Lower Lot

The land is officially in technical rehearsal ahead of some of the larger press events, Team Member previews and Pass Member previews. We were lucky enough to find out about this on the first day of tech rehearsals, and headed down to the Lower Lot as fast as we could.

Along the way, we encountered some new signs for the upcoming “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” due out in April.

And here it is. Finally. After so many months of waiting and watching from our StarWay vantage point to peek over the walls, we can finally head inside.

The entrance pipe has a beautiful LED field that shifts and changes to make a warp effect.

Coming out of the Warp Pipe, we find ourselves in Princess Peach’s castle.

And what a beauty it is.

This land is amazing. So full of life.

On almost every surface, things are moving. The Piranha Plant sways back and forth.

The coins rotate, waiting to be collected.

And even the stanchions are adorably themed.

Character greetings happen throughout the day, with characters who talk and blink.

Everything feels so alive.

But, of course, we couldn’t wait to hit the land’s one and only attraction. Let’s head in.

*** SPOILER ALERT FOR THE ATTRACTION FROM HERE DOWN ***

The first room is themed to Yoshi’s Story, an N64 game we remember very fondly.

Yoshi eggs can be found scattered around the crayon-drawn landscape of fluffy clouds.

The next room is an underground cavern with crystals, Super Stars and larger, more realistic looking mushrooms.

Then we head upstairs and into Bowser’s Castle.

A statue of the King himself awaits us, probably to scare potential racers away before they hit the track.

All of the different race cups are represented, and the trophies are on display across the queue hallway.

This newest one, the Universal Cup, is what is up for grabs in the ride. Bowser has challenged Mario to a race, and we’re invited to be on their teams.

After moving through the rest of Bowser’s office and trophy room, we head into the factory where Bob-ombs and Bullet Bills are manufactured for the upcoming race.

Then we have two preshow rooms where Lakitu teaches us how to wear the headset and play the game aspect of the ride.

Once aboard the kart, with Mario visor strapped to the rider’s head, some onboard glasses are clipped into the visor for the augmented reality element of the ride.

Then it’s 3… 2… 1… Start! And off we go.

We encounter various minions of Bowser on the many tracks we blast through.

In the Piranha Plant Slide room, the ride vehicles spin out but regain the traction just in time.

Then diving underwater, we shoot shells at Cheep Cheeps and a giant Maw-Ray.

Back on dry land, we head into Twisted Mansion to battle Boos and Magikoopas.

Then we’re lifted up for a Cloudtop Cruise in the sky.

And at Grumble Volcano, we encounter Bowser’s Airship launching Bullet Bills at us.

The final showdown is with a gigantic Lava Bowser, who is eventually defeated.

The victory lap sends us down the iconic Rainbow Road to race home to the finish line.

And then we pull back into the unload station.

You can see the whole ride and queue for yourself, either with or without AR glasses, right here.

The exit is, of course, through the gift shop. The only shop in the land, 1-Up Factory is your spot for finding that perfect souvenir.

With the guests looking at the merchandise, the looky-loos taking in the decor of the shop, guests in line for checkout and the guests exiting the attraction constantly, this does get rather crowded. Even a slow-ish day like today feels congested in here.

Looking out the pipe from 1-Up Factory, we can see the iconic giant Minion keeping a watchful eye on us even here in the Mushroom Kingdom.

The other main thing to do at Super Nintendo World is interacting with the land itself using a Power-Up Band. These slap bracelets are $40 each and allow guests to activate fun throughout Super Nintendo World. They are available here at 1-Up Factory and at the vending machines next to the Piranha Plant Nap Mishap game.

Here, guests can select their band and have it delivered to the vending slot below the screen.

With a Power Up Band, guests can collect coins by punching ? blocks…

and collect keys by playing games to defeat enemies throughout the land.

Once guests collect three keys, they can enter Bowser Jr.’s Castle to take back the Golden Mushroom that he stole.

All of the activities, achievements, keys and coins are tracked in the companion app inside the existing Universal Studios Hollywood app.

Racing, shopping and playing in the land build up a big appetite, and the land’s only eatery is Toadstool Cafe.

Guests order from the counter, and then are escorted by a host to an assigned table where the food is brought out fresh from the kitchen.

And what a dining room! This is a beautiful place to enjoy a burger or some spaghetti.

We enjoyed sitting on the tiny toadstools scattered throughout the land and just taking it all in.

As the sun set on the first day of public operations for Super Nintendo World, the lights came on and illuminated the land. What was already beautiful in the daytime takes on an even more interesting aesthetic as the colored lights paint the towers and layers of sediment that make up the land. We can’t wait to come back and explore more of the Mushroom Kingdom on future visits.

Thanks for riding along with us on our photo report from Universal Studios Hollywood. That’s a wrap!

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Universal Studios Hollywood 1/12/23 (Super Nintendo World Surprise Technical Rehearsal) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Upper Lot

Let’s head into the park. This will be our last trip before Christmas, and we wanted to see the decorations again before the season is over.

Apparently, so did everyone else. It was a madhouse today. The line for Guest Relations alone stretched all through the queue and back to the entrance gate.

Despite the crowds, many seemed to be in holly jolly spirits.

For these cold winter months, a new zippered hoodie from Jurassic World wouldn’t go amiss.

And to look your best at the Yule Ball, these Hogwarts houses button down shirts are perfectly dapper.

Speaking of Hogwarts, let’s go see how the Wizarding World looks.

It’s just as crowded as everywhere else. But magic crowded.

While pinned down by the crowd, we were able to see the Triwizard Spirit Rally on the nearby stage. These Beauxbatons dancers were fantastic.

We also caught another show, the Who-ville Welcome Committee. This is a fun kids show that is only here for the Grinchmas season.

The crowds had descended on Grinchmas as well, with a 180 minute wait time to meet The Grinch.

This family came prepared to show their Grinchmas spirit in matching full-body fuzzy suits. Well done.

Lower Lot

In Super Nintendo World, we’ve got vibrant new paint on the Toadstool Cafe and new banners hung on the castle.

We also have some brickwork being applied to the entrance area behind the roll-away walls.

But as the sun goes down, we get a beautiful sunset and even more updates.

The lights are on inside the land. The sign is lit up out front and the entrance pipe is testing its light effects as well.

Inside the land, we can see the signs for the cafe and the shop are illuminated, and the street lamps are as well.

Out here in the Lower Lot, the Super Nintendo World popcorn stand is also lit up. We have seen this stand in the daytime and even tried all three of their new sodas, but this is our first glimpse at night with the lit-up signs.

You can see our whole review of the offerings at this new stand right here:

Nearby, we noticed a new sign hung near the exit of Transformers: The Ride-3D.

