Disneyland Resort Update: A Spring Awakening
Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA
Happy Monday and… end of February already???… folks? Well, we’ve come upon the cusp of the third month of the year already, and we’ve got a short and eye candy update from the Disneyland Resort to start the week off. This update comes during one of Disneyland’s actual off-season periods. Though the Resort doesn’t really have off seasons anymore, the brief time between the Lunar New Year Celebration and the Food and Wine Festival comes as close as close as one can get (not that the ride waits might suggest otherwise). So lets check out what’s happening around the resort, as well as one of the favorite times of year for Disneyland photographers like myself—the blooming of the Tabebuia trees around the parks!
The Trams Return
There was big fanfare last Wednesday when the Mickey and Friends / Pixar Pals trams made their long awaited return. The trams had been out of commission since the park reopening, causing all sorts of inconveniences to guests who did not want or were physically unable to take the long trek from the parking structures all the way to the Esplanade. And while during normal operations, I often take the walking route because it’s actually faster than waiting for a busy tram queue, I understand the frustration over not having a basic amenity for guests with younger or older family members or are tired at the end of the night or have disabilities or just don’t want to have to be on foot more than they already will be at a theme park.
It’s odd that Disney put out so much fanfare over the return of the trams. Although guests were excited to have them back, it was more the type of excitement you have over the return of something you’ve always had, not because of any actual new innovation. Regardless, it’s a step back toward normalcy—the type of good move that doesn’t deserve applause, but does deserve mention.
Food & Wine Festival Preparation
Over in Disney California Adventure, the food booths for the Food and Wine Festival have been mostly placed along the Parade / Festival Corridor, in advance of the return of the Food and Wine Festival starting this Friday, March 4th. The event will run all the way through Tuesday, April 26th, and will feature plenty of gourmet goodies, live entertainment, and shopping opportunities like previous years have run. Hopefully, with a lot more culinary booth capacity than the Lunar New Year, this event won’t see the maddeningly long lines that plagued last month’s seasonal event.
World of Color Preparation
In Paradise Pier, work continues on the projection booths that cast onto the fan fountains of World of Color. Disney announced that World of Color will officially return on Friday, April 22nd, along with Disneyland Forever and the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland. FANTASMIC! will also make it’s long-awaited re-debut, but a month later, on Saturday, May 28th (Memorial Day weekend).
Boardwalk Restaurants Update
Last month, Paradise Garden Grill was open for food for the Lunar New Year Celebration, but Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta was not. This past weekend, Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta was open for business, but the Garden Grill was not. I suppose there were still staffing shortages to mention. Either that or they really don’t want the Garden Grill to ever have a normal menu again. The (presumed) menu for the Food and Wine Festival is up, though.
Magic Key Celebration Month Concludes
Today is the last day of the Magic Key Celebration Month. During the first half of February, guests could go to an area across from Blue Sky Cellar and collect a souvenir print celebrating Disneyland’s famous mountains. For the second half, the location has moved to Silly Symphony Swings, and the souvenir prints celebrates Disney’s transportation attractions. Guests can also receive a souvenir sunglass—one per pass.
Springtime at Disney California Adventure
The rest of this update is all pretty pictures. Though it’s not March yet, springtime has come to the Disneyland Resort in the form of the blooming trumpet trees that can be found scattered across Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. These lovely pink blossoms happen every year around this time, though not always consistently or together. But they’re lovely to enjoy and photograph, so here are some photos of those Tabebuias at Buena Vista Street’s Carthay Circle and Pacific Wharf. There are also some photos of the Five and Dime band that regularly performs at Carthay Circle, but now at the stage area around the fountain instead of more in the street like they used to (COVID procedures still in play).
Springtime at Disneyland
At Disneyland, the Tabebuias are in bloom around The Hub too. They’re not all pink at the same time to the same extent (though that has hardly ever happened in the past), but they still look lovely, especially in the late golden hour light and with some nice sunset skies in front of the castle. Enjoy these photos of Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom as it makes another transition from winter.
That wraps up this update from the Disneyland Resort. There are other maintenance and construction activities happening too that we didn’t cover this round, but they’re mostly the TLC variety (other than Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway). It’s almost as if not having construction of a new expansion land greatly reduces the amount of coverage needed!
Tabebui-bah!
Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.
