The holidays at Disneyland are usually a time of mirth and merriness, but this year there’s a little bit of disappointment in the air. For the first time ever, all levels of new or renewed passes are fully blocked out for the end of the year. Many Magic Keyholders are trying to get their last dose of Disneyland holiday magic before getting locked out. We’ll take a look at the crowd conditions around the park, plus news about Lightning Lane changes, refurbishments around the resort, and a few neat Disney events in the near future. We also share a warning about a potential heir to Bob Iger, who would likely result in a return to the same dismal policies of Bob Chapek (or worse). Stick around, this is an important Disneyland Update with some Disneyland holiday highs and lows!

Locking Up & Christmas Crowds

We are inching closer to the date that all the current Disneyland Magic Keys get locked out for Christmas (with the exception for the few of you still on the no-longer-available Dream Key). As of December 21st, all the current Key levels will be locked out of both parks through at least January 1st, 2023. But as we look at available park reservations, the rest of December already looks pretty busy regardless of ticket type. At the time of writing this update last night, only December 12th had availability for both parks for all passes. 

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So, with even the top-tier Magic Keys now blocked out for the last 12 days of the year (more for the lower-tier keys), will the park be as packed as usual for what is generally the busiest days of the year? Probably not. But there are a few days that have no availability even for multi-day parkhoppers. 

One day/one park tickets have only December 11th available for Disneyland (as of last night) – With 11 days available for DCA. 

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If you are willing to spring for a park hopper ticket, you have a little more availability for Disneyland, with 9 days available… INCLUDING NEW YEAR’S EVE!!!

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That’s a big change from the past, when New Year’s Eve was Disneyland’s most insanely packed day. With park reservations, Disneyland wouldn’t have reached those levels anyway, but we are shocked to see that this historically popular day isn’t already booked.  Though, with only park-hoppers still available, we suspect it will fill up soon.  

No Disneyland? What’s a pass holder to do?! Well, Knott’s is offering a very merry Christmas lineup, and Universal’s holiday offerings are pretty solid too. And neither of them currently requires park reservations (though, being turned away at the gate is always a possibility). And for those of you for whom only Disney will do, MiceChat sells discount tickets to the parks via our partners at Get Away Today. 

With so many passes blocked, and reservations no longer available for many days, how have park conditions been? The simple answer is busy but not insane. Honestly, this time of year is generally a nightmare of crowds, so it almost feels like a dream right now that it’s only crowded and not worse… even with waits of up to an hour or more for the big rides.  But in the past, waits could easily hit 2 or even 3 hours for the E-Tickets in December with long lines just to get into bathrooms or buy a soda. So, it’s an improvement for sure.  

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And while there are times that Main street is gridlocked with guests before and after the Christmas parade, and leading up to Fireworks and Fantasmic, there are also many times that feel quite comfortable. 

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Even the Little Mermaid, a ride that spends 90% of the year with no wait, had a temporary overflow queue set up over the weekend. 

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It’s really all about timing… Because you can absolutely still make your way through the parks without the gridlock conditions if you play your cards right. 

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, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Lightning Lane Modification

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: we’re not big fans of Lightning Lane. It causes too many problems to traffic flow throughout the parks and backs up standby lines to often unreasonable levels — especially since it is oversold by a wide margin. Regardless of what we think of the service, it has received a useful update. As of late last week, Genie+ users can now make modifications to their Lightning Lane selections, including changing the attraction or return time, all from the Disneyland app. 

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This update helps streamline the process of changing a Lightning Lane selection, as the previous method was a complex set of steps to cancel the already-selected Lightning Lane and then look for other available attractions or time slots. This significantly slowed down the process of trying to find an open Lightning Lane return time. While this update is handy to Genie+ purchasers, there is a caveat about making modifications. Guests will be able to make modifications for Lightning Lane only for attractions in the park their current selection is located in (for instance, if modifying Space Mountain, the guest can choose from other Disneyland Lightning Lane attractions but not for DCA). 

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In order to make modifications to your Lightning Lane selection(s), it can be done under the “Modify Plan” call-to-action in the Lightning Lane selection screen.

Does this make Genie+ more attractive to you? Now they need to do the same thing for park reservations (like Walt Disney World does). It’s far too risky to make changes to a park reservation these days. Even if you see the day/park you want is available, by the time you cancel your current reservation to book the replacement day/park it may be gone, leaving you with nothing.  It’s an easy fix, Walt Disney World uses the same app, Disneyland just needs to implement the rule. 

