Disneyland Update: Summertime Sizzle, Sass & Surprise!

Summer is here! School is out, and the high tourist season is upon us. And while the summer season generally means less news and construction, that’s not the case this year. We’ll discuss the departure of a senior Disney executive and why that’s great news for parks fans. And, with the highest-cost weeks of the season now in effect, crowds aren’t expected to be as big as in the past… which means it’s full steam ahead on a myriad of construction projects at the resort. We have everything you’ll want to know below…

Chapek-Era Holdout Leaving

After an 8-year tenure as Disney’s tight-pocketed CFO, Christine McCarthy will be leaving The Walt Disney Company. While her departure is being described as family medical leave, a search is underway to permanently replace her.

Christine was the architect of Bob Chapek’s creative cutbacks and rapid price increases across the company. And then, when the waters started getting rough for Disney, she threw him under the bus and got him fired. Since Bob Iger’s return, Christine has continued to push for budget cuts and layoffs – a painful thorn in the side of Iger and an impediment in his attempt to restore the Disney magic that Chapek and McCarthy so quickly diminished. Her team had been aggressively positioning her as heir apparent to Iger when his current contract ends. Iger obviously didn’t agree.  

Her departure will make it easier for Iger to complete his restructuring of the company, placing creatives back in charge and getting both the studios and the parks on the right track after years of creative decay.  

Christine was famously known for her caustic remarks during a quarterly earnings call that angered Disney fans when she suggested the company could cut portions, which “would be good for some people’s waistlines.” But those comments were just the tip of the iceberg on McCarthy’s negative impact on the company. While she absolutely helped save Disney during the catastrophic closures of parks, malls, movie theaters and just about everything else in the world in 2020, her extreme budget cutting continued even after consumers returned. So, the Disney of today is a shadow of its pre-McCarthy era.  

What could her departure mean? There are many projects in the pipeline that were severely curtailed or canceled by McCarthy and her minions, which could be reconsidered. We know many Imagineers who are excited to see if their projects might be revived or restored to their original creative vision.  It will take many months before the company stabilizes and we start hearing about what this means for expansions at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney parks and resorts worldwide and how Disney may respond to Universal’s rapid growth in markets such as Texas and Las Vegas.  

At the Disneyland Resort, we hope Christine’s departure means much-needed enhancements for Tomorrowland, Star Wars Land, Avengers Campus, Downtown Disney, and the DisneylandForward 3rd park.

Budgets being set for new projects by a Bob Iger-appointed CFO would hopefully be much more favorable for Disney’s creative teams than anything overseen by the austere Christine McCarthy.   

BREAKING NEWS: Disney CFO Christine McCarthy to Step Down

 

It’s a Wall World

Walls are a way of life these days at the Disneyland Resort. While the construction may impede some guests’ ability to enjoy their Disneyland day, those walls tell us that Disney IS spending money to improve and maintain things within the parks. That’s good news because we’ve all seen in the last two years that when regular maintenance isn’t conducted, things will literally fall apart. Let’s look at the variety of projects all over the resort. From ambitious projects and rethemes to simple maintenance…

San Fransokyo

Work continues toward the retheme of the Pacific Wharf into San Fransokyo from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. More information is starting to roll in. We expect the first of the Big Hero 6-themed menus to arrive in early July, perhaps as soon as the 10th or 11th. The establishment will roll out as they are completed, with the rethemed bakery expected to transition last.

At first glance along the parade route, the vibe is very much like the old Pacific Wharf, but with new signs and characters. 

We still await the new towers of the San Fransokyo Gate Bridge. They should be coming very soon. 

The location where the beer truck was previously located is still behind walls as it is transformed into the Baymax meet and greet. Beer will be available for purchase at the nearby Cervezeria window being constructed at the corner of Cocina Cucamonga closest to the San Fransokyo Bridge. 

As you come across the bridge, the beer window will be one of the first things you see. 

Baymax takes over the old beer cart area with a small meet and greet with a big queue. 

We’ve heard that a small gift shop is also being constructed at Cocina Cucamonga near the Baymax meet and greet. They’ve got to make this overlay pay off somehow! 

On the east side of the wharf, scaffolding is still up around the Boudin Bakery, which we understand will be renamed Aunt Cass’ Cafe (or Aunt Cassie’s Cafe), but is a direct homage to the Lucky Cat Cafe run by Aunt Cass in Big Hero 6. Much of the menu is expected to survive, with some new items added. 

The Boudin Bakery tour will remain. 

