Disneyland Update: ToonTown Tidbits, Terrific Treats & Tourist Trends

Disneyland is a hub of constant activity, even when its gates are closed to guests. Each night, crews are busy with construction, maintenance, cleaning, and restocking in a neverending battle to keep a constantly evolving 68-year-old theme park running. Behind the obvious construction fences lies a world of change happening every week, and that’s where we come in.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at these behind-the-scenes transformations. You’ll get updates on crowd patterns and insider tips to keep cool during the sizzling Disneyland summer. Plus, we’ve got the lowdown on the latest happenings in ToonTown and new mouthwatering treats and eats in San Fransokyo… including a surprise opening! And, as always, we’ll cover the latest construction news. Let’s dive in and uncover the magic of The Happiest Place on Earth…

We’ve mentioned since the start of the summer season that crowd patterns are changing. Usually, days with lower-cost tickets (during the week) are the busiest days; higher-priced days don’t feel nearly as crowded. That said, the heatwave sweeping the region has also impacted the resort.

On ultra-hot days, guests visit in the early and late hours and avoid the mid-day sun. But as temperatures drop and fireworks draw closer, the crowds appear in droves (along with many Magic Key holders who show up after work).

If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland in the near future, and you want to avoid the biggest crowds, your best bet is to spring for a higher-cost ticket over the weekend. That way, you’ll find the park not nearly as bustling as a weekday, leading to an overall more enjoyable experience. That is if you can handle the heat… and the extra cost!

We’re in the peak of summer, and as we mentioned above, dealing with the brutal sun is easier said than done at Disneyland. In this week’s Live @ 5 live stream, we aimed to show you the latest news AND our favorite tips and tricks to handle the heat around the Disneyland Resort. We even take you for a ride on “it’s a small world.” You can watch our video below:

If you’re looking for more tips, this week’s MiceShots photo essay was all about our favorite places to find respite from the heat. Take a look at the article below for some creative ways to enjoy a day at Disneyland even when the thermometer is melting:

MiceShots: Disneyland’s Coolest Spots On A Hot Summer Day

The Disneyland Resort celebrated 68 years last week. The festivities were very limited (as they always are in years without milestone numbers), condensed to just a cavalcade with show stops to sing happy birthday, a specialty donut, and a few cutout signs for photos. We were there for the anniversary— along with a park packed with guests! While it’s unlikely that they were all there expressly for the anniversary (since it was a low-cost day), it made the atmosphere quite lively.

By the time we made it to Disneyland around 11:15 am, the whole place was swarming with people waiting to watch the cavalcade. We found a spot on Main Street near one of the show stops.

The cavalcade was a simple parade float with Mickey, Minnie, and friends. Behind the parade float, the Dapper Dans, the Disneyland Band, and other Disney characters followed.

The ensemble stopped to sing happy birthday to Disneyland in front of Small World, in the middle of Main Street, and in front of the Disneyland Train Station.

The cavalcade appeared to suffer from several problems. The largest issue by far was that the audio system was not properly synched to the cavalcade, meaning that when the Disneyland Band and Dapper Dans sang “Happy Birthday,” it was barely audible. Unfortunately, since the cavalcade only took place once that day, there wasn’t time for a redo.

We were there to watch the anniversary cavalcade— and also did a surprise walkthrough around Disneyland to enjoy what The Happiest Place on Earth was doing to celebrate its birthday! You can watch our live video from Disneyland’s 68th anniversary below:

At long last, the ongoing Magic Key lawsuit has been settled. We broke the news on our social channels last week that a motion was filed in court that an agreement has been reached. The agreement will affect all members of the class, not just the person who filed the suit. Details about the settlement and what it means for pass holders will be announced by August 31st. We’re keeping an eye on it, but don’t expect to get rich on your payout.

The #Disneyland #MagicKey lawsuit has been settled. A motion was just filed in federal court stating that an agreement had been reached, and it affects all members of the class, not just the plaintiff. Preliminary details will be announced by August 31st. #DisneyParks

— MiceChat (@MiceChat) July 20, 2023

This weekend, Disneyland added some new river entertainment — or rather, a reappearance of an old favorite. Queenie and the Jambalaya Jazz Band are a live ensemble that plays multiple times a night on the Rivers of America.

