The winds of change are blowing through Disneyland—some sentimental, some structural, and a few downright strange. This week, we say a heartfelt goodbye to one of Disney’s most beloved Imagineers, take a hard look at a future shaped by Coco and blue aliens, and watch as walls shift and shuffle across the resort. From blocked-out Magic Keys to oddly painted rocks, here’s everything you need to know before your next trip to the Happy-ish Place on Earth.
Now It’s Time to Say Goodbye… to Kim Irvine
After a lifetime spent shaping and often fighting to preserve the heart and soul of Disneyland, Imagineer Kim Irvine is retiring. She was practically born into Imagineering. Her mother, Leota Toombs, was Madame Leota in the Haunted Mansion, and her father-in-law, Dick Irvine, was Walt Disney’s right-hand man and the first president of Walt Disney Imagineering. With a legacy like that, it’s no surprise Kim became the keeper of Disneyland’s flame.
Did You Know? Kim reprised her mother’s iconic role in the Haunted Mansion by appearing as Madame Leota in the seasonal Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay!
We hope Kim won’t remain silent in retirement. With no corporate overlords left to answer to, she may finally be free to speak her mind about the direction the parks are headed. A little pointed prodding from a seasoned pro can make all the difference… even if it won’t stop the oncoming invasion of blue aliens.
We wish Kim well in this next chapter—and hope it’s filled with everything she loves.
It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow—Or Is It?!
We’re finally starting to see some concrete announcements from the ambitious (and often vague) promises made at the last D23 Expo—including the first signs of life from DisneylandForward. At Thursday’s State of the Resort presentation, new Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloum outlined key changes on the way, including a project that’s literally paving the way for the resort’s future.
Let’s start with the first domino to fall: a new entry experience…
New Transportation Hub & Esplanade
Beginning next year, Disney will break ground on a massive new transportation hub and parking structure on the east side of the resort (currently the Manchester cast member lot behind the Harbor Blvd. hotels).
The new development will include 6,000 parking spaces, dedicated rideshare and shuttle zones, security screening, and—perhaps most notably—a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard, connecting to an all-new esplanade experience.
In a rare gesture of cooperation, Disney has agreed to allow pedestrian access from Harbor Blvd. onto the bridge—to calm the nerves of nearby businesses that depend on foot traffic.
This parking project was a key component of the DisneylandForward package approved by the Anaheim City Council—and it’s also the linchpin for several other long-promised projects.
Why is this parking lot such a big deal? Because it unlocks a chain reaction. Once it’s complete, Disney can shut down the current Toy Story lot, opening that land for the long-teased “new entertainment district.”
And with shuttles no longer needing to load from the east side of the Esplanade, Disney can reclaim that space too—clearing the way for a California Adventure expansion and a brand-new bridge and security zone.
Pandora West
As we’ve long reported, California Adventure’s tired Hollywood Backlot is set to be transformed into Pandora—this time inspired by *Avatar: The Way of Water* and its sequels.
The new land’s main attraction is rumored to use the next-gen ride system from Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean. But that kind of footprint doesn’t fit within the current boundaries of Hollywood Land. So Disney plans to annex the neighboring tram load area we told you about above. But they’ll also need to bulldoze a family-favorite attraction… Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue will close at the start of 2026 to make way for a blue invasion. Unfortunately, that also means the new Avatar attraction won’t necessarily add much to the park’s attraction capacity. The Mouse giveth and taketh away.
One glaring omission from Disney’s official announcement? The Monorail. Its current path runs right through the queue of the Monsters, Inc. attraction and the future Pandora land. The leading solution is a reroute, possibly sending the track along the existing Disneyland entry path and crossing the Esplanade before Downtown Disney.
Of course, there’s always a cheaper option: scrap the Monorail altogether. But make no mistake—that would be a PR nightmare. The Monorail isn’t just a ride; it’s an icon. Pulling the plug would be a betrayal of Disneyland’s identity, and we’d argue it’s a hill worth dying on. Delay Avatar if you must… but don’t destroy the Monorail!
Below, you can see just how much real estate the tram area eats up—and how essential it is to the future of DCA’s Avatar plans:
Here’s a rough idea of how the Monorail might be rerouted to avoid Pandora, including a preserved bridge crossing over Buena Vista Street:
More on the upcoming Avatar Land:
Coco Attraction Ready To Break Ground
While Pandora is grabbing the headlines, there’s another highly anticipated project headed to Disney California Adventure, this one grounded in music, family, and a celebration of Día de los Muertos. Yes, we’re talking about the long-promised Coco attraction.
The new boat ride will be located near Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens, in space that’s currently mostly behind the scenes. The ride will feature animatronics and richly detailed environments that could make this one of the most charming (and culturally significant) additions to DCA in years. We hope it at least partially makes up for the loss of the Monsters Inc. attraction.
