DISNEYLAND UPDATE – Tickets Too High, Genie Too Low & Rogers The Musical!

Never a dull moment at Disneyland. Even on a lazy Easter weekend, there was breaking news about new experiences headed our way. And although there have been some wildly busy weekdays at the resort, high prices on the weekends seem to be keeping guests away. But on the other end of the spectrum, is Genie priced too low, resulting in too many guests using it? We have lots of news and observations to unpack this week, including shocking results in our poll on stroller usage at the Disneyland Resort…

BREAKING NEWS: Disneyland’s Splash Mountain finally has a closing date set for the end of May, plus, new concept art and story details:

🐸 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure NOW OPEN at Disneyland – Guide & Tips 👑

Rogers the Musical – June 30th!

We’ll start with a bit of breaking news. Rogers the Musical will debut on June 30th at Disney California Adventure for a “Limited run.” None of us know how long “Limited” is but it gives Disney a lot of flexibility.   

The one-act play will last about 30 minutes and will run Tuesdays through Saturdays (Dark Sunday and Monday). The show features the production number “Save the City” from the Disney+ series “Hawkeye.” Guests will also hear “Star Spangled Man” from the film “Captain America: The First Avenger,” plus five new original songs. We’ll soon find out how a musical version of the Avengers translates to the stage, but expect it to be over the top and campy, much like the version from “Hawkeye.”

There’s still a bit of work to do at the theater. The patio for the Hyperion Theater has been used as overflow seating for the PYM restaurant in Avenger’s Campus. Banners for the restaurant fly above the theater stairs. There’s a wrap on the stars which is peeling off. But overall, the area is mostly ready to go.  

Are you looking forward to the Avengers musical? 

Magic Keys Unlock

If you’ve been hoping to visit Disneyland more regularly, a Magic Key annual pass is generally the most cost-effective way to go. Unfortunately, all but the most expensive Key has been sold out for quite some time. Magic Keys vary in price and level of access to the parks. There’s some good news for those of you who have been waiting! Starting tomorrow, April 11, all four levels of Magic Keys will be available for purchase. Just a reminder, the Dream Key (the previous highest-level Key with no blackout days) will not be offered as that particular pass is being phased out.

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Are you planning on buying a Magic Key? Do you think that the current system, where every pass has blackout dates, is a good method of controlling demand?

More information about Disneyland’s Magic Key Program: 

LOCKED! Disneyland Magic Key Sales Paused: Everything You Need To Know

A Break in Spring Break

Here’s the good news… Spring Break season is just about over. We have one more week of very busy days expected, and then we’ll quickly settle back into a more normal pattern very quickly (which can still be quite busy at times). But there are some interesting things to note. You might expect that Easter weekend would have been one of the busiest days of the year… but it was quite the opposite. There were some VERY busy days earlier in the week, including Thursday, which was absolutely bonkers. But as the weekend approached, each day was less and less crowded. Friday was busy but manageable. Saturday was not too busy, except for the top draw attractions. And Easter Sunday was a dream. Why? We have some thoughts…

Single-day tickets tell an interesting story. Disneyland has a multi-tiered ticket pricing system which charges more for days that are expected to be more in demand. But, as prices go up, guests shift their days to less expensive dates. So, instead of paying $179 per person for a one-day/one park-ticket on the Saturday before Easter, you might opt to visit on a $114 Tuesday instead. That’s a savings of $65 per person, a pretty big incentive to change dates. Add to that Magic Key pass blackouts on spring break weekends for lower-tier passes and you’ve got a recipe for busy weekdays and reasonable weekends.  (Note: Monday through Friday this week has no availability for one-day/one-park tickets… it’s going to be busy! However, the expensive weekend ahead can still be booked.)

(Disneyland one-day one-park tickets range from $104 to $179 and last went up in October of 2022)

Of course, that also means that Disney may be priced too high on those weekend dates as guests just couldn’t justify paying the price difference for Easter weekend (or any of the recent spring break weekends). If guests can shift dates, they are, which still creates an imbalance. Ideally, pricing should make it so that all days have just about the same number of guests, but that’s not what happens in reality. Guests are actively avoiding the most expensive days. 

When Critter Country is packed, it’s busy. The photos above and below were taken on Friday. It was even busier than this on Thursday. That line you see below is the queue for Pirates of the Caribbean. It stretches almost to the Haunted Mansion!