When the land opens and crowds swarm the entrance, a reservation system will be enacted as needed. Guests will have to go here if they have trouble making the reservation in the USH app.

The sign directs guests down this pathway, near the back of the Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride showbuilding.

Another directional sign ushers guests further down the path, but the gates are closed as the land isn’t open yet.

Let’s take a ride. We hopped aboard Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash and, of course, it broke down.

But as we were sitting in the fireworks warehouse scene with the lights on, we noticed a little birdie in a Santa hat way up in the back.

It’s Sweetpea the parakeet, and he has the fuse to some firecrackers in his mouth. He must be the one who sets off all the fireworks for the action of the next scene. And for the season, he’s looking very festive. What a fun Easter Egg.

Ok time to leave, but that’s easier said than done. The crowds were insane and the circular flow guest traffic system that is in place made things very difficult.

Portable gates manned by Team Members are erected all around the Upper Lot to cut off flow near the entrance to the Wizarding World and drive guests deeper into the park.

Rather than moving in a straight line to the exit, we were funneled away from the front of the park, back down French street,

cirling around the Illumination area, up Pets’ Place,

and directly through the massive crowd waiting to see the nightly tree lighting at Universal Plaza. Then we reached the front of the Universal tower and made the escape. What should have been 90 second walk past the Dreamworks Theater turned into a 15 minute circuitous experience, but at least we got some nice photos out of it.

And overall, we had a great time. Crowds and all.

Our Martini Shot of the day is from CityWalk, where the jumping fountains are once again jumping and now have festive lights beneath to make for a fun holiday display.

Thanks for riding along with us on our photo report from Universal Studios Hollywood. That’s a wrap!

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Universal Studios Hollywood 12/22/22 (Huge Holiday Crowds, Lights in Super Nintendo World, A Mischievous Bird Sets Off Fireworks) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Universal CityWalk Hollywood

King Kong is all dressed up for the holidays and beckons guests to stop and steal a kiss under his gigantic bunch of mistletoe.

There is a lot of promotion going on for the new ‘Puss in Boots’ film, including a theater wrap at Universal Cinemas and this themed photo op out front.

In the Super Nintendo World store in CityWalk, we got a peek at these two new Metal Earth models featuring the two castles to be found in the upcoming land.

We also found a few new figures. That Chef Toad one is super cute.

Upper Lot

Inside the park, we found even more new SNW merchandise like this cool click-open water bottle.

We also found some more Grinchmas merch, though it is mostly all third-party merchandise that isn’t unique to the park.

What is cool and unique is the customization, with embroidery or engraving on many of the available items.

At Mel’s Diner, we have a couple of new shakes to promote the ‘Puss in Boots’ release. We saw these two and a third one released in Universal Orlando Resort as well, and you can see the reviews right here.

Inside Honeydukes in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, we got a huge new collection of housewares, apparel and accessories. Take a look at everything right here.

The main attraction for us today was this new collection of wands that has just debuted. You can see all the wands, including the USH exclusive wand, right here. But we wanted to show off our favorite part of the new display.

Atop each of the three displays we found the three cores of each wand, on display in jars. The collection of wands that features a Dragon Heart String can be found here, with a jar full of them above. These are miniature, of course, as dragons can often be quite large.

Another core option is these Unicorn Hairs.

And finally these Phoenix Feathers are a third wand core option.

Moving on, we stopped in to the Minion Cafe to take a look at their holiday decorations. The tree is super silly and so festive.

Each of the doors is lined with a festive wrap in different variations of the designs found on the windows.

In the windows on ground level and on the second story, we can see the holiday hijinx that the Minions get up to this time of year.

Lower Lot

We recently saw some updates at Super Nintendo World with the addition of Bowser’s face to his castle at the back of the land.

Now we’re seeing more work being done on the castle and the Toadstool in front of it is starting to receive paint.

Peach’s castle is also looking shiny and bright, from what we can see of it.

Something new is coming to the popcorn stand that was just installed recently on the Lower Lot. It was under wraps during our visit.

Well, we had better skedaddle before we’re eaten by an angry dinosaur.

Our Martini Shot of the day is from just inside the front gates. When we catch these fascinators shining brightly and catching the sun, it really is a beautiful and festive holiday.

Thanks for riding along with us on our photo report from Universal Studios Hollywood. That’s a wrap!

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Universal Studios Hollywood 12/8/22 (New Wizarding Wands, Honeyduke’s Haul, Toadstool in Super Nintendo World, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Disneyland

We have an absolutely beautiful day for a park visit. It was a little drizzly in the morning, but it burned off relatively quickly for a gorgeous, cold day.

It’s new pin day, and we got some awesome ones this week including a collection styled on the old Spider-Man animated series from the ’90s.

And speaking of pins, we found a pair of gift with purchase pins that are attached to gift cards which need to be activated with a minimum $100 purchase. Follow the link to see both designs.

New MagicBand+ designs are here. Whether it’s food, Bambi, Pixar pals or whatever strikes your fancy, there’s something for everyone. Even those who are too Grumpy to like anything at all.

As the holiday merchandise continues to roll out, we found a new Donald Duck shirt that delivers holiday cheer.

And finally materializing in the parks, we have the Haunted Mansion collection of the Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction line.

We found a couple of new ear headbands at the park today, ready to help you look your holiday best.

And we also ran across this Namor headband inspired by the character in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

Just up Main Street, at Disney Clothiers, we found a new Dooney and Bourke collection of bags that feature the pets to which others tip their hats, The Aristocats.

For those who would rather stay home in their swamp to catch flies and play the banjo, this new Kermit the Frog Loungefly backpack is just perfect.

Let’s head into the park.

Several of the characters can be seen around the park in their winter wear on colder days. For not having any cold days on Motunui, Moana’s cold weather gear is surprisingly cute.

And Merida looks elegant as ever in her floor-length cape and hood.

Prince Ali, better known as Aladdin, hasn’t changed his outfit much for the cold. Being a big important prince requires a lavish outfit to begin with.

At Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, the mobile order table that has been outside the far left door is now gone. Mobile orders are now being fulfilled inside at the counter, as it was before the pandemic.

Well before we get taken in for the bounty on our head, let’s park hop away.

Disney California Adventure

Beneath the Silly Symphony Swings, Magic Key holders can pick up their complimentary tote bag now through December 20.

Passes are scanned on the phone and there is a limit of one per guest, and each guest must be present to scan their pass.

In other news, the airplane in Grizzly Peak Airfield is finally out from behind construction walls and looking shiny once more.

This is a good looking plane and a relic from DCA’s first iteration. But it looks even better at night.

There are now lights inside the plane. Very bright lights, in fact.

With two powerful roof-mounted light panels, the interior of the cockpit is illuminated at night. This makes for some super fun nighttime photos.

