It feels like the calm before the storm right now for Disneyland fans. Tomorrow, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens to the public, and everyone is anxiously waiting to hear about the crowds and chaos as much as the land itself. I’ll have a post dedicated to the grand opening on Saturday, so for this month, I’ve omitted Galaxy’s Edge info from the recap.
But beyond Galaxy’s Edge, Disneyland offered no shortage of announcements and happenings. Let’s take a look back at May at the Disneyland Resort.
MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU
Star Wars Day always brings some fun to the Disneyland Resort, and despite the absence of Star Wars Land for one final year, Tomorrowland still hosted its own little celebration. Space Mountain brought back its fan favorite overlay: Hyperspace Mountain.
Source: Disneyland AP
Tomorrowland visitors also encountered Captain Phasma, leading her Stormtroopers as they made rounds between the Launch Bay and the center courtyard.
Source: Disneyland AP
SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING CAST VISITS CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Hollywood Land visitors had the surprise of a lifetime this month. Unsuspecting guests went into the Spiderman Meet & Greet, only to have Spiderman take off his mask and reveal…Tom Holland! Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jacob Batalon quickly joined him for some photos, before touring California Adventure together and greeting fans around the park.
Source: Mary Oberg
THE WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN
After months and months of huge construction walls, the sight lines are finally clearing up across the resort. Most notably, all castle scaffolding came down, revealing the beautiful, slightly bolder new color scheme.
Source: Disneyland Resort
Sleeping Beauty seemed pleased with her home’s refresh.
Source: Discover the Magic
Across the hub, Adventureland’s marquee went back up after a short restoration to widen the walkway.
Source: MiceChat
And in Downtown Disney, Black Tap held its official grand opening, finishing the construction projects blocking off the east side of the district. Former Disney Channel star Vanessa Hudgens joined Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy to mark the occasion.
Source: Disney Parks
OTHER UPDATES
This month, Disneyland launched a new tier of annual pass: the Disney Flex Passport. This pass, priced at $599, allows visitors to visit either park, or both, with some blackout days. With this pass, unlike other annual passes, visitors have to make advanced reservations to visit on peak days, with no reservation required on quieter days. For more information about this new pass, visit the official page here.
May 22 brought a huge storm to southern California, and the combination of rain and lightning forced the closure of most of California Adventure’s outdoor attractions. To make matters worse, the park suffered a partial power outage, causing further closures and delays. Thankfully, after a few hours, the attractions slowly began reopening across the park.
Amazing news for Soarin’ Over California fans – the iconic show will return to California Adventure for the month of June, undoubtedly to try and draw some interest away from Galaxy’s Edge!
And finally, as I mentioned last month, our favorite cowboy Farley has finally retired. Performers like Farley are a huge part of what makes Disneyland so special, and I know we will all treasure our memories of his performances in Frontierland. Thank you, Farley!
Source: Laughing Place