The line for Rise of the Resistance reached the train trestle next to Hungry Bear restaurant in Critter Country on Friday. 

The wait when we took these photos was 115 for Standby. 

The new ToonTown remains VERY popular with guests. 

Disney has had to rethink stroller parking in the area. Instead of clogging the land with strollers by turning the perfect picnic parks into giant stroller lawns (as we shared last week), The walkway in and out of the land was parked 3 and 4 strollers deep all the way from the land to the Fantasyland Theater (where they park even more strollers). While it can create a bottleneck at times for guests entering and exiting the land, this solution does make the experience in the land more enjoyable for almost everyone. 

Speaking of Strollers, our poll last week about the stroller situation at Disneyland was very surprising. We expected a split vote, but it was overwhelmingly in favor of limits being placed on stroller usage: 

Less than 4% of the over 3,000 respondents wanted no restrictions on the use of strollers at Disneyland. 

Disney Genie Uncorked

When Genie+ launched at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Disneyland was priced higher by $5 per guest (WDW launched at $15 and Disneyland at $20). That has flip-flopped a bit. This past weekend, WDW sold out Genie on multiple days at the cost of $35 per person. Disneyland was $30. Keep in mind that Rise of the Resistance, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Radiator Springs Racers all offer an extra cost Lightning Lane separate from Genie+. 

But lines like the ones pictured above are largely caused by all the guests using Genie+ at busy times of the year. Is Genie priced too low? Should the price be raised high enough that most guests will use standby instead of Genie? 

As much as we’d love to see Genie put back in the bottle, the money that Disney makes off of the service is too important to the bottom line to be removed at this point. But raising the price significantly could help Disney make substantial revenue but also limit the number of people using the service so standby lines will move more quickly. We realize that won’t be popular with everyone and would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. 

Disneyland Walkthrough

You’ve read what the conditions in the park were like this week, so why not see them for yourself! In our recent Disneyland walkthrough on Friday at 5pm, I was joined by MiceChat photographer Mike Kindrich (you’ll see quite a few of his photos in today’s update!) for our weekly recap of Disney news. These videos are a great chance to see the parks and how everything looks right now. If you didn’t catch Friday’s video, we’ve included it for you below:

We’ll be back at Disneyland this Friday, April 14 at 5pm PST for another walkthrough, so mark your calendars! You can watch our video on our Facebook page or our YouTube profile. We hope you’ll join us!

Even More Star Wars at Disneyland

The Star Wars Universe at Disneyland is getting some updates. There were some interesting announcements from the Walt Disney Imagineering at Star Wars Celebration in London over the weekend. Here’s what’s headed to the Disney Parks.

 

More Star Tours Destinations Coming Soon

It’s hard to believe, but there are 700 possible ride experiences that can happen on a Star Tours adventure. With a wide array of destinations and timelines that can be chosen from at random, the possible number of outcomes is expanding!

The Star Tours attraction at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris will be getting new destinations sometime next year. We don’t know which locations will be offered, but we’ll find out once they’re introduced!

Batuu Appears on TV

In a case of classic Disney synergy, Batuu is going to be making an on-screen appearance in a new show. Characters from the upcoming “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” on Disney+ and Disney Jr. will be making a visit to Batuu.

There was no mention if the characters will also be making an in-land appearance, but perhaps there will be a crossover, likely with merchandising. 

Star Wars Sounds

The other reveal from Star Wars Celebration this weekend was that more Star Wars music will be available to listen to outside of the park. As of this Friday, the second playlist from DJ R-3X (the resident DJ of Oga’s Cantina) dropped on most streaming services including Amazon Music and Apple Music. You can hear nine new tracks featuring music by Star Wars artists including The Loth-Cats, Ewok Dis Way, and CU on Naboo.

For the full details about Star Wars announcements from Star Wars Celebration, be sure to take a look at the article below!

New Star Tours Destinations & More Disney Parks Star Wars News!

Disneyland Projects, Construction, and Refurbishments!

As we were walking the resort this week looking for news, we noticed some exciting progress on several projects. Let’s start with one that we have been waiting a very long time for…

Adventureland Treehouse (Closed since September 1st, 2021)

Scaffolds are coming down from the top levels of the Adventureland Treehouse (formerly the Tarzan Treehouse and the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse before that)

If we examine the concept art for the attraction, we can see lots of progress. 

At the top center of the treehouse is the Organ Room. 