The Second Coming of Chapek? 

Bob Iger has only been Disney CEO (again) since November 20th, and already those who would replace him are positioning themselves within the company and in the eyes of the media. When Iger agreed to swoop in and fix the mess created by the reviled Bob Chapek, he did so on a two-year contract. In addition to setting a new course for the underperforming Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED) division, it’s his job to help select and groom his replacement.

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Bob Iger (left) and Bob Chapek at the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland

And while all sorts of people inside and out of the company are speaking to the media right now about which way the company should go in the post-Iger era, Disney’s current CFO, Christine McCarthy, is making the biggest waves. Christine is not a creative, she’s a financial executive who worked for banks before coming to Disney. But, suddenly, everyone has been buzzing about her since last week’s Deadline article, which focused on McCarthy as the top candidate. McCarthy and her team are working to convince everyone from the Disney board to Iger himself that she is the obvious next choice. 

But of all the people in the company who have a shot at the top spot at Disney, Christine McCarthy would be the most disastrous to the future of the entertainment powerhouse in my opinion. It was Christine behind Chapek’s financial decisions, she was CFO. And although she reportedly helped undermine Chapek with the board, she is also cut from the same cloth. The reason Disney was failing under Chapek is that he was not a creative and had stripped truly talented creatives of decision-making power. Disney, the world’s most influential media company, was being run by accountants. If Christine gets her way and manages to convince the board that she’s the obvious choice, we’ll very likely end up right back where were a few weeks ago under Chapek… only worse. Chapek at least knew the Consumer Products and Parks and Resorts segments of the company before taking over. Christine hasn’t run ANY division of the company. It’s her job to look at a budget and figure out if products and services could be offered at higher prices and at a lower cost to the company.  It has never been her job to be creative about anything other than wringing more profit out of everything Disney does. 

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It was Christine McCarthy who led Disney’s financial planning as the company’s stock price plunged.

It was a massive mistake for Christine to be so brazen about her attempt to claim credit for Chapek’s demise and then make an immediate play for Iger’s job as well. While we all know that Iger will not be in the position long term, he needs a chance to figure out what the problems inside the company are and begin weeding out the bad apples, talentless power-brokers, and backstabbers. 

And although McCarthy is the one person still inside the company who is most directly responsible for Disney’s current financial crisis, she’s also not the brilliant communicator that a company like Disney needs. It was Christine who decided to fat-shame theme park guests as she spoke about cutting product sizes to pad the bottom line:

“We have things on the cost of goods side,” McCarthy said. “And it’s interesting. Just last week … I was talking to our parks senior team about things we could do there. And there are lots of things that are worth talking about. We can adjust suppliers. We can substitute products. We can cut portion size, which is probably good for some people’s waistlines.”

But the new low-quality/high-cost vibe that Christine helped create under Bob Chapek doesn’t really align with how Bob Iger plans to run the company. In a recent town hall with Disney employees, Iger affirmed his commitment to putting creatives back in charge of the company. Not accountants or MBAs, but creatives! He also assured that creativity is at the very core of the company

“Every transaction that occurs at this company emanates from some form of creativity, and therefore it is my number one priority. It is the focus. It’s not about how much we create; it’s about how great the things are that we do create.”

It will be interesting to see who really does emerge as the front-runner. Iger has a pretty bad track record of keeping his potential replacements on the job. He may have to return to previous contenders and offer them the stars to keep Disney from being destroyed once again by accountants run-amuck. There’s still a bit of time for Bob to start working on succession planning… but not as much time as he might have wished.

Runway Railway Inches Closer

I can hear it now, the joyful sound of Mickey and Minnie singing in Runaway Railway.

Nothing can stop us now.
I don’t know how
It can be any better.
We’ll travel hand in hand
Across this wonderland.
Strike up the marching band
‘Cause nothing
Can stop us now!

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Attraction Poster for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Although the attraction isn’t set to open until just shy of a month and a half from now, the tell-tell signs of its Disneyland debut are popping up everywhere. This week, the webpage for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway launched on the Disneyland website.

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Additionally, the attraction logo is now displayed on the digital map of the park.

