Disneyland Update – Bibbidi Bobbidi Kaboom!

There’s a tremendous amount of transformation going on at Disneyland right now. From big things like the closure of an entire land. To smaller things like the opening of a new store or demolition of a building in Downtown Disney. To the exciting return of nighttime entertainment. But, for all that is being done, there’s a lot more on the way (or that should be). This is a massive update filled with news and images from one end of the resort to the other. So, make yourself comfortable and join us as we take a springtime visit to Disneyland…

Farewell to ToonTown… For Now

Toontown closed out a busy final day of operation on Tuesday the 9th, we were there to say goodbye. But don’t be too sad, much of what you like about ToonTown (if you like it at all) will remain when the land reopens around this time next year. Mickey and Minnie’s Houses will remain, along with Roger Rabbit, but much of the rest will be reworked a bit (with a few removals).

Concept art shows lots more green space, a new park, and slightly revised skyline. Goofy’s House, Donald’s Boat, and Gadget’s Go Coaster appear in the artwork but will be rethemed and/or reworked. Chip and Dale’s Treehouse is expected to be removed.

It’s been tens of years since we’ve seen ToonTown this busy, but many fans wanted to get some last-minute photos and experiences in the land before it closed.

All of this is inspired by the giant new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction, which is expected to be an instant top draw in the park when it opens next year. And that means ToonTown will need more queue space and more robust services.

There’s a lot of work going on already. But these are our final shots until the land reopens. 

Characters helped keep the mood whimsical on the final day. 

The Chipmunks were out on Donald’s Boat (which will be reworked).  

Goofy is always fun to spot in the parks and very popular with guests. 

When the land returns, expect the trolly tracks and last vestiges of the Jolly Trolley to be removed. 

There are now construction walls up, blocking the entrance to the land and signs on the entry bridge were tagged for removal. 

The civic plaques and sign are tagged for removal.

Join me for a walk through Toontown on its final day: 

Find out more about what’s coming to ToonTown in our article: 

https://www.micechat.com/307775-disneylands-toontown-closing-in-2022-for-enhancements/

Disneyland Is ________ 

Busy.

The “off-season” was anything but this year. And with spring break just about to hit, expect the numbers to start ticking up a bit more. Though, park reservations should help keep things from getting too nuts this year.

Day tickets are already sold out for most of March and the early part of April. But keep in mind that extra availability is constantly being added. So some of these days could still open up again. We do find it interesting that guests haven’t already snapped up the dates around the return of big nighttime entertainment (starting April 22nd) at Disneyland. But there are also two weeks at the end of April where most of the dates for DCA are taken but Disneyland is still available, an odd reversal in how things usually are (Food and Wine ends on the 26th of April and DCA remains booked after that date). 

Genie-induced lines continue to swell throughout the resort. 

You’ll still find most walkways easy to navigate, with the usual uncomfortable pinch-points in Fantasyland, Big Thunder, and New Orleans Square. It’s the rides and restaurants that feel busiest. Last week we told you about a survey Disney has been sending to guests asking where they have encountered overcrowding in the parks. We’ll be seeing lots of little projects pop up in the weeks and months to come as Disney addresses as many of these issues as possible. Though, don’t expect them to make the lines much shorter, the longer those lines get, the more people buy Genie+. There’s a reason the parks have just had their most profitable quarter ever.  

One of the biggest projects to tackle crowd-flow issues will likely start today. With Pirates of the Caribbean closing today for a long refurbishment (until early summer), Disney is going to pounce to start working on the raised viewing platforms for Fantasmic. They’ll be removed to allow for greater flexibility in the area. But some dedicated queuing and new gardens will also be created.  

The sign may say 10 minutes but this was much closer to 20 or 30 minutes. But even at that reasonable wait, the line snaked out of the dedicated queue, switchbacked on the bridge, and then wandered through those Fantasmic viewing platforms. You can see what a mess even moderate crowds create here. 

Many of the platforms, like the one below, will be easy to remove as they were simply built atop the previous grade. 

If you are front row on one of these platforms you had a pretty good view of the show. But if you ended up behind other standing guests, it really didn’t help at all. 

The two large Ficus trees in the Pirates courtyard will also be removed due to disease. We hope some shade trees will be replanted. 

