Today brings a surprising bit of drama at Disneyland, starting with a burst pipe in a popular restaurant. But that’s not the only challenge the park faces. As we approach what we predict to be some exceptionally busy days later this month, we’ll delve into the reasons behind the expected surge. Meanwhile, the transition from summer to Halloween is underway, yet Christmas refuses to be ignored. Stay tuned for all the latest news and captivating construction photos.
A Crowd Storm Is Brewing For Disneyland
Have you been avoiding Disneyland’s expensive summer ticket prices in the hopes of more pocket-friendly dates in the future? Well, get ready to unpack those mouse ears, folks! Disneyland’s cheapest tickets make a grand reappearance towards the end of this month. From August 21st, you’ve got 23 delightful days to snag Disneyland’s $104/day rates. But here’s the zinger: those days will likely be jam-packed!
But if you want to visit on the weekends, there are 10 days with a price tag hovering around the $169 & $179 mark. Now, while those digits might seem steep (and they are), weekends have been a relative breeze crowd-wise this summer. If the huge gap in weekday and weekend prices is any indicator, the trend of busy weekdays and enjoyable weekends is here to stay through at least the end of summer.
Now, while you might think ticket prices are the puppet masters behind crowd sizes, let’s not forget our old friends, the Magic Key holders. This summer, the Imagine and Enchant Keys (Disneyland’s most economically priced passes) have been mostly absent with a slew of block-out dates. But those passes begin to unblock on weekdays mid-month. Talk about serendipity, just as those $104 days roll in.
Now, we’ve all heard the age-old wisdom that mid-week visits mean fewer crowds. But folks, little about Disneyland is as you remember it. Nowadays, your best bet for predicting crowd sizes is to check out the Magic Key availability calendar coupled with single-day ticket prices. If you spot a bargain and the passes aren’t blocked out, you might want to circle that day with a “maybe another time.”
To break it down: Low Priced Tickets + Green Light on Magic Keys = A Whole Lotta Mouseketeers!
With that said, let’s take a little visual tour of Disneyland during this sizzling, sweat-inducing midsummer week. We did note that evenings were more crowded than mid-day, in part because of the heat, but also because guests flock to the parks in time for nighttime spectaculars…
This is what Thursday looked like:
While both parks had their busy times and places, it wasn’t as bad as the pictures make it look. Wait times were long, but not as bad as in previous summers.
And this was Friday… what a difference a day makes:
But, regardless of the day, Disneyland’s hub fills up for fireworks. On Friday, the entire hub was completely full an hour and a half before Wondrous Journeys.
A Dusty Disneyland Walkthrough
This week, we took a look at the current park crowd conditions, the new fish turbine in San Fransokyo, the collision of holidays at Disneyland, and we answered a bunch of questions from readers like you. Check out our most recent video below:
We’ve got something very special lined up for the Live @ 5 this week, August 9. You’ll have to tune in to see for yourself. Follow our Facebook or YouTube pages this Friday at 5pm (Pacific)!
And for those that didn’t tune in last week, this might be the last video Nathan will be in for a while. He’s headed off to do a master’s degree in opera, but I’m sure you’ll still see him every now and then on MiceChat, and in the comments on the videos. Be sure to join us in sending him some good luck!
Holidays Collide
It’s a full-on holiday explosion at Disneyland right now. Although summer never really got its red, white & blue makeover, it appears it’s full steam ahead for Halloween decor. But not to be left out, the first Christmas details have also been announced. Here’s the intersection of summer, Halloween, and Christmas at Disneyland.
A Christmas Fantasy Awaits
We’re still coming to terms with it, but we’ve entered the last part of summer. And as the heat will hopefully dissipate as we head into fall, Disneyland has already given us a glimpse of Christmastime.
This year, the Christmas season at the Disneyland Resort will take place from November 10 through January 7, 2024. The seasonal offerings are largely the same tried and true selections that Disney has offered for many years. This includes snow on Sleeping Beauty Castle, Haunted Mansion Holiday, the never-ending A Christmas Fantasy Parade (28 years and counting!), the Festival of Holidays, and ¡Viva Navidad! among other selections.
This year, the only new offerings announced are new outfits for Mickey and Minnie (even though the whole gang got new duds last year), a new seasonal menu at Paradise Garden Grill (which always gets a new menu with each season change), and entertainment in the Hollywood Backlot.
