Christmas may be over, but the holiday crowds are still growing at the Disneyland Resort. Club 33 is being expanded above New Orleans Square and we get a glimpse into the renovation. Have you noticed the Mickey and Friends parking structure from Disneyland park? The loss of many trees around the Rivers of America have exposed the big concrete box from within the park. We also check on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which is now approaching one full year under refurbishment. There is also news from here and there, and a survival guide for those visiting the parks at this VERY busy time of year, and more.
Club 33 Refurbishment
As you all know, the exclusive Club 33 restaurant above New Orleans Square is receiving a major expansion and refurbishment. While the restaurant itself isn’t expected to close for renovations until January 7th, work has already started in the expansion zones. Above the French Market restaurant, a new jazz club is under construction. It will be the first full time bar inside Disneyland, but sadly will not be available to regular guests, it will be for Club 33 members only.
While visiting the park we noticed that one of the doors on the upper veranda was wide open. You can just make out the framing for some interior walls.
Rivers of America
Back on the Rivers of America, the winter months and waning foliage as well as the removal of many trees around the river make for a perfect view of the parking structure and backstage areas. But that’s not really a good thing.
The little boy along the river has returned to his perch on the tree. However, his canine companion has yet to return.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Testing on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has been continuous. Trains were even testing on Christmas day.
Flower Market
In another bit of wonderful news, the Flower Market on Center Street has survived thus far. The busy holiday season will be a major test to see how this decorative crowd buffer can withstand the festive masses.
So far, everything looks good. The guests don’t seem to be walking off with the faux flowers. Let’s cross our fingers that the market will remain after the holidays.
Corn Dog Queue
In a “Why didn’t they think of that sooner?” moment, we see that they have finally turned the line for the Corn Dog Cart into a switchback. Insider Tip: You can get the same corn dogs at the stage door with a quarter of the wait.
Esplanade
The terrazzo compass in the esplanade continues to deterioriate. We hope that a more permanent solution is found for this area soon as it really looks terrible.
At this point, it would probably look better if they just pulled the compass out and put brick down.
MICECHAT PODCAST: SAVING WALT, CHRISTMAS IN THE PARKS, DISNEYLAND RUMORS AND MORE
Robo-Dusty and Doug Barnes lead us on a quest to save Walt’s Birthplace, look at Christmas in the parks, explore the latest Disney Imagineering rumors, and jump into danger at Orlando’s IAAPA theme park expo. You won’t want to miss a minute of this action packed show. It’s a Disney geek’s dream:
RSS | iTunes | Direct Download
UPCOMING MICECHAT EVENTS
MiceAge/MiceChat Anniversary Weekend
Save the dates of Feburary 7th, 8th and 9th, 2014 for special Disney presentations, cocktail parties, Lunches, breakfasts, meets in the park, giveaways, friendship and more. Make sure you don’t miss out, add your name to the Anniversary Weekend Email List HERE:
Gumball Rally 2014 – Saturday May 3rd
The world famous MiceChat Gumball Rally will be rolling your way the first Saturday in May. Lots of fun and surprises are in store. Join the info list now so you won’t miss out on early discounted registration (just after the first of the year). Last year’s event sold out in record time with over 100 names on the waiting list. Don’t end out shut out of the best fan event of the year, add your name to the list HERE and we’ll notify you when tickets go on sale.
CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN WITH BOB GURR AND THE MICECHATTERS
What’s better than a Disney Cruise? A Disney Cruise to an exotic location with beloved Imagineering legend Bob Gurr!!! Join us on the reimagined Disney Magic (AquaDunk anyone?) as we travel from Barcelona Spain to Monaco and several ports of call in Italy. And if you are REALLY up for adventure, add an extension after the cruise to join us in Disneyland Paris! This is the journey of a lifetime that you simply can’t miss. Contact MiceChat’s Fairy Godmother, Teresa Cory, at [email protected] for full trip details and pricing (it’s MUCH more affordable than you think)!
¡Viva Navidad!
It was recently announced that the successful ¡Viva Navidad! will be returning next year and expanded. No details were given, but this is spectacular news. If you have not been over to enjoy some of the food offerings from ¡Viva Navidad! or seen the delightful street show, add it to your list if you can.
¡Viva Navidad! is running through January 5th.
Christmas Time Crowds
‘Tis the season for insane crowds. But there are ways to enjoy the park despite the masses. If you are planning on visiting the resort, here are a few tips for keeping things fun and enjoyable.
- When arriving to the resort, avoid Harbor and Ball Road if at all possible. Katella is generally a better option.
- Do not use Mickey and Friends parking structure, instead try the Toy Story lot or Pumba (across from the Garden Walk mall – if open)
- Drive defensively, tourists often don’t pay attention or know where they are going.
- Be patient.
- Get there early and use the fastpass system wisely. They have begun to enforce time frames. Manage your time efficiently so you don’t miss out on your valid Fastpass window.
- Get a locker as soon as the park opens. They sell out right away on busy days. It has been hot during the day but can get downright cold at night, so it’s nice to have a locker to stow items you won’t want to carry all day (such as coats, scarves, etc).
- Don’t forget your phone charger!
- Although lines can still get quite long (Haunted Mansion was running a 50 minute wait and Indy 100 minutes on Thursday evening), certain attractions have lines which move much quicker than others. In particular, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World, and Little Mermaid are super high capacity rides . . . which means the lines keep moving. Captain EO, the Tarzan Treehouse, Enchanted Tiki Room, Mr. Lincoln, The Main Street Cinema, The Mark Twain, and Tom Sawyer Island are all great options on busy days. You might also want to see Mickey and the Magical Map, the Aladdin musical, It’s Tough to be a Bug or the Muppets 3D.
- It sounds cliché but grabbing your fast pass and enjoying the lesser attended attractions nearby is a perfect way to pace yourself in a hectic environment.
You also need to keep in mid that there are many attractions that allow single rider as an option.
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
- Matterhorn
- Splash Mountain
- California Screamin’
- Soarin’ Over California
- Grizzly River Run
- Radiator Springs Racers
It’ll be rough through January 5th. If you can avoid the parks, we would suggest postponing your visit for a couple of weeks. Otherwise, be warned and make the best of the situation.
We hope that all of you have had a wonderful holiday so far and we wish each and every one of you a safe and happy New Year!!! We’ll see you again soon . . . In The Parks!