Disneyland has been reopened to guests for just a little over a week now, and there’s lots of news and information to share. While everyone has been focused on small crowds and short waits, that’s not the full story. I’ll show you how things are really going at the Resort and the patterns developing that can help you avoid some pitfalls. I also hope to answer a few questions for you about the parks that many of you have been asking and give a bit of advice. We also have a couple special treats for you, including some glorious photos inside Disney’s iconic dark rides and a journey into the secret crypt which bypasses the Haunted Mansion stretching rooms!!!

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Hang on to your hats and glasses, this is a big update folks!

How Uncrowded is Uncrowded?

By now you’ve heard numerous people exclaiming the virtues of an uncrowded Disneyland. With waits frequently just 10 to 20 minutes for popular attractions, and many empty areas of the parks, you might be wondering how many guests Disneyland is actually letting in. While the actual number will vary from day to day, Disneyland preps daily for approximately 15,000 guests (according to cast members in two different business units responsible for ordering product for the parks). That’s a tiny number for Disneyland, which can easily serve 55,000 or more guests in a single day (and tens of thousands more than that on holidays). So, the chance to experience Disneyland at these levels is something you should absolutely consider if you can swing the ticket cost. 

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Main Street at noon is nearly empty every day.

Keep in mind that not everything is open. Many shops and food service locations remain closed, which can make it challenging to get a quick drink or a Dole Whip at certain times of the day. But, overall, most of the important rides are operating, which is appealing to most guests. And the overall experience is, in a word, MAGICAL.  

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This shot was taken at 1pm on Friday. Note how few guests are in the Hub area. This is the crossroads of the entire park. It would normally be busy at this time of day.

Unfortunately, it just can’t stay this way forever. Park capacity will eventually be allowed to increase, and when it does it will bring some unfortunate consequences, some of which we are seeing the early signs of already (more on that below).

Reservation availability

You might think that with so few spots available in the parks that it’s impossible to make a theme park reservation. But there actually is quite a lot of park availability . . . particularly for Disney California Adventure. In the chart below, the blue days represent availability at California Adventure, the pink and blue days mean that both parks have availability. You’ll see a bit more availability for park hopper tickets than single park tickets. But those DCA park-hopper days mean you CAN visit Disneyland after 1pm. So, if you are willing to pay a bit more, you can still visit Disneyland in the afternoons.  (one park availability on top, park-hopper availability underneath): 

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July dates are now being added. Since the resort is operating on an approximate 60 day rolling availability calendar, you can check daily as new July dates are added. It’s a good idea to book those dates now, as weekends are very likely to fill up, as all the previous ones have.  

In the calendar below, we’ve added the one day prices to each day so you can see how price may be impacting availability.  Those $114 days were certainly popular. But July doesn’t have any dates listed under $124. Keep in mind that the lowest cost tier for Disneyland tickets is $104, but they haven’t had a single day available at that rate.  

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When Might Out-of-State Guests Visit Again?

Let’s be clear here, Disneyland WANTS to be able to book out-of-state visitors. They are needed before more hotel rooms (and the associated jobs) can return as well.  And although the state does allow vaccinated visitors to attend theme parks, there’s still much that’s unclear. 

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Disneyland President, Ken Potrock, took some time to say hello and share some details with us about the reopening of the parks.

We recently spoke with Disneyland Resort President, Ken Potrock, and he said the new theme park guidance regarding out-of-state visitors is “As clear as mud.” What’s the concern? Well, vaccinated visitors can visit . . . but how is Disneyland expected to verify that? Further, what about guests too young to be vaccinated?  There’s just too much that’s still unknown for Disney’s comfort level.

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More gorgeous photos like this one further down in our update. Keep reading!

However, two things are at play which will eventually resolve this situation. First, Disney is in close contact with state regulators and has asked for clarification. Secondly, the state is expected to lift most restrictions on June 15th. One way or another, Disney is likely to be able to allow out-of-state visitors soon.   

Staffing Update

We mentioned above that most restrictions are expected to be lifted next month. But Disneyland won’t just leap to full operation. There are several factors at play which might keep capacity low for the foreseeable future. 

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Disneyland is like a mini city. There are so many specialized jobs, some of which require certifications and advance training. So staffing alone isn’t the end of the story.

First and foremost, Disney is struggling to get enough cast back to serve even the current level of guests. After the park shutdowns, Disney kept many cast on the payroll for months in the hopes that the parks would be allowed to reopen quickly (remember that back in March of 2020 we were told the shut down would just be for a couple of weeks, then extended for just a few weeks more). But, eventually Disney was forced to put full time staff on Furlough and most part time cast members were laid off. Disney’s unions have detailed agreements which stipulate that the most senior full time staff are called back first (the furloughed workers) and only after all of them have been given two chances to turn down their jobs can Disney begin calling the employees who were laid off. 

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Custodial workers are the unsung heroes of the theme parks. Clean parks are are a big park what sets Disney apart from its competitors.

Well, that time has come. Many departments (custodial and food service in particular) are beginning to call workers who were laid off. The need is so great for custodial and specialized food service workers that they may not be able to fill all the roles required quickly enough to expand park capacity for guests. 

The staffing shortage has even impacted the beloved Disneyland Railroad, which has been shutting down by 3pm each day due to a lack of fully trained employees.  

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The other thing which may delay park capacity increases is Disney itself. While 25% capacity is just a momentary opportunity for those of us who live in the Golden State, we may not see crazy park crowding again for a very long time. Disneyland’s President mentioned that the park experience is very important. As a result, they may not do away with theme park reservations!

That’s encouraging folks. We’ll see if that idea sticks once park capacity limits are removed by the state and temptation grips Disneyland’s executive suite. But there’s hope that lessons of past overcrowding have indeed been learned.   

Parking

Now for a couple of areas where the resort is showing some strain. But we’ll give you some advice to help you from getting trapped in less than magical circumstances.  

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Mickey and Friends Parking archive photo

The morning rush to park at Mickey and Friends is just a horrible experience. It can easily take up to an hour to park. To keep guests from overwhelming parking and security services, the number of cars the structure can park per minute has been slowed down. And that means a long wait. Once you get parked, you still have to line up for temperature and bag check and then walk to the park (no trams are running).  

It’s not a magical way to start the day. So we recommend that you don’t start your day early unless you have to. You might consider one of two things: 1) show up an hour or later after opening for easier parking and park entry. By 10 or 10:30am the mad crush is over.  2) If you must go early, you can avoid the structure by taking advantage of the MiceChat parking offer at the Anaheim Hotel. It’s not only closer to Disneyland’s front gate, it will save you money. However, the hotel parking can (and often does) fill up. But check with the folks at the hotel to see if they have additional parking in the back:  

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Mobile Order

Pay attention to this one and make your day MUCH less hangry. Dining has become an issue due to limited staffing in the kitchens and not enough places to sit and eat in the shade.  

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If you wait until lunchtime to try to order food, you’ll either end up in a long line to order in person, or a likely long virtual line until your Mobile Order is ready. Then you’ll have to go in search of a place to sit down.  

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Tables have been added riverside next to the Mark Twain dock.

Even though tables have been added everywhere, in the heat of the mid day lunch rush, most good spots are taken. 

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And even more river view tables across from the exit of Big Thunder.

If you don’t plan accordingly, you could end up eating on a bench in the full sun . . .

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or worse. . . 

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Yes folks, for the low price of just $154, you too can eat your meal sitting on a curb (a completely and totally unacceptable option for most people). 

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Curbside dining? No thanks! Even Knott’s Berry Farm has enough tables for all guests, Disney needs to figure this out!

But your lunchtime doesn’t have to be a disaster, you have a few great options. First, and easiest, is just to place your mobile order early in the morning (you can even do it from home). However, since it can still take some time to prepare your order at noon, consider selecting a return time before or after the main lunch rush (approximately from 11:30am until 1:30pm). Not only will your food likely be ready nearly instantly once you indicate that you’ve arrived, you have a much better shot of finding a comfortable table nearby as well. 

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Another option is to book a restaurant reservation in the park (hard to come by) or in Downtown Disney. If you find all reservations are unavailable in advance, try to add yourself to the mobile waitlist. It won’t always work for you, but it just might.  

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I ordered a Ronto Wrap with a 3pm return time. The moment my app let me select that I was there, I clicked. The order was waiting for me on the counter when I arrived. No need to wait in line. I brought a little snack to hold me over until it was time for my late lunch.
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I was able to find somewhat shaded seating on the patio for Docking Bay 7 (which is not currently operating).

The 1pm Crush and 4 pm Bust

There’s one other crowd flow issue I’d like to point out before I share more park photos. Both Disneyland and DCA start their day (as in years past) with their least crowded conditions at opening. Attendance grows rapidly in the first couple of hours, but still at very enjoyable levels! However, something happens to Disneyland just after 1pm . . . PARK-HOPPING! 

Starting at 1pm, folks with park-hopper tickets who started their day at DCA can switch over to Disneyland . . . and most of them do! 

The net result is that some areas of Disneyland begin to get much busier. at 11am-ish on Friday, Fantasyland was delightfully uncrowded (with the exception of Peter Pan and Snow White). Mr. Toad had one party in line, there wasn’t anyone on Pinnochio, and Alice was a 5 minute wait.  However, by 2pm, the queues for all open Fantasyland attractions had spilled out into the walkways.  

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That’s not to say that the waits were very long, but they were much longer than they had been just hours before. 

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Peter Pan’s queue, for example, stretches all the way to Snow White’s wishing well on the side of the castle! 

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The Snow White queue similarly overflows through the other castle archway and into Princess Fantasy Faire (and sometimes all the way to Frontierland).  

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, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back! The same issue happened in New Orleans Square. Before lunch, you could walk straight into Pirate’s outdoor queue garden with little wait. But by 2pm, all the center walkways in New Orleans Square had been blocked off for a GIGANTIC Pirates of the Caribbean queue 

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The walkways from Pirates all the way to Mansion were a giant queue. The Haunted Mansion’s own queue had extended all the way to the river. 

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As you can see, guests are spaced at least 6′ apart, which is the reason for the long line. But the craze doesn’t really happen until the park-hoppers show up.  

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It’s this impact that has us worried about Disney increasing capacity. They are clearly operating at just about their maximum ability before queues start to overflow and guests run out of tables for dining and end up sitting on curbs. there’s a fine line between “Magic” and “Miserable.” 

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To make matters worse, tables and strollers at river’s edge force a narrow band of 2 way traffic for all of New Orleans Saure into this tight pathway.

But the situation doesn’t last for too long. By 4pm the lines begin to dwindle again (especially on the week days) and order is restored. This would actually be a great time of day to watch wait times on the park app and visit the less popular attractions

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Don’t let us freak you out too much, most of the park still looked like this all day long.

We do think it would be smart for Disney to experiment with virtual queuing for Pirates of the Caribbean since it has such a massive impact on the ability to walk through New Orleans Square. No matter how fast a queue moves, allowing the line for one attraction to obstruct an entire land (and at less than 25% park capacity) just isn’t a magical experience. This is solvable, and we hope it will be (virtual queuing, FastPass-only, or simply not allowing guests to get in line once the queue reaches a certain point are all possible workarounds).  

