We need a little Christmas . . . right this very minute! For a year in confinement, it sure has gone fast! And with nerves on edge, a little holiday cheer is exactly what I need. So, along with the latest Disneyland news, we’ve got some extra holiday festivities for you in today’s special edition of our weekly Disneyland Update. And be sure to let us know what you think of the new version of Snow White’s (not so scary) Adventures, which we have photos of for you below.
Read all the way to the bottom to pick a winner in our holiday photo contest!
Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street
Last call for Christmas! By this time next week we’ll be counting down to a whole new year . . . one that can’t come soon enough.
The Buena Vista Street experience continues to grow. We’ve got some news for you below. On arrival, both Friday and Saturday, we were able to enter without a wait (which is now the norm during the week). Five and Dime had a short 5-minute wait. Perhaps a third of the time you’d spend in line at World of Disney just steps away in Downtown Disney.
Here’s a quick timelapse of Hollywood Blvd so you can see what the crowds looked like mid-day on Friday:
And while you might not expect anything new to open the week before Christmas, Gone Hollywood reopened on Hollywood Blvd (across from Off the Page).
We had been speculating for weeks that Disney would reopen this space for guests to help spread crowds throughout the Buena Vista Street experience. That finally happened quietly last week.
The shop offers mostly holiday and 2021 logo items found elsewhere in Downtown Disney. It’s too bad they weren’t able to bring something new to the mix with the opening of this store. But Disney probably has a lot of Holiday merchandise still waiting to be sold.
Trolley Treats continues to be a very popular destination. We’ve found that service is generally faster at Marceline’s in Downtown Disney and both offer the same items.
For us, the wait for the same old items just isn’t worth it. We’ve been driving down the road just a bit further for free parking and a huge assortment of sweets and baked goods at Knott’s Market Place (more on that below).
Outdoor Shopping Expansion – The outdoor vending carts have expanded a bit this week. You can find even more items at the carts near the Guest Relations kiosk across from Carthay Circle.
Since the carts aren’t selling food, Disney is using the opportunity to push empty popcorn buckets, sippers, balloons, ear headbands, and Christmas merchandise.
Porgs and Baby Yoda . . .
We have a feeling Disney is going to be stuck with a LOT of holiday merchandise this year.
We bought some of these amazing popcorn buckets to deliver Christmas cookies in.
Speaking of outdoor shopping, you can still find items out in the Hollywood Studios section of the park as well.
It’s still confusingly part of Stage 17 without being able to go inside Stage 17 from California Adventure. You still have to exit the park and walk around to the back side from the esplanade. There’s far more traffic inside California Adventure than out in that section of the Esplanade. We don’t understand Disney’s logic on this one.
A few more shots from the Buena Vista Street experience before we head into Downtown Disney . . .
Out in Downtown Disney, the lower crowd levels continue. It was busier on Saturday than on Friday, and both days saw crowds increase toward evening, but overall, not crazy like it was before Thanksgiving.
There were short waits for Sephora and other non-Disney owned stores.
While Disney’s stores held longer (but not very long) waits. 
The Star Wars Outpost had a bit of a wait.
World of Disney had by far the longest wait in the resort.
Pandora has temporarily closed. We aren’t sure why. But they don’t have any hours listed on the Disney site until Saturday, December 26th.
Christmas Discounts – If you are willing to wait for World of Disney, you can check out the new 2021 line of merchandise. You can also save 30% on most of the Christmas items, it stacks with a valid annual pass discount for even bigger savings. Not bad.
Look for the “Mickey snowflake” to point you to the deals.
Holiday headwear, apparel, tabletop, plush, and toys are 30% off.
Plush characters are discounted when you buy two.
Adult tees are also discounted when you buy two.
Classic Disney dolls are discounted to $20.
We are all happy to see 2020 end, but what do you think of the designs on the new 2021 items featuring the newer style Mickey?
Scroll through the slider below to see more items:
Snow White Revised
As we’ve been reporting for the better half of the year, Snow White’s Scary Adventures is becoming less scary. Today, it was announced that with the facelife to remove the scarier elements of the attraction, a new name would be needed. So, say goodbye to Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and hello to Snow White’s Enchanted Wish!
Now the question is if the classic attraction will keep its original charm, or if the all-new scenes and technology go too far. Here’s a sneak peek from Disney:
Snow White’s Enchanted Wish will open with Disneyland at a future date. Enjoy a few pictures below.
We’d like to hear your thoughts. Do the changes make the ride more friendly for the little ones? Or are you sad to see another classic altered? And what do you think of that new name?
Holiday Magic
So after all that touring through Downtown Disney, I think we earned a bit of holiday magic. Let’s take a minute to appreciate the decor in Downtown Disney. But first, let’s go back to last year to remember the glow trees. Those were something else, weren’t they?
They sure didn’t last long. This year Disney provided a little comfort for the soul with classic trees in familiar holiday colors.
While we are missing the spectacular Main Street, New Orleans Square, and Cars Land decor this year, and all the classic Disneyland holiday entertainment, we know it will all be back in full force next year to make up for 2020’s disappointments.
Knott’s News
With the state stay-at-home order lasting through Christmas, the park had to cancel its holiday event, Taste of Merry Farm. The goal was to return to normal operation once the order lifts, but with the current state of the Southern California region, it became less and less likely. So last week, Knott’s announced that after conversations with local and community experts, they have decided to completely pull the plug on Taste of Merry Farm. The event started on November 20 and ran for just 3 short weeks before being canceled outright. You can read more about Knott’s decision in the article below.
