Hey all! I was largely offline for the last two weeks on a family vacation in Italy, so I didn’t realize this post missed its scheduled publication. Apologies – hope your June is off to a great start!
I know the calendar doesn’t officially give us the summer season until June 20, but for me, Memorial Day weekend here in the US means it’s summertime. The Disneyland Resort wrapped up springtime with some new announcements, the return of a fan-favorite show, and a heartwarming moment to commemorate Star Wars Day. Let’s take a look back at May.
MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU
May 4th is international Star Wars day, and while it’s not an official “holiday” on Disneyland’s calendar, there’s always extra energy in the park on this day – especially in Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland. This year’s celebration also included Star Wars Nite (part of the Disneyland After Dark lineup), which included a special fireworks show celebrating a galaxy far, far away. This fantastic video from Daps Magic shows a view of the fireworks from Galaxy’s Edge, featuring a crowd of lightsaber-wielding park visitors celebrating the day together.
CLUB 33 TO HIT THE BIG SCREEN
Making movies based on Disneyland attractions is nothing new. But for the first time, a private part of the park will be on display to the public through the big screen. 21 Laps Entertainment is reportedly developing a Club 33 movie, with Darren Lemke screenwriting. For anyone unaware, Club 33 is a super exclusive, members-only restaurant and lounge in New Orleans Square, taking up much of the second floor of the central buildings.
Disneyland fans who have yet to experience the park’s ultra-exclusive Club 33 could get a glimpse into the secretive world in a new movie. Per the Hollywood Reporter,
The Club 33 film will center around the story of an aspiring detective who receives a mysterious invite to the club. In the movie, the club is a magical and exclusive dining location whose members are iconic historical figures. When a murder is committed, patrons turn to the young detective to solve the case.
A NEW LOUNGE OPENS IN PIXAR PLACE
Over on the west side of the resort, there’s a new lounge for Pixar Place guests to enjoy. This space, inspired by Pixar storytellers, offers a continental breakfast in the morning and drinks and desserts in the evening.
Source: KTLA
The Creators Club is available all the time to club-level hotel guests, plus guests of any resort hotel can attend a Pixar Fest speaker series sessions at the lounge for free. The current speaker series lineup includes:
- Peter Sohn, director of “Elemental” (Saturday, May 25)
- Maurissa Horwitz, lead editor for “Inside Out 2” (Thursday, June 20)
- Roger Gould, creative director, Theme Parks, Pixar Animation Studios (Saturday, July 13)
For more information about the speaker series, check out the official Pixar Place site here or reach out to Disneyland Resort Hotel guest services here.
OTHER UPDATES
Longtime Downtown Disney store California Sole closed its doors in May. We have yet to hear what will take its place, but the early rumor mill is floating two contenders: Loungefly and Nectar Bath Treats.
As expected, DisneylandForward passed the Anaheim City Council’s second vote on May 7. Now, Disney officially has the green light to announce specific plans and start construction. With D23 coming in August, I expect we’ll hear some major updates during the event.
And finally, Fantasmic! is back!!! After a very long hiatus, the show is back entrancing audiences on the Rivers of America. As previously announced, the finale of the show has been reworked to eliminate the dragon (affectionately called Murphy) that caused the fire/the initial show closure), and the pirate ship has been restored to Captain Hook & Peter Pan once again. Theme Park Steve posted a video with a perfect vantage point to see the current version of the show:
I love the crowd collaboration for the Star Wars Day fireworks!