Both Disneyland Resort Theme Parks Closing Early Amid State of Emergency

On Monday, February 5th, 2024, the Disneyland Resort will close both of its theme parks (Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure) early amid a declared state of emergency (they closed early on February 4th as well).

Currently, there are eight counties in the southern region of California that are under several wind and flood advisories from an ongoing atmospheric river - a phenomenon in which a body of water vapor in the air transforms into a massive volume of rain and/or snow.

According to PBS News, atmospheric rivers can have twice the flow of the Amazon River, on average. To prepare for this, California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency.

Orange County, where the Disneyland Resort is located, is one of those eight counties being affected. As a result, and in an abundance of caution, Disney has decided to close both theme parks early. The new hours for Monday, February 5th are:

• Disneyland Park will now close at 8:00pm, rather than 10:00pm.

• Disney California Adventure will also close at 8:00pm, rather than 9:00pm.

It should be noted that this is a rare situation for the resort. The parks typically only close early for previously announced events such as After Dark or corporate events. Closing early for weather related issues happens more at Walt Disney World than over here in California.

In addition, neighboring theme park, Knott’s Berry Farm, closed early on Sunday, February 4th and will remain closed for the entirety of February 5th.

River Belle Terrace Fantasmic Dining Package

Last year in April, tragedy struck the Disneyland Resort when Murphy, the animatronic Maleficent dragon, caught fire during a live performance of Fantasmic!, forcing the fan-favorite show to go on an extended hiatus.

The future of the show was in doubt as fans were unsure of when, if ever, it would return and if it did, would it be changed so significantly that it would no longer be the same…

Disney finally answered those questions in November 2023, confirming that Fantasmic would indeed be returning on May 24th, 2024. With it, there’s expected to be a new battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, new floats and the return of Peter Pan and Captain Hook.

With Fantasmic returning soon, you may be interested in booking a dining package to secure a reserved spot to watch the show. Gone are the days where you can camp out at the waterfront to save yourself a spot. If you want to sit up close, you’ll need to book a dining package.

There are three Disneyland restaurants that offer these. They are:

• Blue Bayou

• River Belle Terrace

• Hungry Bear Restaurant

While this post will focus on the standard package offered at the River Belle Terrace, I will also discuss the other two restaurants as well. Full disclosure, I have not personally purchased dining packages with Blue Bayou or Hungry Bear - only River Belle Terrace.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”

River Belle Terrace Fantasmic Dining Experience

The Fantasmic (standard) dining package at the River Belle Terrace is a three-course meal offered at both lunch and dinner. The price for this package in 2024 is:

• $55 per adult

• $32 per child (ages 3 - 9)

Each person will receive one starter, one entree and one dessert. Regular drinks such as soda, juices and coffee are also included in the price. What isn’t included are alcoholic drinks, tip and tax.

Note that there are two versions of the dining package at River Belle Terrace - the standard and premium. The differences between the two are:

• Standard: You make a normal reservation for River Belle and at the time of your meal and inform your waitress that you want the Fantasmic dining package. At the conclusion of your meal, each person will receive a voucher to return to the viewing area prior to showtime.

• Premium: You’ll make a reservation for this package specifically at this link 60-days in advance. This package is only available during dinner and you’ll watch Fantasmic from your table. The cost for this package is $75 (adult) and $45 (child).

The River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! menu has a number of tasty offerings. Our table of four had no problem making our selections. I don’t know this first hand, but I’ve read numerous reviews of this location being flexible with substitutions. If you don’t see something you like on the Fantasmic menu, ask for the normal one.

On our visit, some of the menu items our party ordered were:

• Red Beans & Rice cup w/ Andouille Sausage

• Burnt Ends Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

• Pimento Mac and Cheese Skillet

• Cookies n’ Cream Cheesecake

• Housemade Pudding

• The Seasonal Cobbler

No one at our table had a single negative thing to say about the food. All of it was presented well, was delicious and the portions were more than sufficient. Additionally, despite being a busy day, the service from our waitress was top notch.

*PRO TIP: If you’re just looking for somewhere to eat and looking to save money, dine here and split entrees. Disney allows this (from the regular menu, NOT the package). The portions here are enough for even two adults to split, let alone two children.

At the end of our meal, we were asked which of the two showings that night we wanted the voucher for. We booked a lunch reservation, so there were plenty of vouchers left. The danger of booking a dinner reservation is you may not be able to choose as they could have run out of one.

We chose the 10:30 showing and were advised to head over to Harbor Gallery/Pelican’s Landing (across from Haunted Mansion) about thirty minutes prior to showtime.

After everything was said and done, I paid about $260 for the four of us (all adults, inclusive of tax and tip). While I was really paying for a great view of the show, the food being as good as it was helped ease the pain of the final bill a bit.

The Viewing Area

Regardless of which restaurant you purchased your dining package, the check-in area is the same. Again, it’s located adjacent to Harbor Gallery/Pelican’s Landing. You’ll see cast members holding up signs in rows with each restaurant’s name on them. Simply line up in the row of your restaurant.

Shortly prior to showtime, the cast members will begin escorting you to your assigned viewing area. Blue Bayou guests will be seated (mostly) dead center to the stage, followed by River Belle guests, who’ll be seated to the right. Lastly, Hungry Bear guests will be to the left.

As you can see in the photo above, we were seated right up front. We weren’t directly center to the stage (we would’ve needed to dine at Blue Bayou for that) but it was a great view regardless. Not too shabby if you ask me.

If you want a chance at being seated in the front row, you’ll need to arrive at the check-in area early. It’ll state on your voucher to arrive thirty minutes prior to showtime. However, if you wait until then a rather large queue would’ve already formed.

Instead, I would suggest arriving closer to one hour early. When we first arrived, there were no cast members guiding the way, so we just hung around until they showed up. So if you do the same, don’t be alarmed. As long as you’re next to Harbor’s Gallery, you’ll be fine.

Also keep in mind that there are no actual seats included with the price of these dining packages and thus, you’ll be sitting on the ground (bringing a waterproof outdoor blanket to sit on, like this one, would be wise. Just think about how many people have walked over that spot).

The only exception to this is the premium package offered at the River Belle Terrace. You’ll enjoy the show from the comfort of your table on the restaurant’s patio. The downside is you’ll have the walkway and the Genie+ viewing area in front of you with little elevation.

All Fantasmic Dining Packages

There are three dining locations that offer a total of four Fantasmic! dining packages. They all vary in price and offerings, but the seating is generally the same. All of them are on the waterfront of the Rivers of America and form a horseshoe of sorts around the stage. Here is the information for all packages in 2024:

• Blue Bayou: Price is $89 (adult) and $35 (child), lunch or dinner. Each person receives an entree of choice, a non-alcoholic specialty drink and a Fantasmic! speciality dessert. Cocktails are separate. The viewing area is located center, or near-center, of the performance stage.

• River Belle Terrace Premium: Price is $75 (adult) and $45 (child). Each person receives a three-course meal from the Fantasmic! menu (though you CAN order from the regular menu if you wish). Cocktails are separate. You’ll watch the performance from your table on the outdoor patio of the River Belle. *Dinner only.

• River Belle Terrace Standard: Price is $55 (adult) and $32 (child), lunch or dinner. Each person receives a three-course meal (starter, entree and dessert), plus cold drinks. The viewing area is located to the right of the performance stage.

• Hungry Bear Restaurant: Price is $38 (adult) and $27 (child), lunch or dinner. Pick-up times are between 3pm and 8:30pm on most days. Each person will receive their choice of entree and side, in addition to a fountain beverage and Fantasmic! themed dessert. The viewing area is located to the right of the performance stage. *You cannot mobile order this package.

Clearly, Blue Bayou is the high end choice, followed by River Belle in the middle with Hungry Bear being the budget-friendly option. If seeing Fantasmic up close is important to you and your group, you really can’t go wrong with any of these as the view is essentially the same.

What it boils down to from there is your food preference. Blue Bayou and River Belle offer a traditional sit-down meal versus Hungry Bear’s grab-n-go style. Blue Bayou arguably has the best atmosphere, as it’s located inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. My recommendation, though, is River Belle. The viewing area is great and the food is satisfying. All for a middle-of-the-road price point.

To recap, if you want to book for the Blue Bayou or the premium option at River Belle, you’ll book a reservation through this link. Conversely, if you want to go with Hungry Bear, you’ll need to book through this link. If you’d rather do the standard option at the River Belle, then you just need to make a standard brunch or dinner reservation and inform the host when you arrive.

A Guide to Visiting Disneyland in May 2024

Are you planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort for May 2024? Whether you’re still deciding or you’ve already booked and are looking for more information, I have you covered.

In this post, I’ll discuss what the weather is typically like in May, how crowded it is or isn’t, which attractions are going to be closed, ticket prices and more.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”)

Anaheim Weather in May

As May unfolds, Disneyland basks in pleasant weather, creating an ideal atmosphere for a magical adventure.

Temperatures range from a delightful 55 to 75 degrees, providing both a comfortable warmth during the day and tolerable chill in the evenings.

As the month progresses, the nightly lows will begin to increase, capping off at around 60 degrees by the end of May.

Be sure to pack sunscreen for the warm days and a light jacket or sweater for the evenings. An umbrella is unnecessary, as Anaheim sees very little, if any, rain in May.

May also brings an explosion of color to Disneyland as flowers bloom, transforming the parks into a floral spectacle. The meticulously landscaped gardens, iconic topiaries and vibrant floral arrangements add an extra layer of beauty to the already magical surroundings.

Is Disneyland Crowded in May?

Generally speaking, May (or part of it, anyway) is a great time to visit Disneyland. It’s in that sweet spot between spring break and summer crowds and as mentioned above, the weather is pleasant.

Two major caveats to that are Grad Nites (discussed below) and of course, Memorial Day and the weekend leading into it.

While there will be one Grad Nite on the 10th of the month (a Friday), the events mostly begin to ramp up in the second half of the month, leading well into June.

Memorial Day weekend is a three-day’er for many people and the crowds reflect that. Expect dense crowds that weekend and on the holiday itself.

Another wildcard that can affect crowds is if Disney will resume Magic Key sales in April, much like they did in 2023. On January 10 this year, Magic Keys went on sale and mostly sold out in the first day.

With that much pent-up demand, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Disney do another round of sales in the spring to pad the books for the next earnings call.

Additionally, special events such as Star Wars Nites, Season of the Force and Pixar Fest will be in high gear. May 4th (May the Fourth - be with you) being an unofficial, fan-driven event day that’ll surely increase crowds, particularly inside Galaxy’s Edge.

Lastly, Disney confirmed back in November that Fantasmic would be making its highly anticipated return to the Rivers of America on May 24th! The devastating fire last year caused an abrupt pause on this fan-favorite spectacular, so the demand for it, especially for the first few performances, will draw hoards of locals and tourists alike.

These are my recommendations for avoiding crowds in May:

• Avoid Memorial Day weekend at all costs.

• Book for the first week of May, but be mindful of Star Wars After Dark dates (see below).

• Keep to weekdays as much as possible.

• Avoid Grad Nite dates (see below).

May Ticket Prices & Magic Key Blockouts

Similar to airlines and hotels, Disney utilizes a dynamic pricing structure to price its single-day tickets. Meaning demand will dictate the price you’ll pay on the particular day you want to visit.

The high end of the price range for single-day, one-park tickets can flirt with $200 on many days, especially as summer approaches and on weekends. This is why I always recommend planning a multi-day trip.

Multi-day ticket prices are not affected by demand. Those have a set price, and the more days on your ticket, the less you’ll pay per day. Unless you’re hopelessly restricted to one day, try to plan for at least three to get the full experience and most value for your money.

May 2024 single-day ticket prices are as follows:

• Single-Day Adult: $119 - $194

• Single-Day Child: $112 - $183

If you’re planning to visit during Memorial Day weekend, expect to pay the highest price (currently $194). As of the publishing of this post, May 8th is the only date listed at the lowest price ($119). Every other weekday date is at least $134, with most weekend dates topping out at $184.

Of course, this could always change as dates approach (remember, they’re subject to demand). The price you see for a particular date today could jump later that afternoon. So if you’re keen on going for one day, secure your ticket while the price is right.

Fellow Magic Key holders - like it or not - we’re beholden to the reservation calendar. As you all know, depending on which key you hold, the day you want to visit could be unavailable to you (blocked or no available reservations).

The blockout dates for Magic Key holders for the month of May 2024 are:

• Imagine Key: Blocked on all Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

• Enchant Key: Blocked on all Saturdays, 5/19 (Sunday), 5/26 (Sunday) and 5/31 (Friday).

• Believe Key: Blocked only on 5/4 (Saturday) and 5/25 (Saturday).

• Inspire Key: No blockout dates.

May Special Events & Showings

There’s going to be a broad spectrum of special events throughout the month of May. There will literally be something for everybody!

The two big draws for the month will be the two official Star Wars related events; Season of the Force and Star Wars Nite events. The former is a seasonal celebration of Star Wars, available to all ticket holders, while the latter is a hard ticket event requiring a separate purchase. (read about Disneyland After Dark events here.)

The other major draw this month will be Pixar Fest, a summer long celebration of all things Pixar. Showings include a new parade at DCA, Pixar themed food and drink offerings, a new fire work show at Disneyland Park, rare character sightings, and more!

Keep in mind that Pixar Fest runs throughout the summer into late August, and begins in the last week of April. So if you’re a huge Pixar fan and can’t make it in May, you’ll have three additional months to make it out.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss the return of everybody’s favorite nighttime spectacular - Fantasmic. Last year, the show abruptly ended after a devastating fire destroyed Murphy, the Maleficent animatronic, during a live performance.

It’s been absent from the schedule ever since and there was serious doubt over its future. Alas, Disney announced last November that it would make its grand return to entertain audiences on May 24th. (read about Fantasmic! dining packages here.)

While not confirmed, Murphy is rumored to have been repaired and will make his return to the show. Confirmed to return is the pirate ship Peter Pan/Captain Hook battle scene. Additionally, new floats are expected to debut, along with a new battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent.

May 2024 special event dates are as follows:

• Season of the Force: All month.

• Star Wars Nite: May 5th, 7th and 9th.

• Pixar Fest: All month.

• Grad Nites: May 10th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 28th and 31st.

• Fantasmic Return: May 24th

• Memorial Day Weekend: May 25th - 27th.

• Mother’s Day: May 12th

Disneyland Ride Closures in May

At the time of this post’s publishing, attraction refurb information for the month of May hasn’t yet been released. Disney typically releases this info 45-days ahead of time.

That said, we do know of two attractions that will definitely be down all month; Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain. The former is currently going through a remodel of its queue and exit while the latter is being reimagined into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

While I don’t expect too many extended refurbs this year due to the aforementioned reason, don’t be surprised to see short term refurbs on a few additional attractions pop up on the calendar.

*UPDATE: Disney has recently announced the impending (temporary) closure of Critter County beginning May 1. No official reopening date was announced with the closure announcement. The purpose of this closure is to convert two of the land’s gift shops into themes for two supporting characters from Princess and the Frog - Raymond the Firefly and Louis the trumpet-playing Gator.

Disney will also take this opportunity to take down the land’s sole operating attraction, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, for a refurbishment, though I don’t foresee it being a long one. My guess is they’ll reopen the Pooh attraction within three weeks or less, while keeping the rest of the land behind construction walls. As mentioned above, no reopening date for Critter Country has been released, but I’m predicting it’ll reopen by July or August. You can read a more in depth analysis about it here.

The following attractions will be down for refurbishment in the month of May 2024:

• Critter Country: May 1 - TBD

• Haunted Mansion: January 21 - TBD (I expect it to be down until the start of the Halloween season)

• Splash Mountain: Permanently closed in May 2023 (expected to open as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in late 2024)

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: May 1 - TBD

To stay updated on Disneyland attraction refurbishments and park projects, read and save my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar post.

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All Disneyland After Dark Events in 2024

Disneyland After Dark events have grown in popularity over the last few years - and for good reason. They’re filled to the brim with photo opps, meet and greets with rare characters, special food offerings, unique nighttime entertainment and best of all, lower than usual crowds.

The caveat? These events are separate ticketed. Meaning your regular Disneyland ticket will NOT get you access. Depending on the event and date, ticket prices are typically between $139 - $169 (even higher for Oogie Boogie Bash).

As the name implies, they take place at night, after the park closes to regular ticket holders, between the hours of 9pm and 1am. As an added bonus, your ticket permits you to enter the park three hours prior to the event’s start time. Additionally, there’s no need to worry about reservations as your ticket is all you’ll need.

Tickets to these events are sold exclusively through the Disneyland website (not the app) and generally sell out quickly. They’ll go on sale no sooner than 9am on the sales date and depending on the specific event’s popularity, you’ll likely wait in an hours-long virtual queue.

The good news, is Disney sells far fewer of these tickets than regular ones, so the crowds are generally lite. Though many of the special attractions of the night (i.e - a rare character or show) can have massive queues, all of the rides remain open, often with low wait times.

In this post, I’ll list all of the Disneyland After Dark events in 2024 - including their dates, ticket prices and more. Additionally, I’ll discuss Oogie Boogie Bash and what the future may hold for these fan-favorites. Let’s get into it.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”)

Sweethearts’ Nite

Sweethearts’ Nite proved to be a hit with After Dark attendees in 2023, so it only made sense to bring it back for another go - this time with expanded dates.

This year, some of the offerings include:

• A “royal ball” with Disney princes and princesses.

• A royal cavalcade parading through the streets of Disneyland featuring Disney royals.

• A dance party on the Tomorrowland stage featuring Stitch and Angel.

• Photo opportunities throughout the park with backdrops themed after “Lady and the Tramp”, “Tangled” and more.

• Unique lighting, music and projections throughout the park - including on Sleeping Beauty Castle.

• Special food offerings - including a shortbread cookie churro with strawberry cheesecake dipping sauce and Cafe Daisy’s fried heart-shaped ravioli.

• Plus, special dining packages at River Belle Terrace, Cafe Orleans and Plaza Inn.

Last year, the event was held on only one day in January, with the remaining dates held in February. Due to its popularity, Disney expanded the dates in 2024, holding several event dates in both months. They are:

• January 23, 25 and 30

• February 1, 6, 8, 12 and 14

Like most After Dark events, Sweethearts’ Nite takes place at Disneyland Park. Its hours are 9pm to 1am. Ticket sales begin no earlier than 9am on the dates below and are priced $139 - $169, based on date. Demand will likely be high, so be sure to be logged in prior to 9am:

• December 12, 2023 (Magic Key holder pre sale)

• December 14, 2023 (general public)

*EDIT: Tickets for all Sweetheart Nite dates are now sold out

Disney Channel Night

Disney Channel Night is the newcomer in 2024, as it’s the only After Dark event this year that wasn’t held in 2023. In fact, the After Dark event that was held on identical dates last year was Princess Nite (which isn’t happening at all this year).

According to the Disneyland website, some of the offerings include:

• A “High School Musical” pep rally featuring characters and music from the popular franchise.

• A dance party featuring Phineas and Ferb at the Tomorrowland stage.

• “Camp Rock” karaoke at The Golden Horseshoe.

