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What a week! One day after our last Disneyland Update, everything we’ve come to know about the reopened Disneyland experience changed. Masks became optional for guests, social distancing was done away with, indoor queuing returned, rides went back to full capacity, AND out-of-state guests returned to the resort en masse. That’s a lot of change, but none of these things had fans as worried as the fact that Disneyland was no longer restricted to the number of guests they could allow into the park on any given day. We’ll tell you the surprising results of what happened on the 15th of June and what has been the case every day since.
But first, some really great news…. the return of Disneyland entertainment!!!
Return of Entertainment
As wonderful as it has been to be back in Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom of Disneyland, there’s been one very important thing missing from the experience… Entertainment. Along with the return of more guests this past week, Disneyland has ramped up the return of many things at the resort (that we’ll talk about below), but there’s one thing in particular that stands out, the return of the Main Street Marching Band at Disneyland and the Citizens of Buena Vista Street at California Adventure.
The Main Street Marching Band Returns – I just had to be there when the band returned to Disneyland on June 18th, and I knew you’d want to see it too. It was a scorching day, but I stood on the sunny side of Main Street to avoid the crowd and shot this video for you which has generated a lot of comments and views:
I enjoyed seeing the band so much that I tried to find them again in the afternoon. They really are a treat. Here’s a short live stream of me searching for them and finding them at the Main Street Train Station (plus a quick jaunt up Main Street after to discuss a bit of park news):
The Citizens of Buena Vista Street Return – Another return to nearer normal are the citizens of Buena Vista Street. Although, for the time being they appear on a small stage in front of the Carthay Circle Fountain instead of walking up and down the street. For guests who take the time to slow down and interact, the citizens are a delightful and whimsical treat.
Almost Five & Dime Time – You’ll be able to catch this swinging band with their pal Goofy starting on Tuesday of this week. It’s another bit of entertainment that helps make the parks feel more like normal, even if you don’t stop to watch the whole show. It’s the ambiance and energy created by these live performances which make the Disney Parks feel alive.
More Entertainment on the Way – Expect the Pearly Band and Refreshment Corner piano player to return very soon as well.
The Big BOOM: Fireworks Returning in July – Mickey’s Mix Magic nightly spectacular is set to return July 4th and run through the month (and likely longer). This is a really big deal and may change traffic patterns in the park. Currently, the last few hours of the day become much less crowded as guests start heading home early. But once fireworks resume, we anticipate crowds staying until the last shell has exploded.
Fantasmic? Time for a little speculation. We’ve noticed a few things over the last two weeks that have us looking forward to a possible Fantasmic return later this summer. The sailing ship Columbia (used for the Pirate battle in the show) is currently refurbishing Fantasmic rigging and stunt pads. Areas of Tom Sawyer Island which are used for Fantasmic are also getting a little work done.
But it’s what we’ve heard from folks close to the show that have us most excited. They expect an August return. It really does seem likely that Fantasmic is on the fast track to return soon.
Parade? There’s also some chatter about a summer return of the Magic Happens parade. The new parade barely had a two-week run before the park shut down in March 2020. The return of a daily parade would really make things just about perfect.
Disneyland Fully Loaded
June 15th was a big day for Disneyland and all of California. After months of speculation and second-guessing, Disneyland was allowed to roll back most restrictions including masks, distancing, and capacity. So, the big question everyone wanted to ask me this week was how did the park feel on the big day? Was it packed? Did it feel safe? How were the lines? Well, I’ve got some shockingly GOOD NEWS for you…
At first, we were afraid it was going to be a mess. One of our hotel partners contacted me early in the morning to say that a line of guests stretched all the way down Harbor Blvd, toward the 7-Eleven. Yikes! Once inside the park Disney held guests on Main Street USA for rope drop. The street quickly filled up. It was an uncomfortable start to the day that had us and many others questioning our own sanity for being there:
But once the park was open and the guests had dispersed, everything felt much easier than in previous weeks. The following things all made the park feel less busy even though there were more guests in attendance than just one day prior:
- Elimination of Social Distancing – Without the mandate to keep guests 6′ apart from each other, lines were compacted by at least half. Many lines which had been overflowing into walkways just one day earlier seemed easily contained on the 15th.
