This week, the Holiday season is moving into the resort, a new free souvenir is available through mobile order at Avengers Campus, Disney Merriest Nites tips, along with some of the food available, we talk to Kate and Jude about their Halloween Cruise, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: Now through November 6th, guest visiting Pym Test Kitchen and order through the mobile ordering system will get a special bonus. A Pym Test Kitchen button featuring the Impossible Spoonful and promoting mobile ordering will be given to guests free with a mobile order. The button is limited to one per entree, while supplies last. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/30/visiting-disneyland-soon-dont-miss-out-on-a-free-souvenir/ With Halloween behind us. the Disneyland Resort can move into full Holiday Season. This, of course, includes merchandise. There is a TON of items that have hit the shelves around the resort. Some notable items include a matching Spirit Jersey and Hat, a Wishables 12-day countdown calendar, which has 12 different exclusive Wishables to complete the set, some Chanukah themed items, and more. More and more holiday themed offerings should be showing up around the resort over the next few weeks. – https://www.micechat.com/306119-first-look-a-flurry-of-holiday-merchandise-hits-disneyland/ Disneyland Resort hours for the holiday season through December 13th have been posted on disneyland.com. Disneyland will open at 8am daily now through December 13th, with the park closing at midnight November 17th through 29th and most of December 1-13th. The park will close at 7pm on Disney Merriest Nites nights, which are November 30th, December 7th, and December 9th. It will also close at 10pm on December 2nd. Disney California Adventure will be open from 8am to 10pm November 17th through December 13th, with closing early at 8pm on December 8th. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/hours-now-available-for-disneyland-resort-theme-parks-through-december-13/ The Disney Parks Blog posted some tips for ticket holders for this years Disney Merriest Nites at Disneyland. Some of the tips are pretty standard like arriving early to get more time in Disneyland, talk of the merchandise to buy, and getting PhotoPass photos. The other tips covered what the six themed holiday parties were, and what they included, listed some of the food offerings for the event, and what attractions would be open. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/attending-disney-merriest-nites-at-disneyland-park-six-tips-for-ticket-holders-to-have-a-merry-good-time/ The Disney Food Blog has a list of some of the items coming to the Merriest Nites at Disneyland. Throughout the six different parties, there are more than 20 snacks, treats, and drinks. From the Andouille Sausage Po’ Boy at French Market, to the Sippin Chocolate with Dipping Waffle at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, there is something for everyone attending. Guests will get to try these fun treats starting November 11th, when the first party will commence. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/27/first-look-at-the-food-and-drinks-coming-to-merriest-nites-at-disneyland-resort/ We have talked a lot about the procedures for in-show exits for guests from some of our favorite attractions. This week, Pirates of the Caribbean broke down and could not be restarted after 90 minutes. Riders were evacuated by Disneyland cast members, as well as members of the Disneyland Fire Department. To see some pictures, and an account of the ordeal, check out the link to the Orange County Register article in our show notes. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/11/01/disneyland-employees-wade-into-pirates-of-the-caribbean-waters-to-evacuate-stranded-riders/ Union Cast Member negotiations with Disney have not been going perfectly. The Unions that represent Disneyland Cast Members have been fighting for higher increases in hourly pay, along with more recognition for the long term cast members. Disneyland responded with a proposal to increase the non-tipped minimum wage to $17 an hour, beginning as early as December 15th, and $18 an hour beginning June 16, 2023. This could affect approximately 10,000 cast members at the resort. – https://www.micechat.com/306249-disneyland-contract-troubles-leave-cast-concerned/ and https://www.micechat.com/306267-disneyland-update-spooky-time-ends-christmas-moves-in/ Discussion Topic: Kate and Jude – Disney Cruise at Halloween