• Enjoy music from “Descendants” as you sail along the Rivers of America on the Sailing Ship Columbia.

• Photo opportunities with backdrops themed after “Lizzy McGuire”, “The Cheetah Girls” and “Teen Beach Movie”.

• Special food offerings at Cafe Daisy and Red Rose Taverne, as well as dining packages at select table-service restaurants.

The description on the Disneyland website doesn’t specify character meet and greets, but I imagine there will be as these events typically feature characters you don’t normally see. Even if they have nothing to do with the general theme of the event.

Disney Channel Nite takes place on only two nights in March (5th & 7th), also between the hours of 9pm and 1am. They’re priced at $139 and go on sale on the same date and time as Sweethearts’ Nite above.

*EDIT: Tickets for the March 7th event have sold out. As of January 27th, there is still availability for the March 5th event.

Check out my post, Visiting Disneyland in March, if you plan to visit in March for this event.

Star Wars Nite

Stars Wars Nite is another repeat from 2023, a popular one at that. Aside from dates, not much is known about the offerings and prices for 2024, but we can speculate by going off last year’s information.

In 2023, some of the offerings included:

• Unique character experiences.

• A galactic dance party in Tomorrowland.

• Themed Star Wars treats and dining.

• A special nighttime fireworks spectacular - Star Wars: Celebrate the Night

In 2023, prices ranged from $149 - $169, depending on the date. The Star Wars brand proved to be as popular as it has ever been, as nearly all dates sold out in the first day. Despite having expanded dates this year, I expect the same to happen in 2024, in addition to price increases.

The 2024 Star Wars Nite dates are as follows:

• April 16, 18, 23, 24 & 30

• May 2, 7 & 9

At the time of this posts’ publishing, there hasn’t been word from Disney as to when tickets will go on sale but if they follow the same formula as last year, I would expect it to happen sometime in February.

If you’re planning to attend this event in April, be sure to read my posts, “Visiting Disneyland in April”. and, “Visiting Disneyland in May”.

Pride Nite

After YEARS of unofficial fan events formally known as “Gay Days”, Disney finally threw their support behind the LGTBQIA+ community by adding the officially sanctioned “Pride Nite” to the After Dark calendar.

Similar to Star Wars Nite, there hasn’t been any information from Disney as to how much the tickets or what the offerings during the event will be. All we do know is, much like last year, Pride Nite will take place on only two nights - June 18 & 20.

In 2023, some of the offerings included:

• Rare character appearances and experiences.

• Unique lighting, music and projections throughout the park (including on Sleeping Beauty Castle.

• Ohana Dance Party featuring Stitch.

• Exclusive food and drink offerings, dining packages and merchandise.

In 2023, tickets to this event were priced at $139 for both nights. While it was popular, it didn’t sell out as quickly as Sweethearts’ and Star Wars did, so I expect the price to either remain the same or see only a slight increase.

I will update this post as more information about Pride Nite becomes available.

Oogie Boogie Bash

No After Dark post would be complete without discussing the GOAT of events done in the dark - Oogie Boogie Bash. While it isn’t presented with the “After Dark” banner, it is an event that requires a separate ticket to attend and features many of the same general offerings the others do.

Oogie Boogie Bash is the spiritual successor of Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween party and is held on select nights in September and October at Disney California Adventure. Though with Halloween season now kicking off in August at the resort, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two August dates added this year.

Information such as dates, ticket prices and offerings for 2024 haven’t yet been released, as Disney typically announces that information in June. In 2023, ticket prices were date specific and started at $134 and topping out at $189. Those prices were up $5 — $10 from 2022.

This year will likely see another increase, as the event completely sold out in just one day last year, strongly demonstrating its popularity. Disney will likely meet this demand by adding more dates and as stated above, increase the price. It wouldn’t shock me to see prices hit $200 at the top end.

While we don’t yet know what the exact offerings will be, in general, they’ve been mostly the same since its inception (albeit with some minor changes). These include:

• Villains Grove: A walk-through attraction with special effects, lighting and music themed to classic Disney villains.

• Villain Treat Trails: Villains featured in past events included Ernesto de la Cruz (Coco), Cruella (live-action version), Sid (Toy Story) and Judge Doom (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).

• The Frightfully Fun Parade.

• Various character meet and greets.

• A dessert party with a great view of the parade.

• Specialty food and drink offerings and dining packages.

I’ll be sure to update this post once Disney releases more information about the 2024 event. To read more about Oogie Boogie Bash, read my post about it here.

What The Future Holds for After Dark Events

This is purely speculative on my part, but I love blue-skying ideas. The future of After Dark events definitely looks bright as due to their proven popularity, it is evident they’re not going anywhere. It’s just a matter of which themes will stick around.

Disney seems to be trying to iron out the perfect line up. In 2023, they held two events that are not happening this year - Princess Nite and Throwback Nite. I honestly don’t know why they decided against holding another Throwback Nite as it seemed to receive generally positive reviews online.

Princess Nite is sort of a given. While plenty of “Disney Adults” attended it, let’s face it, Disney princesses mainly appeal to one niche - small children. Given the fact that these events go well past midnight and children are typically sleeping at those times, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why it isn’t on the repeat list.

Sweethearts, Pride and Star Wars Nites all seem to be a lock, but that fourth slot still appears to be in question. This year, they’re giving Disney Channel Nite a try. Tickets for Disney Channel went on sale on the same date and time as Sweethearts’. While the latter sold out quickly, the former still has tickets available for one of the dates.

I’m not saying Disney Channel Nite is poised for failure, but Disney prefers that tickets to events like these sell out quickly. It creates a, “I have to have it”, mindset (much like they did for Magic Keys), driving up demand and in turn, allowing them to keep prices high (along with raising them).

Personally, I would love to see Throwback Nite return, but with a 90’s overlay. I don’t speak for all of us, but I do believe Disney millennials would converge onto the park en masse for something like this. Imagine - a performance on the Tomorrowland stage featuring Powerline! That alone would sell the event for me, personally.

Another addition I would love to see is for DCA to get their own After Dark events. Currently, the only one they feature is Oogie Boogie Bash, but it technically isn’t an After Dark event. Their main drivers are festivals such as Lunar New Year, Food and Wine, and Festival of Holidays, but I think there’s room for an After Dark event (or two).

The two biggest brands that DCA features are Pixar and Marvel. With Pixar receiving its own summer long promotion this year (and if it’s successful, it’ll likely become an annual thing) that leaves Marvel as the only Disney brand without its own special, annual event.

Would Marvel Nite be too far fetched? Is there enough demand? Clearly, Marvel is a successful brand. Otherwise, Disney wouldn’t have plopped down $4 billion for it. Lately, though, the once bullet-proof Marvel movies have dwindled, both in the box office and on the Disney+ streaming service. That could lend credence as to why Disney has yet to pull the trigger on anything Marvel related at the parks since the underwhelming debut of Avengers Campus in 2021.

Whatever the future holds for specific After Dark events, the concept as a whole is here to stay. They’ve become a great way for Disney to boost profits during their slower season. They sell an additional ticket to guests who’ve already purchased regular tickets AND to people who wouldn’t have purchased a ticket otherwise - Magic Key holders.

These events have become largely character driven, as they often feature those who’re rarely, if ever, seen in the parks any other time. They can also sell exclusive food offerings and merchandise during the event, boosting profits even higher. And Disney adults (whom I believe are the main target niche for these events), love spending money on exclusive items.

The prices may be high, with some exceeding the highest price of a one day ticket. But you know what? I’m here for it. Admit it, you are too.

Disneyland in One Day: 8 Tips to Maximize Your Time

Attempting to do it all at Disneyland is a daunting task. There are nearly fifty attractions in Disneyland Park alone. That doesn’t even include the attractions at California Adventure.

Despite there being so much to see and do, many people decide to go to Disneyland for only one day for one reason or another. You may one of them.

While it’s impossible to do everything in just one day, if you have a strategy in place, it’s entirely possible to enjoy many attractions and experiences.

In this post, I’ll offer eight tips that’ll help you maximize your time if you only have one day to spend. If your goal is to ride as many attractions as possible, you’ve come to the right blog.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”

1) Choose Your Park Wisely

The resort consists of two theme parks - Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. When deciding to only spend one day at one park, you need to decide which one is most important to you because it isn’t worth the extra money to park hop on a single-day ticket.

Most people choose Disneyland Park over DCA but what you should know is Disneyland has nearly 50 attractions to DCA’s 20. Keep in mind that Disney uses the word “attractions” as a catch-all for their offerings. I’m only counting attractions you can actually ride.

With that wide of a gap between the two, you need to decide which park’s attractions appeal to you the most. They each have an equal amount of “thrill” rides whereas Disneyland has more of the traditional, easy-going dark rides than DCA does.

Getting DCA done in a single day is entirely doable. Disneyland - not so much. Disneyland is generally busier and has more than double the attractions than its sister park. So choose wisely. Remember, a single-day ticket costs the same no matter which park you choose.

2) Make a List of “Must-Do” Attractions

Once you’ve decided which park you’re going to visit, research that park’s attractions and make a list of the top ten you want do most. Ten attractions in one day is realistic and a great starting point. Anything after that is a bonus.

Avoid trying to do everything. There’s too many variables for that. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but chances are you’ll just wind up disappointed. Also, come up with plan b’s on your list in case your first choice is closed or temporarily unavailable.

If you’re looking to hit the popular attractions and are choosing DCA, some you’ll want to consider are Mission Breakout, Radiator Springs Racers, WEB Slingers, Incredicoaster and Soarin’.

Across the esplanade at Disneyland, a few of the most popular attractions include Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Rise of the Resistance, Indiana Jones Adventure and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

3) Rope Drop, Rope Drop, Rope Drop

Prior to the official park opening time - usually around thirty minutes - Disney allows guests to access the hub area of the park but has the individual lands “roped off”. Then, when the park officially opens, they drop the rope (hence, rope drop) and you’re off to the races.

The reason I recommend rope drop so much is because the first two hours of park opening (especially at Disneyland) are the prime hours to get many attractions done. It may seem like a lot of people are there to rope drop as well but once they spread out, the wait times on most rides are minimal.

If you’re there for thrills, always start rope drop at Tomorrowland and go straight to Space Mountain. The worst I’ve waited for Space at rope drop was five minutes, but it’s usually a walk-on. If you’re there for the kiddie rides, head straight for the castle into Fantasyland and ride Peter Pan, first thing.

For context, the photo above was taken of the Space Mountain loading station just three minutes after rope drop. As you can see, it was a walk-on.

4) Buy Genie+

Disney introduced its Genie+ service back in 2021 as the replacement for FastPass/MaxPass. Each day, you’re given a certain number of allotments (one per attraction), allowing you to bypass the stand-by queue. As a result, you often end up with a minimal wait.

Genie+ isn’t cheap, though. Buying this service is going to cost you, at least, another $30 per ticket. Where you lose monetarily, you gain in time. If your goal is to indeed ride as many attractions as you possibly can, then it’s a wise investment.

*PRO TIP: Purchase Genie+ for $30 ahead of time, when you purchase your ticket. If you do it day-of your visit, you’re subject to dynamic pricing and could end up paying up to $10 more.

Remember, you can only redeem ONE Genie+ allotment per attraction, per day. So use it in conjunction with rope drop and resist the temptation to use it before 10:00am. This way, you can use Genie+ to ride some of your favorites a second time.

5) Purchase Individual Lightning Lanes

One downfall to Genie+ is not all attractions are on the service. What’s worse is that two mega-popular attractions, Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance, are not only NOT on the service, but you’re forced to pay extra to bypass the often hefty stand-by queue.

These attractions often see 60-70 minute (or more) stand-by queues. Wait times like that will put a serious damper on your day when you only have one. If “Rise” or “Racers” is on your list as a must-ride, then bite the bullet.

Pricing for Individual Lightning Lanes are dynamic (meaning they’re based on demand). The following prices are typical:

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: $23 - $30

• Radiator Springs Racers: $7 - $19

I’ve seen both at every end of the spectrum. Rise NEVER drops below $23. If you’re visiting in the winter or spring, it’ll probably be around that. Conversely, if you’re visiting in the summer or during the holidays, expect to see it at the $30 mark, possibly higher.

Racers is a craft shoot as I’ve seen it as low as $7, as high as $19 and around the middle at $12. Again, demand in the biggest driver, and that could occur even on the slowest of days. So as always, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

*PRO TIP: You can negate having to pay for ILL for Radiator Springs Racers by following the tip below.

6) Take Advantage of Single Rider Queues

The single rider queue can save Disney-goers a significant amount of time. In fact, I recommend using it, whenever possible, during rope drop to save even more time. Disney uses single rider as a way to fill empty space in the ride vehicles. They get higher capacity rates and you get on the attraction faster. It’s a win-win.

While not all attractions have single rider queues, many do. They are:

Disneyland Park

• Matterhorn Bobsleds

• Millennial Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

• Space Mountain

Disney California Adventure

• Grizzly River Run

• Goofy’s Sky School

• Incredicoaster

• Radiator Springs Racers

• Soarin’ Around the World

• WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure

Even if you’re not a solo rider, you can still take advantage of this. Keep in mind, though, that you and your party will likely be split up into separate ride vehicles. DON’T be that person that argues with the cast member about your party getting split up. If it’s important for your group to ride together, then don’t get in the single rider queue.

This mostly works if it’s just you, or you and one other person who doesn’t mind riding alone. Using single rider with small children isn’t a good idea. The cast members may have you exit and get into the stand-by queue if they’re too young.

7) Buy Your Ticket Ahead of Time

Everything is digital these days, and the Disneyland Resort is no different. Buying your tickets through the Disneyland app or website is quick and easy. The cast member will scan the ticket on your phone and send you on your way, saving you a boat load of time.

If you’re sticking with just one day at the park, the last thing you’ll want to do is waste time at the ticket booths, waiting in line to buy your ticket. Those lines get long, and it isn’t unheard of to spend upwards of an hour waiting. That’s an hour that you do not have.

8) Choose Quick Service & Utilize Mobile Order for Dining

You’re going to burn a ton of calories walking around the parks all day, so it’s important to replenish those calories and keep yourself hydrated. For the latter, I recommend bringing a refillable bottle so you can refill on the go (and save money in the process). For the former, utilize mobile order and quick service dining.

Mobile order allows you to save time by placing a food oder for your favorite restaurants through the Disneyland app ahead of time. You can make your food selections, choose your pick-up time and pay, all through the app.

In the past, Disney’s quick service restaurants weren’t known for their delicious fare. While some still remain in that realm (lookin’ at you, Pizza Planet), many have made the leap into culinary delights, offering flavorful food that rival some of the traditional ones.

Quick service restaurants have it right in the name; they’re quick. Combine that with Disney’s mobile order service and you can enjoy a fast, scrumptious meal before getting back to the attractions. Some of my favorite quick service eateries include:

• Lucky Fortune Cookery (DCA)

• Bengal BBQ (Disneyland)

• Cocina Cucamonga Grill (DCA)

• Jolly Holiday Bakery (Disneyland)

• Tiana’s Palace (Disneyland)

Confirmed: Disney to Revamp Entry Gates at Both Parks This Year

A new project is set to commence this year at the Disneyland Resort. Park officials have confirmed that both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure will be getting an expansion and upgrade on their respective entry gates.

Disneyland is still working with the old school-style turnstiles. At each one, a cast member has to scan each individual guest’s ticket in order to gain entry. Then, each guest has to squeeze through the (rather small) turnstiles, which often causes a traffic jam.

It isn’t unheard of the see the queue at the gate to stretch across the esplanade to the opposite park, causing queues to mix and become a hodgepodge of confused park-goers, wondering if they’re even standing in the correct queue.

The expansion is expected to solve (or at least, minimize) these issues. According to a Disneyland Resort spokesperson, they will be modeled at those at Disneyland Paris, where, after a cast member validates the guest’s ticket, a gate automatically opens, allowing the guest to seamlessly enter the park.

Additional features coming with this upgrade include additional gates, with some designed for those who’re differently abled and others that are more stroller friendly than the current set-up.

The same Disneyland Resort spokesperson also confirmed that construction on the project will be done in phases in order to “minimize impacts to arrivals” and would begin later this year.

This is just one of a few major projects happening at the park in 2024, including the expansion of the Haunted Mansion’s grounds, queue and exit, and the reimagining of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

A Guide to Visiting Disneyland in April 2024

Planning a trip to Disneyland in April? You're in for a treat! April offers a unique blend of enchanting experiences and pleasant weather that will make your visit a truly magical experience.

April is one of the best months to visit the Disneyland Resort! Crowds are typically lite (outside of the first week), the rainy season has passed and there’s many special events happening to help make your visit even more memorable.

Let's dive into what you can expect during your Disneyland adventure in April.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”)

April Weather in Anaheim

April brings a welcoming change in weather to Disneyland. With temperatures ranging from 60°F to 75°F (15°C to 24°C), you can enjoy the parks without the scorching heat of summer or the frigid chill of winter.

You’ll definitely need to pack a light jacket or sweater for the cooler evenings, but overall, you'll find the weather just right for enjoying the attractions or taking in the night time ambiance.

Don’t be one of those visitors who thinks it’s always warm in California, though. Anaheim is near the coast. So when that evening chill blows in, it catches many off-guard.

Another highlight of visiting Disneyland in April is the explosion of color as flowers bloom throughout the parks. Particularly the tabebuia trees that surround the Partners statue near the castle. The vibrant pinks and purples from these trees are an amazing contrast to the blues and grays of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

If you’re not a fan of rain, you’re in luck. April marks the official end of the rainy season in Anaheim. While it’s always possible you’ll see a spatter of rain here and there, the chances are low.

April is generally a sunny month and the hours of daylight you’ll get each day progresses with it. The first half of the month sees about 12.5 hours of daylight while the second half creeps up to 13.5 hours.

Disneyland Crowd Levels in April

By April, the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration would have come to an end. That said, Disney will likely roll out another promotion in order to entice people to visit.

The winter kid ticket deal expires on March 10th, but the SoCal resident offer, which lowers the per day cost to either $75 or $92 will continue to run through the beginning of June.

There’s also the January 10th sale of Magic Keys that’ll likely impact crowd levels as newly minted key holders converge onto the parks.

Thousands of people waited in an hours-long virtual queue for the chance of purchasing one. All but one tier sold out in less than 12 hours, while the final tier sold out the next morning.

There hasn’t been any announcements regarding the return of Fantasmic (other than it’ll return in the spring). If that return does occur in April, I would expect an uptick in visitation. There’s also a rumor that the Paint the Night parade could be returning in the spring as well.

*EDIT: Disney confirmed that Fantasmic will return on May 24th.

Generally, crowds aren’t much of a problem in April. The sole exception being the first week. Many schools are still on break at this point, but since Easter falls on March 31st this year, it’ll help soften the blow a bit.

Through the remaining three weeks, the heavy crowds start tapering off. If your trip falls within that first week, prepare yourself. If your dates are still open, I recommend booking in the second half of the month so you’re well out of dodge.

That said, there are a handful of special events taking place in April which, depending on their popularity, can have an impact on crowd levels (we’ll discuss those below).

