In 2001, a massive Disneyland Resort expansion was finally complete, and the Downtown Disney District was open for business. Downtown Disney is a great shopping and dining area that connects Disneyland Resort’s three hotels — the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel (soon to be Pixar Place), and the Grand Californian — with Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.
While a lot of stores and restaurants have come and gone in those more than 20 years, there is one popular restaurant that has been a staple for the area — La Brea Bakery & Café. Sadly, on January 9, La Brea announced that they were closing the doors on the Café, effective immediately.
La Brea Bakery did not say exactly what led them to close their doors at Downtown Disney, but the press release did say that they would be focusing on their in-store bakeries found at supermarkets.
After 34 years at our flagship location on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, and more than two decades in Downtown Disney, Anaheim, Aspire Bakeries has made the difficult decision to permanently close La Brea Bakery Café. This morning, meetings were held at our Los Angeles and Downtown Disney Café locations to announce the closures, which are effective immediately.
Consistent with our strategy, Aspire Bakeries will exit the restaurant business and continue the focus on growing our thriving La Brea Bakery business in retail (grocery in-store bakeries) and foodservice. While we will no longer be operating the Cafés, consumers can still find our delicious La Brea Bakery artisan breads, both fresh baked and Take ‘n Bake, at their local grocery’s in-store bakery and at other restaurant locations that serve artisan breads.
Not long after the closure of La Brea Bakery was shared, Disney made an announcement, thanking the company for its long relationship with Disney and its Guests. Disney also shared that Earl of Sandwich would be returning to occupy the space for a limited time. Earl of Sandwich had been located at the other end of Downtown Disney, but was torn down as Disney began its major shopping and dining expansion project.
La Brea also acknowledged that the closure would affect many loyal employees. To help those who were now unemployed, the company teamed up with Disney to host a job fair immediately after the closure was announced. Disneyland Resort is currently hiring for multiple positions.
Downtown Disney is currently undergoing a major renovation and will see several new eateries coming to the area, including the incredibly popular Porto’s Bakery and the hit Chinese restaurant Din Tai Fung.
Happy (almost) Lunar New Year! The Year of the Rabbit on the Chinese calendar and Year of the Cat on the Vietnamese calendar are just around the corner and to celebrate the exciting occasion, the Disneyland Resort is serving up delightful dishes in honor of the new year. Guests will be transported with each bite and sip as they taste the delicious flavors and traditions of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other Asian cultures.
From sweet indulgences to savory snacks, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at Disneyland Resort. With the help of this Disney Eats Foodie Guide, everyone will get a sneak peek at all the Lunar Near Year items that will help them and their stomach start off the new year on a happy (and full) note.
Guests can taste their way through the Lunar New Year Celebration from Jan. 20 through Feb. 15, 2023. This returning favorite at Disney California Adventure park features six marketplaces, including two new ones – Bamboo Blessings and Wrapped with Love – with can’t-miss delights guests will love! The festival fun also extends into the Downtown Disney District and the hotels of the Disneyland Resort with limited-time menu items inspired by Lunar New Year.
Now the moment everyone has been waiting for… Foodie Guide to the Lunar New Year celebrations!
Disneyland Resort
Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure Park
For some added flavor to your celebrations, you can purchase the Sip and Savor Pass, which provides six coupons, redeemable for select food and nonalcoholic beverages at participating Lunar New Year Marketplaces and dining locations.
