And just like that 🫰 it’s Halloween! After a week of uncomfortably high heat, Disneyland launched Halloween Time on Friday… and the magic of the season materialized with spooky clouds and even a brief downpour. We’ll show you how this Halloween season is almost exactly the same as last year. But that’s not all that’s going on at the Disneyland Resort this week. San Fransokyo Square officially opened with a new menu at Aunt Cass Cafe, a new shop, and a heartwarming Baymax meet and greet. Unfortunately, there are a few construction shortcut seasoned fans might raise an eyebrow at. And, looking ahead, Tiana’s Palace Restaurant opens at Disneyland later this week, and Haunted Mansion is planning for a big expansion! Let’s take a look at all the new things, PLUS construction, refurbishments, and some smaller news items you’ll want to see.
Ready to dive into the magic, the mishaps, and all the pumpkin-shaped updates? Let’s go…
Disneyland Walkthrough with Jeffrey “The Disney Geek”
We’re starting today’s Disneyland Update right off the bat with our weekly walkthrough of Disneyland. This week, we were joined by a very special guest, Jeffrey “The Disney Geek”! Jeffrey has worn many hats over the years as a Disney executive and a lover of all-things Disney. Tune in as Dusty and Jeffrey explore the parks to discover all the new Halloween details and discuss the latest construction… just as Mother Nature unleashes an unexpected shower on the two…
We share a live stream walkthrough of the parks every Friday at 5pm (Pacific). This is your opportunity to ask burning questions to Dusty and see the latest updates from the parks. And every now and then, we have special guests like Jeffrey join us live! Tune in on the MiceChat Facebook or YouTube pages this Friday at 5pm!
Halloween Screams Into The Parks
My favorite time of year has arrived… time for ghosts and ghouls of every age to dress in their not-so-scary best and enjoy the season’s delights. With 4 ride overlays, a variety of new food and beverage, and lots of Halloween entertainment and decor, the parks feel completely different from last month.
There was so much to see on Friday that it was hard to take it all in. But I have my sentimental favorites I always look forward to. Near the top of that list is the Halloween Tree in Frontierland, a tribute to Walt Disney’s friend Ray Bradbury.
There’s a lot of decor that’s easy to miss. Large Dia De Los Muertos figures are tucked away in Frontierland’s Zocalo Park (near the entry to Big Thunder).
And take some time to explore the windows of Main Street. There are some really detailed and clever displays.
If you happen upon the Dapper Dans, take a moment to listen to a set or two of their whimsical Halloween songs.
Haul-O-Ween
The award for “Best Dressed” goes to Cars Land. It’s the most extensive and detailed holiday-themed area in the resort.
The entire land is decorated as a car would celebrate the holiday. Some absolutely brilliant decorations.
The movie posters across from Sarge’s are spectacular parodies.
The ofrenda to Doc Hudson is touching. A tribute to a beloved character played by the departed Paul Newman.
We had some dramatic weather and clouds on Friday evening. They made for the perfect backdrop to our Halloween Time photo shoot.
Halloween Ride Overlays
A simple and effective overlay happens at the Guardians of the Galaxy drop ride every afternoon. The ride opens in regular “Mission Breakout” mode and then transforms into “Monsters After Dark” later in the day. It’s a fun and slightly scarier version of the attraction.
The changes are subtle; the lighting is darker and more sinister, and the projections and music are changed up.
The Cars Land flat rides get some Halloween flair and music for the season.
But my favorite ride overlay requires its own section…
Haunted Mansion Holiday
Disney doesn’t seem to be doing much for the 30th anniversary of Nightmare Before Christmas… but we can all ride the attraction inspired by it!
And many guests flocked to the attraction over the weekend. The Lightning Lane frequently backed up to the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure construction.
Haunted Mansion Holiday is the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit. There’s a new gingerbread house and a few other small surprises included in this year’s overlay… including an amazing tribute to the late Disney Legend Rolly Crump… Let’s take a look!