Ticket Prices & Magic Key Blockout Dates

Single-day tickets are priced according to demand on a particular day. For instance, you’re likely to pay much higher on a Saturday than you would for a Tuesday because generally, the parks are busier on weekends.

That is why I always recommend purchasing a multi-day ticket. The more days on your ticket, the less you’ll pay per day. However, if you must purchase a single-day, here is the price range for April:

• Single Day Adult: $134 - $194. In the first week of April, you’re going to pay at the high end of the spectrum. This is due to many schools still being on break. As the month progresses, though, you’ll pay less, with weekdays costing the least.

• Single Day Child: $127 - $183.

There’s also the SoCal resident promotion that Disney is currently running. Depending on which variation you choose, this three-day ticket lowers the per day price to just $75 and $92, respectively. You can read more about this promotion and others in my post here.

If you’re a Magic Key holder, you’ll need to be cognizant of the blockout calendar before planning a visit. The blockout dates are as follows:

• Imagine Key: This key is blocked on all Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the month.

• Enchant Key: This key is blocked on April 5th (Friday) and all Saturdays throughout the month.

• Believe Key: This key is only blocked on April 6th (Saturday).

• Inspire Key: This key has no blockout dates in the month of April.

April Special Events & Showings

As with most months at the Disneyland Resort lately, there are a handful of special events taking place in April. Some are getting to the end of their run while others are getting their start. These events are as follows:

• DCA Food & Wine Festival: Taking place March 1st - April 22nd

• Wondrous Journeys: Running through April 14th

• Season of the Force: April 5th - June 2nd

• Star Wars Nights After Dark Events: April 16th, 18th, 23rd, 25th and 30th

• Pixar Fest: Begins April 26th

The Food and Wine Festival will continue its run into the third week of April. The locals love this event, so expect the crowds to swell around late afternoon and throughout the day on weekends.

The event with the biggest impact on park guests will be Star Wars Nights. While they don’t have a direct impact on crowds during the day, they will impact you if you don’t have a ticket.

These events are hard ticketed, separate from normal park tickets. Additionally, the park closes early (8pm) to those guests with regular day tickets. To make matters worse, DCA will likely be closing at 9pm or 10pm in April. So you’ll have little, if any, time to park hop.

It’s a big if, but IF DCA does remain open until 11pm on those nights and you decide to park hop, there will be a max exodus of many others doing the same.

Pixar Fest kicks off at the end of the month. I see it being a huge draw eith the locals, especially during the first few days when every Disney YouTuber, Influencer, and Instagrammer jocking for position to the first to document it.

Disneyland Ride Closures in April

Disney releases attraction closure (also know as, refurbishment) information roughly 45 days ahead of time. Though last minute refurbs do happen from time to time.

Right now, the only attractions confirmed to be down in April are Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain (currently being reimagined into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) and Incredicoaster.

What’s interesting about Incredicoaster going down on is it is/was going/gone through a ten day refurbishment in March. It’s likely they couldn’t get a part on time for the first refurbishment, so they’re taking it down a second time to complete whatever it is they’re working on.

While it’s currently unclear how long it’ll be down for, considering it’s one of the major Pixar related attractions in the park, I believe Disney will move mountains to ensure it’s operational in time for the start of Pixar Fest later this month.

While I expect refurbs to be minimal this year due to the two aforementioned attractions being down for the majority of the year, don’t be surprised if two or three more pop up on the calendar, if only for a few days.

The following attractions will be closed in all or part of April 2024:

• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: Closed April 16 - TBD

• Haunted Mansion: Closed January 21 - TBD (it’ll likely be down until the Halloween season).

• Incredicoaster: Closed April 8 - April 18

• Matterhorn Bobsleds: April 15 - April 25

• Splash Mountain: Permanently closed in May 2023 and being reimagined into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Currently projected to open in late 2024.

To see all the latest updates on Disneyland ride closures and upcoming projects, read and save my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar post.

Confirmed: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to Contain Several Nods to Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain, which opened at Disneyland in 1989, was a mega-popular attraction. One adored by fans worldwide. It became so popular that it spurred copies of the attraction at both Magic Kingdom in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland.

In 2020, the first announcement of Disney’s intention to reimagine this fan-favorite into a ride themed after Disney’s first African-American princess, Tiana, was made.

In the proceeding few years, Disney would release tidbits of details of what to expect, but it wouldn’t be until the spring of 2023 where we finally received confirmation that Splash would take its final bow in May of the same year.

While most people (myself included) are excited for this new attraction to open, we can’t help but feel a bit melancholy about Splash Mountain’s demise. If you’re one of them, this news may cheer you up a bit.

Splash isn’t the first Disneyland attraction to receive a re-theme. In 2001, the Country Bear Jamboree closed to make way for what is now The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. In 1998, Submarine Voyage shuttered and reopened nine years later with a Finding Nemo theme. There are countless other examples.

As is tradition with Disney Imagineers, whenever they replace one attraction with another, they leave behind a few nods to the original attraction as a way to honor it. Many were wondering if they would do the same for the iconic Splash Mountain. Well, we finally have confirmation.

Recently, a representative from NOLA.com conducted an interview with some of the Imagineers working on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure during a walkthrough of the attraction in Florida.

During the walkthrough, Ted Robledo, Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering, confirmed that Tiana’s WILL feature several nods to its beloved predecessor.

We already know that both the ride vehicle (logs) and the track itself will go untouched and Robledo did stop short of going into too much detail, he did mention these “subtle” nods included the architecture of the interior (rocks and boulders), as they’ve been retained.

Most of the original flora and fauna has been changed, though, as they work to transition it into a bayou/swamp environment.

I’m willing to bet that the rocks and boulders aren’t the only nods we’ll find within the attraction. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear and Brer Fox hidden somewhere in the bayou (much like the Country Bears in the Winnie the Pooh attraction).

Until the attraction opens in late 2024, we can only speculate. Tiana’s is going to be a fantastic attraction regardless, but I do hope they go beyond just landscape to honor Splash Mountain.

Most Affordable Dates to Visit Disneyland in 2024 (Prices Included)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

Disneyland is an expensive place to vacation at. By the time you factor ticket prices, hotel rates, meals and merchandise, your final tally could be well into the thousands.

Thankfully, there are many ways to save money and bring that total down a bit. There are dozens of hotels with a wide range of nightly rates to choose from, you can split meals or bring your own food and you could, in theory anyway, skip out on the merchandise all together.

Ticket prices, however, are usually set in stone and there aren’t many discounts offered these days, right? Wrong! For the last couple years, Disney has offered winter and spring-time ticket deals to locals and out-of-area guests alike.

Additionally, there are days on the Disney calendar where single-day tickets are at the low end of their dynamic pricing structure. These “low demand” days can save you a bundle if you’re looking to visit for only one day.

Below, I’m going to detail the most affordable dates to visit Disneyland and the pricing of special offer tickets to help you get the most value. Be sure to read through to the end because I’m going to reveal an amazing Disneyland ticket offer for those looking to visit the resort for a full week and want to save money in the process.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on Disneyland tickets, click/tap here

Value (Low-Demand) Days (weekdays in January)

If you’re looking to visit the Disneyland Resort for just one day, you need to be aware of Disney’s pricing structure for single-day tickets.

Beginning a few years ago, Disney switched to a dynamic pricing structure for single-day tickets. It’s similar to what the airlines use to sell you plane tickets.

Pricing is based on a few factors, but the biggest driver is demand. Disney has years worth of historical visitation data and based on said data, if they predict a particular day is going to be busy, you’re going to pay more to go on that day.

Conversely, if they’re fairly certain it’ll be a day where visitation will be low, they’ll lower the price to entice you to visit on that day, helping to boost sagging attendance.

They do this because, based on general consensus, the more people that are in the park, the more food, merchandise and Genie+ services they’ll sell.

So if you’re keen on visiting for only one day and you’re on a budget, you’ll want to keep an eye out for these “value” days on the park calendar.

Unfortunately, there aren’t as many on the calendar for 2024 as there were last year. They’re all in January, are weekday dates and cost $104 per single-day adult ticket. If you’re looking to save, these dates are the lowest you’ll pay for one day:

• January 9th - 12th

• January 16th - 18th

• January 22nd - 25th

• January 29th - 31st

Kids $50 Ticket Offer (1/8 - 3/10)

Here’s a date-based ticket where you can save a whole lot of money, particularly if you have littles between the ages of 3 and 9; the $50 kids ticket offer.

It costs exactly what it says - $50, and you can get up to three days on a single ticket. Keep in mind that it’s $50 PER DAY. So if you purchase three days on your ticket, it’ll be $150 (which would normally cost $365!)

Before you get too excited, there are a couple things you need to know about this ticket:

• This ticket is only good between January 8th and March 10th, 2024.

• You MUST use all days on the ticket by March 10th (unused days will be forfeited)

If you already have dates booked in that timeframe or you’re positive you will (and have kids, of course) this ticket is a no-brainer. Depending on the number of kids you have, the savings can soar into the hundreds when compared to normal prices.

This special offer ticket is available to purchase through our partners at Get Away Today - an official Disneyland ticket concessionaire and Disney Travel Agency.

Click/tap the ad to see offer.

SoCal Resident Disneyland Ticket Offer (1/8 - 6/2)

SoCal residents with a zip code between 90000 - 93599 can take advantage of this amazing deal that, dependent upon which version you choose, lowers the per day price of an adult ticket to just $75 and $92, respectively.

I say “version” because there are two to choose from. The $75 per day ticket is valid only on weekday dates (Monday - Thursday). Conversely, the $92 per day ticket is valid on any day of the week.

Let’s simplify it. Say you’re wanting to do a three day, three night stay-cation. Your first day in the park will be on a Sunday, and your remaining two days on Monday and Tuesday. You would opt for the $92 per day option as it’s valid on all days instead of just weekdays.

If you’re a local who has days off during the week, then you’d opt for the $75 per day ticket, as this variant cannot be used on weekends, but offers the greatest savings for those who can go during the week.

The other caveat to this ticket is, unlike the kid ticket offer, it cannot be purchased in one day increments. It’s a three day ticket. So if you purchase the weekday ticket, your total would be $225 ($75 per day).

Here are the fine print details of this ticket offer:

• The price is the same for both children and adults.

• It is valid from January 8th - June 2nd. It cannot be used before or after those dates.

• Any unused dates after the expiration date will be forfeited.

• It is for one park, per day (you can purchase the park hopper option for $70 per ticket).

• It is only available to SoCal residents (ID’s will be checked).

• You’ll still need to make park reservations.

This ticket is a great option for those who’re locals, but aren’t magic key holders. They can be purchased through my partners at Get Away Today (as a bonus, you’ll save even more on this ticket through them).

If you missed the boat on the $50 per day kids deal, this ticket is the next best thing as even at $75 or $92 per day, it is still cheaper than the normal price of a three day kids ticket. The savings are truly substantial.

By the way, if you’re not a SoCal resident, but you know someone who is, as long as they purchase the ticket (and one of their own) and are with you on the first day of use, you too can take advantage of this offer.

Once a cast member has scanned the tickets at the gate for the first time and checked their ID, that person just needs to link your ticket to your account in the Disneyland app and you’re good to go for the remaining dates.

If you’re visiting Disneyland in March, April, or May and you live in Southern California (or know someone who does), this is the ticket for you.

Click/tap the add to see offer.

Get Away Today’s ‘Extra Day Free’ Offer

For those of you who want to spend an entire week at the resort, my partners at Get Away Today have an incredible offer - a five day ticket for the price of four.

Unlike the tickets above, this one is available to anyone, regardless of your zip code or age. However, it is ONLY available for purchase through Get Away Today.

• The normal price of a five day, one park per day, adult ticket from Disney is $480. Through Get Away Today, it is $445. A savings of $35.

• For a five day, one park per day, kids ticket, the price through Disney is $450. Through Get Away Today, it is $420. A savings of $30.

What’s great about this ticket is you'll have until December 31st, 2025 to use it and since you’re only able to make park reservations 180 days in advance, you won’t have to initially commit to reservations when purchasing it (you’ll eventually need to make them, though).

As we all know, Disney raises the prices of its tickets at least annually. Sometimes twice, annually. Almost always in the fall and sometimes just before summer.

If you’re certain you’ll visit Disneyland sometime in either 2024 or 2025, you can purchase this ticket now and lock in the price. Essentially, this ticket is a hedge against future price increases (which WILL happen).

I can say with certainty that Disney will raise their prices again in the fall of 2024, just in time for the grand opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. That isn’t a guess - it’s a premonition.

Another great feature about this ticket - and Get Away Today in general - is they allow you to put your tickets (or vacation package) on an interest-free layaway plan.

This is advantageous because as far as I know, they’re the only company that allows you to make payment installments strictly on tickets. Disney does allow you to pay in installments, but only on vacation packages with hotel bookings.

For those on a tight budget who’ll have four or five tickets to purchase, this is a huge help. You can make payments as you go in any amount you can afford. Alternatively, you can set up automatic payments. The choice is yours.

As long as you pay your balance in full on or prior to the date specified at checkout, you’re good to go. Again, it is only available through Get Away Today. Tap/click here to read more about this deal.

Visiting Disneyland in March

Going to Disneyland in March brings the promise of spring, and what better way to celebrate the season than by visiting Disneyland, the happiest place on earth. This post will guide you through the magic that awaits at the resort during the month of March. A time when crowds are mostly moderate and the weather pleasant.

We’ll explore everything you need to know to make the most of your Disneyland experience. Whether it’s your first time or just haven’t been in a while. Let’s get into the benefits (and negatives) to visiting Disneyland in March. Let’s get into it.

March Weather in Anaheim

March is when Anaheim emerges from its winter slumber and begins transitioning into spring, offering fairly pleasant weather. Here's a breakdown of the average weather conditions throughout the month:

• Daytime Temperatures: Expect daytime highs ranging from 65°F to 75°F. The weather is comfortably mild, providing a perfect atmosphere for a day in the park.

• Nighttime Temperatures: Nighttime lows typically range from 48°F to 55°F. While it can be cooler in the evenings, a light jacket or sweater should keep you comfortable.

• Rainfall: March sees a minimal amount of rainfall in Anaheim. On average, there are about two to three rainy days during the month.

The weather is the main reason why I love going to the parks in March. Especially the prospect of rainy days. Rain scares away a lot of guests, often leading to lower wait times. Since there are so few rainy days, though, it isn’t something you should concern yourself with if you’re not a fan of rain. Chances are you’ll experience plenty of clear, cool days.

Is Disneyland Crowded in March?

A major concern for those venturing to Disneyland is how busy the parks will be during their visit. Disneyland is the second most visited theme park in the world. Consequently, you’ll never avoid crowds completely, but there are ways to soften the blow, so-to-speak.

Post covid, crowd patterns and guest trends have changed so significantly that it’s become a craft shoot as to how busy the parks will be. Times of year that were once considered slow periods, are now even busier than summer (lookin’ at you, Halloween).

Other factors, like magic key sales, local ticket offers and promotions have also been big draws. Despite continuing to raise the price of entry (and everything else, for that matter), the demand for Disney is there and doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

That said, there are still certain crowd patterns that hold true to this day, despite the insanity of a post-covid world. I don’t guarantee anything, but I’m confident in the advice you’ll find below.

One event that’ll surely have an effect on crowds is the annual Food and Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure. This event has been running for a number of years now and has only gotten more popular each passing year.

My wife and I were there for 2024’s event and that, coupled with the kids ticket promotion that we’ll discuss below, caused a swell in crowd levels that were definitely noticeable. Dates for the 2025 Food and Wine Festival haven’t been released yet, but in 2024 it started on March 1 and ran through the entire month and into April.

Converseley, Easter falls in late April in 2025, so it’s possible that Spring Break crowds, even the early ones, won’t arrive until the first week of April, at the earliest. As with any holiday at Disneyland, expect the crowd levels at the resort to be colossal during this time.

Additionally, Disney is running the aforementioned kids ticket promotion, offering parents a massively discounted kids ticket priced at just $50 per day. These tickets are good starting in January and expire, used or not, on March 20.

You can expect to see an additional swell in crowds towards the later half of March, as the promotion’s expiration date approaches. My advice would be to avoid the ten days or so leading up to March 20. You may be better off visiting during the first week or the last, once the promotion has ended.

*NOTE: If you want to take advantage of either of these offers (and save even more on them), head over to our partners, Get Away Today!

Ticket Prices & Magic Key Blockout Dates

Due to their dynamic pricing structure, single-day tickets prices are based on predictive demand. Essentially, if, based on their proprietary data, Disney thinks a particular day will be busy, that day is going to command a higher price.

Conversely, if it looks like it’ll be a “slow” day, they’ll cut you a break on the price to entice you to visit on that day over another one that’s busier.

This strategy may appear to be price gouging on the surface, but it’s actually smart business. It helps Disney to regulate crowds by encouraging guests to go on a slower day by offering a lower priced ticket and allows them to maximize profits off those willing to pay, no matter what.

In March, single-day ticket prices are as follows:

• Single Day Adult: $126 - $196

• Single Day Child: $116 - $186 ($50 for the first twenty days).

March 4, 5, and 11 are the only days priced at the lower amount of $126. The highest price, $196, only appears on March 15, 16, and 22. The rest of the month, with the exception of the final week, appears to be mostly in the middle of the spectrum, with an average cost of $164.

You have until March 20 to purchase and use the $50 child ticket. If you’re visiting during the first twenty days of March, definitely take advantage of that offer. After that, dynamic pricing kicks in and mirrors the pattern of the adult ticket.

*NOTE: Keep in mind that these prices are for single-day, ONE park tickets. The price is the same for both Disneyland Park and DCA. If you want to park hop, you’ll have to pay an additional $65-$75, per ticket.

Magic Key holders will need to consider the blackout calendar for their particular key. Blockouts for Magic Keys are as follows:

• Imagine Key: This key is blocked on all Saturday and Sundays, the last three Fridays, and the entire final week.

• Enchant Key: This key is blocked on all Saturdays and the entire final week.

• Believe Key: This key is blocked on the last three Saturdays and the entire final week.

• Inspire Key: No blockout dates.

Special Events in March

So, there are only two confirmed events at Disneyland in March 2025. In 2024, Disney ran After Dark event, Disney Channel Nite, for two nights in March. However, Disney recently confirmed three After Dark events for 2025. Unfortunately, Disney Channel Nite was not one of them, nor did any of the confirmed events have dates in March. The one confirmed event is:

• DCA Food & Wine Festival: Likely taking place March 1 - near the end of April

• Disneyland 70th Anniversary: Taking place all year

Food and Wine does a great job bringing in additional guests, namely locals who want to try all of the new food and drink offerings. This event, in combination with the kids ticket deal, will likely cause a swell of crowds during the first few weeks of the month. After the promotion’s expiration date (March 20) you’ll see a noticeable dip in attendance.

Additionally, Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration will be taking place, as Disney typically holds these milestone celebrations all year long, and possibly longer. We already know that the “Paint the Night” parade and the new attraction, “Walt Disney - A Magical Life”, featuring the first-ever Walt Disney animatronic, will be featured.

