below 15% ICU capacity all operations in the following sectors must be closed (Southern California is currently at 10.3% ICU capacity):

• • Amusement parks
  • Indoor and outdoor dining (restaurants may offer takeout and delivery)
  • Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
  • Hair salons and barbershops
  • Personal care services
  • Museums, zoos, and aquariums
  • Movie theaters (except drive-in)
  • Wineries, bars, breweries, and distilleries
  • Family entertainment centers
  • Cardrooms and satellite wagering
  • Limited services
  • Live audience sports

As a result, Disneyland has closed all of its dining establishments effective today. The candy shops will remain open, but no food or beverage may be consumed on Resort property. Some of the 3rd party restaurants in Downtown Disney may elect to remain open, but the no dining on property rule will apply to them as well. As a result, anything you buy should be packaged up to take with you. You can eat in your car if you wish, or just take it home.  

Tables in public areas will likely be carted off to discourage guests from stopping to consume treats or remove their masks.  

Unfortunately, that means that Carthay Circle restaurant, which only just reopened for patio dining, is now closed again. So are Award Wieners and Smokejumpers. Reservations will be automatically canceled for Carthay.  

We’ll know later today how many of the Downtown Disney establishments attempt takeout. 

The loss of dining will sadly result in the furlough of approximately 350 Disney cast members.  

Disneyland’s President, Ken Potrock, sent the following message to cast members: 

Downtown Disney Updates 

Safety first . . . One thing that we just started noticing are safety announcements played over speakers. But they don’t happen very often. In fact, in the several hours we were at the resort on Friday shooting these photos, we only heard the announcement twice. We could have missed some while we were in shops, but they play far less often than they do at Walt Disney World or Knott’s Berry Farm.  

More is More . . . With the closure of dining, and the further restriction of shopping capacity, Disney faces potential longer lines for what remains open . . . but they have a trick up their sleeve. We’ll soon be hearing about a further expansion of shopping at the resort.  

The shops on Buena Vista Street alone have not been enough to meet demand. Long lines of guests have been queuing up to visit the Five & Dime side of the street, and another long line for the Trolley Treats side. 

So, this past week, Disney reopened Off the Page on the Hollywood Blvd spur off of the Carthay Circle hub.  It was an immediate hit and currently commands the longest wait for entry. 

With Wonderground no longer selling artwork, the reopening of Off the Page is welcome news. 

You can view more images from the store by scrolling through the slider below: 

But that’s still not enough . . . We think that Gone Hollywood is ready to reopen as well. That news could come at any time. As you can see in the photos below, the shop has been fully decorated for the holidays.  

But even more may be on the way. We’ve heard from multiple cast members that Disney is eying the Main Street Emporium, Disney Showcase, and Disney Clothiers over on the Disneyland side of the Esplanade as well. More area gives guests more room to spread out and more shops with shorter lines would be better than a few shops with long lines, even if much of the merchandise is repeated. So, if attendance stays strong, we could see a lot of extra retail capacity added to Disney’s current shopping opportunities. 

The park was prepped for reopening way back in July and has been ready for guests ever since. It wouldn’t take much work at all to reopen the stores of Main Street.  

Traffic Flow . . . There is one little operation tweak we’d still like to see at DCA. Unfortunately, with long lines on either side of Buena Vista for shops, and guests entering and exiting via the same street, it’s just a bit too crowded. Meanwhile, Stage 17 fails to pull in hardly any visitors at all. So, rather than Stage 17 having its own tight entry/exit via the Esplanade, we’d like to see guests of DCA exit from the Stage 17 corner of the park. That would give Stage 17 a boost in attendance and keep guests flowing in a safer one-way direction with fewer bottlenecks. 

Guests inside DCA can already get within short distance of Stage 17. 

More from DCA . . .  There were some changes made to Buena Vista operations this past week that were interesting, but they may not all stick due to the recent safety restrictions.  

First, the outdoor vending carts near Carthay Circle were moved into an alcove in the upcoming Avengers Campus. But with the no dining now allowed on resort property, it’s unlikely that ODV carts will remain open, so these gates will probably be closed.  

