Disneyland Resort Update: Yet Another Construction Project

Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA

We're going to close out the week with Disneyland, continuing a recent trend of reversing our normal pattern. But hey, you gotta keep things interesting, right? And there are certainly a lot of interesting things happening all around the Disneyland Resort. Mostly in construction form. We're going to focus on four of them today, including one that has really ramped into gear the past couple of weeks!

Mickey and Friends Parking Expansion

The Pinocchio parking lot is no more. Instead in its place will be a new 6500-stall parking structure, built right next to the existing Mickey and Friends structure, to accommodate increased capacity once Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens. I'll be calling it the "Pinocchio Parking Structure" in future updates, for the sake of what once stood.

Ground clearing has really ramped up over the past couple of weeks, and there is no trace of the parking lot anymore. The extent of the construction work also outline why the security line was moved to the first floor of the Mickey and Friends structure. There is no way the tram loading and security check could have existed in their previous place anymore.

I haven't checked to see when the structure is expected to be completed, but hopefully, it will be before next May or so, when "Star Wars" Land is expected to open!

Here's the view coming down the escalator at the Mickey and Friends parking structure!

The new parking structure has re-routed a lot of circulation to the parks. For those interested, there is indeed still a walking path to Downtown Disney for those who don't want to tram.

Take this crosswalk here to the pathway toward the corner of Disneyland Drive and Magic Way.

Meanwhile, in future parking structure land, stuff be torn up!

A lot of trenching is probably for underground utilities. There's also some rough grading for what I assume will be a ramp that serves the structure.

It's going to be pretty messy while they build this.

And they'll probably be working quickly.

After all, they have limited time to get this done, after the breakdown of the Harbor Gateway project on the opposite side of Resort property.

You can see how the tram stops have changed. Where guests originally loaded to go the park is now a disembarkation zone. Loading happens inside the structure.

R.I.P. lights (or we'll probably see them reused elsewhere).

That's that, for all you parking construction enthusiasts!

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Aside from all the rockwork, we're starting to see some of structural steel framing for other buildings and structures on the interior of the land. In the meantime, lets admire some more fake rock infrastructure.

Fear not, anyone who missed the opening panoramas in these updates.

Your overview of "Star Wars" Land is back!

Well, the back of "Star Wars" Land, anyway.

I forgot two updates ago, and I didn't have time last update. But I remembered this time.

Here's another angle.

The facade of the Millennium Falcon building is finishing up.

Meanwhile, the First Order building keeps getting more rocks to obscure things.

Well, technically framing and mesh for the rocks in some places.

Different levels of completion.

But I love how these are looking already!

And the more finished rocks look even better!

Battuu apparently just has a lot of phallic looking rocks, I guess.

It's impressive how much steel is being used for this land.

Good thing they bought it before the tariffs?

That rock spire has a hole in it!

They keep on moving things into the First Order building, so they need this giant opening still.

More steel is extending from the building as part of other structures!

It's moving along pretty quickly.

Impressive to see structural steel going in even a year after it began.

That's a lot of engineering!

The giant mechanical units are getting covered from the park side. And maybe footings for some poles of some sort?

Looking toward the Critter Country entrance.

Minor bits of progress, like the retaining wall on the right getting painting and aging.

As I've repeated like a broken record, the scale of this land is just incredible.

But really, there has been a lot of work that's been hidden from public view, due to obstructions and angles. So here's the honestly amazing video that Disney released a couple of weeks ago showcasing what's been happening so far--with fantastic drone footage of the interior of the land! See if you can spot what correlates with the photos above!

Pixar Pier

Construction continues to speed along, with noticeable progress on the Incredicoaster, Mickey's Fun Wheel, and the future Lamplight Lounge and shop across from it. However, perhaps the most exciting news to DCA booze fans is that the Cove Bar has temporarily reopened for the next two months or so. Yes, if you love very alcoholic but cartoonishly sweet drinks and lobster nachos, rush over and visit Cove Bar! Because everyone else is.

Also, King Triton's Carousel closed down on March 5, making Toy Story Midway Mania the sole attraction in the whole of Paradise Pier's backside. It will be transformed into Jessie's Critter Carousel. Definitely a miss by not naming it Woody's Roundup.

Oh, and Disney announced some amazingly terrible-kitsch names for some of the food stands going into Pixar Pier. Poultry Palace, you will forever haunt my judgmental dreams. And the designs look like they were taken from whoever thought the aesthetic of A Bug's Land was a great idea to just transplant. I mean, that's an improvement over a Victorian seaside pier, right? ...right?

