We hope you had a very happy 4th of July weekend! The Disneyland Resort celebrated America’s 250th last week with patriotic bunting on Main Street U.S.A. and Buena Vista Street, along with performances by military bands, a cavalcade featuring Mickey Mouse in his star-spangled tux, and the debut of Soarin’ Across America.
But the resort wasn’t busy all weekend. While there were huge crowds to see fireworks on Saturday, by Sunday, the parks were very uncrowded… and lower crowd levels have been the norm so far this summer… So, Disneyland has concocted a plan to fill the parks, a new promotional evening ticket that’s selling out fast. But the biggest story of the week is the controversial (and apparently temperamental) new pirate in the Caribbean. All this, plus construction photos, refurbishments, and more theme park news you can use.
Let’s get started!
July 4th In The Parks
Disneyland’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday kicked off a couple of days early, with the grand opening of Soarin’ Across America on July 2.
We rode on opening day and, while the film is beautiful, we found it a little “sleepy,” thanks to the subdued soundtrack (we were hoping for rousing patriotic tunes interwoven with the iconic Soarin’ musical themes). There’s also a noticeable lack of mid-western destinations… no sweeping plains, no St. Louis Arch, no Wrigley Field. And most surprising on America’s 250th birthday, there’s no Philadelphia.
All that said, we still enjoyed it… and it definitely ranks higher than Soarin’ Around The World on our list. It’s also great that there are now three versions. And while we certainly think Soarin’ Over California belongs at the Disneyland Resort full-time (and Soarin’ Around the World makes the most sense in Epcot), we wouldn’t mind if Soarin’ Across America returns each summer during the patriotic season from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Here’s a quick look at some of the highlights:
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If you’d like to see more, please visit our YouTube to watch the FULL ride video HERE.
Both the building and queue have been decorated with patriotic bunting and banners.
And a new California Adventure map features the attraction’s key artwork.
Despite this being a completely new version of an already extremely popular ride, wait times were surprisingly low in the first half of its opening day, hovering under an hour (and we overheard a few guests saying they didn’t even realize it was new).
So far, we’ve only seen one merch item, a new attraction poster t-shirt at Humphrey’s Service & Supplies.
The July 4th celebration across the resort featured performances by military bands, including the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band. If you caught last Thursday’s MiceChat live, we swung by to hear a couple jazzy tunes (and if you missed it, the link to watch is below).
The final July 4th treat also debuted last Thursday at Clarabelle’s Hand Scooped Ice Cream, the 250th Celebration Dipped Mickey Bar, which is a premium Mickey ice cream bar dipped in white chocolate and coated with red, white, and blue star-shaped sprinkles ($7.99 + tax; available while supplies last).
Across the esplanade, a patriotic Disney Celebrates America cavalcade hit Main Street U.S.A.
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Disneyland Evening Ticket
Has Disneyland felt less crowded to you this summer? With higher-priced daytime tickets and many Magic Key holders blocked out during peak season, Disneyland has seen lighter summer attendance than many expected for the traditionally busy season.
Their solution? Disney unveiled a new limited-time $59 1-Park Evening Ticket valid Sunday through Wednesday, July 12 through August 5, with entry into California Adventure after 5 p.m. or entry into Disneyland after 7 p.m. Park reservations are required.
It’s an interesting move that offers a lower-cost way to enjoy nighttime entertainment, attractions, dining, and the parks after the daytime crowds have thinned… not to mention the added bonus of cooler temps once the summer sun goes down. But is it enough to bring more locals back this summer?
It seems it may be. As of Sunday morning, all but 5 dates were sold out (and only California Adventure is available on those), so if you want to take advantage of the low-priced DCA tickets, there’s no time to waste!
Know Before You Go:
- Evening Tickets are valid only on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays beginning July 12, 2026, and expire August 5, 2026.
- Guests may purchase up to 8 tickets per day.
- Tickets are nonrefundable, may not be sold or transferred for commercial use and exclude activities and events that are separately priced.
- This ticket may not be combined with other ticket discounts or promotions.
- Subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice. Sales may be paused from time to time or terminated at any time.
On a related note…
For the first time, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event (previously D23 Expo) also offers a D23 Fan Pass – Afternoon Only Ticket, which includes 1-day access to all experiences & shopping at the Anaheim Convention Center ONLY, with entry starting at 4 p.m. You must be a D23 member to purchase tickets, but it’s free to join.
To further entice fans to wait until the end of the day to experience the event, afternoon and evening performances and experiences have been added to the schedule.
The Afternoon Ticket is priced at $49 (plus an $11.25 service fee), and is one of only three ticket types still available for the August 14-16, 2026 event at the Anaheim Convention Center (and by far the most affordable).
Read all about D23: The Ultimate Fan Event here:
Yo Ho – Oh No!
Last week a new high-tech pirate figure debuted in Pirates of the Caribbean, and while he certainly generated a lot of discussion on social media, park guests didn’t seem to be flocking to see him as wait times hovered around 30 minutes or less all day on Thursday.
