Halloween Time scared up some big crowds at Disneyland last week. Favorable weather and popular seasonal offerings had guests out in full force, despite Disney’s ever-climbing prices. Meanwhile, Disneyland revealed new details for the upcoming Disney100 Celebration, including an official launch date, concept art, and a special early opening date for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Over in Disney California Adventure, Marvel unleashed a terrifyingly fun new addition to the Avengers Campus with the debut of Werewolf By Night. The hair-raising new character adds some Halloween Time thrill to the land as even more characters prepare to make their debut in the ever-evolving and populated Campus. In addition to celebrations and characters, Disneyland’s guided tours also returned last week and various construction and refurbishment projects continued across the Resort. And then there’s the shocking mess Disney expects guests to pay top dollar for. Read on, dear reader, read on…
Welcome to Disneyland!
It was a busy Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort over the weekend!
Even with the summer of 2022 done and in the books, the parks often felt very busy, more like peak summertime crowds this weekend than they ever did over the summer season itself.
Even with park reservations and Magic Key pass block outs, Saturday saw pathways flooded with guests, and long queues winding through walkways for everything from the Main Street silhouette studio to dining locations in both parks to Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans Square.
Areas like New Orleans Square and Fantasyland always feel the crush of crowds the most, and this weekend was no different. Below, an extended Pirates of the Caribbean queue stretches throughout the land’s walkways.
Extended Haunted Mansion Holiday queue winds through the Magnolia Park and fountain area in New Orleans Square
Even the New Orleans Square railroad station had an extended queue on Saturday afternoon.
Despite long queues in New Orleans Square and for plenty of other things such as outdoor vending carts, the Mickey jack-o-lantern photo op, and quick service dining locations, wait times for many attractions weren’t too terrible. So what gives? It’s all a messy combination of crowds (yes, they were big), insufficient staffing in various locations (an ongoing issue), great weather (no more heatwaves!), and ever-growing Halloween demand (Halloween is the new summer). And there’s one more huge factor… As more and more guests use Genie+, it shifts more and more guests into walkways (if you are waiting for a return time, you’re out in the park instead of in line).
Similar issues with busy walkways and long lines for Halloween offerings could be found at Disney California Adventure as well:
Nevertheless, Halloween Time has long been a wildly popular offering at Disneyland and the weekend’s favorable weather made the parks even more enticing for guests. Even with no new offerings and nothing significantly refreshed for the season, demand for Halloween Time remains at an all-time high this year. Disney has the market cornered on the family-friendly Halloween experience in Southern California. No amount of admission price hikes, not to mention growing stagnation of the annual offerings seems to be changing that.
New popcorn buckets of Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas were a hot item following their release last week.
Below, take a leisurely drive down a rather busy Main Street, U.S.A. from Saturday evening, just as golden hour began to set in. Enjoy the Halloween Time sights and sounds from aboard the top of the Disneyland Omnibus!
Guided Tours return to Disneyland
Disneyland’s popular guided tours returned last week after being absent since the extended closure of 2020. The return of tours is notable, as its one of a few remaining holdouts of the Resort’s phased “return to normal.”
Unfortunately, the wildly popular and long-running “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” tour has not returned. That three-hour experience, priced at $124 in 2020, took guests throughout Disneyland and included a visit to Walt Disney’s private apartment on Main Street, U.S.A. In its place, a new tour called “Walt’s Main Street Story” is now being offered.
Priced at $160 and clocking in at only 90 minutes, the new “Walt’s Main Street Story” tour focuses entirely on Main Street, U.S.A., its design, and personal connections to Walt. So, unfortunately, the guided tours have followed the rest of the Disneyland experience: pay more for less. Luckily, the tour still takes guests up to Walt’s apartment at the firehouse, including refreshments on the apartment’s outdoor patio. That feature alone will likely guarantee that this tour will be a popular offering.
“Walt’s Main Street Story” is the only guided tour currently available but a new Holiday Time at Disneyland Resort is a 2.5-hour experience priced at $110. The tour will showcase popular holiday offerings at the Resort, including priority access to “it’s a small world” Holiday and other offerings.
By contrast, a VIP tour starts at $3,500 and allows a party of up to 10 guests to enjoy a customizable VIP Tour of a minimum of seven (7) hours. The tours get guests priority access to attractions, help with dining reservations, and much more — but it is quite the splurge!