- Indoor queuing – Big rides like Indiana Jones were once again allowed to use their giant indoor queues to hold guests. Not only did that provide much-needed air conditioning on a mid-90º day, but it helped pull guests out of walkways.
- Full ride capacity – This is a biggie. Rides that had previously been at or even far below 50% capacity by state mandate suddenly jumped to near full capacity (though single ride lines have yet to return to help fill in those singular empty seats). That means that instead of the line for Pirates of the Caribbean snaking through the center of New Orleans Square, choking off regular guest traffic, Pirates was able to manage its guest flow with great speed all week long! A massive improvement.
- Increased Dining Locations and Capacity – A lack of places to eat and distancing of tables had created difficult dining conditions at Disneyland. But that mostly ended on June 15th, when additional restaurants reopened and all restaurants added tables and resumed indoor dining at establishments that had limited it before. (more info below). And even though not all restaurants have returned to full capacity, most outdoor patios have.
- Relaxing Mobile Order – The militant focus on Mobile Order has been relaxed. Many locations have dialed back the number of Mobile Order reservations available in favor of standby ordering. It’s a big improvement for those who don’t want to preplan everything or who can’t find a window of availability. I would have had to wait 40 minutes to place a mobile order at Docking Bay 7, but was able to wait in line and order within about 8 minutes. It was hot outside, but there were several tables still available inside.
- Stores Open Without Capacity Limits – Shops have done away with one-way entry. Again, on a hot day, it’s nice to have spots to escape the weather.
You’ll still find sanitizer stands all over the place, but the mobile sinks appear to be gone already.
All of this means that waits were at or below the previous week (for the most part), even though there were more guests. So the park felt less crowded as a result of an approximate doubling of ride and restaurant capacity.
Mid-day waits on Friday were about as enjoyable as you can hope for (and many of these waits were way overinflated. In some cases, listed waits were double the actual wait (especially at California Adventure):
13 minutes for Mansion? That’s practically no line at all.
Disneyland Updates
Let’s take a look around the parks to see what’s reopened, what’s still closed, and what’s new…
Main Street Cinema Returns – This little discovery made me very happy. The Cinema and its wonderful air conditioning has returned. On a 90º day, there’s no better place to sit a spell and relax.
Indiana Jones Drops Virtual Queue – Thank goodness! The messy implementation of virtual queuing for Indy is no more. With the reopening of indoor queuing, Indy no longer requires the Jungle Cruise queue area. That means that the Virtual Queue is no longer necessary.
Indy has hardly needed its outdoor queue this past week. Guests head right on in to the cool and shaded interior. Bliss.
Meanwhile, the ride had returned to full capacity, removing the plexiglass barrier which blocked seating from the middle row. The line now moves much more quickly.
Detonator Coke Bottles Back in Galaxy’s Edge – We had no idea you all cared so much about those orb-shaped Coke bottles in Star Wars land. But when we first published that they were missing and that regular bottles were being sold, the reaction was overwhelming. We were contacted by media outlets all over the world. Well, you can relax, the bomb-shaped bottles have returned and we’re told they are in plentiful supply.
Return of Normal Operation and Full Pre-Show at Rise of the Resistance – The toughest ticket in town is operating a little more efficiently and holding a lot more guests at one time. All the pre-shows have returned, all seats are being filled, and a few thousand extra guests each day are able to ride the most popular attraction in the resort. That’s good news… but somehow it’s still easier to escape from a Sarlacc Pit than get a Boarding Pass for this attraction.
Docking Bay Upsell – You can buy a Paddy Frog light-up sipper for $25 and a Spork for $11 (the same sporks they used as utensils when the restaurant opened and then abandoned when guests started stealing them).
Lids Down – Lids on trashcans throughout the resort had been propped open so you wouldn’t have to touch the flaps. Now they’ve all been restored to their normal function.
Pin Trading – You’ll find pin trading happening again in several locations around the resort. However, it’s happening on pin boards and not from cast member lanyards (yet).
There are some deals to be found in the stores. Look for sings that offer “More Magic.”
