Holidays collide! Halloween is just one week from today, but Disneyland is hard at work replacing pumpkin spice and silly screams with peppermint and comfy dreams. We’ve got the photos and details. Plus, MagicBand+ rolled out for some visitors last week and we were there to check it out and see if you should plunk down a minimum of $35 for Disney’s newest wearable device. Meanwhile, the Disneyland Blues continue as attractions struggle to stay open during park hours. We’ve got a blockbuster Disneyland Update for you today. You’ll want to read all the way through, and please share your thoughts…
Crowd Flux
Last week we shared wild photos of 2-hour lines in the parks. It was a disturbing image for many as the parks have been promising those park reservations were designed to keep you from being subjected to extreme conditions. So, for many, it was a sure sign that reservations aren’t really there for you, but rather for Disney to create false demand for the product and control staffing costs. But this week was different. Although there were some days that had no reservations available (at least for a while), and the parks felt very busy, for the most part, attraction waits were about half what they were last week.
But there were some continuing trends. During the day on Thursday and Friday when we were at the parks, conditions felt much more comfortable than last week. However, as evening approached Disneyland became much busier. Haunted Mansion went from a 60-minute wait to a 90-minute wait after dark. The reason is likely locals showing up after work to see the fireworks. And both parks continue to be negatively impacted by the Halloween parties on Oogie Boogie nights as DCA pulls in double-sized crowds after the 3pm mix-in and guests without Oogie Boogie tickets flood into Disneyland.
While there was actually room to walk through Fantasyland, during the day…
As the evening rolled in, so did the weekend visitors. Weekend evenings seem to be the busiest, with folks coming in to see the fireworks and nighttime shows.
Haunted Mansion Holiday continues to have the highest demand. This 80-minute wait got even longer as the evening progressed… but dropped quickly after the fireworks.
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Lightning Lane line was longer than the Standby for a while on Friday. They simply hold most of the standby guests until the Lightning Lane reaches a reasonable length.
But when we visited later, the Lightning Lane and the standby times both had dropped significantly. Again, always check the wait times before getting in line. Simply visiting the 10-minute wait Star Tours across the way would have resulted in a shorter Buzz Lightyear line just a little later.
Mid-day on both Thursday and Friday the Matterhorn had a very reasonable half hour wait. Not bad for a popular E-Ticket that just returned from a long refurbishment. But that wait became an hour+ later in the evening.
New Orleans suffers from the triple threat of growing crowds in the evening meeting seating for Fantasmic.
Even Galaxy’s Edge felt busy at times… and that rarely happens.
Pinocchio, which is generally a walk-on attraction had a switchback line out the door in the evenings.
We are still wrapping our brains around how much the Disneyland Resort has changed in the last year. Quite simply, just about everything you know about how the parks functioned from trips prior to 2020 has changed. Previously uncrowded times are now crowded. Previously busy times can now be less crowded due to blockouts. Finding food on busy days is more difficult than ever, so is finding a table to eat it. And to complicate matters, even on busy days, waits can be low one minute and insane the next. Guests will pay for Genie+ expecting short waits and then find themselves waiting 40 minutes in the Haunted Mansion Lighting Lane. And, although we had long hoped that park reservations would be there to protect guests from insane overcrowding, that’s no longer always the case (as we experienced last week). Disneyland has changed.
Of course, much of the struggle is our unwillingness to simply accept that things are different. Kids growing up with the hyper-planned, everything-in-an-app version of Disneyland won’t know the difference 10 years from now. But will older guests and those who just don’t want to plan everything even be able to enjoy a day at Disneyland a decade from now… that is something we should all keep an eye on.
MagicBand Plus or Minus?
Disney’s new MagicBand+ arrived at the resort on Wednesday of last week. Magic Keyholders, Disney Vacation Club members, and Cast Members were all invited to purchase the devices and start using them. Of course, we were first in line to try it all out. But is the service ready for prime time? Let’s take a look at if you should ready your wallet for a big purchase or wait a while.
There are a variety of bands to choose from at moment, including 5 exclusive to Disneyland and one exclusive to Magic Keyholders… But what do these little doodads do?