To book the Walt’s Main Street Story tour, for information on the upcoming Holiday tour, or to book a private VIP tour, visit Disneyland.com
For full information on the return of Disneyland’s guided tours, see our article below:
Celebrating 100 Years of Wonder at Disneyland
Last week, Disney officially announced its company-wide Disney100 celebration would officially kick off January 27, 2022. The celebration will see offerings at Disney Parks around the world but Disney is saying the heart of the celebration will be here at Disneyland. The big news last week was that Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will officially open on January 27 as part of the Disney100 celebration.
Disney100: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway grand opening!
Mickey’s Toontown is currently closed as it undergoes a major transformation, including the addition of the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction. The ride, which opened in 2020 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, will officially make its west-coast debut as part of Disney100 in January 27.
The rest of Toontown, however, will remain closed as the land continues its major transformation, which is expected to be completed in the spring.
Inside the park, you can catch a glimpse of the top of the El CapiTOON Theatre and the hills of Toontown. Scaffolding is down! We’re getting close!
The entrance to Toontown remains behind walls for now, with the marquee for the land still missing. Will we get a brand-new marquee and logo in January?
Below, a look at the model of the reimagined Mickey’s Toontown that was featured at D23 Expo last month.
Disney100: Platinum-infused decor at Sleeping Beauty Castle
Also announced was more information on the new “platinum-infused decor” coming to Disneyland for the celebration. Disney describes the new decorations at Sleeping Beauty Castle as “elegant platinum banners and bunting, accented by a magnificent cabochon featuring the three Good Fairies who illuminate it with their shimmering pixie dust. Two majestic water fountains will grace either side of the moat, while a beautiful wishing star will sparkle from the tower above.” Below is the concept art of the decorated castle.
And here’s Sleeping Beauty Castle as it currently looks:
The new Wishing Star finial will sit at the peak in the central roofline below. The sparkles on the rooftop that were added when the castle was repainted in 2019 will make a little more sense now with the addition of the Wishing Star finial.
New bunting and decorations featuring the three Good Fairies will decorate the rest of the castle.
Perhaps most intriguing will be the addition of two new fountains on either side of the drawbridge. We’re hoping these are executed well and are an elegant, kinetic addition.
The concept art looks tasteful, and we’re excited to see the finished product in late January!
Disney100: The Return of Magic Happens!
Disneyland’s short-lived, brand-new parade, Magic Happens, will finally return to the park on January 27 as part of the Disney100 celebration. We were big fans of this parade when it debuted in 2020, only to disappear when the parks closed two weeks later — We can’t wait to see it return and Disneyland finally get a full daytime parade back in the park!
Disney100: “Wondrous Journeys” and “World of Color: One”
Also debuting on January 27 will be two new nighttime spectaculars. At Disneyland, the new “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show will feature nods to every Disney animated film to date. Disneyland continues to transition to fewer nights of fireworks, on many nights the show will be projection and lighting-based down Main Street, at Sleeping Beauty Castle, it’s a small world, and on the Rivers of America. On select nights, the show will feature fireworks and pyrotechnic elements.
The theme song from the new fireworks show was previewed in a live performance at D23 Expo last month. Take a look at our video of the performance below:
And at Disney California Adventure, an all-new World of Color show will debut. The show will celebrate the legacy of storytelling and according to Disney, it will “tell a new story of how a single action, like a drop of water, creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change.” The show will feature an all-new song called “Start a Wave” written for the show.
For full coverage of the Disney100 celebration and announcements, visit the MiceChat article below:
BREAKING! Disneyland’s 100 Years of Wonder Celebration Starts January 27!
Beware: Werewolf on the loose in Avengers Campus!
On Friday, a mysterious new duo of characters debuted in Avengers Campus. Elsa Bloodstone and Jack Russel from Marvel Studios’ new “Werewolf by Night” on Disney+ made their debut appearances in the land the same day their special premiered. Below, Elsa Bloodstone appears in front of Avengers HQ in the evening.
Marvel’s quick turnaround in getting their characters into Disney California Adventure continues to be impressive and quite an exciting diversion for fans. 
The true spectacle, of course, was the appearance of Jack Russel, or the special’s titular Werewolf. Disney teased his appearance in a TikTok video on Friday, just before his debut appearance.
