DISNEYLAND UPDATE: Toontown Troubles Tamed, Spring Surprises & Seasonal Shenanigans

It has been an eventful week at the Disneyland Resort, with Toontown’s final completion, Wondrous Journeys returning, Spring Break Crowds, and glorious blooms. There is a lot to cover in this week’s Disneyland Update, so let’s explore the latest from the Happiest Place on Earth…

Toontown Troubles Tamed?

After 368 days of growing pains and lessons learned, Toontown is finally 100% open. This past Friday, the last holdout in the land, a small splash pad, had a surprise opening after a rebuild of the area and weeks of testing.

Donald’s Duck Pond had its first guest on Friday morning. The guest received a special button as a token of appreciation for being the first guest to officially use the much-awaited zero-depth water play area. It is nice to see Toontown finally whole, with no construction walls anywhere in the land.

Donald’s Boat has two separate play areas, one wet and one dry. 

If you’d like to see how minimal this water feature is, take a look at this short video. We’re talking about a small amount of water flow here. 

Toontown 2.0 has had a lot of trouble in its first year of operation. The ground had to be releveled around trees, tripping hazards were fixed, walkways were redone, and plumbing issues had to be fixed. An area designed for children to climb will always require more maintenance than other theme park areas, but there was a surprising amount of work just months after the land opened and continuing all year. Some areas, like CenTOONial Park had to be redone more than once.

But, is Toontown really done? Over the course of the last several months, more elements have been added to Goofy’s How to Play Yard. Fort Max has received some add-ons and there has been shade added to the slides. The most recent addition to the area was a new clothesline that has some Goofy costumes hanging from it. Sure helps make the area feel more whimsical.  

Since reopening, Toontown has been one of the more popular lands in the park. It seems to consistently be busier than Galaxy’s Edge, having more attractions in a smaller area and room for kids to run and be kids. 

My only real gripe with the area is that Donald’s mailbox is all but hidden behind the white picket fence. This is a cool little element that most guests will not notice because it is inexplicably hidden behind this fence instead of being built around the feature.

Have you had a chance to explore the new ToonTown in the last year? What are your thoughts?

Wondrous Journeys Returns:

Don’t get overly excited about this one because it won’t last long, but Wondrous Journeys has returned for a limited engagement from March 22 to April 14. We were there for the first showing, and were so glad to enjoy this gorgeous and sentimental show again. Unfortunately the two flying characters, the Blue Fairy and Baymax, were not used. It is our understanding that they will not be part of the show during this incredibly short run.

Dusty went live from the performance if you’d like to relive the moment: 

“Season of the Force” Star Wars Celebration

The “Season of the Force” is rapidly approaching, with an April 5th kick-off. The Star Wars-themed celebration will feature an overlay to Space Mountain and new destinations for Star Tours. You can also look forward to fresh merchandise, new PhotoPass opportunities in Galaxy’s Edge. There will also be an alternate version of the park’s fireworks when viewed from Galaxy’s Edge which has a special score. The show will be called “Fire of the Rising Moons.” We’re not sure why Disney doesn’t ALWAYS offer this option in Galaxy’s Edge since it’s a great spot to watch the fireworks up close and helps pull guests off of the busy Main Street and Castle/Hub areas. 

As part of the celebration, a separately ticketed after-hours event will be offered on select nights. Star Wars Nite will happen on April 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30, as well as May 2 (sold out), 7, and 9. Prices for these after-hours events vary, but they start at $159 per person. Shockingly, there will be NO FIREWORKS during the parties! Price and lack of fireworks are likely why the parties haven’t sold well. 

For more information on Season of the Force, Pixar Fest, and other Disneyland Resort celebrations, be sure to check out the article below!

EXCITING UPDATES: Disneyland Events & Season of the Force Details!

Spring Break Crowds

It’s Spring Break season once again at the Disneyland resort. However, the parks don’t feel as crowded as one might expect for this time of year. Although park reservations were completely sold out on Thursday or Friday, the overall park attendance did not feel overly crowded. Park reservations may be annoying, but they sure do help keep the experience from being overwhelming during traditionally busy periods.  

But don’t worry too much about not being able to get a reservation, you just need to think ahead this time of year and book at least a week or two in advance.  When I took this screenshot on Wednesday, everything was booked through Friday, but I could have booked the weekend and most of the days beyond. And, if you are tenacious and willing to refresh endlessly, spots do open as others cancel (try the late evening as people realize they have a reservation for the next day they need to cancel).  

March 30th starts the highest-priced tier 6 theme park tickets, which are only $10 more than the current tier 5 tickets. At $194 for a one-day/one-park ticket, are you priced out of Spring Break at the Disneyland Resort? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Let’s take a look at some notorious crowd pinch points in Disneyland to see how the end of last week looked.

At the time of this photo, the wait time for Pirates of the Caribbean ride was just 25 minutes, even though the queue area extended to the bridge. There have been days when the same queue has stretched all the way to Tiana’s Palace and back.