At the moment, you mainly use the MagicBand+ to enter the park, enter Lightning Lanes, claim your images from PhotoPass, play a game in Galaxy’s Edge, and experience lights and wrist taps during certain shows and attractions. So, once we were done playing the new Bounty Hunter game in Galaxy’s Edge (more info below), we really didn’t use the bands much during the day.
To be fair, tourists who purchase Genie+ or anyone with a DAS (Disabled Access) will get the most use out of the new service. But if you don’t pay for Genie+, don’t use PhotoPass, and don’t care about playing the Star Wars game, you are essentially just using the bands to enter the parks and experience the occasional light flash. So, your mileage will vary. In the future, when the bands add the tap-to-pay option and room key option like what is already available at Walt Disney World, they will be much more useful.
Starting later this week on October 26th, the bands will be available in stores all over the resort. Will the shops be slammed with guests all waiting to buy? We aren’t so sure about that. After the first somewhat busy day of sales to Magic Keyholders last week, the sales locations have been mostly empty.
Setting up the band wasn’t difficult on my iPhone. I opened the Disneyland app, selected the option for “MagicBand+,” and followed the directions to pair the band with my account. It was easy. At some point, the app asks you to tap your phone to your band, and like magic, they pair. At least that’s the way it worked for me.
Unfortunately, when we took our photographer, Mike, to the Starcade on Friday to buy him a MagicBand+ for use with his Android phone, it was a struggle to get it to work. Thankfully we stuck around the sales center where there are trained cast members to assist guests because we would not have been able to figure out what to do otherwise. When he tried to tap his phone to the MagicBand, it did not pair, nor did the suggestions on the phone help do anything other than frustrate us. But a very nice cast member noticed our struggles and knew of a secondary method (which also didn’t work) and a third method (which thankfully did work).
A bit of advice… the bands don’t hold much charge and there’s no guarantee that the band you buy in the park will be fully charged for your first day of use. Keep track of the special charger in the box (it is exclusive to the MagicBand+ and you’ll have to buy a new one if you lose it). Don’t accidentally throw it away with the packaging (which we are told is very easy to do). Keep the charger in a safe spot as you may need to charge up your band during the day (especially if you play the Bounty Hunter game for an extended period of time). We snap the charger onto our bands when we are storing them so they won’t get separated or lost.
Did you have trouble linking your MagicBand to the Disneyland app? A MiceChat reader shared her story of woe, and she wasn’t alone in her struggles with the new bands:
More About the MagicBand+ Game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
One of the main reasons some users will buy a MagicBand+ is to play the new Batuu Bounty Hunters game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. And while the game is not difficult to play, some guests may have trouble figuring out how and where to get started.
While the game uses both the MagicBand+ and the Disney Play app (a different app than the Disneyland app), we found that the app isn’t really necessary… especially if you have any troubles figuring things out.
Start the game at the new Bounty Hunter’s Guild building next to the Light Speeder maintenance bay (not far from the Droid Depot). There are two terminals and sometimes two long lines. What to do? Head first to the one with the large video screen. Simply tap your band and follow the instructions.
Use the force… a green light means you are headed in the right direction, a red light means you’ve made a wrong turn, and once you’ve found your target your band turns purple. Once you’ve acquired your target, return to the Guild Master and insert your wristband-clad arm into the scanner. Easy.
However, there’s a component to also use the Disney Play app to scan doors to see what your bounty looks like. This is where most people seem to be having trouble. The play app also works at Walt Disney World, so you need to be sure you’ve selected Disneyland.
When you open the app, it’s not likely that the correct game will be displayed on the screen. This is the one I saw…
And there are several games that may look like what you might want…
But this is the one you need to look for…
But be sure not to accidentally select the one for Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. One of our staff members did this on accident and it took us a while to figure out why the app wasn’t working correctly. (The app should probably have you select your location when you open it so you don’t have to scroll through the options you can’t use)
But here’s the big tip… Unless you want to scan the doors to see the target of your bounty, skip the app and just tap with your MagicBand. As soon as your band turns purple, you can return to the guild to collect your reward whether you are using the app as well or not!
Unfortunately, on every round of the game we played, we encountered guests in line at the Guild Master who thought that was where they needed to start OR who didn’t have a MagicBand and didn’t know that one was required. They simply saw a line and got in it. There was no signage anywhere saying where to line up or what the line was for. And although there were cast members in the area, they didn’t seem to be there to manage the lines and seemed to be focused on the first screen to assist confused guests in getting started with the game (not the ones in the wrong line who should have been in the other).