Speaking of super fun nighttime photos, our final parting shot this time is from Grizzly River Run. We have been experimenting with slow-shutter photography on a cell phone and we are very pleased with the results. The smoothness of the water and the well-balanced highlights and shadows make for a gorgeous photo that we weren’t expecting to get from a camera phone. Technology is advancing so quickly and we love it.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 12/6/22 (Winter Wear, A Plane Lights Up, A Magic Key Bag, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Before we even reach the security checkpoint, we are already made aware of the holiday celebrations in store.

Disneyland

As we boarded the Monorail to head into the park, we noticed that we have a new map featuring Minnie Mouse on the cover and details on the MagicBand+ inside.

Seeing as Halloween officially ended about eight hours ago, the biggest decorations have yet to come down from the park. The flower bed is still Halloween-themed, and the pumpkins still adorn the top of the entrance gates.

It is a surprisingly cold day with beautiful, wispy clouds in the sky that make for some great photos.

We could see from the Monorail that the hat has been added to the clock face of “it’s a small world” as the holiday overlay is installed.

Our first stop was to get a closer look at the clock. We can’t wait for this to reopen for the holidays.

We also noticed some decorations already installed on the popcorn cart nearby.

Speaking of popcorn, this new Christmas Cocoa Popcorn might be our new favorite snack of the season.

It’s caramel corn with peppermint pieces and chocolate marshmallows, and it’s absolutely addicting. This bag didn’t last til park hop time.

In other holiday merchandise news, this glow wand and a new glow necklace, not pictured, are great for lighting up the long, cold nights.

The snow and icicle installation on the castle is almost complete, and more holiday decorations have been rolled out resort-wide.

Critter Country is all decked out.

In Pooh Corner, we found a few new holiday plushes that are just so cute. Chip and Dale are stuffed in a stocking.

And Mickey and Minnie are showing off their new holiday costumes in plush form.

Over in Tomorrowland, we took a look inside the recently reopened TomorrowLanding, which is now a retail spot for MagicBand+ and pins.

The left side is dedicated to MagicBand+ selections. As the service is still quite new, Cast Members were on-hand to help answer questions and troubleshoot issues with the bands.

The right side of the shop is mostly pins and lanyards.

Behind the registers is a sign for MagicBand+, as that is a major focus of the shop right now.

At The Star Trader, we found a few new pieces of the Greatest in the Galaxy collection, including this Loungefly bag and this button-down shirt.

And of course more holiday merchandise, with this adorable holiday Ewok.

For even more holiday merchandise, we headed off-world to Batuu for the Life Day 2022 collection. This sleeved blanket is pretty cool, but our favorite is the shirt with the cutest little Wookie in the galaxy.

Back on Earth, we headed West to check out the holiday decor in Frontierland. Of course, the Halloween Tree was still up among the garlands, so it gives a different feeling to the atmosphere of the land.

Downtown Disney

In the Home Store, we came across some cool new holiday merchandise like this wreath, as seen above, and this massive serving tray, as seen below.

And fans of “The Santa Clause” can now take a piece of the magic home with this reindeer mug styled after Judy’s special hot cocoa recipe. We couldn’t resist this mug, and now we need to get to work on perfecting a recipe over the next 1200 years.

World of Disney is full of holiday decorations and displays, and more merchandise based on “The Santa Clause.”

The Rose Suchak Ladder Company has gone into the desk set business with this new business card holder, complete with the contract card from the film.

An import from the East Coast, this Germany Pavilion Christmas collection is direct from EPCOT and features several pieces of merchandise.

We found several new Starbucks tumblers for the season that are selling fast, but we were lucky enough to catch them all in stock.

And “the holidays” are not only about Christmas. This Hanukkah collection can bring extra joy to the night of lights.

Speaking of joy, we found even more plaid “JOY” items too add to the collection.

It’s new pin day, and we found lots of holiday pins that released today. This “it’s a small world” holiday pin folds out to reveal several vignettes from the attraction.

Each of the hotels received a spinner pin today, each featuring a hero and villain on the spinning ornament.

We also found some mystery ornament pins that have one revealed pin and one mystery item hidden behind the backdrop. It could be a lanyard, a magnet or a patch. You won’t know until you crack it open.

And the standing collection of holiday pins were released recently as well, featuring several designs that help to make the holidays bright.

At Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Express, we have some new seasonal beignets. This month, they are Maple Pecan Pie Glazed Beignets. We can’t wait to try them.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

From afar, we could see the repainting progressing on Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel as it is turned into Pixar Place Hotel. Let’s take a closer look.

At the back (and right now, only) entrance to the hotel, we can check in on the last remainder of the original DCA 1.0 theming — the Paradise Pier billboard.

It remains safe for now, but we know its days are numbered.

Inside the hotel the kids cartoon room is now closed and the windows blacked out.

Also, the pool and the second floor are off-limits to guests as construction is underway.

Disneyland Hotel

Over at the Disneyland Hotel, the luggage storage area out front is undergoing a refurbishment.

It is surrounded in construction walls and fencing with scrim.

A temporary luggage storage area has been erected in the parking lot.

Disney California Adventure

It’s a cold but beautiful day here at DCA. Let’s see what’s new.

This Spider-Man mug is perfectly festive and features Spidey, Ghost Spider and Spin, scattered around the cup.

We also found this festive Funko POP, and we think there is a spelling error there. It says “Boba Fett” but seeing as he is made of snow, we think it is meant to read “Snowba Fett,” as that is the only logical way of saying it.

In what might be the coolest piece of holiday merchandise yet, this Holiday Edition of the Phase II Clone Trooper looks like a gingerbread man and comes complete with an icing gun and a Santa Porg.

It’s so cool.

Over at the Super Store featuring Avengers Campus, this new Marvel shirt features 35 different character headshots by Alex Ross.

Cars Land had the most Halloween decorations of anywhere in the park, and they have already made some good headway on removing them after one night. The sign is back to normal and the witch car is gone.

All of the hanging spooky smiles that spanned the road are removed as well.

We sure had a fun, but cold, day here at the parks.

One final parting shot from home, where our favorite new purchases of the day make a festive pair as we unwind after a long day.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 11/1/22 (Halloween Becomes Christmas, A Gingerbread Stormtrooper, New Park Maps and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Our MagicBand+ day began even before we passed through security at the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure.

A new kiosk has been set up here just before security at the tram loading station for guests to purchase their MagicBand+ and have it linked before they reach the gates to use it for entering the park.

Disney California Adventure

And, of course, MagicBand+ can be found all over both parks and Downtown Disney as well.

Another new feature of the MagicBand+ is ride interactions. We checked out a few rides around the parks to see what might happen with the band. Here at WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, we saw the band light up at the end of the ride.

