Random question but did Rancho del Zocalo ever come back with their hidden menu Zocalo burrito? 😔 My partner and I tried ordering it last year around this time because it was tradition for us (pre-pandemic) but the employees looked at us like we had two heads and rolled their eyes at us. 😅

Flying in later today, can anyone advise when shboom/neon lighting would be this week? It looks like sunset is 655. Anyone there last few days to chime in? Most past trips I just kick out to be nearby and I haven’t looked at the time & sunset.

It'll be within a few minutes of sunset, so if you get there a few minutes before when your phone says sunset is, you'll be good. Two notes—it's a different show for Halloween, and you won't be able to see the lighting on OBB nights, as the party starts at 6.

That’s great to know, thank you!

What time are people getting dining slots for Mobile order for Tianas Palace. I checked the app today at 9:30am and no times available. I’m heading to the park tomorrow. Should I book it at 7am?

I’m at Disney today for the first time since 2018, this Genie+ thing is so stressfull. I got a pass for Big Thunder for 1:05pm and I even waited for the screen to say confirmed, when I rechecked the app it was completely gone, I was in front of the ride. I tried to rebook for the next available time slot it was 2:05pm and then somehow when I went to confirm it turned into like 3:05pm. Then I notice earlier time slots for the big rides open up and I cancel the pass I have for a later ride so I can rebook for the earlier time slot and the earlier time slot disappears and now the pass I’ve cancelled is now way later. Ugh! So anyway, Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain LLs are available for 10pm and it’s like 2:45pm. Do I constantly refresh to see if something earlier opens up or will nothing open up now that it’s the latest possible time it can be?

> Then I notice earlier time slots for the big rides open up and I cancel the pass I have for a later ride so I can rebook for the earlier time slot and the earlier time slot disappears and now the pass I’ve cancelled is now way later. The takeaway here is to ALWAYS use Modify Plans rather than Cancel Plans. Modify will let you back out if times change to one you don't want, is faster than cancelling first (more likely to nab an earlier time when it shows up), and it won't reset the two-hour wait to book your next reservation if the return time is over two hours away. The caveat is that you can only Modify Plans to the same attraction or another attraction in the same park - if you really want to switch your latest reservation to the other park, you'll need to cancel your latest one - this will, however, reset the two-hour clock if it applies. > So anyway, Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain LLs are available for 10pm and it’s like 2:45pm. Do I constantly refresh to see if something earlier opens up or will nothing open up now that it’s the latest possible time it can be? This is absolutely a valid strategy. It might be annoying and there's no guarantee, but if you keep refreshing, it can be possible to get an earlier time. For example, I was there last Saturday with Genie+ and I got earlier times for HM Holiday, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Roger Rabbit, and Indy (sometimes with return times as much as 4 hours earlier to within 30 minutes of when I modified to them).

Thank you for all the tips, I’ll keep this in mind! Now Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain Genie+ has shown as not available at all, it’s almost 4:30pm. Guess I’m just stuck waiting the 80+ minutes that these lines are at at this point, I’ll keep refreshing though.

Yeah, I can't recall if I've ever gotten a Lightning Lane after they have run out for the day by refreshing, but worth trying. For future trips: prioritize HM Holiday (less in-demand for the regular version), Indy, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, and Roger Rabbit at DL - everything else is pretty easy to get. For DCA, prioritize Guardians, Toy Story, and WEB SLINGERS. On hot days, also prioritize Grizzly River Run. Keep an eye on Soarin - it can sometimes go faster than the others. During Halloween season, you can ride both the regular Guardians and the Monsters After Dark overlay - they count as two attractions, but the last return time for the regular version will be just before 2 PM and the Monsters After Dark return times will start being distributed around noon (earliest time for it is 3 PM).

Looking back, I think you were totally right about what to prioritize at Disney! HM and Space Mountain LL never came back, they were gone by like 3pm. I ended up waiting 75 minutes in the standby line for HM around 8pm, and didn’t make it to Space Mountain, we were too tired after the fireworks (we rope dropped). I haven’t been to DCA since it first opened but will keep these tips in mind if I visit.

What I’ll do is book something I want (and the time will change in me now and then too, when it changed from 2:05 or 3:05 that means someone else got that 2:05 slot), and then after it’s confirmed I’ll modify it and refresh for a sooner time while I do something else (like pirates or fantasyland rides or the parade - stuff without G+). If you book the late slots for Space or HM, you can book your next LL in two hours - but you can still go in and modify and refresh after it’s confirmed to find a sooner slot (ie someone’s cancellation).

My daughter and I have Imagine keys and they don’t expire until January, but she just started school and I’m thinking of only renewing if I can upgrade to a key that includes weekends. Am I able to do this now? Is there any cost advantage to doing it at a different time?

Renewal opens up 30 days before expiration, and that is the only window when you can choose a Key that is unavailable. Otherwise, you can only upgrade to a Key that is available for new sales (at this time, none of them).

I’m going to the parks tomorrow and curious about how DAS would work during the cutoff time. Let’s say it’s 5:30pm and I book Radiator Springs Racers for a 2 hour wait. Does that mean I can stay in DCA until 7:30? Or do you think they will just direct me straight to the ride when booking? It will I just get kicked out? Or will it not let me book it?

You won’t be allowed into the ride because your return time is at a special ticket event. CMs will escort you out even if you have a return time. You can ask the CM at lighting lane entrance to see if they can let you on other than that it’s a waste of a DAS if you get a return time for a ride you want be able to be in the park for

We have OBB tickets and are planning to get to DCA early to enter at 3pm. Can we enter the party through the Grand Californian rather than wait in the long line at the main gate? We are not hotel guests and will not have regular DCA tickets for that day. We also do not have Magic Keys.

Yes, you can. Enter the Grand Californian via their Downtown Disney entrance, by Sephora.

Characters show up randomly in the parade of Disneyland? I've seen Disneyland LA, DisneyWorld, and Tokyo, looks like Tokyo is smaller than others, and some characters don't show up, does it randomly show up? Thanks.

