Things are heating up around Disneyland— in every sense of the idiom! Not only are temperatures rising, but there are all sorts of new offerings and projects cropping up around the Disneyland Resort. Between an entertaining new musical at the Hyperion Theater, a new Indiana Jones character, construction updates, and the Oogie Boogie Bash ticketing disaster, there’s a lot of Disney news to catch up on. We also note a nearly complete lack of 4th of July decorations this year; it’s a jarring lack of red, white & blue in the parks for the holiday.
There’s so much for us to explore this week. Let’s get going…
Rogers: The Musical at Disney California Adventure
The big news story of the week is the debut of a fun new musical in DCA.
As you stroll through the Hollywood section of Disney California Adventure, you’ll notice a fresh splash of color likely to catch your eye. Brand-new black and yellow banners and decorations have been strategically placed throughout the area, trumpeting the arrival of the highly anticipated “Rogers: The Musical.”
There’s been a surprising amount of excitement for this new production. Every day, the Premium Viewing Experience – a VIP package that includes prime seating, food, and drink – sells out rapidly. And it’s not just the Premium Viewing Package that sells out; Virtual Queue spots are also getting snapped up quickly at the 10:30 am and 2 pm booking opportunities. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still find a spot for the show. Many showings have hundreds of seats available for standby guests. So don’t get discouraged if Premium Viewing and Virtual Queue are sold out.
One tip about obtaining a Premium Viewing Experience spot. Tickets are sold at the Studio Catering Co. truck in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot beginning at park opening. They are sold until all spots sell out (we aren’t sure how many spots are available for each performance). But even before the park officially opens, Disneyland’s hotel guests (who get 30-minute early admission into the park) can be seen lining up for the Premium Viewing Experience tickets. This allows them to be first in line for Premium Viewing seats as soon as they go on sale at park opening. And that puts regular park guests at a disadvantage. Meaning, if you want to buy Premium Viewing, go straight to the Studio Catering Co. truck as soon as the park opens.
As for the show itself, “Rogers: The Musical” has mostly been met with praise. The story, inspired by a musical scene from the Disney+ show Hawkeye, follows the creation of superhero Captain America, Steve Rogers. The show is a campy blend of adventure and emotion, all underscored by rousing music and choreography. The cast delivers vibrant performances that leave audiences laughing and tearing up, often in the same scene.
The clever but simple set designs and use of video screens and lighting further add to the immersive experience. But it should be noted that this is a smaller scale production with a limited cast. If this was a Disney Cruise Line production, it would be one of their best, but this is a show in a theater where guests are accustomed to seeing Broadway-style sets and huge casts. So, it doesn’t quite fill the space in the same way that Aladdin or Frozen did.
For a show with a run of just two months, it’s far better than we expected. Though it does have some issues. If it were a permanent addition to the park, we’d be complaining about the awkward Nick Fury song (watch our video below and let us know what you think). But for a show that will be gone before most Disney fans ever get a chance to even see it, it’s just fine the way it is.
We hope Rogers the Musical doesn’t just vanish after its short run. It would be great on the Disney Cruise Line, and we could even imagine an expanded version of the show touring or landing on a Broadway stage.
Spoiler alert!! If you can’t wait to watch the show in person, you can see the first media showing (from the first row, center!) in the video below:
There’s also some new food and merchandise. We recommend that you take a moment to look at our dedicated article for the show, which details everything you need to know.
Rogers the Musical Now On Stage at The Disneyland Resort – PHOTOS, VIDEO & INFO
Oogie Boogie Bash Crash – Ticket Debacle
Oogie Boogie Bash is undoubtedly one of the most highly-anticipated events of the year. The separately-ticketed Halloween event kicks off in September and tickets went on sale last week… or that was the plan!