Returning Entertainment

But, Disney IS doing some things to make you forget all those lines. Major end-of-day entertainment is returning to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure next month. April 22nd will be the triumphant return (again) of the Main Street Electrical Parade, Disneyland Forever Fireworks, AND World of Color. 

As we anxiously await the return of World of Color, crews are working on installing the high-powered projection system that has to create clear-enough images on screens of water. These new boxes are much larger than the ones they replaced. We hope that means even clearer images.

When we visited, the tops and access doors of the projector towers were all open and actively being worked on.  

Fantasmic! is also under a rapid state of refurbishment. Tom Sawyer Island access has been rerouted to accommodate major work on the fountains and mist screens. 

The fountain pits which were previously open have now been covered on top so we can’t see what’s going on. We’ve never seen them do this during previous Fantasmic refurbishments, which has us wondering if there’s perhaps a new show element coming. 

Construction & Refurbs

Of course, it’s not just shows that Disney is working on right now. As the park gets ready for spring crowds, there are all sorts of projects in the works.  

Main Street

It seems like Disney is always working on Main Street. These old facades require lots of upkeep. But the recent refurbishment of the Crystal Palace brings a little surprise. During recent high winds, the scrims on this building had to be removed. We noticed a windowpane that looked like a prism.  Sure enough, the arched window has taken on an appropriate crystal look.  

I love it. That’s the sort of plussing up of an old favorite that is a delightful little surprise. 

There’s some facade work happening on the opposite side of the street as well. 

If you noticed the flaps in the scrims, those are opened when Mickey’s Mix Magic runs so the projectors can do their work from the windows.

But the real issue on Main Street is… the cracked & broken street itself. Not long before the park shutdowns, a huge project was undertaken to brick the trolley tracks and repair the street. Unfortunately, the bricks aren’t holding up well and the street has many cracks and rough spots. Eventually this will need to be addressed for the safety of the horses, park guests, and parade performers. But, for now, we expect to see some patching.  

We’ve seen Main Street worse over the years, but as they gussy up the buildings to look good for the big Electrical Parade perennial return, it’s too bad they could get the street that bears its name fixed as well.  

Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain has returned to operation after a two month refurbishment. This ride is a maintenance nightmare for the park. Fall-safety rules make it very difficult for the park to change lightbulbs and fix broken animatronics, so many things have to wait until a refurbishment can be scheduled. And, as with many water rides, problems add up fast. Unfortunately, although this was a long refurbishment, there are still some lingering issues.  

Lots of the once beautiful grass is now dead.

Many lights are still burned out and there were animatronic figures missing or not operating. The owl on the second lift had one of its illuminated eyes burned out. There was even a point in the ride where a bright maintenance light was left on. There was even an unlit Brer Rabbit. 

At just a 35 minute wait on opening day, this was one of the shortest lines in the park. But it was also a cool winter day.  Summertime wait times are generally in the 90+ minute range.

But, truth be told, I got absolutely soaking wet. Here’s my video of our ride-through. You’ll spot many of the issues, but overall the ride does look better than before: 

 

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Now that the Monorail is back in operation, we were able to get a good look at the progress of the Submarine Voyage refurbishment. 

From the Monorail, facing North, you can see that the scaffolding that was covering the entrance to the cave has been removed as have the tents and all of the painting materials. 

There are just a few places where scaffolding remains in place. As we told you last week, the “Resurfacing Winter of 2022” signs have been removed, we are only a couple of weeks out of Spring. It will take a couple of weeks just to fill the lagoon and test the attraction before it reopens.                

Animatronic figures haven’t been put back in the attraction yet. 

There are still cranes left on the docks

The colors are very vibrant now, but the water diminishes visibility.

Tarzan’s Treehouse

This project has been underway for months with no sign of wrapping up, and Disney isn’t saying anything. The wind has been so erratic that the scrims have been down, giving us a view into this long-term project. 

Royal Theater – Princess Fantasy Faire

Another high-wind discovery. We were able to see the new blue and teal canopy over the Royal Theater on Tuesday when the scrims had to be temporarily pulled down.

The scrims were back up by Thursday, but a new spire was peeking over the top.