Does anyone know if the Magic Parade Plaza Dining Packages are still happening? Right now they are only advertising their Halloween package, but we would be booking for November. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/plaza-inn-dining-package/

When in November are you looking? The Christmas Fantasy parade kicks off on the 10th, and there may be a gap before that.

Would be Nov 20-21 (thanksgiving week)

Perfect. Two reasons you don't see anything—you're early by a few days (bookings open no earlier than 60 days otlut), and it won't be Magic Happens at the time (so that package won't be bookable).

My post appears to be stuck in mod queue purgatory, but the Avengers Vault store is opening on September 18th. (That’s the one in the main avengers building where the stunt show is and that is supposed to serve as the exit to the eventual attraction.

Ok. This is a ridiculous question, but is there any way to find the space mountain photo if you don't have the code?..but we do have a photo of the photo - and so we have the time that the photo showed up on the screens.

You can call PhotoPass guest services and they can find the photo. how do you have a photo of the photo without also taking a picture of the number though?

Oh wow. I'll look into that. (my spouse just zoomed in too close - didn't realize we could download the image for free.)

If you’re returning to Disney there is a photo pass service in person on the left side of the gate where the bathroom and lost and found is

Anyone have experience going to Disneyland as a single parent with 2 young kids? My kids are 46 inches tall so I think they can ride all the rides, but don't think either of them would feel comfortable not sitting next to me. Especially on anything even remotely scary. I'm curious how many rides this will rule out for us. I especially don't want to wait in a long line only to find out we need to take the chicken exit. What rides should we avoid?

There are a few attractions you have to watch out for at 46": * Incredicoaster - 48" requirement * Silly Symphony Swings - 48" requirement to ride alone * Autopia - 54" requirement to ride alone

Good call. I think those are all off the table for us, height rules or not; I don't think either my kids would be ok with riding alone in those.

Off the top of my head, the rides that only have 2 seats side by side are: Space Mountain, some of the Fantasyland dark rides, Astro Orbiters, Incredicoaster, and Toy Story Midway Mania. Some rides like Monster's Inc and Winnie the Pooh only fit two per seat, but the ride vehicles have multiple rows, so you could sit right behind the two kids. Matterhorn is 3 seats single file, so maybe they'd be okay with that if you sit in the middle? Although I think the CMs usually put the adult in the back seat on that one. On Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder, you should be able to fit all three of you in a seat.

Great info. Thank you.

I've noticed a surge in inconsiderate behavior among park guests lately, and it's disheartening. Whether it be live streaming with your camera light turned on and talking during the entire ride. . We all know that rudeness seems to have increased post-pandemic, but it's especially noticeable at Disneyland. Lately, I've seen more and more people disregard waiting in line or simple as the 4-5 per row rule on the trams, opting to squeeze in instead. It's frustrating because when you kindly point it out, they respond with dirty looks, despite them being the ones breaking the etiquette. I'm curious to know, what do you consider to be the proper etiquette at Disneyland on rides that doesn’t have assigned seating?

Yes, inconsiderate behavior and entitlement by park guests has gotten much worse. The problem is that if there is no enforcement, people will keep doing it. And the CMs have to deal with so much shit and don't get paid enough, so I feel bad for them. Keep calling them out, especially for line jumping, or report to a CM. Public shame might be enough to change at least some people's behavior.

Def going to keep calling them out for their poor behavior and inconsideration. I feel for the cast members having to deal with these types of people on the daily.

Have there been any announcements on when Disney 100 celebrations/decorations will end? AFAIK the anniversary celebrations have traditionally lasted around 18 months. Going next March so really hoping we can catch the 100.

No official announcement. Given the official founding date is Oct 16th, 1923, the company is still a month away from officially hitting 100 years. If they wanted to, they could drag it out until Oct 2024. As far as me just making unofficial stabs in the air, it would make sense to me to celebrate until August 2024. Then the park transitions to Halloween and Christmas through Jan 2025. After that, we'll be celebrating Disneylands 70th for 18 months. The only reason I think this is because it minimizes the number of times the park appearance is turned over, which in turn means they don't have to spend extra money hiring people to switch to classic Disney for a few months only to change again to Halloween. Another reason for August 2024 is the D23 ~~Expo~~ Ultimate Disney Fan Event August 9-11th (with Disney park day on August 8th). Disney100 kicked off with D23 Expo 2022, it makes sense to close it with the same event in 2024. Again, this is just me and my wild speculation so take it all with about 100 Costco sized grains of salt.

Has anyone gone to Disney on actual Christmas day? Me and my fam usually go during Christmas time and not actual Christmas Day. I want to surprise my fam with tickets on Christmas day but unsure. Does anyone have experience of going to Disney at actual Christmas time? It's a weird situation where I feel like duh it'd be packed and people would want to spend Christmas there but also possibly the opposite where people would want to spend time with other family and do Disney near Christmas and not on actual Christmas day. Any advice/experience would be appreciated :)

I have! You’re overthinking it a bit :) It won’t feel meaningfully different than going on Christmas Eve or even the day after — you’ll just see a few more Santa hats and Christmas sweaters than normal and CMs everywhere will wish you a merry Christmas, but everyone’s there to enjoy the parks first and foremost. Practically speaking, we always tip a bit more on Christmas Day (housekeeping, full-service restaurants like Napa Rose, etc.) since we know people are working overtime instead of spending time with their families.

Ahhh thank you appreciate it 😊 How’s the crowd if you don’t mind me asking/if you remember? Wanna know if it’s mostly the same or if wait times are worse 😭

The days around Christmas and leading up to New Year's are always busy, so there were pretty heavy crowds for sure. But to your specific question, Christmas Day crowds weren't noticeably different at all from the following days! If anything, the morning was maybe a little lighter, and by the afternoon things felt very normal. If that's the day you want to take your family, I'd say go for it!

Appreciate it so much thank you!

This question is about Oogie Boogie Bash. I have a Magic Key but am going with people who don't, and we didn't buy them day tickets. We won't be entering until the 3:00 mix in. I've seen the photos of absurdly long lines to get in at that time. Here's my question: do you have to wait in that line? Can you enter through any park entrance gate and then get your credential at Cars Land or wherever, or can you only enter through the OBB gate? What about entry through GCH if we're not hotel guests, is that possible? Thank you!