DLWeekly Podcast - Disneyland News and Information

DLW 208: Halloween Disney Cruise with Kate and Jude

This week, day guests will be paying more for a day of magic at Disneyland, a Magic Key has “sold out,” trams are coming back, the holidays are spreading throughout the resort, some construction updates, we talk to Lyndsey about park planning, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: Well, it happened again. The prices to enter Disneyland have increased. The only ticket that has not gone up was the 1 Day, 1 Park tier 1 ticket, which remains at $104. All the other tickets have gone up $5 for the 1 day, 1 park tier 2 ticket to $25 for the park hopper tickets. Parking has also increased from $25 to $30 for theme park standard parking and $15 increases for hotel self park, oversized, and valet parking. Also of note, the Dream Key, which is the highest level Magic Key has also halted sales for now. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/25/disneyland-raises-ticket-prices-for-most-types-of-admission/and https://www.micechat.com/305977-disneyland-ticket-price-increase-2021/ Early 2022. That is when Disneyland says that the trams from Mickey and Friends and Pixar Pals parking structures are returning. Disneyland has said that they will begin to conduct maintenance on the trams as well as rehire and train staff for the trams in the next few months. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/25/disneyland-parking-trams-returning-in-early-2022/ The Disney Parks TikTok account teased the return of an old favorite likely coming back to Disneyland sometime in the future. The Main Street Electrical Parade has been taken out, once again, from storage and looks to be making a return. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/confirmed-the-main-street-electrical-parade-is-returning-to-disneyland-resort/ In just a couple of weeks the Holiday season will arrive at the resort, and along with it, the Christmas Fantasy Parade. There was some concern that the parade would be preformed for Christmas Party guests only, but that is not the case. The parade will run daily at 3:00 and 5:30 beginning on November 12th. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/showtimes-announced-for-a-christmas-fantasy-parade-at-disneyland-park/ The Plaza Point Holiday Shoppe on Main Street has opened to guests. The new shop, which took the place of the Kodak Photo Supply store at the end of Main Street, by the Plaza Inn, opened last week. The new store will feature different holiday merchandise throughout the year including Halloween, Easter, Lunar New Year, and more. A unique service at this location is the ornament personalization, where cast members can hand paint the ornaments. There is a backtory of the proprietor of the shop as well. It is based on the real mother of Disneyland Resort Enhancement Manaher Dawn Pipal-Keehne. Evelyn Toro is the character, and she traveled around the world to collect the different holiday items. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/21/shop-for-the-holidays-all-year-at-disneylands-new-store/and https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/22/photos-come-with-us-inside-the-new-year-round-holiday-store-in-disneyland/ and https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/21/disneyland-places-woman-of-color-at-center-of-new-holiday-shops-backstory/ Halloween is just a few days away from when we are recording this episode, so there still might be time to make some Disney Halloween magic at your house. The Disney Parks Blog has posted some templates to carve some pumpkins with step-by-step instructions, make a Madame Leota crystal ball, learn to draw the Haunted Mansion, and more. Head on over to the link in our show notes for all the spooky details and templates! – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/hauntingly-good-diys-to-add-a-dose-of-disney-parks-magic-to-your-halloween/ A new experience has come to the Lego store in Downtown Disney. Guests can now build their own custom Lego minifigures. To participate in the experience, guests must make an appointment, then use screens to customize the figure by choosing features such as head, pants, and torso details. Once the design is complete, it will be 3D printed on site. The experience is $12 and can be booked at the link in our show notes. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/photos-new-custom-lego-minifigure-factory-opens-at-downtown-disney-district/ and https://storebooking.lego.com/ The holidays are already starting to show up in the parks with Halloween still a few days away. The snow has started to fall on Sleeping Beauty Castle as of the end of last week, lights have started appearing in the trees around the resort, World of Disney has hung some garland and lights, as well as installed some holiday decorations for the displays. – https://www.micechat.com/305746-big-disneyland-news-trams-prices-construction/ Some construction updates from around the resort include the work coming to a close on Big Thunder, which is expected to return on November 4th. Pelican’s Landing, which is the new seating area for the Harbor Galley by the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain is slowly moving along. The ToonTown walkway is still moving towards completion with the new brickwork. The Fantasyland Theater’s entrance marquee is being refurbished, and work continues on the steelwork needed for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway facade that will hold the moutains of ToonTown once the new attraction opens. – https://www.micechat.com/305746-big-disneyland-news-trams-prices-construction/ Fans of the Muppet Haunted Mansion special on Disney+ may want to check out one of the folks Instagram page that brought the show to life. Jasper Anderson has worked for Jim Henson’s Creature Shop for the last several years, and worked on bringing the Muppets to the Haunted Mansion. Jasper shares some behind the scenes looks about how it came together. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/horror-effects-sculptor-jasper-j-anderson-gives-behind-the-scenes-look-at-muppets-haunted-mansion/ With some of the negative press that Disney has been getting recently from the reservation system, to rising ticket prices, to sold out Magic Keys, to moving Imagineering to Florida, and more, some former Imagineers have been passing around a petition to fire Disney CEO Bob Chapek. As of the time of this recording, the petition had _____ signatures. A reminder to our listeners that a petition is not enough to actually fire Chapek, but it does show how unhappy people are with his performance. For those interested, the link to the petition is in the show notes. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/retired-imagineers-passing-around-petition-to-fire-disney-ceo-bob-chapek/ and https://www.change.org/p/the-walt-disney-company-fire-disney-ceo-bob-chapek-5feb6077-21d0-41aa-9eaf-9959501b210e?redirect=false The Disney Conservation Fund, which is committed to saving wildlife and building a global community to protect nature, awarded grats to projects and celebrated some cast members last week. 60 non-profit organizations received the grants. A few of the cast members that have offered their time and talents to support the fund were highlighted on the Disney Parks Blog post. To hear about their experiences and to learn more about the fund and the recipients, check out the link in our show notes. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/disney-conservation-fund-awards-grants-to-global-conservation-projects-and-celebrates-cast-members-who-help-make-it-possible/ Discussion: Lyndsey – Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/boymom_at_disneyland Guides – https://www.boymomsunite.com/disneyland