Construction is expected to begin this fall, and while Disney hasn’t announced a timeline, this one feels like it could arrive sooner than some of the larger expansion projects. And let’s be honest—California Adventure could use more music, color, and heart.
The nearby Paradise Garden Grill becomes the Plaza de la Familia every fall. We have a suspicion that it will be incorporated into the nearby Coco attraction year-round.
Coco feels like it fits this corner of DCA better than Avatar fits Hollywood Land. But what do you think?
Avengers Avenging
The two upcoming Avengers rides were also mentioned during the state of the resort address. But there was no real new information other than that the projects are already under construction… which, of course, you already know.
While Imagineering generally tries to hide ride systems as much as possible, in the Stark Flight Lab attraction, the robotic arms are an essential part of the story.
The Summer Blockade Begins!
As local schools break for summer, Disneyland starts tightening park access for Magic Keys. Enchant & Imagine Keys are now blocked until early August. But squeezing Magic Keys isn’t the only thing Disney does to keep crowds under control. Ticket prices also go up for regular park guests. Expect to pay about $200 a day (more or less depending on day).
One day/One Park Disneyland ticket prices for June and July:
But, for those who can afford the extra $$$, the park is generally less crowded on those most expensive days as guests attempt to save a few bucks by shifting their plans to less expensive days (your mileage may vary).
The Earl Shuffle
The temporary Earl of Sandwich location on the east side of Downtown Disney (formerly La Brea Bakery) is set to close on July 25th to make way for the construction of a new Porto’s Bakery. But the exit might not be quite so smooth for the Earl. A prominent class-action law firm has launched an investigation into whether Earl of Sandwich violated the federal WARN Act by failing to provide sufficient notice before laying off 167 employees. If the allegations hold up, Earl may be on the hook for up to 60 days of back pay and benefits. Not exactly the graceful send-off they probably had in mind.
Meanwhile, the even more temporary Earl of Sandwich “pop-up pod” across from the old ESPN Zone on the west side of Downtown Disney will remain open until the Earl’s brand new 2-story location opens across from the park-side stage (near D-Lander).
Got that? Old locating closing but mired in controversy… barely visited food truck staying open… and new permanent location under construction… wow, that’s a lot for a sandwich shop!
Lucky for the Earl, construction on their new digs are progressing quickly.
The new location will feature a sandwich shop downstairs and a table-service tavern upstairs.
Construction Kingdom
As we get closer and closer to Disneyland’s official 70th anniversary on July 17th, we’re hoping many of the construction walls will start to come down… especially with ticket prices soaring!
Disneyland Projects
Scrims and scaffolding have been removed from around the Tangaroa Tree in the garden queue area of the Enchanted Tiki Room. This is a good sign that walls may be coming down very soon.
The new Tangaroa figure appears to be a bit taller than the old one. But it’s hard to get a read on that from this distance…
The Tiki babies that fall from the limbs have been redesigned and repositioned to be less of an issue – they used to fall directly into an area where guests could easily grab them and damage the mechanics of the figure.
Work continues at the Matterhorn, where scrims have now gone up, covering some sections of the mountain.
For several months, the waterfall at the end of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure had not been running. Now, the waterfall is running again, and fresh paint covers the rocks. It just looks very odd. The color mismatch is very apparent, but we are hoping this is just temporary. We will be keeping an eye on this.
Disney California Adventure
Over at California Adventure, a new project has popped up on Buena Vista Street, taking out a portion of the sidewalk in front of Trolly Treats. Hopefully, this is just a quick project.
Over by the Magic Key Terrace, the Mendocino Wine Bar is STILL behind walls. Interestingly, the sign on the wall is pretty specific in its language, stating, “Mendocino Wine Bar is undergoing a few changes.” We don’t often see language like that in refurbishment signs. Is this a clue to something different coming to the location?
During this work, the Magic Key Terrace remains open.
Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar (updated 06/06/25)
We’re still optimistic that Pixie Hollow will actually reopen as scheduled this month, but the construction walls have once again expanded to enclose the water garden area, which could be a sign of another extension.
I recently shared photos showing the paint already peeling off the bottom of the lagoon. While we couldn’t get a good photo for you, we saw crews working in the spots featured in this previous photo:
But, after all these months of closure, the fake leaves in the Tinker Bell meet and greet area still appear not to have been painted. They are faded, dirty, and not in the shape you’d expect from an attraction which has been under construction for about half a year.