On Tuesday, Oogie Boogie Bash tickets went on sale for Magic Key holders and it went fairly well. While there was the same old system of waiting in queue for hours to get into the store to buy tickets, the process seemed to work. However, when tickets went on sale to the general public on Thursday, there were major issues right off the bat! There were folks who purchased tickets and were charged but never got a confirmation of sale or received their tickets. Others would get to the purchase page only to have the system lock up or kick them out. But, for the vast majority of would be guests, the queue simply closed on them after hours of waiting with a “The Queue Has Closed” message:
Needless to say that social media and discussion forums like the MiceChat Facebook Group filled with posts from confused and furious Disney fans. Here is just a smattering of what was said:
The posting on the Disney website is specific that an update will be posted on Thursday, July 6th at 9:00am. Many people have taken that as a date and time for sales to resume, but just to be clear, that isn’t what the post explicitly states. All it promises is that Disney will give some sort of update on the 6th at 9am. All we can do for now is sit back and wait to see what Disney comes up with.
But we have to wonder why Disneyland has such consistent problems with ticket sales. Every time there is a big ticket release the system takes hours to manage the guests in queue and/or seems to crash, experience order glitches. Surely there is a better process for guests to buy tickets after so many years of problems. However, this event continues to sell out every year, and clearly, the demand is still there. So knowing that, why would Disney fix something when they know that their fans will buy out the event despite the difficulties? We really hope that Disney takes a hard look at how they offer things to their guests, because not everyone has hours to waste in queues just to get turned away.
The Oogie Boogie Bash will be offered on select nights from September 5th through October 31st. For more details about Oogie Boogie Bash, take a look at the article below:
https://www.micechat.com/354029-new-boo-waiting-for-you-disney-parks-halfway-to-halloween/
Summer Heats Up and Crowds Vanish
The new normal for summer. In the past, the summer season was one of Disney’s busiest times of the year. But since demand-based pricing went into effect, the crowd patterns have shifted. We were in the park several times this past week, and each visit was shockingly easy to navigate. Though the first big heatwave started last week with days in the mid to upper 80s, the real crowd killer was the high-priced tickets. Right now, tickets are at the highest-available level of pricing, up to $179 for a one-day-one-park ticket. And the lowest priced ticket for the month is $159.
We noticed on Friday that the parks were fairly quiet. On a normal midday visit, the entry streets of Disneyland and DCA would feel fairly congested, but that’s not likely to play out very often for the rest of the month… until fireworks time.
When we got into Disneyland just 15 minutes before the first showing of Magic Happens, Main Street had an abundance of available spaces to watch the parade. Though, we suspect that the full sun on a hot day wasn’t making it feel too magical if you weren’t in a shady location.
The extended queues were set up for Haunted Mansion but were not in use at any time we passed by.
Although the extended queue was set up throughout New Orleans Square, guests were largely contained in the courtyard much of the time. Pirates can still surge to 30 – 45 minute waits, but that was not the norm.
What does this week’s traffic pattern mean for the rest of summer? Well, we may have some good news for you. This whole month, tickets are on the highest end of the spectrum. The lowest-cost ticket for the average non-Californian adult guest is $159 and ranges up to $179 on weekends. Since tickets are more expensive right now, we’ll likely see fewer crowds in the park. But they begin to moderate again in mid-August when we expect crowds to flock to those $104 days.
The other factor impacting crowds is a lack of passholders. Several Magic Keys have blackouts throughout the summer. The lower level Magic Keys are blocked out entirely through August. Some of the other keys have a few unavailable days throughout the rest of the month, but are largely available for reservations. Here are the reservations calendars for July-September:
If you’re making a trip to the Disneyland Resort this month, you may find that the conditions are quite favorable— that is if you can handle the heat!
Dusty’s Big Return to Disneyland
If you’ve become accustomed to watching the MiceChat Live @ 5 video every Friday, you may have noticed that your host hasn’t been Dusty Sage for the past few weeks. But Dusty has returned from his big European MiceChat trip and is back in Disneyland for his weekly video. Here are his thoughts on Rogers: The Musical, crowd conditions, and much more. And don’t miss your opportunity to wish him a very happy birthday:
You can join us on these weekly live streams on the MiceChat Facebook.com/MiceBook or YouTube.com/MiceChat pages every Friday at 5pm. We hope to see you this week!