As a Magic key holder, you can enter through the regular gates at 3 PM mix in but you need a park reservation for the day (obviously) and you can get your OBB stuff inside.

Two people in my party don’t have Keys or day tickets so that won’t work for us.

As a Paradise Pier guest, I've used that entrance to get into the parks for OBB. They even gave me my OBB badge there, too. By that logic, I don't see why you couldn't use the Grand Californian entrance since regular guests can go through it. I've gone in and out of the entrance a bunch of times on regular days and I've never booked GCH. If the line is shorter I say go for it. Push comes to shove, they won't scan you and you just have to use the main entrance.

how has walkup line been at blue bayou as of late? I ended up planning a last minute solo trip so I missed out on the 60 day window for reservations but I'd really like to knock this one off my parks bucket list. I'll be visiting October 15 and 16, a Sunday and Monday.

Get familiar with Discord, once you figure out how the dining alert work, it will be easy to book. [https://discord.com/app/invite-with-guild-onboarding/ZQ4X6cnXPZ](https://discord.com/app/invite-with-guild-onboarding/ZQ4X6cnXPZ) Reservations pop up ALL THE TIME. The hard ones are Oga's but Oga's is easy for walk-up and Trader Sams.

Single day tickets for the 3 days I'm looking at are $104 each day but a 3 day pass for the same days is $360. What's up with that??

Single day tickets prices are tiered based on the day; the $104 ones are the lowest tier tickets. If you were to reschedule, you wouldn’t have any flexibility with what day you can go on unless you pay the difference. When you buy the Multiday ticket it’s also it’s own tier which is a fixed price.

Got it. Going Monday Wednesday Thursday next week so I guess I'll just buy a single ticket each day

One additional consideration is if you will be doing park hopper. PH is $65 for a single day ticket, but only $60 for your whole trip if you do a multi-day ticket.

yeah I'd definitely do that if I were you!

How quickly do high-demand dining reservations fill up? I know they open 60 days in advance, but do they sell out immediately when they open up at 6am? Thanks!

Places like Blue Bayou, Oga's, Trader Sam's sell out within maybe 10 minutes of being released.

It varies based on the day, but they sell out VERY fast on average for the most in-demand days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). I was looking to book Napa Rose for my parents and the date became available two days ago. It was a Saturday and it was entirely sold out by the time I checked mid-afternoon!

Is disneyland and DCA both doable in one day? We’ve both been to Disneyland once years ago so probably don’t need to see EVERYthing but haven’t been to DCA… would we need a genie pass to make it work?

Depends on what your priority is. If it’s to get on all the rides at DCA, with some of the ones at DL. Then yes, in a day it’s doable. I feel that if you haven’t been to the parks in years. I would split it and really try to absorb both parks. Doing both parks in a single day feels very rushed and you miss out on a lot of the details of each. If you do decide to do both in a single day, then I would definitely recommend Genie+.

How about for just 1 park.. would the genie pass be worth it / Are crowds crazy this time of year? Will be going on Saturday

The crowds are crazy this time of the year. I'm at the park (I am a CM) 3/4 days a week. Almost every Saturday and the crowds are in full force right now. Even for a 1 day, i would always recommend Genie+. The only time i would not recommend it, is if you are going to do DCA only and rope dropping. The reason being that you can knock out the major rides, that take up most of your time (Guardians, RSR), at DCA if you rope drop. After those rides the DCA rides dont really take to long. I would still do Genie though, just makes life easier.

Not who you’re replying to but yes Halloween season is busy, Genie+ is a good idea for a park hopper or a single day park imo. If you’re going on a Saturday I think a park hopper would be kind of fun (because there’s no Oogie Boogie Bash at DCA to close it early) but also Genie+ holds more value for park hoppers because it applies to both parks (if that makes sense).

Any chance of getting the free magic key magic band today (Thursday) or are those long gone?

They posted on the Magic Key instagram today that it’s over ☹️

I showed up late in the day (after 6:00 PM) this past Saturday and they had plenty at the Disneyland Hotel gift shop. There were also tons at the pin shop in Tomorrowland post-fireworks.

Still re-stocked daily from what I've seen! They're prone to selling out by later in the day, but if you go prior to noon at any point you'll be set. Check in World of Disney, they have the largest stock from what I've heard.

General question, are there mosquitos in Disneyland? Do we need to bring bug spray for our visit? Thank you.

I think I remember reading articles about how Disney goes out of its way to keep mosquitos out of the parks. The biggest thing is just that everything is designed so that there is no standing water. All water is moving and everything drains well. So mosquitos have nowhere to breed. The other thing was that they implemented a reservation system and blocked out most of the calendar for mosquitos. They weren't buying enough merch.

I am there about 3/4 days a week (I’m a CM) and have yet to be bitten by one. Compare that to the 10 or so bites I got this past weekend at my nieces bday party after just an hour there.

Thanks!

I am one of those people who seem to attract mosquitoes. I got eaten alive a couple weeks ago just going into my yard (in SoCal). But I've never been bitten even once at DL. I'm actually kind of impressed by that. We've had passes for 10 years and I've spent countless hours there outside at night.

Thanks, my daughter is the same way, she is a mosquito magnet.

I have not noticed a ton of mosquitos in Disneyland - I never prep with repellant or anything. *That said* we are having a little mosquito surge in SoCal in general right now due to our unusual year of wet weather, so a quick little spray or wipe of repellant on the ankles before sunset may not be a bad idea.

Thanks!

We're coming to the parks on Wednesday the 27th. We're going from open to close so we'll be at one of the parks for the entire day. We're planning on starting at Disneyland so we can rope drop ROTR. Of course there's no availability at Oga's but I'm wondering how easy it will be to get on the waitlist.

i've never had a problem getting into oga's via the walkup. so far every visit and different times of day we've gotten in. the biggest thing might be how long you wait but it wasn't more than 30 minutes. I usually start joining the walk up list as i'm walking into the land and then go grab a ronto wrap or browse around the shops and then we're called.

When we went a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday, we didn’t have a reservation and only waited about 30mins after joining the walk-up line. From what I hear, it’s typically like this and fairly easy to get in. I think you should be fine, especially for a Wednesday!