Currently Under Refurbishment
- The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln adding “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” show to theater: April 16, 2024 – July 16, 2025
- Pixie Hollow: September 16, 2024 – June 28, 2025
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room: April 28 – TBA
- Matterhorn Bobsleds: May 5 – TBA
- Chip ‘n’ Dale GADGETcoaster: May 19 – June 12
Upcoming Refurbishments
- Star Tours- The Adventures Continue: June 30 – TBA
- Pixar Pal-A-Round: July 14 – TBA
- Main Street Cinema: July 15 & 16
This & That
As is so often the case, there’s more interesting tidbits to share…
Disneyland Live at 5
While Dusty was attending the state of Disneyland address on Friday, Mike, Jeffrey, and Ando toured DCA and Disneyland to bring you the latest news & views.
Autopia Derailed
There was some social media attention on a recent derailment of one of the Autopia vehicles, but it was a bit misleading…
Autopia derailments are actually surprisingly common, usually due to bumping. But this is yet another reason why we’re campaigning for new electric cars, as they would put a stop to derailments due to collision prevention systems that “kill” the motor of the car in the rear.
Walt Disney Archives Display
The Walt Disney Archives is joining Disneyland’s 70th celebration with a display of historic objects at the Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge from early concept illustrations to actual props from classic attractions.
Among the items on display are a model of an Atomobile from Adventure Through Inner Space, a 1968 Disneyland lettered ticket book, and a Sam the Eagle top hat from America Sings.
Disneyland 70th Celebration Abominable Snowman Sipper
Wow, that’s a lot to say! While this sipper came out late last month for the 70th celebration, we didn’t see too many of them around. It seems that this sipper is now widely available in the Tomorrowland area. The sipper is available for mobile order pick-up, or you can join the regular ordering queue.
More 70th Decorations Added
This past week, we noticed the toppers to the Sleeping Beauty Castle banners (that were originally featured in the concept art) have been installed. The new addition to the decorations is two horns attached to the 70th medallion.
Fountains Removed from Sleeping Beauty Castle Moat
When fountains were added to the Sleeping Beauty Castle moat for the Disney100 campaign, we were delighted to see some kinetic energy in the area. Unfortunately, it appears that the fountains have been completely removed. There’s still hope that new fountains will be installed, and we sincerely hope they will.
70 Happiest Hours
As part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, Disney characters will be popping up in various areas around Anaheim and the SoCal region.
Missing Moana
The Moana meet-and-greet on the left side of Monsters Inc. in California Adventure was removed, with no character experience replacing it (at least not yet).
We’re hoping Lilo and Stitch may show up since their live-action movie is breaking box office records. Currently, guests can see Stitch at his Interplanetary Dance Party in Tomorrowland, but the only place to actually meet Stitch is at the Disney Visa photo op in DCA (and no Lilo at all). Step it up Disney, you have a hit movie in theaters… help your fans celebrate it!
Knott’s Bear-y Tales 50th Anniversary Jam-bear-ee
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of Rolly Crump’s artistic masterpiece, Knott’s Bear-y Tales, as it turns 50!
This unforgettable event brings together the original creators, park historians, and passionate fans for a morning of behind-the-scenes access, an exhibit of Rolly Crump’s restored 1975 attraction characters, delicious food, rare collectibles, and nostalgic storytelling.
🎢 The Event Ticket Includes:
- Theme park admission
- Early Entry to Knott’s Berry Farm
- Gourmet Buffet Brunch at the all-new Mrs. Murphy’s Steakhouse in Ghost Town
- Guided Walk-Through of the Knott’s Bear-y Tales attraction (past and present)
- Special Presentation by Knott’s Bear-y Tales book authors – theme park designer Christopher Merritt and Knott’s historian Eric Lynxwiler – featuring an exclusive video ride-through of the original attraction
- Panel Discussion with Rolly Crump’s original 1975 design team and VIPs from the making of Bear-y Tales!
- Silent Auction of rare Bear-y Tales treasures
- Book Signing with Knott’s Bear-y Tales authors and the original ride designers!
- Commemorative Gift Bag
Knott’s Bear-y Tales Event details and ticket info (HERE)
MiceShots
We love featuring photos from our friends and fans. This week, we have some great shots from our pal Kurt Schneider:
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Let’s Hear From You!
That was quite a week, wasn’t it? Kim Irvine rides off into the sunset, blue aliens gear up to evict Monsters, and someone painted rocks the wrong shade of “natural.” With so much change in the air—some exciting, some questionable—we want to know what YOU think.
- What are your thoughts on the upcoming changes to DCA? Does Pandora fit in… or feel out of place? And what about Coco?
- Should the Monorail be saved at all costs—or is it time to let it go?
- And how do you feel about saying goodbye to Monsters Inc.?
- Will you pay extra to visit Disneyland this summer… or is your Magic Key blocked?
Sound off in the comments below. We love hearing your thoughts, tips, wild theories, and well-reasoned rants. Let the discussion begin!
