Disneyland Resort Update: Spring Break Edition

Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA

Greetings, folks, from Disney's Great America! I mean Disney's California Adventure! I mean Disneyland.  Greetings from Disneyland. 

After a few updates from up north, we're back in Southern California for this week's look at the latest from the Disneyland Resort.  Today, we'll focus on the original Magic Kingdom and just run through a Galaxy Far, Far Away and touch upon a few items mentioned but not photographed last time around.  Then we'll follow up later this week with happenings on the other side of the Resort at DCA.  And also the other other side--namely Downtown Disney--plus exclusive new parking structure construction coverage!!!11!!1!11!

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

We keep on seeing more rockwork and more framing for rockwork pop up.  They just can't build enough buttes for Batuu(tte).  Here a butte, there a butte, everywhere will be a beaut when things are said and done.  Which also means we'll get to make butt jokes over here, instead of concentrating them only on Cars Land.  

Meanwhile, structural steel continues to creep over toward the southwest end of Galaxy's Edge, over the concrete building structure next to the First Order attraction building.  Remember when once upon a time, that was a big, circular pit?  Yeah, I member.  But nowadays, it's being covered by a mass of steel, forming the structure for the part of Batuu that will house the Resistance hideout.  Although it seems like a lot has gone up, there's still plenty of work left, including the shops and "smaller" buildings in the "middle" of Batuu, closer to the Frontierland entrance sides.  But since we can't see much of "Star Wars" Land from publicly accessible views, we can only extrapolate from what is visible.

I posted this last time, but it's an awesome video that really shows the true progress of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.  So I'm posting it again, just because it's a jaw-dropping set of aerial footage of recent "Star Wars" Land construction.  And it shows all the hidden progress I can't get from the spots where I photograph.

Main Street

Over on Main Street, the new pavement and trolley track replacement has been fully complete for a week or two now, and it looks great.  Main Street is back to being fully open, just in time for next Friday's debut of Pixar Fest, with the Pixar Spray--er, Play--Parade transferring over from DCA and the new Together Forever nighttime fireworks show debuting on Friday the 13th.  It's kind of important to have Main Street clear of work walls for those two entertainment spectaculars to operate, so it's a good thing they went and finished things up!

Small World Mall

Work walls are still up at the Small World Mall, though, with work continuing on the adjusted parade route edge and reconfigured parade and secondary fireworks viewing area.  I would expect this to wrap up by next Friday as well, or else we can't have a Play Parade.

...Come to think of it, maybe they should take their time.

Dumbo the Flying Refurbishment

Dumbo is still closed, though it's due to reopen Friday, April 27.  In somewhat peering over the work walls, we can see glimpses of the new shade structure, plus some refurbishment being done to the operator shacks and some TLC to the rockwork abutting Storybook Land.  Looks like the ride is getting a nice, fresh coat of paint too, so things should look pretty spiffy when the flying elephant soars again at the end of this month!

Miscellany 

Splash Mountain remains closed, but it's extended rehab from alcoholism (too much of that Brer Patch Brandy) is nearing its end.  The iconic ride is still scheduled to reopen on Saturday, April 14, which will give Disneyland a water ride to make up for Pirates going down the following weekend.

Splash Mountain... still closed.  But not for long.

Splash Mountain... still closed.  But not for long.

Splash Mountain has a drop again!  That's helpful.

Splash Mountain has a drop again!  That's helpful.

Spring Break has been in full effect, as evidence by wait times such as this... on a Monday.  

I do enjoy Astro Blasters a lot, but geez, 45 minutes?? This isn't Midway Mania, folks.

I do enjoy Astro Blasters a lot, but geez, 45 minutes?? This isn't Midway Mania, folks.

Disneyland also recently confirmed that, as part of Pixar Fest, Redd Rockett's Pizza Port will be transformed into Alien Pizza Planet, the famed pizza parlor from Toy Story.  This overlay is meant to be seasonal for the duration of Pixar Fest, which runs through Labor Day weekend.  But as we saw with Fantasyland's Village Haus metamorphosis into the Red Rose Taverne last year, some temporary layovers seem to continue longer than expected.

Soon to feature more IP!  Although, really, when I was a kid, I always thought Pizza Port was trying to half by the Toy Story restaurant anyway.

Soon to feature more IP!  Although, really, when I was a kid, I always thought Pizza Port was trying to half by the Toy Story restaurant anyway.

Disneyland also announced their next Disneyland After Dark event would be a Star Wars Nite on Thursday evening, May 3.  Tickets are sold out already, so if you're one of those privileged few who are paying premium money for a few exclusive hours of nighttime park experience with a Star Wars twist, have fun?

**picture of something Star Wars here to fit the heading above**

**picture of something Star Wars here to fit the heading above**

Finally, with the completion of the Main Street trolley tracks and the opening up of Town Square, Main Street, and The Hub again, fireworks have returned to the park.  Remember... Dreams Come True has been running nightly during this spring break period, although, of course, that's only a placeholder for the Together Forever fireworks spectacular debuting in a week and a half.  This also means Mickey's Toontown is no longer open late.  I know, such a shame for the 3.7 nighttime Toontown fans out there.

Mickey's Toontown had been open up until park closing until the fireworks recently resumed.  The early closing is actually a norm.

Mickey's Toontown had been open up until park closing until the fireworks recently resumed.  The early closing is actually a norm.

That does it for today.  A quick update (well, quick by our usual Disneyland Resort update standards), because I didn't feel like combining Disneyland, DCA, and Downtown Disney into one update.  But we'll be back with a look at the rest of the Resort happenings.

Until then...

Sproo bah!

Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.