Fall has finally arrived in Disneyland, and though there’s been little relief from the heat, beautiful shades of orange and red in the parks at least give the illusion that the seasons are changing. Main Street USA and Buena Vista Street now display an eclectic mix of Diamond décor and fall accents.
CLOSURES AHOY!
As Disney prepares to break ground on Star Wars Land, the park will be closing a number of attractions for an extended period of time. All of the Rivers of America attractions will be shut down, including Fantasmic!, the Mark Twain Riverboat & Sailing Ship Columbia, the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, and Tom Sawyer Island. These attractions will close in January, and are scheduled to remain closed until April 2017. Big Thunder Ranch will permanently close in January, and I suspect this area will be the entrance to Star Wars Land.
But wait…the closures are not limited to Frontierland! The Disneyland Railroad and all of its stations will also close until 2017, and the track may be slightly altered or moved to fit into the park’s new landscape.
There was one other, somewhat controversial, closure announcement this month as well, and it has nothing to do with Star Wars Land. Disney announced that Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular will leave California Adventure in January to make room for a new Frozen show. Fans have expressed major frustration about this closure, considering the massive presence Frozen already has in both parks. My personal opinion? Aladdin is a unique and fantastically done show, having stood the test of time in a park prone to quick attraction turnovers. I would much rather Disney re-work the Sing-Along into a new show and leave Aladdin alone!
NOT SO SCARY FUN
September also marked the beginning of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This after-hours event gives adults and kids alike the chance to dress up in costume and trick or treat in the park. But even daytime guests got in on the fun; Halloween time means the villains are out in full force, including some of the most elusive characters like Frollo and the Queen of Hearts. I spotted the Evil Queen from Snow White next to the Alice in Wonderland dark ride:
Even the Dapper Dans get in on the Halloween spirit, serenading guests in orange striped suits.
Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion have also taken on their special Halloween forms, with ghosts moving into Space Mountain’s universe and Jack Skellington taking over the mansion. Ghost Galaxy runs until November, but the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay will last through December, since its theme combines Halloween and Christmas.
OTHER UPDATES
The shops in both parks and in Downtown Disney are now selling Halloween treats, including Jack Skellington cake pops, poison caramel apples, and Haunted Mansion cakes.
And finally, there has been visible progress on the new Cars Land ride. Imagineers were spotted testing a ride vehicle on the track this month, though there are no new updates as to how the ride will operate.