Catching a ride on the Mansion wasn’t easy on Friday, the highly anticipated overlay had multiple lengthy shutdowns, causing the standby and Lightning Lanes to reach long waits.
There were a few small details that seem to have gone missing this year (or perhaps just haven’t been installed yet), like the lighted cobwebs in front of the staring busts.
But the attraction as a whole looks great.
A man-eating plant makes a wonderful wreath… that is if you don’t get caught in its teeth.
The new gingerbread house is a merry mausoleum this year.
If you look closely, you’ll see some ghouls flying around the top.
But the most exciting and touching change this year is the appearance of a tiny Candle-Man. The figure is an obvious tribute to Legendary Imagineer Rolly Crump, who passed away earlier this year.
Look to the left of your doombuggy as you pass the snake’s tail to see this homage to Rolly’s proposed Museum of the Weird.
I sure do hope they can add more of these whimsical Museum of the Weird characters to the Mansion in the future. (More on that in a minute)
I was in one of the first doombuggies out of the station when the ride opened, and the first to spot the Candle-Man. Take a ride with me…
Halloween Screams
The Holiday Screams Fireworks Spectacular also launched on Friday the 1st. This is such a fun show with lots of great special effects and beloved villains.
While it’s the same show, there was one noticeable difference from last year… no flame-throwers! Since the Fantasmic accident, there haven’t been flame throwers in Disney shows. But please don’t let that dissuade you from seeing this holiday favorite. It’s still a great show with wonderful fireworks and fun projections. And they do try to replace the fire with smoke effects, which add a creepy charm of their own.
While we observed the show from the hub this time, there are other great spots to watch from. The Rivers of America and It’s a Small World are a couple of great viewing areas.
Here’s my live video from opening night (forgive the moment when my camera stabilizer gives out). Great view of a spectacular show…
Oogie Boogie Bash Kicks Off
We’re just a day away from the first Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween party of the year. The annual event kicks off on the 5th. If you don’t already have tickets, it’s too late now. The event sold out nearly instantly (even after massive ticketing drama).
Halloween Headquarters: Disney Parks Halloween Events, Menus, Tickets & More
But even if you don’t have tickets to the Halloween Party, you should check which days it is being held as it makes a big impact on the resort as guests are funneled out of California Adventure by 6pm. But guests of the party can start mixing in with regular guests as early as 3pm… which makes for a VERY crowded experience. Once DCA starts getting overcrowded, many guests hop over to Disneyland, causing that park to become overcrowded. So, keep these dates in mind if your visits are flexible and you don’t have to be at the resort on one of these days (mostly Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays through the end of October):
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- Tuesday, September 5, 2023
- Thursday, September 7, 2023
- Sunday, September 10, 2023
- Tuesday, September 12, 2023
- Thursday, September 14, 2023
- Sunday, September 17, 2023
- Tuesday, September 19, 2023
- Thursday, September 21, 2023
- Sunday, September 24, 2023
- Tuesday, September 26, 2023
- Thursday, September 28, 2023
- Sunday, October 1, 2023
- Tuesday, October 3, 2023
- Thursday, October 5, 2023
- Sunday, October 8, 2023
- Tuesday, October 10, 2023
- Thursday, October 12, 2023
- Sunday, October 15, 2023
- Tuesday, October 17, 2023
- Thursday, October 19, 2023
- Sunday, October 22, 2023
- Tuesday, October 24, 2023
- Thursday, October 26, 2023
- Sunday, October 29, 2023
- Tuesday, October 31, 2023
But, overall, Halloween at the Disneyland Resort is nearly identical to last year’s offerings… and that’s a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I love so many of the offerings that come back year after year. And it’s wonderful that we have actual things for guests to see and experience that don’t require an after-hours party ticket. That’s refreshing from Disney these days. But, aside from some new food and merchandise every year, Halloween has become a bit stagnant. The prices for everything keep going up, but there’s not a lot of innovation happening
Haunted Mansion Expansion
While Jack is busy wrecking the halls of the Haunted Mansion, there are some exciting developments ahead for the fan-favorite attraction next year. Once Haunted Mansion Holiday closes in January 2024, Disneyland will begin working on some major expansions and changes for the attraction.