On Soarin’ Around the World, we saw another light-up feature in the exit hallway.

And on Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, we got a light-up dance party in the exit way.

To see all the interactions we had with attractions on our MagicBand+, take a peek at the video below:

As we explored the rest of the park, we ran into some Avengers and checked out the Super Store featuring Avengers Campus.

This new Marvel kitchenware set is sleek and classy, yet still properly themed for a Marvel fan.

And a new, safer version of Thor’s axe Stormbreaker is now available as well. Much easier to get hit in the face by an excited kid with this foam one than the hard plastic one that is also available.

And with Halloween season almost at an end, we’ve seen the Holiday merchandise rolling in to every corner of the resort. This new collection of Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday merchandise is perfect for celebrating across the galaxy.

Holiday decorations are also spreading across the parks, as we can see here at The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. These kelp garlands are so nice.

And over at Pacific Wharf, we have some aptly-themed garlands as well.

Pacific Wharf Cafe has a garland strung with sourdough bread boules and baguettes.

Cocina Cucamonga has dried chiles in their garland.

And Lucky Fortune Cookery has take-out boxes in their garland.

Over in the Grizzly Peak area, we have some perfect fall scenes as we transition to Holiday decor.

These popcorn garlands strung between the pine trees are a simple but pretty decoration for the area.

We found even more Holiday merchandise, like this 2022 Disney key ornament.

And this collection of Pixar holiday merchandise featuring the cutest little nesting doll set, as seen below.

Speaking of Pixar merchandise, check out this super cool new pillow and blanket set from Cars Land.

And to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos, we found a collection of papel picado, ‘Coco’ and other Mexico Pavilion merchandise from EPCOT.

Let’s say goodbye for now and head over to

Disneyland

“it’s a small world” has closed for its transition to the Holiday overlay, coming November 11.

And nearby, we can see the letters on the spire of the El CapiTOON Theater in Mickey’s Toontown as the new attraction is being built.

We headed up to Black Spire Outpost to try out the new Batuu Bounty Hunters game that is part of the MagicBand+ functionality.

It was rough-going for most of the time.

But we sure did have a beautiful afternoon on Batuu.

Take a look at our whole experience on our YouTube channel right here:

Disneyland Hotel

Over at the Disneyland Hotel, construction is going strong at the new Disney Vacation Club tower being built next to the pool.

We also came by to meet the pumpkin carver, who is plying his trade on display at all three hotels of the Disneyland Resort.

He carves these beautiful pumpkins and then sets them out on an ever-growing display at the hotel.

Paradise Pier Hotel

He roams from one hotel to the other throughout the day, and the Mickey pumpkin at Paradise Pier Hotel is our clear favorite.

We were also here to check on the repainting progress as the retheme of the hotel is underway.

And, of course, we found yet more MagicBand+ for sale in the temporary gift shop at Paradise Pier Hotel.

Disneyland (Night)

When darkness fell, we headed back into Disneyland to catch some nighttime entertainment. This “Encanto” projection show on “it’s a small world” syncs up with the MagicBand+ to let them glow with the show. You can see the whole show right here:

Elsewhere in Disneyland, we found more Holiday decorations up. The classic Santa crescent moons are hung in the trees of New Orleans Square.

And wreaths line the wrought-iron railings of the upstairs balconies.

The balcony of Club 33 is lit in blue flood lights and periodically, they strobe bright white, as seen above and below.

Even the still-closed Tarzan’s Treehouse had lights on, presumably for the workers inside more than for our interest as guests.

Disney California Adventure (Night)

Hopping back over to DCA, we get to see everything lit up for Halloween one last time.

In Avengers Campus, we got to help Dr. Strange defend our reality from Dormammu using our MagicBand+.

This was a great show and a great interaction that really puts the Magic in MagicBand+. Take a look at the full show on YouTube below:

And, in a lovely surprise, we got to meet Elsa Bloodstone as she patrolled the campus.

She even let us snap a nice picture at the Ancient Sanctum.

It’s always nice to stroll around the parks at night and enjoy the lights.

This week, we have a series of parting shots from Cars Land as we prepare to celebrate and then say goodbye to Halloween. Let’s take a look around Cars Land at night.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 10/26/22 (MagicBand+ Public Release, Ride Interactions, Glow with the Show, and the Last of the Halloween Nighttime Photography) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Downtown Disney

We started off in Downtown Disney to get this week’s new pin releases, including this Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride pin, above, a National Geographic pin, below and more.

At the construction area in the end of Downtown Disney, there is a new photo op for “Under Wraps 2” on Disney+. And directly across the walkway from this, at the entrance to Star Wars Trading Post, we found…

the Star Wars holiday collection.

With many of these branded holiday collections comes these cute little standees. We saw them with each collection throughout the shops of the resort. The front side features Darth Vader, above, and the back side features Grogu.

The holiday collection this year is dominated by Ewoks, who are found on most new pieces this year.

Our favorite item has to be the Blue Milk and Cookies set. It’s cute, it’s themed, AND it’s practical? That’s a big win-win-win.

We found some more additions to the Guided by the Light collection designed by Ashley Eckstein, including these ears, a kyber crystal water bottle, and more.

We also found a pair of The Mandalorian-themed lounge sets. There are two sets, each with a shirt and lounge pants.

The second of the sets only features Grogu on the shirt, but Mando can still be found on the pants.

We also found a cute little square-bottomed water bottle for kids.

We found several more of these bottles over at World of Disney with designs from Toy Story 4, Frozen II, and more. Note the clip ring on top for easy carrying.

And joining the Zootopia collection we recently found is a series of plush similar in style to the art featured on the apparel. We found Nick, Judy, Flash, and Priscilla plushes, as well as some more apparel.

This little light-up Groot plush is just adorable and will make a perfect present.

And the first of the Marvel holiday merch comes with the holiday standee. This features Hulk, Captain America, Black Panther, and Spider-Man on the front.

And on the back, we find Rocket and Groot, Kid Arachnid, Thor, and Captain Marvel.

Still not enough Marvel for you? Then get set for this new cardigan, above, and this $400 leather jacket, below. It’s nice, and all, but is it $400 nice?

At the Disney Dress Shop, we found a more modestly-priced jacket featuring Mickey Mouse comic panels all over.

And in the Home Store, we found yet more holiday merchandise, including this JOY mug, above, a potted Christmas tree, below, and more.

Disneyland

There’s even more holiday merchandise inside the parks. This Happy Holidays throw pillow brings the whole gang together.

And we found the Pixar holiday collection, including this Spirit Jersey, above, these nutcracker key chains, below, and more.

