Food costs more, there's a new restaurant, and somewhere in Disney's HR archives there's a file on Will Ferrell. Let's get into it.
🍔 Food Prices Just Went Up. Again.
Disney quietly raised prices on hundreds of food and beverage items across Disneyland Resort this week. The increases aren’t dramatic on any individual item, but they’re widespread — basically everything got bumped. A churro is now $6.25 (up from $5.75). A scoop of popcorn is $7 (up from $6.50). A vanilla soft serve cone will run you nearly $7. Bottled water is $5.49. Cocktails went up $1 across the board.
Quick-service dishes took the biggest hits, with some items jumping as much as 23% — the kids’ bean and cheese burrito at Rancho del Zocalo quietly went from $9 to $13. The average increase across all menus works out to around 8%, which is above the current rate of restaurant inflation nationwide.
This is the annual summer food bump that Disney does every year, typically followed by a broader ticket and Magic Key price increase in October. If history holds, expect the next round of sticker shock around October 7.
For now, I think I can handle the extra $0.50 for popcorn, but it’s never fun when things cost more than they used to. Of course you can always bring in your own food, but if we’re being honest I’ll most likely happily shell out the extra cash without a second thought.
🎃 The Oogie Boogie Bash Is Getting Yzma
Disney teased the newest villain joining this year’s Oogie Boogie Bash treat trails, and — while they’re officially playing coy — it’s pretty obviously Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove. The teaser video features purple smoke, a table full of pink potions, and a single purple feather drifting down into frame. Disney’s caption: “A mysterious potion is brewing…” Cool, cool. The clues aren’t exactly cryptic.
Yzma has had some past park appearances as a masked character, but the expectation is she’ll appear as a face character for the Bash — which makes sense, since a huge chunk of what makes Yzma work is her delivery. As a Villains Treat Trail character with banter opportunities, she should be a slam dunk.
The Bash kicks off August 18. Some dates are already sold out, so if you’re thinking about it, now’s the time to by me a ticket and invite me. I mean, uh, buy yourself one, I guess.
New Haunted Mansion Popcorn Bucket is Dropping
Speaking of spooks, there’s a new popcorn bucket that I might be willing to make room in my house for.
That’s right, the Hatbox Ghost is getting the bucket treatment. And if it works the way I think it will, you might actually be able to fit a decent amount of popcorn in there.
Now we just need Disneyland to adopt the same refill options as WDW.
🇬🇧 Gordon Ramsay Opened a Restaurant at Downtown Disney
Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby officially opened Monday, July 14, in Downtown Disney. It’s on the second floor above the new Earl of Sandwich, near the west end of the district.
The concept is a 1960s Carnaby Street-themed British gastropub, which is admittedly a very specific vibe to go for in Anaheim. The menu leans into Ramsay classics: beef Wellington, fish and chips, sticky toffee pudding, signature cocktails, yada yada. The restaurant seats about 175 and includes a terrace with a view over Downtown Disney — and reportedly of the fireworks on select nights.
Currently open for dinner only (4:30-10 p.m.), with lunch and brunch menus reportedly coming later. Reservations via OpenTable; walk-ins welcome based on availability. First reviews have been mixed but generally positive — with the honest caveat that anything worth going for inside the parks will probably taste better than the same thing at a Downtown Disney tourist trap. We’ll see.
🔍 Rumor Check - Will D23 Drop a Big D-Announcement?
Will the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23 drop a major Disneyland expansion announcement? — D23 runs August 14–16, and Disney just released the full programming schedule.
The Saturday Disney Experiences Showcase is historically where the biggest parks announcements land. In 2024, it’s where the Villains Land reveal happened.
With Halloween Time kicking off just days later and the 70th Celebration wrapping, Disney has every incentive to drop something big about what comes next for Disneyland.
We know the Avengers Campus expansion is in progress. Whether they’ve got something even bigger waiting in the wings is the real question.
Likelihood: 7/10 — the setup is perfect, and Disney rarely wastes a D23 showcase.
⚡ Quick Hits
D23 Day is August 13 at Disneyland — All guests with valid admission get complimentary unlimited PhotoPass downloads that day. Expect a Disney Legends Cavalcade, free Mickey ears while supplies last, a princess concert, and very large crowds.
Will Ferrell worked at Disneyland for exactly one day — He wanted to be a Jungle Cruise skipper. They put him in a ticket kiosk. He bailed for a friend’s surf shop and had someone call Disney on his behalf and claim he had a tryout with the Dallas Cowboys. Somewhere in Disney’s HR system, that’s his official reason for leaving (at least I hope that’s the case, it wouldn’t be that weird if they didn’t write that down).
70th Celebration ends August 9 — Less than a month left, although at this point anyone who cared has probably already experienced it. Frankly, I’m ready for some new limited time snacks. Paint the Night and Wondrous Journeys run through August 20.
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