DLW 267: Conclusion of Our Holiday 2022 Trip

This week, what the parks were like for the holidays, previews of the two new nighttime spectaculars, runDisney returning, a fire in New Orleans Square, Lunar New Year and Food and Wine booths announced, we finish our trip recap, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! DISCOUNTS! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order! We have partnered with the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground to get great deals for our listeners! Book your stay at the Howard Johnson Anaheim and get 15% off your stay (code 1000022077)! Magic Key Holders get 20% off their stay (code 1000025935) as well! Book now! Need the perfect bag for your days in the parks? Look no further than Designer Park Co.! Purchase the Rope Drop Bag as featured on Episode 222 and get 10% off your purchase! Use coupon code DLWEEKLY to get the discount.

News

Weeklyteers who have been missing the runDisney events on the west coast, we have great news for you! runDisney is coming back to Disneyland in January 2024! The event in 2024 will take place over the weekend of the 11th through the 14th and include three endurance events, a challenge, and more! With the return of runDisney to Disneyland, the return of the Coast to Coast Race Challenge has also been announced. Registration for the west coast event starts February 7th for Club runDisney, with general registration open to the public on February 14th. For all of the details, check out the link in our show notes. https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/01/runners-ready-set-go-dates-for-2023-2024-rundisney-race-season-are-here/ The new spectacular Wondrous Journeys coming to Disneyland for the Disney100 was previewed in a behind-the-scenes video on the Disney Parks Blog. In the video, music from the new show and concept artwork and testing for the new show we previewed. https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2022/12/disneyland-resort-reveals-new-details-for-wondrous-journeys-coming-to-disneyland-park-beginning-jan-27/ In the early morning hours of December 29th, a small fire broke out at the New Orleans Square Station. The fire was contained to the small building on the far right of the station, across the tracks from where guests queue up to board. The water tower next to the building involved does not appear to have been damaged. The train opened with the rest of the park that morning, with scrims already up masking the damage from guests. No word on the cause of the fire yet. https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/12/29/small-fire-confirmed-by-cast-members-at-disneyland-resort/#more-759349 With Lunar New Year just around the corner, Disney has announced the food marketplaces that will be available this year. Returning are Lucky 9 Lantern, Prosperity Bao & Buns, Red Dragon Spice Traders, and Longevity Noodle Co. New this year are Bamboo Blessings, and Wrapped with Love. The booths will serve a variety of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese foods. Returning for the event is the Sip and Savor Pass. Lunar New Year kicks off on January 20th and runs through February 15th. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disney-california-adventure/lunar-new-year-food-marketplaces/ Since the introduction of the Genie+ service, it has been pretty much available to everyone. The service sold out for three days in a row between Christmas and New Year's Eve. The service was even at a higher price point for those days when it sold out. Guests were not completely out of luck, the individual Lightning Lane reservations for Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers were still available. If you are planning on going to Disneyland during a busy time of year, make sure to purchase Genie+ early in the day to avoid missing it if it sells out. https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/12/28/genie-sells-out-in-disneyland/#more-758995 This year will bring some new perks to the Magic Key program at Disneyland. New items are coming to the Magic Key Terrace, like Barbeque Short Rib Sliders, and a Mint Julep Cocktail. Key Holders who purchase the Disney100 popcorn bucket will get refills for just $1.50 each through February 12th. A new Disney100 print will be available for pickup, and booking Walt's Main Street Story guided tour between January 9th and January 26th will receive a commemorative button. A Magic Key exclusive Pandora charm will also be available, in addition to new PhotoPass Magic Shots between January 9th and January 19th. https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/12/28/new-perks-announced-for-disneyland-magic-key-holders/#more-758886 At long last, the Indiana Jones Adventure will be getting the TLC it deserves and has sorely needed for quite some time now. A new animatronic snake was spotted by various online sources, which we spotted ourselves when riding the monorail on our December trip. This means that at the very least, we will have a fixed snake in the attraction. Currently, the refurbishment is scheduled to last from January 9th to "Spring, 2023." This is quite the length of time and is a good sign that things will be much better when it returns! https://www.micechat.com/342798-disneyland-update-and-the-verdict-is/ There are some changes coming to a couple of popular stores in Downtown Disney. Wonderground Gallery and the Disney Home store are closing on January 9th and will return with some changes. The rumor for the Wonderground Gallery is that it will be moving to the old ESPN building, which will give it a lot more space and finally do something with the empty building. The Disney Home store then may expand into the Wonderground Gallery space next door. During the closure, much of the merchandise from these stores will be available at other Downtown Disney locations. https://www.micechat.com/343186-disneyland-news-wonderground-gallery-disney-home-set-for-transformation/ New Years Eve at Disneyland was a wet one, but that didn't keep guests away. Disneyland setup some temporary barriers to keep walkways open and separate from fireworks viewing, directional signage to help guests get around in the crowds, and more. For those of you who watched the entertainment on TV through Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve with Ryan Seacrest, you would think that the park was dry and full of famous performers. This was not the case since most of these were pre-recorded. The rain did make for a great light show at midnight to ring in the new year. Other than attraction wait times being very long because of Genie+ reservations, the park was a pretty great place to be. https://www.micechat.com/343222-disneyland-update-dont-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out/ The Magic Shop on Main Street has been run by Houdini Magic since 2009 but was recently purchased by Vanishing Inc. The new owners are looking to make some changes to the Magic Shop, which current employees of the location are optimistic about. When completed, the store should be more impressive inside and out. https://www.micechat.com/343222-disneyland-update-dont-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out/ Shortly after the Lunar New Year Celebration wraps up, the Food & Wine Festival will be moving in on March 3rd. No new food booths have been announced this year, but all the booths from last year's celebration should be returning. Just like with the Lunar New Year Celebration, the Sip and Savor Pass will be for sale, offering 8 tabs that can be used at any of the 12 booths. https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/12/29/food-booths-announced-for-2023-food-and-wine-festival-in-disney-california-adventure/ During Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, a short preview was shown of World of Color - ONE coming to Disney California Adventure on January 27th. Encanto, Soul, Mulan, and Pocahontas scenes were shown in the short promo for the celebration. At the very end, there was even a Star Wars section which will be only the second time Star Wars has been in a World of Color show. https://dlnewstoday.com/2022/12/video-first-look-at-world-of-color-one-star-wars-scenes-confirmed/

Discussion

Tage and Teresa – Disney Studios and Imagineering