I love Disneyland at Christmas; it’s so charming and nostalgic. However, it’s also starting to feel a bit stale. The only real thing that changes from year to year are the specialty food offerings— and even that is prone to holding on to repeats season after season (Festival of Holidays, we’re looking at you).
While there’s still time for Disney to whip up a holiday surprise, we’re not getting our hopes up. If people flock to the park even while offering the same routine for years, there’s little incentive for Disney to make expensive changes.
What we’d most like to see is a reworking of A Christmas Fantasy Parade, and a new nighttime show to replace— or at least modernize— Believe… In Holiday Magic fireworks. Would you like to see refreshed offerings for Christmas at Disneyland?
Merry and Bright, with Plenty of Delight: Your Guide to Disneyland’s 2023 Winter Season
Halloween Sets Up Shop
Every night is one night closer to Halloween. And while we still have the rest of August to enjoy the remaining traces of summer, the spooky season is materializing around every corner of the Disneyland Resort.
The biggest Halloween news this week was the sudden release of spooky merchandise.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvar_cfxyz5/
This year’s collection features a more pop-art graphic with a much edgier tone. Who knew that teal could be a sinister color?!
This merchandise is a stark departure from last year’s cutesy vintage look. Personally, I prefer this year’s look. What art style are you more drawn toward?
And of course, Starbucks is hopping on this year’s Halloween color scheme with a cup of its own.
In case you can’t make it into the parks, you can find most of the Halloween items at World of Disney.
For a full look at this year’s Halloween merchandise both in the park and on shopDisney, take a look at our ultimate guide below:
Along with the Halloween merchandise, we’re seeing the first signs of holiday decorations. The Disney Showcase on Main Street has gotten its full Halloween makeover, complete with orange tinsel and spooky signage.
It’s only a matter of time until the other shops get their holiday overlays. That said, just about every merchandise location in the resort now offers Halloween merch of some kind.
The holiday overlay install for Haunted Mansion will start on August 14 and last through the end of the month. If you want to take a trip on the classic version of mansion, you’re coming up on the last few days!
The Summer Disneyland Forgot
If this summer at Disneyland felt different for you, that’s because the parks gave up on the usual red, white & blue in favor of the purple and platinum bunting for the Disney100 celebration.
The only bit of a “traditional” Disneyland summer could be found in the Plaza Point Holiday Shoppe. Our favorite little soul-eaters (that we lovingly call “The Children of the Corn”) were dressed in their patriotic best. As of this week, they were still decked out in summer attire, even though the store has become a mishmash of patriotic, Halloween, and Christmas.
Did you know that you can get many of the holiday decorations personalized at Plaza Point by in-house artists?
While we’re still enjoying the last few weeks of summer, we’d be lying if we said that we’re not looking forward to the cooler and more festive months ahead. What are you most excited for now that summer is coming to an end?
Magic Happens Will Keep Happening
Calling all dreamers! If you’re a fan of the Magic Happens Parade, then there’s good news for you as we head into the Halloween season. Magic Happens will continue with twice-daily performances even after Halloween kicks off.
According to Disneyland’s entertainment calendar, the parade will continue with its 3:30 and 6:30pm showtimes.
Since Halloween ends on October 31 and the winter holidays start on November 10, it’s possible there might be a brief period with no parades between the bookends of Halloween and Christmas. We’ll have to wait a bit longer to see how the transition takes place.
Disneyland Resort Construction
We’ve got a doozy of a construction update today. And it all starts with a mess…
Pipe Problems
Disneyland has had a string of bad luck with pipes this summer.
Last month a pipe burst under Adventureland, resulting in the bathrooms in this busy part of the park being closed to guests. The construction walls have continued to grow as the issue is resolved. The zone has now absorbed the women’s restrooms and closed entry to/from Frontierland.
Incoming and outgoing traffic has to share this little walkway.
Unfortunately, this is causing a major bottleneck. Made worse by Disney trying to keep the Dole Whip window in front of the Tiki Room open as guests try to squeeze by!
Construction crews had to demolish the waterfall in front of the restrooms and rip out a lot of concrete to dig down to the problem.
Even the pathway between Pioneer Mercantile and Adventureland has been closed.
It would make a lot of sense for Disneyland to close the pathway side of the Tiki Juice Bar and possibly make the entry into Adventureland one-way traffic for now. We hope this one wraps up quickly because it’s a real traffic mess.
But that’s not the only pipe problem!