DLW 207: Trip Planning with ConciEAR Lyndsey

This week, Magic Key Holders have some magic mail coming their way, some Candlelight Processional news, an undead Avenger is on the loose, the highway in the sky has returned, a magical experience for a cast member, we talk to Jessica about being a pastry cook, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: Pin and Pop Event. – https://pinandpop.com/pin-trading/event-preview/happy-haunts-2021 Magic Key Holders be on the lookout for the Charter Member Welcome Package coming to your doorstep soon! Some Magic Key Holders have already received their welcome package, which contains a button, lanyard, Magic Key pin, Disneyland map, and magnet. If you are not currently a Magic Key Holder and would like to get one of these welcome kits, you have until October 30th. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/photos-magic-key-charter-member-welcome-packages-now-arriving-from-the-disneyland-resort/ The rumors were true! The Disneyland Candlelight Processional is returning this year! The event will take place on December 4th and 5th in Town Square at Disneyland. So far, no word on who the narrators for the telling of the story of Christmas. – https://www.micechat.com/305165-disneyland-candlelight-returns-december-2021/ On Friday, October 15th, the Disneyland Monorail returned to service, transporting guests along the two and a half mile highway in the sky. Monorail Red and Monorail Blue are operating on the line for now. Guests are required to wear a mask while onboard. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/disneyland-monorail-cast-members-are-back-on-track/ Weeklyteers who have been watching the What If…? series on Disney+ will recognize a new character variation at Avenger’s Campus for the Oogie Boogie Bash. Zombie Captain America is meandering around looking for guests to infect and turn to zombies. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/16/in-things-we-never-thought-wed-say-of-the-day-zombie-captain-america-is-coming-to-a-disney-park/ This Friday, October 15th, another former piece of entertainment will return to Disney California Adventure. Disney Junior Dance Party!, which features songs, special effects, and characters from Disney Junior TV shows, will run multiple times daily. There will be some modifications to the format, allowing for physical distancing, and how the audience is seated. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/disney-junior-dance-party-returns-to-disney-california-adventure-park-bringing-more-family-fun-to-the-disneyland-resort/ With less than four weeks away to the holiday season at Disneyland, Mickey and Minnie’s outfits for the season were previewed on the Disney Parks Blog. Magic Key Holders may be able to see the new outfits sooner at the Starcade experience now through October 30. Matching Mickey and Minnie plush were also unveiled for the season, along with new ears, spirit jersey, shirts, backpack, and more. The holiday season at Disneyland runs from November 12 through January 9th. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/disneyland-resort-holiday-sneak-peek-first-look-at-mickey-and-minnies-festive-fashions-and-new-holiday-merchandise/ The walls in Toon Town have been adorned with new decorations. The punny new graphics on the panels are a great fit in Toon Town, like the panel that states “Our Remodel is Popping at the Seams!” with popcorn bursting out the sides, since it will be the El Capitoon theater.  – https://www.micechat.com/305131-dateline-disneyland-monorails-trams-magic-key-fail/ Outdoor signage has begun to appear for the new Plaza Point Holiday Shoppe on Main Street. A new quote is above the door, declaring “Where Every Day is a Holiday,” gold window lettering has appeared on the windows facing Main Street with various sayings, and the new Plaza Point Holiday Shoppe marquee has gone up. – https://www.micechat.com/305131-dateline-disneyland-monorails-trams-magic-key-fail/ Some Disneyland Resort Cast Members made some magic for one if their own recently. Joe Johnson was making his dream of being a cast member come true working at Disneyland on the Storybook Land Canal Boats. He wanted his family to come and visit from Georgia for his first days on stage, but it looked like that would not be able to happen. Joe’s trainers, and other cast members worked with Joe’s father to create some magic and make the visit a reality. Joe’s father was able to meet him on the job that day and make his dream a reality. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/disneyland-resort-cast-make-magic-for-fellow-cast-member/ Discussion: Jessica – Former WDW Pastry Cook

DLW 206: Former Pastry Cook Jessica

Teresa is joined by Tarah, Liberty, Lee, Karina, and Jill for a fun talk about Pixar! This was originally a supporters only episode, posted back in April, 2021.