There are three major components to the Haunted Mansion project: 1) A themed queue expansion, 2) A new shop at the exit of the attraction, and 3) Accessibility enhancements, including a new elevator for disabled guests.
The queue expansion will rework the existing queue and adjacent areas into a set of gardens inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota, and the mansion’s one-eyed cat.
Because the existing queue for Haunted Mansion frequently overflows into the nearby Magnolia Gardens area, that space is being worked into part of the upcoming queue for the attraction.
While beautiful, the garden and pathways around it frequently fill with guests waiting for the Mansion.
As a result, the garden and former Mansion Fast Pass distribution area will be redeveloped.
The Magnolia Gardens area will also accommodate more seating for Tiana’s Palace. Newly planted and historic trees will help shade the area.
Another component of the Haunted Mansion expansion is a brand new Madame Leota-themed shop.
We’re curious to see what kinds of spooky things can be found inside the new shop. Walt Disney World added a shop to the exit of their Mansion in 2014, Memento Mori. The Haunted Mansion-themed store has offered all sorts of interesting merchandise over the years, including a portrait gallery that turns guests into ghouls. We’ll have to wait a bit longer to hear about Disneyland’s plans.
The additions are expected to be completed sometime in 2024. At this time, we don’t know if the Mansion will need to close during any of this construction.
But we do have two things we’d like to see happen. First, it would be amazing if more elements of Rolly Crump’s Museum of the Weird could make their way into the new queue area for Haunted Mansion… even if just as garden adornments.
Also, once the Mansion merchandise is moved to the new store, Port Royal in New Orleans Square will be freed up. We’d love to see Disneyland take over the space of Port Royal and the Royal Street Veranda to create a themed queue for Pirates of the Caribbean so the queue doesn’t overflow into the center of the land when the park is busy. Disneyland has long needed a solution to the Pirates and Mansion queuing issues, and this would certainly be a great opportunity to fix both.
For more details about the new additions to the Haunted Mansion, take a look at the article below:
UPDATED! Haunted Mansion Reopens With Surprises & Virtual Queue
MagicBand+ Bonanza for Magic Key Holders
While the MagicBand might be a staple at Walt Disney World, it has struggled to gain traction at Disneyland. Sure, it offers some convenience for those using Genie+, but its limited overall functionality is apparent. In its current form, guests can’t use it to make purchases or even unlock their Disneyland hotel rooms. With the band’s current restrictions, persuading guests to invest in an additional device—especially when they’re already tethered to their cell phones for most services—seems like a tall order.
So, if guests aren’t snapping up Magic Bands as hoped, perhaps Disney can give them away. Magic Key Holders were able to get a FREE Magic Key MagicBand with ANY purchase at participating locations over the weekend. And that seemed to be the magic price.
The limited-time promotion will only last as long as supply is available. But perhaps you’ll get lucky by visiting one of these participating locations:
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- Disneyland Park
- TomorrowLanding
- Emporium
- Westward Ho Trading Company
- DCA
- Elias & Co.
- Trolley Treats
- Radiator Springs Curios
- Seaside Souvenirs
- Downtown Disney
- Disney’s Pin Traders
- World of Disney
- Grand Californian Hotel
- Acorns Gifts & Goods
- Disneyland Hotel
- Fantasia Shop
- Paradise Pier Hotel
- Hotel Gift Shop
- Disneyland Park
Will MagicBand+ catch on now that many Magic Key Holders are proud owners of a free one? Probably not, but it’s very interesting that Disney was willing to give them out as a gift-with-purchase. Hopefully, Disneyland is starting to realize that many of their current troubles stem from the overpricing of nearly everything at the resort.
What additional features would you need MagicBands to accomplish, or what price-point before you start using one regularly?