Attraction Refurbishments (Closures)

Refurbishments are an important aspect of park operations. They’re needed for safety improvements, new additions, routine maintenance and more. The first few months of the year is a traditionally slow period for the parks and, conversely, this is when many refurbishments occur.

There were many refurbishments in 2024, many more than I thought there would be. This was likely due to Disney’s desire to get as many done as possible to prepare for the 70th anniversary celebration. While there will surely be more refurbishments coming, I don’t anticipate there being a lot.

Disney generally only releases this information 45-days ahead of time, so until mid-February, we won’t know the full month’s refurb schedule. Once it becomes available, I’ll be sure to update this post, so keep an eye out for that information.

Planning a vacation to Disneyland in March? If so, be sure to check with my partners at Get Away Today. They’re the most experienced and knowledgeable Disney vacation planners out there. They can help you with everything from individual Disneyland tickets all the way to complete vacation packages. Best of all, they’re the only place where your tickets can be refundable and you can make payment installments. Be sure to pay them a visit for an instant quote on your Disneyland vacation package.

Disneyland Rider Switch Hack (2024 Update)

This post contains affiliate links.

Rider Switch is a little known hack at the Disneyland Resort (and other Disney parks) that allow those with small children or adults in need of supervision the chance to ride a particular attraction without having to wait in line twice. (Updated January 23rd, 2024.)

This service is also referred to as baby switch, child swap, and parent swap as it’s mostly used by parents with small children who are unable to ride an attraction due to the height requirement or if they simply don’t want to.

This guide is going to cover how to use rider switch, which attractions offer it, specific rules you’ll need to know and a whole lot more. So let’s get into it.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”)

Side Note: Since Rider Switch is directly related to attractions, you’ll want to check Disneyland’s refurbishment schedule before heading to the parks. Read my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Guide here.

Who Can Use Rider Switch?

Rider Switch can be used by any and all guests with small children or adults in need of supervision who’re unable (or unwilling) to ride particular attractions. In other words, if you’re a group of able-bodied adults or a couple, you won’t be able to use it.

The next question on your mind is probably, ‘How much does it cost’? Ready for this? NOTHING! That’s right, the Rider Switch benefit is included with your ticket and costs nothing extra.

To give some context, let’s go over a brief explanation and scenario. Let’s assume you’re the parents of two children. One of them is 14 who likes thrill rides and the other is 8 who doesn’t and isn’t tall enough to ride them anyway.

Here’s what you do…

How To Use Rider Switch

So your 14 year old has made it clear he wants to ride Space Mountain and your 8 year old isn’t tall enough to ride it. To make matters worse, both you and your husband also want to ride it and you can’t exactly leave your 8 year old to frolic around Tomorrowland on their own.

Here’s what you do…

• As a group, you’ll approach the attraction as if you’re going to queue up for it and look out for a Cast Member.

• Go up to said Cast Member and explain to them you wish to use Rider Switch.

• At this point, your tickets will be scanned by the CM and you’ll be split into two parties; Party A and Party B.

• Party A will move on to get into the queue of the attraction. Party B (must consist of a supervising adult) will be directed to a waiting area (likely near the exit).

• When Party A is finished riding the attraction, they’ll proceed to where Party B is. The supervising adult from Party B will then be able to proceed up the exit (or Lightening Lane) and enjoy the attraction with a minimal wait (must have their ticket).

• Note that the supervising adult from Party B will be able to bring ONE other person to ride the attraction with them. This other person can be from Party A if they wish to ride again.

Which Attractions Feature Rider Switch

There are a number of attractions at the Disneyland Resort that allow you to take advantage of Rider Switch and we’ve broken them up into their respective parks below. Keep in mind that Disney may suspend or eliminate Rider Switch from a particular attraction at any time.

Disneyland Park

• Autopia

• Alice in Wonderland

• Astro Orbitor

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

• Casey Jr. Circus Train

• Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster

• Davey Crockett’s Explorer Canoes

• Disneyland Monorail

• Disneyland Railroad

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant

• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

• Haunted Mansion

• Indiana Jones Adventure

• it’s a small world

• Jungle Cruise

• King Arthur Carousel

• Mad Tea Party

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

• Matterhorn Bobsleds

• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

• Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

• Peter Pan’s Flight

• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey

• Pirates of the Caribbean

• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

• Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

• Space Mountain

• Star Tours - The Adventure Continues

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• Storybook Land Canal Boats

• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Disney California Adventure

• Goofy’s Sky School

• Golden Zephyr

• Grizzly River Run

• Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!

• Incredicoaster

• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind

• Jumpin’ Jellyfish

• Jessie’s Critter Carousel

• The Little Mermaid - Ariel’s Undersea Adventure

• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters

• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree

• Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!

• Pixar Pal Around

• Radiator Springs Racers

• Silly Symphony Swings

• Soarin’ Around the World

• Toy Story Midway Mania

• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure

Rider Switch Controversy

As with most of Disney’s policies, there seems to be a point of contention between park-goers as it pertains to the Rider Switch benefit and whether it’s considered legal line cutting or not.

While we understand how some may feel this way (we don’t have children but we have no issue going to the parks as adults), the general consnsus is that this policy pertains to such a small percentage of guests that it rarely causes problems.

In fact, we would argue that Disney’s policy of allowing celebrities to literally shut attractions down - and sometimes even kick everyone out of the queue who’ve been waiting - is far more of a problem than a mother or father who simply want to enjoy the ride with their child.

That said, give some people an inch and they’ll take a mile. With the advent of social media, Disney centric Youtube channels, and websites offering hacks to Disney park-goers, it’s really only a matter of time before it’s abused and Disney takes it away.

Recently, for example, a woman on TikTok publicized a hack to get a free t-shirt from Disney. She advertised that if you show up with a shirt with inappropriate wording or graphics (or was too revealing), Disney would provide you with a shirt to cover it up. For the most part, this worked.

That particular TikTok blew up and made headlines across the internet. Before long, everyone was eyeing a free shirt. Disney, however, caught onto this and ended this policy. Now if you arrive in something inappropriate, you’re told to either change or leave. No more free shirts.

Hopefully this benefit won’t be abused as it enables everyone in their respective parties to ride the attraction they wish to ride. Out of all the times we’ve visited the park, we can’t think of a single time that we’ve even noticed somebody utilizing this service.

So how do we feel about it?

We’re all for it. As stated, it pertains to such a small percentage of guests that you barely even notice it. It would be unfortunate if one party were forced to wait in the same line twice. That would certainly put a damper on the amount of attractions you could ride in a day.

The downside to those who use it, especially for those with more than two children, is the person cashing in the Rider Switch can bring only one other person with them while the adult in the first party can ride it with as many as they wish.

So if Party A had two kids in the group, the adult in Party B would either need to ride the attraction solo or will have to decide which kid to ride with and explain to the other why they can’t go a second time. We can sympathize with this dilemma, but it's done, in part, to prevent abuse.

*TIP: Refer to my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar post with the latest on ride closures, upcoming projects, and more.

2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule

Contains affiliate links

Between Walt Disney’s original Disneyland Park and its sister park, Disney California Adventure, the Disneyland Resort offers its guests more than 90 rides and attractions.

Some were designed and built recently, like Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which opened in 2023. Others, like Jungle Cruise, opened with the park all the way back in 1955.

The Disneyland Resort is open all year long and serves thousands of guests on a daily basis. Maintaining and updating these attractions is essential for guest safety and keeping them relevant.

To achieve this, Disney will periodically close attractions throughout the year. It could be for safety improvements, adding new scenes, installing new special effects, or to re-theme the attraction all together.

While these refurbishments are necessary, there’s nothing more disappointing than showing up to the park expecting to jump on your favorite attraction, all to be caught off guard with a closure.

To prevent this disappointment, Disney releases refurbishment related closures 45 days in advance (though there are instances where they occur at the last minute). In this post, I relentlessly keep track of all that information so you don’t have to.

Below, you’ll find the 2024 refurbishment calendar for both parks at the Disneyland Resort. I’ll also sprinkle in information about new restaurant openings in Downtown Disney and information on known projects.

*Pro Tip: Be sure to bookmark/save this post to your device so you can refer to it later. I’m constantly updating it as Disney releases new information.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”)

*ALSO…

Knowing which rides are closed is only one part of the equation when planning a trip to Disneyland. Below, we’ve listed a few more of our Disneyland related posts that we think you’d find useful:

“Disneyland Rider Switch: How To Take Advantage of This Little Known Perk”

“Oogie Boogie Bash: Ticket Prices, Event Dates, Villains Grove, and More”

“Disneyland Dining Guide: Mobile Order, Reservations, and More”

“6 Ways To Fully Enjoy Disneyland Without Buying Genie+”

Disneyland Park Attraction Closures

• Astro Orbitor: Closed November 27th, 2023 - March 28th

• Blue Bayou Restaurant: January 7th - January 19th

• Davey Crockett’s Explorer Canoes: July 8 - August 20

• Disneyland Monorail: March 15th only

• Disneyland Railroad: September 1 - TBD

• Fantasmic: Returning May 24th

• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: April 16 - TBD

• Haunted Mansion: January 21st - August 22 (Virtual Queue access only when it reopens)

• It’s A Small World: September 16 - TBD

• Jungle Cruise: September 16 - October 3

• Magic Happens Parade: Returning February 2nd

• Mark Twain Riverboat: September 17th, 2023 - February 24th

• Matterhorn Bobsleds: April 15th - April 25

• Matterhorn Bobsleds: April 29th - May 2nd

• New Orleans Square Train Station: January 28 - TBD

• Sailing Ship Columbia: January 8th - January 11th

• Space Mountain: August 5 - September 5

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: May 1 - September 9

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Opens November 15

• Wondrous Journeys: Returning March 22nd

As far as Disneyland goes, there are a few usual suspects that receive the annual refurb treatment. At the top of that list is Matterhorn Mountain. While nothing has been announced yet, I do expect it to happen at some point.

Another expectation is for Disney to take it easy on refurbs this year, given the fact that both Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain/Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, two massively popular attractions, will be down for the majority of the year.

The former will be going through a huge refresh on its queue and exit areas (in addition to a new gift shop) while the latter is being reimagined into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Fantasyland attractions are workhorses with very minimal downtime (2023 being the exception). Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have yet to see a major refurb since opening in 2019 and I don’t expect that to change in 2024.

Indiana Jones Adventure went through two refurbs in 2023. One for about three months and another for just a few days. I doubt it’ll go through another one this year. A lengthy one, anyway.

So in 2024, I predict just a few, if any, major refurbs on any other attractions. Especially the popular ones. Crowd management has been a major concern of Disney’s top brass in recent years, so I doubt they’ll take another attraction down unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Disney California Adventure Attraction Closures

• Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome: August 5 - August 15

• Animation Academy: August 5 - August 15

• Beast’s Library: Permanently closed as of December 10, 2023

• Grizzly River Run: January 8th - February 29th

• Incredicoaster: March 4th - March 14th

• Incredicoaster: April 8th - April 18th

• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind: January 22nd - February 8th

• Paradise Garden Grill: January 8th - January 21st

• Radiator Springs Racers: February 26th - March 1st

• Redwood Creek Challenge: March 4 - July 22

• Rogers: The Musical: Rumored to return Summer 2024

• Soarin’ Over CALIFORNIA: Returning March 1st - April 22nd

• The Little Mermaid - Ariel’s Undersea Adventure: November 4 - TBD

• Turtle Talk with Crush: August 5 - August 15

• World of Color: September 1 - TBD

On the DCA side of things, there were quite a few major refurbs in 2023 that I think will have an impact on 2024 operations. For instance, Radiator Springs Racers, which hadn’t seen a major refurb since opening in 2012, went down in 2023.

I initially didn’t have Radiator Springs Racers on my 2024 refurb bingo card but lone and behold, it was added to the calendar on January 15th. On February 26th, for a - thus far - undetermined amount of time, this fan favorite attraction will go down for a refurb.

This is likely Disney learning its lesson from last year’s debacle, when a few of the ride vehicles starting smoking and catching fire. This lead them to closing the attraction for a semi-lengthy refurb to address the issues that snowballed during its eleven year run without any real downtime.

I predict it’ll be a quick one, likely only two or three days. It may not be in the same park, but there are already TWO mega-popular attractions down at Disneyland Park. Adding another to the list, for an extended amount of time, isn’t something they’re keen on doing unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Grizzly River Run, the park’s sole water-based attraction, is going down for its annual winter refresh. I expect to reopen either at the end of February or sometime in March.

*Edit: Grizzly River Run will reopen on March 1st

In early 2023, WEB Slingers, the Spider-Man attraction in Avengers Campus, was scheduled for a short refurb but was quickly canceled due to the need to take Radiator Springs Racers down. It’s possible we could see it pop up on the 2024 calendar.

There are fewer attractions in DCA versus Disneyland Park, so refurbishments on this side of the resort don’t occur as often. This is partially due to crowd management concerns, but also because the attractions in DCA are newer than those at Disneyland, so they don’t require as much TLC.

Downtown Disney Restaurant Openings + Closures

• Clyde’s Hot Chicken: Opening date TBD (they’ve opened a temporary kiosk near the Monorail station)

• Din Tai Fung: Opened July 1, 2024

• GG’s Chicken Shop: Opening date TBD

• Great Maple: Opened November 15th, 2023

• Paseo & Centrico: Opened May 3, 2024

• Porto’s Bakery & Cafe: Opening date TBD

• Seoul Sister: Opening date TBD

• Sip and Sonder: Opening date TBD

• Tortilla Jo’s: Permanently closed March 31, 2024

The only new closure in Downtown Disney that is likely in 2024 is Tortilla Jo’s. There’s been no confirmation, but there’s a strong rumor claiming it’ll close sometime in March.

The location Tortilla Jo’s is in now will be the likely new home for Earl of Sandwich (Porto’s Bakery is taking over the space EOS is in now).

When it does close, Disney will likely bulldoze the Tortilla Jo’s building, as it wouldn’t make sense, thematically, for EOS to move into the current space. This way, Earl will finally have its own, custom space.

January Update: Disney announced on January 10th that Tortilla Jo’s will permanently close on March 31st. The attached Taqueria closes April 13th.

Ongoing/Future Projects

In 2024, construction at the resort is expected to be lite. Thus far, there have been no major announcements outside of what we already know.

However, there will be another D23 event this year, where big park project announcements are often made (unless you’re talking about the 2022 event).

The 2022 event was held during the Bob Cheapskate...sorry…Chapek era. It was lackluster, at best. The only real surprise from that event was San Fransokyo in California Adventure.

With Bob Iger back at the helm, I’m holding out hope for bigger announcements at this year’s event. With all that aside, let’s get to the projects we already know about.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

If you haven’t heard of this yet, you must’ve been under a rock. Last May, Splash Mountain was permanently closed to make way for its reimagining into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Construction is well underway, with the former mountain (now resembling more of a hill) adorned in scaffolding and high-visibility vests. The once burnt orange exterior is slowly being overtaken in greenery resembling moss.

Disney still claims a late 2024 opening but honestly, I’m doubtful. The Florida version definitely will, as they’re further along in the process due to closing months sooner than Disneyland’s.

Im not saying it’s impossible. To their credit, they have beefed up the amount of contractors on the project, but it still looks far behind. Hopefully I’m wrong, but an early 2025 opening seems more realistic.

Haunted Mansion Queue

The other major project in Disneyland Park is the expansion of the Haunted Mansion grounds (queue space) and the addition of a mansion-themed gift shop at the attraction’s exit.

The existing queue has become ineffective at containing guests, as it regularly backs into the already congested Magnolia Park (the tree-covered space between mansion and Tiana’s Palace).

To address this issue, Disney plans to expand the queue area in the space formally occupied by the attraction’s FastPass distribution stations. There will be multiple gardens, each themed after Master Gracey, Madame Leota and the one-eyed cat.

Another reason for this expansion is to make the attraction more ADA compliant. Currently, it’s quite inconvenient for those with disabilities to get on and off the attraction.

After the stretching room, you’re forced to squeeze into a small space on the side of the hallway leading to the Doom Buggies. Additionally, you don’t exit the normal way. You’re sent back to the loading station, where you’ll again squeeze through that small space in the hallway and go out again through the congested stretching room.

During the expansion, an ADA elevator is going to be installed near the loading station, allowing guests with mobility issues to enter and exit the attraction through their own entrance/exit, currently known as, ‘The Tomb’. It is located to the side of the current queue area, near the train tracks.

It remains to be seen how they plan to fit a gift shop into the exit area, as it’s a fairly small space. I’m assuming it’ll expand into that small enclave between Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Avengers Campus Expansion

I’m beginning to feel like a broken record with this topic, as it’s the third year in a row that I’ve included this on my refurbishment posts and there has been zero progress on this attraction.

The attraction I’m referring to is the highly anticipated Avengers themed simulator. While not confirmed, small details about the attraction were given during the lackluster 2022 D23 parks panel presentation.

It was said that guests would team up with their favorite Avengers to do battle with a new version of Thanos (King Thanos). They even shared art concepts of both King Thanos and the ride vehicle.

Based on the concepts of the ride vehicle and the attractions storyline, this has simulator written all over it. Despite these details, there has been no new construction on it or even a loose idea of when construction would begin.

Personally, I think the reason for the delay is because they keep changing their minds. Disney badly wants to do a simulator, as they’re much easier and cheaper to build than a traditional, highly-themed ride.

Fans, however, are clamoring for an Avengers version of EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy - Cosmic Rewind attraction. It has been proven by many Disney sleuths that there is indeed enough space back there to make it happen.

That said, I do predict that we’ll get a formal announcement about this attraction at D23. From there, I don’t expect ground to break until at least early 2025 and given their current pace on projects, an opening date sometime in 2029, at the earliest, seems likely.

Avatar Experience

This is another project you can classify as, “probably happening, but definitely not for a long time”. Nearly one year ago during an earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger made the out-of-nowhere statement that an Avatar “experience” would be coming to the Disneyland Resort.

There were no details provided and when pressed, Iger wouldn’t clarify what he meant by, “experience”. A few days later, an additional statement by Disney stated that this experience would be, “as amazing”, as Animal Kingdom’s ‘Pandora: World of Avatar’.

Since that statement, there hasn’t been any official word from Disney about the subject, nor do I expect to hear one anytime soon. We may get teaser concepts at D23 in August, but that’s about it.

The big question is what, exactly, will it be? Notice the word, “experience”. Iger didn’t use “attraction” or “land”. This tells me that we may be getting some kind of walk-through attraction or something akin to a broadway-style show.

However, if they’re being truthful in their statement that it’ll be, “as amazing”, as Pandora in Florida, then they have to be downplaying it and are planning a Galaxy’s Edge-sized land, right? That’s the hope. In my opinion, anything less just wouldn’t do this franchise justice.

The other burning question is…where? Galaxy’s Edge took up a large chunk of the last of the unused real estate in Disneyland and just by looking at an arial photo of the park, there doesn’t seem to be anything close to that size remaining.

California Adventure is in an even worse predicament as it pertains to space. In that park, the only thing that would make sense is if they re-themed the Grizzly Peak area of the park into Pandora. That would likely mean both the Grizzly River Run and Soarin’ attractions would either need to be outright replaced or receive an awkward re-skin.