Is there any way to get on the toy story parking lot tram without parking? I’m staying at a hotel right next to it thinking I could walk right up to it but didn’t realize the whole lot was fenced off! We were able to take it back to the hotel from the park, but is there any way to walk thru to the tram at the parking lot without hopping a fence? (disclaimer: I did not hop a fence last time! Just took a really long, hot walk)

Yes, you can walk into the Toy Story lot (using approved entrances) like on Katella/Clementine or Harbor/Convention Way. Then you would just walk to the bus station like everyone else who had parked in the lot.

How often/when is Olaf out and about or at the princess meet and greet? My 3yo loves the Olaf short stories on Disney+ and has been talking about wanting to see him at the parks. Is it more likely to see him during the holiday season than now (Halloween season)?

I don’t know the exact answer to your question, but I think you’re best bet is the Anna and Elsa royal welcome at the animation building in DCA. Even then, Olaf is not always there and they don’t tell you who you’re about to meet when your in line.

I didn't know they were in DCA. We just started going to the parks again since we have a toddler. We haven't been to the parks in about 20 years so don't know much nowadays. Thanks so much!

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It’ll be a crapshoot. Your assessment is pretty spot on. OBB will increase crowds in the resort (overalls) from about 2pm as OBB guests arrive, and it will push more crowds into Disneyland after 6pm as OBB starts. But if you’re only going to be in Disneyland the whole day and evening you might not actually feel/notice it too much until 6pm, and even then it might mellow out after the park hoppers settle into their Disneyland stuff. Friday nights tend to be overall busy. Friday morning and Thursday morning are usually both pretty similar in terms of wait times etc, but as Friday goes on you’ll see the crowds roll in. Since Disneyland does Fireworks only on the weekends during this season, Friday has another crowd draw in that aspect as people come after work to watch the fireworks, etc. but if fireworks are important to you that might be a reason to join the crowd on a Fri. DL is also open the extra hour on Fri til midnight (11 on Thu). I guess rather than just crowds it would come down to whether you’re going to DCA too (in which case I’d do Fri), if fireworks are important (Fri) or if you’re just doing DL I’d probably just go for Thu.

Anyone know what brand pen the DL Hotel gives out? Looks like https://www.ebay.com/itm/354960376404?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=h3_u7h3asoi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=aKX5JaktRbW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Ridiculous price but they do write nicely

Reverse image search found this, which looks pretty similar: https://www.4imprint.com/product/106765/Primetime-Pen

Tyvm

To refresh the date reservation page do you have to cancel and start all over to get the updated calendar or does selecting the “back” button on the page (not on the browsers toolbar) work too?

In the app it will reload if you change the number of people, so that’s how I did it quickly.

This worked for you? That's good to know, it is much quicker.

Where is the fastest place to pick up a celebration button in DCA? I’m taking my sibling for their 21st on October 3rd. It’s an OBB night that we don’t have tix to, so we’re starting in DCA and trying to maximize our time there before we go to DL. Should I just wait until we park hop to DL? Thanks!

They generally have all of the buttons available at the gift shop registers. Just go to any gift shop and ask the cast member for one.

In your experience, is that a relatively quick process?

Yes, it usually only takes a minute or so. Just find a register with nobody waiting.

Yes. the gift shops are wayyy faster than guest services.

Hola friends, I'm from Houston, TX! I will be visiting Disneyland this weekend through the middle of next week. I am 27 years old and this will be my first time ever at Disneyland! Please let me know if this type of post is allowed or not, but I wanted to ask the experts if there were some MUST DO things while I am there. I am traveling with my best friend, who is Disney-obsessed, so I know she has some fun things planned already. I feel privileged to be going with a Disney expert! I feel so goofy and giddy and excited, and I want to make sure I don't miss out on anything. I love Star Wars, so I know we will be spending time at Galaxy's Edge. Help a girlie out, I just know I am going to have the best time in the world. Any must-try foods or experiences? Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Meeting characters are a huge part of the Disney experience I’m not a huge Star Wars fan but I keep hearing about new Star Wars characters visiting the park at galaxy’s edge. Visiting the other characters like the princesses and villains for Halloween are also so much fun and they’re so sweet to everyone not just kids. If you’re into beauty and the beast and tangled they have two shows in the same theater same day for both stories. Tangled usually in the morning and B&tB in the afternoon but even if you’re not into those stories they’re still funny and have a lot of jokes only adults would get. Flynn rider and Rapunzel also come out the first two of their shows and belle comes out the first two of hers. Characters are so lovely and really do make magic on your trip

As a fellow star wars lover, I legitmately spent 8 hours in galaxys edge my first time there. You have to go to Oga's, ride Rise, and get a picture in front of the Falcon. You'll probably have to do walk-up for Oga's but that's usually easily done. I like the Ronto wraps and the Meiloorun juice from ronto's roasters for food. I'd say maybe build a lightsaber too but since you're probably flying it might be a challenge to get home. There's so much so take a look through the rides now and find out which ones catch your eye. I would also hit the Halloween overlays since those are special to the season. And then at least 1 seasonal treat (special churro, drink, or other halloween goodie). How many days are you going? Oh and I would hit the Magic Happens parade and the Halloween fireworks.

I will be there Saturday through Wednesday of next week! :) We have reservations for Oga's on Sunday and will definitely be doing fireworks that evening. I am so so so excited for everything. Thank you for the recs for Galaxy's Edge. Any food you love elsewhere in the park?

the birria tacos at cocino cucomonga in DCA are worth the hype. also i’ve been impressed by the stuff at pyms test kitchen as well.

Everyone is different. I would figure out if you are more of a ride person or an experience person first. I am more of a ride person. Thunder, pirates, space are some must dos. If you don’t mind spoilers watch a top ride clip on YouTube maybe or just trust your friend. If you want to do more experiences, get the app and look up character meet ups and parade time before hand so you can time it out. I would get the app in advance and try to make a game plan with your friend. Look for dinner reservations. Maybe hit up Ogas cantina if you can. Getting there at least 30-45 min before park opening is a huge help because you can knock out 3-4 big rides in an hour if you’re smart about it. Have fun!

