It’s a holiday weekend, and that means crowds… sort of. It’s also a VERY interesting time at the resort as parts of Downtown Disney are being demolished, construction is picking up on projects large and small in the parks, and iconic nighttime entertainment is about to reignite.
Beep Beep… Trams Return this Week!
Before we dive into the news and photos from the parks, there’s an item that has been far too long in the making. This week should see the return of the Mickey and Friends/Pixar Pals Parking trams. Since the reopening of the parks back in April of last year, guests have been walking from the parking structures to the theme parks, nearly a mile-long journey. But if all goes well, this Wednesday (February 23rd) should be the big return of Disneyland’s Tramzillas (as Disney Imagineering Legend Bob Gurr calls them).
Guests Unmasked
February 17th brought a big change to the parks… vaccinated guests can now opt to forgo a mask. But you’ll still see quite a mix both indoors and out among guests. (There has been no change for cast, who must still mask-up inside for now.)
Disney Parks in Florida and California Drop Mask Mandates on February 17th
Crowds/Reservation Availability
With the holiday weekend, the parks felt busier than last week. On Friday morning, the lines for the front gate of Disneyland extended well past the Monorail beam— and this was a couple of hours after rope drop! But much of that early crowd was likely due to a change in the crowd mix. Disney allocates more of the park availability to Day Tickets when there is high demand for them. Magic Key holders tend to show up later in the day than day ticket holders.
Similarly, the parks could feel very busy in certain places and at certain times.
Just after 4pm on Friday, the major E-Tickets had long lines, but not the worst we’ve seen on holiday weekends. And 75 minutes for the new Rise of the Resistance wasn’t nearly as bad as the 2 hours we saw later at the 10 year old Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure.
But it wasn’t packed everywhere. There were places that felt almost empty.
DCA felt busiest to me. The waits for the big rides were oppressively long. DCA has fewer rides, but has Lightning Lane on all of the major attractions, which creates uncomfortable conditions (the same issues occurs in the smaller parks at WDW which have a higher percentage of rides on the Lightning Lane system than the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland do).
90 minutes for Web Slingers.
An HOUR for Monsters Inc.
And the park just generally felt more crowded than Disneyland as well.
We don’t expect things to stay this busy for too much longer, but the rest of February is booked fairly solid for day tickets and then opens up in March and April. Dream Key holders will find some availability during week days and little availability on weekends.
Dream Key availability (disregard June and July, dates can only be booked 90 days in advance for key holders):
Storyliving – Not Like Living at Disneyland
There was a lot of interest in Disney’s big announcement that they are building a housing development near Palm Springs. The “Storyliving” community called “Cotino” will have a large central lake, shopping, dining, and beach amenities. Disney will sell memberships to a club which will provide access to the beach club and lifestyle classes. Disney will also run the community association.
The one question we keep getting asked, and which the mainstream media has been focused on, is whether living at Cotino will be anything like the Disney Parks. While the community will be ultra-planned, clean, and with a cohesive mid-century modern vibe, it won’t be anything like Disneyland. This is simply a fancy housing development which Disney has put its stamp of approval on and which they will charge fees for services.
It’s still too soon to know what will really be built. Disney has a long history of releasing concept art and then not building or building something different. But, a crystal blue lake, shopping, and a variety of home types (including single family homes, condos, possible apartments, and senior living units) are planned.
While we are cautiously optimistic about the development, we are still waiting to hear what the prices are. Also, those who aren’t familiar with the area should understand that Disney is building in the desert and summer temperatures can reach 110º+. It’s also about an hour and a half away from Disneyland (when you get lucky with traffic). So it’s not the ideal location from a climate nor a Disneyland Resort access point of view. But it is an absolutely beautiful region and very close to the shopping, dining and creativity of Palm Springs.
We’re curious about your interest level in Storyliving by Disney. Do you wish they were building something closer to Anaheim? Is the non-Disney looking architecture appealing to you or a detraction? If you were to live in the ideal Disney community, what would you want it to be?
More on Storyliving:
Disney Launching “Storyliving” Housing Developments in California and Elsewhere
Construction Kingdom
And now let’s see what’s going on behind all those construction walls in the parks.
Main Street Facade Refurbishments
It always surprises me how often the facades of Main Street are repainted and repaired. Construction scaffolds are now up on some storefronts on both sides of the street. But none of the shops are actually closed on the inside. Sort of fun to take a moment to inspect the work since high winds forced workers to roll up the scrims this week.
One of the arched windowpanes was open. I viewed it from several angles and it appears to be a prism.
From the inside, the door is boarded up in this spot.
On the opposite side of the street, the China Closet exterior is also being refreshed.
Later in the weekend the scrims were up. More fun with the scrims down… right?!
