Disneyland is getting ready to kick off spring with a festive springtime roundup at the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree with special character meet-and-greets with Disney bunnies as well as the Easter Bunny himself. Meanwhile, as Big Thunder Ranch celebrates spring, the rest of the park is in full spring break mode with big crowds, despite several attractions and small construction projects underway or on the horizon in both theme parks.

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the parkDon’t miss your weekly Disneyland Resort crowd forecast — provided by our friends at MouseAddict — in the Weekly News and Information Roundup at the end of today’s update!

Get a closer look at today’s update! Click on any photo in today’s blog to see a larger, high-resolution version.

We’ve got a full update for you this week – let’s get started!


Welcome to Disneyland!

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Spring break crowds are in full force. A look at wait times Friday afternoon
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Long lines and extended queues set up at classic rides
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Pirates of the Caribbean queue stretched through New Orleans Square, sharing space with foot traffic.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Extended rope queue ready for big crowds
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Big Thunder Mountain is the hot ticket right now following its 14-month refurbishment.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Long lines at the Matterhorn
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Spring has sprung across the way at Disney California Adventure as well
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Wait times Friday afternoon
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Carthay Circle Restaurant recently switched to its spring menu
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

(Click for larger)
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

(Click for larger)
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Springtime Roundup

In Disneyland, Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree’s Springtime Roundup doesn’t officially start until Friday but signage and decorations were up a week early. The Springtime Roundup will include egg art demonstrations, arts and crafts and meet-and-greets with the Easter Bunny and other Disney bunnies (hopefully Roger Rabbit will make an appearance!).
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

No Hillbillies back here
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

The Frontierland Troupe stage has been pushed off to the side of the Jamboree
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Lots of springtime and Easter decorations
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Refurbishmentland

Meanwhile, various refurbishment projects continue or prepare to get underway in both parks.

[center]Temple of the Forbidden Refurbishment[/center]
Indiana Jones Adventure is now closed for refurbishment and show enhancements through early May.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Members Only[/center]
In New Orleans Square, the Club 33 expansion continues although there isn’t much progress to see from ground level.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Alice in Blunderland[/center]
In Fantasyland, work continues to get underway on the Alice in Wonderland ride. The “vine” portion of the ride track is already seeing changes…
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

A look at the work from the Monorail
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]“it’s a Cal/OSHA world”[/center]
At the back of Fantasyland, “it’s a small world” is still closed to install safety railings for maintenance workers. The attraction will reopen briefly April 10 so Disney can officially celebrate the attraction’s 50th anniversary of debuting at the 1964 New York World’s Fair (April 22, 1964). Disney is hosting a global sing-along“global celebration” that will go to benefit UNICEF.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Happy (early) anniversary to a spectacular, enduring classic.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

It’s too bad the facade couldn’t have gotten some fresh paint for its big 50th anniversary.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Out to Dry[/center]
In Tomorrowland, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is empty, the subs are on blocks and scaffolding is up around the cavern entrance, but there doesn’t seem to be much work underway in the lagoon or on the Sub exteriors.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Disney CEO Bob Iger dispelling rumors that the Subs would be closed forever to make way for new Star Wars attractions.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Space Junk[/center]
Nearby, Space Mountain’s new addition is coming along as part of the park’s on-going Cal/OSHA safety railing-additions
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

A new silver railing has replaced the temporary barricades along the base of Space Mountain
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Work continues on making the new ring at the top of the mountain blend in
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Glowing Away?[/center]
At the entrance of Tomorrowland, rumor has it that Disney was looking at permanently removing the Astro Orbiter and surrounding rock work as early as the end of March. As of now, that plan has seemingly been pushed back, but the plan is still in place to eventually remove the Astro Orbiter and free up the gridlocked entrance to Tomorrowland as part of the land’s rumored upcoming Star Wars-themed aesthetic overlay.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

In case the Astro Orbiter is leaving soon, we’ve gone ahead and documented the simple spinner ride in photos and video for you here.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

The rocks from the 1998 New Tomorrowland are expected to be removed as well.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Refurbishment Wharf[/center]
Over at California Adventure, the Pacific Wharf facade refurbishment continues…
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]The Little Refurbishment[/center]
Not far from the Wharf, the Little Mermaid dark ride is closed for refurbishment and enhancements
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Challenged Trail[/center]
The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Grizzly Peak was still closed over the weekend even though it had been scheduled to open last week.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]It’s Tough to be Maleficent[/center]
In A Bug’s Land, the “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” theater will close at the end of this month and reopen mid-April as the temporary home to an extended 3D preview of Disney’s upcoming “Maleficent” movie starring Angelina Jolie.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Downtown Details[/center]
In Downtown Disney, the big California poppy fountain is still behind walls
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

There’s some work going on atop the Wetzel’s Pretzels building
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

and the Wetzel’s marquee is gone while the work is underway.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

This and That

At World of Disney, you can pick up some of the recent popular Haunted Mansion merchandise at a discount if you buy certain items together. The Hourglass and Candlestick are available together for $60 (regularly ~$75).
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Likewise, the coaster set and bottle stopper are available for $35, normally ~$45.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