In the middle of a busy dining room, a pipe burst under Storytellers at the Grand Californian Hotel last week. The restaurant was cleared, and some reservations were canceled. Crews were called in to dig a huge hole in the middle of one side of the dining room. Yikes!
Tables and chairs were quickly piled up to allow crews to dig down to the problem pipe.
The restaurant has partially reopened with only half of the dining room open.
In better news…
San Fransoyko
Big progress is being made in San Fransokyo in Disney California Adventure. The old Pacific Wharf is rapidly getting a Big Hero 6 overlay. Just about all of the eateries have received their new menus. There’s just one left to transform.
The land is slated to wrap up by the end of this month, but there’s still a few big projects left to complete. The San Fransokyo Gate Bridge being the biggest.
Fish turbines are being installed now. Look how cool this fellow looks!
The new shop and the Baymax meet and greet are both under construction. But the Baymax area is mostly complete and ready to remove the walls.
The silo above the Bread Tour is currently wrapped for a new paint job.
Some new artwork has been popping up nightly. We love this robotic dragon on the side of Lucky Fortune Cookery.
The Pacific Wharf sign at the entry of the land near Ghirardelli is currently under transformation. It previously had blue fish on it.
This was the sign before:
And the last of the restaurants to complete the transformation is Aunt Cass Cafe (the former Pacific Wharf Cafe Bakery).
For more about San Fransokyo, be sure to visit our guide:
Adventureland Treehouse
Unfortunately, we can’t really see the progress being made on the Treehouse, but it’s significant. All of Disneyland was built in just one year in 1955, but the redo of this treehouse has been lingering on forever. Thankfully it is nearing its completion. The last major component is being installed now. When finished, the treehouse will have a working waterwheel and pipe system.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
The former Splash Mountain is being whittled away as Imagineers prepare the attraction for a whole new story.
Familiar visual elements, like the old treestump at the top of the mountain, have been removed.
But don’t expect a speedy completion. We aren’t likely to see the new ride until late next year.
If you want a final Splash Mountain souvenir, the penny press machine is still available at Pooh Corner.
Tiana’s Palace
The revised French Market space is nearly ready. The smokestacks are on top of the building. The New Tiana’s Palace sign has been installed. New shade structures and lights have been strung over the patio. Even the tables and chairs have arrived.
And, yes, the Mint Julep bar is remaining!
Toontown
We headed back to Mickey’s ToonTown to see if Donald’s Boat has opened yet… it hasn’t!
The water play side of Donald’s boat is STILL behind construction walls.
Across the way, another construction wall has popped up next to Minnie’s House. The wishing well is behind the construction wall as well.
Red Rose Taverne
The roofing and repainting of the Red Rose Taverne complex is complete. It looks wonderful.
Amazing faux painting and whimsical details.
The attached bathroom facade was also redone. The roofing is stunning.
Mr. Toad remains closed for refurbishment.
Royal Hall
In front of the castle, the Princess Fantasy Faire and Royal Hall are getting a little work done. Scaffolds are up, but the meet-and-greet, shop, and theater remain open.
Downtown Disney
The scope of construction in Downtown Disney right now is massive. There are so many walls that it’s a good idea to avoid the whole area in the busy evening hours.
The Monorail is closed and the DTD Station is wrapped.
The walls in front of the old ESPN Zone are just for pavement work.
What’s new at Splitsville? Not much. They built an area out front that they call “The Alley.” But it’s just some tables on fake grass. The menu and drinks are just a scaled-down version of the full restaurant.
We’ve taken some menu photos to give you an idea of the offerings:
$18 for chicken tenders? I’ll pass.
And, the middle of Downtown Disney is a major project, the redo of Catal and Uva Bar into Paseo and Centrico. That’s a major rebuild. Uva Bar has been scraped clean off the map and Catal was gutted.
The previous entry into Catal, along with the old Sprinkles location, have been completely cleared out.
And there’s nothing left of the Uva Bar!
If you continue on from Downtown Disney, all three Disneyland hotels have some construction going on.
Disneyland Hotel
The new Villas at the Disneyland Hotel are just about complete. This building has grown on me. Unfortunately, it makes the three older towers look horrible in comparison.
The old Steakhouse 55 restaurant is not coming back… but the lounge in front of it is being redecorated for reopening around the time the Villas open.