And with this collection comes another standee. This Pixar one is less exciting than the rest, as it only has one design printed on both sides with different background colors.

We also found some nice holiday ornaments, like this snowglobe ornament which sees the Avengers fighting ThanSNOWs. Get it? ThanSNOWs?

And down the way at Plaza Point, we found a classic holiday bell, above, and an imitation cut-crystal Mickey head.

There is also a returning item from last year — this throw blanket from the Walt’s Holiday Lodge collection.

In Disney Clothiers, we found the much sought-after and oft-sold-out pink Starbucks tumbler. It features Mickey on one side, the Starbucks mermaid on the other, and dots all around.

And for Jungle Book fans, this new Dooney and Bourke collection is right up your alley.

And here it is. The ultimate expression of the holidays at Disneyland — snow has come to Sleeping Beauty Castle. What is affectionately referred to as the “selective snow storm” has begun its nightly ritual of dousing one turret roof after another in snow over the next week or two until the whole castle is prepped for the closest thing LA gets to a White Christmas. But with Halloween nearly two weeks away, it is that odd between-time where the pumpkins and Fall foliage accompany the holiday decorations for a while.

But hey, we’re used to Halloween and Christmas co-mingling here at Disneyland already, so it just feels like Jack Skellington has decked the halls all over the park.

If only these warm Summer days would go away. It was in the low 90°s today and has been very warm all week. Can’t wait for that snow to feel less out-of-place when it cools down.

In Adventureland, we saw workers crawling all over the Treehouse assessing the project.

Here we can see a Disneyland Fire Department Cast Member checking on the house above the scrim on the scaffolding.

In Tomorrowland, we found this new Marvel backpack with plenty of straps and extra bags for all your super-heroing needs.

And in Black Spire Outpost, the Batuu Bounty Hunters station is ready to go and awaiting the arrival of the MagicBand+ users tomorrow. Cast Members stood by to do their best “there’s nothing to see here” impression, despite the publicity campaign that Disney has been running for weeks, telling us that there most definitely IS something to see here. That and, you know, the big yellow sign back there.

Le Petit Chalet has been closing one segment after another for a piecemeal refurbishment, and now the large center section is closed off.

Both of the side caps are open, however, having been already completed.

Disney California Adventure

Over at DCA, we found this adult crafting set, above, and this cool concert T-shirt from Powerline’s ’95 tour.

We stopped by to visit an Avenger and got the chance to get a close-up look at some arc reactor technology nearby. Meeting the Hulk is now a line-up process, rather than mobbing him like it was when he first arrived, so we got ample time to take pictures and look around without the next guest’s camera jabbed into our backs.

Headbands have gone up resort-wide, with the minimum base price now at $34.99.

And speaking of headbands, we found these new Black Panther ears in the Super Store featuring Avengers Campus.

We stopped into Cars Land to see the Halloween decorations, and we noticed Guido’s new costume. He is the Grim Beeper, and we love it.

One final parting shot from DCA is a sad one. We have garlands up on some shops. We have snow on the castle. The holidays are coming. So when can we have our floaty trees back? They were here through March this year, and we just want them back now. Please and thank you.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 10/18/22 (Halloween Becomes Christmas, Snow on the Castle, MagicBand Prep, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Downtown Disney

The former ESPN Zone building is now being used for a pop-up shop for MagicBand+ sales. Guests must show their affiliation (Magic Key, DVC membership or Cast Member ID) at the door to gain access to the shop.

Once inside, there are 20 different styles of MagicBands to choose from. Take a look at all of them right here.

Out of the 20 designs, five of them are exclusive to Disneyland. There is even a new Limited Release MagicBand+ featuring Black Panther.

Whichever design is chosen, this is where most guests wind up immediately after — pulled over on a trash can, park bench, set display, stage, or any other flat surface where the unboxing and pairing begins. Take a look at our full guide on pairing the new bands to your phone.

Disney California Adventure

Since we already had our band from Downtown Disney, we were able to try out the park admission scan on our way to check out the other shop in Disney California Adventure. The Cast Member at the turnstiles taps their phone onto our band and viola! It’s the same as scanning the barcode on the phone, but with none of the “futzing for screen brightness” trouble.

During this preview week, the MagicBand+ sales are limited to the ESPN Zone building in Downtown Disney, the Starcade in Disneyland and Super Store featuring Avengers Campus here in DCA.

The entrance to the separate pop-up shop is back in the corner of the building, rather than in through the normal doors.

The back corner of the store is taken over for the pop-up shop.

The area is roped off and the MagicBand+ sales are through Mobile Checkout only.

In addition to park admission, the MagicBand+ can also link your Lightning Lane reservations, if you’re willing to pay the ever-increasing price for Genie+.

And it can also link your PhotoPass media from the photographer’s phone to your account with a tap.

Disneyland may have the Batuu Bounty Hunters game, but we wanted to see how the Avengers were set to interact with the new bands. The Disneyland app, in its MagicBand+ information section, mentions that there are “surprising magical touches” to be found in Avengers Campus. Unfortunately, none of the half dozen Cast Members we spoke to seemed to have any knowledge of what those were. So we decided to find out for ourselves. We watched the Amazing Spider-Man show, but the MagicBand+ didn’t react.

It’s still always a good time if you’re watching Spidey swing into action tho, with or without a MagicBand+.

We just walked around tapping our band on anything that was round and waiting for a reaction. Nothing happened anywhere.

Well, nothing except Iron Man thinking we’re really cool because of the new tech. Thanks, Mr. Stark!

We decided to take a spin around the whole park and see if maybe, somewhere, there was something to interact with the MagicBand+. You can see our full overview video and our walk around the park in our YouTube video. And to see a full roundup of all the details on the new MagicBand+ that has come to the Disneyland Resort, check it out here.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disney California Adventure. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disney California Adventure 10/19/22 (MagicBand+ Comes to Disneyland) appeared first on WDW News Today.

CityWalk

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen is coming along nicely, with new work being done on the twin spires in front of the restaurant.

The spires, as cam be seen, are now being painted in a stylized gold color and the spirals are being added along the sides.

In the new Universal Presents Super Nintendo World store in CityWalk, we found a pair of new cosplay zippered hoodies for the Super Mario Brothers.

We also found a selection of cute little character headbands featuring some of your favorite Super Mario Brothers characters, enemies and items.

And we found some new Nintendo character plushes like this Pirhana Plant, above, and Chef Toad, below. Could this belie the appearance of Kinopio’s Café when Super Nintendo World opens? We hope so.

And for plush Toad fans, we have another iteration for you. This plush Toad zippered coin purse is one of two that we found today.

Upper Lot

Let’s head into the park.

We found even more plushes inside the park, like this Chain Chomp plush.

