Well hello! Dusty’s still at sea in the Bermuda Triangle, but he pops in and edits things, so I suppose he’s here in spirit. That, or we’re h-h-h-haunted! I have more news of a stellar (literally) night, something to take home to have a stellar time, a place that looks like it went back in time, a tasty favorite that will be coming back to a new home, and a new batch of treats for a fun festival. I miss you Dusty. Have fun and be safe!

, Fab News: The Night Approaches

You heard it first here on MiceChat yesterday and at the Disney Parks Blog, and here’s the rest of the deets: it’s going to be $99.00 and you get a lanyard and you’re going to meet that nobody scavenger girl Rey and HYPERSPACE MOUNTAIN IS COMING BACK!!!!!!!!!!

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
HYPERSPACE MOUNTAIN — In Tomorrowland at Disneyland park, guests will explore the Star Wars galaxy with special entertainment throughout the land, themed food locations and more. Guests also will be thrilled to climb aboard Hyperspace Mountain, a reimagining of the classic Space Mountain attraction, in which guests will join an X-wing Starfighter battle. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will close out weekend nights with a new fireworks spectacular set to the iconic score of the Star Wars movies. (Disney Parks)

Did you know that Hyperspace Mountain takes place during the Battle of Jakku and that the soundtrack was a new arrangement of John Williams’ scores recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra? Or that unlike Star Tours, it actually fits into canon? You know that huge, crashed Star Destroyer that Rey scavenges? We, Blue Team, just took that monster down. Great Vader’s Ghost, how I love Star Wars.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
DARTH VADER — Pictured in a scene from the attraction, “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader is one of the famous characters guests encounter in “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, a new 3-D attraction at Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif. The attraction also is thrilling guests at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Disney Enterprises, Inc./Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Dear, sweet Captain Phasma will have the troops on “March of the First Order”, which will continue throughout, I hope, forever until the end of time, as I was extremely jealous of the We’re Imagineering a New Name Theme Park because they have had them forever. Next goal: Jawa trading, without it being overwhelmed/abused by a few bad apples among the regulars. BB-8. Unmasked Kylo, but the wig would kill me and also murder me dead.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
At various times each day, the menacing Captain Phasma leads a squad of First Order stormtroopers as they march in formation from Star Wars Launch Bay to the Center Stage area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in an intimidating demonstration of the First OrderÕs indomitable strength. (Todd Anderson, photographer)

There will be a Galactic Dance Party. I will say it again. There will be a Galactic Dance Party. They said that there will be elements of Solo:A Star Wars Story there. Please let them be at the Galactic Dance Party because Lando.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches

There will be photo spots, special food (look at Tokyo and take a note!) and costumes will be allowed TO A POINT, (Don’t dress as a full-size Death Star; don’t wear a Vader helmet and mask, he’s already there) and behave yourselves, no signing autographs or pretending to be anything other than another guest having fun. Don’t ruin these things for the rest of us, please. Thank you.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches

In addition to Star Tours and Hyperspace Mountain, a whole slew of other beloved Disneyland attractions will be running as well. Go have fun. More Kylo for moi. Lots of May the 4th (any revenge of the 5th?) shopping as well! Beat the crowds! The regular daytime ones, at least!

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
NEW ADVENTURES ON STAR TOURS — In a new adventure inspired by the upcoming film, ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ guests on Star Tours Ð The Adventures Continue at Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will discover a thrilling new journey to the farthest reaches of space and find themselves in the middle of an epic battle on Crait. (Illustration: Disney Enterprises, Inc./Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Purchase Disneyland After Dark – Star Wars Nite tickets online beginning March 29, 2018 or in person at any Disneyland Resort Ticket Booth. You can also call (714) 781-4636. Parking is $20, and you can purchase parking at the parking structure or lot or ahead of time online. Children must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. All of these rules and information are outlined in gruesome detail here. There are three sections. Expand each one. The first one describes the fun, the second, how to get there and get in, the third, the painful parts.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
Here is an example of some of the items that Tokyo Disneyland had for their Star Wars celebration: Chicken curry calzone, Stormtrooper mochi, Ramune churro and ginger cider.