Just to the left of that is the Astronomy Room. 

At the top of the stairs on the right will be the birdwatcher’s room. It doesn’t appear to have been constructed yet. 

 

But bits of Father’s kitchen and art studio were already part of the old Tarzan Treehouse and are still there. 

A water tower, waterwheel, and contraption to carry water throughout the treehouse is still to be installed. 

This project is coming along nicely, but still a way off. 

Tiana’s Palace + Mint Julep Bar (February 17 – TBA)

There isn’t much new to show you at Tiana’s Palace (former French Market). The scrims were rolled up due to high winds. But it’s all mostly the same as last week.

On the back of the building, many doors and windows have been (at least temporarily) removed. And a row of balconies has also been removed near the restrooms. 

San Fransokyo Square

Lots of painting has been going on in the future San Fransokyo. The Pacific Wharf bridge has been painted a Golden Gate reddish-orange. Even the old “Pacific Wharf” sign has been repainted. It will eventually be replaced with a San Fransokyo sign. 

The old Pacific Wharf signage on the buildings above the bay are also being updated or replaced. 

Silly Symphony Swings (February 27th-May 18th)

The return of the swings has been delayed by a couple of weeks.  

Home Store/Wonderground Gallery

Things should start speeding up for the Disney Home Store and Wonderground Gallery in Downtown Disney. The framing of a new ceiling has been completed, and drywall is now up. 

Jazz Kitchen Reduced

The whimsical Jazz Kitchen neon sign was removed this week. But a new sun screen went up on the patio and there’s a living floral wall on the outside of the building (not unlike the one at the Starbucks). 

You aren’t alone if this depresses you. 

Here’s what that sign looked like before it was removed: 

West end of Downtown Disney

It’s still all trenches and pipes in the space that was formerly the AMC Theater. 

But nearby, the walkway between the construction and the Monorail has been opened back up. The old ornate (but in bad shape) concrete patterns have been replaced with simple white squares. 

Villas at the Disneyland Hotel

The scaffolds and scrims are starting to come down on the new Disney Vacation Club tower at the Disneyland Hotel. 

You can see how different the new tower (on the right) is from the older tower on the left. 

For more about the new tower, its Steamboat Wille themed pool, and concept art of the rooms, check this out: 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel – News & Views!

 

Additional Refurbishments

In addition to the projects above, the following are also under refurbishment: 

• Ship to Shore Marketplace: (March 13th-April 29th)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: (April 3rd-13th)

Upcoming Refurbishments:

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant: (April 11th)
• Matterhorn Bobsleds: (April 17th-TBA)
• Splash Mountain Conversion Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (TBA 2023-2024)

Disneyland Blues

Last week we shared that the rooftops of the castle are still missing many decorative finials and flags nearly 3 months after the start of the Disney100 celebration. This week a few new flags showed up. But many rooftops are still incomplete. 

The new iridescent flags add a shimmering flair. 

But multiple turrets are still missing their adornments. 

Meanwhile, on Main Street, the animated Emporium windows are in terrible shape. On Friday and Saturday, every window was broken and in total darkness. These windows were unveiled 8 years ago as part of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary. Disney has continuously tried to fix them. Individual windows will suddenly start working again only to be broken again a day or two later. 

We’ve noted for well over a year now that the windows have been a problem. We do wish that while a permanent fix is being sought that the displays would be staged and lit with the music playing, even if they aren’t moving. The windows are detailed enough that they’d look better lit than left dark… even if they weren’t moving. 

Disneyland This & That

And now for a sampling of smaller stories from around the Disneyland Resort.

Mobile Order Update

There has been a small (but helpful) update to the Mobile Order screen in the Disneyland app. When you select “Order Food” from the navigation, you’ll now see the dining locations with soonest order times by default. There’s also some new artwork across the ordering system. You can still opt to order for later; you simply need to select the “Schedule for Later” tab at the top of the screen. 

This change certainly makes ordering much more convenient without having to root around to see the soonest availability. We hope that with this update to Mobile Order that there’s a support system in place to help make using the feature more viable. That said, we still want to see more standby kiosks even with bolstering Mobile Order.

Earth Month Happenings

April is Earth Month, and Disney is putting an emphasis on sustainability. Here’s how you can celebrate the Earth at Disneyland.

Reusable Cutlery

At a myriad of dining locations across the Disneyland Resort, you can order a set of bamboo cutlery— and you can even get a Magic Key version.