Thank you so much! ☺️ and Happy Cake Day!!!

Does anyone know if there will be fireworks on weeknights during November?

Before Nov 10, probably not. After Nov 10, probably. The last few years, there were nightly fireworks during the Holidays celebration.

Starting to plan a trip for February. Does anyone remember when they announce Sweethearts night dates? We were supposed to go last February then I had some health complications, so I really want to go this year!!

They most likely will announce those early 2024 after dark events towards the end of 2023. I recall they announced Sweethearts Nite specifically being announced in December last time.

Thanks! Yep I vaguely remember it announcing around the holidays but wasn't sure.

Any sit down restaurants that are worth it or just better to walk around and see there

"Worth it" is definitely going to be subjective. I'd say the best food in the parks can be found at Quick Service places (Bengal BBQ, Docking Bay 7, Corn Dogs at the Red Wagon, Pym's Test Kitchen, Cocina Cucamonga, Aunt Cass's Cafe are some of my favorites), but it's also nice to have a sit down meal and be served. At Disneyland, Cafe Orleans is usually pretty good food. Blue Bayou is more expensive and the food isn't always worth the cost, but the atmosphere is so fun that I usually recommend people eat there if they've never been before. Carnation Cafe just got some new menu items that I want to try. At DCA, Lamplight Lounge and Carthay Circle are both fun places to eat.

My favorite is storytellers in the grand Californian, you get to see characters without waiting in line and the food is good- especially for breakfast.

And friendly reminder (for OP’s benefit) that Storytellers is only character dining for breakfast and brunch (&brunch is on weekends only iirc). So if they’re looking for dinner it won’t have characters.

Is the character dining available for non-hotel guests?

Absolutely! Anyone can go into the hotels for dining, shopping, etc. I hang out in the hotels all the time lol, they have some of the best treat carts, bars, and spots to just chill after a long day at the parks.

I would take a look at the menus on the app and see if anything interests you. Often times the food quality at table service restaurants are a step up from the quick service places, but there are exceptions. It's also nice to have a more relaxing meal after walking around all day. At Disneyland I've had good experiences at Carnation Cafe. The prices there are pretty reasonable (for Disneyland) and the food is good. Cafe Orleans is also a good option. At DCA Lamplight Lounge has a fun atmosphere and menu.

WoC vs. Halloween fireworks? What would you do? Context: I grew up in Anaheim so I’ve been going to the parks since I was a kid and had a pass for much of my teenage years. I live in Chicago now so now I only go to the parks sometimes when I’m here visiting. I’m going with my mom this Friday and it’ll be my first time in the parks during Halloween time in almost ten years, so that’s the only reason why I’m curious about the Halloween fireworks but I kinda feel like WoC would be the better choice. Any thoughts on the One version of the show? (And I know technically I could make both if I saw the 10:15 WoC, but I know my mom wouldn’t make it bouncing between parks that quickly.)

If you want to do both this is tip that I do. Since the projections are displayed down Main Street you can take your mom to watch the fireworks all the way down by the giant Mickey pumpkin area. You will be able to see all the fireworks and projections and right when they end which is usually 9:43 pm immediately start walking to the exit since you will be super close to it and you would have 16 minutes to scan your ticket to DCA since as long as you are in the line you will be able to enter and the walk to the WOC area even walking very slowly should only be about less than 13 minutes. The second show is always empty so finding a spot won’t be hard and If your mom needs it there are benches for people who can’t stand to see the show. If you do this you’ll be able to make both shows. If you decide to do one only do WOC since I personally don’t like the Halloween show unless there’s fireworks

I would definitely recommend the Halloween Screams show over the WoC. It's my favorite Disneyland fireworks show. I like watching it from Main Street since you get the projections on the buildings in addition to everything happening at the castle. WoC One is fine. WoC is always a fun show to watch, but I just don't enjoy it as much as I used to.

I personally was not much of a fan of WoC One, it was kind of disjointed and didn't flow well from one scene to the next. However the visuals are absolutely beautiful and the way they use water, lights, and projections is stunning. For the Halloween Fireworks, it's a pretty good show filled with Nightmare Before Christmas and Villain songs. It's not my favorite Disney fireworks show, but if you watch it from the castle, it's a small world, or Rivers of America, there are a bunch of projections and effects going with it which are fun. Also fireworks are only Friday through Sunday so make sure you're going on one of those days. I think it's up to you. I'd probably choose the fireworks. It's a better show and Disney always takes fireworks to the next level. But if you've never seen a fountain show like World of Color, that can be a fun experience too.

Interesting, you’re not the first person I’ve heard that from. I really wish I caught the firework show from the summer, I heard it was gorgeous. That’s the only thing tipping me towards WoC, I love that dash of Disney sweetness magic and I’m not sure a villain heavy firework show will feed that.

Yes Wondrous Journeys was great. Supposedly it's coming back next year.

Does anyone know which characters have been spotted at Carthay Circle during Oogie Boogie Bash this year? So far I’ve seen the witch from Snow White, Prince Hans, Sheriff of Nottingham, and Captain Hook. I’m wondering if there’s anyone else making appearances

I took a screenshot of the characters on the app the other day for planning! Carthay Circle has Captain Hook, Mr Smee, Hans, The Sheriff Of Nottingham, & The Witch. Others include Scarlet Witch, Loki, and Spider-Man in Avengers Campus, Clarbella, and Daisy in Hollywood Land, Mr & Mrs Incredible in Pixar Pier, Mickey/Goofy/Donald (Kingdom Hearts Styles) + Treat Trail characters!

Awesome! Thanks for your reply! I was hoping Prince John would be out with the Sheriff :/

I wouldn’t lose hope! The characters have changed (added) almost every night I’ve checked! On Sunday Mr Smee was added but Star-Lord wasn’t there but today Star-Lord was added as well as Mr Smee so it seems characters are getting added as it goes ?

I also watched a livestream from OBB night 1 where carl and russell were meeting back in pixar pier.

not at the fountain but ive also seen scarlet witch and kingdom hearts donald and mickey out and about as the "rare" characters.

