Disneyland Update – Buzz Off, Moving Milestone & Preponderance of Projects

More than any other theme park we can think of, Disneyland is always in a state of constant change… and we have lots to explore today in the resort. Entering from Downtown Disney, you might wonder who died. Once inside the parks, it’s the summer season, but not quite as you remember it from the past. Along the way we visit new characters, share some observations and tips, and take a look at lots and lots of gorgeous photos of one of the top tourist attractions in the world… Disneyland!

Dearly Beloved…

Walking into the parks this week we were really taken aback by the big change in the look of the gardens throughout Downtown Disney. Huge new displays of fake flowers celebrate diversity, pride, different nations, and ethnic groups. Now… before I get too bitchy… I completely understand what Disney’s horticulture team was going for and I’m all for it… but the average guest may be left scratching their heads at the giant displays which look not unlike what you might see in a funeral home or cemetery.  

Apparently inspired by Isabela from the Disney animated film “Encanto,” the series of silettas (standing floral displays in Colombian culture) throughout Downtown Disney represents different aspects of cultural inclusion (each also representing a Disney employee group). 

Unfortunately, many of these 8 and 9-foot tall floral installations feel like funeral arrangements and don’t include any information letting you know what you are seeing or what the display is celebrating. Guests might recognize a few, but we had to go looking online for more info, something a casual visitor is unlikely to do. 

Some of the plants in the gardens appear to be spray-painted…

At night, each of the displays has its own unique lighting package. 

The experience of the siletta gardens and their messages could be greatly improved by simply adding some informative signage (or even QR codes) so guests would know what they are looking at.  We deeply appreciate that the Disneyland Resort has been so forward-thinking about recognizing and supporting all stripes of employees and guests. But these giant garden displays just come out of the blue and leave you scratching your head at what they are (keep in mind that most guests don’t have the advantage of seeing the MiceChat notes on what each garden represents).  

Cars Land Turns 10

Arguably the best land at Disney California Adventure has reached the decade mark. It seems like yesterday that we were riding Mickey’s Fun Wheel to take construction photos of the land as we anticipated its opening and the attractions promised. Of course, the land has seen some changes over the years. Most notably the replacement of Luigi’s Flying Tires with Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters. But, overall, the land looks and feels just like it has since day one. And nearly as busy on a daily basis as well. The highly themed land is a slam dunk… but there are a few things for us to comment on…

To celebrate the big day on June 15th, Disney released a Mater popcorn bucket. Popcorn buckets really seem to be the latest craze, and this one sold out promptly. Though, extra inventory has been making its way back into the park.  

When we visited on Thursday, the land was packed. Luigi’s had a 40-minute wait…

But the really crazy situation was at Radiator Springs Racers. The ride had been running a two-hour wait when it broke down on Thursday. When it reopened, there was a huge backup of Lightning Lane guests, so they closed the Standby line completely to accommodate only the Lightning Lane… Hmmmm.  All guests pay admission to ride the attractions. Just because someone has paid extra for faster access doesn’t mean that they should be the ONLY ones allowed to ride. This is the sort of thing that got Disney into trouble with their Magic Key program. I certainly hope this was the exception and not the rule. Lightning Lane sure has created some ethical issues for the theme parks… and possibly a future legal one as well.  

But that’s not the only trouble at Racers… These aren’t just ride vehicles, they are real cars. While they run on a track, they also have motors, tires, and all sorts of consumable parts and things that require regular maintenance. But supply-chain issues have resulted in months-long delays for critical parts… which is already causing the attraction to sometimes run with fewer than the normal number of vehicles. The incredible maintenance team that manages this attraction is working non-stop to keep everything running as well as possible, but this could be a very difficult fall season for the attraction if the necessary motors and parts don’t arrive soon. We wish them, and the many other attractions in the same boat, the best of luck. 

Since we were already in the land, we thought about dining at Flo’s. When the land opened, it had a great menu. Here’s what they served back in 2012: 

Flo’s V8 Cafe Lunch/Dinner Menu 2012:
Entrees  (Served with a garlic chive roll and choice of two sides)

• • NY Strip Loin – $11.99 Served with home-style gravy
  • Pork Loin – $11.49 Served with Coca-Cola BBQ sauce
  • Citrus Turkey Breast – $11.49 Served with old fashioned turkey gravy
  • Citrus Turkey Salad – $10.99 Mixed greens, arugula, carrots, cucumbers and yellow peppers tossed in a citrus tarragon dressing.
  • Veggie Tater Bake – $10.49 Roasted vegetables, cauliflour, bulger wheat, soy crumbles and smashed red potatoes. Topped with cheddar cheese and served with one side.