Queenie and the Jambalaya Jazz Band float around the Rivers of America on a lightly themed raft. We really love that the river’s fountains are used during the performance and remain on throughout the night. Here’s a quick look at what the ensembles has to offer:

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While live music isn’t quite the same as bringing back a major nighttime spectacular like Fantasmic, it really does add quite a bit of charm to the ambiance of Rivers of America and New Orleans Square. Queenie’s sets are about 15 minutes long, which is the perfect length to stop and listen for a bit. Take a listen to another of her songs in the video below:

There hasn’t been any update from Disney about when Fantasmic will be returning. Although we hope that it will be back in time for Halloween, that’s appearing less and less likely. So in the meantime, we’ll be enjoying the new entertainment offering as a precursor to watching Wondrous Journeys. If you time it right and watch the 9:05pm showing, it’s like a preshow to the fireworks! And the Rivers of America are a great spot to watch fireworks as the mist screens are used for projections.

This past week, another major theme park made a significant change in how their disability access works for their attractions. Universal Studios parks in California and Florida implemented a new system that is more stringent but also standardized and easy for guests to register in advance.

The updated disability system at Universal’s parks requires the interested party to apply for a disability registry a minimum of 48 hours in advance of their park visit. If they are approved, they bring a printout of their Accessibility Card with them to the park that tells Universal what accommodations should be made. Part of the application process requires the interested party to list their doctor/physician/social worker information and a note from the aforementioned person outlining what access accommodations are needed. While making a guest sign up in advance may result in some guests showing up without a completed IAC card, it also takes the decision-making out of the hands of front-line Universal employees and prevents guests from having to wait in long lines to arrange accommodation on the day of their visit.

Would it make sense for Disney to update its Disability Access System (DAS) to something similar to Universal’s? Would it help make the process easier for guests who need it but discourage those who don’t?

We’re curious to see what ripples this implementation will have on the theme park industry.

Universal To Require Prior Disability Access Approval, Should Disney Follow?

The limited-time summer show at DCA’s Hyperion Theater, Rogers: The Musical, has just about made it to the halfway point of its short 2-month run. The Captain America musical runs Tuesday through Saturday, now through August 31.

While the crowd reaction to this short show has been generally positive, we are curious about what comes after Rogers wraps up. At this time, Disney hasn’t made any public announcements about what will be headed to the Hyperion after August 31. However, we think there are a few possible scenarios.

The first option would be to extend Rogers beyond a summer run. This is a simple solution—one that would keep activity happening at the Hyperion.

Another possibility is that Disney may do another limited-time production for the Halloween or Holiday season.

But what we are holding out hope for is a major new permanent production. While it’s been great seeing the Hyperion used for live entertainment again after sitting empty for years, Rogers: The Musical isn’t quite on the same level as previous shows that took place on that stage. With predecessors like Aladdin and Frozen, the Hyperion offered near-Broadway-level performances at DCA. We don’t mean to demean Rogers in any way, but it’s obviously meant to be a smaller-scale production.

Of course, the Hyperion could simply go dormant again after the summer season. Live performances are the lifeblood of Disney theme parks, we’d hate to see the Hyperion shuttered again after such a short time.

As we walked through Downtown Disney this week, we realized that just about everything has either been significantly redesigned or replaced since it opened in 2021. While both the LEGO Store, Naples, and World of Disney remain from opening day, they have all been substantially renovated over the years. There’s just one ugly duckling left to be transformed…

Marceline’s Confectionery is the sole holdout from 2001, and it feels like it. While the establishment once had a great selection of items and occasional new treats, it’s all been whittled down to the same old basic rice crispy treats, cookies, dipped apples, and marshmallow wands… changed up slightly for the seasons.

The decorations change seasonally, but it’s really the same boring selection month after month:

In the early days, we never left Disneyland empty-handed because we always picked up a treat for the drive home. But no longer. There’s very little at Marcelines that still holds appeal for us… or any of the bakeries at the Disneyland Resort for that matter (other than the specialty items that pop up at Jolly Holiday). This is one occasion when we wish Disneyland would borrow a senior baker from Walt Disney World to give an infusion of creativity to the candy kitchens and bakeries throughout the Disneyland Resort.

Where are the pastries, fudge, caramels, truffles, doughnuts, and creativity that these shops were known for in the past? Is it time for a change at Marceline’s? Or are you happy with the streamlined and stagnant selections?