Tickets go on sale for members of the general public on March 29, and parking is available at an extra cost of $20. If you are a passholder, you can buy up to 8 tickets a day early, on March 27, the day The Last Jedi comes out on DVD and Blu-ray. See right below this sentence for details on that.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches

Only a few days left until you get to actually hold The Last Jedi in your actual mitts, actually. But until then, there are Movies Anywhere, and you can now hear the orchestra-only version, sans dialogue. YOU GET SO MUCH BONUS STUFF NOW, and even MORE with the physical versions!!!

Mark Hamill says: “Watching The Last Jedi without dialogue or sound-effects with only John Williams’ exquisite score in isolation was awesome & a revelation! It’s also my first silent movie since The Force Awakens.”

Here’s the featurette that played before the film on the special preview night I took my dad to see the film last December 14:



, Fab News: The Night Approaches

The famous (or infamous, depending upon how offended you are upon driving by this unusual abode every day) abode was sold to Florence Fang, whose family owned the San Francisco Chronicle and a few other huge area businesses over the past decades. She’s local, she’s got roots, and she definitely does not want to tear the place down and build condos. NBC Bay Area Story


ABC local news story

San Jose Mercury-News Story (Ransomwall site) . Thanks Gene Hamm!

, Fab News: The Night Approaches

Epcot found its happy place in food festivals, and so has Disney California Adventure. There’s still some growing pains (shade, seating) but they get exponentially better each time around. The moment the chefs begin to catch their collective breath from the Food and Wine Festival (going on now, GO!) but we find that during Pixar Fest, there are going to be some Incredible (sorry) treats for the foodies PLUS some great news for fans of the Lobster Nachos. But THIS time, Disneyland gets to share in the tasty festival fun!

The new Lamplight Lounge (situated near the Pixar Lamp, see?) will still be home to those delish lobster nachos when they open June 23. They’ll have all-new signature drinks, but can I still get a Fun Wheel from the secret menu? I’ll have to wait and see!

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
LOBSTER NACHOS AT THE NEW LAMPLIGHT LOUNGE (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Lobster Nachos, a popular item at the Cove Bar, will be on the menu at Lamplight Lounge when it opens June 23, as part of the new land of Pixar Pier. Lamplight Lounge will serve California casual gastro-pub cuisine that is playfully presented, along with unique signature cocktails. (Disneyland Resort)

Thanks to D23 for the deets:

Pixar Fest Celebration Cake, Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, DCA/Plaza Inn, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this Pixar Fest Celebration Cake, inspired by the familiar yellow Pixar Ball, at Plaza Inn at Disneyland park and Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta at Disney California Adventure park.

Jessie’s Berry Jubilee Funnel Cake (House-made funnel cake topped with blueberries, strawberries, chocolate cookie crumbles, crème anglaise, white chocolate, and gold-dusted whipped cream), Golden Horseshoe, Disneyland.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT DISNEYLAND RESORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as berry funnel cake at Golden Horseshoe, Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Coco Churro (Chocolate and vanilla bean dust and salted cinnamon sugar served with a spiced Mexican chocolate dipping sauce), Frontierland, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT DISNEYLAND RESORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this cocoa churro in Frontierland at Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Fredrickson Pork Chop TV Dinner, Carnation Café, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious eats, such as this pork chop TV dinner at Carnation Café in Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Fried-ricksen Bologna Sandwich, Carnation Café, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious eats, such as this fried bologna sandwich at Carnation Café in Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Charcuterie Plate Starter (part of 3-Course Meal), Cafe Orleans, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this charcuterie plate starter –specialty cheese flight at Café Orleans in Disneyland park.(Disneyland Resort)

Shrimp Ratatouille Byaldi (part of 3-Course Meal), Café Orleans, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this Shrimp Ratatouille Byaldi at Café Orleans in Disneyland park.(Disneyland Resort)

The third course, dessert, is Berry-stuffed beignets with mascarpone cheese. The OC Register has exclusive photos of this and other Pixar Fest treats on their webpage.