One final tip, if you can, play this game at night. Galaxy’s Edge doesn’t have much shade and there is NONE near the Guild Master. So if you are waiting in a long line to collect your bounty, you’d be doing so in “Star Wars: SUNBURNLAND!” during the day.
But did we enjoy the game? Yes! It’s fun!! For a round or two. But we won’t be playing again unless we are showing the game to friends who haven’t played or have a child with us. It’s a harmless diversion if you know how to play to get started.
View this post on Instagram
For more about MagicBand+, please visit our full coverage:
So… was MagicBand a plus or a minus? For us, it was neither a bad thing nor something we’ll need to use on a regular visit. We think there will be people for whom MagicBand+ will be a fun asset, and many folks who simply don’t need it at all. Different members of the MiceChat team have mixed opinions about it, and there’s no decidedly right answer. At the moment, there is nothing you need a MagicBand for other than the Star Wars game and having your band change colors during certain shows and activities. You can still access the parks and lightning lanes with your park admission (whether it’s a paper ticket or on your app). So we’ll let you decide…
Halloween Trick
We’re exactly a week away from Halloween. And while we’ve enjoyed the fall-time spectacles, we can’t help but notice that the celebration isn’t as extensive as in years past. And while Halloween has had a longer presence at Disneyland than last year (by just one day), there were some cutbacks as well.
The season may not feel quite as spooky and kooky because there’s no Halloween arrival experience this year since Downtown Disney completely gave up on the popular holiday.
Downtown Disney has always been decorated for Halloween (with varying degrees of success), but this year, the giant silleta displays from June have remained in place for the entire summer AND fall seasons. Which has left Downtown Disney feeling completely bereft of the Halloween spirit.
Last year, Downtown Disney was decorated with pumpkins and themed floral displays. Here’s a reminder of the difference in design.
Even Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit in Downtown Disney (the pumpkin hunt) felt completely out of place in a shopping district that didn’t really celebrate the holiday other than a few window displays and merchandise inside the stores.
The annual pumpkin hunt wasn’t well attended this year. Perhaps because the area didn’t feel like Halloween and perhaps because the prize this year was a teeny tiny plastic pumpkin and the cost was $10. They eventually had to admit defeat and lower the price if you bought two event cards.
There were small cutbacks in the parks as well. For instance, Tilly at the Main Street Cinema isn’t wearing her Halloween outfit this year.
As a reminder, here’s how she was dressed last Halloween…
The park also didn’t bother to change out the hanging baskets in the park.
The baskets are still sporting their vibrant summer colors.
The China Closet on Main Street didn’t set up its impressive display of fall leaves over the cash registers this year. Aside from the merchandise mix, the store didn’t feel much in the spirit of the season.
And Disney California Adventure pulled a little trick as well, offering fewer dates for the Oogie Boogie bash this year, but selling tickets to more guests. So, lines got longer, candy ran out at times, and they didn’t even offer World of Color: Villainous… all at a higher price. (Tickets ranged from $114 to $169 in 2021, and $129 to $179 in 2022).
We really enjoyed Oogie Boogie’s party this year.
But the lines were longer than ever. We had to wait almost an hour to meet the Sanderson Sisters.
And the line for Villain’s Grove was likewise nearly an hour long.
All that waiting during an event that only lasts about 5 hours. If they are going to pack more people into fewer nights, they really should offer the special Halloween version of World of Color and add an hour or two to the event time.
And while we have a whole wishlist for the perfect Disneyland Halloween, we can’t spend too much time lamenting what could have been— especially since Christmas is already moving in…
Holidays Collide
The holiday creep started a bit earlier than normal this year. Across the resort, signs of winter are popping up. Halloween ends on October 31st and the holidays don’t officially start until November 11th. That gives Disney just 10 days to swap pumpkins for garland and spooky for jolly. Let’s take a look…
Sleeping Beauty Castle: The Winter Version: The Process
The most obvious change in the parks has undoubtedly been the wintertime transformation of Sleeping Beauty Castle. In the past, the winterization of the castle generally begins the week of Halloween. This year, it started taking place a week earlier.