And on Friday, the scrims were down again. Lots of extra work by the team working on this location. 

Grizzly Peak

There has been quite a bit of work going on with this attraction. We have seen new LED lights being installed. The scaffolds have also been removed from the sections where the flume goes over the big drop at the end.

So, here it is all in one spot. With ToonTown, the Subs, and Pirates all closed at the same time right now, that’s a lot of missing ride capacity.  

Attractions Currently Under Refurbishment at the Disneyland Resort:

• • • Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage: (July 12th, 2021-TBA)
    • Tarzan’s Treehouse: (September 1st, 2021-TBA)
    • Mickey’s Toontown (March 9th, 2022-2023)
    • Sailing Ship Columbia: (January 9th-March 25th)
    • Grizzly River Run: (January 24th-March 30th)
    • Pirates of the Caribbean: (March 14th-Summer 2022)

Upcoming Refurbishments:

• • • Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters: (April 11th-14th)
    • Blue Bayou Restaurant: (April 21st-TBA)

Downtown Disney

In Downtown Disney, the old AMC Theater complex is coming down so the area can be redeveloped. From the front, it just looks like a small portion of the building has been destroyed…

But look at it from above and you’ll see that the entire interior and most of the back are already gone. 

The constantly spray the demolition zone to help keep dust particles to a minimum.  

Springtime at Disneyland

Technically speaking, spring doesn’t start until March 20. But according to the flowers of Disneyland, the season is already here! Disneyland is bursting with color and the beautiful flowers are a photographer’s dream come true!

Chocolate Easter Eggs Are Back!

Disneyland’s popular chocolate Easter eggs are available now through Easter.

The Candy Palace on Main Street sells chocolate Easter eggs on Mondays and Saturdays in limited quantities. Once they’re sold out, you’re out of luck! The eggs go on sale at 2pm, though people usually line up about an hour beforehand since there is no virtual queue.  

So far they’ve had peanut butter and fudge, and in previous years, there was a larger selection of flavors. We’ll be keeping an eye out through the spring season to see what flavors will be available. From what we’ve had so far, the peanut butter one is best.

The chocolate Easter eggs cost $11.99 each and are eligible for a Magic Keyholder discount. Limit two of each flavor per person.

Springtime Decor at Plaza Point

The Holiday Shop on Main Street is keeping up with the change of season with a small selection of spring merchandise. Some of the Victorian dolls in the shop are wearing seasonal attire.

St. Patrick’s Day

Another staple of spring is St. Paddy’s Day. Around the resort you can find a selection of Irish-inspired foods (or at least, green colored fare) to celebrate the holiday. But it wouldn’t be a true Irish celebration without paying homage to Disneyland’s very own leprechaun, Patrick Begorra, the Little Man of Disneyland. Patrick’s little house is located in Adventureland, right at the base of one of the trees near the Indiana Jones queue entrance.

For more about the Little Man of Disneyland, be sure to check out the article below for the story about Disneyland’s littlest resident!

The Charming Story of the Little Man of Disneyland

Merlin’s Shop Opens

The newest store at Disneyland just opened, Merlin’s Marvelous Miscellany. It’s where the previous year-round Christmas shop used to be, but now it’s an homage to the character from The Sword in the Stone. 

We were there on the shop’s opening day to take a peek at the limited selection of merchandise inside. There’s a mix of current Disneyland Resort merch and some items from EPCOT’s United Kingdom pavilion at Walt Disney World. 

The shop is very small and tight, so there’s not a lot of room, but they did add some nice new details and magical items, including some Da Vinci contraptions. 

But the merchandise mix leaves a lot to be desired. Since the shop is Merlin themed, perhaps magical Disney items and creatures should be featured here. There also doesn’t appear to be any unique items to the store, and nothing from Sword and the Stone.  

I took a quick video walk-through of the store so you can see the whole thing. Just takes 2 minutes to see for yourself: 

More photos and info from the opening day in our dedicated article about Merlin’s new shop: 

Abracadabra! Merlin’s Marvelous Miscellany Opens at Disneyland

This & That

Now that we’ve covered the big news of the week, let’s take a look at some of the other things happening around the Disneyland Resort!