@disneyparks Who’s that lurking in the shadows?! 🐺 Werewolf by Night is now on the loose in #AvengersCampus in DisneyCaliforniaAdventure. Stream #WerewolfByNight on @disneyplus now! #Disney #DisneyParks #Disneyland #DisneyPlus
The Werewolf can be seen after dark atop the platform along the back entrance to Avengers Campus, next to Cars Land.
After the sun sets, the Werewolf emerges from the fog. Sound effects complete the experience as he growls at guests from atop the catwalk.
Take a look at the fearsome werewolf in action in our video below!
Werewolf by Night looks great and is a fantastic, thrilling little addition to Avengers Campus — and just in time for Halloween! Really, with Marvel’s growing roster of scary and mysterious characters such as Werewolf by Night, Scarlet Witch, Moon Knight, Zombie Captain America, and more, we’d love to see Halloween Time truly embraced in the land. Avengers Campus already has the great Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark attraction overlay — why not bring that spooky Halloween fun throughout the rest of the land? 
If you’re planning on heading to Avengers Campus to see Werewolf by Night, he began appearing after 7 p.m. during his debut weekend. Do note that waiting around for prime viewing of him along the concrete benches that are part of the Avengers Campus back entrance is not necessarily the best plan. Unfortunately, the Dr. Strange show next door uses this walkway as queueing area and Cast Members keep the area clear for that purpose. This was a frustrating operations dilemma over the Werewolf’s opening weekend for both Guests and Cast.
As you might expect, Werewolf by Night commands quite a crowd once he’s out. The platform he emerges onto runs alongside a major entry point to the land which has to accommodate guests entering and exiting Avengers Campus as well as guests queuing for the Dr. Strange show. And now, the area must also accommodate crowds of people stopping to watch the Werewolf do his thing. It can get quite crowded here and Cast Members have to shout over the growls of Werewolf to keep crowds where they need to be.
Our suggestion would be to move the queue for the Doctor Strange show to the area in the photo below, where the glowing orb is, next to the Sanctum… at least while the Werewolf is loose on Campus. The space is often fairly empty and utilizing it for temporary queuing while the land has a werewolf on the loose would help tremendously with crowd flow issues… not to mention help relieve some of the burden from the Avengers Campus Cast Members.
Holidays Begin Here …soon!
If Werewolfs aren’t your thing, then don’t worry — the holidays are almost here! While snow hasn’t quite yet started to fall on Sleeping Beauty Castle, Christmas lights are now being installed along the facade of “it’s a small world” for the attraction’s annual holiday overlay.
Check out our full 2022 guide to the Holidays at Disneyland below:
Disneyland Holidays Begin Here – Your Guide to 2022 Holiday Magic
Under Refurbishment & On the Horizon at Disneyland
Let’s take a look at some of the construction projects and refurbishments currently underway across the Resort.
Explorer’s Treehouse in Adventureland
Work continues on the former Tarzan’s Treehouse in Adventureland. We continue to hear the new theme of the treehouse will utilize the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.). S.E.A. is a fictional society created by Disney that first debuted as part of Tokyo DisneySea in 2001. S.E.A. has since left its mark on Disney parks around the world, including at Disneyland at the Jungle Cruise and Tropical Hideaway.
Shiny and new leaves
Matterhorn Bobsleds refurbishment
The Matterhorn Bobsleds are currently closed for general refurbishment. No major changes are expected as part of this project.
The work area has been cleaned up significantly, and the ride looks just about ready to return.
Monsters Inc. refurbishment
In Disney California Adventure, Monsters, Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!’s facade refurbishment continues. The attraction remains open during this project.
A Multiverse of Heroes
As a Werewolf tears through Avengers Campus by night, Disney has announced the upcoming addition of yet another hero to the land. From the upcoming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” M’Baku will soon debut at Avengers Campus.
@disneyparks WAKANDA FOREVER! M’Baku will soon make his journey to Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park! Stay tuned for what else is coming to Avengers Campus in celebration of #BlackPanther #WakandaForever 💜 #Disney #DisneyParks #Disneyland #DisneyCaliforniaAdventure #AvengersCampus
In the meantime, you can continue to meet Black Panther himself and see the Dora Milaje train new recruits in Avengers Campus.