In my opinion, this project likely won’t see the light of day unless Disney’s rezoning plans in their DisneylandForward campaign are approved by Anaheim officials. If so, they’ll have a size-able chunk of space across Disneyland Drive to expand both DCA and Disneyland Park (as well as Downtown Disney).

This is the only way I can see them bringing a Pandora-style land to the resort. Without getting these zoning plans approved, we’re likely going to have to settle for a re-themed Grizzly Peak in DCA or a walk-through attraction in the Innovations building in Tomorrowland.

Downtown Disney + Resort Hotel Projects

In addition to the parks, Disney is currently in the midst of bringing new dining and entertainment options to their on-property hotels and Downtown Disney district.

For starters, the former Paradise Pier Hotel will complete its transition into Pixar Place Hotel on January 30th. This transition includes a brand new restaurant, Great Maple, which has already opened.

A few months ago, Disney opened another new eatery called The Palm Springs Bar, which is located on the ground level of the hotel’s new The Villas Tower. This is in addition to a new lounge in the space formally occupied by the shuttered Steakhouse 55.

Throughout Downtown Disney, construction is still well underway. A number of new restaurants are coming to the district in 2024. These include:

• A food hall style building called, “Parkside Market”. The restaurants that’ll make-up this market are, “Seoul Sister”, “Sip and Sonder”, “GG’s Chicken Shop”, and a yet-to-be-named second story bar.

• “Din Tai Fung”

• “Paseo”

• “Centrico”

• “Clyde’s Hot Chicken”

• “Porto’s Bakery and Cafe”

There hasn’t been official word from Disney but based purely on the description of the upcoming Parkside Market, it sounds like they’ve finally found a use for the former ESPN building.

While their permanent location hasn’t opened yet, Clyde’s Hot Chicken has opened a kiosk near the Monorail station. During our last visit we tried their “Hot as Cluck” fried chicken and it was so, so good. They’ll for sure be a popular spot.

As far as when all this construction will be complete, late 2024 is the current favorite timeline. Although I can see some of it bleeding over into early 2025 (namely the food hall).

Cocktails Coming To Three Disneyland Park Restaurants

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Things are about to get a lot happier at the, ‘Happiest Place on Earth’. Starting September 12th, 2023, you will be able to indulge in your favorite libations at three additional table-service Disneyland Park restaurants:

• Carnation Cafe (Main Street U.S.A)

• Riverbelle Terrace (Frontierland)

• Cafe Orleans (New Orleans Square)

All three locations will offer a variety of selections, including beer, wine and exclusive specialty cocktails. This is part of a park-wide effort to expand menu options and adjust to evolving guest expectations.

Previously, there were only two in-park locations where adults could order alcoholic beverages (aside from the ultra exclusive Club 33); Oga’s Cantina and Blue Bayou. However, this wasn’t until 2019 and 2021, respectively.

Prior to 2019, the members-only Club 33 was the park’s only location where alcohol was served. The rest of the park had been “dry” since opening in 1955 due to Walt’s insistence of the park being a place for families.

The same belief wasn’t upheld for Disney California Adventure (DCA), though, as alcohol has been served at several of its restaurants since its 2001 opening.

Overall changing attitudes towards alcohol (and a desire for huge profit margins, undoubtedly) caused Disney to switch gears at Disneyland Park, proper. Despite opposing pleas from Walt Disney purists, this latest addition strongly signals Disney’s desire to expand upon this offering.

Where Else Is Alcohol Served At Disneyland?

To recap, there are now six Disneyland Park locations that serve alcohol. They are:

1. Blue Bayou (New Orleans Square)

2. Cafe Orleans (New Orleans Square)

3. Carnation Cafe (Main Street, U.S.A)

4. Club 33* (New Orleans Square)

5. Oga’s Cantina (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)

6. Riverbelle Terrace (Frontierland)

*Must be a member to access

Additionally, there are several DCA restaurants that serve alcohol. They are:

• Pym Tasting Lab (Avengers Campus)

• Carthay Circle Lounge & Restaurant (Buena Vista Street)

• Clarabelle’s Hand-Scopped Ice Cream (Buena Vista Street)

• Flo’s V8 Cafe (Cars Land)

• Smokejumper’s Grill (Grizzly Peak)

• Award Weiners (Hollywood Land)

• Hollywood Lounge (Hollywood Land)

• Magic Key Terrace (Must be a Magic Key holder or guest of one to access)

• Mendocino Terrace

• Sonoma Terrace

• Wine Country Trattoria

• Lamplight Lounge (Pixar Pier)

• Rita’s Turbine Blenders (San Fransokio)

• Lucky Fortune Cookery (San Fransokio)

• Cocina Cucamonga (San Fransokio)

• Aunt Cass Cafe (San Fransokio)

• Port of San Fransokio Cerveceria (San Fransokio)

Outside the parks, you’ll find alcoholic offerings at just about every restaurant in Downtown Disney, The Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and the upcoming Pixar Place Hotel. A few of my favorites include:

• Tiki Bar (Disneyland Hotel)

• Hearthstone Lounge (Grand Californian)

• Napa Rose (Grand Californian)

• Ballast Point (Downtown Disney)

It’s important to note that while in DCA you can order your drinks to-go and walk around the park with them, you won’t be afforded that same luxury at Disneyland Park, proper. You’ll only be able to enjoy them at your table.

Where Could Disney Expand From Here?

If this move proves to be successful (and it likely will), Disney will definitely look to identify additional opportunities around the park. But where?

Earlier this year, Disney closed the French Market Restaurant in order to transform it into, “Tiana’s Palace”, a new restaurant featuring the namesake, Princess Tiana. It’s tentatively scheduled for a fall 2023 opening.

While this new eatery isn’t going to be table-service, I can easily see Disney adding one or two speciality cocktails to the menu (spiked Mint Julep, anyone?).

Whether Tiana’s Palace will offer alcoholic drinks or not is anyones guess, but I’d wager that any future park expansion plans will be inclusive of them.

In fact, this could open the door to two of my personal blue-sky ideas I’ve always wanted Disney to do…

1. A speakeasy style bar on Main Street, simply called, “Walt’s”

2. A Haunted Mansion themed lounge/bar (think Oga’s Cantina, but Haunted Masnion themed)

Will either ever happen? Probably not. But I can certainly dream.

Personally, I’m perfectly fine with this change. Disneyland serving alcohol wouldn’t have an effect on my visit. Good, bad or otherwise. Others, though, feel much differently. And their feelings are valid. To them, Disney should uphold Walt’s original ideals and ethos as much as possible.

While I agree to a point, I also know that Walt was as much astute businessman as he was creative genius. It’s feasible that had he been alive today, he would feel that change was necessary in this segment of the park’s offerings and at minimum, be open to it.

Despite how any one person feels, the change is happening. Let’s just hope some nimrod doesn’t have a few too many and decides to take a crack at climbing the Matterhorn.

BREAKING: Fantasmic Return Delayed to 'At Least' Spring 2024

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This morning, Disney announced the decision to delay the return of the park’s nighttime spectacular, ‘Fantasmic!’ to spring of 2024.

They’ve also stated that upon its return, the show will not feature the dragon figure that Maleficent, the protagonist, transforms into.

Instead, the show will feature, “new special effects”, and a new battle scene between the two foes. This will likely be an enhanced “B mode”.

For those unaware, the dragon Audio Animatronic figure is affectionally nicknamed, “Murphy”, after the theory of Murphy’s Law in that, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”.

Murphy was plagued with issues, often forcing Disney to utilize the above mentioned B mode, which consisted of the dragon being projected onto a water wall (with additional effects).

The official statement from Disney reads: “Our goal is to always deliver the best possible show for our guests. With that in mind, we are planning the return of ‘Fantasmic!’ with exciting new magic in spring 2024. As teams continue work on the show, we have launched nightly entertainment on the Rivers of America this summer and we are working on even more exciting entertainment offerings for our guests later this year.”

In the statement, Disney stopped short of confirming that the Murphy Audio Animatronics figure is gone for good. This at least suggests that it could make a return at a later date.

This isn’t the least bit surprising, as the damage done to the Murphy AA by the fire was extensive. It not only destroyed Murphy, but caused considerable damage to the stage and the lift underneath it.

• If you haven’t seen the Murphy fire, give the video below a watch

One could argue that Disney could rush it and bring the show back by the fall with its B mode, but i’ll play devil’s advocate here; Fantasmic isn’t needed once the holidays are in full swing. The Halloween and Christmas celebrations do a fine job pulling in the crowds on their own.

By contrast, spring and even lately, summer, doesn’t have the same pull that the holidays do. So taking advantage of that pent-up demand for a popular show that, by that point, would be offline for nearly a full year, would give Disney a guaranteed boost in attendance.

The full statement from Disney further suggests that Murphy will make an eventual return, but stops short of confirming. The next bi-annual super-fan event, D23, will happen again in 2024. Disney could be waiting until then for a big announcement pertaining to Murphy to stack-the-deck and avoid another disappointing parks panel.

It’s important to note that Disney isn’t committing to the Spring 2024 timeline, that’s what they’re, “working towards”. Remember, that’s the same verbiage they used in their prior statement about it being pushed to Labor Day 2023.

For reasons stated above, though, I believe Spring 2024 is a real target for Disney. Not just a hold-over. Whether it’s a strategic move or one out of necessity, Disney needs a nighttime show. Specifically in the spring when attendance dips.

In the meantime, all we can do is keep our fingers crossed.

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Oogie Boogie Bash 2023: Ticket Prices, Event Dates, Villains Grove, Characters, and More!

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In October 2022, we attended our very first Oogie Boogie Bash and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. We had a blast!

Recently, Disney released the dates and prices for 2023 and we’re so excited to go again! If you’re considering going this year, this guide is for you.

We’ll go over when Oogie Boogie Bash tickets go on sale, what they cost, which characters were out last year and which ones we’d like to see this year, and more. (Updated May 31st, 2023.)

Let’s get into it!

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

What Is Oogie Boogie Bash?

Oogie Boogie Bash is an annual Halloween event that’s been held at Disney California Adventure (DCA) every year since 2019.

It’s a separate, hard-ticket event not included with regular admission. On Oogie Boogie days, DCA closes early to day guests.

Prior to Oogie Boogie, the annual Halloween event was Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and was held at Disneyland Park proper.

Like its predecessor, Oogie Boogie Bash features treat trails with Disney villains, rare character meet and greets, a parade, Villain’s Grove (more on that later) and more.

Oogie Boogie Bash Ticket Prices

As stated above, Oogie Boogie Bash is a hard ticket, after-hours event. Meaning, your regular one-day or multi-day pass won’t suffice.

After checking in, you’ll be given a wristband with that days specific color. You’ll be asked to produce this wristband periodically.

At 6pm when the park closes to day guests, cast members create borders to filter out non-Oogie Boogie guests. Simply show your wristband to pass through.

Oogie Boogie’s hours are 6pm and 11pm. However, party-goers are permitted entry into DCA beginning at 3:00pm on the day of the event.

If you’re already in the park by this time, simply stop by one of the check-in stations to receive your wristband and treat bag.

If you’re just arriving, you can enter through the main gate or through the private entrances for the Grand Californian or Paradise Pier Hotel Pixar Place Hotel guests.

Like years prior, the event doesn’t run every night and tends to have a gap of 1-3 days between each party. For example, we attended on October 18th and the next event didn’t occur until October 20th.

In 2022, prices ranged from $129 to $179 per person. In essence, the closer to Halloween you get, the higher the price (with a few exceptions).

In 2023, the lowest priced ticket is $134 and the highest is priced at $189 (though only for two of the twenty-five nights).

Below is a list of Oogie Boogie Bash nights and their corresponding prices for nights in September 2023:

• September 5, 2023 - $134

• September 7, 2023 - $144

• September 10, 2023 - $159

• September 12, 2023 - $134

• September 14, 2023 - $144

• September 17, 2023 - $159

• September 19, 2023 - $134

• September 21, 2023 - $144

• September 24, 2023 - $159

• September 26, 2023 - $144

• September 28, 2023 - $144

October 2023 dates and prices are:

• October 1, 2023 - $169

• October 3, 2023 - $159

• October 5, 2023 - $159

• October 8, 2023 - $169

• October 10, 2023 - $159

• October 12, 2023 - $159

• October 15, 2023 - $169

• October 17, 2023 - $159

• October 19, 2023 - $159

• October 22, 2023 - $169

• October 24, 2023 - $169

• October 26, 2023 - $169

• October 29th, 2023 - $189

• October 31, 2023 - $189

When Do Oogie Boogie Bash Tickets Go On Sale?

Disney has finally announced when Oogie Boogie Bash 2023 tickets will go on-sale. They are:

• June 27th, 2023: Pre-sale for Magic Key holders

• June 29th, 2023: On sale to the general public

There is no special pre-sale for D23 members this year, as there won’t be another convention until next year (and I’d imagine 2024 will have one).

The sales on each day will begin no earlier than 9am through the Disneyland website. You will NOT be able to purchase Oogie Boogie Bash tickets through the app.

Be sure you have an account set up and ready to go. In 2022, the event sold out in two days and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that 2023 will break that record.

You’ll likely be waiting in a virtual queue that could take hours to get through. Ensure your internet connection is spot on and DO NOT hit refresh or the back button while in the queue. If you do, you’ll lose your spot.

Event Attractions

Throughout the event, all attractions in Disney California Adventure are operational (unless they’re under refurbishment).

However, with the exception of the few rides with special Halloween overlays (Mission Breakout and Mater’s), the real fun is in the attractions only offered during the bash itself.

Our advice…don’t waste your time with rides. If you’re keen to, you can spend the first three hours of your permitted entry doing so.

You’re allowed entry at 3pm and the party itself doesn’t begin until 6pm. Spend those first few hours getting rides out of the way.

Once the party begins, though, it’s time to explore everything Oogie Boogie Bash has to offer. We’ll list a few of those below:

Villains Treat Trails

These are the highlight of the event. When you check in and receive your wristband, you’ll be given a trick or treat bag to use at these stations.

*Pro Tip: The bags they give you are small and fill QUICKLY. Bring your own larger bag for trick or treating. No one will judge you.

In these treat trails, cast members stationed throughout the queue pass out handfuls of candy and other treats. The best part of the treat trails? Each one features one of Disney’s most beloved villains.

These characters interact with guests and will pose for pictures, but they are not traditional meet and greets where you pose with them.

Treat trail queues get long so to avoid a lengthy wait, cast members keep the line moving by waiving you through and enticing you with candy.

While you can’t spend too much time with each villain, you're allowed to go through the queue as many times as you wish.

Here are the names of the treat trail villains and their locations in 2022:

• Ernesto de la Cruz (near the main entrance to Avengers Campus)

• Dr. Facilier (across from Corn Dog Castle)

• Mother Gothel (near Grizzly River Run)

• Mad Madam Mim (near Hyperion Theatre)

• Hagatha Harkness (in Avengers Campus)

• Cruella (across from the Monsters Inc. ride)

• Sid (in Pixar Pier)

• Maleficent (adjacent to the Soarin’ building)

• Oogie Boogie (in the Art of Animation building)

This was our favorite feature of the bash. Especially Ernesto de la Cruz. He was arguably the most popular character this year and his queue reflected that.

The singing and guitar playing is actually being performed by the actor himself. There’s no sound loop involved. It was an incredible performance.

Don’t let the queue discourage you, by the way. Ernesto, Oogie Boogie and Cruella had the longest queues but we never waited longer than fifteen minutes or so.

Each treat trail will have one or two candy stations prior to the character and another two to three after. This is done to keep the line flowing. Cast members will begin waiving you through if it gets too clustered.

Do keep in mind that there’s a chance the character won’t be there when you arrive. The actors take breaks from time to time. Especially Ernesto. We nearly missed him, but thankfully he came back out right as we neared the stage.

Lastly, these characters may or may not appear at future parties. Oogie Boogie is a given (it’s his event, after-all) and I would predict a return for Ernest de la Cruz given his massive popularity.

This is Sid’s second bash, so he’ll likely remain a regular in 2023 considering he’s Pixar’s original baddie. The remaining may be swapped out for different villains, though.

Special Character Meet n’ Greets

Also featured during Oogie Boogie Bash are special (traditional) character meet and greets, with a Photopass photographer present at most of them.

*PRO TIP: The cost of your Oogie Boogie Bash ticket includes all PhotoPass photos taken during the event. The scan code will be on your wristband.

The biggest draw of the bunch was Minnie, Daisy and Clarabelle dressed as the Sanderson Sisters (Hocus Pocus). They were stationed behind Hollywood Lounge near the Monsters Inc. attraction.

Their queue was an hour wait or more throughout the night and even closed a couple times. If they return next year and you really want a photo with them, we recommend heading to their queue first thing.

Another popular character meet and greet was Bruno, who made his Oogie Boogie Bash debut this year. He was located near the sawmill at Grizzly River Run.

Other characters spotted throughout the night included Ratatouille, The Incredibles, The Blue Fairy, Merlin, Smee, The Wicked Step Sisters and the “Kingdom Hearts” versions of Mickey, Goofy and Donald.

Again, these were standard meet and greets, NOT treat trails. So incidentally, these lines moved slower than the treat trails (and there’s no candy). Keep this in mind when prioritizing.

The Frightfully Fun Parade

This parade first made its debut during the party’s run at Disneyland Park proper and has since made its way to Oogie Boogie Bash.

It runs twice nightly during the event and is one of the shortest, most underwhelming Disney parades we’ve seen. It wasn’t bad, we just feel they’ve could’ve done more with it.

For viewing, you’ll have three options. The first and most obvious would be the traditional way; settle on a spot along the parade route and enjoy the show.

The other two options will set you back some extra coin, but may be worth it to you as you won’t have to camp out for a spot. They are:

1. Three course dinner at Wine Country Trattoria (comes with a Fastpass style return ticket to a viewing area in front of the Grizzly Peak Waterfall - standing room only).

2. Sonoma Terrace Dessert Party (comes with a table and seat along the parade route).

There are a few differences between the two (aside from price) you should be aware of before making a decision:

• Wine Country Trattoria Dinner: For this, you eat dinner prior to the parade and be given a Fastpass to return to the viewing area later. This is standing-room only. The price was $60 per person and includes your choice of starter, entree, a dessert and non-alcoholic drinks. While checking in, you must state that you want the three-course dinner for the parade.

• Sonoma Terrace Dessert Party: For the desert party, you’re assigned an actual table and chair to use during the parade. To top it off, you’re served an array of desserts just before and during the parade in an “all-you-can-eat” setting. The price for the dessert party is $89 per person.

Let’s face it, most people (including us) go with these options mostly for the guaranteed spot on the parade route. The food is almost always a distant second. So if you’re trying to decide, it really comes down to your priorities.

The dinner is the least expensive option and includes an actual meal with the price, but you’ll have to settle for a standing-room only viewing area to watch the parade from.

Alternatively, the dessert party includes a table and seat DURING the parade (which is the reason for the $30 difference), but includes just a variety of deserts. Not an actual meal.