But it’s not all bad news for Knott’s, which has been quick to adapt to these weird times. Raffi Kaprelyon (regional vice president for Cedar Fair, the operating company of Knott’s) was named as one of the OC Register’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020. Kaprelyon explained in an interview that Knott’s festival model has proven very successful for the company. In fact, Cedar Fair will be expanding the concept to their other parks, saying that “Knott’s executed [their Taste Of events] to almost perfection.” PLUS, at the end of the interview, Kaprelyan mentioned that once the stay-at-home order is lifted, Knott’s is planning on offering a boysenberry-themed food event possibly in January or February… Taste of Boysenberries perhaps?
But speaking of Knott’s, here’s something we’d like to share. If you’re looking for an uncrowded play to find some amazing treats, we strongly recommend you make the 15-minute drive from Disneyland to Knott’s. When we visited last week, we were one of the only people on the property and we were shocked. The California Marketplace, which is home to Mrs. Knott’s Chicken To-Go, a bakery with pastries made fresh daily, plus several gift shops with all sorts of boysenberry themed/flavored/inspired goodies. Plus free parking.
And at the Berry Market, there are all sorts of boysenberry-flavored items, like Boysenberry Preserves, Boysenberry Butter, Boysenberry BBQ Sauce, and the list goes on. Plus, a whole assortment of other food items. And they’ve also got their own candy case with house-made fudge (buy 2 pieces, get 1 free!) and all sorts of other treats, like Boysenberry Churro Toffee, caramels, cookies and more.
Additionally, every day this week (except for Christmas Day) Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village (a craft fair that features the artisans from Taste of Merry Farm) is open for business. If you’re comfortable with visiting Downtown Disney, we heartily recommend picking up some last-minute Christmas gifts from the small vendors at the Knott’s craft village and enjoy some beautiful Christmas decor in the process.
For more info about the Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village, take a look at the article below.
Disneyland Resort Update – Holiday Twist and Avengers Surprise
If a trip down to the Farm isn’t in the works for you this week, there’s another way to bring Knott’s home to you. The park just shared their Merry Farm playlist collection on Spotify that brings the sounds of their holiday celebration to you! You can listen to songs from four different areas of the park— Ghost Town, Mission Row, Boardwalk, and Camp Snoopy— for a theme park Christmas. We’ve also included the Ghost Town Merry Farm playlist for you to You can find all their playlists HERE
MiceChat Photo Contest
Last week we shared some beautiful holiday photos which would potentially be entered into a contest to win a $100 Disney gift card this week. Here are the top 15, selected by our staff. But the winner of the big prize will be chosen by you! So, put on your Santa hat and vote in the poll below.
The images are presented below in no particular order. We’ve labeled each to make it easier for you to vote for your favorite:
Thank you to everyone who shared a photo with us, and good luck to all the photographers. While only one of you will get the gift card, you’ve all delivered some real holiday joy!
You can vote for your favorite photo by using the poll below. The contest closes at 11:59 PM on Friday, December 25th. To see more of the photos from our readers— and to join the MiceChat community— be sure to join the MiceChat Facebook group!
This & That
Now for a few other stories from the theme park world this week…
Super Nintendo World Sneak Peek
Out in Universal Studios Japan, the park gave a special preview of their upcoming expansion: Super Nintendo World! Let me just say that it looks amazing! Even if you’re not a big video game fan, the level of detail and thought that went into actualizing this project is astounding. Guests are transported into the Mushroom Kingdom, complete with Power-Up Blocks, Yoshi, and of course, Mario and Luigi. The land opens this coming February in Japan, and it’s also getting similar versions at Universal parks in Hollywood (which has been under construction for a while!), Florida, and also Singapore. For more information about Super Nintendo World, take a look at the article below!
Here’s Everything We Know About Universal Studios NEW Super Nintendo World
Holiday Shopping Guides
Well, we’re just days away from Christmas. And in case you haven’t finished your holiday shopping just yet, here are a few of the latest merchandise updates from Disneyland to give you some inspiration. Just be aware that it’s crunch time, so you’d better get shopping!
A Christmas Tree for Walt
In normal times, Main Street is dressed to the nines in holiday splendor. At this time of year, Walt’s apartment above the Fire Station has a modest little tree looking out over the hustle and bustle of the park. While guests haven’t been inside Disneyland since March, Josh D’Amaro (the chairman of Disney Parks and former president of both Disneyland and Disney World) shared a special moment from within Walt’s private apartment. It’s a touching tribute to the man behind it all. Hopefully next year we’ll all be able to see the tree for ourselves once again.
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The Perfect Holiday Gift For The Whole Family
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Let’s Hear From You
Are you ready for Christmas? Do you expect Downtown Disney to expand or dial back offerings after the holidays? Have you visited Knott’s California Marketplace? And what do you think of the new less scary version of Snow White? Share your thoughts below.
Editor’s Note:
As we head into Christmas this week, we’d just like to take a minute to say how grateful we are for all of our readers, fans, staff, and contributors. We couldn’t have made it 9 whole months without Disneyland without an amazing community like you. We wish each of you a safe and happy holiday!
More Theme Park Reading
We may have reached the end of the Disneyland Update, but there’s still plenty of stuff happening out at the other Disney Parks. Here’s the latest:
Universal Orlando Update – VelociCoaster, Super Mario & Christmas!