DLW Special: Pixar Roundtable 1

This week, some Genie details, what will be available in the cost, and what will be an upcharge, Web Slingers going standby….. sometimes, what is going on with the trams, new cast members of all kinds, Muppets take over, we talk about the end of our trip, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: This week, we got some more details about the Genie service coming to the parks soon. Over in Walt Disney World, the service will launch on October 19th. No date is set for Disneyland yet, but Disney says it will be announced soon. The Genie+ service, which is an additional cost, will be available at a number of attractions and works just like MaxPass from before the closure. Individual Lightning Lane selections will be an additional purchase on top of Genie+ and Lightning Lane, and will be priced from $7 to $15 per attraction, per guest. At this time, only Radiator Springs Racers, WEB Slingers, and Rise of the Resistance will be on the Lightning Lane+ service. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/08/disneyland-reveals-new-disney-genie-details-heres-how-the-itinerary-planning-app-works/ and https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/disney-genie-launching-at-walt-disney-world-resort/ At Disneyland, the following attractions will feature Lightning Lane as part of the Genie+ paid service. To be clear, these are part of the $20 per guest, per day Genie+ service, and not part of the Lightning Lane additional charge. Autopia, Big Thunder, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones, it’s a small world, Matterhorn, Smuggler’s Run, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Star Tours. Over in DCA, Goofy’s Sky School, Grizzly River Run, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout, Incredicoaster, Monsters, Inc., Soarin’, and Midway Mania. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/08/disneyland-announces-22-rides-where-you-can-pay-to-skip-the-lines-heres-how/ and https://disneyland.disney.go.com/genie/ Guests that have been to Disney California Adventure this past week on rainy days may have been able to ride Web Slingers by waiting in a standby queue, instead of getting a boarding pass. Disneyland is switching to a standby queue on days when the attendance are lower for the new attraction. Guests who get a boarding group at the 7am window will have their boarding group honored, but there may not be a need for the noon boarding groups, and switch to standby only. The standby queue usually becomes active around 4-6pm. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/12/disneyland-pauses-web-slingers-virtual-queue-on-slow-days-and-switches-to-standby-line/ One of the big questions guests have been asking a lot recently is what is going on with the trams? The Orange County Register thinks that it is still related to the COVID-19 health and safety regulations that have been in place since the parks reopened. There were some posts online this week that said the trams were needing repairs after not being run for nearly a year and a half and maintenance teams are already overloaded. So, the real answer to when the trams come back is anyone’s guess. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/11/when-will-disneyland-parking-lot-trams-return/ Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company has finally made it to the west coast from Florida. The coffee stand that sits at the entrance to Pixar Pier and Paradise Wharf was recently converted to a Joffrey’s, along with adding mobile ordering and some food offerings. Breakfast offerings are abailable until 11am, with a burrito available after. A chia fruit salad, sugar cookie, chocolate chip cookie, and chocolate croissants are offered all day. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/photos-joffreys-coffee-tea-company-makes-disneyland-resort-debut-at-the-gourmet-coffee-stand-at-disney-california-adventure/ Disney+ has been an excellent source of information and entertainment about the parks since it launched in 2019. A new movie, which will focus on the creation of Disneyland, will be debuting on the service in the future. The movie will be written by Evan Spiliotopoulos, who worked on The Jungle Book 2 and Beauty and the Beast. David Gordon Green is set to direct. He worked on Halloween and Halloween Kills as the writer and director. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/movie-focusing-on-disneylands-creation-coming-to-disney/ The Disneyland Resort has been hiring quite a few new cast members recently, although not a lot with more than two legs! The Circle D Ranch has recently received 5 new horses for Disneyland. The new horses are Dublin, a four-year-old Belgian and Percheron cross, Champ and his half brother Chip, who are 5 years-old and are Clydesdales. Lily is 5 years-old, with no breed mentioned. Finally, there is Pumpkin, who is one-and-a-half years old, and is a Percheron. The training to get horses from the ranch to Disneyland can take from 6 months to a year, depending on the horse. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/meet-the-new-disneyland-horses-at-circle-d-ranch/ After three long years, the current Disneyland Ambassadors Justin and Rafa, who would normally have held the position for two years, but because of COVID, their term was extended to three years, will retire to other positions in the parks. The new 2022-223 Ambassadors were announced last week, making their titles official. Mark is currently a stage manager in Disney California Adventure, starting with the company back in 2013. Nataly is a guest relations VIP hostess, starting with the company back in 2010. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/meet-the-next-disneyland-resort-ambassador-team/ Weeklyteers who are like Tage and love building models of Disneyland, there is a new 3D model book coming out soon! “Build Your Own Disneyland Park: Press Out 3D Model is now available for preorder on Amazon for $14.99. The book has 35 press out pieces and instructions to build a 3D model of Disneyland. There is also some information about each of the lands in the book. The book will be out on December 7, 2021. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/10/shop-new-build-your-own-disneyland-park-3d-model-fact-book-available-for-pre-order-on-amazon/ For Weeklyteers who watched the Muppets Haunted Mansion Halloween special on Disney+ this week, the Disney Parks Blog has released some wallpapers, stickers, and more! Some of the wallpapers include Miss Piggy as Madame Pigota, Animal, and Muppet versions of famous locations from the Haunted Mansion. There are some GIPHY stickers when you search Disney Plus Life on Instagram, and more. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/celebrate-muppets-haunted-mansion-with-all-new-digital-wallpapers-stickers-and-more/ The Haunted Mansion exhibit at Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln has been updated to include some of the props that were used to film the Muppets Haunted Mansion special. Some of the items include a “2 DIE 4” license plate, the crystal ball from Madame Pigota, the maids spray bottle from that same scene, coffins, and more. There are even notes from the Muppets themselves about some of the items! – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/08/photos-you-can-see-props-used-in-muppets-haunted-mansion-in-disneyland/ Uva Bar in Downtown Disney has some new drinks on the menu for Halloween. The Beetlejuice contains vodka, melon liqueur, and blue curacao, the Vampire Bite has Nolet’s gin, rosemary simple syrup, pink grapefruit, and soda water. The Trick or Treat has High West bourbon, pumpkin spice syrup, lemon juice and soda water. Finally, the Black Cat has vodka, raspberry liquor, and lime juice. Each cocktail is $15 and should be available through the Halloween season. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/10/12/halloween-peeps-assemble-theres-a-beetlejuice-drink-in-downtown-disney/ Discussion: Our last couple of days for the Oogie Boogie Bash trip.