Red, White & Blue
For many guests, the highlight of the summer at Disneyland is undoubtedly the 4th of July. In years past, the 4th was an opportunity to celebrate patriotism and the birth of America. This year, however, feels a bit different. There’s very little red, white, and blue at either Disneyland or DCA because the year-long Disney100 celebration is still going strong. So you’ll see more purple and platinum than patriotism this year. That said, there are still some ways you can enjoy the 4th at Disneyland.
The only real decorating for the 4th of July is in the Plaza Point holiday shop. The “children of the corn” have certainly dressed for the occasion!
While the Mark Twain has patriotic bunting on the railings, it’s only on one side of the ship.
So, depending on where you are viewing the ship from, it may or may not be sporting red, white, and blue.
While the decorations are severely lacking, there are a handful of treats available around the resort at the various candy stores. These items aren’t particularly inspired, especially since it’s the same-old assortment of a caramel apple, rice crispy treat, cake pop, cupcake, and marshmallow wand that the park ALWAYS had these days (is anyone else getting bored with Disneyland’s treat selection?).
There is also a July 4th-exclusive dinner package at Plaza Inn that includes a variety of classic foods:
- Fourth of July Dining Package: Slow-roasted BBQ pork, fried chicken thigh, smoked sausage, watermelon wedge, small corn on the cob, broccoli salad, sharp cheddar mac & cheese, bread roll, specialty dessert, and specialty beverage
While advance reservations are strongly recommended, they sold out the same day they were available. We imagine that there may be some Plaza Inn walkup availability, having a backup plan for dining is a good idea.
As far as activities for the 4th, there are a few special options for celebrating the occasion. For instance, you can keep an eye out for Mickey Mouse wearing a patriotic outfit.
Additionally, there are several military bands playing throughout the day on July 3 and 4 at Disneyland and DCA.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a major celebration without an awesome display of fireworks. This particular show is a patriotic spectacular featuring a medley of classic Americana music, imagery, and incredible fireworks (weather permitting). You won’t want to miss out!
If you haven’t solidified plans for the 4th yet, all is not lost! Here’s what some of our favorite SoCal theme parks are doing for Independence Day:
Stars, Stripes, and Rides: 4th of July Celebrations at Southern California’s Theme Parks!
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Date at Disneyland
Now’s the time to grab your fedora and whip because Indiana Jones is making an appearance at Disneyland! To promote the new (and final) Indiana Jones movie, there are a few new offerings that released on the same day as the movie, June 30.
Indy has made his Disneyland debut as a walkaround character in Adventureland (though, he primarily sticks to near his attraction). He’s a very exclusive character and can be hard to find. If seeing this brand-new face character is important to you, make sure to grab a reservation soon since Indy is described as a limited-time offering.
There are also a couple of new food items at Bengal Barbecue with an Indiana Jones flair.
In the dining area next to Bengal Barbecue, the Indiana Jones pinball machine has returned. It’s really a blast from the past!
There are also new ears themed to the Indiana Jones franchise that are great for any hopeful adventurer. We’d love to see more unisex ears in the merchandise lineup!
While we’re in Adventureland, beware of student skippers! There’s a fun little sign that gets put on boats training new Jungle Cruise skippers.
Disneyland Resort Construction
There are several construction projects that have recently wrapped up, and there are still more that are ongoing. Let’s take a look and see what’s changed and what hasn’t.
San Fransokyo
We’ve been watching this project develop over the last several months and things are really taking shape. While there are still many walls up around the land, much of the scaffolding has come down in the area revealing new paint, making the old Pacific Wharf look more and more like San Fransokyo from Big Hero 6.
The most exciting update here last week was the installation of the Torii Gate Bridge connecting the walkway to the Embarcadero.
Currently, the bridge is closed to through traffic. You’ll have to enter and exit the area from along the parade route or from Cars Land.
Last week, Cast Members were invited to sign a couple of the beams that make up the towers of the bridge. These structures will get painted red and have lights strung across them very soon.
Here’s what the bridge is planned to look like in the very near future:
The majority of the walls and scaffolding around the Bakery Tour have come down, though there are still a few bits remaining.
Rita’s makeover has yet to start. When finished, it will be called Rita’s Turbine Blenders.
At some point, we’re expecting to see a Baymax-shaped loaf of bread as well.
