Disneyland Confirms Change Coming to Iconic Entrance

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

f you visit Disneyland Resort in the coming days, you may be able to notice some changes happening right at the iconic entrance.

One of the most iconic sights for Disney Park Guests coming to visit Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure is taking in the sight of the Mickey floral planter, which shows Mickey Mouse completely made out of flowers. Since opening day on July 17, 1955, the display has greeted Guests and is one of the most recognizable sights of any Disney Park.

f you’re walking past the Disneyland entrance in the next couple of days, however, you may be noticing some changes if you’ve got an eagle-eye.

According to reports from the Orange County Register, Disney has confirmed that it will be rolling out new artificial turf around the Mickey floral planter at the Disneyland entrance and the Haunted Mansion front lawn. These displays will be unveiled on Friday, September 2 when Halloween Time officially kicks off at the Anaheim Park. The Mickey floral planter with Halloween colors and the Haunted Mansion Holiday ride overlay will be unveiled on Friday when the spooky season kicks off — and with it large swaths of new artificial turf in high-profile locations, according to the report.

Disneyland has been slowly changing over to astroturf instead of grass in several areas of its Parks. The effort to reduce real grass in the theme parks started when Cars Land opened at Disney California Adventure in 2012 when astroturf was installed in front of Sarge’s Surplus Hut and Flo’s V8 Cafe and in the queue line at Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters.

While these changes will be happening, most Guests will likely not notice much without looking very hard because of “the high-end turf that Disney uses.”

“The high-end artificial turf used at Disneyland is harder to spot than the low-cost versions found in residential neighborhoods that look like synthetic green carpeting with visible seams. Disneyland uses eight different types of artificial turf with gray, brown and off-white blades intermittently woven in to look more natural,” the report says.

minnie mouse disneyland

Earlier this year, Disney honored Women’s History Month by changing the floral design to Minnie Mouse. This was the first time that the change had been made in the Resort’s history.

Disney Guests Surprised By Low Wait Times

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Disney World crowds are surprisingly low.

When you visit Walt Disney World Resort, you expect to have a magical time while visiting Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, you also expect to wait quite a bit.

Part of the fun a family can have is finding ways to entertain themselves while waiting in line for a Disney attraction. As a matter of fact, many memories are made while waiting in line.

However, It has been reported that Magic Kingdom was seemingly a “ghost town” compared to its normal crowds and this proved to be true even at the end of the Park’s close. Wait times have been down quite a bit according to analytics and this has apparently been surprising to many Disney Guests.

Low crowds at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

One Reddit user posted a picture in EPCOT from this week where you can see very few people. The Guest also shared that they had gone during the beginning of COVID and this “absolutely beats that.”

“Just got done with EPCOT. Not sure what’s going on, maybe I missed something but the amount of people at the park today was impressively low. We have been during the COVID 25% rule, and this absolutely beat that. Most rides were 5-30min wait times.”

Most rides, according to the Disney Park Guest, were between 5 and 30-minute waits.

Looking at the My Disney Experience app, you can see that many rides this week have had shockingly low wait times. It’s surprising because even though the kids have gone back to school, there have been relatively few “lulls” when it comes to Disney World crowds in the past couple of years, even once school was back in session.

Don’t expect crowds to remain low, however. As the holidays ramp up with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party taking place on select nights through October and then the march towards Christmas, we can expect that there will be plenty of crowded days to come at the Disney Parks.

Oscar-Winner and Longtime Disney/Pixar Artist Ralph Eggleston Dead at 56

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

When it comes to the beauty of filmmaking, fans quickly become familiar with the actors behind their favorite roles. They may also become big fans of those who direct and write those films. When it comes to animated movies, some of the biggest behind-the-scenes players are, of course, the animators. They create every amazing detail that we see on the screen. Even films that are completely computer-generated would be nothing without the animators creating the characters. Sadly, the animation world has lost a powerhouse creator who worked with both The Walt Disney Company and Pixar for over three decades.

You may not know the name Ralph Eggleston right off the top of your head, but he is behind some of Disney and Pixar’s most iconic films. In his more than 30 years with the two companies, he worked on a ton of incredible projects, including Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Lion King, Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Cars, Inside Out, and The Incredibles, just to name a few.

Unfortunately, we have learned that Eggleston has passed away at the age of 56.

Ralph Eggleston

According to Variety, which was one of the first to break the news of Eggleston’s death, the longtime art director died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

After news of Eggleston’s death broke, Pixar and those who worked with the talented filmmaker took to social media to share their heartbreak and honor Eggleston and his amazing contributions to the film world.