DLW 205: Oogie Boogie Bash: The Conclusion

This week, the Day of the Dead is coming to the resort, Christmas lights are going up on the happiest cruise that ever sailed, some excluside D23 merchandise on shopDisney, the Candlelight processional could be returning, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: Halloween has been in full swing for the last few weeks, and another seasonal celebration has started. Now through November 2nd, guests can celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Storytellers, folklorico dancers, and Mariachi musicians will be in Flaza de la Familia in Disney California Adventure, along with some tasty Mexican food. The Musical Celebration of Coco will be presented several times daily. Over at Disneyland, ElCocalo Park in Frontierland will again have the Dia de los Muertos display. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/dia-de-los-muertos-at-disneyland-resort-celebrating-the-everlasting-bonds-of-family/ We are still almost a month away from Halloween, but the happiest cruise that ever sailed is getting ready for Christmas already. Lights are being installed on the exterior of the attraction in preperation for it’s a small world holiday, which will premiere on November 12th. The first guests to be able to experience the attraction will be able to do so at the Disney Merriest Nites event on November 11th. The attraction will go down for the transformation of the interior on October 25th. – https://www.micechat.com/303988-disneyland-update-happy-hauntings-and-magic-keys-clogged/ Guests walking the tram route have likely seen the Muppers Haunted Mansion display near the Downtown Disney tram loading area. The display has a few iconic sights from the Haunted Mansion, with a Muppet skew to them, including the stretching room portraits, gargoyles, the busts that follow guests, and more. The Disney+ Muppet Haunted Mansion special drops this Friday. – https://www.micechat.com/303988-disneyland-update-happy-hauntings-and-magic-keys-clogged/ D23 Gold members will be able to purchase some exclusive Mickey’s of Glendale and The Muppets Studio curated items on shopDisney.com. The collection features a Spirit Jersey, a MacGuffin Challenge T-Shirt, a baseball cap, Mumm and Duddy Youth Tee, a Pin collection, and more! There are two dates for the mercahndise sales, with some of the items going on sale October 4th, and the rest on October 11th. – https://d23.com/d23-exclusive-muppets-haunted-mansion-collection-by-mickeys-of-glendale/ Jack Skellington has called the Haunted Mansion home for 20 years this Halloween season. The popular holiday overlay celebrated the 20th anniversary on October 3rd. To commemorate this milestone, a glow in the dark shirt and water bottle appeared at Disneyland. Both items have Oogie Boogie in a Santa-inspired outfit, the Haunted Mansion, Lock, Shock, and Barrel, and says “Haunted Mansion Holiday 20th Anniversary, Disneyland Resort.” – https://www.micechat.com/303736-disneylands-haunted-mansion-holiday-celebrates-its-20th-scary-christmas/ The Orange County Register found a permit that Disneyland filed with Orange County to install some scaffholding and seating in Town Square on Main Street. This points to the return of the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland this year! The annual event was cancelled last year at both US resorts due to COVID-19. Disney World has announced their candlelight will run from November 26th through December 30th. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/09/28/candlelight-processional-returning-to-disneyland-this-holiday-season-permits-show/ A new shoppe is coming to the end of Main Street, replacing the former Photo Supply Store. Plaza Point Holiday Shoppe will be a vistorian-era themed store which will change with the holidays throughout the year. Ornaments, housewares, linens, and accessories will be for sale. Holidays that will be celebrated will include Hanukkah, Lunar New Year, Sping and Easter, Fall and Halloween, and Christmas year round. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/10/plaza-point-an-all-new-holiday-store-coming-soon-to-main-street-usa-in-disneyland-park/ Since Disneyland reopened back in April, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage has been closed with a return time of “winter 2021.” Currently, the lagoon has been drained and is undergoing some refurbishment. We will have to wait and see if the attraction reopens before the end of the year. – https://www.micechat.com/303988-disneyland-update-happy-hauntings-and-magic-keys-clogged/ A couple of weeks ago, the World of Color lagoon was drained to work on the infrastructure for the nighttime spectacular. With the lagoon drained, some cast members have reported that the lagoon itself is also getting some work done. MiceChat reports that the show is not expected to return until sometime in 2022. – https://www.micechat.com/303988-disneyland-update-happy-hauntings-and-magic-keys-clogged/ Magic Key holders may have noticed the reservation calendar filling up faster recently. This is probably in part due to the popular holiday season we are in, in addition to Magic Keyholders grabbing a reservation in advance in case they want to go to the parks on a specific day, with the ability to cancel before midnight the day before with no penalty. Our recommendation is to check the calendar often, especially closer to midnight to snag a reservation. – https://www.micechat.com/303736-disneylands-haunted-mansion-holiday-celebrates-its-20th-scary-christmas/ The Amazon smart speakers are getting a little more Disney. With the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, Disney announced a project with Amazon to bring Disney stories, characters, and more to a new “Hey Disney!” feature. Guests can use Hey Disney! at home or in a Walt Disney World hotel room to interact with Disney characters, get park information, and more. Disney will share more about the service soon. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/hey-disney/ Discussion Topic: An Audio Tour of Disneyland from the vault.