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There is only a minor change between the Disneyland version and the Walt Disney World version of Runaway Railway. I was able to walk through the attraction earlier this year with former CEO Bob Chapek. And aside from some layout differences, which have resulted in a few feet of extra track here and there (most notably a new hallway near the end of the attraction), this is the same attraction as Walt Disney World. The main difference between the two versions of the attraction is the queue. Disneyland’s is far superior and allows more time to get guests into the right frame of mind for the ride to come. Also, the placement inside ToonTown is a far better fit for the attraction. 

Here’s a little teaser we put together when the Hollywood Studios version of the attraction opened (don’t click play if you want to be totally surprised):

 

The Problem with Paperless Tickets

Love it or hate it, Disney’s gone digital. While the majority of Disney Parks guests will be utilizing a smartphone, there’s always a chance for something to go wrong. Technology is great, right up until it isn’t. This was the case for one of our team members this week when they were unable to access their Magic Key due to an issue with their phone. 

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Instead of there being a simple solution (which would be to print a paper ticket with her Magic Key number on it), our staff member was given the runaround about where to go, who to talk to, and what the solution would be. The option suggested by ticketing was for the CM to write her Magic Key number on a scrap of paper and see if the turnstile CM would let her in; however, the caveat with that would be she wouldn’t be able to use her Magic Key discount inside the park. Other than that, she’d essentially be straight out of luck unless her phone started magically working again. This experience was upsetting, to say the least, for someone who had just battled traffic to spend hours getting to the park (with a valid park reservation) only to be told no one was willing to print her a ticket. 

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Remember these ol’ things? This from way back in 2019

Unfortunately, this is not a unique situation. The Disneyland app is incredibly unstable, often freezing and crashing just when you need it most (like scanning in at the front gate), leading to lots of frustration and chaos simply because there is no backup method to use to scan admission media. The whole park experience is excruciatingly reliant on having a working cell phone with stable reception, all while trusting that the Disneyland app behaves the whole time. 

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If your phone dies at Disneyland, CMs will essentially tell you tough luck, buy a FuelRod because there’s nothing they can do to help you at that point

There was a period in time when Magic Keyholders could pay $20 for a paper ticket with their pass number on it (more eco-friendly— and not to mention cheaper—than plastic!) but apparently, those days are gone according to the ticketing CMs we spoke with. This whole ordeal is a regular occurrence for people who don’t use or have a smartphone. As long as a ticket or Magic Key was purchased online, there’s supposedly no way to convert that into a physical ticket. There has GOT to be a better way to handle the ticketing situation, both for people with smartphones and those without them. It shouldn’t be a necessity to rely on your phone as your sole form of park admission, especially when viable options should be available, and are available when some guests are given paper tickets.

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I went to guest relations this week for a similar issue. My Disneyland app usually works just fine… when I’m at home or away from the resort… but as soon I get to the front gate, it suddenly freezes up or fails to load my ticket. Often just showing a blank screen for minutes at a time unless I reboot the app (or sometimes my whole phone). The problem with rebooting is that sometimes the Disney app will require you to authenticate your password, sending a security code to your email… unfortunately, that email might not come right away, or end up in your spam folder, or be hard to receive due to overloaded networks in a busy park. All of this while equally frustrated guests are waiting behind you at the front gate. What was Guest Relation’s suggestion for me?  Buy a MagicBand. They wanted me to pay to buy a device that I don’t want because another system that they are forcing me to use doesn’t work.  ALL BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO USE PAPER TICKETS.

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The current mentality at the parks is that the guests should do what’s best and most profitable for Disney… they often no longer care what’s best for individual guests. Don’t have a smartphone? Too bad! Need a paper ticket? Sorry! Your Disneyland app won’t pull up your ticket at the front gate? Pull aside and restart your phone! How many layers of frustration are necessary in a theme park environment? Gee wiz, we’re all just here to have fun… right?  Remember that?  Fun! 

All that said, we really hope that Disneyland can upgrade the ticketing system to be more in line with what’s offered at Walt Disney World with MagicMobile. Over there, you can add your ticket or Annual Pass to your digital wallet on your phone which can be accessed even with your phone’s screen off or in low-power mode. Another difference at WDW is that it’s a whole lot easier to get into the park without needing a picture taken for every new ticket/annual pass entering the park for the first time, and instead just using a fingerprint scan. While there may be some restrictions on how Disney can use biometric data out here in California, Disneyland certainly could benefit from taking a few pointers from Walt Disney World in implementing some changes in how they run things. And, for goodness’ sake… if a guest is having trouble with their phone, PRINT THEM A PAPER TICKET!!!!!