The Lucky Fortune Cookery sign has been gone for just over a week. It went out for a full refurbishment that was badly needed. Lucky’s should be one of the first San Fransokyo menus to become available in early July. 

Here’s what the sign looked like before it was taken down:

Rita’s Margarita’s will also receive a few changes. We hear that wind turbines will be added to the top of several buildings, including Rita’s and Ghirardelli’s. Rita’s may get a name change along the lines of “Rita’s Turbine Blenders.” 

While all of these changes are minor and mostly cosmetic, we’re looking forward to the added bit of theme and character being added here. 

Adventureland Waterfall

The rock waterfall in front of the men’s restrooms in Adventureland appears to have been demolished. This area was the source of a water main break, but the wall is also a culprit in crowd-flow issues in the area. We aren’t sure if it will be rebuilt, revised, or permanently removed. But it’s certainly an opportunity for the park to rethink the crowd flow here. 

Fantasyland

Half of Fantasyland is still covered in scaffolding and scrims while maintenance work continues on the east side of the land. Even though the work is ongoing, Alice in Wonderland and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride have reopened. The attractions will be going down again for a short stint in July. (Check out our refurbishment calendar below for more info)

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Tiana’s isn’t slated to open until sometime in late 2024. This week we spotted crews erecting scaffolding and laying wood over the flume. 

Covering the big drop is a very long stairway. Talk about getting your steps in!

There were two little remnants of Splash Mountain left that we noticed on Friday: the wooden statue of Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Rabbit, and the Splash Mountain penny press. Sadly, the penny press had been out of order when we saw it last week.

If you haven’t heard about this long-anticipated Splash Mountain retheme, please be sure to check out Dusty’s comprehensive guide to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure:

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

Tiana’s Palace

Another Tiana project in New Orleans Square is the retheme of the former French Market to Tiana’s Palace restaurant. On Sunday, some scaffolding was removed, revealing new details that look more like the concept art.

The wrought-iron balcony has been painted a bright yellow color (it was previously a dusty teal color). 

Before the scaffolding was removed, workers were seen installing lights along the balcony.

As a reminder, here’s how the French Market looked before the Tiana makeover:

Adventureland Treehouse

Construction on the Adventureland Treehouse continues. We’re beginning to see signs of the water system being installed. 

Additionally, we noticed new light poles installed behind the walls, just in front of the attraction.

From what we can see, the poles look to be themed differently. Some of the fixtures look like they belong by the treehouse, and others appear to belong to New Orleans Square… which makes sense since this attraction straddles Adventureland and New Orleans Square. 

Toontown Touchups

The popcorn cart at the exit of Mickey’s house is behind construction walls. It is on the refurbishment list with a return date of June 30th. This seems like a long refurbishment for a simple popcorn cart that opened in April of this year.

There appears to be more work on the way to fix tripping issues around trees. We have seen the trend in two areas of the land. Benches are placed surrounding trees to prevent guests from tripping, construction walls go up later, and when the walls come down there is new level turf in place. This week’s focus appears to be in the picnic area in front of Mickey and Minnie’s house. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the hard-working Cast Members who are working so hard to keep this busy area in good shape while helping to smooth out the growing pains of this new land. 

The area below (across from Roger Rabbit) has been leveled out. 

Next up will likely be the park in front of Mickey’s house. 

Disneyland Hotel

The big project at the Disneyland Hotel has been the new Disney Vacation Club tower on the west side of the property (Called the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel). The exterior is looking mostly complete at this point.

Downtown Disney

Construction on the old Catal restaurant is moving forward as it becomes the new Paseo restaurant. 

Entire walls and balcony railings have been removed in some places.

The last of the big yellow umbrellas in the Catal lounge have come down.

As we glided over the Downtown Disney expansion area on the Monorail, we were able to get a good look at the progress. New concrete was being laid on Friday for what will be the new walkway. The buildings are also going up at a rapid pace now. We are seeing big leaps from week to week after months of site prep. 

Hopefully, these temporary fences can be moved back when the walkway behind the fence is complete.