Strollers, strollers everywhere. 

Tomorrowland may look more like yesterland, but there are still some popular attractions in this area. During the Friday Live at 5 (embedded below), Dusty and I saw both Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours at a 10 minute wait, while Space Mountain was at an hour. 

Crowds in DCA:

It’s no surprise that California Adventure was more crowded than Disneyland this past week with the popular Food and Wine Festival offering special entertainment, demonstrations, and lots of fun food and drinks to try. While DCA is busier, it is still mostly enjoyable. As you can see in the photos below, there are occasional pockets of dense crowding, but most of the park does move freely. 

While walkways were not terrible to navigate, some of the ride wait times were fairly long. You can tell by these wait time boards that some of the wait times do fluctuate in a big way. The biggest issue DCA has on a busy day is the lack of attractions to help spread people out. This park really needs a couple big shows and a parade to help eat up the crowds (as well as some giant people-eating attractions on the scale of a Rise of the Resistance, Pirates, or Mansion). 

In general, it wasn’t terribly overcrowded. The crowds were manageable and ordering food at the Food and Wine Festival wasn’t a bad experience. I was able to order three different items from two different booths and receive my food within about 15 minutes.

For more about the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, please visit our three guides: 

Eat This! Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival 2024 Food Guide

Make the Most of Your Sip & Savor Pass at California Adventure Food & Wine Festival

And if you have kids, don’t miss this… 

Family Fun at the Festival: A Kid-Friendly Guide to DCA’s Food and Wine Fest

Disney Constructionland:

Toontown may be complete… but there is still a lot of work going on at the Resort. Let’s see the progress of the projects we have been tracking.

The Haunted Mansion: (January 22nd-TBA):

Construction workers are still in the demolition phase of the queue-expansion project. Noticeable this week are piles of what appears to be a broken up brick wall. We’ll be keeping a close eye as the old Magnolia Gardens and Haunted Mansion Queues are consumed to create a larger Mansion queue and expanded seating for Tiana’s Palace. 

Splash Mountain – Conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: (May 31st, 2023-Late 2024):

There’s one construction project that’s making some obvious visible progress. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is rapidly greening up (just in time for spring). Last week, we shared a glimpse of the colorful “salt dome” with flowers. This week, we can see that more vegetation has been added lower on the mountain. The work is progressing quickly, while the sister attraction in WDW is currently testing logs: Walt Disney World Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Update

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is entering another major phase of construction, which will begin on May 1st. The area from “The Briar Patch” store to the edge of Hungry Bear will be closed, except for the much-needed dining option at the Hungry Bear quick service restaurant and pathway to Galaxy’s Edge. Let’s take a quick walk through Critter Country and see what we know will be changing.

The current Briar Patch shop will get a light retheme to become Ray’s Berets: 

We expect the Pooh Corner candy shop to remain.   

Critter Country still maintains strong ties with the old Country Bear Jamboree. Whether you are on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction or walking around Pooh Corner, there are reminders of the old days.

But the new Tiana theme will take over the half of the building which once contained the Splash Mountain shop. While Pooh Corner will remain on one side, concept art shows minor changes around the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure themed side of the building. The name “Critter” in the new sign shows how they are trying to tie the two rides together. 

Astro Orbitor: (November 27th, 2023-March 28th, 2024):

Reopening later this week! With a scheduled reopening date of March 28th, the Astro Orbitor is looking shiny and new!

Oooooooooh, shiny…..

Sailing Ship Columbia: (March 4th-29th)

Also wrapping up this week is the Sailing Ship Columbia, which is getting a quick refurbishment before the return of Fantasmic on May 24th. 

The Fantasmic Fountains are also getting a full refurbishment. 

Fantasyland Theater:

While there is no permanent show announced for this theater, it will be used as a dance venue during Pixar Fest (starting next month). 

Even with the Fantasyland Theater behind construction walls, the Troubadour Tavern remains open. 

Main Street Town Square:

While work is still progressing and is covered by the scrims for now, we noticed last week that the bell at the top of the station has returned.

We find it funny that the scrim covering the Main Street Fire Station has the Christmas Tree in Walt’s Apartment.  

Grizzly Peak (Various Projects)

Disney California Adventure has been seeing its share of work with one project complete and two that are still a ways off. Let’s take a look at the latest starting with Grizzly Flats.

An expanded Disney Vacation Club kiosk is still under construction (one of two in this park right now). 

And with the lockers removed to expand DVC, they have reopened across from the entry to the attraction in a very visible location off the main path.  

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: (March 4th-TBA)

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is closed for yet another refurbishment. It already closes twice a year for the Halloween overlay. We wonder what’s really going on here and why a third refurbishment is required. 

Blue Syk/DVC

The other Disney Vacation Club project in the park is a big one. The former Blue Sky Cellar is under a major transformation into a DVC lounge. The construction doesn’t just have the building closed, but all the areas and patios around it. That’s a lot of work and expense for the small number of guests who will qualify to use the space.  