The frames and music boxes are also available but not at any discount.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Inside Disneyland, a couple Frozen-themed treats have popped up inside the Candy Palace.
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Olaf caramel apple
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

In Cars Land, a few new merchandise items have hit the shelves recently…
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
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Weekly News & Information Round-Up
Weekly Theme Park Hours
March 24-30, 2014
[B]Disneyland Park[/B] [B]California Adventure[/B]
Mon.-Wed.: 9 am – 11 pm
Thurs.-Fri.: 9 am – 12 am
Saturday: 9 am – 11 pm
Sunday: 9 am – 12 am
Daily: 9 am – 10 pm
[CENTER]For a complete listing of theme park hours,
visit the Disneyland.com Theme Park Calendar
[/CENTER]
[center]Closure and Refurbishment Schedule[/center]
[b][center]Disneyland Park[/center][/b]
  • [B]”it’s a small world”:[/B] Closed through April 9, 2014 and April 21-May 29 for fall safety equipment installation
  • [B]Indiana Jones Adventure:[/B] Closed through May 8, 2014 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Alice in Wonderland:[/B] Closed through July 3, 2014 for enhancements and redesign of outdoor portion of ride track.
  • [B]King Arthur Carousel:[/B] Closed April 28 through May 8, 2014 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Pirates of the Caribbean:[/B] Closed April 28 through May 15, 2014 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Space Mountain:[/B] Closed May 12 through June 26 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Matterhorn Bobsleds:[/B] Closed May 27- August 14 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage:[/B] Closed through September 26, 2014 for major refurbishment.
[b][center]Disney California Adventure[/center][/b]
  • [B]The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure:[/B] Closed through May 9, 2014 for refurbishment and rumored enhancements.
  • [B]Redwood Creek Challenge Trail:[/B] Closed for refurbishment. Reopening TBA.
  • [B]Grizzly River Run:[/B] Closed April 21-June 19, 2014 for refurbishment.
  • [B]It’s Tough to be a Bug!:[/B] Closed Match 31-April 18, 2014 for refurbishment and to install “Maleficent” overlay/preview.
[b][center]Downtown Disney and Disneyland Resort Hotels[/center][/b]
    None.
[center]springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
A weekly look at projected crowd levels at the Disneyland Resort.[/center]

March 24-30, 2014

MON
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
TUE
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
WED
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
THU
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
FRI
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
SAT
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park
SUN
springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

Spring Break continues unabated, giving the Disneyland bean counters plenty to cheer about…

  • The annual United Spirit Association Nationals continue through the end of this week. Expect an influx of cheerful, spirited teens during their off hours.
  • Hotel rooms around the resort area are very scarce this week.
  • To escape high crowds at Disneyland, amble across the Esplanade to California Adventure, where the wide walkways are better at handling the influx of guests.
  • Your wait time submissions in the Mouseaddict app have already helped us with these crowd projections. To ensure accurate and timely wait times, report your time spent in the queue by tapping on the attraction’s wait bar.

Looking for the best replacement for Mobile Magic on your iPhone? Download the remarkable Mouseaddict app for iPhone and iPad with the Addictometer crowd map overlay: see exactly where crowds are gathering, right on the map! The free Mouseaddict app features more than five dozen categories of searchable resort information, weather forecasts, park and show schedules, and more. Download on the App Store or at mouseaddict.com.

springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

[center]Headline Roundup
A quick look at noteworthy Disney theme park headlines from around the web.[/center]
  • Disney will host Easter Egg hunts in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure April 10 – 20 for $4.95 per egg map. (Disney Parks Blog)
  • Disney announced dates for its next D23 Expo, returning to Anaheim August 14-16, 2015. Tickets go on sale August 14, 2013. (Disney Parks Blog)
  • All three Disneyland Resort Hotels earn environmentalist certification from the California Green Lodging program. (Disney Parks Blog)
  • Disney announced new Pirates of the Caribbean-themed land and attraction for Shanghai Disney, opening 2015. (Disney Parks Blog)
Alright, that’s it for this week’s edition of Dateline Disneyland. What do you think about the rumored removal of the Astro Orbitor? Will you be visiting the park to meet with some Disney bunnies? Let us know in the comments section below!

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For more Disneyland news, be sure to read MiceChat’s weekly In the Parks blog. And be sure to check out our sister blog, Dateline Disney World – a fantastic weekly photo blog covering Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida!

Thanks for reading. See you at Disneyland!
[B]- Andy[/B]

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springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

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springtime, Disneyland gets ready for springtime fun as refurbishments continue throughout the park

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Andy Castro
Andy is a Southern California native and a life-long fan of Disney theme parks and animation. From 2007-2016, Andy wrote the weekly Dateline Disneyland photo, news and opinion blog here on MiceChat. Today, Andy continues to produce occasional Dateline Disneyland articles and additional special guest content for MiceChat.