UPDATE: After we wrote this article we found out that Disney is working on a Virtual Queue test for Indiana Jones, we just hope they’ll do something similar for Pirates: 

Breaking Disneyland News: Indiana Jones to Get the Virtual Queue Treatment

 

Disneylandering

Due to some breaking news, I was delayed by a couple of hours getting to Disneyland on Friday. So, even though most guests had to slog through a terrible parking situation and long lines at the front gate, by the time I arrived at 11am, there wasn’t a single soul at the front gates other than a bunch of cast members. More guests might be willing to do as I did and show up a little later if the park hours were longer (Currently just 9am until 7pm). But park hours are set to be extended by a couple of hours beginning May 14th (9am until 9pm), we’ll see if that helps. 

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Once in the gate, there’s usually a long line of guests waiting to take their photo with the Mickey floral. Not today. 

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Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy…

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Once you are in the park, you know right away that it’s going to be a good day. I really had to search for crowds (at least until early afternoon).  

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Waits were short. Alice was listed at 20 minutes, but when I arrived in the area, there were no more than 5 parties in line. Perhaps a 3 minute wait. 

Storybook Land is closed, but Casey Junior is open. 

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Since just one train is in operation, Casey Junior can develop long lines out of nowhere. 

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Catch Fantasyland at the right moment and it’s a dream

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We aren’t quite sure what happened at the Carrousel. It was down for over a year for a full refurbishment. However, the center section has severe dry rot. 

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You’ll be told which row to take a steed. 

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But at the center of the ride, there’s a lot of damaged wood and paint coming off in strips. surprising after such a major refurbishment and long down time. 

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At Haunted Mansion they’ve had to get clever. 

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The line can quickly spill out of the gates, through Magnolia Gardens (the little round garden next to the Mansion) and all the way down to the river! And because only about 6 or 7 parties can fit into the stretching room at a time, the load for the ride is very inefficient, with many doombuggies left empty until another elevator full of guests arrives. 

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, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back! So, they’ve opened a secret door in a crypt just to the side of the switch back queue which leads straight to the loading zone. Take a look at this wonderful video shared by MiceChat reader Kari Coulter on the MiceChat Facebook Group. We’ve uploaded it to our Youtube to make it easier to embed here in this article:  

Collectible popcorn buckets continue to be all the rage…

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I really like the blue vintage one below. I’m sure this was designed for the 65th anniversary last year (that never happened).  

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Tomorrow feels less crowded. Long gone are the days of gridlocked walkways here. 

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When the sun hits the new Tomorrowland tiles (on the Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours buildings) it creates a gorgeous prism effect. 

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The blue box remains. We had hoped that it would be replaced by a new raised garden by now.

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Here’s the concept art for what was planned for this spot: 

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The Magic Eye Theater (Captain EO, Honey I shrunk the Audience, Path of the Jedi) sits empty, but they’ve put up a retro Mary Blair-ish mural on top of the sign. We like it!

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Miguel from COCO was waving at guests. You’ll actually see characters all over the place. We really enjoy seeing them out and about instead of tucked away at the end of a long line guests. It’s a big enhancement to the vibe of the park for the characters to be part of the rich tapestry that brings it all to life. This is something we hope they keep when things begin returning to normal operation. 

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And don’t forget these little characters…

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Baby ducks always steal the show

They still do flag retreat, but without the band or Dapper Dans. 

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Over in DCA, there isn’t as much to share. The park has far fewer attractions, so lines for the big rides can get pretty insane. 

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If you want to ride Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout, you’ll have to wait an hour. It looks something like this…

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You may have to line up next to the closed Hyperion Theater. 

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Soarin? That’s got a crazy 70 minute line too…

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The line forms out on the regular pathway, but then loops around to the emergency exit in the land…

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Even the Little Mermaid queue was full. This ride has such high capacity that it’s generally a walk-on, but on Friday and Saturday it held 20+ minute waits. 

, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back! , Disneyland Update – Hurry Back!But it wasn’t all busy…

If you want to shop, this is the place to do it. I couldn’t find lines to get into any of the stores. 

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Cars Land felt wide open. But Radiator Springs Racers was down when I visited. 

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They’ve added a ton of seating to the World of Color amphitheater. 

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And I found a GREAT shady seating area behind Grizzly River Run. 