DLW 204: News and an Audio Tour of Disneyland Flashback

This week, we talk about the first half of our Oogie Boogie Bash trip! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order!

DLW 203: DLWeekly Visits Oogie Boogie Bash

DLWeekly 203: DLWeekly Visits Oogie Boogie Bash

This week, Magic Key holders get a spooky fun perk, some Happy Haunts are coming to entertain in Downtown Disney, FastPass has almost disappeared from the parks, we talk about our upcoming trip to the parks and finish talking with Emmie, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: Extended hours for the parks haven’t returned yet, but Magic Key Holders can experience something almost as good. From September 20th through October 7th, Magic Key Holders can ride Haunted Mansion Holiday after park closing for an additional hour Mondays through Thursdays! A valid park reservation and proof of Magic Key will be required to ride. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/09/16/the-exclusive-way-to-ride-haunted-mansion-holiday-in-disneyland/ Six Happy Haunts have taken leave from the Haunted Mansion Friday through Sunday evenings though Halloween! The SCAREolders, a six person a cappella group will entertain guests in Downtown Disney, with favorites like “I Put a Spell on You” and other tributes to Disney villains. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/downtown-disney-district-is-frightfully-delightful-during-halloween-time-at-disneyland-resort/ As we reported on previously, the PhotoPass services has moved from Main Street Photo Supply in Disneyland and Kingswell Camera Shop in Disney California Adventure to the exterior part of the Disneyland Newsstand. The new location is labeled as “Photo Concierge” and will be the single location for photo services. The old locations inside the parks will be repurposed for more merchandise. – https://www.micechat.com/302565-dateline-disneyland-jessica-rabbit-covers-up-as-lightning-lane-moves-in-at-disneyland/ A once state of the art system is almost completely gone from the parks. The FastPass machines have been removed from most if not all locations where they were previously installed in order to prepare for the launch of Genie+ and Lightning Lane. The new services will be offered through the Disneyland App only, so the old machines are no longer necessary. Some of the locations have been repurposed as shaded vending locations, while others are left empty for the time being. – https://www.micechat.com/302565-dateline-disneyland-jessica-rabbit-covers-up-as-lightning-lane-moves-in-at-disneyland/ The annual Gay Days Anaheim event took place over the weekend and drew quite a few LGBTQ++ guests and allies. Disney offered some rainbow food and merchandise options around the parks to celebrate. There was a Mickey Rainbow Cookie, Rainbow Cotton Candy, Rainbow Cake, and a Rainbow Parade Tumbler. – https://www.micechat.com/302565-dateline-disneyland-jessica-rabbit-covers-up-as-lightning-lane-moves-in-at-disneyland/ Guests sightseeing in Town Square at the beginning of Main Street might notice something new. The gates to the crowd overflow corridor near the Mad Hatter have been repainted to say “Welcome Friends” with “Disneyland Main Street, USA” and “Town Square Established 1955” above and below. – https://www.micechat.com/302565-dateline-disneyland-jessica-rabbit-covers-up-as-lightning-lane-moves-in-at-disneyland/ Some unannounced changes started to take place in a popular attraction in Toon Town last week. Jessica Rabbit will be taking over a different role in the attraction as the story is updated to better reflect today’s mentality. Jessica will now be a Private Eye keeping an eye on the Weasels who are on a crime spree in Toon Town. Her busty character will be more modest with a trenchcoat covering her up, and her character has already been removed from the trunk of a car in the attraction. Imagineers are working on the updates outside of park hours to not close the attraction. No word on when the updates will be complete. – https://www.micechat.com/302565-dateline-disneyland-jessica-rabbit-covers-up-as-lightning-lane-moves-in-at-disneyland/ A more