Hollywood Blvd operations were expanded a bit with the opening of Off the Page, so guests are now able to get up close to the Red Car Trolley and walk almost to the Hyperion.

On the Grizzly Peak Airfield side of the resort, guests can walk almost to the airplane. The popcorn cart is now being used to sell the new holiday popcorn buckets. But with Smokejumpers closing, we don’t know if this street will remain open at all . . . unless Disney decides to reopen Humphry’s, which doesn’t look like there has been any activity since the shutdown.  

And a few parting shots of DCA before we move on . . . 

Downtown Disney . . . it was a very busy few days for Downtown Disney, particularly in the evenings. As we were leaving on Friday, we noticed this massive queue of people snaking through the parking lot behind the old AMC Theater. They were all just waiting to get into the shopping district. 

Once inside, things are merry and bright . . . 

But there were also lines for everything.  

And while we walked right into Buena Vista Street at 3pm, by 6 pm a long line had developed.  

UPDATED 12/07/20 with photos from the first day of new state restrictions: 

As of this morning, December 7th, many food service locations have been shuttered and there are some alterations to the Buena Vista Street experience as well.  

Entering Downtown Disney, you’ll notice that public tables have been removed from the former AMC Theater plaza and near quick service locations.

While some locations are still packaging food up for takeout, Disney is not allowing the consumption of food or beverage anywhere on property. Managers and guest relations cast members are making announcements as guests enter letting them know that food and beverage are not allowed to be consumed on property. But it’s going to be hard for some to resist eating that corn dog, churro, or ice cream which are still available in Downtown Disney and would likely not still be at the ideal temperature by the time you get it back to your car.  

It’s easy enough to carry a pretzel out to the car. 

We feel sorry for security which is going to have to keep reminding guests not to drink their Jamba while walking around.  

Marceline’s actually seals your bag so you won’t be tempted to snack. 

In Buena Vista Street, the restaurants are all closed, but Trolley Treats opened with a 20-minute wait. Meanwhile, Marcelines had no one waiting in line for the same exact items.  There are a limited number of items at the resort and you will find almost all of it in multiple locations. If the wait is long at one location, there’s generally another spot with little wait. Stage 17 is a great spot to get many items with no waiting at all.

Grizzly Peak Airfield is currently blocked since Smokejumpers is now closed. 

Merchandise carts have popped up at the Carthay Circle guest relations spot. 

Popcorn buckets are for sell at carts next to Carthay Circle restaurant. But the road leading toward Cars Land with all the seating has been closed. 

Walt Disney 119th Birthday Tribute – MiceChat Reader Photos 

The man behind the magic we all love, Walt Disney, would have been 119 this past Saturday, December 5. To celebrate his legacy, we asked the MiceChat Facebook group to share a photo or a memory that recognizes Walt’s impact on our lives. We had some very thoughtful and touching responses that we’d like to share with you.

Where would we be without Walt Disney? Well, we certainly wouldn’t have any Disneyland to visit! With its array of sights and sounds, transporting guests beyond the mundaneness of everyday life into realms of fantasy.

A creative visionary, Walt Disney was a man ahead of his time. We’re disappointed that we haven’t step foot in his beloved creation for the majority of the year, but we still greatly appreciate the impact he left on the world.

That’s not all, folks! We’ve got a special presentation for you from our friends at Creative Capers. This lovingly created short film, “The Wonderful World of Walt,” takes audio from an interview of Walt Disney and is brought to life via gorgeous stop motion animation. Please take a few minutes and enjoy this heart-touching film.

You can read more about Creative Capers in the article below that was published on Walt’s birthday.

The Wonderful World of Walt – A Birthday Tribute to Walt Disney

To end this section, we’re giving you a special look into Walt’s storybook mansion in the Hollywood Hills. Join Dusty as he gives a tour of the home where Walt raised his family— and be sure to follow the Walt Disney Storybook Mansion Facebook page for info on upcoming events and tours (when safe to do so again!). 

Thank you to everyone who shared a photo and a memory with us, and a special thank you to Creative Capers for their incredible video! Be sure to keep an eye out for next week’s photo theme by joining the MiceChat Facebook group.