Below is the detailed Disneyland Resort refurbishment calendar (updated 6/15/23):

Currently Under Refurbishment at the Disneyland Resort:

• Tarzan’s Treehouse Transformation: (September 1st, 2021-2023)
• French Market remodel to Tiana’s Palace: (February 17th-TBA, likely fall 2023)
• Mint Julep Bar: (February 17th-TBA, See the Tiana’s Palace construction above)
• Boudin Bread Cart: (May 28th-July 1st)
• Pacific Wharf Distribution Co.: (May 30th-TBA)
• Splash Mountain Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: (May 31st, 2023-Late 2024)
• Peter Pan’s Flight: (June 5th-29th)
• Toon Town Popcorn Stand: (June 12-30th)

Upcoming Refurbishments at the Disneyland Resort:

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant: (June 26th)
• Alice in Wonderland: (July 5th-20th)
• Disneyland Monorail: (July 5th-TBA)
• Soarin’ Around the World: (July 5th-14th)
• Toy Story Midway Mania!: (July 17th-TBA)
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride: (July 24-TBA)

Halfway to the Holidays

We’re smack-dab in the middle of summer, but that isn’t stopping Disney from looking forward to what’s ahead for the holidays. This week, the company did a whole blitz of promotion for Halfway to the Holidays. The highlights from the announcements include new character costumes, merchandise, and even Disney Cruise Line events. We have linked a few of our articles below for those of you who want to know the down-low on the ho ho ho for the holidays this year!

Here’s the info for what’s coming to the Disneyland Resort for the 2023 holiday season. As far as we know, it doesn’t appear that the controversial after-hours holiday party will be returning. Hooray!

Disneyland Holidays 2023 Reveals – New Costumes and Returning Favorites

 

A sneak peek at merchandise coming to the Disneyland Resort for the 2023 holiday season:

SNEAK PEEK! Disney Parks Holiday Merchandise for 2023

 

The Disney Cruise Line has all sorts of fun events and themes for the 2023 holiday cruise season:

UPDATED! Disney Cruise Line Promises Spooky Fun, Merry Magic, and Lots of Aloha

The holidays are also headed to Walt Disney World. Here’s what to look forward to:

Walt Disney World Holidays 2023 – New JOLLYWOOD Nights, MVMCP Details, and More!

Disneyland After Hours: Pride Night

Disney held its first-ever Disneyland After Dark Pride Nites last Tuesday and Thursday. The sold-out events were a huge hit. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom was in attendance.

Great to be at Disneyland’s first ever Pride Night. pic.twitter.com/MW3eHMDemO

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 14, 2023

While the Castle was not showcased in Pride colors (much to the chagrin of many), Main Street, the Matterhorn, and Small World were. Some cast members carried small progress flags, and aside from their name tag, it was often difficult to tell who was salaried cast in colorful attire and who were guests. It was a refreshingly label-free celebration of humanity. A night free of hate and bigotry. 

The short Welcome fireworks used songs not usually heard in the park, including This is Me from The Greatest Showman. The Welcome cavalcade allowed guests who didn’t want to wait in line for meet-and-greets to see the characters in their Pride outfits. Mickey and his friends also showed off their dance moves as they waved goodnight from the train station as the party ended.

 

A face character version of the Queen of Hearts from the animated Alice in Wonderland was a happy surprise as she held court. The Muses from Hercules stunned in their red dresses from the 1997 Hercules Victory Parade. C-3PO made a rare appearance in Galaxy’s Edge; Tinker Bell and her fairy friends told stories and played games; and, not one to miss a big summer blowout, Oaken joined Elsa and Anna.

Attraction lines were short, but special opportunities and character meets were busy. The Golden Horseshoe hosted line dancing, a DJ was on a raft on the Rivers of America, and Stitch and Angel hosted an Ohana dance party in Tomorrowland.

As with most After Dark events, it was difficult to hit every photo spot due to a lack of time. It would be nice if locations with PhotoPass photographers at them did not let people use their own devices since PhotoPass is included with admission. The PhotoPass QR code on the event wristband makes taking photos super easy!

Guests and cast alike were commenting on how this event was the best in terms of the atmosphere of love, kindness and joy overflowing. Just like in High School Musical, Pride Nite felt like we’re all in this together.

Although Pride Nite was only offered on two evenings, you’ll be able to find all sorts of Pride merchandise in the parks and on shopDisney. Check out that Spirit Jersey!

Grad Nites Conclude

Grad Nite had its last party of the year on June 16th. One of our contributors was an attendee and shared some amazing photos of the party that graduating High School Seniors will remember for the rest of their lives. Here are some photos so you can imagine how California Adventure transforms for grads after hours. 

M&M’s was a sponsor, and the treats were projected on the side of the Hyperion Theater. 

Attendees enjoyed a special version of World of Color. 

Photo opportunities were scattered throughout the park. 