So are you willing to pay more to have an actual place to sit? Or would you rather have the meal and pay less but have to stand/sit along the parade route?

We selected the three course dinner. The food was great (we’ve always enjoyed Wine Country Trattoria) and the view of the parade was great, but if we could do it over again, we would’ve gone with the dessert party. For the actual seat if nothing else.

No complaints about the viewing area, though. There was plenty of elbow room and no one was fighting for a spot (or trying to hijack one at the last minute).

Villains Grove

You’ve undoubtedly heard of Villains Grove. It’s arguably the most popular attraction at the party and because of that, it has consistently long queues throughout the evening.

The grove takes over the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail and transforms it with special lighting, sound, smell and projection affects representing several Disney villains.

There are multiple scenes along the trail and Cast Members are stationed throughout to help guide you through (there’s a couple spots where the trail splits).

Some villains represented throughout the grove include; Scar (Lion King), The Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland) and the Evil Queen (Snow White).

It’s something you truly have to experience to fully appreciate. We took many pictures/video and none of them does it justice.

As stated above, however, it has consistently long lines. We do have a few tips for you, though.

Many people will rush to Villains Grove first thing and for the first two or three hours, its queue often stretches beyond the private entrance to the Grand Californian.

Don’t do this. Wait until later in the night, perhaps within a half hour to an hour of park closing, and chances are good that you’ll arrive to a queue with a minimal-to-no wait.

Another strategy you could implement is arriving during the second showing of the parade. We arrived just before it started and only waited ten minutes or so.

When we exited the grove the parade was in full swing and the queue was non-existent. So we took the opportunity and jumped in for second go.

In short, there’s no reason to wait in a long queue for Villains Grove (though it is worth it, in my opinion). Just make sure you experience it.

Changes We Would Like To See

As awesome as Oogie Boogie Bash was, there were a few things we noticed or thought of that we wish Disney would’ve done differently. They are:

1. Longer event time: The hours for Oogie Boogie Bash are 6pm - 11pm. While five hours may seem like enough, trust me, it isn't . An extra hour would’ve made all the difference.

2. More rare villains: We really enjoyed the villains at the treat trails so of course, we’d love to see more. Villains such as the Old Hag, Thanos, Stinky Pete and Lotso come to mind.

3. A better parade: It’s time for an update. We loved certain elements of the current parade (like the Hitchhiking Ghosts float), but let’s mix it up a bit.

4. An Oogie Boogie exclusive dining experience: A three-course dinner at Carthay Circle hosted by the Evil Queen, a villains only character buffet, the possibilities are endless and it would undoubtedly be a nightly sell-out.

These are just a few of our ideas but honestly, the bash is a great time and even if they never change a single thing about it, you’re sure to have a great time.

Your Thoughts On Oogie Boogie Bash

Have you attended Oogie Boogie Bash before? If not, does it sound like something you and your family would enjoy? Let us know in the comments below! We love hearing from our readers.

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Thanks for reading.

Visiting Disneyland In July: Weather, Crowd Levels, Ride Closures and More!

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Disneyland, a beloved destination for families and Disney enthusiasts alike, offers an enchanting experience like no other.

In this post, we’ll focus on visiting Disneyland in July, a month filled with summer fun and excitement. Join us as we explore the best tips, tricks and must-see attractions to make your trip to Disneyland an unforgettable adventure.

Whether you’re planning a family vacation or simply craving some Disney magic, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in and discover the wonders that await you at Disneyland in July!

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider visiting our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and you’ll be supporting our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here

Weather

No doubt about it, Southern California is warm all year long. It’s one of the aspects of the region that its citizens and visitors love so much. Every day is a beach day.

Some months, however, are warmer than others, and while you may think that July would be miserably hot, for the most part, that isn’t the case.

While July is definitely warmer than the prior six months of the year, the average high in Anaheim is 84 degrees. Most people would describe that temperature as pleasantly warm or comfortable as opposed to miserable.

Additionally, you still get those chilly, cool coastal mornings and evenings Orange County is known for. So a light jacket or hoodie is still a must-pack item for most.

Another benefit, weather wise, to visiting Disneyland in July is the lack of rainy days. July, on average, is the month with the fewest days of rainfall (a whooping 0.2 days, to be exact).

While rainy days typically mean lower crowds, they also mean potential attraction closures. Fan favorites such as Big Thunder, Incredicoaster and Radiator Springs Racers have been known to close if there’s enough rainfall.

Also, it isn’t exceptionally windy in July. In fact, it’s the second, least windiest month of the year (behind August). This means the chances of the firework show getting canceled are lower.

All told, going to Disneyland in July, weather wise, is a great month!

Crowd Levels

Traditionally, July has always been a busy month at the Disneyland Resort. However, ever since the advent of dynamic pricing for one-day tickets and especially in the post-covid era, that isn’t necessarily the case anymore.

It’ll definitely be busier than say February or March, but the current title of busiest time of year currently resides with the Halloween/Christmas season.

That said, July is still considered peak travel season for the parks, so you’ll need to prepare yourself for potentially heavy crowds, especially the week of the 4th of July holiday.

As a general rule, avoid going to the park on weekends. Stick with weekdays, rope drop everyday of your trip and purchase Genie Plus, if possible. If you want to maximize your park time, that’s how you do it.

Ticket Prices/Magic Key Availability

One-Day Ticket Prices

If you’re purchasing multi-day tickets, the price won’t fluctuate like one-day tickets do. However, Disney often raises its ticket prices in the months of February and/or June. So if you’re for sure going in July, the sooner you purchase your tickets, the better.

One-day ticket prices fluctuate on a dynamic tier based system (think purchasing a plane ticket) and depend on Disney’s forecasted demand for that particular day.

Current one-day ticket prices start at $104 (one-park) and top out at $179 (one-park). In July, you can forget spending anything less than $159 per ticket. Slightly more than half the month (16 days) is at that price and those are all middle-of-the-week dates.

All Saturdays are at the top end at $179 and all Sundays are in the middle at $169. Of course, these prices can always change. So again, get those tickets ASAP if you haven’t already.

At the time of this writing, park reservation availability for both one-day and multi-day tickets are wide open.

Magic Key Availability

If you’re a Magic Key holder (or planning to be one by July), you should check the “blocked-out” calendar for your particular key.

The only key with wide open availability (and the only one currently for sale) for the month of July is the Inspire Key. Believe Key holders are blocked out on July 4th and every Saturday, but have access otherwise.

If you’re an Enchant or Imagine Key holder, sorry to say, but you’re blocked out entirely for the month of July. Your only option would be to purchase tickets out-of-pocket.

As always, keep your ears open to any deals Disney may announce in the coming weeks. Like most corporations, Disney has been slowly preparing for the looming economic slow-down and may churn out good deals on tickets.

July Specific Entertainment

Disney doesn’t do a whole lot in July as it pertains to special entertainment. You’ll definitely see minor decorating around Main Street and possibly special outfits worn by Mickey and friends.

There will be a flag retreat ceremony in Town Square. Though these are done daily at Disneyland, this one will have a little something extra. If you want a good view for this, arrive EARLY.

Something Disney has done in the past is a concert at the Fantasyland Theatre featuring the 1st Marine Division Band. No word yet on if this will be happening this year or not.

Normally, Disney would do a little extra during the fireworks show on the 4th of July as well but interestingly, there are no firework shows scheduled for any day in July on the Disneyland website. We’ll update this as more information becomes available.

Attraction Closures & Refurbishments

Attraction closures are an unfortunate, but essential part of Disneyland’s operations. They’re done to implement new technology, install safety improvements, conduct regular maintenance and more.

I have an extensive post where every refurbishment between both parks is listed throughout the year. It also discusses upcoming projects and rumors. Be sure to check it out and save it to your phone as I’m constantly updating it.

These are the attraction refurbs in July for Disneyland Park:

• Adventureland Treehouse: Opening date TBD

• Alice in Wonderland: Closed July 5th - TBD

• Disneyland Monorail: Closed July 5th - TBD

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant: Closed July 3rd (single-day closure)

• French Market Restaurant: Permanently closed as of February 17th

• Fantasmic: On pause until at least Labor Day

• Mint Julep Bar: Closed February 17th - TBD

• Splash Mountain: Permanently closed as of May 31st

If you haven’t heard, Splash Mountain has closed and is being re-themed to, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure”. However, it isn't set to open until late 2024. If you’re looking to cool down on a warm July day, your only option is Grizzly River Run across the esplanade in DCA.

The French Market Restaurant and Mint Julep Bar closed in order to be transformed into, “Tiana’s Place”, which is set to open in late 2023. If you want beignets or a Mint Julep, you can get them both at Royal Street Veranda. Beignets can also be purchased at Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney.

Fantasmic, Disneyland’s riverside nighttime spectacular is currently on hiatus due to fire damage to the Maleficent animatronic, “Murphy”. Severe damage was also done to the stage, preventing Disney from staging the show.

It was announced that teams are working on bringing nighttime entertainment to the park this summer, sparking rumors of a return of the Main Street Electrical or Paint the Night parades.

Attraction refurbs for Disney California Adventure in July include:

• Boudin Bread Cart: Closed July 1st (opens July 2nd)

• Pacific Wharf Distribution Co: Closed May 31st - TBD

• Soarin’ Around The World: Closed July 5th - July 14th

• Toy Story Midway Mania: Closed July 17th - TBD

In DCA, construction on the transformation of The Wharf into San Fransokio Square is still ongoing. You’ll still be able to access the area, but a completion date is currently unknown.

Aside from Soarin’ Around The World, there are no major attractions scheduled for refurbishment. Of course, that could always change, so be sure to read and save our refurbishment guide to stay updated.

Additional Tips

Below, I’ll give you a few additional tips to help make your trip to Disneyland in July go as smoothly as possible:

• Rope drop every day of your trip to maximize your park time.

• Purchase Genie Plus ahead of time. This saves both time and money and allows you to ride multiple rides with minimal wait times.

• Go during the week instead of the weekends.

• Keep an eye on Disney’s refurbishment calendar to stay up to date

• Download the Disneyland App to keep digital copies of your tickets.

• Take mid-day breaks back at your hotel. This is when the park is the most crowded and hot.

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Thank you for reading.

Disneyland Dining Guide 2023: Mobile Order, Dining Reservations and More

5 minute read | contains affiliate links

Between Downtown Disney, Disney California Adventure and the classic namesake park, the Disneyland Resort offers a plethora of popular dining options.

Due to their popularity, Disney has implemented many methods in which to enjoy them, including; traditional reservations, mobile ordering and a mobile walk-up list.

If you don’t know what these are or how to navigate them, it could mean disappointment for you and your party if you’ve had your hearts set on a particular place.

In this guide, we’ll cover all the information you’ll need to hopefully avoid that disappointment and make you the ultimate Disney dining insider.

We’ll also go over the varying dining options, such as quick service, table service and character dining. (Updated April 19th, 2023.)

Mobile Ordering

The first thing you’ll want to do is download the Disneyland app and create an account. At most mobile order locations, you’ll see signage at the entrance presenting a QR code to scan.

Scanning this code will just take you to a section of the Disneyland website and will eventually prompt you to download the app anyway.

Disneyland Wifi is notoriously slow, so it’s best to do this before arriving at the parks. Trust us, it’ll save you valuable time.

Mobile Order Locations

Mobile ordering is available at most counter-service locations and at a handful of snack carts as well. You will NOT be able to mobile order for any table-service location.

Below, we broke down each mobile order restaurant by name and where they’re located on property:

Disneyland Park

• Alien Pizza Planet

• Bengal BBQ

• Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo

• Edelweiss Snacks

• French Market Restaurant

• Galactic Grill

• Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor

• The Golden Horseshoe

• Harbor Galley

• Hungry Bear Restaurant

• Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe

• Milk Stand

• Mint Julep Bar

• Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante

• Red Rose Taverne

• Refreshment Corner

• Ronto Roasters

• Royal Street Veranda

• Stage Door Cafe

• Tiki Juice Bar

• Troubadour Taverne

Disney California Adventure

• Award Weiners

• Bayside Brews

• Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream

• Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

• Corn Dog Castle

• Cozy Cone Motel

• Flo’s V8 Cafe

• Hollywood Lounge

• Lucky Fortune Cookery

• Pacific Wharf Cafe

• Pacific Wharf Distribution Co.

• Paradise Garden Grill

• Pym Tasting Lab

• Pym Tasting Kitchen

• Rita’s Baja Blenders

• Schmoozies!

• Smokejumper’s Grill

• Sonoma Terrace

• Studio Catering Co.

Disneyland Resort Hotels

• The Coffee House (Disneyland Hotel)

• GCH Craftsmans Grill (Disney’s Grand Californian)

• Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill (Disneyland Hotel)

As you can see, there’s a lot of locations accepting mobile orders. Restaurants in Downtown Disney currently don’t accept mobile orders through the Disneyland app.

Most, though, offer their own version of it (including Starbucks and Jamba). In front of those locations are signs with QR codes on them providing instructions on how to utilize their systems.

How To Use Disneyland Mobile Order

Using this feature to order your lunch or dinner is straight forward and easy. Below, we laid out step-by-step instructions, with screenshots, to describe the process.

Step One

The first thing you’re going to want to do is download the Disneyland app and create an account (if you haven’t done so already).

To begin an order, tap on the plus sign at the bottom center of your screen. On the menu that pops up, select, “Order Food”.

Step Two

On the next screen, you’ll be shown a list of open restaurants to order from and their next available pick-up window. If that time doesn’t work for you, select “More Times”.

On that screen, you’ll not only see additional pick-up times, but you can also see where that restaurant is on the digital park map and also browse its menu.

Step Three

As an example, we selected Bengal BBQ. It’s one of our favorites. As you can see in the image below, this is where you’ll make your selections.

With each item you’ll choose your desired quantity, select any additional add-ons, and even customize it to your liking. Then, you’ll add each item to your cart.

Step Four

Once you’re happy with your selections, tap, “View My Order”, then, “Review Order Summery”. Here, you’ll see your total and select your payment method.

Currently, you can pay for mobile orders with:

• Disney Gift Cards

• Disney Rewards Redemption Cards

• Credit or Debit Card (Including American Express and Discover)

• Apple Pay

If you’re a Magic Key holder or member of the Disney Vacation Club, your applicable discount will automatically be applied provided your pass and/or membership is linked to your account.

Step Five

After submitting your oder, you’ll be shown your selected arrival window. From here, you simply go about enjoying an attraction or shop until you’re summoned.

If you need to change your arrival time or even cancel your order outright, you can still do so without incurring any charges.

Step Six

When your arrival window comes, you’ll head over to your selected restaurant. Once there, pull up your order on the app and select, “I’m Here. Prepare My Order”.

At this point, your selected payment will be charged and you will no longer be able to make any changes to your order.

Step Seven

When your order is ready, you’ll receive a notification (be sure to turn those on) and will be given instructions as to which pick-up window to go to.

Then, simply show the Cast Member your order (or provide them with your name) and you’ll be off with your food. It’s that easy.

Mobile Walk-Up

If there’s a particular table-service restaurant you really want to dine at but don’t have a reservation (more on that later), you can try adding your name to the mobile walk-up list.

While reservations are highly recommended and mobile walk-up shouldn’t be depended on, it’s your final Hail Mary if tables are booked.

How Mobile Walk-Up Works

First, like making a mobile order, you’ll need the Disneyland app and an account. There’s no need to speak with a cast member, but you will need to be near the desired restaurant to use it.

To add your name to the mobile walk-up list:

• Tap the “+” symbol at the bottom center of the app.

• Tap, “Check Dining Availability”.

• Select your party size.

• In the calendar, select the current date then tap, “Now”.

• A list of restaurants will appear. If there’s no availability, it’ll say so.

• If there’s room and you’re not near the restaurant, it’ll ask you to move closer before continuing.

• Once you’re near the restaurant, you’ll add your name to the walk-up list.

• When your table is ready, you’ll receive a notification.

• Your entire party must be present when you arrive to the restaurant.

Mobile Walk-Up Locations

The following is a list of restaurants currently participating in mobile walk-up:

• Blue Bayou (Disneyland)

• Cafe Orleans (Disneyland)

• Carthay Circle - Alfresco Dining (DCA)

• GCH Craftsmans Bar (Grand Californian)

• Lamplight Lounge - Boardwalk Dining (DCA)

• Magic Key Terrace (DCA)

• Oga’s Cantina (Disneyland)

• River Belle Terrace (Disneyland)

• Storyteller’s Cafe (Grand California)

• Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (Disneyland Hotel)

• Wine Country Trattoria (DCA)

Disneyland Dining Reservations

The Disneyland Resort has come a long way as it pertains to food. For the longest time, theme park staples like burgers and hot dogs ran supreme.

In recent years, though, Disney has been setting standards for theme park food at not only their table-service restaurants, but at quick-service spots as well.

Many of them have become so immensely popular that if you don’t have a reservation, your odds of scoring a table are slim (baring a lucky last-minute cancellation).

A few examples of those restaurants that you can have a difficult time scoring a table include Lamplight Lounge, Napa Rose and Carthay Circle.

If your must-do restaurant is one of those (or others), you’ll want to make a reservation by following the directions below.

How To Make A Dining Reservation

Disneyland Dining Reservations Phone Number

The phone number is 714-956-6425. A recording about vacation packages will come up. Press “4” when prompted and let them know you want to make a dining reservation.

Going this route is slow going. Depending on call volume (which is often high), it could take a significant amount of time to reach someone.

It may only be a few minutes, but those few minutes could mean the difference in whether or not you’re successful.

Mobile or Online Reservations

The best way, in our opinions, is to do it through the Disneyland app or Disneyland.com. If you ask us, the app is the simplest of the two.

To make a dining reservation through the app:

• Tap the “+” symbol and select, “Check Dining Availability”.

• Select your party size, date (reservations can be made 60-days in advance), and time preference.

• You’ll then see a list of available restaurants and meal times.

• If you don’t see the restaurant you want, that means it isn’t available. Keep checking daily as cancellations often happen.

• If you do see one you like, select your meal time and complete the reservation.

• You will be asked to provide a credit card guarantee to hold your table. You will NOT be charged unless you fail to cancel within 24 hours of your reservation (more on this below).

Locations Accepting Reservations

• Blue Bayou (Disneyland)

• Cafe Orleans (Disneyland)

• Carnation Cafe (Disneyland)

• Carthay Circle (DCA)

• Catal Restaurant (DTD)

• Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure (Grand Californian)

• GCH Craftsman Bar (Grand Californian)

• Goofy’s Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel)

• La Brea Bakery Cafe (DTD)

• Lamplight Lounge (DCA)

• Napa Rose (Grand Californian)

• Naples Ristorante (DTD)

• Oga’s Cantina (Disneyland)

• Plaza Inn (Disneyland)

• Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen (DTD)

• River Belle Terrace (Disneyland)

• Splitsville Luxury Lanes - Dining (DTD)

• Storyteller’s Cafe (Grand Californian)

• Tortilla Joe’s (DTD)

• Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (Disneyland Hotel)

• Uva Bar & Cafe (DTD)

• Wine Country Trattoria (DCA)

What If You Can’t Get A Reservation

Reservations can be made up to 60-days in advance and most often, you’ll need to be on the ball right at that timeframe to have a chance. So be ready!

