Disneyland is getting ready to debut another new interactive game later this week as the ongoing Legends of Frontierland game continues to draw a big following from enthusiastic park guests. The new Adventure Trading Company will be a pay-per-play experience, sending players on quests in Adventureland to collect special pieces of “Juju.” We’ll fill you in on what this new game will entail in today’s blog and also update you on some finishing touches in New Orleans Square and some on-going projects and refurbishments around the park.
Don’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!
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We’ve got another full update, so let’s get started!
Welcome to Disneyland! |
The eastern bank of main entrance turnstiles has emerged from its refurbishment and looks nice and new again.
Inside the park, summer continues at Disneyland with high temperatures and busy parks!
The firehouse in Town Square is such a little gem and is really worth checking out if you haven’t recently.
The fireman’s pole from Walt’s upstairs apartment down into the park.
The firehouse could use some TLC but we’re very lucky it’s still here and hasn’t been turned into a store/interactive game hub like it was at Walt Disney World.
A look at wait times Sunday, just before noon.
The All-American College Band is performing six days a week at the parks now for their summer run and are, as always, not to be missed!
No big news at Disney California Adventure as that park enjoys another successful summer, post-reimagining.
A look at wait times Sunday afternoon.
Let the Juju Begin! |
The new Adventure Trading Co. interactive game will set up shop in Adventureland starting Friday.
The game will run for a limited one-month engagement and will be based out of the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost shop in Adventureland, next to the Bengal Barbecue.
The new game is a pay-per-play experience that sends players on one of nine “expeditions”, each one with a special “Juju” that is awarded upon completing the expedition. Jujus are “hand-carved artifacts” that represent the different traditions or qualities of Adventureland’s people. Expeditions require players to buy an item and then complete a task, such as buying Adventureland’s newspaper (“The Daily Gnus”) and tracking clues in the newspaper to earn an elephant-shaped Juju.
- Piranhahaha (Humor)
Tell a Jungle Cruise-style joke - Snake (Courage)
Drink a “Venomade,” a new boba drink available at Bengal Barbecue - Treehouse (Discovery)
Discover magic by placing the Juju in petroglyph rocks at Tarzan’s Treehouse - Elephant (Tracking)
Follow clues in “The Daily Gnus” newspaper - Pineapple (Goodwill)
Buy a “This Side Up” Pineapple Parfait and recognize fellow explorers for their adventurous traits - Tiki Bird (Observation)
Photograph five birds. - Eye of Mara (Knowledge)
Complete a special “trial of knowledge” - Crocodile Tooth (Storytelling)
- Tiki Mask (Friendship)
Buy a postcard and find the missing ingredients for Juju Juice at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.
Juju will also be able to be traded between Guests and Cast Members, much like Disney Trading Pins. Guests wanting to trade Juju with a Cast Member will have to go one step further and respond to a “hook” from the Cast Member, such as sharing the story of how the Guest earned the Juju they’re trading.
The Pineapple juju will be acquired by purchasing a new “This Side Up” Pineapple Parfait at Tropical Imports.
You can get a new “Venomade” drink (sour apple with pomegranate boba) at Bengal Barbecue as part of the Snake Juju expedition.
The new game, which was Legends of Frontierland game currently underway in Frontierland, the new Adventure Trading Company will require guests buying into the game in order to play. Are you willing to pay to play in return for a piece of Juju?
Magic Kingdom Makeovers |
[center]Fenced In[/center]
Back on Main Street, no noticeable movement to see on the new Guest Flow Corridors behind Main Street. Below, work underway at the old American Egg House facade, where the new eastern Guest Flow Corridor will empty into Town Square.
West backstage gate into Town Square
First Aid is open in the former Main Street Lockers facility.
Work underway at the permanent First Aid location…
The west Guest Flow Corridor entry point from the hub will be in the back of Coke Corner.
[center]They’re different stairs[/center]
Back in Adventureland, the stairs to nowhere between the Adventureland Bazaar and South Seas Traders are behind walls.