Joe Rohde Reveals His Favorite Restaurant In Animal Kingdom

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks

There are a lot of things to love about Animal Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort. From thrill rides like Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain and Avatar: Flight of Passage to one-of-a-kind experiences like the Wild Africa Trek and delicious dining experiences at places like Satu’li Canteen and Nomad Lounge, everyone is sure to have a great day at this newest Disney World theme park.

In addition to exciting rides and fun shows, there are also a ton of places to eat. For those who want something quick and delicious, Flame Tree BBQ is one of the most popular places to eat. Satu’li Canteen is another popular choice, known for its cheeseburger pods and build-your-own bowls. But what is the best restaurant in the Park? Well, there is sure to be some debate about that, but one former Disney Imagineer has named his pick — Tiffins Restaurant, located on Discovery Island.

If you are a big Disney fan, then you may be familiar with the name Joe Rohde. Rohde is one of The Walt Disney Company’s most prolific Imagineers — being the main creative force behind not only Animal Kingdom Park, but also Expedition Everest, Pandora: The World of Avatar, and Aulani: A Disney Resort & Spa.

Rohde is very active on social media and was recently asked by a fan what his favorite restaurant in Animal Kingdom was. While Rohde admitted that it was difficult to choose, he ultimately decided on the high-end table service restaurant, Tiffins.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to dine at Tiffins, here is more information on the delicious eatery from the Walt Disney World Resort website:

Seek and you shall find a treasure trove of mouthwatering delights from far-off places for lunch and dinner.

Roam the road less traveled at Tiffins Restaurant, thanks to a globetrotting menu of artfully prepared fare fit for a weary traveler. Begin your expedition with Spiced Chickpea Falafel, Charred Octopus or our signature bread service, before planting your flag with the Tamarind-braised Short Rib or Surf and Turf. Seafarers, fortune hunters and vagabonds will no doubt find new discoveries in the shrimp and grits served with Applewood smoked bacon and heirloom tomatoes.

Leaving no stone unturned? Satisfy your sweet tooth with Passion Fruit Tapioca Creme or our signature dessert, South American Chocolate Ganache.

For an additional cost, Guests 21 years of age and up can pack additional provisions with a selection from the renowned wine list—many of which are available by the glass—in addition to a noble assortment of after-dinner liqueurs, dessert wines and specialty drinks.

No matter which direction your compass points, you’re sure to encounter an unimaginable abundance of delectable food at Tiffins Restaurant.

As you can see from Rohde’s tweet, there are a ton of great dining options at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Whether you want a small snack, a quick meal, or a signature or character dining experience, you are sure to find something you’ll love at Animal Kingdom. You can read more about all of Disney Park’s dining spots by clicking here.

Walt Disney World Sees Extreme Drop In Crowds

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

As Floridians have officially gone back to school, Walt Disney World theme parks are looking like a ghost town ahead of Labor Day Weekend.

Walt Disney World is home to four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guests from all around the world travel to Orlando, Florida to experience the magic of Disney World and everything it has to offer, including its one-of-a-kind nighttime spectaculars.

On October 1, 2021 Magic Kingdom debuted a brand-new fireworks show, Disney Enchantment, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World. In order to make way for this new nighttime spectacular, we had to say goodbye to the fan-favorite show, Happily Ever After, which sparkled into Disney history on September 29, 2021.

If you have not yet seen Disney Enchantment, the official Walt Disney World website describes it as:

Watch in awe as Cinderella Castle comes to life with magical effects that—for the first time ever—extend down Main Street, U.S.A.! Plus, enjoy dazzling new lighting that illuminates the Castle courtyard and stunning fireworks that light up the night sky. All the while, classic and reimagined Disney songs will sweep you up into the adventure of a lifetime, along with an original new song by 7-time Grammy award-winning songwriter Philip Lawrence.

Disney Enchantment, presented by Pandora, is truly a celebration of magic, imagination, joy and hope for all who carry dreams in their hearts. Throughout your journey, favorite Disney Characters like Raya, Moana and Joe Gardner from Soul will join as you explore a world of wonder filled with friendship, love and fun. And if darkness tries to hold you back, you’ll discover you only have to look within to find the power to believe and make your dreams come true. The magic has been inside you all along!

This nighttime spectacular debuted as part of The World’s Most Magical Celebration—the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary.

Despite the backlash Disney Enchantment has received from fans, Magic Kingdom Guests continue to line up along Main Street, U.S.A. every evening to watch the night sky light up with fireworks.

However, because many Floridians have gone back to school, the last week of August at Walt Disney World is considered a “low crowd” week, and that is definitely shown in the video shared to Twitter by RandomDisneyDude: