It feels like this Disneyland Update has been a long time coming. Not only is the beloved nighttime spectacular, Fantasmic!, back at Disneyland, but the Pixar Place Hotel’s Creators Club has opened, and Baymax has returned to his place in San Fransokyo Square. Plus, the Disneyland Resort continues to evolve with a new droid conducting the fireworks in Galaxy’s Edge, and construction progressing at Downtown Disney’s West end and inside the parks.
There’s a lot to see ahead…
Fantasmic! Returns to the Stage
On May 24, Mickey’s imagination ran wild once more along the Rivers of America as Fantasmic! took to the stage again. Members of the MiceChat team attended the first showing that night. To secure the best spots for you, some of them did the Blue Bayou lunch package, and some of them did the Rancho Del Zocalo dinner package.
Here’s a look at the adult lunch menu for the Fantasmic! dining package at Blue Bayou:
Topped with an edible Mickey decoration, the chocolate decadence might be the most fitting dessert choice to honor the return of the nighttime spectacular.
But the real reason to do the packages is for reserved viewing for Fantasmic!
Blue Bayou, River Belle Terrace and Rancho Del Zocalo all offer dining packages for the show.
River Belle Terrace offers standard and premium packages. The standard package works the same way as Blue Bayou (at an admittedly lower price point), where diners get a ticket to access a special viewing section after their meal. The premium package is the same price per person as Blue Bayou’s menu, but diners can view Fantasmic! from their table while they eat.
Rancho Del Zocalo’s dining packages are far less expensive than the other two because it’s a quick-service rather than table service location. You’ll get just an entree (with sides), dessert, and a drink at Rancho, compared to a three-course meal at the two table service resturants.
The highly-anticipated return of Fantasmic! drew huge crowds.
[SPOILERS AHEAD! If you want to go into the show with fresh eyes, skip to the next section of the update.]
Much of Fantasmic! is the same as you remember. However, our team noted that the visual effects look brighter, and there may be more pyrotechnics in some sections now.
The scenes inspired by Pinocchio, the Disney Princesses, and Jungle Book, remain as enchanting as ever. (But we do miss the big Pinocchio puppet from years ago).
Mickey, as Steamboat Willie, still ferries beloved characters across the river for the finale.
The first difference to the program is that Peter Pan has returned to the show in place of Jack Sparrow. And he and Wendy aren’t alone as they battle Captain Hook’s crew; the Lost Boys join the battle.
But the biggest change, which is sure to be divisive, is the scene with Mickey squaring off against Maleficent. In its previous run, Maleficent took her dragon form before setting the river on fire, but since the dragon, unfortunately, met her demise after setting herself on fire, the Mistress of All Evil now remains in her humanoid form and looms above our hero with the aid of a tower of thorns.
The MiceChat crew was there to record it all for you. You can watch it in vivid high definition below:
Without the dragon (lovingly referred to as “Murphy”), the show lacks some of the same magic it previously had. And while some guests may be satisfied that the show is back at all, we can see how the change to the climax could be a “make or break” for others.
Sadly, the Maleficent on a stick scene is now an awkwardly paced moment in what was previously the highlight of the whole show. There needs to be a WOW moment here and a prolongued scene with Maleficent just waving her wand around doesn’t quite do it for us. Does it work for you?
Check out our guide for all things Fantasmic! here:
IT’S BACK! Everything You Need to Know About Fantasmic’s Return to Disneyland
Remembering a Disney Legend
On Friday, we lost Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman, one half of the Sherman Brothers who created so much magical Disney music.
Along with his brother, the late Disney Legend Robert B. Sherman, Richard was responsible for charming tunes from “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Winnie the Pooh,” plus the memorable theme songs from the Enchanted Tiki Room and Small World attractions among many others.
You can read our full tribute to Richard M. Sherman here:
Pixar Place Hotel’s Club Level Concierge Lounge Opens
Hot on the heels of the Small Bytes pool bar’s opening last week comes the Pixar Place Hotel’s concierge lounge, the Creators Club, which opened its doors on May 24.
Exclusive to club-level hotel guests, the area offers continental breakfast, wine and cheese receptions, beer, sparkling wine, hot bites, and desserts in the evening, and a dedicated team of Cast Members to assist guests.