“Something New Is Cooking” – I’ve seen so many people saying that a new restaurant is going into New Orleans Square where Le Bat En Rouge is located (formerly a dress shop) due to some misleading signage. I’ve been trying to explain that a resturant just isn’t possible in this location as 1) it’s very small, 2) there’s no access to a kitchen, and 3) there’s no seating. Well, now I’ve got some proof for you. They’ve done NOTHING to this location other than remove the previous merchandise. It simply awaits new merchandise and a decision to reopen.
Red Cards Return – In an attempt to get a better handle on wait times, ride operators are once again handing red cards to some guests as they get in line. Guests are supposed to hand the card to a cast member before loading. This gives an accurate wait time that can then be used to update the mobile app, guest relations, and the wait time board at the attraction. Until the 15th, ride ops were simply guessing.
DCA News
We’ve covered a lot of ground already, but there are still some items to get caught up on at Disney California Adventure.
Avengers Campus Normalizing – That crazy 6 hour line to get into the land has mostly disappeared. While there is still a line in the morning, it’s gone by as early as 11am and always by 3 pm (ish).
Loki Photo Op – This is sort of neat. Not only is the popular and complicated character meeting with guests at Avengers HQ, his costume and some other details in the land changes each week depending on the things happening in the new Disney+ show!
Loki Photo Backdrops at Stage 17 – Loki can develop quite the wait, everyone loves a bad boy! But you can take a Loki inspired photo over at Stage 17 in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot (where the big Avengers store is now located as well).
I really need to find some time to watch the new show so I understand what this character is. They call her Miss Minutes. Cute… but I need to know more.
Even More Restaurants Reopen
As the resort ramps back up to full operations, more Cast Members are being called back to reopen restaurants around the parks. This past week, a bunch of eateries have returned to both Disneyland and DCA. Plus, there are several more restaurants opening in just a few days’ time. Here’s what’s new:
Tiki Juice Bar – If you’ve been craving a Dold Whip, you’ll be pleased to know that the Tiki Juice Bar at the Tiki Room entry is open for business again and accepts mobile order.
Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland – We’re not crazy about the food here, but we won’t turn down a decent place to sit! And this location has the most shaded seating in the land (on the back patio).
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland – Strangely, this location does not support mobile order, so if you are one of the Mobile Order haters (and there are lots of you out there) this is the location for you! The tacos are by far the most popular option, so if you’re feeling hangry, you might want to try a different station for faster service.
Only one side is open right now.
Since only one side is open it’s always packed, but all dishes (not just Mexican) are being served from this side.
Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – If you’ve been itching for some creative Star Wars-inspired cocktails, you’d best make a reservation through the Disneyland app.
I LOVE the location, but haven’t been a fan of the sugar-water drinks. The bartender recommended the Coruscant Cooler as an alternative. I wasn’t disappointed.
Oga is up to her old tricks once again @Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge. Try the Coruscant Cooler: Bourbon, Luxardo Cherries, Lime and Cranberry. Boozy and not as sweet as many of the other drinks. Nice to see you again Rex! pic.twitter.com/M6ArLyTfe7
— MiceChat (@MiceChat) June 18, 2021
More locations returning soon – Both Maurice’s Treats (in Fantasy Faire Village) and Edelweiss Snacks (in Fantasyland) will be reopening June 24. Maurice’s Treats will be serving tasty goodies and snacks to walk-up patrons, and Edelweiss Snacks will be equipped with mobile order service so you can get a turkey leg.
Disney California Adventure has a few eateries of its own returning as well.
Wine Country Trattoria – If you’re looking for a nice place to enjoy a meal, this outdoor table-service restaurant helps fill the need for a place to dine. Open now.
Mendocino Terrace – Sandwiched between the Trattoria and Blue Sky Cellar, Mendocino Terrace has a selection of wines for you to enjoy (and very limited patio seating). Open now.
Lamplight Lounge Enhancements – There are a couple of changes at this popular DCA eatery. Although the restaurant will continue offering reservations for seating downstairs, it will begin using the upstairs patio exclusively for walk-ups. This is a GREAT change that will add a lot more flexibility to guests and take some of the stress out of not getting a reservation in advance.