Side Dishes (choose two sides)

• • Hot: Roasted corn medley, Peas and carrots, mashed potatoes, vegetarian baked beans
  • Cold: “Radiator” pasta salad, Cole slaw

Desserts

• • Flo’s Pie-O-Ramas – $4.99 Signature apple-cheddar, chocolate mud, seasonal fruit.
  • Flo’s Classic Shakes – $3.99 or $9.59 in a souvenir sipper Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry. Topped with “road gravel”

The menu options are quite different today… though the prices shockingly haven’t changed all that much. Take a look and let us know if you liked the 2012 or 2022 menu better: 

Flo’s V8 Cafe Lunch/Dinner Menu 2022:

Entrees

• • Ka-Cheeseburger – $12.79 (1/3 lb Angus Beef Patty, Cheddar Cheese, 1000 Island, and Caramelized Onions on a Sesame Seed Bun with Mandarin Oranges or Steak Fries)
  • Impossible Burger – $12.79 served with Mandarin Oranges or Steak Fries
  • Flo’s Famous Fried Chicken – $18.99 with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Seasonal Vegetables
  • Cobb de Ville Salad – $10.99 Mixed Lettuce, Turkey Breast, crispy Bacon, Blue Cheese, Hard-cooked Egg, Corn, and Tomatoes with Ranch Dressing
  • Ramone’s Low and Slow Club – $11.99 Turkey Breast, crispy Bacon, Avocado-Bacon Mayo,  Lettuce, and Tomato on Toasted White Bread with Cuties® Mandarin Oranges or Steak Fries

Dessert

• • Flo’s Classic Shake – $6.49 or $14.29 in a souvenir glass – Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry Shake topped with “Road Gravel”

Over at the Cozy Cone Motel, the water feature in front had recently been drained and the fountain removed for refurbishment. It’s been back for a couple of weeks, but was already not working again on Thursday.  

The water was not aimed correctly, so the wheel wasn’t moving. 

Meanwhile, nearby, the Radiator Springs Curio shop remains closed. It closed with the parks in March of 2020 and STILL hasn’t reopened. 

It’s worth listening to this short video with Imagineer Roger Gould about the building and history of Cars Land: 

Avengers Campus

There’s a little bit of news over in Avengers Campus. We’ve been showing you the reduced seating at the PYM Test Kitchen and Taste Lab. We now know that the establishment is working on shade structures for the portion of the patio which is completely in the sun. 

But a lack of seating is making it really hard for diners to find a spot to eat all that molecularly modified food. 

Meanwhile, most of the overflow PYM seating has been removed from the Hyperion Theater patio. 

And although the theater remains closed… the stickers they applied to the stairs to give them a Marvel look are already peeling.  

There are no guests using these stairs at the moment. 

And where has all that extra seating gone? A small cluster of tables has been sandwiched between the Avengers HQ and the vehicle Black Widdow generally does her photo opportunities on.  

We do have a feeling that all this shuffling has something to do with freeing up the theater for purposes other than dining overflow. That’s a good sign.  

Halloween Haunts for 2022 

Halloweentime 2022 is on the way and will be selling tickets very soon. Even though summer officially kicks off on Tuesday (according to the calendar), Disneyland is already looking ahead to the fall season. Halloween is slated to run from September 2 through October 31 this year. Here’s a quick look at what’s ahead.

Across the resort, guests can look forward to many of the same seasonal selections as in previous years. At Disneyland, you’ll find staples like jack-o-lanterns along Main Street, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and nightly showings of Halloween Screams projections and lights (fireworks will occur only on select nights).

At DCA, there will be plenty of decorations, seasonal attraction overlays (Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark, Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-o-Ween), the Plaza de la Familia at Paradise Gardens, and the return of Oogie Boogie Bash (we’ll get more into that in a little bit). 

So now that basic info has been covered, let’s dive a bit deeper. Halloween is set to begin right at the beginning of September, starting earlier than ever. And although this means Halloween may be running for a record length of time, there also appear to be some cuts to the lineup. One thing that we noticed right off the bat was there was no mention of the Space Mountain Halloween overlay, Ghost Galaxy. This costs Disney virtually nothing to implement but adds a lot to the feeling of Halloween in the park.

Another thing that piqued our interest was a lack of entertainment announcements. Right now during the summer season, Disneyland has an abundance of entertainment, for both day and night (Electrical Parade, fireworks, Fantasmic, World of Color, etc.) but the only only entertainment announced for the Fall season is Halloween Screams fireworks at Disneyland. It’s likely that Fantasmic and World of Color will continue as regular offerings beyond summertime, but what about the Main Street Electrical Parade?  Not as likely. 