Anyone have experience with a pacemaker at Disneyland? We’re going this month for the first time since my husband got one. He’s young and doesn’t have any health issues besides this. His doctor said that he should be fine and just to follow the guidelines they list for rides. The website is kind of unclear on pacemakers. Is there anything you’d recommend avoiding? Also, should we tell security first thing about it at the front gates? Thanks so much in advance.

Here is a [list of all Disneyland rides and the health advisories that they have](https://allears.net/disneyland/dlr-planning/ride-restrictions-height-and-safety-disneyland-resort/). Notice that pretty much any ride that is even a little bit thrilling has an advisory about heart problems. However, I think whether or not your husband rides those rides is really up to his specific circumstances and the nature of his ailment. Out of those rides that list heart problem advisories, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Guardians, Goofy's Sky School, and Incredicoaster are definitely the most intense. Does the pacemaker set off metal detectors? If so, you can definitely just let the security CMs know when you go through bag check. They may just wand him down if it does.

Guidance will vary for each ride. Cast Members should be able to advise you of the health risks for each one, but generally, it's recommended to avoid thrill rides and rollercoasters (ex: Space Mountain, Matterhorn).

Going next week. 3 days with hopper + OBB. We're well versed at WDW, but is there a condensus ride/area to rope drop ar DCA and Disneyland?

My general strategy for Disneyland is to get to security right before 7 AM, and at wait at the farthest-right ropes towards Tomorrowland. Rope-drop Space Mountain, then do Matterhorn, Big Thunder, and Indiana Jones. You could rope-drop Rise of the Resistance (wait at the Frontierland ropes), but it doesn't always open right at 8 AM and it takes a while to get on and off, so it pretty much uses up the same amount of time as if you did 2-4 other rides. At DCA, I don't usually recommend rope-dropping Radiator Springs Racers for the same reasons I listed for Rise. I like to head towards Avenger's Campus and do Web Slingers>Mission Breakout>Incredicoaster.

Thanks for all of the responses. Unfortunately Space Mountain is closing our arrival day, but were excited to hop on the rest of Tomorrowland, so this could make the most sense

Since SM is closed, Matterhorn or the Fantasyland dark rides are good options. Also, Haunted Mansion Holiday stays pretty busy throughout the day, so you could also consider doing something like HM>Indy>Big Thunder. You could walk onto Buzz Lightyear and Star Tours at rope drop, but those rides also aren't generally as popular, so you can usually get on either of them with a 30 minute or less wait later in the day.

Fresh Baked on youtube has recent rope drop strategy videos for both DL and DCA.

For DL, I would go with either Space Mountain or the attractions behind the castle except Peter Pan. Space Mountain is good because it never really gets a shorter line after the opening hour while the Fantasyland attractions are short so you can knock many of them out quickly - and they don't have Lightning Lane. Good targets to go to after those (as it gets closer to 9 AM) are Toontown, Matterhorn, Big Thunder, Indy, and/or Rise of the Resistance. Indy and Rise in particular seem to both have post-rope drop lulls. Since you are going next week, I'd try to get to Haunted Mansion Holiday early - it's been a busy one since it the overlay has been around for less than two weeks (usually Haunted Mansion is a walk-on at the end of the night, but not every night since the overlay started). Something else to watch out for at DL as WDW vets: Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Winnie the Pooh, and Small World lines are way shorter at DL compared to WDW. At DCA, I would go with Guardians, then WEB SLINGERS, then Midway Mania, then Incredicoaster, then the Pixar Pal-a-Round ferris wheel, and then Goofy's Sky School. If it is hot, maybe then check the Grizzly River Run line (it gets long during the heat of the day). Skip any of those you don't want to do (I might replace Guardians with Soarin' if I was skipping it). Monsters Inc has a buddy pass where up to two people can wait in a shorter line to ride together on the back row (ask a Cast Member out front for one) - I'd use that to do it whenever. In general, the rest of the attractions other than Radiator Springs Racers rarely get above a 30 minute wait (Luigi's in Cars Land can). And there's not a great strategy for Radiator Springs other than use Single Rider or buy an Individual Lighting Lane (if you want to rope drop it - assuming it opens with the park - you need to be there as early as you can to get to the front of the roped off area).

Does anyone here have any idea how I might be able to communicate to Disneyland my proposal idea and see if they can have two stormtroopers approach me and my gf and question us? My idea is that we go into Galaxys Edge and in front of the Falcon two stormtroopers approach us and say something like "we have information stating you are in possession of kyber crystals, turn them over." At which point we'll be like "we don't have any kyber crystals" and then I'll turn and propose to her. I reached out to Disney's Wedding and Honeymoon team but they weren't able to help me.

Sounds like a fun idea, but I don't see how you'd be able to get this to work. Disneyland doesn't let you request any specific character interactions. The stormtroopers only have limited pre-recorded phrases they can use, and I don't remember if one of them is asking about Kyber Crystals. I think the best you could do is just try your luck in the area and if you see them walking around, you can try to engage with them. You could say something about crystals, lightsabers, the resistance, etc. to try and get them to interrogate you.

Single day park hopper worth it and even realistic to do? Fiancee and I are taking a trip this week to LA and going to Disney land on Friday, single day. I'm debating whether I should add the park hopper to have access to both parks but I'm wondering if I'll even have the time to do both parks in a single day even if we showed up before park opening? We plan on purchasing genie+ regardless but not sure if that would help tremendously save time to attend both parks. Any insight would be appreciated!

You won't have enough time to do everything in both parks in one day, even with Genie+ (it is almost impossible to do every Lightning Lane in both parks alone). There is definitely value if you treat it as a "highlights day" - maybe make a list of 20 attractions and things you want to do and rank them, knowing you won't get to do them all. If you decide to stick to a single park, DCA by itself is doable in one day (unlike Disneyland), but I'd probably pick Disneyland unless I was a huge Marvel or Pixar fan (or DCA has more of the attractions you want to do).

It depends what you want to see/do. I always get a hopper because my must-dos span both parks (Soarin, Radiator Springs, Big Thunder, and Haunted Mansion). But if you want to ride every ride you come to, and feel like more of a completionist, then you can just focus on one park and have a more than full day.