subdued color scheme has come to part of New Orleans Square. The former Le Bat en Rouge shop has transformed from the deep rouge color to a new green and gold that is reminiscent of Princess and the Frog. There is still no official word on what will go into this location, but MiceChat guesses that it will be a Princess and the Frog themed shop of some sort. – https://www.micechat.com/302565-dateline-disneyland-jessica-rabbit-covers-up-as-lightning-lane-moves-in-at-disneyland/ On Friday, October 1st, Walt Disney World will celebrate its 50th anniversary. To go along with the celebration, ABC will be presenting “The Most Magical Story on Earth: 50 Years of Walt Disney World.” Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg will host the show, which will feature performances from Christina Aguilera and Halle Bailey from Cinderella Castle. The special will look at the past, present, and future of the resort with never before seen footage. The special will air at 10pm eastern, and will be on Hulu the next day, with Disney+ coming later. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/09/teaser-released-for-the-most-magical-story-on-earth-50-years-of-walt-disney-world-special-coming-to-abc/ With the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World coming up in less than 2 weeks, the president of Walt Disney World, along with the Global Ambassador for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” dedicated the Disney Fab 50 golden sculptures of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse to cast members past, present, and future. The Fab 50 are 50 sculptures that were created of Disney characters to be placed all around Disney World for the 50th celebration. A plaque was also placed near the Mickey and Minnie sculptures commemorating the event. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/honoring-the-heart-of-our-magic-cast-members-of-past-present-and-future/ As we reported on last week, the infrastructure in the water to support Fantasmic! at Disneyland was being worked on, which is great news! This week, the platforms in World of Color lagoon have been raised and are being worked on. The projection housings we reported on being dismantled months ago still haven’t returned. Hopefully this is a good sign that World of Color might make a return before the end of the year. Unfortunately, there is no official word on when either Fantasmic! or World of Color might be returning. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/09/photos-world-of-color-fountains-uncovered-for-refurbishment-at-disney-california-adventure/ A new Oogie Boogie popcorn bucket is now available for purchase in Disney California Adventure. For $11, guests can pick up this bucket, decorated with Oogie Boogie surrounded by the Headless Horsemen, Jack-o’-lanterns, and other Halloween icons. Some DCA attractions are also in the background of the bucket. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/09/photos-new-oogie-boogie-popcorn-bucket-available-at-disney-california-adventure/ Disneyland was able to fulfil the final wish of a longtime annual passholder and Star Wars fan who was killed in the line of service in Afghanistan last month. Marine Corporal Hunter Lopez told his parents before he deployed that if anything happened, he wanted to be buried with the lightsaber he built in Disneyland in 2019. The family couldn’t bear to part with the saber that he built, so they went to Disneyland to build a replica. Friends who work for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and are members of Club 33 arranged to have a private Savi’s Workshop session to create the saber. While dining in Club 33, the family was presented with an American flag that flew over Disneyland and framed in a plaque in honor and memory of Hunter, presented by Disneyland Security Vice President Dan Hughes. – https://www.ocregister.com/2021/09/20/disneyland-pays-tribute-to-fallen-u-s-marine-killed-in-afghanistan-airport-attack/ Discussion Topic: Tage and Teresa talk about Oogie Boogie Bash and their upcoming trip. DLWeekly Meetup will be at the Tangaroa Terrace on Sunday, September 26th at noon.

DLW 202: Our Upcoming Trip and Emmie Part 2

This week, a new party is coming for Christmas, where to find new villains at Oogie Boogie Bash, a fun detail in Cars Land, two food sculptures for Halloween, how the crowds have been, we talk to Emmie about infants and toddlers in the parks, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! News: Walt Disney World has offered after hours Christmas parties for a few years now, and this year Disneyland is getting in on the game! Disney Merriest Nites at Disneyland Park is a new, seperate ticketed event, taking place over five nights through November and early December. Tickets start at $165 per person and give access to 6 parties put on by Minnie Mouse, snow moments on Main Street, an appearance from Santa Claus, admission to Disneyland starting at 5pm, A Christmas Fantasy Parade, attractions excluding Toontown, Critter Country and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, photo ops, characters, treats, and of course merchandise. For complete details and to get tickets, visit the link in the show notes. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/celebrate-the-holiday-season-in-a-merry-new-way-with-disney-merriest-nites-an-all-new-after-hours-event-at-disneyland-park/ For those listeners going to the Oogie Boogie Bash and looking forward to the new villains, we have the locations! Agatha Harkness from WandaVision has set up in the Ancient Sanctum in Avenger’s Campus. Sid from Toy Story has set up a sideshow circus, called “The Sid Show Circus” on Pixar Pier in the stage area formerly used by the Pixar Philharmonic. Rounding out the new villains is Cruella DeVille, who is putting on a fashion show in the Hollywood Backlot. – https://www.micechat.com/301430-new-characters-bewitch-the-oogie-boogie-cast-preview/ A fun detail has returned to Cars Land. The ofrenda for Doc Hudson is back this year near Ramone’s House of Body Art. The setup looks very much like the memorial setup that was in Cars 2. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/09/12/whats-new-at-disneyland-resort-a-huge-edible-halloween-display-a-new-avengers-campus-character-and-spooky-treats/ The edible Oogie Boogie sculpture in the Grand Californian has returned to the lobby this year. Near the display is a coffee cart that has been setup to offer drinks and some treats (and to encourage guests not to eat the display!). – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ Once again, the Haunted Mansion Holiday has received its centerpiece of the Gingerbread House in the ballroom scene. We have talked about the hundreds of pounds of ingredients, hours and hours of work to bring it to life and more. This week, we got a look at how the gingerbread house is moved into the Mansion and assembled for guests to see. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/celebrate-20-seasons-of-spook-tacular-fun-with-the-haunted-mansion-holiday-gingerbread-house-at-disneyland-park/ As with every good Disney event, there is new merchandise for Oogie Boogie Bash! A set of pins for this years event featuring different villains, as well as a tumbler donning the Oogie Boogie Bash 2021 logo. – https://www.micechat.com/237070-oogie-boogie-bash-halloween-party-disneyland-resort/ and https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/09/photos-new-vampire-tow-mater-straw-clip-cruises-into-disney-california-adventure-for-halloween/ This Thursday, September 16th, the Carnation Cafe will finally reopen to guests! When it reopens, it will serve breakfast and lunch from 8am to 2pm daily. For those of you who have not dined at this location, it is a great place to take in Main Street and people watch while you get some good food. – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ New Orleans Square has almost completely returned to normal after the scrims in the area have finally come down. The area looks great now, with just one scrim still up in front of Le Bat en Rouge. Hopefully this will also result in the Royal Street Veranda reopening soon. – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ Now that the Magic Key Program has been in effect for a couple of weeks, how has this impacted the crowd levels of the parks? Weekdays are delightful, with low waits for attraction and comfortable crowds walking around. In the evenings, more locals are coming in after work to catch the Halloween Screams show. On weekends, they have been busier, but not back to the levels of pre-covid. Overall, it is a great time to visit the parks, especially when compared to what it was like before the shutdown. – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ and https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/09/photos-new-magic-key-popcorn-bucket-available-at-disneyland-resort/ A change has come to the virtual queue system for Rise of the Resistance and Web Slingers. Guests can login to the Disneyland app and confirm their boarding party up to one hour before the virtual queue opens. This cuts down on the time to secure a place in the queue right at opening. This is a welcome change to the system. Hopefully, Web Slingers and Rise will phase out the virtual queue system sooner than later. – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ Some great news for those looking forward to igniting the night again soon. The fountains and infrastructure around Tom Sawyer Island that supports Fantasmic! has been under refurbishment! The area around the water jets have been drained and work is being performed. Hopefully this means that a return of the popular nighttime show is not far off! – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ Guests arriving to the Mickey and Friends and Pixar Pals parking structures are sometimes surprised that the parking lot trams are still not back, requiring a long walk to the front gates. Some are opting to park over in the Toy Story parking lot, which has busses that will drop guests off closer to the gates. The busses that are in use are small, and do not currently have air conditioning. – https://www.micechat.com/301811-disneyland-update-holiday-humbugs-hopeful-happenings/ This week, the Tenaya Stone Spa in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa officially opens! The Disney Parks Blog posted all the details of the story and design elements of the new spa. The inspiration for the spa comes from the spirit of nature, indigenous cultures of California, and the Craftsman design of the hotel itself. One of the unique details is the tree root chandelier, which looks like the roots of a tree are growing through the ceiling. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/09/interior-design-elements-tell-the-story-of-new-tenaya-stone-spa-at-disneyland-resort/ Discussion Topic: Emmie – Infants and Toddlers in the Parks Toddler Friendly Attractions Map – https://cdn1.parksmedia.wdprapps.disney.com/dam/disneyland/preschool/disney-family-toddler-friendly-attractions.pdf Feedback: Hi Tage & Teresa! I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the recent episode on food allergies in the parks.  As a mother of a child with severe tree nut & peanut allergies it is a subject near and dear to my heart.  While food labeling and safety measures in places like schools are improving greatly from when I was a kid, I always appreciate raising awareness in the general population.  I, like all of your listeners, love the Disney parks and love them even more for the care they take in providing safe and magical experiences for all of their guests- allergic guests and all. Towards the end of the episode you and asked Ellie about general resources for people to use in regards to food allergies.  I think this is so important because whether you or a loved one suffers form good allergies or not, if your child goes to school you will probably have to send allergy safe snacks/treats at some point.  I’ve relied on: https://snacksafely.com/ They have a snack safe guide that breaks down popular brands and products you find in any grocery store and marks whether they are safe for all of the 8 different food allergies.  They also include information on allergen labeling and whether products were made in a facility with major allergens or not if cross contamination is a concern.  You can download the snack guide, and they update the information periodically as manufacturing processes change over time, and it takes them to contact the manufacturers and research their cleaning/labeling practices. Thanks again for your thoughtful discussion topics that help us realize all the amazing resources we can take advantage of in the Disney parks! Whitney Nolden

DLW 201: Infants and Toddlers in the Parks with Emmie

Weekly Disneyland News, Information and Discussion.

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DLWeekly Podcast - Disneyland News and Information

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