There’s one other big change at Lamplight – the restaurant will be bringing back weekend brunches next month! Reservations are available now, and we anticipate that it will be very popular. Beginning July 9, brunch will take place Fri-Sun weekly.
Also returning this week on the 24th…
Jack Jack Cookie Num Nums – Located right at the exit of the Incredicoaster, these cookies are delicious. If waiting until the 24th is too hard to snack on a cookie again, you can make Jack Jack Cookie Num Nums at home!
Finally, the Popcone at the Cozy Cone Motel will be returning to service on June 24. This location will be accepting mobile orders, so get your engines racing for some snacks!
Disneyland Refurb and Returns
There is always some sort of project happening around the Disneyland Resort. And there is plenty of that going on right now.
The water features at the #disneyland Matterhorn are running and they are cycling bobsleds with no passengers. pic.twitter.com/NIJ04oQ5Wx
— MiceChat (@MiceChat) June 15, 2021
Currently Under Refurbishment:
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- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters: (April 30th-June 25th)
- Matterhorn Bobsleds: (April 30th-July 1st)
- Jungle Cruise: (April 30th-July 15th)
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: (April 30th-July 9th)
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic: (June 21st-25th, 28th, 29th, July 6th-16th)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: (July 5th-22nd)
Attractions Reopening June 21st:
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- Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes
- Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
Disneyland has a long list of minor attractions still closed with NO official reopening date:
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- Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse
- The Disney Gallery
- Disneyland Monorail
- Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (mostly closed to accommodate cast member training classes)
- Donald’s Boat
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
- Goofy’s Playhouse
- Mickey’s House
- Minnie’s House
- Sailing Ship Columbia
- Star Wars Launch Bay (shouldn’t be too much longer)
- Storybook Land Canal Boats (but we expect them to return soon anyway)
DCA just has a few attractions that are still closed without a reopening date:
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- The Bakery Tour
- Red Car Trolley
- Blue Sky Cellar
This & That
It wouldn’t be a real Disneyland Update without a few bonus stories. Let’s finish strong with a couple more items we think are interesting.
All Disney Parks around the world are Open Again
Last year was difficult, and that’s definitely selling it short. This past week marked a milestone for the Disney Parks. For the first time in 17 months, all of the Disney Parks worldwide are operating again. Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, shared this thoughtful marker to his social media.
Medieval Times Returns!
Looking for something to do with the family on your non theme park days? Medieval Times, the dinner theater with a flair for swords and revelry has reopened! For a while there, we were really concerned whether the classic dinner show would pull through, but we’re glad to see it’s back! AND, we have a discount for you that’s good at ANY of the locations nation-wide. Just use our link below (we don’t make a penny, we just want you to get a good deal).
Advance reservations are required for Medieval Times, and there are several sold-out days on the calendar. If a battle of sword and steed sounds intriguing to you, be sure to check out More Information & Discount Medieval Times Tickets HERE.
Disneyland Tickets and Hotel Discounts!
Our partners at Get Away Today have worked tirelessly to create the BEST theme park and hotel deals for our readers. You can purchase theme park tickets (that are good through 2022!) HERE and book a hotel/ticket package for your family vacation HERE!
There are all sorts of new theme park tickets and travel deals, including up to 25% off at the Grand Californian Hotel, a 2 free days offer at Walt Disney World, ticket deals to various theme parks, and DISCOUNT TICKETS TO DISNEYLAND: More details and to get a quote (HERE)
Let’s Hear From You
So much has changed at Disneyland over the past week, but we’re not complaining about it! With ride capacity increased and queuing allowed indoors, it seems like any crowds have been fully dispersed. Now the question is how will this phase last? We anticipate that Disney will continue upping capacity limits, so if you’d like to cash in on the current conditions, get tickets for as soon as you can. Were you happy to see the return of the Marching Band? Looking forward to fireworks this summer? Are there things still missing that are a deal-breaker for you? We’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
More Theme Park Reading
We had a delightfully bizarre encounter with the beloved cast member, Maynard, last week that we just have to share with you. You won’t be able to stop thinking about the “invisible babies”…
The Wonderfully Wacky World of Disneyland’s Marvelous Maynard
Disneyland Update – The Rush To Fully Reopen
Fireworks Return To Disneyland This July!