Obviously, the installation isn’t complete yet, but seams in the snow caps and conspicuous bundles of cables are quite prominent at the moment.
Below, note what looks like a crack on the largest rooftop below. That’s actually where the two halves of the snowcap meet.
In some cases, it appears that the overlays were installed in the wrong order. Below, it looks like the piece on the left was intended to be positioned under the piece on the right.
Over by Snow White’s Wishing Well, the first set of spiral icicles have been installed.
It’ll only be a few short days before the unmelting snow on Sleeping Beauty Castle has been fully installed.
Other Disneyland Winter Decorations
It’s not just Sleeping Beauty Castle that’s getting ready for the holidays. When we were walking through Main Street, we noticed that the trees lining the street have begun Christmas light installation. We like that the power cords have been camouflaged as trailing vines… but it would be even better if they could run power under the sidewalk instead of out the windows above.
Main Street is the central hub of Christmas activities, so we’ll see a flurry of winter decorations move in fairly soon, so enjoy the Halloween colors at the moment.
Another area of the park that has gotten a jump on the holiday décor is New Orleans Square. The large tree in front of French Market has already gained some cosmic ornaments that are looking extra sparkly this year. This is one of the most festive areas of the park, and we’re looking forward to seeing if there’s anything new.
Christmas at DCA
Across the way at DCA, the holidays are taking a rustic foothold. The majority of the decorations that have been installed thus far are in Grizzly Peak and Grizzly Airfield.
Lamp posts have been wrapped in garland.
Holiday oars adorn the posts.
Grizzly Airfield (in front of Soarin’) has installed popcorn garlands and Christmas lights again this year. While the holiday decorations by the Grizzly Rapids aren’t overly obvious, it’s hard to ignore the Christmas cheer in the airfield.
The other attraction closest to Grizzly River Run, Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, has started its holiday makeover. There are now sea-themed garlands on the building’s pillars.
We expect to see the Festival of the Holidays marketplace booths arrive shortly. But the real work for the big holiday displays on Buena Vista Street and Cars Land can’t happen until Halloween is removed. Disney’s decorators won’t have any time to waste with just over a week between Halloween and the start of the holiday season.
What We’re Looking Forward to
There was some good holiday news this week that has us almost ready for the holiday season.
Previously we had thought the holiday fireworks would only be offered on weekends, but we are thrilled to learn they will be presented nightly (weather permitting). Are you a “Believe… in Holiday Magic” fan?
The other announcement this week was in regards to the candy with a cult following: Disneyland’s candy canes! The dates for the popular hand-made treat have been announced.
While there are 14 dates total across both parks— and a major improvement from 2021 where there were a total of just 9 days— it’s still a cutback from 2019 when there were 20 opportunities to get a candy cane. For our tips on getting a prized holiday treat, be sure to read our guide below:
Why the Rush?
Everything about Christmas this year has been on an earlier timeline than in the past. Holiday merchandise arrived at the resort on October 10 this year. In 2021 holiday merch started trickling in on October 28; 2020 saw Christmas merchandise arrive on October 23.
And as mentioned above, holiday decorations have appeared in the parks earlier than ever before. So even though there is a sizable gap between seasons at the resort, why is Disney pushing to get Christmas installed so soon? We think there are a few factors at play.
The most obvious one is that Disney has already accomplished its goals for the Halloween season. All of the nights of Oogie Boogie Bash sold out nearly instantaneously with fewer nights and at a higher price. And the parks have been very busy with both Keyholders and ticketed guests. As a result, Disney doesn’t really need to push the Halloween season to make it a success… it’s time to make sure the next season is a hit as well.
Holiday merchandise showing up in social media posts and castle snow TikTok videos help get potential guests thinking about buying tickets. Even Disneyland’s website switched over to the holidays this past weekend.
But there’s another good reason for Disney to be a little early this year… staffing. Nothing is easy these days and the resort has been struggling to staff all the positions it needs for just about everything. And with just 10 days between Halloween and the Holidays, it was likely a necessary move to get as many Christmas projects done as possible before the clock strikes midnight on All Hallows’ Eve.
A Black Panther Holiday?