This set of Super Nintendo fun fact coasters can beef up your Mario knowledge prior to the land’s opening in early 2023.

For those who want to watch something grow out of the Warp Pipe rather than disappear into it, this planter is for you.

Continuing the weekly Halloween Horror Nights magnet release, the newest iteration is this Historias de Terror y Muerte cover featuring El Chupacabra.

These Simpsons shirts, seen above and below, may not EXPLICITLY say Treehouse of Horror, but we are accepting them as ToH merch via some strong headcanon.

This cute new Harry Potter teddy bear is just adorable and features Harry’s iconic knit sweater from the films.

Speaking of the Wizarding World, we found a sweet memoriam of Robbie Coltrane’s passing — flowers have been laid at Hagrid’s hut in the line for Flight of the Hippogriff.

Let’s check in on the Super Nintendo World progress.

Princess Peach’s castle has arrived since our last visit. We can’t wait to get in there and see it all from the ground level.

Christmas lights and decorations have started springing up around the park, and these red and white lights around the area with a “Happy Halloween” sign are possibly the most apparent juxtaposition of the two holidays colliding.

In addition to the garlands we have already seen installed, wreaths and garlands have been added to The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash.

Minion Cafe is still fully decked out for Halloween despite the Christmas lights.

And French Street is very telling for the change-over, with its garlands, wreaths and skeletons all around.

This is weird, and we kind of love it.

Lower Lot

Let’s head down to the Lower Lot.

The refurbishment of the Transformers: The Ride entrance seems to be completed. The characters don’t seem to have received any paint, but the background is looking bright and shiny.

Our Martini Shot of the day is from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where the clouds provide a beautiful backdrop for the soaring spires of Hogwarts Castle.

Thanks for riding along with us on our photo report from Universal Studios Hollywood. That’s a wrap!

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Universal Studios Hollywood 10/20/22 (Christmas Decorations & Halloween Atmosphere, Peach’s Castle Arrives, In Memoriam of Robbie Coltrane, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

First things first: the price hikes. We’ve had price increases for theme park tickets, Genie+, and individual Lightning Lane purchases already, and now we’ve had an increase in Preferred Parking rates. This is in addition to price hikes on merchandise, including Spirit Jerseys, which now start at $79.99, whereas before they started at $74.99. The magic is getting ever more expensive.

Disney California Adventure

In Cars Land, something long thought dead and gone is back. No, not the zombie car… a retail opportunity at Radiator Springs Curios.

The porch of the long-closed shop has new life with a kiosk selling customized leather bracelets.

And we stopped in at Ramone’s House of Body Art to see the ofrenda that is set up in honor of Doc Hudson, the Hudson Hornet.

On the main drag, we finally have the Halloween-themed posters up at the Tractor Feed and Farm Truck Association Hall.

The poster on the left, “Attack of the Space Zombies from Planet B,” is for the B-Movie that Lightning McQueen and Mater (almost) starred in for “Cars on the Road” on Disney+. It replaces the “Blackout on Route 66” poster from years past.

Downtown Disney

Speaking of “Cars on the Road,” we found a new collection of toys and apparel for kids inside World of Disney.

We wish, above all things, that they made an adult-sized collection of this same merchandise. We can’t squeeze into this jumpsuit, but boy, did we try.

Another new arrival at World of Disney is a new nuiMOs plush of the Incredible Hulk.

And, as we still have a few weeks left in the Halloween season, we have some new magnets and sweatpants to celebrate the spookiest time of the year.

Another addition to the retro Mickey and Friends apparel collection is these slippers. They have super thick soles and are so fuzzy.

We also spotted this cheese board featuring the Hitchhiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion.

This pair of Ratatouille items celebrate the foods of Paris, both in the various kinds of cheese found in the city and with Chef Remy’s recipe for his famous ratatouille.

We found a big new Zootopia collection here at World of Disney featuring a hoodie, button down shirts, accessories, and more.

We’d love to tell you about this shirt, or the below sweatshirt, both for kids. But we don’t talk about it, no, no, no.

As we get closer to cooler weather here in LA, it’s the right time to stock up on warm clothing like this long-sleeved shirt featuring the Mummy from The Haunted Mansion.

And some more warm wear, now from The Disney Dress Shop. This fuzzy Spirit Jersey is perfectly pink and ready for winter wear.

And we found a few more entries in the Mickey & Minnie apparel collection that we first spotted last week.

We also found some Aristocats apparel that will pair perfectly with the other Aristocats housewares that we recently found.

The Vans x Disney collection for Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary has made its way over to Disneyland and can be found, while supplies last, in The Disney Dress Shop. These shoes were the last pair in the entire resort, and we were glad to see them before they sold out entirely.

We also went the distance to find some more pieces in the Hercules 25th anniversary collection, including this Loungefly bag and more.

And our final stop in Downtown Disney is here at the Home Store where the first of the Holiday merchandise has made its way on to shelves.

Disneyland

The Lightning Lane line for Haunted Mansion Holiday was crazy long today. Cast Members were saying 35 minutes, as the line continued to grow from there.

Seeing the entrance line way out by Splash Mountain was definitely a sight.

At Pooh Corner, we found the true meaning of Halloween — candy! These Nightmare Before Christmas-themed candy containers were filled with various pumpkins and candy bugs.

And just outside, we saw Rabbit greeting guests in Pooh’s thoughtful spot. It’s such a treat to for a character sighting who we don’t get to see that often.

At Eudora’s Chic Boutique, we found these beignet-scented ears that say “Beignet All Day” on the back. We don’t usually wear ears in the park, but this may be the exception because they smell so good.

On Main Street, U.S.A., we found a whole bunch of new pins that were, at one time, set to be exclusive for the D23 Expo last month. These didn’t sell out and have made their way over to Disneyland for anyone who missed them at the event.

This Avatar one is just huge and the six posts on the copper-colored back are intense.

As we wrap up our tour, we took a walk around the park to see the beautiful sites as the clouds were breaking.

A short downtime on Jungle Cruise allowed for some pristine pictures.

One final parting shot from Tomorrowland. Our camera was dying and this was the last shot we got before the battery gave out. Worth it.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 10/11/22 (Long Lines, Cars Land Halloween, Beignet Ears, and Tons of Merch) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Disney California Adventure

Disney California Adventure closes early to day guests because Oogie Boogie Bash is set to take over the park again tonight. But Mickey was still on-hand to greet guests on Buena Vista Street as they were exiting the park.

We found a cute new Ratatouille tumbler and mug (not pictured) here on Pixar Pier.

The park was full of guests in really interesting costumes, but these may have been our favorites of the night.

The treat trails are closed until the event starts at 6 p.m., but we got to see some of the sets and props during the full daylight before they opened with characters greeting later.