Our very best to 2023’s graduates. Celebrate, then go forth and make the world a better place! 

This and That:

According to the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA)/AECOM, Disneyland Park ranked number 2 in the world for theme park attendance. In 2022, Disneyland hosted close to 16,881,000 guests (Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was in first at 17,133,000). California Adventure ranked in 13th place.

Frontierland Trail Stagecoach

We were happy to see the stagecoach return to the path that leads from Frontierland into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The refurbishment took a long time, but the coach looks great.

The initials on the door are a not-so-subtle nod to WED (Walter Elias Disney, the former name of Imagineering and the founder of Disneyland). 

A few props have been placed inside the coach. 

Elemental Sipper

With the new Disney/Pixar movie Elemental out in theaters, Disney California Adventure now has sippers in the shape of Water and Fire. Ember Lumen (Fire) and Wade (Water) are on the same sipper but on opposite sides. 

Jose Tiki Mug

On Friday, a new Tiki Mug went on sale at Trader Sam’s (at the Disneyland Hotel). Orders could be placed as early as 6:00am and pick-up started at 7:00 am and ended at 3:00pm. The mug cost $75 and was available through mobile order on the Disneyland app. Supplies are limited, and as of this writing, there are still some left.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day weekend kicked off on Saturday with a special photo opportunity and some great Father’s Day merchandise.

On Sunday, Plaza Inn hosted a special Father’s Day brunch from 8:00am until noon. The special event began with a special photo op with Goofy and Max , who were dressed up in special Father’s Day attire. The cost to attend the Father’s Day brunch was $75 for adults and $35 for guests age 3-9. The brunch also included a special keepsake and a photo package.

Those “Chocolate Butterscotch Waffles” sound great, don’t they!?

After the Plaza Inn brunch, Max and Goofy headed over to Toontown to continue the Father’s Day festivities. This marks the first time the two were seen in the new Toontown together.

Just in time for Father’s Day is the newest sipper available in Toontown, depicting Goofy and Max fishing.

 

Around the Parks

This is my favorite part of writing these columns! I know that I get to share photos throughout the article, but I also like to save my favorite photos for last! I hope you enjoy this week’s Disneyland photo fun.

When riding the Monorail, you have a great vantage point where you can see the parade crowds just before Magic Happens rolls through.

Magic Happens is so dynamic and the costumes are beautiful!

The Pearly Band plays Whistle While You Work in front of Snow White’s Enchanted Wish.

The Children of the Corn in the holiday shop on Main Street are now dressed up in their patriotic attire. This is the first sign of Summer decorations in the park as they prepare for the 4th of July celebrations. In normal years the bunting on Main Street would be red, white, and blue by now, but the park is still celebrating Disney100. 

Food is always a popular subject to photograph.

The Teriyaki Chicken with a side of Potstickers at Lucky Fortune Cookery is my go-to in DCA

In Disneyland, the Fried Chicken at Plaza Inn is a great choice. So much food on your plate and I feel like it’s the most bang for your buck. I felt a bit adventurous on Friday and ordered the Strawberry Shortcake. It did not disappoint! 

We have a new weekly column called MiceShots highlighting Disneyland Resort photos. You can find it every Friday on MiceChat. This past week I shared great photos from Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean:  

MiceShots: A Swashbuckling Adventure Through Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean

California Resident Ticket Special:

If you’re a California resident and you’re hankering for a trip to Disneyland, now’s your chance to visit. Currently, California residents are able to purchase 3-day park tickets that are good from now through September 28th. In previous years, this offer was extended to Southern California residents only, but the current offer is for all California residents. Dusty Sage has all of the details on this limited deal in the article linked below!

Summer Special Disneyland Ticket Deal Returns for California Residents

 

Reader Submitted Photos:

This week, I sent out a request in our MiceChat Facebook Group for reader-submitted photos, and we received an overwhelming response. Due to limited space, I had to randomly select photos to share. We’ll make another photo request in the near future, so keep an eye out when you are in the parks and take beautiful photos to share with us!

I often get asked what the best camera to own is. My answer is always: the camera you currently own. You don’t need a top-of-the-line camera to snap great photos. We always enjoy seeing readers’ photos, and thank you to those who submitted.

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Thank you for joining us on this journey around the Disneyland Resort. There has been a lot happening over the past week, and we’re happy to share the current events happening within the parks. I would like to put a special thank you out to Suzanne Lee for helping me this week, as well as the other members of our team who contributed to this week’s update. Join us again next week as we bring you the latest from the Disneyland Resort.