If you checked at exactly 60-days out and still couldn’t get a table, don’t give up. There’s a few things you can try:

• Check often, daily if you have to. Cancellations happen often as no one wants to get hit with the no-show fee. So keep checking. We couldn’t get a reservation for Lamplight Lounge but we kept checking and ended up scoring a table two days out. DON’T GIVE UP!

• Check the day before. If you weren’t able to get one but still have your heart set, check the app the day before your desired date. That’s when people will be cancelling reservations to avoid that no-show fee. Check in the evening or even early morning on the day-of.

• Try going through the Disneyland website instead of the app. There’s been a couple times where we couldn’t get a reservation for a restaurant through the app but when we checked on the website, there was an open spot.

• Take advantage of mobile walk-up. If the restaurant you couldn’t get also accepts the mobile walk-up list, try that! There’s no guarantees, though, so you should have a back-up in mind, just in case.

Cancelling Reservations

As stated above, when making a dining reservation, Disney requires a credit card guarantee to hold your table.

This was implemented in response to people hoarding reservations and never cancelling them, leaving people out in the cold and Disney with empty tables.

It’s important to note that when making the reservation, your credit card will NOT be charged unless you fail to cancel within 24 hours of your selected date.

No-Show Fee

If you no-show a reservation, your credit card will be charged $10 per person (the number of people in your party).

If you arrive on-time but your entire party isn’t present, that’s ok. As long as the person who made the reservation is present, you’re fine.

*TIp: They don’t check ID’s when checking in. So if the person who made the reservation is running late or can’t make it, just use that name when the cast member asks.

Another noteworthy piece of information is the 15-minute grace period offered by Disney. We’ve never tested this but if you’re running a bit late, you won’t be penalized before that grace period.

Avoiding The No-Show Fee

The best way to avoid the no-show fee is to show up to your reservation but hey, things happen. Kids don’t always cooperate, queue lines take longer than expected or you just simply forget.

Once you’re within that 24-hour period of your reservation, you cannot cancel. You can try calling and pleading your case, but there’s no guarantee.

So say you’ve forgotten about your reservation and it’s the day of. You can’t cancel, so what do you do? Our tip is to modify your reservation.

Modifying Your Reservation

Again, you cannot cancel a reservation once you’re within that 24-hour window. However, Disney does allow you to make modifications.

You can modify aspects such as party size, dining time and date. So if you find yourself in this predicament, simply change the date to one further out. Then you can cancel without penalty.

While we obviously don’t recommend you rely on this hack every time, it is something you can fall back on in order to avoid paying the no-show fee when all other options fail.

Disneyland Dining Categories

At Disneyland, there are three main categories restaurants fall under; quick-service, table-service and character dining.

Below, we’ll briefly discuss the difference between them and give you a few examples of restaurants in each category.

Table-Service

These restaurants are traditional sit-down eateries where you’ll be seated, order through a server and the food is delivered to your table.

These restaurants range from casual to fine dining. Some examples of these include:

• Casual Table Service: River Belle Terrace, Cafe Orleans, Lamplight Lounge and Wine Country Trattoria

• Fine Dining: Carthay Circle, Napa Rose and Club 33

Price-wise, the later will be at the top of the scale and the former, while not as pricy, will still come with a higher price tag than quick-service eateries.

Quick-Service

Quick-service restaurants make up the majority at the Disneyland Resort. Aside from price, the biggest difference from table-service is the lack of a server.

Whether you choose mobile-order or stand-by, you’ll collect your order at the window and take it to your table (if you can find one) yourself.

*Pro Tip: Have someone in your party search for a seat while you order/wait for your food. It’ll save you a lot of time and hassle.

A few examples of quick-service restaurants throughout the resort include; Red Rose Tavern, Cocina Cucamonga, Flo’s V8 Cafe, Hungry Bear and Bengal BBQ.

Prices are higher than what you’ll find at fast-food chains, but they’re a deal compared to table-service restaurants.

The portion sizes heavily depend on where you go but typically, we’d rate them medium to large at most spots. Saving money by splitting plates is possible at many locations.

For example, if you’re looking to split, we recommend avoiding Bengal BBQ. Each kabob has only three pieces of meat (sometimes four) on it.

At Alien Pizza Planet, however, you can get a slice of pizza that’s much bigger than a usual slice. So splitting that between two small kids is possible.

Character Dining

Character dining is arguably one of Disney’s greatest ideas. The concept is simple; You enjoy a delicious meal (usually a buffet) while some of Disney’s most beloved characters visit you at your table.

It’s an awesome experience for anyone - not just kids - who enjoy interacting with characters. You get more time with them and you’re not having to queue up in the sun.

At most locations, you’re typically guaranteed at least three character experiences during your meal. We usually manage to enjoy much more than that, though (except at Storyteller’s Cafe).

The following is a list of character dining locations:

• Plaza Inn: Located in Disneyland Park, character dining is currently only offered during breakfast. The characters you’ll typically see here are; Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Coco, Rafiki and Tiger. This one is our favorite.

• Goofy’s Kitchen: Located in the Disneyland Hotel, character dining is offered here for breakfast and dinner. Typical characters include; Goofy, Pluto, Chip n’ Dale and More!

• Storyteller’s Cafe: Located in the Grand Californian Hotel, character dining is offered during breakfast, brunch, and dinner. Typical characters include; Chip n’ Dale, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. This was our LEAST favorite of the four.

• Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures: Located inside the Napa Rose restaurant at the Grand Californian Hotel, this premium character dining option is only available for breakfast and on select days. Typical characters include; Snow White, Jasmine, Tiana and Cinderella.

Prices for the first three tend to vary between $35 - $60 per adult and $15 - $35 per child. Final price depends on time of year, meal type, etc.

Princess Breakfast Adventures is another story. This one comes with an eye-watering price tag of $125 per person. Notice the word person. That’s right, even children are at that price.

Our Thoughts…

It’s no secret, dining at the Disneyland Resort can be an expensive, and often times confusing, endeavor. It’s no longer as simple as showing up to any restaurant and ordering your food.

The advent of mobile ordering, while convenient in many ways, has made the process of dining at the park something you need to plan out.

By that, I don’t mean just making a list of where you want to eat. I mean choosing where, what, and at which time you want to eat.

During our recent visit, I attempted to mobile order a black caf cold brew at Docking Bay 7 in Galaxy’s Edge. The closest window I could choose was in 45-minutes.

I arrived at docking bay to see if I could just do stand-by but found the line was so huge it easily would’ve taken that long before I got it anyway.

On another morning, at around 9am (two hours before it opened), I mobile ordered my lunch from Cocina Cucamonga in DCA.

By the time I arrived to pick up my meal (which was fast, by the way), the stand-by line was already an easy 20-30 wait.

I got curious and checked the mobile-order pick up times at that moment and thay were already two hours out (around 1pm). It was insane.

So while mobile-ordering has improved the park experience in some aspects, it’s also ruined it even more so for those who don’t want to plan every aspect of their visit.

Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. Disney has gone all-in on digital payments and is showing absolutely no signs of turning back. All we can do is learn, adapt and excel.

Your Thoughts…

What are your thoughts on mobile ordering and having to make reservations so far out? Let us know in the comments below. We love hearing from readers!

Please support our website by sharing this article with your family and friends.

Thank you for reading.

2023 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar + Future Projects and Rumors

3 minute read | contains affiliate links

*Note: You’ve accidentally landed on the 2023 refurb calendar, click/tap here to see the updated, 2024 calendar.

Between the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks, the Disneyland Resort boasts more than 90 rides and attractions.

Some of these have opened as recently as 2023 while some have been operating since the park first opened in 1955.

Due to the age of some of the attractions, they need to close from time to time for a variety of reasons. These can include:

• Safety upgrades

• Technology & effects improvements

• Re-themes

• Changes to the overall appearance

• and more

While these ride closures are a necessity for park operations, there’s nothing more frustrating than arriving at the park and finding your favorite attraction closed.

To help with this, Disney releases the dates for planned ride closures on a calendar that you can view 45-days in advance. This way, you can plan your trip accordingly.

Since it can be time consuming to keep track of it all, we put this post together to help you stay on top of ride closures, future projects and more.

This post will be updated constantly, throughout the year, as information is released by Disney. So keep coming back for updates!

Without further delay, let’s get into it. We’ll begin with a list of the current refurbishments, followed by details about upcoming projects.

*Pro Tip: Be sure to bookmark this post to your phone/computer. Disney constantly updates their refurbishment calendar and we work diligently to keep up. By bookmarking this post, you can remain as up to date as possible.

*Quick Note: If you’re looking to book a vacation to the Disneyland Resort (or Disney World, Disney Cruise, Universal and more) consider tapping/clicking the above image to visit our partners at Get Away Today. Going through them is the same as going directly through Disney only through them, you’ll receive personalized service by Disney experts and receive the absolute best price and any accompanying discounts. By going through Get Away Today, you’ll be getting the best price on your vacation and support our website at the same time.

To see their amazing deals on your favorite destinations, click/tap here (and tell them we said “hi”)

*ALSO…

Knowing which rides are closed is only one part of the equation when planning a trip to Disneyland. Below, we’ve listed a few more of our Disneyland related posts that we think you’d find useful:

“Oogie Boogie Bash 2023: Ticket Prices, Villains Groove, Characters, Our Experience and More”

“Disneyland Dining Guide: Mobile Order, Dining Reservations and More”

“Disneyland Rider Switch: How To Take Advantage Of This Little Known Perk”

“Genie+ At Disneyland: How It Works, What It Cost and More!”

Disneyland Resort Refurbishment Calendar

Disneyland Park

• Adventureland Treehouse: Opened November 10th

• Alice in Wonderland: June 5th - June 15th

• Alice in Wonderland: July 5th - July 20th

• Astro Orbitor: November 27th - TBD

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: April 3rd - April 13th

• Blue Bayou Restaurant: January 7th, 2024 - January 19th, 2024

• CenTOONial Park: September 11th - October 29th

• Disneyland Monorail: March 20th - March 23rd

• Donald’s Boat: Re-opening March 19th

• Disneyland Monorail: July 5th - August 31st

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant: July 3rd (single day closure)

• French Market Restaurant: Permenantly closed February 17th (reopening as ‘Tiana’s Palace’ on September 7th)

• Fantasmic: Paused through Spring 2024

• Gadget Coaster: Re-opening March 19th

• Goofy’s How-to-Play Yard: October 23rd - November 9th

• Goofy’s Playhouse: Re-opening March 19th

• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: January 9th - January 25th

• Haunted Mansion: August 14th - August 31st (for the ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ overlay installation)

• Haunted Mansion: January 21st, 2024 - TBD

• Indiana Jones Adventure: January 9th, 2023 - March 16th

• Indiana Jones Adventure: November 27th - November 30th

• it’s a small world: January 9th - January 19th

• it’s a small world: October 23rd - November 9th

• Matterhorn Mountain: April 18th - June 2nd

• Mark Twain Riverboat: March 6th - March 9th

• Mark Twain Riverboat: September 17th - February 2nd, 2024

• Mickey’s House: Re-opening March 19th

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway: Opening January 27th

• Minnie’s House: Re-opening March 19th

• Mint Julep Bar: February 17th - September 6th

• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride: June 5th - June 15th

• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride: July 24th - August 10th

• Peter Pan’s Flight: June 5th - June 29th

• Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer’s Island: September 6th & September 7th

• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin: Re-opening March 19th

• Splash Mountain: Permanently closed as of May 31st (will reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in late 2024)

• Sailing Ship Columbia: September 11th - September 14th

• Space Mountain: September 18th - October 26th

• Tiana’s Palace: Grand opening on September 7th

• Wondrous Journeys: Permanently ending August 31st

By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the unfortunate fire that occurred during an April showing of Fantasmic involving the Maleficent (Murphy) animatronic.

If you’ve been under a rock and haven’t heard, i’m sorry to be the one to break it to you. The animatronic and lift system experienced significant damage.

Due to this, Disney announced a pause on all pyro effects in Disney parks worldwide. As far as the future of the show is concerned, all Disney would say is it’s, “on pause”, until at least May 14th.

For those wondering, the reason the troubled animatronic was given the name, “Murphy”, by cast members as a reference to the infamous theory, Murphy’s Law - anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Murphy has an extensive history of breakdowns and malfunctions. It would often freeze during performances and sometimes, outright refuse to work in the first place.

As a precautionary measure to Murphy’s mood swings, Disney has a “B” show in place. It’s nowhere near as impressive, but it allows Disney to move forward with the show.

However, with the additional damage done to the platform, Disney hasn’t been able to stage the show at all. Unfortunately, due to this, the pause has now been extended to at least Labor Day.

Disney has stated that, “Teams are actively exploring alternate entertainment offerings for guests this summer”. What could those be? The Main Street Electrical Parade would be a no-brainer.

• Update: Disney has recently announced that Fantasmic is now being pushed to Spring 2024. Read my article about it for more information.

Disney California Adventure

• Beast’s Library: Permanently closed December 10th

• Boudin Bread Cart: May 31st - July 1st

• Fairfax Market: January 22nd - February 10th

• Grizzly River Run: January 9th - March 16th

• Grizzly River Run: January 8th, 2024 - TBD

• Golden Zephyr: August 28th - September 28th

• Incredicoaster: November 27th - December 1st

• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind: January 30th - February 9th

• Mickey’s PhilharMagic: January 24th - February 3rd

• Midway Mercantile: July 26th - August 18th

• Paradise Garden Grill: August 24th - August 26th

• Pacific Wharf Distribution Co: May 31st - July 23rd

• Redwood Creek Challenge: July 31st - August 14th

• Redwood Creek Challenge: November 1st - November 9th

• Radiator Springs Racers: August 18th - August 26th

• Rogers: The Musical (Hyperion Theatre): Ending August 31st

• Soarin’ Around The World: July 5th - July 14th

• Sorcerer’s Workshop: August 28th - September 6th

• Silly Symphony Swings: February 27th - May 18th

• The Little Mermaid - Ariel’s Undersea Adventure: June 5th - June 7th

• Toy Story Midway Mania: July 17th - August 17th

• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure: January 9th - January 12th

WEB Slingers was added and then quickly removed from the refurbishment schedule. This will likely be rescheduled for different dates.

No way to know for sure why it was removed, but it could have something to do with Radiator Springs Racers being added.

Even during slow times (Jan/Feb are traditionally slow months) Disney can’t afford to have too many E-ticket attractions down (that’s assuming you count WEB Slingers as an E-ticket).

There’s been zero indication of Frozen (or any other theme) returning to the Hyperion Theatre. It’s been closed since the 2020 park closures.

Once it does return, it’ll likely be a different theme given its proximity to Avenger’s Campus. Personally, i’m holding out hope for an Avengers broadway show.

• (Psst - that’s exactly what happened, by the way)

Downtown Disney

• AMC Theatres: Permanently closed as of June 17th, 2018

• Catal: Permanently closed as of April 10th, 2023

• ESPN Zone: Permanently closed as of June 2nd, 2018

• La Brea Bakery: Permanently closed as of January 9th, 2023

• Sprinkles Cupcakes: Permanently closed as of April 20th, 2023

• UVA Bar & Restaurant: Permanently closed as of April 10th, 2023

Future Projects

Refurbishments aren’t the only aspect of a trip to Disneyland you’ll need to consider. You should also know about future projects.

The Disneyland Resort has many projects in the pipeline. Some are close to fruition while others have yet to break ground.

Below, we’re going to discuss a handful of them.

Disneyland Park

‘Tiana’s Palace’ Restaurant Coming To New Orleans Square

Slowly but surely, Princess Tiana (from the animated film Princess and the Frog) is taking over News Orleans Square.

In 2022, Disney opened a new shop, Eudora’s Chic Boutique, which sells merchandise heavily inspired by Tiana.

In 2024, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will take Splash Mountains’ place. This year, though, Tiana will finally get her own restaurant.

French Market Restaurant (and subsequently, Mint Julep Bar) will make way for, Tiana’s Palace, later this year.

Disney animators actually took inspiration from French Market when designing Tiana’s Palace for the movie, making this a homecoming of sorts.

Disney says the menu will expand on the restaurant’s current one, offering “current favorites, seasonal flavors and, of course, new New Orleans classics”.

While French Market itself will be no more, Mint Julep Bar will reopen with their infamous mint juleps and Mickey beignets in late 2023.

Construction began with French Market’s closing on February 17th and is expected to be finished in late 2023. Stay tuned.

July Update: Based on recent photos i’ve seen of the exterior, Tiana’s Palace is looking great and coming along nicely. Still looking like a late 2023 opening.

August Update: As announced by Disney on August 18th, Tiana’s Palace will makes its grand debut on September 7th.

The Adventureland Treehouse

Earlier this year, we finally received news on what the former Tarzan’s Treehouse would become. It’s going back to its Swiss Family Robinson roots.

Recently, the Disneyland website announced an opening date of February 11th, 2023. However, that has since been removed.

If you look at the refurbishment calendar as far out as you can go, it’s still not showing an opening date. As always, we’ll keep you updated.

April Update: The scrim has come down to expose the upper portion of the treehouse and thus far it’s looking fantastic. The bottom half is still covered up. Based on current rumors, the treehouse is on track to open some time in June.

July Update: There’s scrim and scaffolding all over the treehouse…still. Most of the rooms and elements at the top of the tree appear to be finished or nearly finished, but crews are still working around the base of the tree. While not confirmed as it’s still covered in a tarp, but the water wheel appears to have been installed. Still no update (or even a guess) as to when it’ll reopen.

November Update: Disney has announced that the long awaited reopening of the Adventureland Treehouse will be on November 10th.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Splash Mountain Replacement)

Announced all the way back in 2020, the beloved classic attraction, Splash Mountain, will close and make way for, ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’.

The Disney World version of Splash will close on January 23rd but thus far, no closing date for the Disneyland version has been announced.

This is likely due to the current closures of many other attractions. Disney is likely waiting for ToonTown to be complete and reopened.

ToonTown is reopening on March 8th, 2023. So if I were to wager a guess, i’d say don’t expect Splash to go down until AT LEAST March 9th.

April Update: The folks at Disney have recently (finally) announced Splash’s closing date. May 30th will be its final day of operation.

July Update: Construction is off to a fast start at the mountain formally known as Splash. The stump at the top of the mountain has already been dismantled and there’s scaffolding everywhere. I’m hearing rumors that we should be seeing the water tower installed in the coming months.

ToonTown Reimagining

A newly re-imagined ToonTown will be making its long-awaited debut on March 8th, 2023. It’s been closed since March of 2022.

*NOTE: It was announced on February 11th that ToonTown will now open on March 19th. This is due to construction delays resulting from the winter storms.

The park will re-open with fresh paint, new interactive features and tons of new green space. I almost forgot, it’s also getting a new attraction!

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway was a hit at Disney World, so Disney decided to bring a version of it to the west coast.

Runaway Railway opened prior to the rest of ToonTown on January 27th.

