DISNEYLAND UPDATE: Maintenance Boo-Hoos, Strike in View, Country Bear Barbecue

Hold onto your Mickey ears because this Disneyland Update is a wild ride! We’ve got the scoop on exciting new additions to the park, troubling maintenance woes, a touching community event, and a treasure trove of construction photos and updates from every corner of the resort. Plus, don’t miss our video with Imagineer Matt McKim (son of Disney Legend Sam McKim) – it’s a must-watch.

Buckle up, there’s a lot to discuss today…

Barbecue Bears

Over the weekend, we learned that Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country (which closed for refurbishment on July 8) will reopen as Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree.

In addition to a bear-y fun retheming (and a soundtrack featuring the Country Bears’ greatest hits), the quick-service dining location “inspired by the Country Bears and their travels throughout the greatest music halls in the United States” will serve regional barbecue dishes (full menu to be announced).

Disneyland was quick to note that Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree will not be a character dining location; however, that’s what they said about Tiana’s Palace and we regularly see the entrepreneurial princess greeting diners near her New Orleans Square restaurant, so we can’t completely rule out the possibility of occasional visits from the Country Bears at their new barbecue spot, or out front  (fingers crossed!)

… Of course, what we really want to see are the animatronic heads of Melvin, Buff & Max on display and commenting about the music, food, and guests.  

For more details (plus a look at the history of the Country Bears), check out our article:

Come And Get It: Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree Now Open!

Walk-Out Watch

In an overwhelming 99% vote, Disneyland cast members whose contract expired in June have authorized a strike. While this doesn’t mean a strike will happen, it certainly could.

The Workers Rising Bargaining Committee represents employees from four unions performing roles such as custodial, ride operations, candy making, merchandise, parking attendants, costuming, ticket taking, and more. The unions are fighting for fair wages, a fair attendance policy, seniority increases, and safer parks for cast members and guests.

The unions and Disneyland are scheduled to meet again today and tomorrow (July 22nd and 23rd). However, if an agreement or substantial progress isn’t reached, workers could be instructed to walk off the job at any time. Cast members have been told to continue reporting to work as scheduled, but if instructed to walk out (even in the middle of a work day), they are to do so immediately. 

Disney has been considering plans to have managers and other non-union employees fill empty positions in the event of a strike, as well as having workers from California Adventure (whose contract isn’t up until September) switch parks as necessary. However, this is easier said than done. It isn’t safe for anyone to operate an attraction, tram, and many other systems without full training, as it could result in injury to a guest or a cast member.

We are keeping a VERY close eye on this one. If you have a vacation planned in the coming weeks, be prepared for unexpected interruptions. 

Disneyland Strike Averted – Cast Members Approve New Contract

Disneyland 69

By Disneyland standards, the celebration for the park’s 69th anniversary on July 17th was very low-key, with a character cavalcade, a limited-edition 69th birthday pin (that you had to buy, no free Disneyland birthday button this year), and little else.

The birthday cavalcade was a bit lackluster. We miss the years that the park president would say a few words, or the years when they had the Mayor of Main Street lead the ceremony. And, it was a tradition to give the guests a little something on an anniversary (even on off years), buttons, cupcakes, special cookies, they’ve even given ear hats for some celebrations. But not this year. But there are already plans in motion to make the 70th more of a major celebration. 

You can watch the 69th birthday cavalcade here:

Also announced on the anniversary was a new $69 1-day, 1-park ticket offer for Anaheim residents only. With this ticket, Disneyland’s neighbors can visit on any one day from August 5th through September 26, 2024. Park reservations are required and subject to availability.

The offer is only available to Anaheim residents within Zip codes 92801 through 92809, 92812, 92814 through 92817, 92825, 92850, and 92899; proof of eligible residency (including valid government-issued photo ID) is required for purchase and admission.

So Long, Genie!

In 2021, the complimentary Disney FastPass+ service at Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts was replaced by the paid Genie+ service (with the short-lived paid MaxPass in between) – but Disney is now putting Genie+ back in the lamp… in name only.

Starting July 24, 2024, Genie+ will be called Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and Individual Lightning Lane will be called Lightning Lane Single Pass.   

Other than the name changes, both optional expedited entry services will work the same as before:

• Lightning Lane Multi Pass – Purchased per person per day and applies to both Disneyland and California Adventure parks (cost varies depending on the date). Guests who purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass can select an available return time for an attraction, and after entering the queue, can select another, and so on (based on availability).
• Lightning Lane Single Pass – Purchased a la carte for high-demand attractions not included on the Multi Pass. Up to two attractions per day per person (price varies by date and attraction).