But Haunted Mansion Holiday will be running. It will effectively be in holiday mode from September through the first week of January or so, which equals out to about one third of the year! We love seeing Jack Skellington and co, but there’s only so much of them we can handle in a year. This begs the question, does the long run of Haunted Mansion Holiday overstay its welcome? Woud it be better suited closer to Christmas and allow the normal version of the attraction to run through Halloween?

Oogie Boogie Bash

Wait… there’s more Halloween… Oogie Boogie Bash also returns this year. The specially-ticketed after-hours event will take place across 23 select nights from Sepember 6 through October 31. For the last few years, this event has really been a highlight of the fall season, and it’s something that we’ve really been looking forward to. 

During the event, you’ll come face-to-face with Disney villains, experience Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in a spooky (but not scary) atmosphere, and of course, partake in as much candy as you can possibly dream of.

There are a few drawbacks to the event this year though. First off, there are 2 fewer dates than in comparison to last year. We envisioned that there would be more dates this year, but maybe the demand will lead to additional dates being added. The other major downside is the lack of a nighttime spectacular during the party. In the Bash’s inaugural year in 2019, there was a World of Color show, Villanious!, that was exclusive just to the party. But because of the extensive World of Color fountain refurbishment last year, the show was canceled with the hopes of bringing it back in 2022. But we’ve heard that WoC Villanious will not be returning this year.

As much as we enjoyed the Bash last year, it was really lacking a nighttime show to tie it together beyond the Frightfully Fun Parade. For More about Halloween Time and Oogie Boogie Bash (including dates and ticketing information), read HERE.

Magic Returns to Snow White

Don’t you know, when you make a wish at Snow White’s wishing well, it comes true! Or… something like that. Last week we noticed an abundance of broken elements on Snow White’s Enchanted Wish and it really affected the show quality of the attraction. We’re happy to report that the effects are now working as intended.

Once Snow White bit the apple and the mirror shatters, all digital video elements in the attraction were broken beyond that point. Thankfully they were all back in working order on our Friday visit to Disneyland.  

Many of the attraction’s scenes heavily rely on projections.

That means no more black hole behind Snow White and the Prince…

The book once again animates…

There are still other attractions around the resort that are missing key show elements (Indy and Rise of the Resistance, we’re looking at you!), but those are all for another day.

New Face Characters

There have been a few new (or new to us in some cases) characters around the parks lately. Here’s a quick rundown on who’s around the parks this week.

Buzz Lightyear Face Character

Buzz, from the new Disney movie, “Lightyear” is currently greeting guests and signing autographs at the Tomorrowland Terrace. When I first saw him, I wondered how a guest got through security with a costume like that. He looks nothing like the character in the movie and he looks more like a generic spaceman that you’d see wandering around Tomorrowland. 

While we’re not particularly impressed with the Buzz character (it isn’t a live-action movie, it’s animated), there was still a very long line to see the brand new character.

Speaking of Buzz Lightyear, there is also a Lightyear drink holder gauntlet available at several locations around Tomorrowland (Galactic Grill, ODV, etc.) that was proving to be very popular. The gauntlet has some light-up features on the laser. We’re not entirely sure how practical it is, but people seemed to enjoy it, in the same manner that people also really enjoy the Infinity Gauntlet drink holder at DCA.

Avengers Campus Characters

Over at Avengers Campus, there are a couple of characters that have been recently added. First up is Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel). Her new series on Disney+ is now streaming and it’s a fun show geared towards the younger fans of Marvel. Although the face character can’t quite replicate a 16-year-old high-schooler, she makes for a nice addition to the land.

The other character is one that has been in the land before: Shang-Chi. This time around he’s wielding the power. of the Ten Rings after a trip to Ta Lo. You can find him around the Ancient Sanctum area. 

Disneyland Resort Construction

It wouldn’t be a Disneyland Update without a check-in on all of the construction projects around the resort. We’ll keep it brief this week since there hasn’t been all that much change over the last few weeks.

Tomorrowland Gardens

Instead of green grass, the gardens at the front of Tomorrowland have finally been planted. That said, they look completely different from the concept art posted nearby. They’ve chosen a water-wise gardening style, but it’s certainly not an optimistic view of the future. 

And just as a refresher to what was originally planned to be coming:

Finding Nemo’s Submarine Voyage

This project was supposed to “resurface” for winter of 2021, and here we are, just a mere day away from summer 2022. This project has been over a year in the making and the progress has been slow, but still visible. While it can be hard to see what’s going on with the lagoon now refilled, there’s still work taking place.  Let’s take a look as we glide overhead on the Disneyland Monorail…

The buoy has been in the lagoon for a couple of weeks, but there has been no sign of the mine, mine, mine seagulls returning to their perch yet. 

The tarp still remains over the one lonely rock. We are suspecting that it is a new element to the attraction, and are hoping that it is the seals from the movie “Finding Dory”. 