Further out on the horizon, Disney and Marvel continue to develop the plans for the upcoming Avengers Multiverse attraction that was announced last month at D23 Expo. The attraction is expected to occupy the space formerly planned for the Quinjet-themed E-Ticket attraction (behind the Avengers HQ facade), which would have taken riders aboard the Quinjet to a battle on Wakanda.
Below, the concept art previously released for the Quinjet-themed E-Ticket ride, which would have included the addition of a show building and an entrance to the attraction built alongside the existing Avengers HQ facade.
In the original version of the attraction, after flying to Wakanda aboard the Quinjet, riders would strap into a unique new ride system simulating jetpacks and help the Avengers in an epic battle.
But the new attraction features a much different ride system and story, which you can get a glimpse of below, and a storyline that brings “every character from every when” from across the multiverse into a major battle with a new foe — King Thanos.
While the Quinjet remains atop Avengers HQ, it’s probably a safe bet it won’t play the same (or any) role in the upcoming Multiverse attraction. Disney has not yet announced any sort of timeframe on the new attraction’s construction or opening.
Downtown Disney expansion
Work continues on the expansion of Downtown Disney. More tractors seem to be on site now and hopefully we’ll start seeing real construction here soon.
Disney Vacation Club Villas at the Disneyland Hotel
Construction on the new Disney Vacation Club tower at the Disneyland Hotel is quite far along and is expected to open next year.
Below, concept art of the new tower
Windows and decorative elements are starting to appear on the building, if you look closely.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Hotel continues to be painted with a refreshed color scheme. A lot of the beige elements previously on the hotel are now repainted white or lighter shades of blue, contrasting better with the dark blue that covers the rest of the buildings. The sides of the towers have blocks of different shades of blue. Overall, it’s a great refresh of the color scheme and complements the hotel’s midcentury towers far better than the previous paint job.
You can see the blue taking over the beige.
Looks so much better! 
Tower sides have been blocked out in shades of blue — looks great!
Work continues on the Frontier Tower:
Meanwhile, the Davy Crocket Floral Mickey has been relocated after it lost its home due to the new Disney Vacation Club tower construction.
His new home is just in front of the Frontier Tower entrance. I’m thrilled to see him survive! 
Transforming Paradise Pier Hotel into Pixar Place
Nearby, the Paradise Pier Hotel is well into its transformation into Pixar Place Hotel. Below, the hotel as it currently looks — with waves removed from the top:
Below, concept art of the rethemed hotel.
The hotel’s main entrance, driveway, and lobby area are all completely closed for the time being. Guests must enter through the hotel’s back entrance.
Paint tests are underway for the new black-and-white color scheme. 
Is it just me, or does this look more depressing than a children’s hospital?
The decorative wave lights that ran along the top of the hotel tower have been completely removed.
Below, a video look at the exterior work underway:
Paradise Pier Hotel signage has been removed from the exterior
Inside, the reception, gift shop, and bell services have all been moved into an empty ballroom while the main lobby area is closed for remodeling.
The main corridor to the lobby is walled off
Much of the artwork and interior decorations that fit the Paradise Pier theme are still on display in the areas that guests continue to have access to.
Overall, we cannot in good conscience recommend any Disneyland guest book this hotel while it’s under construction. Not only is it a subpar experience right now (with reception, bell services, and gift shop in a dimly-lit ballroom), but it also continues to offer zero food service or bar. That Disney is even operating it at full price while it is in such a bad state is shameful.
Around the Parks
Alright, what a busy week! Let’s wrap up with some views from around the parks!
Disneyland Live with Dusty Sage
Our pal Dusty Sage went live from Disneyland Resort again on Friday. This time around he visits Disney California Adventure and points out what’s new, what’s coming, and gives lots of Halloween views. You’ll be glad you watched:
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Let’s Hear From You!
That wraps up this edition of Dateline Disneyland! What do you think of the new Werewolf on the loose in Avengers Campus? Are you excited for the Disney 100 celebration? Do you think Disney’s plans of Pixar Place Hotel are worth it? Would you pay for the new Main Street tour of Disneyland? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
For more information on some of the major projects and rumors for the Disneyland Resort, don’t miss our recently updated Rumor and Project Tracker:
Disneyland Resort Project & Rumor Tracker: What’s New and What’s Next for Disneyland!
And… CHRISTMAS has landed at the resort! Here’s what our merchandise maven found for you…
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