Here’s where you can purchase a set:

• Disneyland
  • Bengal BBQ
  • Galactic Grill
  • Golden Horseshoe
  • Harbour Galley
  • Hungry Bear
  • Jolly Holiday
  • Red Rose Tavern
  • Refreshment Corner
  • Stage door café
• Disney California Adventure
  • Award Wieners
  • Corn Dog Castle
  • Paradise Garden Grill
  • Smokejumpers Grill

Reduce Food Waste

You can reduce your food waste at Disneyland by putting leftover food (and only food) in a green can that benefits the Disneyland food scraps program. You can find the bins at Galactic Grill, Hungry Bear, or Pym Test Kitchen. While the green bins are only located in the aforementioned locations, there are recycle bins all over the resort.

Eat More Plant-Based Meals

Another way to celebrate Earth Month is eating something plant-based. At Paradise Garden Grill for DCA’s Food & Wine Festival (that runs through April 25) the whole location is completely plant-based! We’ve tried almost everything there and we really enjoyed the majority of it. 

Attend a Sustainable Culinary Demonstration

Chef Kristen Kish is presenting a culinary demonstration inspired by her new National Geographic series Restaurants at the End of the World on April 22 and 23 at 3:30pm at the Hollywood Backlot Stage. This is a great way to learn how incorporating sustainability into your kitchen routine isn’t as difficult as it might seem.

A Tree Grows In Darkness

In Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, a large tree has suddenly appeared in the lobby. It’s a real live tree from Moon Valley Nurseries. Disney has been dressing the tree up with flowers, vines, and special lighting.

Unfortunately, the lobby isn’t really suited for live plants as it’s too dark and the heating system keeps the air dry. Some of the leaves are already starting to curl. But it’s quite a pretty sight. 

Magic Key-Exclusive PhotoPass Lens

When we heard this, we were surprised. We could have sworn that there have previously been Magic Key-exclusive PhotoPass lenses in the Disneyland app, but it turns out that the lens released today is the very first one exclusive for Magic Keyholders! The lens only works while you are at the Disneyland Resort. 

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Throwback Nite: Misses the Era?

The next set of Disneyland After Dark events, Throwback Nite, is scheduled for April 18 and 20. This after-hours event is themed to Disneyland in the 50s and 60s, and promises an homage to the first decade of Disneyland. This includes live music of the period performed around the park, characters from the iconic attractions of yesteryear, and even snacks previously sold at Disneyland in the 50s and 60s. 

While the idea of the party sounds great on paper, we’ve been hearing from several guests that they are disappointed by party details shared this week by Disneyland. Take a look at the guide for yourself below:

After the guide was released, it was met with mixed reaction. Here’s what one MiceChat reader and event ticket holder wrote us:

My friend and I are going to Throwback Nite. We were very excited about this as the 50s and 60s were our decades growing up and visiting our beloved Disneyland. We were positive that the party would be a chance to relive our childhood memories, so we bought our tickets as soon as they were available. When the event guide came out this week, we were so disappointed.

The 50s and 60s were rich in music: The Beatles, Elvis, Buddy Holly, The Beach Boys, and so many other great bands. But for Throwback Nite, Disney’s musical performances for the 50s and 60s are a mariachi band and a swing dance band. Swing was popular in the 20s-40s. Disney may have DJs that play 50 and 60s music but at $148 per person for an event that lasts just a few hours, we expected live entertainment that accurately represented the time period.

And the food? The most memorable foods from those eras at Disneyland were Welch’s grape and fruit bars and grape juice in fun little plastic bottles. Then there were Fantasia ice cream and root beer floats. And of course, Fritos and Tuna! When Disney announced that they were bringing back retro Disneyland food just for the party, we were so excited to taste these long-gone favorites. But they aren’t being offered. Instead, there’s a ham and pineapple sandwich? I don’t remember ever having that at Disneyland.

So the two biggest things we are going for, entertainment and food, ended up being a huge letdown. My friend and I grew up in Disneyland in the 50s and 60s; we have first-hand experience of what it was like. It’s too bad no one planning this after-hours event knows anything about the time frame the event is about. I’ll give them props on some of their photo-ops like Dumbo and the Tomorrowland Space Couple, but I really don’t want to stand in line the whole event just to get a pic — especially after hearing about how horrible the lines were at Princess Nite.

