Do you feel it? That chill in the air? The crispness of fall, the foliage changing? …Nope, me neither. Oh, right. It’s still the dead of summer. Well, Disneyland isn’t waiting for the first day of fall to transform into its Halloween self. The happy haunts are already hard at work transforming the park.
This month had a lot more than holiday overlays happening, though. We saw major construction starting (and being put on hold…forever?), announcements for new and exciting happenings, and the end of straws at the resort. Let’s take a look back at August at the Disneyland Resort.
NO NEW HOTEL? NOW WHAT?
This month, Disneyland fans got some pretty shocking news: the highly anticipated 4th Disneyland Resort Hotel’s construction has been put on hold…indefinitely.
The hotel, which forced the closures of the AMC theater, Earl of Sandwich, ESPN Zone, and Rainforest Café, was boasted as a luxury hotel with a brand new connected monorail station. The project’s halt came as a direct result of Disney and Anaheim failing to agree on construction terms – primarily, tax incentive rebates. (You can read more about the dispute here).
So what happens now? As of this post’s publication, no one knows. Oddly enough, Disney appears to be hiring staff for the Earl of Sandwich, indicating a real possibility this spot will reopen. But the other spaces in the district remain shuttered. Without the major 4th hotel construction project, Downtown Disney now has tons of wide open space to work with.
TOMORROWLAND MURAL GOES DARK
If you’ve ever wandered through Tomorrowland, you’ve no doubt seen the giant mural along Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
This month, Tomorrowland debuted a new look, seemingly out of nowhere.
At this point, it’s not clear if Disney will paint a new mural on the huge wall, or if it’s staying black. If it is staying black, I’d have to imagine further re-painting and re-theming will start spreading across Tomorrowland. For now, the mysterious black wall certainly draws a lot of attention.
TROPICAL HIDEAWAY BRINGS PANDORA TO DISNEYLAND
Those of us with friends that frequent Walt Disney World surely know how people are raving about the food in Animal Kingdom’s Pandora. This month, Disney announced similar menu items will be coming to Disneyland in the new Tropical Hideaway.
The new dining spot replaces Aladdin’s Oasis in Adventureland, and will offer views of the Jungle Cruise river. Opening later this year, the Hideaway’s menu includes bao buns, pineapple lumpia, and other tropical snacks.
To read the full preview by Disney, check out the Disney Parks Blog here.
OTHER UPDATES
On August 26, Disneyland hosted its annual CHOC Walk, a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. If you’d like to participate in next year’s walk, or donate to CHOC, check out their official site here.
D23 dates are here! The 2019 convention will run August 23-25. Tickets are already on sale here.
Say goodbye to straws and lids and hello to going green. This month, Disneyland officially stopped selling these items in favor of wasting less plastic in the park. If you need a straw or a lid for medical reasons, contact Disability Services.
And finally, this weekend marks the final farewell to A Bug’s Land. California Adventure’s tiniest land is leaving to make room for a new Marvel land, opening in 2020. Flik, Heimlich, and friends are packing up their bags, heading off on their traveling circus’ next adventure.