The stone art of Bruno and the shattered tablet was awesome.

And, of course, The Side Show features some of his more recognizable creations on display.

Honorable mention for coolest costume is Ernie… uh we mean Ice. That is some real dedication to shave the hair. Well done.

As the sun starts to sink toward the horizon, it’s time to head to…

Disneyland

The golden rays of sunset are starting to grace the tops of the castle turrets as we head into the shops to see what new merchandise we can find for you.

These two Loungefly bags feature The Haunted Mansion, both in its spirits and its wallpaper. You can read all about them both right here.

We also found some more Loungefly backpacks, as seen above and below. Remy is the focus of the above bag, with his wine, cheese, fruit, bread and view of the Eiffel Tower. And below is a plush Loungefly bag featuring Grogu, complete with ear holder straps.

We also found some Mickey ears themed to Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction as part of the Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction series.

And another addition to Ashley Eckstein’s Guided by the Light collection is this light up keychain that we found today.

The last rays of the sunset are fading now and lights are flickering on all across the park.

Over at Eudora’s Chic Boutique, the showpiece dress in the front window now has a big, feathery collar.

The sun is gone now, leaving purple and pink tones in the clouds above Batuu. We took the opportunity to wander around the park and do some evening photography.

A new head scarf has landed at Black Spire Outpost. This appears to be a simple muslin fabric tube, like a Buff that isn’t stretchy. It comes in two colors and features a Black Spire Outpost patch.

The park is so beautiful at night with show lighting.

Over in Tomorrowland, there is a new nighttime dance party show featuring Disney Villains for Halloween.

The castle-inspired decorations are spooky and cute.

Villains cycle through the show in pairs. As we were watching the show, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee left and were replaced by Maleficent and the Evil Queen.

We continued our stroll through Tomorrowland and took in the sights. The full moon rising above the spires of the futuristic world of tomorrow made for some great views.

We stopped to grab a Halloween sweet treat of some candy corn and some gummy candy corn before we headed out.

One final parting shot from the park. The big, bright, full moon can be seen in many of our shots tonight, and this one is a nice way to end the day at Disneyland during Halloween Time.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 10/9/22 (Night Photography, Villain Dance Party, A Peek at Oogie Boogie Bash Sets, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Downtown Disney

To celebrate the upcoming release of “Hocus Pocus 2” on Disney+, there is a new photo op in Downtown Disney.

Guests can stand behind the cauldron and summon the Sanderson sisters from the moon.

Ducking into World of Disney before the park, we spotted this Tiana nuiMOs doll. We also found a couple of new nuiMOs outfits that match the human sized outfits just released at Eudora’s Chic Boutique.

Disneyland

Mickey and the gang were waiting for us on Main Street, U.S.A., when we arrived. They are all decked out in their new homemade Halloween costumes.

Dale was very proud of his costume and was strutting about showing it off.

This week’s pins include some ear headbands, a Dapper Day pin, and, most notably, some X-Men pins from the 90’s animated show.

Any time we find Gambit on some merchandise, it’s an immediate purchase.

Further up Main Street, U.S.A., our horse friend is all tied up with a festive Halloween ribbon braid.

Inside the Emporium, we noticed that some of the registers had been removed. With the advent of Mobile Checkout, these registers were less in-demand than they once were, so they have now been removed and replaced with more shelving space.

This is in the Crystal Arcade area of the Emporium.

We found a great selection of mugs, bottles, and tumblers today.

Most notably among the collection, this Haunted Mansion mug is one of our favorites.

This Binx votive holder looks like it might be a wax melter, or at least able to handle a votive candle, as would be expected from a votive holder.

But unfortunately, it is meant for electric votives only as the top of the cauldron could melt or crack.

This new Mickey and Minnie cartoon collection features the famous mouse couple in some of their early cartoons across many pieces of apparel.

This shirt has never not been on our minds since it was released on shopDisney, and now it has made its way into the park. It’s only in kids’ sizes at the moment; let’s hope they bring out some “big kid” sizes soon.

Like a little black dress, these little black polka dot Minnie ears are the perfect match to any outfit.

Speaking of accompanying fancy outfits, this Dooney & Bourke collection of handbags features Minnie Mouse in understated line art.

And joining the rest of the Tiana collection by Color Me Courtney, these overalls hide some secret embroidered characters and icons.

We found more of this collection over at Eudora’s Chic Boutique in New Orleans Square. This shirt matches the overalls, and this letterman’s jacket is a wonderful accompaniment to the outfit.

Also, in Eudora’s Chic Boutique featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets, we have some actual foods now. These classic creole staples are must-haves for any New Orleans chef. Of course, the Café Du Monde Chicory Coffee and Beignet Mix are classics…

But the praline mix was a nice surprise.

All of these treats got us in the mood for something sweet, so we checked in on Pooh Corner to see the candy apples, cupcakes, hand pies, and more. And we even saw the Tigger Tails being made.

For some reason, the cold case was displaying bagged cookies that don’t need refrigeration. Interesting to see, nonetheless.

Jack and Sally were off making Christmas elsewhere, so their meet-and-greet area was open and accessible to take a look at.

We whistled and even laid a treat out, but Zero must not be home either.

In this meet-and-greet area, there are shelves full of villains merchandise available when Jack and Sally aren’t here. This super cool Ursula vase is a perfect Halloween display piece for your dead, dried seaweed bouquet.

And this awesome Maleficent dragon egg candle is “Villains Scented,” which means that all villains smell like an orange Push Up ice cream pop. It says Bergamot Dusk, but it smells like a Push-Up.

We love spotting these weird little hidden things that everyone passes by without taking the time to look. But if you’ve ever purchased anything at Pieces of Eight, Captain Chimp has watched you check out.

Up in Toontown, we can see the first signs of painting taking place on the spire of El CapiTOON Theater.

Heading over to Tomorrowland…

… we found this set of clutch handbags that is part of the Heroes and Villains collection. It’s a bit pricey, but so cool looking.

It got us in the mood for a flight on the Millennium Falcon, so we headed over to Batuu.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

This picture really sums it all up. The transformation of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel is fully underway, and access is now restricted.

The front entrance to the hotel is now closed off, and guests enter through the back door.

Reception has been moved over to Pacific Ballroom C and D.

Read all about the changes right here.

Disneyland Hotel

Repainting work continues in some areas of the hotel, including here on the sign.

Much of the repainting is already completed, as can be seen here on the Fantasy Tower, which was the first to be repainted several weeks ago.

The Frontier Tower is the last to have painting ongoing along the sides of the tower.

The main area of construction, however, is the new Disney Vacation Club tower being built right next to the pool.

