The dog days of summer are upon us at the Disneyland Resort. If you were too busy playing Pokemon Go to get out to the parks, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. But you did miss out on great weather and low crowd levels at the Happiest Place On Earth. Today’s update includes photos and news about Star Wars land construction, the new parking structure which is finally moving forward, Disneyland’s ever-changing security and hundreds of photos from the parks. – Dusty
Disneyland
Securityland
In the wake of increased high profile attacks across the country and around the world, Disneyland has really stepped up security throughout the resort area. Watch towers are on high alert in the parking lots, increased security presence (some with dogs) in Downtown Disney, lots of security personnel in the parks. And, of course, the bag check and metal detectors have been staffed with actual Disneyland security staff and more guests being sent through the scanners. The big question many are asking is if the security perimeter should be increased at the Disneyland Resort. Should bag check/scanning be pushed out to the entry points of the resort so all guests must be scanned before entering Downtown Disney or the hotels? It’s a challenging question both socially and operationally. But given the number of guests who congregate outside the security bubble of the Esplanade, it is a subject which will eventually need to be addressed.
Summer Off-Season
Once the busiest time of year for Disneyland, Summer is the new off-season. Peak surge pricing for park tickets and hotel rooms, in combination with pass holder block outs have made Summer the most enjoyable crowd levels of the year. Most of the photos in this update were taken between 10am and 5pm on Friday the 8th of July, and from noon until 2pm on Saturday the 9th. At no point during that time were the parks at more than moderate crowding conditions, and in most places the park actually felt uncrowded. This was unheard of a few years ago. Disney has successfully engineered a shift in crowds from the busy season to the off season. I’m sure Disney would rather that the parks were a bit more crowded than they currently are. The hotels in particular do not have the occupancy that Disney is accustomed to. So, some adjustment of the system will need to be conducted before next year.
Our MouseAddict app recorded moderate crowding at Disneyland and California Adventure. If you’d like to track crowds in the park (including heat maps of where guests are congregating), you can find out more information HERE.
A Romp Through Disneyland
This was one of the most enjoyable photo shoots we’ve had in a very long time. Instead of rushing to get all the shots as quickly as possible, we took the better part of the day to experience Disneyland as it is rarely seen these days – without the mad crush of guests. A simply delightful day.
All the Season(s) of the Force attractions continue to operate. . .
Much of the loop is from the classic 1958 episode of the DISNEYLAND television series – Magic Highway U.S.A. (Thanks for the correct info, and for your work in bringing this great video to the new Autopia, Jesse Haskell!) For your reference (it is well worth a watch), here’s the original video with a delightful introduction from Walt Disney himself.
Some punny license plates are shown on the screen as well:
Although the crowd levels were a delight, the bright California sun can wear you down. The refreshing waters of the Sub Lagoon were certainly inviting.
ToonTown is hard to keep in good condition with its bright colors and intricate details.
One of my favorite things to do in Fantasyland is to look up. While you are busy riding attractions and keeping an eye on the kiddies, you are missing out on some fantastic details up on the rooftops!
for many years, the Village Haus restaurant was one of the worst spots in Disneyland to stop and refuel. But there are actually some fun things on the menu these days and the ambiance is really quite lovely. If you can snag a spot inside, this is a great escape from the sun (and the very infrequent rain).
StarWars Land Construction
Everything’s coming up Star Wars these days and Disney simply can’t get this new land open soon enough. Vertical construction has begun. It’s a mad race now to get river reopened as soon as possible so the rest of Star Wars land can proceed in secret. UPDATED: The Disney Parks Blog posted this new concept art of Star Wars land which will be placed on the construction fence inside the park today. It doesn’t reveal anything new, but it’s always fun to look at concept art:
Meanwhile, construction screens have gone up all over Tom Sawyer Island.
There’s a tremendous amount of work going on in the former Big Thunder Ranch area.
To support the thousands of extra daily guests who are expected to visit Star Wars land, a new parking structure is on the way to the space behind the Pumbaa lot and behind the Carousel Hotel. Buildings are already coming down in the area where the huge new structure will be built.
Much thanks to Darth Daver for the additional photos of the building removal for the new parking structure below:
Just across the Esplanade from Disneyland, California Adventure has been going through some modest changes of its own.
It was getting to be pretty late in the day. I was hot, tired and ready for a little relaxation. So I’ll let you in on a little secret. One of my favorite hidden away spots in California Adventure is the Alfresco Tasting Terrace above the Wine Country Trattoria. It’s a fantastic spot to take in some stunning views and sit back with a glass of wine.
Almost as popular as Radiator Springs Racers on a hot day is Grizzly River Rapids.
Surprisingly, Soarin’ isn’t getting the super long lines I was expecting to see.
The preview in the old Muppet Theater is a bit long and sort of boring. However, the official trailer looks a bit more promising.
Again, looking for shade, I ducked into the Animation building.
One of my favorite shops is at the exit, Off the Page.
Downtown Disney
Take My Money Please
Whenever possible, I avoid the trams and walk back to my car. On this trip, I took my time through Downtown Disney. There were quite a few fun things to share from Disney’s shopping district.
Thank you !
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Today’s MiceChat Disneyland Update was shot and written by Dusty Sage. Each Monday we’ll bring you Disneyland photos and news from a variety of different points of view. We’ll be back next week with more fun from Walt’s original Magic Kingdom!
Are you a great photographer? Do you love the parks? Would you like to contribute to the Disneyland Update or other MiceChat columns? Please contact Dusty Sage: [email protected]
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