San Fransokyo Opens
On the 31st, San Fransokyo officially opened to Disney California Adventure guests. While some aspects of the new Big Hero 6 themed mini-land have been slowly revealed for weeks now, the Baymax and friends meet and greet, shop, and a new menu at the Aunt Cass Cafe (which is the very minimally retheme of Pacific Wharf Cafe) all opened in time for the big day. Let’s take a look at some of the changes to this small area with big potential.
The bridge has reopened with a new look.
New signage and props have been placed everywhere.
Ghirardelli has a new fish turbine and sign.
If you look close, you’ll find a true hidden Mickey in one of the windows.
And some banners have popped up in the land in various places as well.
The new lighting and lanterns in the land add a lot of whimsy and charm.
And the San Fransokyo Makers Market has opened as well. The shop currently offers a very limited supply of merchandise. So much so that some of the shelves are filled with Spider Bots from Avengers Campus.
If you look above the display cases, there’s some hidden details and robot parts. (Can you spot Yokai’s mask below)
There’s a Megabot hanging from the ceiling. He’s super cute.
But the big hit is Baymax. The line to see him stretched all the way into Cars Land.
The ‘new’ restaurant to open was Aunt Cass Cafe, which is the old Pacific Wharf Cafe with some new menu items and a very minimal amount of new decor.
But, what everyone wants is this impossibly cute Baymax sourdough…
The overlay of the land is effective. Yes, this is an incredibly cheap redo… but it mostly works. They took an area with no Disney theme, and they gave it one. There were three quick service restaurants here, a beer truck, and a margarita window. They’ve managed to add a shop, character meet and greets, and whimsical details to make this mini-land feel like a Disney place. That’s a net win. The real problem is lack of capacity for all the folks who want to try out all the new food.
But there is one unfortunate thing about the low budget and quick timeline of this redo…
The San Fransokyo Bridge looks pretty from afar, but up close you can see that it’s a mess. It was very poorly constructed and all the pieces don’t come together completely. We’re not sure if it’s the fault of the designers or contractor, but the pieces just don’t come together right.
Take a look up and you’ll see lots of little pieces that just don’t come together right: missing bolts and screws, huge gaps, and warping in some of the pieces. I’m sure there have been some heated conversations over this one at Team Disney Anaheim. But eventually, all of this needs to be reinstalled.
Remember when you were a kid and the puzzle pieces didn’t seem to fit, so you forced them? That’s what this bridge feels like up close.
Tiana’s Palace & Mint Julep Bar
Tiana’s Palace Opens this Thursday (September 7th). There’s lots of authentic New Orleans food on this menu. Beignets, gumbo, shrimp and grits, a beef po’ boy, and a muffuletta sandwich of course. Everyone is going to want to try this reworking of the old French Market.
The kitchen has been churning out food for cast members and photo shoots. We may have spied that in progress on Friday…
And another slice of New Orleans Square has already reopened…
Mint Julep Bar
If you’ve been craving the specialty mint mouthwash drink sold at the Mint Julep Bar, it’s now available again. The newly reopened location still sells the same assortment of items (drinks and Mickey-shaped beignets), but the queue situation has changed for the better.
The queue has been rearranged to help keep the line within the confines of the eatery, and not spilling out and backing up Bourbon Street. Let’s hope that the switchbacks are as effective as planned.
Right now, there isn’t a seasonal Mint Julep, but that might change once Tiana’s Palace opens on Friday. In the meantime, you can get your refreshingly minty beverage in a collectible metal cup if you so choose.
You can see a few little details that are shared between the Mint Julep Bar and Tiana’s Palace like the hanging lanterns.
Monorail Returns
If you’ve been missing Disneyland’s highway in the sky, the Monorail has returned to service!
We were hoping that there might be a new wrap on the monorails, but alas, no such luck.
However, the Downtown Disney monorail station is sporting a new blue color that matches the three Disneyland Hotel towers.
Construction Updates
This has been a LOOOOOONG update already, so we’ll give you a quick construction tour.