Nearly everything has been removed. This space will be needed. The Disneyland hotel complex will be growing significantly, with minimal new offerings for all those guests.
Outside, there’s work in the parking lot to accommodate more spaces. Planters are being removed… and yes, some trees have lost their lives…
In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween season, I title the image below “They moved the headstones, but they didn’t move the bodies.”
Pixar Place Hotel
This hotel is still a hot mess to stay in with loads of construction, lots of noise, and a complete lack of food service. However, a little bit of normal returned last week when the pool complex reopened with a new Pixar theme.
Grand Californian Entryway
Even the Grand has a bit of work going on. As you drive into hotel parking, the trellises are behind tarps as they are refurbished. The massive vines have either been removed or significantly cut back.
That’s a whole lot of construction, folks!
Disneyland Refurbishment Calendars
Currently Under Refurbishment
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- Tarzan’s Treehouse Transformation: (September 1st, 2021-2023)
- French Market – Remodel to Tiana’s Palace: (February 17th-TBA)
- Mint Julep Bar: (February 17th-TBA)
- Splash Mountain – Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: (May 31st, 2023-Late 2024)
- Disneyland Monorail: (July 5th-August 31st)
- Toy Story Midway Mania!: (July 17th-August 17th)
- Midway Mercantile: (July 17th-August 10th)
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride: (July 24-August 10th)
- Schmoozies!: (July 30th-August 31st)
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – Prep for Villains Grove: (July 31st-August 11th)
Upcoming Refurbishments:
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- Haunted Mansion – Holiday Install: (August 14th-31st)
- Radiator Springs Racers: (August 18th-26th)
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant: (August 21st)
- Sorcerer’s Workshop: (August 28st-September 6th)
- Golden Zephyr: (August 28th-TBA)
- Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island: (September 6th & 7th)
Upcoming MiceChat Events: CHOC Walk and MC Meetup
We’ve got two great upcoming events for you:
CHOC Walk
We’ve assembled our team for this year’s CHOC Walk at Disneyland (though, there’s still time for more of you to join us!), and we’re nearly ready to set out on this year’s event on August 20. This fundraiser supports the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and is a fantastic way to not only give to a great cause but also see Disneyland at sunrise with your fellow MiceChatters!
What is the CHOC Walk? Early on the morning of August 20, thousands of kind-hearted individuals walk through Disneyland and DCA to raise money in support of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. It’s a unique experience and a great way to give back to the community. There’s still time to join us, but the window of opportunity is closing soon! Whether you can be there or not, we appreciate your support:
You can get the full details about joining or donating to MiceChat’s CHOC Walk team HERE.
MC Meetup:
And if you’re interested in our next MiceChat Meet-Up, it will take place on September 24 at noon. We meet at the Partners statue in Disneyland’s central hub! Join us for some chit-chat, lunch, and then a couple of rides. It’s a great way to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Make your park reservations now!
https://www.facebook.com/MiceBook/videos/819538593216543
This & That
Let’s round out today’s Disneyland Update with a handful of stories around the Disneyland Resort that we think you should be aware of.
Hatbox Ghost Collectibles
If you’re a fan of the Haunted Mansion, you’ll want to pay attention to this bit! This week, Disney announced that a new version of the super-popular Hatbox Ghost tiki mug will be headed to Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar on August 9.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvfZbQBAzC0/
This mug is the 3rd edition of the popular Hatbox Ghost tiki mug that first materialized at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 2018. The mug is described as a “ghostly teal color [with] black glaze” and comes with a specialty cocktail, Cloaked Specter, or a non-alcoholic mocktail. Guests must be 21+ to purchase. Additionally, parking fees at the Disneyland Hotel will apply; parking is validated for 3 hours as a dine-in guest at Trader Sam’s.
It’s unclear if Trader Sam’s will utilize a mobile order and/or mobile waitlist for this release. If you’re wanting to add Hattie to your collection, you’d best plan on getting to Trader Sam’s early. No price has been announced yet, but it will likely be in the $75-80 range. In 2019, guests had the option of just purchasing the mug for $35 (though, there was an option to purchase a Hatbox Ghost-themed drink along with the mug at a higher cost)… Disney has raised prices dramatically on everything since then.
As for other Hatbox Ghost items, there’s a sipper ($32) that debuted last week that is regularly selling out. The Hatbox Ghost sipper is available in New Orleans Square. While we haven’t seen too many people overtly flaunting their ghostly purchase, we’ve heard that the vendors have limited quantities to sell.