The neon dragon sign for Lucky Fortune Cookery is still out for refurbishment.
The future Aunt Cass’ Cafe doesn’t appear to show any marked sign of change, but we suspect there are things taking place behind the scaffolding.
The Baymax meet and greet location is still behind construction walls.
Similarly, the upcoming merchandise area near the meet and greet spot is also fenced off. We’re looking forward to seeing what fun Baymax-themed items will be available.
Embarcadero Gifts
Right now, the entirety of San Francisco Street is behind construction walls and scaffolding. The building was under scrims for quite a long time just about a year ago, and it’s back under for now. Even though the shop looks closed, it’s actually open and you can still find an assortment of Disney merchandise inside.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
This project is expected to continue until at least late 2024. Splash Mountain just closed about a month ago, and the biggest change we have seen so far is the addition of more scaffolding throughout the exterior areas. It appears that the flume has been covered and transformed into a solid floor so construction crews can safely work.
Br’er Rabbit has been removed from the top of Br’er Bear’s club. It looks really sad with just two nails sticking out of the spot where he used to sit. At this point, it would be appropriate to just remove the entire carving as we can still see slightly over the wall.
You can get more details about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure below:
🐸 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure NOW OPEN at Disneyland – Guide & Tips 👑
Tiana’s Palace
The retheme of French Market to Tiana’s Palace appears to be moving at a much quicker pace than other projects. Almost all of the scaffolding has been removed with the exception of the wheelhouse and smoke stacks that are still being installed.
We can see that the Mint Julep Bar is staying right where it was, but it now has a beautiful new paint job. I know folks are anxious to see this spot open back up. For now, you can get your Mint Julep fix next to Pirates, at the Royal Street Veranda. You will also find the Mickey-Shaped Beignets there as well.
Adventureland Treehouse
The Adventureland Treehouse continues to see progress. We aren’t able to see much, but more scaffolding and scrims have gone up.
A couple of weeks ago, we noticed themed light poles installed in front of the treehouse. Those light poles now have lights installed on them. The wicker lights appear to be Adventureland themed and the metal lantern-looking lights look more like something that you’d see in New Orleans Square.
Toontown Recovery
Over the last several weeks, repairs have been happening to the grass areas in Disney’s newly revived ToonTown to reduce tripping hazards. The work required walls to go up. During the last round of repairs, the walls were erected around the park in front of Mickey and Minnie’s house, causing a major pinch point for guests in the land.
Now that the walls are down, things feel much more comfortable here.
If anything, instead of the trees being sunken, some now appear to be a bit too high. Note how this one mounds up:
The popcorn cart in Toontown has also returned. It spent a couple of weeks behind walls and doesn’t look much different. We’re very curious about what this refurb entailed.
Fantasyland Refurbishments
Scaffolding has been removed from the Peter Pan portion of the show building in Fantasyland. This fan-favorite attraction is also back in operation.
Toad Hall remains under scrims while work continues. Despite its appearance, the attraction is currently open. Though, according to the Refurbishment schedule, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is scheduled to close again for another refurbishment July 24th – August 10th.
Alice in Wonderland is scheduled to be back under refurbishment starting July 5th and return on July 20th.
Downtown Disney
In Downtown Disney, there are a couple of projects that we’re keeping an eye on. We’re seeing new updates to the future location of the Paseo and Centrico restaurant and bar (the former Catal and Uva Bar).
The entire interior has been gutted.
While work continues on the new restaurant, oddly enough, the signs for Catal are still up.
The Alley (an expansion of Splitsville into the courtyard between the patio and Tortilla Jo’s) looks like it’s nearly complete. This area promises additional seating, lawn games, and service from Splitsville. Why they’re expanding Downtown Disney’s least popular restaurant? We’ll never know.
Refurbishment Calendar
See below for the full refurbishment schedule around the Disneyland Resort.
