DLW 105: Mary Blair

This week, we discuss Fuel Rod reversal, the holidays moving in with the help of some VIPs, more merchandise has arrived, a celebrity visits Galaxy’s Edge, DCA recovers from Halloween, a Disney Legend, and more!

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News:

After all of the outrage online about the $3 swap fee coming to the Fuel Rods at Disneyland, the company and Disney have announced that there will not be a fee to swap the chargers for a fresh one. The area of the kiosks that stated the fee have been covered up, and we expect new signage will be swapped in to look more permanent and less temporary. – https://wdwnt.com/2019/11/photos-fuelrod-cancels-planned-swap-fees-for-phone-chargers-at-disney-parks-following-public-backlash-and-potential-lawsuit/

Star Wars fans of the prequels might recognize a star that visited Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge this past week. Hayden Christensen, better know by Star Wars fans as Anakin Skywalker, stopped into the new land with his daughter to experience Smuggler’s Run and to build a lightsaber in Savi’s Workshop. It was his daughters 5th birthday. They spent the rest of the day at the resort. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/10/hayden-christensen-visits-star-wars-galaxys-edge-at-disneyland-park-for-the-first-time/

Hatbox Ghost Tiki Mugs are still available as of the recording of this episode, so if any of you are looking to pick one up, you can still do so. Also, buttons promoting The Little Mermaid live musical on ABC were available outside of the Little Mermaid attraction in DCA this week ahead of the showing. The show aired on Tuesday night, so we don’t know if they will still have them after the show. – https://www.micechat.com/241041-disneyland-update-part-2-not-so-fast-pass/

It is no surprise that with the holidays starting this week that the park has debuted some new merchandise. Included this year are some new spirit jerseys, toys, sippers, bags, ears, and more. The color scheme for a lot of these items is black, white, and red. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/10/unwrap-new-holiday-merchandise-now-available-at-disney-parks/

A new sipper is coming to the resort this holiday season. The new offering looks like a giant Mickey shaped Christmas ornament. It is decorated with Mickey shaped cutouts and is covered in a shiny red coating. The sipper should be available around the resort once the holiday season kicks off on November 8th. – http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2019/11/04/deck-your-halls-with-the-new-mickey-ornament-sipper-at-disneyland-resort/

With the holiday season starting in just a couple of days, the decorations around the parks have really become apparent. Garland is up on Main Street, the iconic tree has been installed, poinsettias have been planted, land specific themed decorations are also visible in Critter Country, Frontierland, and it’s a small world has almost completed its transformation. – https://www.micechat.com/241429-disneyland-update-unpacking-the-holidays-for-2019/

Sleeping Beauty Castle’s transformation into the winter castle has been completed. The castle is now adorned with it’s snow covered turrets, garland, and icicles. The roof covering that gives this look had to be completely repainted this year to compliment the new color scheme for the castle. – https://www.micechat.com/241429-disneyland-update-unpacking-the-holidays-for-2019/

To help deck the halls at Disneyland, two VIPs installed the tree topper on the Disneyland tree in Town Square. Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Bob Chapek, and Disneyland Vice President Kris Theiler got strapped into a couple of cherry pickers and took a photo at the top installing the star. – https://www.micechat.com/241041-disneyland-update-part-2-not-so-fast-pass/

Along with all of the decorations, nighttime entertainment will also be available. World of Color – Season of Light will return since it was absent from the offerings last year due to damage with the jets. A Christmas Fantasy Parade will step off in Disneyland, and Believe… In Holiday Magic will light up the sky above the park. – https://www.micechat.com/241429-disneyland-update-unpacking-the-holidays-for-2019/

A new season brings some new food options! The first new churro is a peppermint chocolate churro. This one is drizzled in chocolate and peppermint, and is covered in peppermint pieces. The holiday sprinkles churro is exactly what it sounds like, a churro covered in colorful sugar sprinkles. Finally, an icing and sprinkles churro that is covered in the other kind of sprinkles that are not just colored sugar crystals. – http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2019/11/04/get-a-sneak-peek-at-the-holiday-churros-coming-to-disneyland/

Don’t worry if you think you have missed out on the holiday offerings if you can’t make it to the parks before the end of the year. From January 17th through February 9th, the Lunar New Year celebration will return at Disney California Adventure. This year it is celebrating the Year of the Mouse. A couple weeks later, from February 28th through April 21st, the DCA Food and Wine Festival will take place. New this year is merchandise themed to the festival. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2019/10/lunar-new-year-and-disney-california-adventure-food-wine-festival-return-to-disneyland-resort-in-2020/

The Festival of the Holidays is also returning this year from November 8th through January 6th. There are 12 booths this year including “Brews and Bites” which will offer local, seasonal, and international brews. “Favorite Things” included holiday ham shanks, an eggnog cocktail, and cranberry sangria last year. Grandma’s Recipes served candied yams, beef pot roast, and tart and fruity flight last year, new this year is a shepherds pie served with a Mickey shaped topping. Other booths include Holiday Duets, Making Spirits Bright, Merry Mashups, A Twist on Tradition, Winter Sliderland, and more. – http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2019/11/02/theyre-here-the-festival-of-holidays-booths-and-booth-names-have-been-spotted-in-disneyland/

A new line of retro merchandise has hit the shelves around the resort. Anyone who remembers the old VHS Disney animated classics will love the new journals that are about as thick as the old VHS cases and have that great look. A lot of merchandise with the shows and characters from 80’s shows like Duck Tales and Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers. Over in DCA at the Collectors Warehouse, there is a variety of retro games and other items from the 80s. – https://www.micechat.com/241028-olds-cool-retro-merchandise-at-disneyland/

The Redwood Creek Challenge trail is closed to make way for the removal of the Villains Grove overlay that was installed for the Oogie Boogie Bash. – https://www.micechat.com/241429-disneyland-update-unpacking-the-holidays-for-2019/

Disney+ booth coming to Downtown Disney or Red Car Trolley Stop – https://www.micechat.com/241041-disneyland-update-part-2-not-so-fast-pass/

Discussion Topic:

Mary Blair – Wikipedia – Magic of Mary Blair – D23 – Disney Wikia – Walt Disney Family Museum – Yesterland – Pocket Full of Colors Book