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, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?
You can add your WDW AP to your Apple Wallet, which is just a button or a tap away

Do you have any horror stories to share about not being able to access your Magic Key or park ticket when you need them? 

Inefficiency at its Finest

In the quest to make more money, Disneyland may be doing the exact opposite at Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland. Aside from some of the worst food in the park, the once high-capacity grab-and-go restaurant has been turned into a Frankenstein’s Monster version of itself.

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Guests are encouraged to pre-order via the Disneyland “Mobile Order” system and then pick their food up at new stations created inside.

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All those stations you see in the background for “Salads,” “Pasta” and “Pizza” are no longer used by guests.

Guests wanting to order in person no longer grab a tray and then look at the food and select what they want. Instead, they go to the cash register and order and pay. They are then sent to a station to pick up their food.

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A new row of counters with numbers on them have been rolled in front of the old buffet lines.

The result is a long line outdoors of guests waiting to order, a confusing interior for the giant food pick-up area, and underutilized seating outside.

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It’s a disappointing system for guests and cast alike. All for overpriced, low-quality food. And worst of all… while keeping all those guests in a long line outside, there was a nearly empty patio of tables behind the restaurant as a result of the inefficiency. 

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We strongly encourage Disney management to get in the standby line for themselves and experience the situation firsthand… and try eating the food while you’re at it. If you paid that much for food of this quality outside the resort, you’d likely send it back. 

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Cute restaurant, terrible operation and food!!!

Honk If You Love Cars Land!

After a somewhat frustrating day at the Resort, I headed to Cars Land in search of some much needed magic. 

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It’s been a little while since we’ve done a thorough walkthrough of this land, but one of the more recent additions within the last few weeks has been the return of the car-themed holiday movie posters. We’d love to see some of these punny parody posters turned into  Disney+ shorts… just throwing that out there!

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We noticed that Guido outside of Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (currently in its Joy to the Whirl overlay) has a few new holiday accessories perfect for the season.

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Looking good! 

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Unfortunately, the attraction was having some difficulty. 4 cars were missing from the ride platform. It was a difficult morning for the attraction with lots of delays as maintenance needed to remove vehicles. But that also means the attraction operates at a lower capacity when this happens. 

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A vehicle pulled off of the track waiting to be moved backstage.

When you see a round charging plate on the ground without a car parked on top of it, you are seeing a missing vehicle. But it’s sort of neat that this attraction is built to operate without all of its vehicles. We experienced something similar with another trackless ride this week. Rise of the Resistance was operating at half capacity for a time, dispatching only one vehicle at a time instead of two. 

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Speaking of refurbs, there is one coming up for Radiator Springs Racers. It’s currently listed with a January 23rd end date. Although the attraction looked pretty good the last time we went on it, there were a few elements that could use some touching up. 

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Disneyland After Dark Events 2023

Late-night events are returning to Disneyland next year. Usually, Disneyland announces the majority of their After Dark events for the whole year, with additional parties added here and there. This time around, there are only two themed “Nites” confirmed. There will be 7 evenings of “Sweethearts’ Nite” and 2 evenings of the all-new “Princess Nite.” We are fairly certain that there will be more events coming as we head into the new year, like  Star Wars Nite, a retro-themed party, and certainly the very popular Villains Nite. 

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But not everyone is thrilled about the return of these parties. Guests who have scheduled a vacation during these party periods will now be looking at shorter operating hours for Disneyland since the party is exclusive to event ticketholders.

But the other big issue is the cost of these events. The ticket prices tend to cost as much, or more, than a single-day admission to the park, for an event that only lasts for 4 hours (with 3 additional hours of mix-in with regular guests before the party). 

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The events make a huge impact on the resort. Day guests end up with shorter hours and a more crowded park as event guests begin mixing into the park around 6pm. So that leaves less time to do attractions with more guests than normal in the park between 6pm and the start of the special-ticketed event at 9pm.