Currently Under Refurbishment:
-
- Tarzan’s Treehouse Transformation: (September 1st, 2021-2023)
- French Market – Remodel to Tiana’s Palace: (February 17th-TBA)
- Mint Julep Bar: (February 17th-TBA)
- Pacific Wharf Distribution Co.: (May 30th-TBA)
- Splash Mountain – Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: (May 31st, 2023-Late 2024)
Upcoming Refurbishments
-
- Alice in Wonderland: (July 5th-20th)
- Soarin’ Around the World: (July 5th-14th)
- Disneyland Monorail: (July 5th-TBA)
- Toy Story Midway Mania!: (July 17th-TBA)
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride: (July 24-August 10th)
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – Prep for Villains Grove: (July 31st-September 2023)
- Haunted Mansion Holiday installation: TBA
It may be hard to comprehend, but Halloween is just around the corner, starting September 1. Be prepared for the Haunted Mansion to close sometime in mid-August to allow for the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay to be installed. This process usually takes about 2 weeks.
This & That
Here are a few other small news stories from around the resort.
Additional Seating in Avengers Campus
With Rogers: The Musical now open at the Hyperion Theater, the Avengers Campus overflow dining area has been disbanded as it is returned to its intended purpose, queueing area. However, this means that the land is (and always has been) in desperate need of additional seating. To fill in the gap, more tables have been hastily added around the land. Here is a grouping near the Ancient Sanctum.
We hope that there are plans to bring more tables, shade structures, and seating areas into the land as we head into the hottest part of the year.
Guido Talks!
Members of the MiceChat team noticed that the relatively new Guido figure in front of Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters has received a little update. The adorable little forklift now has just a smidge of motion in his eyes and will say a phrase sporadically. We wish his sayings were a bit longer, but it’s something fun to watch out for.
New Tiana Outfit
This weekend, Disney participated in Essence Festival, one of the largest celebrations of Black music and culture in New Orleans. While there, Disney shared a preview of a new outfit for Tiana. This new look is quintessential 1920s with a cap, practical jacket, and a lot of style. But will guests know who she is when she’s walking around in the parks?
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuII3rlJnkl/
Disney didn’t share when this version of Tiana will be heading to the park, but we imagine it will coincide with the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. To be in the know about everything about the upcoming attraction, be sure to read our comprehensive guide below:
🐸 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure NOW OPEN at Disneyland – Guide & Tips 👑
Dusty Sage’s Birthday!
Happy birthday dear Dusty, happy birthday to you! Our very own Mr. MiceChat, Dusty Sage celebrated his birthday on July 1. Thank you to everyone who left him a nice birthday message over the last few days!
Although we only got to celebrate him just a little bit during this week’s live stream, we’re always so appreciative of the man behind this site. If you’re looking for a way to say thank you to our fearless leader, consider supporting his CHOC Walk campaign. Whether that means making a donation, joining the MiceChat CHOC Walk team, or just cheering us on, your support is appreciated. You can get the full details about this year’s CHOC Walk event HERE.
Mickey Maxx MiceChat Meet Up: A Tribute to Luis DeLucy
Join us as we go retro on Sunday, July 9, at noon for a Disneyland meetup in honor of everyone’s favorite MiceChat moderator Lu DeLucy (AKA Mickey Maxx). We’ll gather at the hub (next to the Walt and Mickey statue) to reminisce, share stories, and celebrate Lu’s vibrant spirit.
After a little chit-chat, we’ll head to lunch and enjoy some of his favorite attractions.
Whether you had the pleasure of knowing Lu personally or not, we are sure he would have been delighted to meet you and would have felt deeply honored knowing that the MiceChatters were reuniting in his memory.
GRAB YOUR DISNEYLAND RESERVATION FOR JULY 9TH NOW!
Photo Finish
Let’s wrap up today’s Disneyland Update with just a few photos from around the parks.
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(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)
Your Turn!
There was a lot for us to cover and we’ve said our piece. Now it’s your turn. Even though it’s still Disney100, should the parks have carved out at least one area to feel like the 4th of July with plenty of Red, White, and Blue? Have you seen Rogers the Musical? What did you think? Within the next few weeks, San Fransokyo should be complete, do you like how it looks so far? And what about the disastrous ticket launch for Oogie Boogie Bash? How and why does Disney keep messing up their ticket sales? Let’s hear from you on the things that resonated with you most.