Park goers can choose to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Lighting Lane Single Pass, both, or neither, but Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections and Lightning Lane Single Lane purchases can only be made after entering a theme park.

For all the details – as well as the more substantial changes to the Lightning Lane system in Orlando – check out our complete guide:

Big Lightning Lane Changes At Disney – What To Know!

Construction Kingdom

We’ve been following projects in Disneyland, DCA, and Downtown Disney for months on end. The construction rarely stops at the Disneyland Resort. But because some of the current construction impacts the flow of Disneyland in particular, guests with a visit coming up soon should pay particular attention right now. 

Haunted Mansion 

We can’t wait for this one to reopen. With the Mansion, Bayou Adventure, Canoes, and Winnie the Pooh all closed right now, the west side of the park is dead, dead, dead. 

Work on the new outdoor queue is still in active construction and a long way from being complete. 

You can see familiar pet cemetery tombstones below. 

We understand that the interior of the Mansion is mostly complete and already decorated for Haunted Mansion Holiday. The new gingerbread Mansion in the ballroom has been in place for weeks already. An early opening circumventing the queue construction could happen at any time via the use of a virtual queue (as Disney has used in the past on other attractions and shows). 

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

We can see a lot less of the upcoming Princess and the Frog themed ride as the whole area is now closed to guests. 

Critter Country

But the thing that’s really impacting guests right now is the complete closure of Critter Country, including the pathway to Galaxy’s Edge. The closure accommodates final construction on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, shops, walkways, and the Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree redo. New Orleans Square is currently a dead end. 

Every week someone asks if the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh will return… sadly, it will. It’s too bad we can’t get an updated attraction here or even the new Country Bear show Walt Disney World just opened. To dream the impossible dream. 

It’s a Wall World

There are a variety of smaller projects around the resort. 

Will the Men’s restroom in Adventureland have this temporary wooden wall forever? Worse, on Wednesday EVERY urinal in the mens room was broken… yes, all of them. 

Out in the Esplanade, guests are greeted with long stretches of construction walls. The pavement is being redone in sections. 

Several of the large shade trees by the front gate have been removed. 

There are walls up around much of the Fantasyland Theater. But the facility remains open for the Pixar Pals Play Party. It appears to be more pavement work (a similar project just completed around the nearby popcorn cart).  

Downtown Disney

The most visible projects right now are on the west end of Downtown Disney. The Parkside Market is still many months away from completion. 

Nearby, the temporary location for Earl of Sandwich was completed months ago before plans to move the beleaguered sandwich shop stalled. 

But we now have word from the top that the Portos project is back on track and construction will likely start after the holidays. Cast were even fed Portos snacks on Disneyland’s 69th birthday.

The current Earl of Sandwich location will be removed and a new structure constructed for Portos.  

And… at last… that decaying fountain between the old Tortilla Jo’s and bowling alley has construction walls up… likely for removal.  

Here’s what the fountain looked like a few weeks ago. Lots of missing tiles and lime scale:

 

Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar 

Currently Under Refurbishment

• Splash Mountain conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: May 31, 2023 – Late 2024
• The Haunted Mansion: January 22 – TBA (is confirmed to open at least in time for the start of the Halloween season on August 23rd)
• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: March 4 – July 22

• 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
• Davey Crockett’s Explorer Canoes: July 8 – TBA
• Hungry Bear Restaurant remodel to Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree: July 8 – TBA
• Critter Country Fruit Cart: July 8 – TBA

Upcoming Refurbishments

Yikes, even more big rides are down starting August 5th. 

 

• Disneyland Railroad: August 5 – TBA
• Space Mountain: August 5 – TBA
• Animation Academy: August 5 -29
• Turtle Talk with Crush: August 5 -15
• Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome: August 5 – 15
• Disneyland Monorail: August 12 – TBA

Disneyland Blues

We’ve been noticing an increasing amount of neglect and poor upkeep in the parks. The regular cleaning and preventative maintenance cycle doesn’t seem to be happening and the parks are slipping to a fix it after it breaks model (which we’ve seen Disney fail at with tragic results in the early 2000s, when poor upkeep eventually led to the deaths of guests on Big Thunder and the Mark Twain and injuries elsewhere). Last week we examined the increasing number of ride breakdowns. This week we see how poor upkeep leads to poor show. 