Deviled Eggs and Toast,Cove Bar (March 16-May 31), Lamplight Lounge (June 23 onward)

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Delicious eats will include deviled eggs and toast at Cove Bar (March 16 to end of May) and then when the location transforms to Lamplight Lounge opening June 23, 2018 in Disney California Adventure park.(Disneyland Resort)

Tuna Poke, Cove Bar (March 16-May 31), Lamplight Lounge (June 23 onward)

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Delicious eats will include tuna poke at Cove Bar (March 16 to end of May) and then when the location transforms to Lamplight Lounge opening June 23, 2018 in Disney California Adventure park. (Disneyland Resort)

Toy Story Alien Macarons, (Macaroons are the ones with coconut!), Tomorrowland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this alien macaroon in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Toy Story? Peas in a Pod? Alien? (I’m guessing!) Pesto Pasta, Tomorrowland. (Redd’s?)

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT THE DISNEYLAND RESPORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious eats, such as this green pesto pasta in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Lots-o’-Straw-“Bear”-y Churro, Tomorrowland, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT DISNEYLAND RESORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this strawberry churro in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Lots-o’-Straw-“Bear”-y Funnel Cake (Strawberry-cherry topping, strawberry butter, and streusel, with spiced syrup drizzle), Hungry Bear Restaurant, Disneyland.

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT DISNEYLAND RESORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this strawberry funnel cake at Hungry Bear Restaurant at Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Boot Beer Root Beer Float served in Woody’s Boot, Golden Horseshoe, Disneyland

, Fab News: The Night Approaches
PIXAR FEST FOODS AT DISNEYLAND RESORT (ANAHEIM, Calif.) – Pixar Fest, the biggest theme park celebration of beloved stories and characters from Pixar Animation Studios, is coming to the Disneyland Resort April 13 through Sept. 3, 2018. Favorite Pixar pals and stories are inspiring delicious treats, such as this root beer float served in a Souvenir Woody’s Boot at Golden Horseshoe at Disneyland park. (Disneyland Resort)

Also:

  • Up Merit Badge Éclair—Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, Disneyland
  • Up-Tart: Nutella Pop Tart Chocolate Fredrickson House & Balloons—Capuccino Cart, Disneyland.
  • Mike Wazowski Bread—Pacific Wharf Café, Disney California Adventure.
  • Sully Premium Popcorn Bucket—All Disneyland Resort popcorn carts.
  • Mike Wazowski Sipper—Disney California Adventure quick-service restaurants.

I’m not a funnel cake person AT ALL. But I might eat off all of the berries and give the rest to Noe, if he ever buys a pass again. And look at that cool boot for the root beer float! It reminds me of the Hoop-de-Doo! And…I never had a TV dinner that looked like that when we pulled out the trays for a night in front of Mutual of Omaha’s and Wonderful World of Disney – did you?

Well, I’m off to bed. Gotta rest up to make sure I’m online and dialing the phone at the same time when the tickets go on sale in a few days for Star Wars Night. Nite. So, good morning and let me know if you’re going, what you want to see in the new stuff coming to pre-Star Wars land, what you know about Hyperspace Mountain, what you want to eat and what you think of the name Lamplight!

 

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, Fab News: The Night Approaches

Shelly Valladolid
Shelly Valladolid, aka Fab, has been writing about Disney and theme parks for about two decades. She has written for various fan and pop culture sites, Disney Magazine and OCRegister.com and participated in several books, including Passporter's Disneyland and Southern California and Disney World Dreams. She was co-founder and president of the Orlando, Florida chapter of the NFFC (now Disneyana Fan Club). She taught a class on theme park history at a Southern California University. She is creator and co-owner of Jim Hill Media, one of the creators of MousePlanet and was a consultant on MSNBC, The Motley Fool and others about Disney and various media matters. She was a Heel wrestling manager on TV and a voice artist on the radio in Honolulu, HI, where she grew up. She has a blog and a podcast with her daughter, Mission:Breakout Obsessive Alice Hill. She and her husband, MiceChat columnist Noe Valladolid, live in Southern California with Alice.