The ride’s newest resident has gotten a lot of online hate, but as Dusty explained during last Thursday’s MiceChat Live, our main issue with the new addition is that it creates too much visual confusion. The pirates in the attraction fall into two main types. Most are in the comical Marc Davis-style… like this guy:
Or, they are the hyper-realistic type added in 2006, inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean films. While Johnny Depp and company would have made for a fun short-time promotion, they don’t feel like the rest of the ride and are an unfortunate diversion.
But all of those pirates, of either type, are still traditional animatronics.
Unfortunately, the projected face of the new figure puts him in an entirely new category all by himself… which just further muddles the attraction. That, along with the obnoxious sound effects in the scene and story concerns about the skeleton caverns, has led many fans to react strongly. If you haven’t had the chance to see the new pirate in person, check out our video and let us know what you think in the comments below.
Sadly, it didn’t take long for the controversial new pirate to break down… giving us a first look at the figure’s B-Mode. On July 4th, he was sporting a skeleton mask instead of his front-projected face that transforms from living to dead (though he was back in action the very next day)
We hate to say it… but we might actually like it better broken. What do you think?
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Merch Madness
A new “build-a-bag” concept is already getting a lot of attention and we could barely make it through the hordes of shoppers at Disney Clothiers on Main Street to get a look at Disneyland’s new Disney Once Upon a Bag collection.
The new DIY concept allows shoppers to choose a bag, strap, wallet, and more to customize their purchase. Bags are priced at $54, straps are $24 or $28, and wallets are $24.
Read all about it here:
Disneyland’s “Once Upon a Bag” is a DIY Fashion Dream Come True
New Anaheim-exclusive merch has also arrived at the Lego Store in Downtown Disney, including a retro logo umbrella ($19.99), a passport holder ($13.99), a kid’s cap ($14.99), rectangular magnets ($4.99), and Anaheim pens ($3.99).
The limited-time collection also includes:
- Reusable Shopping Bag ($7.99)
- Adult Baseball Cap ($17.99)
- Anaheim Water Bottle ($19.99)
- Canvas Tote ($24.99)
RELATED READING:
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Constructionland
And now for a look around the resort to see what’s progressing and what’s new.
Downtown Disney
In addition to the large Porto’s and Steakhouse/BBQ construction sites we’ve been telling you about for a while (both of which had no noticeable progress last week), a small project is also underway at the Downtown Disney parking lot.
Disneyland
The new seating area under Hungry Bear Barbecue is still underway, and it looks like foundation work will be starting soon.
Work also continues on the Rivers of America where the Fantasmic fountains are still under refurbishment after a month of tinkering.
California Adventure
Currently, the largest construction projects at California Adventure include the Silly Symphony Swings, which has been completely dismantled, with no posted return date.
Across the walkway is another long stretch of walls for the new Coco-themed boat ride, creating a construction corridor on the west end of Pixar Pier.
Of course, we’ve still got our eyes on the Avengers Campus expansion, which had a lot of active construction last week.
A new curved red beam has been affixed to the underside of the canopy.
From the Cars Land side of the Campus, you can see that work is also progressing on the new bathroom building.
Disneyland Blues
The dead grass roof of Ray’s Berets has been on our naughty list for some time, but we’re sad to say, Disneyland’s solution of replacing real grass with fake “Easter basket” grass is not much better.
We really hope Disney reconsiders replanting the live ferns that always looked green and beautiful.
Also still on our list is the non-working water wheel at the Adventureland Treehouse. The wheel added so much dynamic interest (and the sound of water is always a plus).
Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar
A slew of refurbishment projects start today, including King Arthur Carrousel and Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition.
New to the list are the Cozy Cone booths, which will all be down for 2 to 3 days next week. Down the line, Main Street Cinema will close on August 10, so if you haven’t seen the charming Sherman Brothers short film yet, you should definitely step into the cinema this summer.
Currently Under Refurbishment
- Silly Symphony Swings: April 27 – TBA
- King Arthur Carrousel: July 6 – 16
- Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition: July 6 – TBA
- Cozy Cone Motel – Cone 2- Ice Cream Cones: July 6 & 7
- Cozy Cone Motel – Cone 5- Popcone: July 6 & 7
Upcoming Refurbishments
- Cone 3- Chili Cone Queso: July 8 – 10
- Cone 1- Churros: July 9 & 10
- Cone 4- Frozen Cone-coctions: July 9 & 10
- Matterhorn Bobsleds: July 20 – 23
- Chiller at Paradise Park: July 26 – TBA
- Haunted Mansion – Holiday Install: August 8 – 20
- Main Street Cinema: August 10 – TBA
This & That
Now, just a little of this and a little of that.