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Want a Starbucks? No waits. 

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There were characters in DCA as well. But I didn’t see nearly as many on my visit as I did at Disneyland.  

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You can’t meet Captain America or Falcon, but you can take a photo in front of the Falcon’s wings.  

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The main attraction will be Avengers Campus. Not much longer to wait now. This new land will debut on June 4th.  

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Quinjet!

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The refurb list got a little shorter this week when Grizzly River Run returned to operation. 

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But the nearby Redwood Creek Challenge Trail remains closed. 

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At Disneyland, the Matterhorn, Buzz Lightyear, and Jungle Cruise remain closed.  

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Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is currently closed

The Jungle Cruise is in the process of getting some updates. You can read more about that below:

UPDATES: New Story Details for Jungle Cruise Attractions at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom


Disney Hotel and Restaurant Reopenings

UPDATE 5/10/21: Disneyland has announced the reopening of several restaurants in the Disneyland theme parks. Online reservations will be available starting May 18 unless otherwise noted.

Blue Bayou Restaurant in New Orleans Square will reopen on May 27 with a new menu item: alcohol. You can enjoy a nice glass of wine with your dinner, or celebrate a special occasion with champagne. We imagine that people will be very interested in dining at the Blue Bayou again, so be prepared to reserve a spot online starting May 18.

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For more on the menu changes at Blue Bayou, take a look at the article below.

Blue Bayou Dining to Add Limited Adult Beverages When it Reopens

Over at DCA, there are a few dining options reopening. First, Paradise Garden Grill will reopen this week on May 13. The menu features favorites from the recent Touch of Disney food and beverage event. It will be a nice addition to have another quick-service option at DCA.

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Additionally, the Alfresco Tasting Terrace will remain an exclusive location for Legacy Passholders and their guests, similar to before the park shut down last year. If it is like the previous iteration, it will be a simple menu with drink choices and light snackable food options. The Alfresco Tasting Terrace will open on May 20 with online reservations available starting May 18.

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Although Downtown Disney has been operating since last July, there was another round of reopenings recently announced. A selection of hotels and restaurants are also getting ready to reopen around the Disneyland Resort. 

Catal Restaurant suddenly reopened in Downtown Disney this week. The restaurant has a new menu which we’ve yet to be able to try. Reservations are recommended, so be sure to plan ahead, especially since seating remains limited.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Catal Restaurant (@catal_restaurant)

Dining options at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are pretty limited right now. Hotel guests and Disney Vacation Club members can grab a bite to eat from the Craftsman Bar and Grill or enjoy a drink at the Hearthstone Lounge. But starting May 28, both the Storyteller’s Café and Napa Rose will open to all guests, including non-hotel visitors. Both restaurants’ menus will feature new selections in addition to classic favorites. Reservations for both Napa Rose and Storyteller’s Café will become available starting May 18. That said, character dining will not be resuming until further notice. One thing to note starting May 28, the Craftsman Bar will be accepting online reservations, so be prepared if you’re wanting to enjoy a poolside meal.

I took a quick tour of the hotel this week and found it quite peaceful…

Also reopening at the Grand Californian on the 28th is the DCA entrance from the hotel. Although, in order to use this entrance, you have to 1) have a valid ticket, 2) have a valid theme park reservation, and 3) be a guest at the Grand Cal with an active room key. 

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Sign from inside DCA leading to the entrance/exit of the Grand Californian

Finally, the Paradise Pier Hotel will be reopening on June 15th. This is Disneyland’s most budget-friendly hotel (which for Disney is about $430 a night/$530 if you want a view). However, there will be no food or bar service at the hotel upon reopening. Instead, guests are asked to visit the Grand Cal or Downtown Disney to eat, or have food from Downtown Disney delivered to the hotel lobby. To us, it seems a bit preposterous that there’s no food options at a hotel, particularly when paying well over $400 a night. We strongly recommend you consider other new deluxe hotels in the Anaheim area which need your business and will offer you more complete services than the Paradise Pier Hotel (until it gets its act together).  