More Character Meet & Greets

This week, there were a couple of updates to the current lineup of character meet & greets at Disneyland. While neither of the characters are new, they both bring a certain flair to the rotation of characters you can visit. Over at Zocalo Park in Frontierland, you can now meet with Encanto‘s Mirabel. She was previously located across the way at DCA during the Festival of the Holidays last year. 

If you’re looking to meet Mirabel Madrigal, you’d better be prepared to wait in a pretty hefty line. She’s got a lot of fans.

 

Tinker Bell Returns to Pixie Hollow

There’s one other character that’s made a comeback to meet & greets at Disneyland… Tinker Bell! Pixie Hollow in Fantasyland reopened for the first time since 2020 and we were among the first guests to visit her.

  We’ve missed seeing this bundle of pixie dust around the park.

Turning Red Photo Op

The latest Disney-Pixar movie Turning Red just released exclusively on Disney+ on March 11. It’s a really cute film that brings back all sorts of early 2000s nostalgia with a great message about staying true to yourself. If you liked the film, or just like red pandas, there’s a photo op celebrating the film’s release at DCA near Silly Symphony Swings.

Have you seen Turning Red yet?  What did you think? 

Carnation Cafe Menu Correction

Last week we mentioned that Carnation Cafe had a few new menu items that seemed a little lackluster. We were flagged down by a Carnation Cafe Cast Member to show us the real menu. What we saw posted in front of the restaurant last week was the kids menu. So, let’s take a look at the MUCH better current menu… fried pickles and all…

Snack Stand at Grand Californian Hotel

The seasonal snack station at the Grand Californian Hotel lobby is back! Right now, you can choose from an assortment of springtime and St. Patrick’s-inspired treats and even something Academy Awards related. 

 

We were told by CMs that this seasonal cart would hopefully be sticking around for a while. The snack stand has proven popular. Have you visited? A great spot to grab a fancy cookie, a cup of hot chocolate, and sit by the fireplace to enjoy them.  

Oscars Celebration

It’s not just springtime, it’s also awards season! Around Downtown Disney and the Grand Californian Hotel you can find some not-so-subtle nods to the Academy Award show (shown on ABC and Hulu). In the Grand Cal lobby, you can find a larger-than-life Oscar statue and a gold tux sugar cookie.

Captain Marvel Jet Removed

Over in the Hollywood Backlot, the jet backdrop of the Captain Marvel meet and greet has been removed. Since Avengers Campus opened, this area hasn’t been used by the character. The whole area is now behind construction walls. We’d like Disney to either open this quick service dining area back up or tear it down and build an attraction. 

Downtown Disney Chalk Art and Mural

There’s some new art to discover in Downtown Disney. As part of the chalk art series that’s been going on since last month, the newest in the lineup is Encanto‘s Louisa drawn by Nate Baranowskil.

And just around the corner, there’s a new Food and Wine mural in front of the ESPN Zone. The mural is a photograph of an assortment of food. Now that’s one fancy charcuterie board!

Trapped Balloon

In our visit to Disneyland this week, we saw something a bit unusual. A stray balloon got caught on the wires between the Matterhorn and Sleeping Beauty Castle, these are the wires used by Tinkerbell to fly over the fireworks shows. The balloon had been removed by the time we visited the next day, but it made us think about how hard some jobs are at Disneyland. Someone had to get that thing down! 

Around the Parks

Now, let’s enjoy some pretty pictures from the Disneyland Resort this week:

We always love seeing the Matterhorn. We could easily stay there all day and find new angles to shoot!

…

Haunted Mansion sure looks spooky at night.

Primeval World always grabs our attention when we’re on the Disneyland Railroad.

Let’s Hear From You

Once again, today’s update was a lot more coverage than we had anticipated. From Main Street to ToonTown, a new store, a slew of closed attractions, impressive demolition shots, and an abundance of smaller stories. Let us know what caught your eye…

My thanks to Photomatt, Mike Kindrich, and Nathan Villamor for their help with today’s update. It was a big week in the parks!

We didn’t even get a chance to share more food and entertainment from Disney California Adventure’s Food and Wine Festival. But we’ve got some great coverage for you.  Check it out: 

The 8 Best Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Dishes of 2022

and…

https://www.micechat.com/314139-disney-california-adventure-food-wine-festival-2022/