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
The massive refurbishment of the sub lagoon seems to be wrapping up. The buckets of fake coral have been installed. The subs and rock work have been repainted. And some of the construction platforms have been removed.
Royal Theater Construction
The theater in Princess Fantasy Faire is getting a complete refurb, including new tarp roof. Last week the facility had a colorful painted scrim to hid the construction.
But due to the wind, the scrims came down, revealing the missing fabric rooftop.
The entire facility is being repainted.
Some interesting signboards decorate the construction walls, depicting original Fantasyland attractions from 1955.
Although the princesses have been forced out of their temporary meet and greet location, They’ve just repositioned themselves.
The queue for Royal Hall is the new location for the princess meet and greets. Guests line up outside and are then rerouted through a narrow pathway to see the princesses from a distance.
Splash Mountain (Reopening March 8th)
Scrims are down around Splash Mountain as the annual refurbishment appears to be coming to a close (The first date times are listed for this attraction is March 8th). In additional to exterior painting and touchups, animatronics and lighting was addressed inside the attraction as well. It also sounds like electrical work is being done to prepare the attraction for its eventual retheme.
Last time we saw Splash, all of the visible conveyor belts on the lift hills had been removed. We can now see that new belts have been installed.
Mickey’s Toontown
While we all knew that Toontown would be closing for an extended refurbishment and reimagining, we didn’t have a closure date until this past week. We now know that Toontown will be closing after March 9th. The Disney website said that Mickey and Minnie’s houses as well as Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin will remain when the land reopens, but much of the other parts of the land will be reimagined, including Donald’s boat and the Chip and Dale Treehouse.
The Go Coaster will remain but will likely be rethemed.
The hills you see under construction below will conceal the show building for the massive Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction.
Scaffolding is now going up around the entry marquee for the new attraction. This may be the last view we’ll get of the construction until next year when the land reopens.
Hollywood Land Construction
Just like Main Street at Disneyland, DCA’s Hollywood Land has facade refurbishments going on as well. Both sides of the street have projects.
Gone Hollywood on one side.
And Disney Junior on the other side. Guests were exiting the theater as I was taking this photo, so it’s still open.
And on the ugly back side of Hollywood Blvd, where the stage is located, there are walls up as well.
Downtown Disney
If you are wondering why the Monorail is closed, it’s because the old AMC building on the west side of Downtown Disney is already coming down. I was able to snap a photo of the demolition on Friday, but more has likely already come down since then.
From the guest side of the facility you’ll note that signage and ornamental details have been removed from the establishments in the giant building.
Even the trim was pulled off of the Starbucks.
But from behind the building (where there’s a small self-parking lot for the Grand Californian Hotel), an entire corner of the building has already been removed.
You can see why the Monorail had to be closed. It navigates a narrow passage between the LEGO store and the AMC Building.
Refurbishment List
We’ve updated the refurb calendar to account for some return dates (many things were previously listed as TBA).
Currently Under Refurbishment:
-
-
- Tarzan’s Treehouse: (September 1st, 2021-TBA) – Still no clarity on this never-ending refurbishment.
-
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage: (July 12th, 2021-Spring 2022)
- Sailing Ship Columbia: (January 9th-March 25th)
-
- Splash Mountain: (January 10th-March 7th)
- Grizzly River Run: (January 24th-March 30th)
-
- Mark Twain River Boat: (February 15th-25th)
-
- Disneyland Monorail: (February 14th-March 6th)
-
Upcoming Refurbishments:
-
-
- Matterhorn Bobsleds: (February 28th-March 3rd)
- The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure: (February 28th-March 3rd)
-
- Indiana Jones Adventure: (March 8th-11th)
- Mickey’s Toontown (March 9th – 2023)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: (March 14th-TBA)
-
The Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind returns today!
Disneyland will Relight the Night with Iconic Entertainment
We’ve been waiting for an official start date for the abundance of classic spectaculars Disneyland has promised will return in 2022. Main Street Electrical Parade, Disneyland Forever Fireworks, and Fantasmic are all set to return to Disneyland. And Disney California Adventure will see the return of World of Color. Although there’s still no official word from Disney on when the majority of the nighttime spectaculars will return, there are more than enough clues for us to more or less pinpoint a timeframe.
EDITORS NOTE: Since we ran this article, Disney has confirmed our time frame: BIG DISNEYLAND ENTERTAINMENT FINALLY RETURNING (HERE)
The Main Street Electrical Parade floats have already been practicing on the parade route at Disneyland after hours. Entertainment cast have hinted that they are working toward a late April opening. We think this is a logical timeframe for Disneyland Forever Fireworks and World of Color as well.
World of Color has been in a holding pattern while fountains and show equipment were fully refurbished.