It’s an ever-changing world of walls at the Disneyland Resort, and this week brings interesting updates to a variety of projects…

As we entered the resort from the Disneyland Hotel side of Downtown Disney on Friday, we noticed that the corridor of walls had constricted, creating a bottleneck as guests come and go on this end of the resort. Behind the colorful walls, a whole new area is being created.

The old concrete is also being ripped up in front of the old ESPN Zone, further complicating the maze of walls on this end of Downtown Disney.

But the constriction soon opens up on an expanded section which gives us our first look at the new design for the area. While it’s just a single planter and some new decorative pavement at the moment, you can see that the whole vibe of the West End will be quite different when complete.

The new gray stripe runway look of the pavement leads off to the South… into this planter:

The giant Disney100 Mickey, which was previously in front of the old ESPN Zone, has been relocated here as well. The planter has built-in seating on both sides, providing much-needed seating in this section of the shopping district.

On the other side of the construction walls, a new Asian restaurant is under construction, as well as a shade structure and strip-mall-esque multi-tenant building.

See any familiar shapes from the concept art?

Din Tai Fung is also coming along. Supports for that sweeping roof are going in now.

Downtown Disney’s bowling alley/sushi restaurant is getting an outdoor expansion. Faux grass and lawn furniture have been placed in the concrete space between Splitsville and Tortilla Jo’s.

Hard to envision how many additional people this area will serve. Without more shade, few will want to sit here in the heat of the day. And it doesn’t look like the space will accommodate many guests as currently laid out.

And just across the way from the project above, a huge chunk of Downtown Disney is behind walls as the former Catal, Uva Bar, and Sprinkles Cupcakes become Paseo and Centrico.

The entire interior of the old Catal has been completely gutted, with most windows removed and even some floors.

Even some of the exterior tiles and decorations have been removed from the entry tower.

Looking through a window in the tower on the far side shows the back wall has been removed, opening up the space above the Home Store and Wonderground to the dining patio.

Over in Disneyland, there are a profusion of projects as well. Wrapping up before too long will be the Adventureland Treehouse. The impressive redo has rebuilt much of the ancient structure. When complete, it will look very much like the original Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse… but with a new family now in residence.

Getting ready for Halloween? Nope, those aren’t ghosts, they’re light fixtures. Note how the ones on the right are themed to New Orleans Square, and the ones on the left are for Adventureland. You are looking at the divide between lands.

The main structures of the Treehouse are mostly installed now.

Also coming along VERY quickly now is Tiana’s retheme of the old French Market near the New Orleans Square train station.

Most of the scaffolds on the exterior are now down. There are just the steamship smokestacks atop the structure to complete. They are already installed but not yet unwrapped.

You can see the base of one of the stacks below.

And if you squint, you can just make out the entire structure behind the scrim.

The rest of the structure is just about complete on the exterior, with some of the new popcorn lights now lit in the evenings. It looks lovely.

Paint tarps were up around the doors to the patio. We’d love to see what’s going on inside!

One week ago, Splash Mountain would have turned 34. Now, the attraction’s signature Chickapin Hill treestump has been completely demolished. The stump was in the process of being removed in last week’s Disneyland Update, and now it’s just a part of history.

The scaffolds have an atrium because they had been built around the stump… nothing left now but the scaffolds themselves.

We’re still a long way off from seeing things finish up around the bayou. Walt Disney World recently installed Tiana’s water tower in front of their Tiana’s Bayou Adventure… We’ll have one too… complete with a tiara…

For the full information about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, take a look at the article below:

NEW DETAILS ARRIVE: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and WDW!

There have been some quiet updates to Toontown this week! We entered the land and noticed that some new elements have been added to the fountain.

The most obvious are the three animal figures in the lower tier. They don’t have any interactive element to them that we know of; they’re just fun.

The clamshells in the fountain still aren’t working. However, we did learn from watching kids play around in the fountain that if you press the lily pads, it shoots a little bit of water.

Over at Donald’s Boat, the splash pad is still behind construction walls. We’re really hoping that this area opens soon. It’s a shame to see it closed when it’s so hot out.

The dry side of the boat remains open.

But the side intended to be wet has never opened to guests.

As with everywhere else in Disneyland, guests seek out whatever shade they can find to relax and recover from the heat.

The conversion of Pacific Wharf into San Fransokyo is undoubtedly the biggest thing happening in California Adventure right now. Although the area doesn’t officially open until August 31, a lot of the updates around the land have already been finished.