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Disneyland Hotel remains firmly closed. Though, work has continued on the new DVC tower at the Disneyland Hotel and a major remodel of hotel rooms is also underway. 

Here’s the cheat sheet on when everything reopens:

  • Paradise Garden Grill (opening May 13)
  • Alfresco Tasting Terrace (opening May 20 exclusively for Legacy Passholders and their guests; online reservations available May 18)
  • Blue Bayou Restaurant  (opening May 27; online reservations available May 18)
  • Napa Rose (opening May 28 – dinner only; online reservations available May 18)
  • Storytellers Café (opening May 28 – breakfast and dinner – no characters; online reservations available May 18)
  • GCH Craftsman Bar (Already open – online reservations will be available May 28)

For more about the reopenings announced this week, take a look below.

More Disneyland Resort Hotel and Restaurant Reopenings!


Dark Ride Magic

During the opening weekend of Disneyland, many of the MiceChat staff spent time with the attractions they love and missed. One of our photographers, Matthew Bumgardner, really perfected his dark ride photography skills. I think you are going to enjoy these. If you do, be sure to let him know in the comments below and he might just share a whole column with even more of these types of detailed dark ride shots! 

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We don’t care which way the Tweedles send us, we’re just happy to be back.
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The advantage to so many weddings is all those gifts…
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And afterlife of practice makes perfect

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Pinocchio is a particularly dark attraction, it’s simply amazing that Matt pulled all of this light and color out of an attraction in near total darkness which is also moving! 

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Here’s Pirate’s of the Caribbean in a new light…

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The transformation in progress

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And the star of the show…

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Everyone loves Dopey!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see more of these photos!!!


This & That

Back to the Farm – Knott’s Berry Farm Season Passholder Preview

This week, Knott’s Berry Farm welcomed back season passholders to enjoy rides for the first time since March 2020. MiceChat’s Brian and Scott attended the opening day of season passholder previews and share their photos and thoughts. There were some things Knott’s did bear-y well, and a few that they really need to work on…

Ripe for Reopening: Knott’s Berry Farm Season Passholder Preview

MiceTrip on the Brand-New Disney Wish

Disney’s newest cruise ship, the Wish, is making waves. With a completely new design for a Disney ship, from the dining to the entertainment and everything in between, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. More details have been unveiled this week, with a first look into the technologically advanced ship, taking the approach of merging the worlds of classic Disney characters, along with newer entries into the Disney family, like Marvel and Star Wars, and blending it into an unforgettable cruise experience. We’ve laid out all the details so far in the article below.

Disney Wish Revealed – Disney Cruise Lines Newest ‘Castle at Sea’

I don’t know about you, but I’m really looking forward to seeing this ship! That’s why MiceChat has a little something in the works: a MiceTrip on the Disney Wish July 4th 2022. We’re still at the planning phase of this adventure, but if you’re interested, simply write our Fairy Godmother (at the following link) and ask for more information on the MiceTrip on the Disney Wish. We hope to sail with you soon! Disney Wish Trip Info HERE

PhotoPass+ for a Day

We’ve gotten quite a few emails from folks wondering if PhotoPass is still being offered at Disneyland. It had previously been included with MaxPass, but now that MaxPass is on hold, you CAN get PhotoPass all by itself (for the same cost). The PhotoPass+ One Day add-on to your ticket is $19.99 (just set it up in your Disneyland app).  

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Last year was PhotoPass’s 15th anniversary. Read more about the changes to PhotoPass over the years HERE!

Disney has mentioned that PhotoPass+ One Day is a limited-time offering, so if you enjoy PhotoPass pictures, it’s a good thing to use during your visit. Always ask your PhotoPass photographer if there’s any extra magic they can provide. In Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for example, they might add Baby Yoda to your picture. 

, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back!