After many of you wrote to us to complain about the broken elements on Tom Sawyer Island, we took a trip. It’s heartbreaking that this gem of an escape is left in this condition. 

The main accessible cave has been off limits for months. 

The waterfalls and streams are turned off. 

Not only can’t guests access the front of the island, water buckets and other items are left out in plain guest view (this is one of the first things you see when you get off the raft). DOES ANYONE AT DISNEY STILL KNOW WHAT THEIR OWN SHOW STANDARDS ARE ANY MORE??? This isn’t Six Flags for goodness sakes!!!

Many elements have long since been removed without replacements. You can’t go up in the treehouse, but they never added a similar experience at ground level. 

The fort, which was once a highlight of the island, was left to rot and then replaced with simple walls. Today, instead of an attraction, it is a staging area for Fantasmic.  They wonder why more guests don’t go over to the island… it’s because so much of what made the island fun has been removed or is constantly broken. 

Why isn’t this green hut concealed as a cabin or something appropriate looking? The “good enough” efforts on Tom Sawyer Island aren’t good enough.  

Disneyland has a high cleanliness standard which is simply being ignored by current management. We didn’t go looking for the two examples below, they were simply impossible to ignore as we walked by… and that’s just want Disney is doing… ignoring something simple to clean.  

This is weeks of neglect. 

At Alice in Wonderland, guests queue under some whimsical lights and leaves… which are absolutely filthy. If someone would run a power hose here from time to time, it would wash away all this grime! Is this a lack of staffing, lack of training, lack of management at the attraction complaining that there attraction isn’t up to show standards (or all of the above)?

Bird poop, dirt, leaves… No one has cleaned this queue in ages. Where oh where have show standards gone?

Keep sharing your Disneyland Blues with us folks and we’ll do our best to profile them. It’s simply unacceptable for modern Disney to raise prices while cutting show standards. Disney can’t justify that they are a premium product if they are going to leave their parks filthy and broken.  

Don’t miss the first letter in a series from a former Disney University executive who is worried about the current trajectory of Disneyland management. 

Dear Disneyland, I’m Worried About You – A Heartfelt Letter from a Friend

THIS & THAT

There’s more folks! Hang in there with us as we share just a few more items from the Disneyland Resort. 

Disneyland Live

Have you found our Friday Live at Five videos? This week’s journey through Disneyland was a special one as Dusty is joined by Imagineer Matt McKim, son of Disney Legend Sam McKim. You’ll learn things you never knew… like what the 1764 means in the bricked up tunnel at river’s edge in front of the Haunted Mansion! Stick around to the very end for a grand circle tour of Disneyland aboard the Disneyland Railroad. 

New DVC Center at DCA

This Friday, July 26th, the new Golden Vine House Disney Vacation Club Welcome Center will open in California Adventure (in the space formally occupied by Blue Sky Cellar).

 

A peak through the window shows a very simple space. This isn’t a lounge for DVC members, it’s a sales center. 

CHOC Walk

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Disneyland hosted the annual CHOC Walk for tens of thousands of supporters of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. MiceChat walked with the Howard Johnson Anaheim Resort this year. We had a great time meandering the 5k path through both parks, which was filled with photo opportunities, characters, and entertainment. 

It was great to see some rare characters, hear the steel drum band in Adventureland, walk back stage in Galaxy’s Edge, and watch the sun rise over Disneyland Park. 

If you’d like to send your support to Team MiceChat/HoJo it’s not too late, you can make your donation HERE

Park Art

Some fun murals are being painted on the Downtown Disney west side construction wall. 

Hearthstone Lounge Refresh

Grand Californian’s lounge has received a new coat of paint and updated menu. 

The hunter green walls complement the wooden columns and gilded artwork. It looks lovely. 

Prices Up!

Throughout the parks, you’ll find food and beverage just a little higher this week. One of our staff noticed that the strawberry croissant at Jolly Holiday had increased in price by 30 cents, and as she continued her day, more and more items seemed more expensive.

A 6-pack of chocolate chip cookies at Harbor Galley went from $6.49 to 6.79, and the kids power pack from $6.49 to 6.99. Most items seem to have increased by 25 to 50 cents. A box of popcorn (which costs Disneyland just pennies to make) will now cost you $6 (from $5.75).  

MiceShots

And now, a moment to just reflect on some things we loved this week…

Last call for Pixar Fest, which ends August 4th. 

---

Follow MiceChat on social: MiceChat Facebook Page, MiceChat Facebook Group, MiceChat Instagram, MiceChat X, MiceChat YouTube