The Creators Club also houses Pixar artifacts from Disney Parks and Pixar Studios.
Our guide to the Pixar Place Hotel has everything you need to know about the Disneyland Resort’s newest hotel:
UPDATED! Say ‘Hey Howdy Hey’ to Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel
Pixar Place Hotel will also host a speaker series in celebration of Pixar Fest. Attendance is complimentary for hotel guests.
Here are the speakers you can look forward to:
- May 25, 2024 – Peter Sohn, director of “Elemental”
- June 20, 2024 – Maurissa Horwitz, lead editor for “Inside Out 2”
- July 13, 2024 – Roger Gould, creative director, Theme Parks, Pixar Animation Studios
Disneyland Summer Deals
Starting May 29, Disneyland is offering a special three-day ticket that can be used on eligible days between June 10 and Sept. 26, 2024. And this time around the deal isn’t just for California (or Southern California) residents and can be be purchased regardless of where you live!
The pricing starts at $149 per child (ages 3-9) and $249 per adult per day for one park-per-day ticket that can only be used Monday through Thursday or $199 per child and $299 per adult for one park-per-day ticket that can be used on any day (including weekends). Tickets can also be upgraded to Park Hoppers and/or Genie+ at the time of purchase (for an additional cost, of course). As always, tickets are based on availability, and theme park reservations are required.
A big plus for these tickets is that they can be redeemed on any three eligible days (which can be non-consecutive) as long as they’re between June 10 and September 26, 2024, which in addition to including Pixar Fest (running through August 4) also includes Halloween Time, which returns extra early this year on August 23.
Disneyland’s onsite hotels are also offering summer deals for stays from June 10 through Sept. 26, with savings of up to 25% on select stays at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel, or the new Villas at Disneyland Hotel for four nights or longer or a savings of up to 20% on select stays Sunday – Thursday nights at these hotels without a minimum night stay.
You can save even more on these unprecidented summer trvel deals by booking with MiceChat’s travel partner, Get Away Today. (Doing so also helps support this site)
Find more savings in our Summer Deals guide:
Book Discount theme park tickets, hotels, and exclusive packages – HERE
Constructionland
While the Rivers of America have come back to life (and ablaze), heavy construction continues in Critter Country, New Orleans Square and other parts of the resort. Let’s take a look at how these projects are tracking.
Downtown Disney Construction:
The west end of Downtown Disney is coming along rapidly now. The future security gate for the area is progressing nicely, with tables for inspection already in place.
Next to it, Din Tai Fung is also near completion.
The construction walls that were previously around the establishment were switched to chain link fences late last week.
The Parkside Market is also well along. A new sign for an application to sell alcoholic beverages was added to the construction wall.
The extension to Parkside closest to the main Downtown Disney pathway now has a roof and some interesting mid-century cutouts.
Disneyland Construction:
Some big projects in Disney’s first theme park…
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Work in Critter Country is progressing, but the reopening timeline for this area has now been extended to TBA. Riding the train through the area gives the sense that the project to reshape the pathways of the land is nowhere near completion. All that dirt you see below is Critter Country.
It’s nice to see the trees being preserved, but you can see how the walkways have been expanded and some of the planters removed or revised.
Of course, all of this is being done to accomidate the huge crowds expected for the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure which will open later this year. Work on the attraction is happening at a fever pitch and we see lots more crew swarming the area as Imagineers shift from the nearly finished Orlando version of the attraction to the Anaheim version.
The new roof on the barn that covers lift #2 on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is going on. Once that is in place, the project will look much closer to completion.
We have not yet received an opening date for the Disneyland version of this attraction, but we know Orlando’s version will open on June 28, 2024 – with weeks of previews before that!
Haunted Mansion
Another major project next door to Tiana’s is the new Haunted Mansion queue and garden area. We are starting to see more rebar going up to help strengthen the new walls that are being built in the expanded queue area.
Disney California Adventure:
A few projects underway in DCA include converting the Golden Vine into the new DVC lounge, which has not shown much progress on the outside. A couple of weeks ago, the scaffolding covering the outer wall was removed to reveal new large windows.
In the Paradise Gardens area, a wall has gone up between the Encanto Meet and Greet and the entrance to the area.