It's a glimpse of Pixar Pier!

Yup, this thing is still going on.

And it involves the remodeling of a lot of buildings.

Here's the future Lamplight Lounge.

They're changing up the entrance facade and putting up scaffolding for repainting.

Looks like they temporarily paused work on the entry archway structure.

As for the store across the path...

If you want to enter... TOO BAD!

Home of the future Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats stand.

The Incredicoaster has seen its first noticeable change.

The first of the old California Screamin' "scream tunnels" has been fully enclosed.

And it is a very bold red.

Work continues to progress on the launch.

Mickey's Fun Wheel is getting repainted too.

It's going from red trim to turquoise.

And the boardwalk games are getting their facade improvements too.

Close-up of Fun Wheel repainting.

I guess it's just switching colors with Screamin's tubes.

A glimpse at the Paradise Pier games being worked on.

The exterior finishes have been completed stripped down to the plywood sheathing.

Another look at the launch!

Here's another close-up of the first tube, which is supposed to feature special (video?) effects as riders launch through.

It's so red.

Very red.

The reddest.

You can see the other tube being changed out right now. It may even be done at this point.

Triton's Carousel has closed.

They're taking down the canopy and beginning the process of re-theming it.

Also, here's this week's progress on the Incredicoaster station roof updating.

Building up a bit of parapet?

The elevator tower.

They have removed some of the standing seam metal roofing for the roof extension.

The photo booth is also having a major facelift.

Here's the trail down to the now-lonely Toy Story Midway Mania.

It's at least gotten new paint, as I pointed out last week.

Another angle of the carousel.

Close-up.

Soon, this will be rodeo themed! Or thereabouts.

The new paint job on Midway Mania looks great, though!

And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for...

Cove Bar is back!!

Yes, THIS IS HAPPENING!!

Disneyphiles can be whole again. They have their special cocktails and lobster nachos back.

The armageddon has been averted.

I'm teasing, but it does amuse me how so many people have been following the fate of the Cove Bar and its menu items with baited breath.

Oh, and they be tearing **** up at the former Ariel's Grotto too!

Downtown Disney Construction

I mentioned this a few updates ago, but World of Disney has been undergoing a months-long refurbishment and refreshing to create more contemporary design and shopping spaces. The biggest segment yet comes in the form of closing down over half the store. It will reopen in the fall.

In addition Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes and Ballast Point continue their construction. But you can't see much inside, because, ya know, construction privacy.

Here is the new condensed World of Disney.

It's still the size of a regular mall Disne Store.

But don't worry. If you can't find something here, just go to one of the other 37 Disney brand stores in Downtown Disney!

New magical shopping coming this fall.

I do love how they built a giant wall to divide the construction zone from the finished zone. I mean, they have to, but it's still an obnoxiously big wall.

This is one of the very many Downtown Disney refreshes they've been doing this year to make the shopping promenade more modern and unique.

So for now, enter World of Disney from the La Brea Bakery side, not the Starbucks side.

Oh, and right now, the Easter Egg-stravaganza is back at the Disneyland Resort. You can go on an Easter egg hunt in both parks and Downtown Disney! There's a different card for each. Find the eggs (or even don't) and come back to redeem a prize! It's a fun little not-broadly-advertised thing that I happen to find cute.

Naples continues its outdoor bar and lounge expansion.

There's a giant rendering of what things will look like when done.

The restaurant is still open. Just go past the work walls.

Downtown Disney is definitely in the spring decoration spirit.

Finally, a quick update on Ballast Point.

There's some steel tubes for a corner sign to be installed.

The exterior of Black Tap is being primed for a new paint job.

It doesn't quite look like the architecture of the facade will change much, though?

Miscellaneous

A couple of Disney parks news items here. First of all, there's a Stitch bubble blower, and it is freaking adorably awesome. Look at it!!

Also, Disney recently announced some new changes for the future. A Marvel-themed land has officially been made public and will take over Hollywood Land and A Bug's Land. It's Tough To Be A Bug closed last Sunday, and the rest of the land will close at the end of the summer.

The walls are down at Main Street, and the completed brick-laid trolley track and paving look fantastic. Unfortunately, I didn't make it inside Disneyland in time to take any good photos, but my friend, Brandon of DizFeed captured a good night photo of what it looks like!

Oh, and spring is in full bloom even outside the actual parks themselves, and it looks pretty!