Sales for Disneyland After Dark 2023 events will begin starting today (December 12) for Magic Keyholders and December 14 for the general public. The tickets will be available no earlier than 9am PST. For more details about Disneyland After Dark 2023, take a look at the article below:

Disneyland After Dark Returns in 2023 with Sweethearts & New Princess Nites

 

Disneyland Refurbs

Most guests think of refurbs as a nuisance. Your favorite rides are closed, and you have to find other things to do. It’s not fun to explain to your kids why they can’t ride a certain attraction. But, it’s also a necessity. In the last year, we’ve watched a number of Disneyland attractions slowly decline in show quality. While the list below may seem long, it’s not nearly long enough. We’re glad to see things finally being addressed, but it’s going to be hard for the resort to juggle all the stuff that’s currently broken with guest capacity needs. 

Main Street Animated Windows

For months we’ve been following the sorry state of the charming animated windows in the Main Street Emporium. Last week, all of the windows were broken and with the lights turned off. The good news is that many of the windows are moving again and others are being refurbished. The Princess and the Frog window is currently blacked out. Peter Pan was covered up last week but returned to service before the weekend. The Frozen window was dark and static when we visited over the weekend. But overall, the situation is getting better and the issues are being addressed. 

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At its low point, all of the animated windows were dark and motionless.
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All but the Princess and the Frog and Frozen windows are currently working again.
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Beyond the glare is a frozen “FROZEN” window

Currently Under Refurbishment:

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  • Tarzan’s Treehouse Transformation: (September 1st, 2021-2023)
  • Mickey’s Toontown (March 9th, 2022-March 8th, 2023). But Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens January 27th even while the rest of the land remains closed. 

*Upcoming Refurbishments:

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  • it’s a small world: (January 9th-19th)  
  • Indiana Jones Adventure: (January 9th-Spring 2023) – The scope of this refurbishment is still shaping up. It could be quite extensive and may even include tie-ins to the upcoming Indy film releasing June 30th. We hope they take this opportunity to keep the ride down until the major effects are ALL fixed. This is an important ride for the resort and one of the best special effects dark rides ever built anywhere. Operating it in its current state should NEVER be acceptable. Wishing the team well on this massive project. 
  • The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: (January 9th-TBA) – a Disney100 exhibit is being installed. 
  • The Disney Gallery: (January 9th-TBA) – Related to the above. 
  • Grizzly River Run: (January 9th-TBA) – There’s always a winter refurb of this attraction. Who wants to get soaked on a cold winter day anyway? 
  • Radiator Springs Races: (January 17th-23rd) – This is another attraction that has been limping along lately. Many of the effects and figures are in need of refurbishment even though the attraction has been operating in mostly acceptable condition recently. 

And a bit of good news:

  • WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure was scheduled for a January 9th-12th refurb, but that appears to have been canceled. 

This & That

And now for a few miscellaneous stories from around the Disney sphere.

Yub Nub Second Edition Mug

If you’re headed into the distant planet of Batuu for a drink at Oga’s Cantina, there’s a new edition of the Yub Nub mug. The new version of the mug bears the same design as the first version, but with a new teal glaze. It’s a lot more vibrant than the first iteration which was brown.

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Photo: David Yeh

This new version of the mug can be yours for $46 at Oga’s Cantina. 

Toys for Tots Donation Drive

If you’re headed to Downtown Disney today, this is your last opportunity to donate an unwrapped toy to the Toys for Tots charity campaign. Disney has supported the Marine Toys for Tots program for 75 years, and this year Disney has provided a grant to the foundation that will deliver additional toys (a whopping 75,000 of them!) to children in need this holiday season. You can donate a toy in-person at one of the drop-off locations through December 12, or you can donate online through December 24 through shopDisney. You can get the details HERE.

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Grizzly Peak Airplane Returns

After an extended refurbishment at Flabob Airport in Riverside, California, the vintage Cessna 195 has returned to the Grizzly Peak Airfield. We saw it last week, and our resident aeronautic expert got some details on what was restored.  

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The airplane received a complete paint job, and great attention was paid to detail.

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Lights were added to the inside of the airplane, showing off the restored interior.  

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We’re not entirely sure why this refurbishment took so long, but we’re thrilled to see it back.

Breakfast with Santa at Catal

Looking for a way to spend some time with Old Saint Nick? There’s limited availability at Catal Restaurant in Downtown Disney for Breakfast with Santa on December 17, 18, 23, and 24.

