It was a Disney coast-to-coast week for me. I started the week at sea on the new Disney Wish cruise ship, then stayed a few days at Walt Disney World, then rushed over to Disneyland to shoot this news update for you.
We’ll start off our Update with a look at the unique crowd patterns Disneyland has fallen into this summer, blockout & pricing schedules. We’ll also explore Mighty Thor’s arrival, a corresponding Thor’s Hammer beverage holder, attraction updates, refurbishment schedules, the return of Mickey balloons, and a whole lot more…
Crowd Patterns and Tips
It’s the new summertime normal at Disneyland. Weekdays are packed and Fridays and Saturdays are enjoyable. It’s the opposite of what an average guest might expect from past visits, but the one-two punch of higher prices for one-day tickets and Imagine, Enchant, and Believe Key blackouts mean that fewer people can visit without paying full price for entry. (Note the $60 swing in one-day ticket prices between a Saturday in July and a Monday in late August).
You’ll also see that the second half of August is sold out for all magic keys. That’s largely because Disneyland has yet to announce renewal details for the Magic Key program and many passholders are booking those final days of their tickets just in case renewals are delayed or too expensive. It’s also the end of summer for many kids and a final chance to visit Disneyland one last time before school starts up again.
And how much less crowded is a Friday and Saturday than other days? Quite a bit. At 2PM on Friday, waits were 20 to 40 minutes shorter than they had been just one day earlier on Thursday. These waits are tiny compared to what I experienced in Florida last week at Walt Disney World.
It was a scorcher in the 80s… so the water rides had the longest waits…
A nearly empty Cars Land mid-day. Racers had a wait of less than 50 minutes (it can easily hit 90 minutes to 120 minutes during the week).
Even Fantasyland was easy to navigate on Friday and Saturday…
4pm and Peter Pan was listed at 20 minutes but was much closer to 10 minutes.
Only one cycle of guests waiting for the Mad Tea Party.
And the newly reopened Pirates of the Caribbean, which has been running long waits all week, was a 10 minute wait for much of the day on Friday and Saturday.
Huge switchbacks set up for the ride went unused for most of the day.
Our advice for the remainder of the summer is to visit on the weekend if you can afford it. Yes, you’ll pay more, but the overall experience is worth it… especially since you’ll likely be tempted to pay the $20 extra for Genie+ on a busier weekday anyway.
Disneyland
Let’s take a quick run through the parks to see how things are going. It’s been another hot week in the parks. Apply your sunscreen and join me for a stroll.
The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is just about ready to reopen. Cast Member previews start tomorrow (July 12th) and the ride officially opens to guests on July 25th.
The new addition in the lagoon, Hank from Finding Dory, is cute and colorful… but he’s not animated like the mine, mine, mine birds nearby.
The Star Wars version of Space Mountain has jumped to Hyperspace. The ride is now back to its normal mode. But there is something new… in the queue…
The Lightyear meet and greet has moved from the Tomorrowland Terrace stage area to the shaded spot vacated by the old Space Mountain FastPass machines.
I didn’t want to wait to get a shot, but I did want you to see that there’s a photo backdrop and the live-action version of Buzz Lightyear.
Pirates of the Caribbean reopened (July 1st) while I was on my Disney Wish cruise, so I couldn’t wait to hop on board and float through the bayou once again.
The queue patio had been completely redone and the trees replanted during the months-long refurbishment, but if I hadn’t known that already, I wouldn’t have guessed. It all looks like I remembered it… but the trees are much smaller.
I don’t know about you, but there’s something about the smell of Pirates of the Caribbean that transports me into the ride and decades of memories.
On the Rivers of America, I find it curious that there are STILL temporary scrims up along the Fantasmic stage area.
VIDEO: A Walk In The Park With Dusty
You’ve seen the photos, now let’s take a little stroll. Give me 50 minutes and I’ll walk you through Disneyland to see crowd levels, Pirates reopened, Subs resurfacing, Mickey Balloons returned, fun facts, and more…
Reopening of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Hear ye, hear ye! The magical makeovers for princesses and princes at Biddibi Bobbidi Boutique are set to next month on August 25th. While the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques aboard the Disney Cruise Line have been operating for some time now, the 25th marks the return of the service to the domestic Disney Parks. Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s respective Boutiques are set to open the same day. Reservations for makeovers will begin sometime in early August.