The Bakery Tour: (March 22nd-April 17th)

Every time the Bakery Tour closes for refurbishment, we wonder if they will finally remove Rosie O’Donnell.  With the popularity of the new San Fransokyo food court area, we are likely to see an expansion of seating here. We’re all for it. 

Star Wars Trading Post Pavement Project: 

The far West end of Downtown Disney has been under construction for some time now. The last remaining bit of the original walkway, by Star Wars Trading Post, is being removed now. While the store is still open, there is a very narrow walkway to access it.

Earl of Sandwich Relocation:

At the side of the Trading Post, opposite the old ESPN Zone building, is the future Earl of Sandwich trailer. Expect a small sandwich menu here while their new permanent location is constructed just steps away next to the new Downtown Disney stage area.

We believe that the new construction next to the Parkside Market is for the upcoming Earl of Sandwich building.

 

Parkside Market

The Parkside Market will be the new home to four new establishments. 

Here are the new eateries that are moving in, in addition to the upgraded Earl of Sandwich just starting construction.

 

Din Tai Fung

Downtown Disney’s future dumpling house has been making progress with the classical roofline taking shape.

Paseo/Centrico/Tiendita

Centrico is finally feeling like real progress is being made with theming elements starting to be installed.  

A better view from above shows that there is still some work to be done, but you can see amenities like the fire pit in the lower right corner of the photo below, hanging lanterns, completed roofing, and some new greenery.

The nearby Paseo appears to still have a way to go with interior framing being visible through some of the windows. The exterior balcony seating of the restaurant looks great! We are looking forward to seeing the finished product. There appears to be much more shade, which is a huge improvement from the ugly yellow umbrellas that were there before.

Restaurant signs have been installed on the storefront and on the corners of the area surrounding the restaurant.  

And the quick-serve Tiendita now has its signage as well. You don’t normally see signs go up too early in a busy construction zone due to the risk of damage, so some of this project is likely preparing to open soon. Perhaps Centrico and Tiendita will precede Paseo (which still feels a way off).  

For more information about all the restaurant changes coming to Downtown Disney, please read our dedicated coverage: 

Coming Soon To Downtown Disney: New Restaurants & More!

Wonderground is Wondergone?

Last week we showed you the Wonderground gallery was closed with the windows blacked out. This week, we found that the sign had been covered completely. We’ve heard that even more changes are on the way to Downtown Disney, including a new bath and beauty shop. What else would you like to see replaced? 

Upcoming Refurbishments:

With all the construction and refurbishments above, you can expect to see even more in the days ahead: 

• Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island: (April 5th-7th)
• Incredicoaster: (April 8th-18th)
• Matterhorn Bobsleds: (April 15th-25th, April 29th-May 2nd)
• The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: (April 15th-TBA)
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: (May 1st-TBA)

This and That

Now for the smaller items which we think you might enjoy knowing about…

Chuuby Popcorn Buckets:

The playful little bird from Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway can now be found as an adorable popcorn bucket. It can be found at Daisy’s Cafe and at the Yummy Popcorn Cart located at the exit of Mickey’s house.

 

Magic Keys Are STILL Available:

You can still find a new Magic Key for purchase. All but the Imagine Key are available with little to no wait time in the purchasing queue. Has Disney priced more folks out? Is there too much construction going on for people to want to purchase a key? Or have they simply expanded the number of passes available?

 

Disney California Adventure Gate Testing:

The new gate on the West end of the DCA main entrance was sporadically testing over the last week. New to the gate this week was the addition of the Disney California Adventure logo, placed on the glass partitions that open when you scan your pass or ticket. 

Mickey doing the Moonwalk:

Mickey wants you to join him at the new DVC location on the moon! Well, that moon part may not be true yet, but this cool little figure was added to the DVC booth located at the recently refurbished flying saucer in Tomorrowland.

Photo Pass Excursion Moves to DCA:

Disney’s PhotoPass has been testing photo excursions in Disneyland for Magic Key and Genie+ holders, taking guests on a short trip to different photo locations. The trial run has now moved over to Disney California Adventure with stops in Grizzly Flats, Pixar Pier, Paradise Gardens Park, and San Fransokyo. This is a free service. If you need photos, get in line. 

MiceChat LIVE

Every Friday we go live from Disneyland at 5pm (Pacific). This week we start our journey in ToonTown to see the reopened Donald’s Duck Pond. Then we journey through the park to show you the latest construction advances and latest news. Join Dusty and I as we take you on a magical journey: 

MiceShots

Thank you for joining us on another tour around the Disneyland Resort. As we wrap up this update, I leave you with some of my favorite photos of the week.

Let’s Hear From You:

That was quite a lot to digest today. Are you glad to finally see Toontown with no construction walls? What are your thoughts on the two year timeline to open a simple splash pad? Are you ready for the Season of the Force? Why aren’t the after hour party tickets selling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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