Construction is taking over the sightlines of almost everywhere, and between the building here and the remaining painting and maintenance going on elsewhere, it is very loud for the guests trying to enjoy the pool.

As we are bopping around the hotel checking in on the construction, it’s always nice to visit the decorations in each tower. Here in the Frontier Tower is the model of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad as it stands over in the park. The level of detail on this model is incredible, and we could just sit here and stare at it all day.

Outside the Frontier Tower’s back exit, the new Disney Vacation Club preview center.

It is currently closed, but we were able to walk up and take a look around the area.

It’s a beautiful building that is reminiscent of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, about 35 miles away.

There is also a tiny house here that has Aulani model rooms to be toured as part of the DVC pitch.

One final parting shot from the Disneyland Hotel. Outside the Frontier Tower is a small pool and water feature. This is Cascade Falls and Ol’ Unfaithful, the water geyser. These are in homage to the original geyser and falls of the same names that were part of the Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland attraction in Frontierland, in the area that is now Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We haven’t seen Ol’ Unfaithful operating with water vapor and the light for the last few months, so it’s nice to see her back in play again.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 9/27/22 (Paradise Pier Lobby Closes, Painting in Toontown, Disneyland Hotel DVC Construction, Ol’ Unfaithful Back to Life, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Disney California Adventure

We only came in for a quick check-in at Disney California Adventure but we’re glad we did because we found a new Hercules collection celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film.

We also found this super cute Grogu pet bed, perfect for protecting your little bounty at home.

Downtown Disney

In World of Disney we spied with our little eyes these two new Monsters, Inc. headbands. The eyes roll back and forth, and moving the horns makes the headband come to life.

The construction walls at the end of the walk are now decorated for Halloween. If we have to have construction walls for a while, at least they’re themed.

And speaking of the construction, we can see over those themed walls from aboard the Monorail to check in on the progress. Work has finally resumed and grading is underway.

Nearby, there are tables set up for a kid’s craft station for the month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latin American cultures.

Kids can learn about Central and South American flying creatures, and make a mobile depicting them.

There will also be special entertainment at Downtown Disney Live stage for the event.

A full listing of the specialty foods and events for the celebration can be found on kiosks around the area.

Disneyland

Inside Disneyland, we can see that Walt Disney’s apartment has received a new lamp in the window. This is the lamp that lets us know he’s still here.

Fresh from the D23 convention, a Castles of Disney collection has arrived at the resort. Follow the link to see the many pieces of the collection.

Minnie Mouse was out on Main Street, U.S.A. to greet guests in her Halloween costume. She is dressed as a cat, making for an ironic and cute outfit.

Eudora’s Chic Boutique Featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets has opened in New Orleans Square.

Eudora is mother of Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog.” Eudora is a seamstress and has set up her new sewing room in New Orleans Square to sell her dresses and other apparel in the shop.

All around the shop are Tiana’s own recipes and cooking utensils, making for the other aspect of the shop overall.

And also all of her coffee cans which she used to save for her restaurant.

You can take a full tour with us on our YouTube channel by clicking the video below:

We found several new pins today featuring Spider-Man, Rapunzel, Pirates of the Caribbean and more. Check out everything we found right here.

We also found some new apparel in the park today, like this Pirates of the Caribbean shirt in Pieces of Eight.

And this Jack Skellington button-up shirt in Port Royal Curios and Curiousities.

Also in Port Royal, we found this Haunted Mansion LEGO set.

Churro Gears have come back in their twisted, spiral shape. The other, flat variety are also still available.

Whether the Convor or the Bantha speaks to you, these new lightsaber hilt caps are just the ticket to personalize your lightsaber.

And now it’s time for a pair of final parting shots from Tomorrowland. There’s nothing quite like watching the Monorail over the submarine lagoon on a warm day.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 9/20/22 (Eudora’s Chic Boutique Opens, Walt’s Apartment Gets a New Lamp, Downtown Disney Celebrates Hispanic & Latin American Cultures, and More) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Universal Orlando Resort

• We have a first look at the upcoming Universal Orlando Store headed to Terminal C of Orlando International Airport!
• The Hogwarts Express was closed for four days in a row this week.

Universal Studios Florida

• We tried the Vegan Pizza Fries, Revenge of the Circus Peanut Cocktail and more at KidZone Pizza Co. during Halloween Horror Nights.
• We also had the Save Your Tears Cocktail at The Weeknd After Hours Nightmare Bar.
• A Halloween Horror Nights mobile game is now available!
• Head over to the Monsters food booth for a Garlic Philly Cheese ‘Stake,’ Mummy’s Curse Tablet Cookie and more!
• If you’re feeling brave, head over to try the Freshly Ground Princess, Spoiled Bear Meat, Brains, and more From Meetz Meats during HHN.
• Even the Mac & Cheese truck is in on Halloween Horror Nights, with a new Twisted Mac & Cheese.
• Feeling like a drink? Head over to Lombard’s Patio for the new Poison Snakebite cocktail during Halloween Horror Nights.
• The Transformers Bar is also in on the Horror Nights fun with Electric Death & Ghoul Juice cocktails!
• A new Witches Spell Cauldron Stew has joined the returning carnitas and mozzarella arepas at the Music Plaza food truck.
• Unicycling Umbridge has returned to Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes in Diagon Alley!
• And finally, we have video walkthroughs of every single Halloween Horror Nights 31 house at Universal Studios Florida!

Universal Orlando CityWalk

• Celebrate spooky season with a new Dead Coconut Club tee!

Universal Studios Hollywood

• Full food menus were revealed for Halloween Horror Nights this year.
• For the first time, Death Eaters are appearing in Hogsmeade during Halloween Horror Nights at USH.

UPNT

Halloween Horror Nights Kickoff Recap, New Store – Universal Parks News Today 9/9

Tom Reviews Every Haunted House from Halloween Horror Nights 31 at Universal Studios Florida

That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Weekly Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you next Sunday!

The post Halloween Horror Nights Food Galore, Hogwarts Express Closed for Multiple Days, First Look at Universal Orlando Store at Terminal C of Orlando International Airport, & More: UPNT Weekly Recap (9/5/22-9/11/22) appeared first on WDW News Today.

In this new art, we can see the English Gardens area and the “Tangled”-themed family attraction will be located along a new promenade that leads directly into the upcoming “Frozen” land. The attraction will be a spinner type, similar to Mad Tea Party, but with wooden boats spinning around lanterns.

This will be the next major milestone in the ongoing transformation of Walt Disney Studios park. The “Frozen”-themed land will offer a gorgeous lakeside promenade and will immerse guests in the same magical wintry setting from the films.

Other recently announced additions to Disneyland Paris Resort include a new entryway for Toy Story Land and a new Pixar stage show coming to Walt Disney Studios Park.

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