The Boutique has actually been open for quite some time, but the makeovers will return soon.
When the Boutique reopens, there will be some new accessories to choose from, and also with plans to bring more character transformation options from recent Disney films in the future.
Disney California Adventure
Let’s cross the Esplanade and make our way over to DCA for the latest updates this week.
Avengers Campus
The main news from DCA this week takes place in Avengers Campus. The arc reactor that supposedly “powers” the land has had a rough time over the last year. The center blue light has frequently been blocked off by barricades and metal sheets used to mitigate further damage. When we visited on Friday the whole thing was behind barricades; one day later the barricades had been removed but the metal sheet covering the centerpiece remained.
With the release of the latest Marvel movie, Thor: Love and Thunder, there is a new character walking around the land, Jane Foster (also known as Mighty Thor). She was out with the more commonly known version of Thor and asking visitors to test their ability to pick up Mjolnir (the hammer that can only be picked up by those deemed worthy) near the Ancient Sanctum.
The hammer uses magnets to make it very hard to lift.
If you’re not chosen to lift Mjolnir by Thor or Jane, not to worry… You can now get a new beverage holder in the shape of the mighty hammer ($25.99) at the shawarma carts in the land as well as nearby ODV carts around the area. It’s a fun little doodad if you’re into collecting Marvel merchandise.
We have more Disneyland merchandise news for you from Natalie: Disneyland Merchandise Update: New Electric Items and Guardians Galore!
As we exited the Avengers Campus towards Hollywoodland, we noticed that the overflow seating area for PYM Kitchen/Taste Lab at the Hyperion Theater has been reduced even further. It now only goes up to the oversized candy bar in the first quarter of the open space. When we visited, we saw some Disney executives walking through the area and taking photos of the back wall of the seating area. We’re not sure what that means, but we hope that eventually, the Hyperion Theater will return with a show.
Speaking of seating for PYM Kitchen and Taste Lab, the patio has reopened after being blocked off for a few weeks. That said, there’s still an abysmal lack of shade and available seating at the only dining establishment in Avengers Campus. With summer in full swing, the land gets HOT with an absence of shaded areas. We were hoping that Disney was making the effort to bring more shade into the PYM seating area when the patio was blocked off for the past few weeks, but apparently, the best they could do was get some umbrellas.
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
It’s been a quiet few months over at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Since the Lunar New Year festival in January and February, there has been a character meet and greet space for Raya (from the movie Raya and the Last Dragon). Nothing has been changed since it was installed, but there are some signs that things are looking a little worse for wear. Many of the lanterns hanging in the area’s entrance are sunbleached and soon it’s time for a new festival… Halloween…
That said, Raya is a delight to spend some time with. When we visited, she was spending an extended amount of time with guests, at least 5 minutes with each person since the line to see her was virtually empty. We were told by the character host that Raya still commands long lines during the week.
At this time, there’s no end date listed for Raya’s meet and greet. Internally there’s a plan for things to wrap up in the next few weeks, especially as the upcoming refurb to transition the area into Villains Grove (we’ll have more on that below) is set to start in mid-August. That said, if demand keeps up, Raya may stick around a little longer.
Blue Sky Cellar Still Closed
With the majority of the Disneyland Resort back to full operation, it’s odd that the Blue Sky Cellar isn’t being utilized at all— even as additional seating for the nearby Sonoma Wine Terrace. The next time we’ll likely see the inside of the Blue Sky Cellar will probably be as a registration location for the upcoming Oogie Boogie Bash which starts in September.
Games of Pixar Pier Prize Shortage
The midway carnival-style games on Pixar Pier seem to be having a bit of a prize shortage. You can still play all of the games, but the selection of various prizes has been reduced significantly. Instead of the normal prizes, some of the games are offering unsold plush:
But some of the games have been able to get more of their themed prizes back in stock.
Disneyland Refurbishments
It’s always a world of construction around the Disneyland Resort. Here’s a look at what’s under refurbishment right now and what’s next to get some TLC.
Currently Under Refurbishment
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (July 12th, 2021 – July 24th, 2022)
It’s been well over a year since Disneyland reopened and the subs are finally coming back! The refurb for this attraction started way back on July 12, 2021 and was originally set to open in Winter of 2021… well, here we are in July of 2022 and it is finally ready for guests. The attraction will officially open on the 25th of July, but we could see an earlier soft opening as cast member previews start tomorrow.
Adventureland Treehouse (September 1st, 2021 – TBA)
Nothing to see here yet. Work is being done to transform the attraction from Tarzan to something new. Disney hasn’t announced what that new thing is.
Mickey’s Toontown (March 9th, 2022 – 2023)
ToonTown remains hidden behind construction walls with nothing immediately sticking out to us as new. We hope that the cartoon hills will be installed soon. But beyond that, we won’t really be able to see anything until the land opens in 2023.
Upcoming Refurbishments
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (August 1st – TBA)
With Raya making her leave within the next few weeks, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail will be transformed into the popular Villains Grove for the upcoming Oogie Boogie Bash (that’s already sold out!). The area where Raya meets guests is generally where all the supplies for the Villains Grove are stored. It’s almost Halloween time if you can believe it!
The Haunted Mansion (August 15th – September 1st)
Speaking of Halloween… Haunted Mansion will be closing next month to install its holiday overlay. Jack Skellington and his crew of lovably scary creatures will be installed into The Haunted Mansion starting August 15th. If you prefer the regular version of the Mansion, It’s time to get your ghostly fix!
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! (August 15th – TBA)
The dark ride at DCA will be getting some love next month. We don’t anticipate that much will be happening here beyond regular maintenance, but there’s still no projected end date for this refurb. Hopefully it won’t take too long. When an attraction goes down at Disney California Adventure it really impacts wait times for all of the other attractions.
Returning to Operation
Red Car Trolley (Summer 2022)
Disneyland has teased that the Red Car Trolley would be returning to operation this summer… we believe it will reopen as soon as July 17th. The Red Cars add a lot of kinetic energy and magic to Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Blvd.
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Update
It’s been a little while since we’ve been to the Grand Californian. There are a few things going on right now that you should be aware of.
Disneyland 67th Anniversary Snack Stand
The corner snack stand in the Grand Californian lobby has returned with a (mostly) new selection of treats that celebrate Disneyland’s upcoming 67th anniversary.
The selection is a bit smaller than in previous iterations, but everything sure looks delectable. We’re particularly looking forward to trying the s’mores cookie!
There’s even a clever cake push-up pop!
Hot Dog of the Month – Backyard BBQ Dog
Keeping in the food theme, there’s a new Hot Dog of the Month at Craftsman Grill (formerly Whitewater Snacks). The current dog evokes a summertime barbeque with pulled pork, coleslaw, and barbeque sauce topping a beef hot dog.
Christmas in July at Tenaya Stone Spa
In front of the Tenaya Stone Spa, there was a small assortment of merchandise that was lightly themed to Christmas in July. You could find a collection of items from Barefoot Dreams, ornaments, soap, and trinkets displayed on the table. Many guests visiting the nearby Craftsman Bar and Grill may not even realize that the Spa has a shop. Whether or not this table is located out front, you can always pop into the Spa to shop the unique items. No reservation is required.
This & That
Let’s take a look at some of the other stories from around the Disney Company this week:
Disneyland Social Accounts Hacked
This week there was a bit of turmoil for Disneyland’s social media team when some of the park’s social accounts were hacked. The hacker posted some disgusting content that was taken down by Disney after about 45 minutes. Disney issued this statement:
“Disneyland Resort’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were compromised early this morning. We worked quickly to remove the reprehensible content, secure our accounts, and our security teams are conducting an investigation.”
Disney Cruise Line’s Newest Ship Sets Sail
It was a very busy week as we covered all of our regular Disney assignments PLUS the christening voyage on the Disney Wish cruise ship! We have been releasing content from the sailing with more info to come. Take a look at the Disney Wish in the articles below:
- Disney Wish Deck by Deck
- Disney Wish Shopping Guide
- Foodie Guide to the Disney Wish
- Disney Wish Overview
Mickey Disney Balloons Back in Stock!
For the last six months, there has been a shortage of the iconic Mickey-shaped balloons at Disneyland. When we visited Disneyland on Friday, we were informed that was the first date the balloons had returned!
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Let’s Hear From You
That’s it for this week, folks! What do you think about the changing traffic patterns around the Disneyland Resort? Ready to celebrate the new Thor film at Avengers Campus and the return of the Subs at Disneyland? Happy to see Mickey balloons back on Main Street? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
My deepest thanks to David Yeh and Nathan Villamor for helping pull this Update together!