For more about the current specialty sippers and popcorn buckets around the Disneyland Resort, take a look at the article below:
Disneyland’s Ghoulishly Delightful New Sipper & Collectible Popcorn Buckets!
Good Riddance! Mobile Order Gone at Rancho del Zocalo
We have a love/hate relationship with mobile order at Disneyland. On one hand, the ability to schedule the pickup of food remotely is a great perk on a busy day in the parks. However, there are also quite a lot of downsides. Mobile order has significantly slowed down traditional standby methods of ordering at establishments. This week, we stopped by Rancho del Zocalo for a meal, and noticed that mobile order has been completely removed from the restaurant!
When mobile order was in place, one whole kitchen area was devoted solely to mobile orders while the other kitchen dealt with the standby. This meant that the standby could take a long time to move through the queue.
Zocalo has gone from a confusing mess with a long line in its mobile order days, to a breeze over the weekend. We’d like to thank the restaurant gods for restoring some sanity to Disneyland dining. Some places just don’t need mobile order!
Where else would you like to see mobile order’s prominence diminished?
Dining Reservation Update
As of this past week, figuring out available reservations for table-service restaurants at Disneyland has gotten significantly easier. The updated system for the Disneyland website and Disneyland app now shows potential bookers all available reservation slots instead of the tedious process of blindly trying your hand at finding an open spot. Here’s a comparison of the old reservation system versus the new one:
Disneyland web-based dining booking (old on the left & new on the right):
Disneyland app-based dining reservations (Old on the left & new on the right):
This change is a much-needed improvement to the dining reservation system. In addition to the update to show all available reservations, there was also a recent change that allows guests to cancel dining reservations 2 hours ahead of time instead of the previous 24-hour cancellation requirement. The current 60-day booking window for dining reservations is staying in place.
For more details about the dining reservation changes, take a look at the article below:
Disney Dining Update: Reserving Your Seat at Disneyland & Disney World
DCA’s Best Kept Secret: Watching World of Color at Lamplight Lounge
Where’s the best place to watch World of Color? You may get answers with comments like standing on the east side of Paradise Bay, getting right against the railing (if you don’t mind getting wet), or guaranteeing yourself a good view by booking a dessert party. However, we’re spilling a major secret here… It’s from the patio of Lamplight Lounge!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvk8cuKtsMs/
Our contributor Rebekah Kellaway shares the details on how to score one of these prized spots in the article below:
Paul Reubens Tribute
This was a difficult week for many of us kids at heart. Paul Reubens, the voice behind Captain R-3X (on Star Tours) and DJ R-3X (at Oga’s Cantina) passed away. Shelly, The Disney Babe, wrote a thoughtful remembrance of the man behind so much creativity. You can read her to Paul Reubens tribute below:
Farewell to a Forever Child: Remembering the Irreplaceable Paul Reubens
MiceShots
The hard work is done. The news and construction updates take us DAYS to prepare for you. But the thing we look forward to most are sharing images of our days in the park when we are just enjoying the experience. We hope you will too…
We’ve spotted quite a few babies in the park lately… but these fellows don’t need strollers.
If you’re looking for more Disneyland photography, be sure to check out our weekly MiceShots column. This week was all about Storybook Land Canal Boats!
Disney Parks Ticket & Travel Offers!
You can snag the latest Disney travel deals from our partners at Get Away Today – INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA TICKET OFFER:
The new California ticket offer is even cheaper if you get it from MiceChat and Get Away Today than those offered by Disneyland directly. The new 3-day ticket comes with options to add park-hopping, Genie+ and options for week-day only or weekends included.
Not a California resident? We have great deals for you too!
Check out the latest offers for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Knott’s Berry Farm, including new low hotel rates, extra days and nights for free, special perks, and a “4-Park Magic Ticket” to Walt Disney World:
- Disneyland California Resident Ticket Offer – HERE
- Book Discount theme park tickets, hotels, and exclusive packages – HERE
(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
As is the case with every Disneyland Update, that was a lot of info to go over! We hope that you found today’s article informative and helpful as we begin to head into what we expect to be one of the busiest times of the year. What do you think about the inverse traffic patterns that have made weekdays busy and weekends relaxed? Has Disneyland finally reached the high end of what guests will pay (especially on those $169 to $179 days)? Are you ready for cooler weather and the back-to-back holidays? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