March Update: Disney is again utilizing virtual queues in place of a traditional stand-by line. The only other option is to purchase a premium Lighting Lane. Be sure to read our posts on both below so you’re prepared!

READ: “The Ultimate Guide To Virtual Queues At Disneyland”

READ: “Genie Plus Now Live At Disneyland: How It Works, Cost and More!”

April Update: Well that sure was quick. ‘Runaway Railway’ is no longer utilizing virtual queue. Your two options are either traditional stand-by or purchasing a premium lighting lane.

July Update: While ToonTown’s in full swing, there have been persistent issues with the faux grass and the newly installed interactive elements (think fake tree roots children can climb on). Many of these have already been uninstalled, painted, and installed again several times. The faux grass was closed off for a period so crews could work on it. Recently, the pool around Donald’s Boat was walled off for unknown reasons. If you’re going soon, prepare for the possibility of certain areas of the land being closed off.

The Avatar Experience

I debated with myself over whether or not to include the speculation over Bob Iger’s recent announcement of an Avatar project coming to the resort as there isn’t much known about it, but I’ll give it a go.

For starters, Iger referred to it as, “a version of Avatar” and called it an “experience” rather than an attraction or land. These are important distinctions as Iger is known to be precise with his words.

A day later, however, a D23 blog post was quoted as saying the upcoming project will be, “as amazing”, as Animal Kingdom’s Pandora - The World of Avatar. That’s interesting, to say the least.

With Avatar and its sequel, Way of Water, commanding two of the top three slots of highest grossing films of all time, Disney is firmly in the Avatar business and undoubtedly wants to inject as much of the franchise as they can into the parks. Where, in Disneyland, is the question.

Provided Disney gets their way with their plans for the DisneylandForward project, I can see the Disneyland half of the available space being utilized for a west coast version of Pandora. This would make the most sense since that space is a blank canvas and would provide the imagineers with the most flexibility.

I can also see the Grizzly Peak area of DCA receiving a Pandora overlay if push came to shove. It’s a heavily forested area with a couple attractions that could be converted to an Avatar theme with a little creativity.

These options, though, wouldn’t be indicative of Iger’s statement about it being an experience. An experience would indicate something like a walk-through exhibit, a virtual reality attraction, or perhaps an Avatar themed restaurant/bar? Who knows.

Whatever this “experience” is going to look like, it’ll undoubtedly go through multiple revisions before its final form is revealed. For what it’s worth, given how profitable the Avatar franchise has been, I doubt this project will be anything short of spectacular.

I believe Iger’s statement of it being an experience was just him being cautious with his words. Under promising and over delivering is better than the alternative. I’m calling it now - this Avatar “experience” will be the main event announcement at D23 2024 and will blow away all expectations.

Disney California Adventure

Avengers Campus Expansion

At the 2022 D23 fan expo, then Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced an Avengers themed attraction will be coming to Avengers Campus in the future.

How far into the future, exactly? We don’t know. All we know is the story will be centered around the Avengers battling a different version of Marvel’s big baddie, Thanos.

Lots of people, myself included, are holding out hope for an Avengers version of EPCOT’s Cosmic Rewind coaster.

How likely is it given the limited availability of space? There’s a great video by Offhand Disney breaking down whether it could fit or not. Give it a watch.

April Update: There hasn’t been much of anything said about this e-ticket since last year’s D23 event, but there has been some movement regarding the Avengers HQ building.

Soon, construction walls will surround the building as Disney prepares to install a gift shop inside.

The gift shop was planned from the start, as it was intended to be where guests would exit after riding the Avengers e-ticket, but was temporarily scrapped.

While this may not be the news we’ve been waiting for, this is at least the first step towards it.

July Update: Still no movement on just about anything having to do with this expansion. Months ago, a gift shop was announced for the interior of the Avengers building but to date, there hasn’t been much of any news about it. To be fair, they very well could be close to completion on the gift shop itself and we wouldn’t know it due to there being no visibility from the outside.

August Update: While an exact date hasn’t been revealed, Disney did announce that the “long awaited” (can you sense the sarcasm?) new Marvel-themed gift shop called, “Avengers Vault”, will open in mid-September.

San Fransokyo Square

One of the only legit surprises coming out of the D23 2022 parks panel, the wharf area of DCA is getting re-themed to San Fransokyo from the animated film, Big Hero 6.

Like with most of last year’s announcements, no real details were given other than the area receiving a Baymax meet and greet.

Based on the concept art, most of the current eateries will remain, with Godiva being the likely casualty (to make way for the meet and greet).

It seems that most of the change will be mostly cosmetic, with the biggest addition being the arches from the Golden Gate Bridge.

Work has yet to begin on this and there’s no word on when it will start, let alone when it’ll be finished.

January Update: On January 12th, work had official begun on this project with the lagoon around Pacific Wharf getting drained. Currently, the land and its restaurants are still open but that could soon change. While details still haven’t been publicly made, Dave, from the YouTube channel, Fresh Baked, has revealed some information he’s received from a source within Disney. They are:

• Changes will be minimal and mostly cosmetic (with the exception of the Baymax meet and greet and the bridge makeover.

• The Baymax meet and greet will be to the left of Cocina Cucamonga, right where the beer cart currently is.

• A “beer only” window will be added to Cocina Cucamonga.

• The Pacific Wharf Cafe will be renamed, ‘Lucky Cat Cafe’ (from the movie) and given an updated menu

• Rita’s Baja Blenders will remain, but will be renamed, ‘Turbine Blenders’.

• Both Ghirardelli’s, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Cocina Cucamonga and Boudin Bakery will remain as is with only soft changes to their exteriors.

• Japanese lettering will be added to the exterior of most buildings throughout the land.

• An outdoor gift shop will be added adjacent to the Baymax meet and greet.

• Signage adjacent to the bridge stating, “Port of San Fransokyo”, will be added.

• And of course, converting the bridge to a Japanese version of the Golden Gate Bridge.

July Update: Disney has been unveiling varying new elements to San Fransokyo piece by piece and it’s all looking great! However, they’ve recently announced that the new(ish) land will be fully completed and open on August 31st!

Resort Hotels & Downtown Disney

Pixar Place Hotel

Another exciting addition coming to the Disneyland Resort is the remodel and re-theme of Paradise Pier Hotel Pixar Place Hotel.

Along with a new name and fresh paint, the pool area will receive a Finding Nemo theme and a new flagship restaurant from local favorite, Great Maple, will be added.

Changes are ongoing and the hotel will remain operational during the transformation. Slight room discounts are currently available as a result.

No word has been given as to when the project will be completed. Based on the current progress, we’re thinking late 2023/early 2024.

July Update: Progress is slow going, but the new paint job is nearly finished (and looking great, by the way), most of the newly refurbished lobby has reopened, and the Finding Nemo Splash Pad is near completion. No word on the new restaurants or when it’ll fully open, but i’m still holding to my previous prediction of late 2023/early 2024.

Disneyland Hotel DVC Tower

Construction is nearing completion on the new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) tower at the Disneyland Hotel.

Based on progress, it’ll likely be finished sometime in the middle of the year, if not before then. Like with most of these, though, no official word has been given.

March Update: Disney recently announced that the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will open to guests on September 28th, 2023.

The new tower will feature 344 themed rooms, including duo studios, deluxe studios, one- & two-bedroom suites and grand villas. Each will be themed after some of Disney’s most classical animated features like “Fantasia”, “The Jungle Book”, “Sleeping Beauty” and more.

If you’re interested in making a reservation, here are some dates to be aware of:

• March 15: Disney Vacation Club Members can begin making reservations by calling member services at (800) 800-9800

• March 16: Disneyland Magic Key Holders can begin making reservations by calling (714) 956-6425

• March 17: All guests can begin making reservations through the Disneyland website or by calling (714) 956-6425

New Downtown Disney Restaurants

This is for the foodies out there. There’s a slew of new eateries coming to the property (and a couple of refreshed ones).

We’ve already covered Great Maple coming to the Pixar Place Hotel, but Downtown Disney is also getting some new additions.

First off, some existing restaurants are getting a refresh. Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen is getting a modern color scheme, refreshed menu and a new name; Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio.

Additionally, the spaces currently occupied by Catal and Uva Bar are going to be converted to an upscale Mexican restaurant called, “Paseo and Centrico”.

Two more highly anticipated restaurants will be making their debuts in the future. Din Tai Fung will likely be built in the space where AMC previously occupied.

A local favorite, Ponto’s, will be taking over the space formally occupied by La Brea Bakery. On January 10th, La Brea Bakery closed for good.

In the interim, Earl of Sandwich will move into the space beginning in February. This is only temporary until their permanent location is built.

April Update: Work is seemingly close to completion on the exterior at the newly minted Jazz Kitchen Coastal Kitchen & Patio. The interior work is still ongoing.

Uva Bar has closed to make way for its conversion to, “Paseo and Centrico”. If you’re visiting soon you’ll need to navigate the construction walls in the center of the walkway.

“Clyde’s Hot Chicken”, recently announced their newest location will be at Downtown Disney in the space formally occupied by “Sprinkles”.

August Update: Construction is moving nicely at the west end of Downtown Disney. Now that they’re finally vertical, the buildings, while still shells, are starting to take shape. Judging by the shape of one particular building, I can confirm that it’ll definitely be the location of the highly anticipated Din Tai Fung restaurant. Construction of the area is expected to be completed in late 2024. Likely before Thanksgiving.

Our Thoughts On Refurbishments

In short, they’re a necessary evil. We’re sure that Disney would love to keep every attraction running all year long but for the most part, that just isn’t feasible.

It’s unfortunate that some people who don’t often visit the parks face the disappointment of their favorite ride being closed when they do go.

That’s why Disney (and bloggers such as myself) create posts and/or a calendar to inform people of expected ride closures prior to their trip.

Of course, closures can happen at any time despite what the calendar says. So even while you’re there, it’s best to keep an eye on this post.

You can view the refurbishment calendar up to 45-days in advance. So check that against your vacation dates as soon as that window opens.

If an attraction is closed during your dates and it’s a deal breaker, see about changing your dates. If you can't, at least you’ll get the disappointment out of the way.

Your Thoughts…

What’re your thoughts on refurbishments? Have you ever showed up to the park only to find your favorite attraction closed?

Tell us about it in the comments below! We love hearing from our readers.

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News From The Disneyland Resort (Jan): Park Hopping, Magic Key Sales and More!

3 minute read | contains affiliate links

On January 10th, 2023, Disney released a whole slew of news and updates pertaining to perks for Disneyland Resort guests during the 100th anniversary celebration.

These changes and updates directly affect the park guest experience so if you’re planning to visit this year, you’ll want to keep reading.

Park Hopping Time Changed To 11am

Since bringing park hopping back (and due to the imposed reservation system), Disney has made it to where if you wanted to park hop, you couldn’t do so until after 1pm.

That’s a stark contrast the before times when you could park hop on a whim, all day long. No time constraints to worry about.

It was initially done to help slow the spread of covid when the parks reopened but now, I believe it was kept due to loathed reservation requirement.

While you still won’t be able to do it whenever you want, the requirement of what time you can begin was lowered by two hours to 11am.

While we would all love to return to no restrictions this is, at minimum, progress towards that goal. There’s still hope that a day will come when we won’t have to make reservations.

This new policy goes into effect on February 4th, 2023 so until then, you’ll need to adhere to current time restriction of 1pm.

Complimentary PhotoPass Attraction Photos

Also beginning February 4th, 2023, as part of the Disney100 celebration, guests with a valid park ticket will receive complimentary PhotoPass attraction photos via the Disneyland app.

If you’re unaware of what PhotoPass is, it’s a semi-free service consisting of Disney photographers taking your family photos at key spots throughout the property.

Attraction photos are also a feature of this service. I say “semi-free” because while getting your photo taken costs you nothing, you will need to pay to receive the photos.

*Check out our post about PhotoPass to get more details

Currently, the following attractions throughout both parks offer on-ride photos:

• Space Mountain

• Splash Mountain

• Incredicoaster

• Radiator Springs Racers

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!

Note that complimentary photos will be on-ride photos only. Photos taken of you by Disney photographers will still need to be purchased if you want them.

More Opportunities To Purchase A Magic Key

Magic Keys (Disney’s new-ish annual pass program) haven’t been regularly sold in quite a while. This is Disney’s attempt to slow the crowds and raise demand at the same time.

Back in November 2022, sales of magic keys resumed, but it only for about two days before Disney pulled the plug again.

One of the announcements this morning was that there would be more opportunities for non-key holders to purchase one as they become available.

This will likely occur near the end of each fiscal quarter so Disney receives a financial bump that they can report to investors during their earnings call.

This is great news for anyone who’s been wanting to purchase a key. Just be sure to keep your ears peeled for when it happens because it likely won’t last long.

More Days At The Lowest Price

Ticket pricing at Disneyland now works on a tier system. On days that they’re expecting high demand, they’ll charge more. On lower demand days, the cost will be lower.

Currently, the lowest price on a low demand day for a single-day, one-park ticket is $104 per adult. Under former CEO Bob Chapek, there were fewer and fewer of these.

This year, however, two months worth of these “$104 ticket” days will be added to the calendar.

Keep in mind that this only applies to single-day, single-park tickets. Multi-day tickets remain the same price as they do not change based on demand.

Our Thoughts On These Announcements…

There’s really nothing to complain about here. These are great things for park guests. Disney rarely hands out freebies like this so take it while they’re offering it.

We believe this is all from the mind of returning CEO Bob Igar. He knows he has to show good will to Disney fans after Chapek nearly destroyed everything Igar built up.

The park hopper time restriction moving to 11am is the best news. This signals the possibility of Disney moving toward a day where reservations will no longer be required.

That, in of itself, would be great. Personally, I liked the reservation system when it first implemented because it actually controlled crowds and made the park experience better.

Now, there’s no attendance restrictions on Disney, so they can let it hit capacity if they wanted to. So essentially, the reservation system is nothing more than a roadblock.

There will likely be more announcements in the coming weeks. Disney is going all out for the company’s 100th anniversary celebration. So I would definitely expect to hear more.

Your Thoughts…

What are your thoughts on this morning’s announcements? Which one stands out to you the most? Are you excited about the extra two hours of park hopping?

Let us know in the comments below! We love hearing from our readers.

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Magic Band Plus Coming To Disneyland October 26th, 2022

3 minute read | contains affiliate links

On October 26th, 2022, the Disneyland Resort will be debuting a service long enjoyed by Walt Disney World park-goers; Magic Bands. Specifically, Magic Band Plus.

These watch-like bands are intended to make your visit to Disneyland easier by removing the need to use your phone seemingly at every turn during your park visit.

In this post, we’re going to discuss topics such as; the purpose of Magic Bands, how to use them, our thoughts on them and more.

Let’s get into it!

*Quick Note - If you’ve been thinking about a trip to Disneyland for you and your family, consider going through our partners at Get Away Today. They’ve been in the Disney vacation business for years and offer great deals on vacation packages, nearby hotels and park tickets.

They’re an authorized Disney ticket seller and going through them wouldn’t cost you anything more than booking through Disney (or anyone else) directly. In fact, with all their local connections and deals, you’ll likely SAVE a considerable amount.

So head over to Get Away Today and receive a free, instant quote and compare it to what you’re already going to spend. You’ll be supporting a great company and us while getting a great deal at the same time!

What Are Magic Bands For?

Magic Bands were originally launched at Walt Disney World in 2013 and now, nine years later, Disneyland park-goers will have to chance to purchase and use them at their home park.

Magic Bands+, the most recent version, is what now serves Walt Disney World and is what we’ll be getting as well (we’ll cover the differences below).

Essentially, Magic Bands are wearables and are reminiscent of a watch. They’re adjustable, water-proof, and contain a small radio frequency (RF) chip inside of them.

This chip, when aligned with your Disney account, will contain nearly every aspect of your vacation, right there on your wrist. Some examples of they’re use include:

• Stores your park ticket or Magic Key to make entry faster

• Stores your Genie Plus and Lightening Lane selections

• Stores your credit/debit card to make purchases faster and easier

• Can be used as your hotel room key

• Stores Disney PhotoPass photos

• Play virtual games at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

• And more

Now that Magic Band+ is live, we know that these bands light up during certain parades and shows, respond to such shows through haptic vibrations and even have gesture recognition.

Using them is simple. At the entrances to the gate and Lightening Lanes, simply hold your band up to the Mickey Mouse shaped scanner. If it lights up green, you’re good to go.

Magic Band vs. Magic Band+

Though nearly the exact same in appearence and how you wear them, Magic Band Plus does have a few key differences from its predecessor.

Let’s begin with the similarities. They both:

• Are waterproof

• Unlock hotel room door

• Have tap to pay for purchases

• Link theme park ticket/Magic Key, Lightening Lane selections and PhotoPass photos

The biggest distinctions between the two are that Magic Bands+ have interactive elements built into the device and also, they come with a built-in, rechargeable battery.

Aside from those two things, they both look identical and (nearly) have all the same features.

Where You Can Purchase Magic Bands

At their initial launch, Magic Bands were free to those staying on Walt Disney World property and who booked their vacation through Disney.

You would receive a basic, fairly plain Magic Band with the option to purchase bands with better designs or limited editions. Those not staying on property paid, no matter what.

As of a few years ago, though, Disney did away with the freebies. Now, no matter where you’re staying or who you booked through, Magic Bands now have a cost attached to them.

You can purchase your Magic Band through ShopDisney or at one of the theme parks at Disneyland and Disney World. You could also check sites like Amazon, Ebay and others for second hand bands.

There are dozens of band designs to choose from with many different characters represented from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.

The average price seems to be set at around $45 per band. However, we did find some for as low as $19.99 and some as high as $75.

Our Thoughts On Magic Bands

Honestly, the jury is still out as it pertains to how we feel about it. We get how these can be useful on the east coast, but we have to question their desirebility here.

The difference between Disneyland and Disney World is night and day. The World sees mostly out of state/international guests while Disneyland is largely a local’s park.

While you can use these bands at Disneyland for everything you can use them for at Disney World, we can’t help but wonder whether or not locals will take to them and if they’ll just over-complicate an arguably already complicated park experience.

Additionally, for the longest time, Disney seemed hell bent on getting all of us to use the Disneyland app for everything under the sun. Now, they’re trying to steer us away from it. Why, you ask?

It’s simple, really. These bands were designed for one thing and one thing only, to make it easier for us to part with our money. That’s it. Every other feature is a diversion from that fact.

That $100 jersey is easier to buy when you just tap your band and go. Holding and swiping your credit/debit card, at minimum, makes you cognizant of what you’re doing. By eliminating this step, you don’t think too much about it.

Or at least, that’s what Disney hopes will happen. Admittedly, they’re probably correct in that prognosis. They poses nine years of data from its run at Disney World to base their decisions on.

That said, we’ll give it a fair shake. It seems as though we’ll be able to use them during our upcoming visit. So we’ll more than likely pick up a band and take it for a test-run.

Once we’ve done that, we’ll be able to give a more experienced opinion on it. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Your Thoughts…

Are you an east coaster with experience using Magic Bands? How do/did you like them? If you’re Disneylander, what’re your thoughts on them? Let us know in the comments below. We love hearing from our readers!

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