This & That

We’re not done just yet! Here are a few of the other happenings from this week.

Grand Californian Hotel Reopening Delayed

With the new restrictions from the safer-at-home order, Disney preemptively decided to delay the reopening of the Disney Vacation Club villas at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The timeshare units were originally scheduled to open to guests on December 6, but the plug was pulled on the 4th, just days before guests were set to arrive. At this point, there’s no projected timeline for reopening any sector of Disneyland’s hotels. You can read more information about the Grand Cal DVC delay in the article below.

Disneyland Delays Reopening of Grand Californian Hotel

Unused Disneyland Ticket Info

Many of our readers have asked what Disney’s policy is regarding unused tickets for this year. Here’s what we can share with you. Most tickets will be extended into December of next year: 

Unused non-promotional single-day Disneyland theme park tickets that expire on December 30, 2020 or March 31, 2021 will have the expiration date extended to December 16, 2021. Wholly unused, non-promotional multi-day tickets that expire on January 12, 2021 or April 13, 2021 will have the expiration date extended to December 16, 2021, and the ticket will expire 13 days after first use or on December 16, 2021, whichever occurs first.

Guests with multi-day tickets who used their first visit between February 28, 2020 and March 13, 2020 but did not reach their ticket’s maximum number of uses, will have the 13-day expiration period of their ticket extended to December 16, 2021.  Expiration dates on eligible ticket(s) will be updated prior to the theme parks’ reopening.

Mobile Checkout at World of Disney

Just implemented this week, World of Disney is now testing a mobile checkout option through the Disneyland app. To streamline your shopping experience, you grab a designated shopping bag, scan items you plan on buying, pay on your phone, and show a Cast Member the receipt (in the form of a QR code) as you head out. It sounds like a neat idea, and we’re interested to see if this could be expanded beyond the scope of World of Disney.  But we also worry about how many more jobs this sort of automation might cost. 

You’ll find signage and QR codes to scan around the store that encourage World of Disney guests to try out the new method of shopping.

 

Once you’ve finished your shopping trip and paid through the Disneyland app, take your basket to the Mobile Checkout exit where a Cast Member will verify the contents of your bag, then you’re all set to head out.

And you can find your purchase history through the Disneyland app as well.

Disneyland Merchandise Update

It’s the holidays, and you’re probably gearing up for some Christmas shopping. We’ve rounded up all the latest new items from around Downtown Disney to help find the perfect gift for the Disney-lover in your life. Take a look at the article below to see what’s available now:

Disneyland Merchandise Update: Cozy, Sparkle, and Shine

Theme Parks and Attractions Closing

With the new guidelines taking effect today, some theme parks and attractions have already started issuing statements regarding closure or changes in operation. While some entertainment sectors— like zoos, aquariums, and museums— must close, theme parks are in a sort of gray area. SeaWorld San Diego, which reopened in July under the coding of a zoo, will have operations suspended starting today.

Additionally, a cryptic notice was sent out by Knott’s Berry Farm, which is in the middle of its Taste of Merry Farm event, that operations for the event will continue through December 6th (last night) with additional information available early this week. UPDATE: Knott’s has now confirmed that they will be closing their Merry Farm event from December 11th through 26th. 

We are aware that California will be issuing a stay-at-home order for the Southern California region. Taste of Merry Farm will be operating through Sunday, 12/6. We will have more information on impact of remaining dates for our event and businesses early next week. pic.twitter.com/h4Yt65Tdda

— Knott’s Berry Farm (@knotts) December 5, 2020

There are many more family destinations headed into shutdowns like The Aquarium of the Pacific, San Diego Zoo and Safari Parks, LEGOLAND’s Sealife Aquarium and others. But there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel. We can get through these difficult times together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Let’s Hear From You

Well, folks, we’ve reached the end of another Disneyland Update. We continue to be shocked by the volume and rapid pace of news. It sure looks like we are all in for a difficult few weeks ahead, but we look forward to brighter times ahead. We’ll continue to update you on news regarding Disney, the parks, and what the future may hold.  

Please let us know your thoughts on the items above. We appreciate your comments and thoughts.