All that’s left is to finish the Baymax meet & greet area, the Cevezerìa, and of course, the Torii Gate Bridge. The rest of the updates are small, cosmetic details like Rita’s Turbine Blender and Aunt Cass Café.

There sure are a lot of walls… but it’s mostly small things happening behind them. The new shop will be mostly shelves added under the current Cocina Cucamonga.

Here’s what the space will look like when complete:

The Baymax meet and greet next to the shop is just about done. The awning has been installed, and the queue is being set up. This could be unveiled at any time.

Lucky Fortune Cookery has begun serving its fantastic new menu. ALL of the new items are great. We’ve got a little review of what we tried further down in today’s article, so keep reading!

The beautiful neon dragon sign has also returned after a short refurbishment.

For those who remember what it looked like before, this is a nice redo.

Here’s what it looked like just before it was removed for restoration:

Expect new menu items for Cocina Cucamonga this Wednesday if all goes well.

Aunt Cass Cafe will be following up later. But most of the exterior work is done.

And… while we initially wrote that the Cerveceria could soft open as soon as today, Disney later announced that it would open starting July 25.

A post shared by Disney Eats (@disneyeats)

Additionally, Cocina Cucamonga and Rita’s Turbine Blenders will be getting their new menu items starting on July 26. You can take a look at the full menus of San Fransokyo in the article below:

Eat Like Hiro in San Fransokyo – Full Menu Guide!

Work continues on a refresh of the exterior of the Soarin’ building. While the attraction itself is now open, the exterior isn’t quite done yet.

The Sorcerer’s hat remains behind work scrims near the Disneyland Hotel’s entry to Downtown Disney.

But the big new Disney Vacation Club Tower looks to be nearly complete. Lights are on in many of the rooms, revealing that they are furnished.

It was so hot that we had to stay late to finish our photo shoot in the evening hours. You can just see the Disneyland fireworks between the Adventure and Fantasy towers.

Currently Under Refurbishment

Upcoming Refurbishments

Let’s wrap up today’s Disneyland Update with a couple of the smaller stories you’ll be interested in.

Recently, Disneyland has released a bunch of new food across the resort. While we haven’t tried everything just yet, we did sample our way through the now-available food at San Fransokyo’s Lucky Fortune Cookery. We tried nearly all of the new items at the quick-serve eatery (the Karaage-Inspired Chicken Sandwich, Yaki Udon, Birria Ramen, and the Lychee Iced Tea, and Dusty tried the Baymax macaron at a media event the week before), and nothing disappointed! Here are our thoughts on the new items (we had some sound issues at the beginning of the video, but never fear, we figure it out before we start eating the food):

The next round of new food additions in San Fransokyo kick off this week on July 27 at Cocina Cucamonga. You can get the full menus for all of San Fransokyo’s eateries in the article below:

Eat Like Hiro in San Fransokyo – Full Menu Guide!

As for other recent foods added to the park, there’s a handful of new Haunted Mansion items that will be around for a limited time (we’ve heard through August 21). These items include a new chowder in a bread bowl, a themed duo of churros, and even a special prix fixe menu at Cafe Orleans. You can get the full info below:

Haunted Mansion Themed Eats & Treats Materialize at Disneyland!

And while the food item inside isn’t new, the container certainly is! There’s a new Disney100 popcorn bucket headed to Disneyland this week, starting July 26. It’s a whimsical Disneyland Train featuring conductor Mickey, along with wheels that turn, and even a removable whistle! This is one of the most creative offerings we’ve seen from Disneyland in a long time— it’s almost reminiscent of the items available at Disney’s international parks!

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And now for some specialty items that aren’t available anymore. If you were hoping to try some of the Indiana Jones-themed food, you’ve officially missed the train. This week, Bengal Barbecue quietly discontinued the handful of items in promotion of the latest and final Indy movie now in theaters.

Although the food is gone, we’ve still seen the Indiana Jones face character roaming Adventureland. With the disappearance of the Indy food, we’re curious how much longer the character will be around. However, Raya was billed as a limited-time character and she stayed this year from February through mid-July, so it’s possible we haven’t seen the last of Indy just yet.

Outside of the parks, there’s a (relatively) new food truck located in Downtown Disney. Right near the Downtown Disney entrance from the pedestrian bridge, you can find a Pupusa truck parked between the old ESPN Zone and Star Wars Trading Outpost.

