All the Disneyland news to care about this week
Attractions are coming back online and is Cars Land getting an expansion?
Is it just me, or has DLR been remarkably not busy lately?
After a scorching start to the month, Touring Plans has been regularly rating crowd levels at just 2 or 3 throughout most of June.
Of course, that’s just me looking at apps and wait times and even Touring Plans doesn’t have a magical orb that lets them see actual crowd numbers (at least, I don’t think they do), as it’s all based on wait time averages. So, perhaps somehow the parks are still busy, but wait times are just low. Perhaps an influence of the Park Hopping rules going bye bye?
Yet, you have Fresh Based posting a video earlier this week of a practically non-existent Mission Breakout queue.
My recent trip to the parks was great. Not too crowded, besides one day that felt busier. But it’s sure hard not to feel FOMO when you see those numbers.
ANYways, here’s all the Disneyland news you should care about this week.
🏴☠️ Pirates Is Back. And It Got Some Work Done.
Pirates of the Caribbean reopens June 26 after nearly eight weeks of refurbishment. Brutal.
During the closure, Disney gave the attraction a bit of Botox by upkeeping and enhancing the ride’s rockwork and lighting, along with the animation of the Audio-Animatronics figures. So not a full overhaul, but more than a paint job — the kind of behind-the-scenes maintenance that makes a difference even if most guests won’t know exactly what changed.
Worth noting: Blue Bayou Restaurant reopened back on May 21 while the ride was still dark, though the view into the Pirates scene was blocked off for part of that time. The full experience, including the secret Jumbo Gumbo, should be back to normal by the time you read this.
🚀 Buzz Is Back Too (Sorry, No Toy Story 5 Makeover)
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters reopened June 12 after a two-month refurbishment. If you were holding out hope for a full Toy Story 5 transformation — new vehicles, updated scenes, the whole Florida treatment — Disneyland, sadly, didn’t go that route.
The work appears to have been maintenance focused, though the exterior got a noticeable refresh: columns near the entrance changed from purple to yellow and red to blue, and lower trim around the facade was repainted in a bright teal.
The ride itself is the same Buzz you know. I guess that’s fine, but I can’t lie that part of me was hoping there’d be a fun new surprise. Still, it’s nice to have this attraction back in the Tomorrowland rotation.
😬 A 13-Year-Old Climbed Out of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Filed under things not to ever do: A 13-year-old boy apparently climbed out of his ride vehicle on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure on June 21 — right before the 50-foot drop at the end of the ride. He slid down on his own, was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, and was later released with minor cuts and scrapes. A cast member spotted it and stopped the ride immediately.
Thankfully, it doesn’t appear to have been anything serious, albeit it’s still a “what the crap?!” moment.
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigated and found no operational issues with the ride. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was back up and running by Monday.
The ride has no lap bars or seat belts by design, and of course anytime something like this happens there are going to be critics who act like it’s all Disney’s fault. I’ve ridden the two version of that ride at least a dozen times, and many of you have ridden it many more times than that, and yet none of us have ever decided to randomly climb out of the vehicle.
I’m much more worried about getting put in the front seat and getting that “bayou water” in my mouth. Still, I hope the kid is OK and whatever prompted it is able to be addressed safely.
🔍 Rumor Check
Is a Cars Land expansion quietly in the works?
Work in and around the Avengers Campus area includes a section of the walkway between Avengers Campus and Cars Land that is currently closed (which, frankly, has been annoying to my feet for all the extra steps it causes me to take).
Speculation has been building about what exactly is going in there. Disney hasn’t said anything, and the current closure could be entirely unrelated to a Cars Land expansion and just for safety during construction.
Still, with Cars turning 20 this year and the land getting obvious merchandise attention, it’s not hard to see why people are connecting dots.
Likelihood: 3/10 — interesting timing, but not much to go on yet.
⚡ Quick Hits
Soarin’ switchover this week — Soarin’ Over California closes June 30. Soarin’ Across America debuts July 2. Your last few days for the California version are now.
OBB tickets on sale now — Oogie Boogie Bash general tickets went on sale June 18. Dates sell out. Don’t sleep on it.
Celebrate Soulfully underway — Runs through July 19 with concerts and programming at Paradise Gardens Bandstand. The Yardfest Downtown Disney kickoff was June 19.
King Arthur Carrousel closing July 6 — Brief refurbishment, reopening July 17 — which happens to be Disneyland’s 71st birthday. Nice timing for an opening day attraction.
Matterhorn closing July 20 — Brief closure, back July 24. Routine maintenance.
70th Anniversary ending August 9 — Paint the Night and Wondrous Journeys get a reprieve through August 20, but the official celebration wraps in about seven weeks. Frankly, it was super cool and all, but this thing has run its course.