While there has been not much obvious change around the attraction, we have noticed that animatronics and other small elements have been added. Here we can see that the divers are being added.

Back Stage, at the Submarine dry-dock, we see other show elements waiting to be installed. 

A closer view shows us that some of the elements are divers, as seen with the pink flippers.

We aren’t quite sure what is under these tarps, but we can definitely say that it is still a good indication of continued progress. There is something new at this location nearly every week. 

New Orleans Square

Most of the construction walls in the land have now been removed. As of now, the only remaining walls are those blocking the Pirates of the Caribbean queue.

Over at the French Market, the dining area behind the planter has returned. 

Pirates still has a slew of construction walls around the attraction. It is projected to open on July 1, and we certainly hope it keeps that timeline or perhaps opens a little early.

A couple of weeks ago the queue was dirt, now the concrete and cobbles are back. 

We were concerned that this attraction could be getting Lightning Lane, but fortunately it doesn’t appear that will be happening based on the current setup. That’s a huge relief.

A little further into New Orleans Square by the Blue Bayou, we found something a little strange. The walkway between the Blue Bayou and the caricaturist is covered with temporary wooden planks. The wooden floor flexes as you walk across it. 

West End of Downtown Disney

The lot which was the old AMC Theater has seen very little change over the past few weeks

Seaside Souvenirs

Over at DCA, the Seaside Souvenirs remains closed behind construction walls. It’s hard to see what work is getting done, but the two biggest things are that the roof has been repainted and we noticed that the shop’s name had been removed from one of the billboards just above its location. 

This & That 

Today’s Disneyland Update is almost done now. Here’s a collection of stories emphasizing the various nature of the Disney Parks. Let’s take a quick look at the smaller stories that happened this week:

Staffing Shortage

There are continued problems with staffing around the resort. The places most impacted are definitely the restaurants. Many restaurants are operating on reduced hours due to a lack of staffing to keep the establishments open all day. And some spots are closed entirely, like the huge upstairs lounge at Lamplight. 

Late Night Dining at Red Rose Tavern

While we’re on the topic of food, one place that has recently expanded its hours is Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland. There’s a special late-night menu that is available starting at 8:30pm until at least 11pm. You can find items like poutine and a waffle fry bowl with chicken. You won’t be able to order off of the regular menu during the late-night period, but it’s great to have something unique in the late hours. Disneyland is sorely lacking in late-night food options, so make note of this one. 

Rivers of America Native American Village

Over the last few months, there have been figures disappearing and returning around the Rivers of America. 

The puppy that accompanies the child on the log had been missing for some time. It has now returned. This pup is a personal favorite figure of mine. I always look for him when riding the Mark Twain. 

The Shaman that is known for his telling of the legend of the woodpecker has been missing for several weeks. I have no doubt that he will be back and looking great, fairly soon.

White Rabbit Returns

Over near the Alice in Wonderland bathrooms, the statue of the White Rabbit has been reinstalled. It looks like he was given a little bit of TLC while he was away with some accents of fresh paint. 

Easter Balloons?

It may not be obvious at first glance, but those balloons you’re seeing around the park are… unseasonable. Although they’re undeniably cute, they are also leftovers from Easter with cute springtime flowers and bunny ears on some of the characters. One reason for this is the classic Mickey head balloons are STILL out of stock after months and months of waiting for the shipment to arrive. So Disneyland is using up their available inventory.  

Silhouette Shop

After a such a long closure, there is finally hope for the Silhouette Shop on Main Street. The company has been posting job listings for this position. That can take a while, but it looks like the artists will be returning in the not too distant future.  

Live at Disneyland & California Adventure with Dusty

Our weekly park walkthrough takes us from Main Street to Disney California Adventure this week as I discuss the latest news and gossip with you. Let’s take a walk…

Photos from the Parks

Well, we’ve made it through the news. As a treat, here are some pretty pictures from our visits to the park this week from Dusty Sage and Mike Kindrich!

Let’s start with a collection of photos from one of Mike’s favorite attractions, The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventures.

Main Street at twilight:

We can never get tired of seeing Sleeping Beauty Castle.  

Let’s Hear From You

Another week, another Update. What caught your eye this time around? Do you love the new Downtown Disney gardens? Am I wrong in thinking they feel oddly funerary? Do the new Tomorrowland entry gardens feel a bit too dystopian and drab for an entry statement? Is the all-new face character version of Buzz Lightyear a hit or a miss? And should Lightning Lane guests be given exclusive access to attractions at times of heavy demand, or is that unfair to regular guests who also paid the high entry price only to be shut out?  Let’s hear your thoughts on these or any of the many topics in today’s update!

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Special thanks to Mike Kindrich, David yeh & Nathan Villamor for their help with today’s Update. Couldn’t have pulled this one together without you!

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