While the holidays kick off at Disneyland on November 11, there’s also something else that’s premiering that same date. The newest Marvel movie, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” launches on November 11 in theaters with a special tie-in at DCA. The Black Panther celebration lasts through the whole holiday season… AND will have its own marketplace food booth… so it’s a part of the holiday season!
Between a new character appearance and entertainment offering, guests will get to learn more about Wakanda and its traditions in Avengers Campus.
Additionally, there will be a Black Panther Celebration Garden in the queue area of the Hyperion Theater. Currently, the area is being used for the Madam Mim treat trail for Oogie Boogie Bash. We’re very curious to see what will go into transforming this overlooked area into a “garden” that features the lore of the Black Panther.
There will be an array of African-inspired food available both in the land and at a Wakandan-themed marketplace in Hollywood Land.
Outside of DCA, the celebration continues in Downtown Disney. Nikkolas Smith, the artist behind the viral mural, “King Chad” which commemorated the late Chadwick Boseman, will be returning with a new mural in front of the old ESPN Zone building.
For the full details about the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever celebration, take a look at the article below.
Disneyland Blues
We have some good news and bad news on our tracking of the quality of the Disneyland experience.
Breakdowns…
When we arrived at the resort on Friday at 3:15pm, there were 7 attractions all down at the exact same time:
Some of them were extended downtime. Grizzly had been down for nearly the entire day until about 3:30pm when they refilled the flume.
When they have time to set up the cornhole game in front of the attraction, you know it’s been a long downtime.
Big Thunder was down for a stretch in the evening.
Busy night… empty queue…
Esmeralda
Meanwhile, Esmeralda, Main Street’s fortune teller, was out of order on both days of our visit.
Small World, Big Problems
The “it’s a small world” saga continues. It’s not just the hula girls who seem to be quitting…
Half of the can-can dancers in the finale sequence are also missing in action with several figures static and many other figures in relative darkness.
The good news is that the attraction will soon close for its holiday transformation and we’re certain that many of these issues will be addressed during that time.
Projection Problems
Lighting seems to be a resort-wide challenge. On Friday night, while we were watching our new MagicBands change colors to the Halloween Screams fireworks, we also noted that one-quarter of the projections on Main Street weren’t working.
Pirates
And some good news/bad news from Pirates of the Caribbean. The attraction has been on our list to check out for a while because many of you notified us that the attraction wasn’t in great shape. So, we rode twice this week.
The bad news is that there were indeed some issues.
- One of the prominent cave waterfalls was off.
- The octopus under the skeleton transforming pirate was broken. This cute fellow generally twirls the medallion in his tentacle.
- Most of the turntables in the chase scene were broken during our Thursday and Friday rides.
- Some of the turntable characters had been removed. But that’s actually a good sign that they are being worked on.
- Many of the fire effects in the burning village weren’t working properly – possibly a broken air blower(s). The room is the right color but there’s much less fire effect.
- The collapsing building before the final lift hill was creaking but not actually moving.
- And there were a few other minor details, such as the red lights failing to illuminate when the pistols fire.
But there’s some good news as well. After weeks of being broken, some of the turntables had been fixed by Sunday (including the chickens). And, overall, the ride doesn’t look horrible.
Unlike Small World, the lighting in most of Pirates looks saturated and the figures are well-lit. Much of the ride actually looked fantastic.
The pirate ship battle with the fort looks absolutely amazing right now… unfortunately, the mist effect was not on (or not noticeable).
The stage lighting in the Auction scene is rich, saturated, and just about perfect.
It’s just unfortunate that those missing figures and turntable issues are so noticeable because many of the other little things are easily missed by guests.
Who Smashed the Future?
There appears to have been an accident in Tomorrowland. The Tomorrowland Sign and People Mover/Rocket Rods Tracks have been dented and scraped.
During a recent walk through Tomorrowland, we noticed that something had run into the Tomorrowland sign and scraped the bottom of the old PeopleMover track as well. It appears that one of the gouges was deep enough to require some patching. But it still requires a bit more patching, sanding, and painting to hide the damage.