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This experience includes:

    • Meet and greet and photo with Santa
    • Stuffed animal and personalized stocking for children under 10
    • Family style breakfast
    • Bottomless mimosas (for those 21+)
    • Hot cocoa cart
    • Carolers table side
    • Family photos table side (at an extra charge)
    • Milk and Cookies to take home

This is a festive family event, one that will be appreciated by all ages. The decor throughout the restaurant is full of Christmas cheer. A staff of elves made one of our little readers feel right at home. The Crème Brûlée French Toast is a great holiday twist on a classic breakfast staple. Another highlight was definitely the hot cocoa cart with lots of toppings! Pricing for Breakfast with Santa is a hefty $110 for adults, $50 for children 3-10, and kids 2 and under are free. Reservations are required. 

D23 Events for 2023

Disney’s official fan club, Disney D23, has announced a whole lineup of events for next year that celebrate the history of the Disney Company in honor of Disney100. This includes Destination D23 in Orlando, plus a visit to Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri. Check out the full details in the article below.

A Year of Disney D23 Events & Celebrations in 2023

To celebrate the holidays, D23 put together an event at the Walt Disney Studios to Light Up The Season. We were able to check it out and even spend some time with our pals Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Getting to see the studios is always a special occasion, and this one was extra cheerful. 

 

A Day in the Parks

To round out today’s Disneyland Update, we’ve got some pictures to share with you from our trips to Disneyland for this update. Enjoy!

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We happened to catch Garner Holt (the world’s largest manufacturer of animatronics) taking a photo with the Mandalorian and baby Grogu. 

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Many of the trees in the resort which usually receive lights at the holidays didn’t this year. 

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Seeing the Tiki Room as the light starts to dim is when it looks best. There’s something so captivating about seeing all the torches against the Polynesian-inspired backdrop.

We were hoping that the (relatively) new shop in New Orleans Square, Eudora’s Chic Boutique, would get a bit of holiday decor inside. Unfortunately, that appears to not be on the menu this year. Here’s hoping for something next year… or at least, for Mardi Gras!

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Even if you don’t take a ride on Casey Jr. or Storybook Land, you can still appreciate Cinderella Castle in the distance.

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

 

While Disneyland gets most of the attention, we do love how much kinetic energy there is around DCA.

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

With a storm headed our way, there were gorgeous skies on Saturday evening just before the big clouds rolled in.

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Fantasyland has all sorts of details, you just need to look up.

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride never ceases to entertain us… It doesn’t matter if you are good or bad… everyone ends up in hell…

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Sometimes it’s necessary to take a break and just enjoy some ice cream from the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor. On Saturday, we enjoyed the Peppermint Holiday Sunday and an Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich.

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek? , Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Main Street just before the Christmas Fantasy parade makes its way toward small world. The calm before the Christmas storm…

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Sleeping Beauty Castle with its wintertime adornment really is quite a sight. 

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

And seeing the castle at night is stunning.

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

Dusty Live @ Disneyland

What? You want more??? I’ve got you covered! Join me as I take a stroll through Disneyland on Friday at 5pm. We catch Garner Holt meeting baby Grogu, take a look at crowd conditions, talk about the latest news and much more. 


Discount Disney Theme Park Tickets & Hotels!!!

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?
The Disney100 celebration is coming up. Time to start planning!

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:

If you live in Southern California, there’s a very special ticket offer for you that runs from January 9th through May 25th: 

(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

What do you think about Christine McCarthy as a future CEO at Disney? Does allowing modifications to Lightning Lane make Genie+ more attractive to you? Have you had problems accessing your ticket or Magic Key? Any features or fixes you want to see Disneyland make to its mobile app and its services? Do any of the Disneyland After Dark events strike your fancy? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

“Disneyland is a work of love. We didn’t go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.” — Walt Disney

, Disneyland News & Photo Update – What Could be Worse than Chapek?

 

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Dusty Sage
Dusty is the founder and CEO of MiceChat.com. When he's not visiting theme parks and writing, editing or speaking about Disney and theme parks worldwide, Dusty is involved in multiple Disney related projects and charities. He helped save and restore the charming Walt Disney Birthplace in Chicago, launched the Dick Van Dyke Foundation, and is the curator of Walt Disney's historic 1930's estate in Hollywood. If you've got news or photos to share with the MiceChat community, or would like to book Dusty for an upcoming event, please contact [email protected]