While the construction wall runs right up against the Encanto meet and greet, Mirabel is still meeting guests.
Disneyland Resort Refurbishment Calendar
Here is the complete refurbishment and construction list:
Currently Under Refurbishment:
- Splash Mountain – Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: May 31, 2023-Late 2024
- The Haunted Mansion: January 22-TBA
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: March 4-June 20
- The Bakery Tour: March 22-June 1
- The Coffee House at The Disneyland Hotel: April 2024-June 30
- The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: April 16-TBA
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: May 1-TBA
- The Briar Patch – Remodel to Ray’s Berets: May 1-TBA
- Pooh Corner – Remodel to add Critter Club: May 1-TBA
- California Sole (Downtown Disney): May 1-June 29
This & That
New Droid Joins Galaxy’s Edge for “Fire of the Rising Moons”
At the start of Disneyland’s Season of the Force in early April, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge gained its own perspective on the park’s fireworks display. On select nights, guests watching from Batuu hear a special score written for the land rather than the traditional soundtrack that plays in other parts of the park. The experience was “plussed” even further with the addition of an R-1 droid named Bard, who weaves a unique narrative to accompany the display.
As with pretty much everything else in Galaxy’s Edge, Bard has a backstory:
The droid was rescued by Tohan Lege, also known as the Lore-Weaver, a historian seeking refuge on Batuu from authorities who wished to silence his voice. Tohan worked with Bard to record all of his tales so they would be preserved and retold forever.
And don’t worry if you can’t make it to Galaxy’s Edge before Season of the Force ends on June 2. “Fire of the Rising Moons” will continue entertaining guests even after the seasonal event comes to a close… but only on firework nights.
Baymax is Back!
After a several months-long absence, Baymax rejoined Hiro at their San Fransokyo Square meet and greet location in Disney California Adventure. Have you taken your picture with the lovable healthcare companion?
Disney Food to Look Forward To
You may have heard about those chocolate chip cookies baked fresh at Harbor Galley. Months after their introduction, those warm, sweet, satisfying morsels still find their way onto social media. And to celebrate the return of Fantasmic!, they can be purchased as a bundle with seven cookies in a Maleficent Ear Hat bowl. This novelty is a returning item, seen previously at Halloween Time. Here is it from the 2022 Halloween season, when it was used to serve an ice cream sundae:
Starting on June 1, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Matterhorn attraction by offering a coconut-pineapple Dole Whip with a coconut shaving topping and blue and silver edible glitter mixed in. This refreshing treat comes served in a special souvenir cup decorated with images of the attraction.
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Disneyland Resort Fire Department Demonstrations
If you parked in the Mickey & Friends parking structure last week, you may have encountered a pop-up experience by the Disneyland Resort Fire Department near the entrance to the security line.
Guests could learn how to properly use a fire extinguisher by putting out an electronic “fire.”
Participants were rewarded for their efforts with a button, sticker, and coloring page.
MiceShots
You can visit Dug at DCA! Last week, we found him on the trail leading to the back side of Grizzly Peak.
Here’s what he sounds like when he interacts with guests:
Even a cloudy day can’t damper the fun at Pixar Pier.
As part of the Disneyland Resort’s celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, guests can enjoy live street art demonstrations. Artist Pei Jun Tang returns to Downtown Disney this week with a new painting depicting some of our favorite Toy Story characters.
Discount Disney Tickets and Travel
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Check out the latest offers for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Disney Cruise Line, including new low hotel rates, extra days and nights for free, special perks, and limited-time opportunities…
(MiceChat works with Get Away Today to provide you with the best theme park travel deals. When you purchase from our travel partner, you not only get great rates and service, you also help support MiceChat. We sincerely thank you for your support!)
Let’s Hear from You
That’s it for this Disneyland Update. So, folks, what do you think of Maleficent on a stick? Is the new Fantasmic a vision fantastic from Mickey’s imagination or an overwhelming nightmare? Would you consider paying for a Pixar Place Hotel club-level room to gain access to the Creators Club? How do the Downtown Disney, Bayou Adventure, and Haunted Mansion construction projects look? Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
(Dusty Sage will be back this Friday for a live at 5 from Disneyland. Please be sure to follow the MiceChat Facebook Page and MiceChat YouTube channel so you don’t miss out)