GOOD NEWS: Splash Mountain
Over at Splash Mountain, the water wheel is spinning again. Some of the dead grass that was hanging off the mountain looks to have been cut back as well. It looks much better. We hope to ride this week to check the inside as well.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Broken Effects
And, finally, we are hearing that a lot of work is planned for Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Unfortunately, it likely won’t come soon enough to make everyone happy. For now, we’d suggest skipping this one if the line is long. It’s heartbreaking for Disney nerds like us to see just about every major effect broken on this special-effects-dependent ride. We’re hopeful for not just some fixes on the way, but some potential upgrades and new elements as well. Time will tell. We’ll wait and watch and hope that the short refurbishment on the schedule (planned for November 14-16) can address at least a few of the important effects.
Is there something giving you the Disneyland blues? Be sure to let us know so we can add it to our list.
Mobile Order Side Effects
We have a difficult relationship with Mobile Order. There are some instances where it’s super convenient to order online to avoid the line. However, Mobile Order has also causes some problems as well. On our visit this week, we stopped at both French Market and Docking Bay 7, where we had the identical problem of not being able to find seating before our food got cold. Since there were no return times available for Mobile Order, we opted for traditional standby. However, once we had our food in hand, we found there was no place for us to sit.
At French Market, every table was being used, either as a dining spot as intended or filled with people camping out for their mobile order to be ready. We circled the area like vultures for over 15 minutes; when we asked the nearby Cast Members if they knew of any tables, we got a half-hearted “just look for someone leaving” response. By the time we finally found a table, our food was cold. Understandably, we were quite unhappy. There’s nothing quite like the combination of being hangry and having to wait in a slow-moving line to buy overpriced food only to then not be able to find a table!
For our visit to Docking Bay 7, it was a little easier to find a spot to eat. Because your food is prepared in the kitchen and not buffeteria-style, one member of the party can wait for the food while the other members scout for a table. Because Docking Bay 7 is one of the few indoor dining locations in the park, it can get to be pretty busy depending on when you visit.
That said, we were able to try the seasonal dishes at Docking Bay and really enjoyed them! The previous pork and beef dishes have been removed from the menu and have now been (temporarily) replaced with new dishes that use the same protein. One of the new dishes is Gungan Broth Noodles (roasted pork, angel hair pasta, bok choy, mushrooms, yuzu-tomato compote all floating in a pesto-tonkotsu broth; it’s the Star Wars version of tonkotsu ramen).
The other seasonal dish is Ishi Tib-style Pasta with Braised Beef Bantha (beef pot roast with coconut curry sauce, pasta, and mixed vegetables; it’s very similar to red Thai curry but with pasta instead of rice). Be sure to give these a try!
It’s unfortunate that the menu at Docking Bay 7 is so scaled back (there are only 3 entrees on the menu aside from the current specials). Hopefully a menu expansion is in the works.
But we do hope that Disney will address the table shortage issue. One solution would be to not allow guests to claim a table until they have food in their hands. Better yet, It would be great for someone to help seat guests. Disney is charging table-service prices for quick-service food… they can afford to offer some assistance with this frustrating issue.
This & That
There were a lot of smaller stories that took place around the resort this week. Let’s catch up on what’s new.
Car Finder on Disneyland App
There’s a new feature on the Disneyland app that has just launched: a parking locator! If you’ve ever had trouble finding your car at Mickey & Friends after a long day in the parks, this will be a welcome feature. If you have the location permissions turned on for the app, a notification pops up as you enter the parking structure that directs you to the parking locator feature. It’s very easy to use and one of the most helpful tools that Disney has introduced in a long time.
DVC Kiosk Returns
This week at DCA, while we were admiring the Christmas decorations in Grizzly Peak, there was something else that caught our eye. The Disney Vacation Club kiosk near the Grizzly Trail entry into the Grand Californian Hotel was manned by an actual person! We can’t remember the last time that we saw a DVC Cast Member in the parks.
We’ve heard some rumors that DVC is working on creating some actual in-park sales centers as opposed to simple interest desks. The upcoming DVC Lounge in Disneyland is likely to offer some of those new options. For more about the DVC Lounge, take a look at the article below.
Disneyland News: Fancy New DVC Lounge Headed to Tomorrowland Next Year
Deflategate: Disneyland-Style
While the sight of a Mickey balloon always brings a smile, especially after an extended period this summer without them, we’ve noticed several cases of suspicious deflation. Many of the Halloween balloons appear to be partially deflating after purchase. We’re curious if Disney maybe switched vendors between seasons and this is a manufacturing issue.