The big thing holding up World of Color has been the reconstruction of the projection boxes at the back of the lagoon. But they’ve finally returned. We even saw workmen opening the doors and tinkering with the show equipment.
Temporary platforms remain in the lagoon for now as projectors are installed and tested.
Things are finally looking just about done on the lagoon.
But the thing we are most looking forward to will likely be delayed a bit longer. Due to staffing, engineering, costuming and rehearsal needs, It is highly likely that Fantasmic will lag a month or so behind the rest of the spectaculars. But we do think it will debut in time for summer.
All three Fantasmic fountain pits are currently drained and under refurbishment.
Since the fountain pit on the far west side blocks the raft dock on Tom Sawyer Island, the rafts are using a service dock further back on the island.
They then take the remainder of the trip all the way around the island to get back to the dock across from the Haunted Mansion. It’s worth the trip to the Island just to take this unique limited-time journey.
With the return of nightly entertainment to both parks, does seem like DCA is getting the short end of the stick? Disneyland is getting a parade, a fan-favorite firework spectacular, and the EPIC theatrical spectacle of Fantasmic. DCA on the other hand is only getting World of Color— and not even a new version of it! While it would have made sense to bring back the daytime Magic Happens parade (which only ran for a couple of weeks before park shutdowns) to Disneyland and run the Electrical Parade at DCA, festival booths along the parade route make that difficult. So, two delightful parades sit in storage: Paint the Night and Magic Happens.
Celebrate Soulfully
February is Black History Month, and Disneyland has been acknowledging the occasion with the Celebrate Soulfully collection of events and arts across the resort this month. We’ve been enjoying the live music at Downtown Disney and at the Grand Californian Hotel in particular.
We happened upon an incredible Disney artist, Marcella Sweet, painting a chalk mural in Downtown Disney. Her previous two pieces were washed away by torrential rain last Tuesday. But that’s part of the magic of this type of art – it’s there one moment, and Mother Nature will determine how long it lasts.
For the last two weekends of February, there’s one more way to celebrate Black History Month… with a performance of Gospel music at the Fantasyland Theater. Special guest stars and some of SoCal’s top Gospel choirs will be in attendance.
And while the theater is operating, the Troubadour Tavern at the entry to the theater will be open to serve snacks for showtime.
Stuffed Baked Potatoes and Turkey Legs are on the menu.
This & That
And now for a few of the other stories around the Disneyland Resort. Let’s take a look!
It’s Christmas Again!
If you’ve visited the Disney Home store at Downtown Disney recently, you may have noticed that it seems a bit out of touch with the seasons. There’s an abundance of Christmas merchandise that is being sold alongside the preparatory summer items. If this combo has you scratching your head, just know that it all falls back on the supply chain. After months of delays, the Christmas items that were supposed to arrive in time for the holidays have finally made it to the resort.
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta Reopening Soon
If you’ve been in the mood for pizza, pasta, and salad while at DCA, we’ve got some good news for you. Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta in Paradise Gardens is preparing to reopen in the next few days. This is great news for more dining options in the park. Particularly since there’s so much alfresco seating in the area.
One thing that has us a little confused is the operation of the nearby Paradise Garden Grill. The quick-serve establishment is only open during festivals, but it is a hard thing to justify considering that Paradise Gardens has one of DCA’s largest seating capacity dining zones and Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta is also closed.
Raya Meet & Greet
Although the Lunar New Year has wrapped up for this year, the VERY popular Raya meet and greet remains. Head over to the Redwood Creek Challenge trail to meet Raya. She remains a top draw in the park with waits reaching an hour or more just to snap a photo.
Discount Theme Park Tickets and Travel
Are you ready to get away? Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you make new family memories with discounted theme park tickets, hotels, and vacation packages. Get extra days, big savings, and perks on travel to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures By Disney, and other theme parks and family travel destinations. Snap up those deals while you still can, with your MiceChat partners at Get Away Today- HERE
(MiceChat has worked with Get Away Today to provide you with the best theme park travel deals and we may make a small commission on any sales made through our links)
Let’s Hear From You!
I know that was a lot of stuff to see and remember. But I am very curious as to what caught your attention. Is it tram-tactic news that you won’t have to walk from Mickey and Friends any more? Are you pleased to see Disney addressing the derelict west end of Downtown Disney? Ready to fork over a king’s ransom in gold to live in a town built by Mickey? And which of the nighttime spectaculars is your favorite (doesn’t need to be one of the returning favorites coming this spring).
Appreciate you all for reading all the way through. So here are a few favorite photos from the week and a couple odds and ends that didn’t quite fit in above…
Disneyland’s pink trees are just starting to bloom. They add so much spring ambiance.
It’s the last few days of Key Holder appreciation month. This poster and the sunglasses are being distributed near the entry to Avengers Campus.
=
You must be logged in to post a comment.