New Vaccination Options for Cast Members

Although vaccine Super PODS across Orange County are shutting down— including the Anaheim Convention Center location— Disneyland Cast Members still have convenient options provided by the Disney Company with support from the many Disney unions. The first will be a vaccination POD (point of distribution) located at the Disneyland Hotel in partnership with the county’s health agency, Othena. This vaccination site will be available to cast members (current and furloughed) and their family. The second option will be through the Pharmacy for Living Well (Disneyland’s on-site pharmacy). This location will only be available for active cast members.

, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back!

Haunted Mansion (Muppets and Otherwise!)

This past week, we reached the halfway point to Halloween, can you believe it?! To celebrate, Disney shared some updates about the spirited renovations to the Haunted Mansion, plus dropped the announcement about the Muppets Haunted Mansion special coming to Disney+ this fall!  Take a look at the video for some history about the Haunted Mansion, Imagineer Kim Irvine talk about her mother as Madame Leota, and of course, see the Muppets introduce their wacky new special. 

And you can read more about Disney’s halfway to Halloween hijinks in the article below.

Disney Celebrates Halfway To Halloween With Muppets and Mansions!


Disneyland Tickets and Hotel Discounts JUST FOR YOU!

Disneyland has reopened and there’s never been a better time to visit the Happiest Place on Earth. With reduced crowds, it honestly feels like a dream come true for a theme park fan. Our partners at Get Away Today have worked tirelessly to create the BEST theme park and hotel deals for our readers. You can purchase theme park tickets (that are good through 2022!) HERE and book a hotel/ticket package for your family vacation HERE!

, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back!
Click the image for more information on Disneyland tickets!

ANAHEIM HOTELS PROMOTION

In an effort to promote local tourism, Get Away Today has a special promotion for select Anaheim hotels. Get a $100 Booking Bonus ($50 Disney Gift Card + $50 South Coast Plaza Gift Card), plus free ART Transportation when you book a 4-night or longer Anaheim hotel + at least two 2-day or longer theme park tickets for travel May-August, 2021. Use promo code: VISITANAHEIM to book today!

, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back!
Click the image for more details about the $100 booking bonus!

Let’s Hear From You

Well folks, I hope that was as exciting and informative for you as it was for me. I’ve got to say that after writing nearly 70 Disneyland Updates while the park was CLOSED I’m just delighted to be able to visit again in person to bring you the latest news and photos. 

Did those long lines surprise you, especially with the low attendance numbers? Don’t let that throw you off, overall the parks do feel quite empty, and most waits are still in the 5 to 10 minute range. But, with the extreme seating/boarding procedures for some rides, the waits can soar for some attractions. But they can also fluctuate wildly. Watch the Disneyland App wait times to take advantage of opportunities. Avoid the parking crunch if you can by showing up later or using our parking offer. And be wise about dining and plan ahead. If you can do those things, I truly think you’ll have a Disneyland trip you’ll long remember as a rare opportunity to have Disneyland practically to yourself.  

Let us know what’s on your mind. Are you ready to return? Still waiting? We’d love to know why. And how would you like to see Disneyland manage the few super-long queues, like the ones for Pirates and Soarin’? 

, Disneyland Update – Hurry Back!


More Theme Park Reading

Walt Disney World Scares Up NEW After Hours BOO BASH For Halloween 2021

VelociCoaster Sneak Peek – What could possibly go wrong?! 

Disneyland Merchandise Update: Back To The Parks!

 

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Dusty Sage
Dusty is the founder and CEO of MiceChat.com. When he's not visiting theme parks and writing, editing or speaking about Disney and theme parks worldwide, Dusty is involved in multiple Disney related projects and charities. He helped save and restore the charming Walt Disney Birthplace in Chicago, launched the Dick Van Dyke Foundation, and is the curator of Walt Disney's historic 1930's estate in Hollywood. If you've got news or photos to share with the MiceChat community, or would like to book Dusty for an upcoming event, please contact [email protected]