Like lines from the Bible, this text has been quoted a lot lately:

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” – Walt Disney

Disneyland continues to grow and change, now more than ever. Here is a brief list of some upcoming changes:

  • Haunted Mansion closes Monday, Aug. 22 to become Haunted Mansion Holiday on Friday, Sep. 9.
  • Hyperspace Mountain closes Tuesday Sept. 6 to become Ghost Galaxy on Friday, Sep. 9
  • Diamond Celebration ends on Sep. 6. And with it goes the extensive décor which will switch to Halloween Time as well as:
  • Paint The Night, which goes dark after Sep. 5 and is coming back for select dates during the holidays before changing to the Main Street Electrical Parade early next year.
  • World of Color – Celebrate! Which will change to the original World of Color show.
  • Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror will close in January to become Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout next summer.
  • A remodeled Rivers of America with the Sailing Ship Columbia, Mark Twain Riverboat, Tom Sawyer’s Island and Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes will reopen next summer as well.

And that’s just within the next few months. Down the road we have the Eastern Gateway, Star Wars Land and some kind of new Marvel Land. Whew! Here’s a look at what’s going on:

Disneyland

Let’s take a walk down Main Street at one of the most magical times of the day, rope drop. Along the way, let’s take a look at the signs of the Diamond Celebration one more time.

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In a few short weeks, this will be décor for Halloween Time.
In a few short weeks, this décor will be swapped out for Halloween Time.

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Will the bling go away, too?
Bye bye bling
The crowds assemble in the Hub just before opening.
The crowds assemble in the Hub just before opening.

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Bye, diamond.
Bye, diamond.

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A few minutes before opening, CM’s remove the ropes and hold the crowd until the bell strikes.
A few minutes before opening, CM’s remove the ropes and hold the crowd until the bell strikes.

Destination One

The popular destination at rope drop is the Season of the Force, at least for a couple more weeks.
The popular destination at rope drop is the Season of the Force, at least for a couple more weeks.
The opening crowd heads into Tomorrowland…
Much of the opening crowd heads into Tomorrowland…
…and straight to Hyperspace Mountain.
…and straight to Hyperspace Mountain.

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The rope drop crowd heads to get a Fastpass, go to Standby, or both. One ride now, and another one later.
The rope drop crowd heads to get a Fastpass, go to Standby, or both. One ride now, and another one later.

Haunted Mansion

The old favorite has a little time left before Jack moves back in for the holidays.

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Paint The Night

Introduced with the Diamond Celebration last year, the Paint the Night Parade has been a big hit. Now it’s going dark until it makes a brief encore during select nights during the holidays.

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2016-Aug 15-DL PTN 23And it looks like we’ll be celebrating Disneyland’s 61st anniversary by going back in time with 1970’s technology, when the Main Street Electrical Parade makes a nostalgic return early next year.

MSEP

 

Disney California Adventure

Across the esplanade, the 60th will wind down going into Labor Day as well, but start winding up for bigger changes next year.

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World of Color – Celebrate! will change back to the original World of Color show. Goodbye, Neil Patrick Harris.

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Attack of the 50′ tall Neil Patrick Harris.

 

Tower Of Terror

One of the most popular attractions in California Adventure is getting reworked to become the first Marvel ride in a Disney park, Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout.

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Does this setting work for a warehouse-fortress-power plant?
Does this setting work for a warehouse-fortress-power plant?
The display window outside the Tower Hotel Gifts Shop.
The display window outside the Tower Hotel Gifts Shop.

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Where have I heard that line before?
Where have I heard that line before?

And now a look at some of the fine stuff that will be available for a limited time only…

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Marvel Land?

Down the street from the Tower of Terror, the first signs of Marvel moving in are at a corner where Spider Man and Captain America have been holding their meet and greets with guests since being thrown out of the old Carousel building at Disneyland.

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Adjacent to that is the Hollywood Studios backlot, which seems like the most likely spot for a new “land”. Especially since the Transportation Center behind it will be relocated across Harbor. This area hosts the Monsters Inc. ride, the dance party and two big buildings, Stages 12 & 17.

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Due to old Marvel contracts, WDW can’t develop Marvel attractions, so any new Marvel Land would be domestically exclusive to the Disneyland Resort. Is this area’s days numbered?

Downtown Disney

Security Lines

With news out of WDW that security stopped a man with a gun trying to enter the park, and news of the Eastern Gateway with new security facilities, we wanted to take a look at the flow entering the park this week.

The western entrance, which handles incoming traffic coming from the Resort Hotels and the Mickey & Friends parking, was pretty manageable in the morning hours.

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However, the eastern entrance, which handles buses from the Toy Story Parking Lot, off-site hotel shuttles and pedestrians from the good neighbor hotels on Harbor Blvd. didn’t fare so well.

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Keep in mind; this is before a 6,800 space parking structure is added to the volume. Hopefully the new security facility will handle it.

