It’s the end of March, and you know what that means…we Disney fans are about to have a HUGE wave of movies headed our way. But if you’re paying as much attention to the parks as you are to the studios, you know there have been a ton of announcements, events, and changes happening at the Disneyland Resort. Let’s take a look back at this busy month!
90s NITE
Following up from last month’s Sweethearts Nite, Disneyland After Dark continued its series with 90s Nite, a throwback celebration for nostalgic Disney Renaissance fans. Partygoers received a fanny pack, and annual passholders also got a commemorative button.
Left: Laughing Place, Right: Disneyland AP
The event also included a dance party and tons of attractions to ride. But the highlight for guests were the appearances by super rare 90s characters, rarely seen in the parks!
Upper Left: Laughing Place, Upper Right: DAPs Magic, Lower Left: Laughing Place, Lower Right: DAPs Magic
CAPTAIN MARVEL LANDS IN CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Carol Danvers arrived in California Adventure this month and is now meeting with guests at Hangar 12!
To find the meet and greet spot, head into Hollywood Land. You’ll see the hangar in the rear of the land, near Monsters, Inc. The hangar also has a hidden tribute to Captain Marvel’s creator, Stan Lee.
JESSIE’S CRITTER CAROUSEL OPENS EARLY
Pixar Pier visitors got a pleasant surprise this month with the early opening of Jessie’s Critter Carousel!
The attraction features tons of little critters, many of whom you’ll recognize from the scoreboards in Midway Mania. And the back of the carousel features a mural of Woody and Jessie’s town.
STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE DETAILS EMERGE
As Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge finishes preparations for its June opening, Disneyland has been slowly releasing more and more details about the mysterious new land.
Here’s a super high level overview of their biggest announcements thus far:
- The land will be the first in Disneyland to serve alcohol (minus, of course, Club 33).
- One attraction will launch opening day: Smuggler’s Run, a Millennium Falcon attraction. The second ride, Rise of the Resistance, will open later in the year.
- Until September, guests must have a free reservation booked in order to visit the land. Resort hotel guests get one reservation per guest as part of their stay.
- The land will further blur the line between attraction and retail shop, with stores including interactive animatronics and personalized shopping experiences.
- Familiar characters like Rey, Finn, and Poe will have a presence in the land, but they will not be available for meet & greets (at least not right away, though they may in the future)
If you’re interested in reading more in-depth about the Star Wars Land sneak peeks and previews, the OC Register published some great articles this month:
- 14 Otherworldly Foods You Can Eat in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, Plus Blue Milk to Wash it All Down
- Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Sneak Peek
- Find Out What It Will Be Like to Ride Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland
- First Look Inside the Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland
- Go Behind the Scenes of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Under Construction at Disneyland
- See Inside the Rise of the Resistance Ride Coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland
- Step Inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’s Millennium Falcon on a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Disneyland Ride
- Take a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Black Spire Outpost, the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Village Coming to Disneyland
OTHER UPDATES
This spring, Disneyland will add a few new restrictions/park rules to its official list. First, there will no longer be designated smoking/vaping areas inside the parks. Instead, guests will be redirected to designated smoking/vaping areas outside the park gates. Second, guests will no longer be allowed to bring in dry or loose ice through security. And third, stroller size restrictions will be tightened to 31×52 inches, with push/pull wagon strollers being completely banned. These new rules go into effect May 1.
Also new this month, the Disneyland Resort announced several upcoming grand openings, ranging from entertainment to parking:
- Mickey’s PhilarMagic– a 3D show already in the Magic Kingdom, coming to Hollywood Land in April 2019
- Pop-Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration– a giant multi-room photo op space opening April 26
- Pixar Pals Parking Structure– new parking area on the resort’s west side, opening July 2019
- Sugarboo & Co.– a new home décor & accessories shop, opening in spring 2019 (no specific date announced)
And finally, Disneyland had a really cool special event happen this month. In the few days before Indiana Jones reopened after its refurbishment, guests had the opportunity to take a guided tour of the queue. This included the exterior jungle, the temple caves, and several of the interior rooms. Disneyland also brought back the decoders, a souvenir once given to attraction visitors.
Left: Disneyland Today, Right: Emmanuel Elefante