Many of the recent after-hours events have had trouble selling out, with tickets available the day of at the park for most of them. There have been many mixed reviews about the high price, short hours, long lines, and limited offerings. Do these special after-hours events need to be reworked to make them more enticing? How does Throwback Nite sound to you? 

Disneyland Grad Nites 2023

It’s hard to believe, but the school year is coming to a close. And that means that Grad Nites at Disneyland (more accurately, at DCA) are on the way. Here are the dates for Grad Nites 2023:

• May 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 30, or 31
• June 2, 4, 7, 9, 14, or 16

Tickets for Grad Nites range from $99 per person to $219. The actual Grad Night experience is after hours at DCA. But attendees have the option to add a one-day ticket to DCA or a park-hopper ticket which includes Disneyland during the day for an extra fee. 

Grad Nights do tend to impact park crowding during the day, and the vibe in the parks can be rowdy at times, as celebrating seniors party the night away. It’s a fun experience for the grads, but do you try to avoid Grad Nights when you visit Disneyland at this time of year? 

A Photo Finish

As we try to do whenever we have time to take extra photos, let’s finish today’s Disneyland Update with some pretty pictures of the parks (and a few more comments).

We saw Thor and Loki in Avengers Campus this week. It’s fun to watch them interact with each other.

There’s still no word on when Splash Mountain’s final day will be. So we’re enjoying it while we can.

‘If you jump really high, you can get this shot…   Or just ride the Monorail. 

The Pink Trumpet Trees really are a selling point for visiting Disneyland during the spring. They’re absolutely stunning.

At long last, we finally saw the doll parade on the exterior of small world working again. They haven’t been functional since the ride reopened from its seasonal overlay removal. 

Calling all dreamers! We happened upon a great spot to watch the newly returned Magic Happens Parade, so we stopped to watch the whole thing! So much energy and fun. 

Considering the animated windows on the outside of the Main Street Emporium haven’t been working, it was nice to see some movement in one of the dioramas on the inside of the store.

If you’ve never taken the time to look up when you are in this store, do so! There are some really cute scenes here that help put you in the mood of the era of Main Street. 

Although Tarzan’s Treehouse has been closed since 2021 and its replacement is actively being worked on, the attraction poster can still be found in the entry tunnel of the park.

Surely they have an attraction poster for the new Adventureland Treehouse they can pop into this frame. Or replace with another open attraction. 

Off in the distance, the Pixar Place Hotel is still undergoing its paint job.

Although the statuette of Goofy is a bright copper, he’s seen better days. There are spots and scrapes all over him (nose, hands, elbows, legs, etc.) that are looking particularly scuffed up.

Between the noxious fumes and incredibly loud motors at Autopia, we hardly ever ride it. But it still carries a certain charm. Time for a futuristic upgrade to electric or hydrogen. 

We are totally enamored with Monorail Blue’s Disney100 wrap. We were hoping that all of the Monorails would get a similar treatment, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

The wrap on Monorail Orange is starting to come off in places (particularly scraped up on all of the doors). It could really use some freshening up.

Look at how adorable this new Jose Tiki Room mug is! We found him in the Adventureland Bazaar.  

For more Disney merchandise finds, be sure to follow MiceMerch on Instagram!

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Catching the park in the last hour of daylight is really a magical time. The sky turns a deep blue, the lights begin to flicker on, and everything takes on an enchanted glow.  

Even Galaxy’s Edge gets in on the spring fling.

One of the many reasons we love Disneyland is all the details that are just waiting to be seen.

The LEGO Store’s Prince Philip versus Maleficent sculpture has been around for decades, but we still love it (even though the sun-bleached bricks have seen better days).

The Disneyland Hotel has this cute Disney100 photo op of the Disney Animation Studio on Hyperion Avenue (It’s a Gelson’s Market today). 

Let’s Hear From You

And that brings us to the end of another Disneyland Update. These next few weeks should be gorgeous in the parks with even more spring blooms, more moderate weather, and a lessening of crowds. What do you think the sweet spot on Disneyland ticket prices is? Is Genie priced too low? Were you surprised by the stroller poll? Do the Disneyland After Dark events provide enough value for the high cost? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Related Reading

Stay up to date with other Disneyland news:

New Star Tours Destinations & More Disney Parks Star Wars News!

New Star Wars Month Merchandise – A Galaxy of Goods!