Adventureland Treehouse
The treehouse is all but done. There is just some fine-tuning going on with the water wheel system and then they’ll hopefully be able to announce an opening date.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Disneyland’s upcoming employee-owned food distribution ride in a salt mine looks about the same this week that it did last week…
Refurbishments
Currently Under Refurbishment:
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- Tarzan’s Treehouse Transformation: (September 1st, 2021-2023)
- French Market – Remodel to Tiana’s Palace: (February 17th-September 6th)
- Splash Mountain – Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: (May 31st, 2023-Late 2024)
- Schmoozies!: (July 30th-September 7th)
- Sorcerer’s Workshop: (August 28st-September 6th)
- Golden Zephyr: (August 28th-September 28th)
Upcoming Refurbishments:
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- Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island: (September 5th-7th)
- Sailing Ship Columbia: (September 11th-14th)
- The Golden Horseshoe: (September 12th-16th)
- Mark Twain Riverboat: (September 17th-TBA)
- Space Moutain: (September 18th-Fall 2023)
This & That
There’s a couple of other stories from around the resort that you should know about.
Endings Can Be Rewritten
The limited-time show “Rogers: The Musical” came to a close this past Thursday (August 31), after a short summer run. When the park opened for the Halloween season the next day, there was a mysterious new message on the Hyperion’s marquee:
While Disney hasn’t made any clarifications regarding their plans for the show, we think the likelihood of Rogers showing up again somewhere in the Disney universe is pretty high. This is the perfect size show for one of Disney’s cruise ships, another Disney park, or even a limited-time run at Disneyland.
That said, we’re beyond disappointed that no future announcements have been made for the Hyperion.
Jeff Granito Pop Up Shop in Adventureland
If you’re a fan of tiki artwork, you should definitely plan to visit Disneyland while artist Jeff Granito has a pop up in Adventureland. Starting September 10, you can find a collection of Jeff’s merchandise (including prints, bags, drink ware, and more) inside the Adventureland Bazaar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwgXYq0vWko/
In addition to Jeff’s non-Disney work, you can find his brand new Jungle Book-inspired print at the Adventureland Bazaar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwqhYlzPuU-/
Haunted Mansion Magic Keyholder Collectible Cards
If you’ve got a Magic Key and are a fan of exclusive items, Disneyland’s got something new for you. Starting tomorrow, there are a set of 4 Haunted Mansion trading cards that will be released (one per week) at Disneyana. These cards feature an iconic character from the mansion and a blurb about their creator.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwlB35drUIJ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
San Francisco Street Construction Wraps Up
After several months, the work on San Francisco street has finally wrapped up at Disney California Adventure. And what was happening under all of those scrims? It was just paint. While we were hoping there might be some tie-ins to the newly opened San Fransokyo, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Lorcana Hits the Parks
One of the breakout stars of last year’s D23 Expo was the brand-new Disney trading card game Lorcana. This week, the very first card packs hit the shelves at the Disneyland Resort— and quickly sold out! You can get the details on some of the early released cards, how to play, and where to find these cards:
http://www.micechat.com/332291-d23-expo-disney-lorcana
Disney Parks Ticket & Travel Offers!
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The 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:
- LAST CHANCE: Disneyland California Resident Ticket Offer – HERE
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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)
Let’s Hear From You
Did you make it all the way to the bottom of this update? What jumped out at you? This was one heck of an article to prepare. We managed to get soaked in a freak rain storm, sweltered in the heat to capture new details, and spent days gathering all the latest Halloween and San Fransoko news and views. But there’s a lot more coming this week; we have Oogie Boogie bash, the opening of Tiana’s Palace, and we even have the first night of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights to share with you. So please stay tuned.
And now, a little parting treat…
MiceShots
There was a craze of popcorn buckets, sippers, bottle toppers, and charms this week. There were lines, lines, lines at every cart on the first day of Halloween…
Did you get caught in the storm?
We love the new Halloween character costumes…
Those clouds!
See ya real soon folks. Don’t forget to follow along all week for lots of fun stuff. And please let us know your thoughts on anything going on right now at Disneyland.