Merchandise Price Increases
While we know to expect a yearly price increase on tickets at Disneyland, we’ve also been noticing increases for merchandise. We wrote last week about the significant jump in price for building a lightsaber (now $249.99) or a droid (now $119.99), and those prices have now gone into effect.
It’s not just build-your-own Star Wars merchandise that’s seeing a higher price. There are several popular items with a hefty hike in prices. Our merchandise editor, Natalie Kipper, details her observations in the article below:
Happy Diwali!
Today is the Indian festival of Diwali! This festival of light acknowledges the victory of light conquering the darkness and is an important Indian holiday. Disneyland started celebrating Diwali last week by offering a special Archisa Chai Tea at the Coffee House at the Disneyland Hotel. This will remain on the menu through the end of the holidays, January 8, 2023.
Another component of Disneyland’s celebrations was having the Blue13 Dance Company perform and teach some Bollywood-style dancing. Today is their last performance (at 4 and 5pm at The Coffee House) before they return for the Festival of Holidays next month.
Halloween Entertainment
We’re just a few short nights away from Halloween! If you’re in the Disneyland Resort area and looking for a way to embrace the spooky season, there are a few methods to catch up on some seasonal sights.
All of the Disneyland Hotels will have pumpkin carving demonstrations from artist Joseph Yakovetic daily, now through Halloween. He makes a trip to each hotel, so if you’re interested in seeing his carving skills, be sure to note where he’ll be during the day
- 10am-12pm: Disneyland Hotel
- 1pm-3pm: Paradise Pier Hotel
- 4pm-6pm: Grand Californian Hotel
Aside from pumpkin carving, there’s also live entertainment as well. You can find entertainment in Downtown Disney and also the Disneyland Hotels.
Disney Community Workforce Development Initiative
This week, Disney announced that the company will give $1.5 million in grants to Anaheim nonprofits as part of its community workforce development initiative. This program is entering its fifth year.
Disneyland Walkthrough
I know this was a lot of info to digest at once. So if you’d rather have a visual approach to this news, join Dusty, Nathan, and Mike on a walk through Disneyland. We give our honest thoughts on MagicBand+ and give bounty hunting a shot, plus see the real-time conditions of the park. Take a look at the video below.
If you like what you see, we try to do a video on Facebook every Friday at 5pm. In general, we aim to shoot a video from Disneyland or another theme park, but we may have something special for you this week… a tour of a brand-new cruise ship, the Norwegian Cruise Line “Prima.” Stay tuned!
Around the Park
To close out today’s Disneyland Update, we’ve got some photos to share of the Happiest Place on Earth. We may devote the most time in these Updates to the news, but we enjoy this section most.
A rare sighting of Dusty Sage just as he was starting his live video this week!
We just find the transition between seasons to be so funny. Guests getting pictures by the Partners statue are treated to both Halloween and Christmas.
We got a chance to spend some time with Snow White by her wishing well. So sweet and charming. And to top it off, her singing statue is working again— complete with the water-spouting fish circling the pond.
Since the Starcade (once home to the abandoned idea of the Magic Key Lounge) is being used for MagicBand+ distribution, guests inside get a neat look at the satellite suspended from the ceiling.
Discount Disney Theme Park Tickets & Hotels!!!
MiceChat brings you the BEST theme park ticket, hotel & package deals! (You’ll find extra nights free, big discounts, and special offers as well).
Check out the latest offers for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Knott’s Berry Farm:
(MiceChat works 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
Wow! That was a big update! We’re nearly 7,000 words into this one… sometimes we’ve just got a lot to say. But what’s really important is what YOU have to say. Let us know what you think about this week’s issues. Are you done with Halloween and ready for Christmas? If not, how do holiday decorations impact the Halloween feeling for you? Are current crowd levels comfortable for you or is it too much for an enjoyable visit? Does Mobile Order create seating issues? At the current high prices for a park ticket, how important is it to you for attractions to be fully functional? Ready to strap a MagicBand+ to your wrist or will you wait a while? Let’s hear from you below… and if you’d do us the favor, please share today’s article on social along with your thoughts on an issue or two that are most important to you!
You must be logged in to post a comment.