A peek behind the walls looks like a portion of the lower steps has been completely removed for now.
[center]Finishing Up the French Quarter[/center]
Back in New Orleans Square, the finishing touches on the big Club 33-related New Orleans Square changes continue, with ironwork getting fixed up as props go back up on the balconies.
The new bridge for Club 33 servers between the club’s main dining room and new jazz lounge is probably a done deal at this point. I still don’t think it looks great but what’s done is done.
The last remaining construction walls are still up here…
What were they thinking with these candle lighting fixtures??
The truncated balcony has been re-propped now. Note the new perfume bottles to match the parfumerie downstairs.
The giant new windows along the main Club 33 hallway still break the forced perspective in this part of New Orleans Square. The faux balconies/wrought iron help blending in the questionable new facade design.
Over on Royal Street, the wrought iron above the Blue Bayou is in the process of being finished up.
Also on Royal Street, temporary barriers/railing have been up along the back of the portrait artists space since Club 33 construction was underway, and they remain in place still.
They barriers clear space for a walkway leading from a Club 33 emergency exit stairwell, around the backside of the portrait artists, and emptying into Royal Street.
If this space must now be clear at all times following the remodeling project, then hopefully a more permanent, in-theme solution will be implemented soon.
Around the backside of New Orleans Square, along Front Street, more props have returned to the balconies.
A chicken in a cage up on the voodoo priestess’ balcony.
Up on the rooftops of New Orleans Square, it looks like the new fall safety additions are also finished. Lots of new faux walls and wrought iron railings have been added for maintenance employee safety.
Most of the new fall safety stuff thankfully just blends in and is noticeable only if you’re really looking for it.
Fall safety views from Tarzan’s Treehouse
I took a walk through New Orleans Square Saturday evening to see how the Club 33-related changes look after dark. Below, the original Club 33 door on the left, with Le Bat en Rouge on the right… up above, some of what was the old Trophy Room and original upstairs entrance to the Club.
The new reworked facade above the Pirates of the Caribbean exit. The Club’s new kitchen is up there, in what was formerly Walt Disney’s Trophy Room
The new off-centered window above Cafe Orleans. This window replaced some faux windows and balconies on the outside and a fireplace on the inside of the Club’s main dining room. This window is actually visually centered from inside the club. It’s rather bright at night, drawing attention to itself in a way the original Club 33 never did.
Looking down Orleans Street at the new bridge connecting the Club’s main dining room and the new jazz lounge.
The new blue lights really feel different than anything else in the land.
Looking toward the former entrance to the Court of Angels.
The new plastic stained glass gates that close off the Court of Angels to the public.
Looking back toward the new bridge
Looking up at the new, large, bright picture windows along the Club’s main hallway
They really make you look up and into the club.
And finally, the new front door to Club 33.
[center]Finding Refurbishment[/center]
Over in Tomorrowland, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage refurbishment continues…
Lots of repainting underway. Looking good!
Nearby, Space Mountain could still use a proper cleaning — or better yet, a full repainting.
Back at Space Mountain’s exit, work is still underway in a guest waiting area near the restrooms.
Looks like the space-themed murals are all gone, except for the one on the wall where the pay phones are.
Merch Madness |
The Port Royal shop in New Orleans Square has received the first items from the massive new Haunted Mansion merchandise collection that Disney is releasing in celebration of the ride’s 45th Anniversary.
So far, just some new shirts to hit shelves but there’s plenty more on the way, including Disney fine art pieces and collectibles.
Drink up me hearties (for a good cause)! |
As you may know, the Disneyana Fan Club hosts their annual convention over Disneyland’s anniversary weekend every year. As part of this year’s show, the Walt Disney Birthplace was on hand to raise money for the restoration of Walt Disney’s birth home in Chicago. As part of the Walt Disney Birthplace Foundation’s fundraising efforts they’ve revived the O-Zell Soda Company, the failed company that Elias Disney, Walt’s father, had once invested in.