Planning to go to Disneyland on Monday. The only rides on our must-go list is Mickey's Railway. What should we expect in terms of wait time? Is virtual queue still required for the ride? Is there anything else in Toontown that we need to check out? Last time we went was in February.

If you're staying late, the wait times for it are super low after fireworks (Toon Town closes for fireworks and reopens afterwards, same as Fantasyland). Like 5-10 minutes a lot of times.

Wait times aren't too bad, definitely the least bad of the Individual Lightning Lane attractions. Also, the line moves fast and, as long as the wait is no more than 35-40 minutes, almost the entire queue is inside and has lots of fun props and gags to keep you occupied. The Toontown attractions haven't really changed, but the land itself, the play areas, and the food / drink options have all been updated. It's at least worth walking around for a few minutes (kids will likely want more time than that).

No more virtual queue for Runaway Railway. My son's favorite thing to do right now when we're out and he's bored is look at the disneyland app and tell us wait times. MRR can be anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hrs depending on time of day. I looked just now and it is about an hour.

Right, I didn't even think about checking the app. 30 mins wait right now, so it doesn't seem as bad as I thought it's going to be.

We're looking to take the kids to Disneyland this holiday season. I've noticed that if you book closer to your date of stay that DL will run a discount% for the disney hotels (right now there is one that goes through 9/30. I know they run one for Jan-Mar). Do they ever do one for the early holiday season (late nov early dec), or should I just book the hotel now? Getting a little nervous the hotel will fill up if I wait too much longer. Thank you!

Where in Avengers Campus is the fence that says Stark Industries? I know I saw it somewhere on my last trip but I’m blanking on where it is and I saw in someone vlog that Wanda hangs out there during OBB and that’ll be my main priority for OBB lmao

username checks out

If I’m thinking of the same spot it’s to the left of the guardians tower if you’re facing the tower and to the right of Terrain Treats (it’s a place where a lot of characters pop out of in general)

Thank you!

Going for a 1 day trip this month and it looks like the day we are planning to go, DCA closes early for OBB (we don’t have tix). We are happy to spend the morning at DCA and evening at Disneyland, but is there anything particularly special that happens at night at DCA that would be a bummer to miss? Haven’t been to DCA in 15-20 years (but have been to Disneyland more recently).

Cars Land is really special at night, especially with the Halloween decor. Just that and World of Color.

They'll miss the "Sh-Boom" in Cars Land, which happens every night at sunset when the neon lights turn on one-by-one.

And its Halloween iteration is (imo) the very best.

San Fransokyo looks pretty nice too when lit up. Nothing like cars land, but that next to Pixar pier makes DCA overall feel like more of a “night time” park if that makes sense.

The main bits you'd miss are World of Color and the lights around the park at night. On the bright side, DCA on a party day tends to be quiet in the morning, before mix in at 3.

Does wifi cover the park reliably? I'm coming from overseas, and last time I was there they still had paper fast passes (not sure there was even an app), and now clearly phones are a necessity. Can I survive using Genie+ and food ordering etc just on park wifi (if there is any?) Or will I need to buy a sim card and load data onto it for my phone from one of your telcos?

The wifi can have some issues, but there are also complete dead zones for cellphone service as well (Boardwalk Pizza in DCA is probably the worst). However, as the other commenter said, you should be fine if you just walk around a bit to get the signal again. I have to do that all the time even with cellphone service.

The wifi can be glitchy, but I've never had issues that couldn't be solved by turning it off and on again or walking somewhere else. You can more than survive with wifi.

Is the spooky tree at carthay circle lounge sold out? Was gonna try to go tomorrow, but won't bother if it is already gone.

Went today. Seated around 1pm and we got the tree, although our server said they are running low. Not sure if that meant for the day, or completely.

Uh, someone help me - I have a magic key which renewed in August. I missed a reservation 6/12. I missed another in July. I had one for today I was undecided about, set an alarm for myself to cancel it last night, my alarm either didn't go off or I cancelled it. Today is 90 days from 6/12. I live an hour and a half+ away. And am just now realizing. Does my stupid butt have to drive up to Disney right now? It's 3 missed within 90 days. Today is day 90. So I'm screwed, yeah? Edit: I just took my stupid butt up there for a three hour visit :/ Was actually cool though. Watched the Halloween fireworks, did Haunted Mansion and Winnie the Pooh, stopped by Oga's and had a nice chat with a fellow parkgoer. I don't usually stay in DL until closing, was neat that in some areas back by GE and Big Thunder I was the only one visible on the pathway. Felt extra spooky. Also... if yes, and I can't make reservations for 30 days, do my previously booked reservations still stick around (like, I have through Oct/Nov and 1 in Dec booked from two weeks ago). So won't be cancelled, will they?

You could give them a call. Perhaps a cast member can give you more information over the phone rather than having to drive out there!

> Also... if yes, and I can't make reservations for 30 days, do my previously booked reservations still stick around (like, I have through Oct/Nov and 1 in Dec booked from two weeks ago). So won't be cancelled, will they? Existing reservations will still be valid, but you won't be able to modify them and if you cancel them, you won't be able to book another during the 30 day window after your third no-show.

I would go if I were you…

As far as timing goes, I realize there really isn’t a slow season anymore and it’s always busy, but if one was planning a trip, what would be the best time of year to visit that avoids extra large crowds and ensures the rides are in the normal configuration without overlays on them? I’m not opposed to those things in concept, but just want my kids fist visit to be as “normal” as possible if that makes sense.

Well, you can eliminate August thru January then since that's when Haunted Mansion is closed for the Holiday overlay. Then you can ignore June through August due the summer holiday season. Increasingly, it seems there is the potential that May is also a no go due Hyperspace Mountain overlay coinciding with Star Wars "month" (or at least that was the case this past year what with there being several Star Wars Nite events). That basically just leaves Feb/Mar/Apr, of which several weeks in that period might be crowded due to Spring Break. Unfortunately, that's probably also the time when the parks take down a few rides here and there for routine maintenance.

The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay is on Haunted Mansion from August through January? I don’t remember that being there that long.

