It was a super warm weekend at the Happiest Place on Earth and for this “unicorn” sort of week (in-between the very busy Halloween Time and very busy Disney Holiday season) Saturday proved to be a relatively light day in terms of crowds. On our trip this weekend, we’ll take a look all over the place at progress going on in the parks and in Downtown Disney.
The Disney Holidays will soon transform Anaheim’s favorite destination to the Merriest Place on Earth and decorations are going up all around Disneyland and Disney California Adventure as Halloween decorations come down. “it’s a small world” Holiday speeds along as Festival of Holidays returns once again to fill hearts and stomachs with merriment.
In Downtown Disney, there’s progress on Black Tap, Ballast Point, Napolini, Wetzels and more. Plus, Salt & Straw introduced its November flavors which includes flavors with Roasted Peaches, Turkey Fat, and Pumpkin Pie.
Matterhorn Bobsleds continue to hurry through their refurbishment as construction continues to speed along on the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge expansion. New Warming Huts at DCA are causing a commotion and more as we walk through delightfully crowd-sparse crowds.
Of course, a nice huge merch run waits you at the end with the new Mickey Rayban Wayfarers plus a bunch more Holiday merch. All of this and much much more for you in this week’s park pictorial. ENJOY!
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Looks like a ship has docked on Batuu.
So much color in Batuu!
How many Disneyland attractions can you spot in this one photo?
The Disney Holidays are just around the corner!
Maps for the week in-between Halloween Time and Disney Holidays.
Around Disney California Adventure
The Disney Holidays haven’t officially started but that won’t stop the merch teams!
Drummers are back. I don’t remember them decorating the obelisk like this last year.
I love the Santa and Elf hats replacing the windsocks here. Decorations are already up in the trees too.
Fairies in a Jar mean Golden State has already got its holiday decor! The oars are another cute detail on the lampposts.
Can we please just re-theme Grizzly River Run to have the Country Bears?
No Santa for you. But worry not, Santa’s Holiday Visit is coming very shortly.
This ONE house has holiday decorations.
World of Color was not amongst the announcements for the Disney Holidays but it looks like some preparations are under way for SOMETHING.
Large barges, which we’re led to understand, will be holding lighting apparatuses. But for what purpose is yet to be determined…
Stage preparations underway for Festival of Holidays.
The gifts and candy sticks that power the floating foam snowflake generators have returned. These are normally only used for World of Color’s holiday show.
Looks like they’re getting rigged to produce snowflakes again.
“Pixar Lamp” has debuted aboard the Pixar Pier marquee.
Still no Bing Bong.
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind coming soon.
Bug’s Life Theatre continues demolition. It seems like some of the clovers might be missing but hard to tell.
It takes a lot of cherry-pickers to decorate for the Disney Holidays.
This Pixar Pier signage is actually quite pretty!
Still no Mrs. Doubfire. *sigh*
The new Wilderness Warming Huts are all the rage near the exit of the Grizzly River Run. $5 a session for up to 5 people at once.
The Hollywood Pictures Backlot is one of the ugliest and most underutilized areas in the entire Disneyland Resort.
Not all traces of Halloween Time are gone yet.
Halloween banners are back to general banners. Including a fresh general Pixar Pier banner.
Around Disneyland
Christmas Tree is fully assembled backstage and awaiting placement!
Happy Halloween!
I like the castle just like this. They added new bunting a few years ago that I’ve not been a fan of. It’s too dark and heavy… like my sense of humor, I guess?
Ready for “it’s a small world” Holiday? It returns November 7.
The wood trim here looks pretty thirsty.
No water for you.
The missing sign makes it look a bunch of the gold details are missing along the trim.
Ok.
Matterhorn returns November 16, 2018.
The attraction is getting a much-needed revamp to its entrance and is getting a new marquee.
Walkway widening?
Babbling brook.
Noticed this a few weeks ago but the tiki mask that looked like Jack Sparrow was removed from the Adventureland entrance. I know I have a picture somewhere from years ago but I can’t find it!
Tropical Hideaway is getting some shade. I suspect Rosita the cockatoo will be dealing her own bit of shade once she greets guests in the area later this year.
Disney has confirmed speculation that Rosita will be making her debut at The Tropical Hideaway opening later this year in Disneyland park.
WHO IS ROSTIA? For the uninitiated, she’s one of Disney’s most infamous characters in that she technically never really existed! In the Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room attraction, there’s a moment in the show when the cockatoo’s appear and emcee bird Jose asks “I wonder what happened to Rosita?” It’s a small throw-away line that for several years has spurned many a Disney fan to wonder the fate of the long-lost bird who never technically existed in the attraction.
MORE INFO: Disney confirms ‘Rosita’ debuting at Disneyland’s new TROPICAL HIDEAWAY
Still no Main Street side to the dividing wall with the Enchanted Tiki Room.
Walls are down in Frontierland allowing access to the Fantasy Faire.
Hard to tell what was done here but the walkways are all a tiny bit wider here.
The ponds here were recently decreased in size.
Walkways were not made wider here but with the extra land thanks to the smaller ponds, that project — which we expect will happen before next year’s Galaxy’s Edge opening — should go a little quicker.
Regular Space Mountain is back again.
Disney recently announced their holiday sweets and treats and the ones coming here are all Green Alien themed. That means the “temporary” Pixar Fest layover for Redd Rockett’s may well become a new permanent offering. If it is, they really need to give the location a thorough refurbishment to really engrain that theme here. The “takeover” feel is intentionally cheap looking and it looks very bad.
You’re a mean one, Miss DeVil.
Around the Resort
Not sure what’s going on near the Monorail entrance in Downtown Disney but the walls are down near the Starbucks.
Black Tap is coming along.
Ballast Point is coming along.
Wetzel’s Pretzels doesn’t look much farther along than it has the past few weeks.
Napolini should be offering its quick service pizza soon.
Salt & Straw has its fall flavors ready for the tasting. We opted for the Roasted Peach and Sage Cornbread Stuffing but we tried all three (including the Salted Caramel Thanksgiving Turkey made with turkey fat and broth.) The Spiced Goat Cheese Pumpkin Pie is pretty good but from the taste we had basically just tastes like Pumpkin Pie!
Carrousel Inn is completely gone and mostly paved over.
The new parking structure is rising quickly at Mickey and Friends.
Escalator supports are rising quickly.
Wready to Wreck It Wonce Wagain?
We’re pretty excited about the upcoming about the upcoming RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET sequel and starting next month, Disney Parks will be offering an exclusive sneak peek of the new film from Disney Animation.
MORE INFO: RALPH preview wrecks Disney Parks in November
Merch Run
Here’s a closer look at the Purchase with Purchase gift tote.
Loving those new Mickey Wayfarers?
We’ve been chronicling the 2018 assortment of holiday merch for the past few weeks, here’s more!
Mary Poppins merch should start arriving soon. Speaking of movie merch… Wreck it Ralph arrives sooner…
It would appear nobody wants the Red Head. =(
These magnet sets are so cute!!
Pillow would be great without the giant HM logo on it.
Call me crazy but that packaging does NOT do enough for me to convey that it’s dog food. Yes, it’s very clearly labeled but something’s not right here.
Tee Time!
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THE END!