Starbucks DTD West

The new Starbucks across from the Downtown Disney Monorail entrance is open for business and now is setup to take orders using the Starbucks App. So skip the line!
The new Starbucks across from the Downtown Disney Monorail entrance is open for business and now is set up to take orders using the Starbucks App. So skip the line!

 

Taste of Downtown Disney

Our own Fabulous Disney Babe attended the Ninth Annual Taste Of Downtown Disney, the first of a string of fundraising events cumulating with the CHOC walk in the Park in October. The event began with a preview of “Pete’s Dragon” at the Downtown Disney AMC Theater and featured food and entertainment throughout DTD. Proceeds benefited the Children’s Hospital Of Orange County, which does tremendous work. More info on CHOC and all the Choctober events can be found HERE.

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Because of the loss of tables, due to House of Blues Anaheim moving to Gardenwalk, Naples stepped in and worked with Downtown Disney to create a solution until the replacement opens: a lovely alfresco dining area that is difficult to differentiate from the rest of the dining areas. Part of the planter seating area is covered with cushions that match the decor, with romantic lighting in the evening and lots of big, shady umbrellas to give shade and protect from windblown leaves and flowers that fly this time of year.

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Refurbishment Round Up

Sailing Ship Columbia

The Columbia recently went behind walls while it’s docked for the construction on the Rivers Of America. But this week, she escaped her dock and took an excursion to the other side of Tom Sawyer’s Island.

A sign on the wall enclosing the Columbia dock.
A sign on the wall enclosing the Columbia dock.
The empty dock. Where’d she go?
The empty dock. Where’d she go?
A peek through the trees revealed her location.
A peek through the trees revealed her location.
There she is!
There she is!

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Apparently getting some rigging work done.
Apparently getting some rigging work done.
This must be the supervisor.
This must be the supervisor.

 

Tom Sawyer’s Island

Work continues on the referb of the structures on Tom Sawyer’s Island. So far, it looks like a new paint job across the board.

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Around The Park

 

The Market House is getting some TLC this week.
The Market House is getting some TLC this week.
The Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition is closed through August 18.
The Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition is closed through August 18.
Fantasyland train Station is under wraps while the DL Railroad is being rerouted.
Fantasyland train Station is under wraps while the DL Railroad is being rerouted.
Also behind the scrim, New Orleans Station is getting work done.
Also behind the scrim, New Orleans Station water tower is getting work done.

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Eastern Gateway Construction

 

The Disney Parks Blog released official details of the new Eastern Gateway set to open in 2018. It will feature a seven story, 6,800 space parking structure, a new security gateway and a relocated transportation facility. A new exit from the 5 Freeway North will feed directly to the new structure.

Artist rendering of the new structure.
Artist rendering of the new structure.
Map of the new structure with the transit center and security facility.
Map of the new structure with the transit center and security facility.
The new freeway access will be at Disney way and the structure will where the Pumbaa parking lot currently exists.
The new freeway access will be at Disney way and the structure will where the Pumbaa parking lot currently exists.

 

The current spot for the transportation facility and security gateway has been demo’d and ready to go. The Carousel Inn is scheduled to close in October and will be demolished for a walkway to the esplanade.

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From the future transportation facility, looking toward the Carousel Inn.
From the future transportation facility, looking toward the Carousel Inn.
The view of the security gateway from atop the Carousel Inn.
The view of the security gateway from atop the Carousel Inn.
Looking down what will be the walkway to the esplanade.
Looking down what will be the walkway to the esplanade.
Star Wars Land Construction

Lots of rebar in place mean lots of concrete walls are in process, especially around the Rivers Of America. Let’s get an update on the construction.

In the north end of SWL, the Dirt Star (as nicknamed in Star Wars News) is diminishing one truckload at a time.

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Nearby, the wall that went up behind the Fantasyland Theater is getting some landscaping on what should be the path of the DL Railroad.

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Here’s a view from Big Thunder Mountain:

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And these columns look to be the archway entrance to SWL from Fantasyland and Big Thunder Trail.

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We can now see the path of the river and the entrance to Fantamic’s new backstage area.

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The new tip of Tom Sawyer’s Island is coming into focus.

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A recent development on the west side of SWL is the insertion of I-beams into the ground. Is this a sign of coming excavation?

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Thank you !
All of us on the Disneyland Photo Update crew would like to thank you for joining us today. Each week we’ll feature different photographers and commentators (often more than one). Today’s MiceChat Disneyland Update was shot and assembled by Darth Daver with additional photo contributions from Shelly Valladolid.

 

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Before we go, a kiss goodnight…2016-Aug 15-End 1

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That’s it for this week’s Update. Are you a photographer? Do you love the parks? Would you like to contribute to the Disneyland Update or other MiceChat columns? Contact Dusty Sage: [email protected]