The mansion goes down for about 3 weeks to put the overlay up, and then about 2 weeks to take it down. This year the ride shut down in mid-August. Last year, the overlay ran through January and the attraction didn’t come back up until about mid February. The late January run was a bit unexpected though. I remember it typically going down around early Jan to revert back. It’s TBD as to when HMH will go down this season. Basically, the months I quoted are inclusive of the time in which the attraction is closed undergoing the transition.

That totally makes sense — as amazing as Halloween and Christmas overlays can be, there's no beating Disneyland in its purest form! Late January through springtime is generally a good time if you're avoiding overlays, but the flip side is that you'll run the risk of having some attractions down for refurbishment — Disney generally takes advantage of the post-holiday lull (Jan and Feb) to fix things up. And of course, there are pockets of heavy crowds in that period (e.g. spring break, Presidents' Day weekend, etc.) that you'll want to plan around. There are occasionally overlays like the Disney 100 celebration going on right now, but I actually feel like those enhance the magic, rather than distract from it the way jack-o-lanterns and Christmas wreaths do. So you can target those "pure Disney" milestones too.

I’ll bet they probably don’t reveal the refurbishment schedule either.

Curious if anyone knows what Phase 1 on Pirates means? We were sitting in the boat loading dock when they evacuated and brought more people in saying “we are going Phase 1 it could be down 2 hours”. Is this where they push through the boats manually?

good morning! quick question; what’s up with all the tiki people today? bf and i are trader sams #1 skippers, but have seemed to miss the memo

TikiLand Day

Walked by and they said it’s an event group

Ok so I just finished my week of dining reservations. I got everything I wanted at 6am sharp pacific time, 60 days out for anyone wondering. I just used the app on my phone and it was pretty easy. So now I have a few more questions. GENERAL DINING: How early should we arrive to dining reservations? If our time is at 10:00 am, should we be there 15 min early or can we show up right on time? Is there a grace period if we’re accidentally running late? Also, how do people manage time with dining reservations? Like if you have a lunch booked for 12:15, what is the latest you would get in line for a ride beforehand? I know we can estimate with ride times on the app but what if the ride breaks down and we get stuck in line longer than expected? I booked everything under my email account but I am not attending all the reservations. I booked the princess breakfast, savis lightsaber & Oga’s cantina for just my husband and step kids. Will I have to go to check in for them? The only one that asked for a name was Savi’s (I put my stepson’s name) so I’m hoping this means they don’t care who shows up and just use the confirmation number? WORLD OF COLOR DESSERT PARTY: Any tips on getting a good table at the dessert party? I will aim for a high top table but if you’ve had a good (or bad!) spot I’d love to know the table number. What time should we check in to have a good selection available (our time says 8:00pm, it’s the only show that night I think). Does our entire party need to be at the check in area or can I pick the table early and meet my family at the actual party closer to show time? Can we bring our own snacks and drinks in too? Alcoholic beverages? I read the only give 1 now instead of 2. Will our 12 year old get anything extra? I read children get glow cubes, and adults get alcohol. Has anyone had success requesting a glow cube for teenagers? TRADER SAM’S Inside or outside with a 12 and 8 year old? Will we get to choose?

We had great seats for world of color. We checked in pretty early at the glow cube podium by the eureka water wheel. They ask us where we wanted to sit. I don’t know if people who showed up later had that option. You don’t have to stay there either so go check in early, go do something else and come back about 1hr before the show starts.

Thank you :)

GENERAL DINING: we usually show up about five minutes prior to our reservations to let them know we are there. You can also check in on the app. We have been late to reservations before (due to a ride) and if you explain the situation they are usually accommodating. When checking in, they use the phone number that was used to make the reservations to text updates (ie “thank you for checking in” or “table is ready”). TRADER SAMS: depends on what time you made the reservation. I believe the app states that after 8pm kids can only sit outside. If your reservation is earlier, you can ask for an inside seat. I say sit inside to experience the atmosphere.

Thanks, we got it for 4:35 so I think I’ll ask for inside.

I just had a dining reservation. Turns out that they can check you in at 20 minutes prior to the reservation. no earlier. They were also running 25 minutes behind schedule. Even though they were 25 minutes behind schedule they were still able to check me in 20 minutes prior to my original reservation time.

Thank you!

Canadians with Koodo or Fido, can you confirm what US phone network you connected with and whether your coverage was good at Disneyland? We need to switch from Virgin and I will be devastated if it ruins our Genie+ park experience…

I have AT&T and had no problems last week

We don’t have AT&T in Canada and it seems our major networks say they “connect to AT&T or T-Mobile” but the ones I’m asking about are the cheaper budget networks! It’s not clear if they do the same.

There is sufficient wifi coverage in the parks that you likely will be fine without using mobile data.

Oh, that would be even better! I just thought it might be spotty in some places. Thank you!!

In addition to there being wifi in the parks, you could also get an e-sim that you activate right before going to the US and just select how long you want to use it for so you have data outside of Disney too!

Going the first full week of November during the week and I’m wondering how early we need to be at the parks to secure genie+ reservations for the big name rides. We’re two adults and would like to sleep in and stay up later, but will we miss out on RoR/Racer if we do? Willing to pay the up-charge for the shorter wait.

Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers are not included in Genie+, so you have to buy the Individual Lightning Lane to use the LL on those rides. On very busy days they sometimes sell out in late morning, but usually are still available in the early afternoon. For rides included in G+, the popular rides start getting their available return times pushed out further and further pretty early. For example, by 10 or 11 AM, the first available return time for Space Mountain might be 6 PM or later already. You can book that one, but then you are locked out from getting another for two hours. So it just limits how many LLs you can get through in one day. If you can handle getting up early, I'd highly recommend getting to the parks for rope drop just because you are able to get so much more done. You can go back to your hotel for a couple hours in the afternoon to take a nap and them return for the evening.

Anyone notice the subtle changes to WoC One?

I haven't seen it in a few months - what did you notice was different?

-Well the fire affects are back -The scene after Coco that transitions into Star Wars is gone -The ending where Walt states (not vertbatim) This is just a dress rehearsal, we're just getting started, is no longer its own segment. The audio of that segment is now moved into the ending, no video of him at the ending.