We’re not sure why Disney insists on putting food trucks here. It isn’t a great location for foot traffic, so it guarantees that few guests will see it.

I’m sure you’ve already noticed an abundance of stores preparing for the inevitable return to school as soon as next month. And while that may cause a lot of stress for students and parents alike, Disney is giving prospective grads something to look forward to with Grad Nites at the end of the school year.

Here are the dates for Grad Nites 2024:

May: 10, 14, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23, 28, 31

June: 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14

Similar to years past, there will be 3 ticketing options that vary in price and access to the parks. The lowest tier gets admission solely to the after-hours party at DCA ($109-114), the next tier grants same-day admission to DCA and the party ($139-144), and the highest tier is a same-day park-hopper with party access ($209-229).

Just know that Grad Nites are generally busy days to visit the resort, so if you’re planning a trip for next year, try to avoid the above set of dates!

While we were walking through New Orleans Square this week, we noticed something seemed a little off. The sign for 21 Royal seemed to be pointing in the wrong direction, away from where the location is.

We checked our archive photos and verified that, indeed, the sign was installed incorrectly. It’s a small detail, but one that’s very obviously wrong. It’s a quick fix, so hopefully, it gets resolved without too much trouble.

We’ll finish off today’s Disneyland Updates with some pretty pictures from around the parks.

We took a lot of night shots this time around. Partially because we couldn’t deal with the heat of the day, and also because Disneyland looks great at night!

There’s just a little over a month to enjoy our platinum pal in his Town Square location. The Disney100 Mickey will be replaced with the giant Mickey pumpkin for the Halloween season.

This week, Walt Disney World announced that one of its parks (EPCOT) will be getting its own Disney100 Mickey statue. We’re wondering if Disneyland’s is getting shipped out to Florida…

Though, we’re hoping Mickey joins Minnie over by the castle.

If you’re curious about how Walt Disney World is celebrating Disney100, take a look at our recent article:

Complete Guide to Disney100 Experiences Heading to EPCOT This Fall

If you’re looking for a place to cool off and rest your tired feet, the Disneyland Railroad is the perfect option. Plus, you get to see some neat dioramas along the way too!

If you get very lucky, the train and Mark Twain feel like they are in a race.

I really wish Disney could do a true Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans Square. Even if it’s just food and merchandise, I think it’s something that would be popular. If other parks (like Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Universal Studios) can do it, why can’t Disneyland? There’s always hope for next year…

If you have the patience of waiting in line (and don’t mind getting jostled quite a bit!), catching a bobsled down Matterhorn Mountain is sure to delight. Just be warned, there’s a yeti afoot…

After we watched Disneyland’s 68th-anniversary cavalcade, a bunch of the MiceChat team had a nice lunch at Carnation Cafe. At the end of the meal, one of our staffers surprised us all with not one, but TWO cakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse for Disneyland’s birthday! They were absolutely delicious, and they’re available to order when you make a dining reservation. We definitely recommend them!

Brunch at Lamplight Lounge is offered on the weekends (Friday-Sunday) and reservations are requested. If you’re able to score a table, you’re in for a treat!

While in DCA, we saw the Incredicoster go “101” and stop operations. Guests riding the attraction were evacuated. It’s not totally out of the ordinary to see, but it’s definitely a scary situation for many guests… just imagine being stuck in the full sun waiting for maintenance to show up and free you… and then having to navigate a catwalk to an emergency ladder.

We’re in love with ToonTown’s new judgemental frog.

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The new California ticket offer is even cheaper if you get it from MiceChat and Get Away Today than those offered by Disneyland directly. The new 3-day ticket comes with options to add park-hopping, Genie+ and options for week-day only or weekends included.

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(MiceChat works with Get Away Today to provide you with the best theme park travel deals and we may make a small commission on any sales made through our links)

And that concludes another (hopefully) informative Disneyland Update! There’s a lot to check up on around the Disneyland Update every week. If you were at Disneyland for its 68th birthday, what did you think of the celebration? Without Fantasmic playing nightly, are you happy to see that and the Jambalaya Jazz Band offered as area entertainment? Are you hopeful for the future of Downtown Disney with all the construction taking place? Do you have a favorite escape from the heat at the Disneyland Resort? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Many thanks to Dusty Sage for helping shoot and write today’s Disneyland Update, and Mike Kindrich for his gorgeous photos!

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