Here’s what the Walt Disney Birthplace folks have to say about the restoration project and O-Zell:
In 2013, Dina Benadon and Brent Young purchased the home where Walt Disney was born (as well as older brother Roy and younger sister Ruth), in order to restore and preserve it as a historical site, museum, and community resource. The house was originally designed and built in 1893 by Flora and Elias Disney, Walt’s parents.
To support the fundraising effort for the restoration project, Benadon and Young have revived The O-Zell Soda Company. O-Zell was first introduced in the early 20th Century with major investors including Elias and Flora Disney. Young said, “Dina and I were fascinated to learn about the Disney family connection to O-Zell. When we discovered that O-Zell planned to create a line of sodas, but never did, the wheels started turning. We soon realized that this was a perfect tie-in to raising funds to help restore the Disney Family Birthplace.”
Benadon added, “We worked with an amazing team and developed delicious premium craft sodas with 100% all natural ingredients, including Hawaiian pure cane sugar and NO high fructose corn syrup.”
I was excited for the opportunity to buy some of the new O-Zell sodas when I saw them for sale at the Disneyana show, seeing it as a chance to support a good cause relevant to my interest in Disney history.
The sodas are currently available in two flavors: Vanilla Dream and Blue Ribbon Root Beer. I picked up a four pack of the Blue Ribbon Root Beer, a $15 donation at the show ($25 for a 12-pack online). They may seem pricey but the sodas are very, very good and all proceeds go toward preserving a big piece of Disney history, so it’s really a win-win.
Crisp, refreshing, and sweetened with real cane sugar — O-Zell soda isn’t overly sweet from any high-fructose corn syrup.
The good folks working on the Walt Disney Birthplace project (including MiceChat’s very own Dustysage) have big plans for the house that Walt’s dad built and what the house will mean for the surrounding community in Chicago.
Work is now underway to restore the house Walt Disney was born in to its original state, eventually becoming a community hub for a new early childhood development and creativity program in Chicago. Below, a rendering of Walt Disney’s birth home as it will appear once its fully restored.
The folks at O-Zell are currently giving away a two-pack sampler of their new sodas and you can enter-to-win it below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you’d like to contribute to a good cause by buying some O-Zell soda, head on over to O-Zell.com now! For more information on the Walt Disney Birthplace project and to learn how you can contribute, visit TheWaltDisneyBirthplace.org.
This and That |
In Downtown Disney, the popular Earl of Sandwich shop is expanding a bit with some additional dining space.
The new dining space isn’t ready quite yet, nor is the exterior paint job.
And finally, don’t miss the latest episode of the MiceChat Podcast, where the crew talks about their favorite new theme park additions of the summer!
Direct Link | MiceChat Podcast on iTunes
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Weekly News & Information Round-Up | ||
Weekly Theme Park Hours July 28 — August 3, 2014 |
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[B]Disneyland Park[/B] | [B]California Adventure[/B] | |
Daily: 8 am – 12 am | Daily: 8 am – 10 pm | |
[CENTER]For a complete listing of theme park hours, visit the Disneyland.com Theme Park Calendar[/CENTER] |
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[center]Closure and Refurbishment Schedule[/center] | ||
[b][center]Disneyland Park[/center][/b] | ||
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[b][center]Disney California Adventure[/center][/b] | ||
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[b][center]Downtown Disney and Disneyland Resort Hotels[/center][/b] | ||
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July 28 – August 3
The free Mouseaddict app for iPhone and iPad features more than five dozen categories of searchable resort information, weather forecasts, park and show schedules, the latest news and articles from MiceChat, and more. Download free on the App Store or at mouseaddict.com. |
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[center]Headline Roundup A quick look at noteworthy Disney theme park headlines from around the web.[/center] |
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Alright, that wraps up this week’s edition of Dateline Disneyland. Are you excited to play the new Adventure Trading Company game or will you be saving your money for new Haunted Mansion souvenirs instead? What do you think of the New Orleans Square changes at night? Let us know in the comments section below!
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