Live @ Five
Dusty, Samantha and the MiceChat crew discuss the new Soarin’ Across America, take a look at the new Sam Eagle popcorn bucket, watch a military band, and then head to Disneyland for a patriotic walk down Main Street USA, and a peek at some new Haunted Mansion merch. It’s an essential hour for Disney fans.
One-Billionth Guest
Disneyland Resort marked a big round number on July 3, welcoming its honorary one billionth guest. The lucky honoree was Andres Robles of Arizona, who was celebrating his 8th birthday (a pretty good day to be Andres).
Andres unveiled an updated sign at the Disneyland train station that reads “Population 1,000,000,000”
Andres and his parents were greeted at the Main Street train station by Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, 2026-2027 Disneyland Ambassadors Oralia Neria Felix and Michele Mary, and Disneyland Resort President Jill Estorino, who unveiled an updated park sign reading “Population 1,000,000,000.”
The family also received a VIP tour guide for the day, a visit to Walt Disney’s private apartment, a ride on the newly opened Soarin’ Across America, and other surprises. Not a bad haul for showing up on the right Friday.
Double Feature
Since Walt Disney – A Magical Life joined Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the Main street Opera House, figuring out the show schedule has been a bit unpredictable… and sometimes one show did not have performances at all.
Well, it seem there’s finally a regular daily schedule, with Abe performing from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (last show at 1:20 p.m.), and Walt taking the afternoon shift from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. (barring technical issues, of course).
They’re Back!
If you’re a regular MiceChat reader, you know that several trees were removed from Main Street while the west side of the street was being refurbished, but we’re happy to report that the trees are back!
New Snacks in Downtown Disney
We told you last week that Big Boi Lumpia was coming to Downtown Disney, but they’re officially here! The Los Angeles-area spot opened their Downtown Disney location last Friday, and our team was among the first to try it out.
The menu includes pork, chicken, or Impossible lumpia served with sweet chili sauce ($14 for pork or chicken; $17.50 for Impossible).
We tried the pork, which was good (though a bit on the salty side).
Big Boi also offers sweet Ube and Peach Mango… and for the month of July, a special apple pie option.
Character Collection
We spotted quite a few characters last week, including Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps from Zootopia, who are meeting guests in a new (to us) location at Grizzly Peak Pass.
We also caught Mary Poppins and Burt hosting a mini dance party in front of the castle.
Alice and the Hatter organized a game of musical chairs at Refreshment Corner.
And Captain America celebrated his 108th birthday on July 4th.
As part of Celebrate Soulfully, Mickey is meeting guests wearing his Disney on the Yard Drum Major uniform every Friday (we believe through July 17) in Paradise Gardens at California Adventure. Check the Disneyland app for times.
Powerline Max is meeting guests at the same location on Saturdays (we believe through July 18). Check the Disneyland app for times.
Magic Key Map
A new complimentary Magic Key map is available at the Disney Gallery. The whimsical map comes with stickers, which you can place on the back.
If you’re wondering what you’ll get when you complete it, according to cast members, you’ll get the satisfaction of completing the map (full of stickers). But if you really love the artwork, you can also purchase a frame to keep it in.
Oogie Boogie Ticket Tracker
As we shared last week, following the initial pre-sale frenzy, Oogie Boogie Bash ticket sales slowed considerably, but the same three dates still sold out: September 6 (the Sunday of Labor Day weekend), October 11 (the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend), and October 31 (a Saturday night).
As of Friday night, August 23 and October 11 (both Sundays) have also sold out.
Tickets for Oogie Boogie’s exclusive D23 member party on September 27 are also available at $169 per person.
Next MiceChat Adventure: Pacific Coast & Alaska Back-to-Back
If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to finally visit Alaska, this is it. MiceChat is sailing from San Diego to Vancouver (May 6-10, 2027), and for those who want more, the fun continues straight into Alaska (May 10-17, 2027). Do one leg, do both… plenty of us are booking the same stateroom for the full run.
The Pacific Coast sailing hugs some genuinely beautiful coastline before depositing everyone in Vancouver, which is worth a few hours of wandering on its own. The Alaska leg hits Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau, plus a pass by the Stikine Icecap.
If you’ve never cruised Alaska, it’s difficult to appreciate just how dramatic the scenery is until you’re there. Towering glaciers, wildlife, and charming port towns make it one of Disney Cruise Line’s most memorable itineraries.
Traveling with MiceChat means the people at your dinner table already share your Disney obsession, and shore excursions happen with a group that’s genuinely fun to be around.
Bookings go through Teresa Cory at [email protected], and that’s the only way to get in on the group rates and MiceChat activities. Come join us!
MiceChat & The Walt Disney Storybook Mansion Are About To Make Some News
Don’t miss out. MiceChat and the Walt Disney Storybook Mansion are cooking up an amazing event you won’t want to miss.
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Let’s Hear From You!
What do you think about the newest iteration of Soarin’, and where does it fit in your ranking of the three versions? And the question of the week… the new pirate… keep him, fix him, or walk the plank? Sound off in the comments below!