Bamboo Blessings
Mickey Mouse-shaped Hot Dog Bun: Brioche-style Mickey Mouse-shaped buns stuffed with hot dog and finished with sesame seeds and scallions
Mickey Mouse-shaped Purple Sweet Potato Macaron: Red macaron filled with purple sweet potato buttercream and a crème fraîche center
Young Master Brewery Neon City Pale Ale with mandarin and bergamot zest
4Sons Brewing Co. Lunar New Year IPA
Master Gao Brewery Baby Jasmine Tea Lager
Three Weavers Moon Rabbit: Golden stout with vanilla and Vietnamese cinnamon (New)
Stereo Co. Gingerine: Ginger wheat ale with tangerine, honey, and lemon juice (New)
Brewery X Green Tea Rice Lager (New)
Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Black Rice Ale (New)
Tsingtao Premium Lager (New)
Tsingtao topped with a frozen mango beer foam (New)
Lucky Flight: Tsingtao, Young Master Brewery, Stereo Brewery, and Three Weavers Brewing Co. (New)
Prosperity Flight: Kloud Brewery, Master Gao Brewery, Brewery X, and Anderson Valley Brewing Co. (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Lucky 8 Lantern
Quesabirria Egg Roll with Guajillo pepper consommé filled with Oaxaca cheese, beef birria, and a side of guajillo pepper consommé (New)
Mandarin Mousse Cake: Layers of mandarin mousse with vanilla cake and clementine compote finished with white chocolate crunch balls and a tangerine glaze (New)
Coconut-Lavender Matcha Foam Iced Coffee: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. French Bistro Blend, coconut milk, coconut cream, and white chocolate sauce garnished with lavender matcha, coconut foam, sea salt, and purple sanding sugar (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Red Dragon Spice Traders
Gochujang Elote: Steamed corn on the cob rolled in gochujang aїoli and cotija cheese drizzled with spicy gochujang sauce (New)
Red Spice Fried Chicken Bites: Fried chicken chicharrons in spicy red chile sauce (New)
Guava Ginger Whiskey Cocktail: Whiskey, ginger liqueur, guava nectar, coconut cream, and lime juice garnished with a lime wheel (New)
Dancing Firecracker: Pineapple and lime juices, guava nectar, spicy honey, and house-made hibiscus syrup garnished with a lime wheel (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Wrapped in Love
Pork and Shrimp Wontons with a black garlic sauce (New)
Bok Choy & Mushroom Dumplings with a black garlic sauce (New) (Plant-based item)
Pineapple Baijiu Cocktail: Dark Rum, baijiu, Allspice Dram, pineapple and orange juices, and falernum syrup garnished with a dried red pineapple chip (New)
Grapefruit-Melon Wine Cocktail: Sauvignon blanc, grapefruit liqueur, watermelon purée, rock melon syrup, and lime juice garnished with skewered grapes (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Prosperity Bao & Bun
Pepperoni Pizza Bao Bun served with marinara (New)
Char Siu BBQ Pork Bao with pickled red onion and jalapeño
Peach Yuja-Ade: Yuja-lemongrass purée, dragon fruit and peach syrups, lemon juice, and butterfly pea flower tea garnished with a lemon wheel (Non-alcoholic)
Soju Peach Yuja-Ade: Soju, yuja-lemongrass purée, dragon fruit and peach syrups, lemon juice, and butterfly pea flower tea garnished with a lemon wheel (Non-alcoholic)
Lychee Celebration: Gin, prosecco, lychee syrup, yuja-lemongrass purée, and grapefruit juice garnished with an edible purple orchid
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Longevity Noodle Co.
Garlic Noodles: Long noodles tossed in zesty garlic butter with parmesan
Spicy Pork DanDan Noodles: Pan-fried noodles with ground pork and spicy tri-chile sauce
Raspberry Oat Milk Tea: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Ceylon Tea, raspberry and demerara syrups, and oat milk garnished with skewered raspberries (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Lunar New Year Offerings Throughout Disney California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta
Milk Tea Taro Cheesecake with a taro mousse (New)
Lamplight Lounge
Surf & Turf Fried Rice: Five Spice-rubbed New York steak, sautéed shrimp, fried rice, ginger pea purée, and chili oil topped with a carrot salad (New)
Sesame Seed Donuts: Donuts topped with sesame seed brittle and served with a kaya jam dipping sauce (New)
Three Weavers Brewing Co. Seafarer Kolsch-style (New)
Lamplight Lounge Lunar New Year Cocktail: Han Soju, Aperitivo Aperol, carrot and orange juices, and cream of coconut (New)
Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining
Pork Dumplings with Chinese broccoli, roasted mushrooms, and fried shallots (New)
Lamplight Lounge Lunar New Year Cocktail: Han Soju, Aperitivo Aperol, carrot and orange juices, and cream of coconut (New)
Lucky Fortune Cookery (Mobile order available)
Mango Sticky Rice: Taro and coconut sticky rice with mango gel, toasted coconut, and fresh mango (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Magic Key Terrace
Pork Spare Ribs with peanut-chile sauce, Asian slaw, toasted peanuts, and crispy noodles (New)
Pacific Wharf Cappuccino Cart (Mobile order available)
Green Tea Horchata (New)
Dalgona Coffee Bundt Cake: Coffee Bundt cake filled with sweet milk and topped with dalgona foam (New)
Pacific Wharf Café (Mobile order available)
White Chocolate Apple Bread Pudding: Granny Smith Apples and white chocolate with crème anglaise and whipped topping (New)
Paradise Garden Grill (Mobile order available)
Kimchi Bokkeumbap: Kimchi, potato, carrot, and onion fried rice with egg and Korean chili paste topped with crispy sweet and sour tofu and black sesame seeds (New) (Plant-based Item)
Shrimp Lo Mein: Lo Mein noodles tossed with shrimp, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and bok choy (New)
Dak Bulgogi: Korean BBQ chicken served with rice and kimchi
Bánh Mì: Grilled pork belly with pickled carrots, cucumbers, daikon, and jalapeños with a spicy mayo
Sweet and Sour Whole Fish served with steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables (served family-style for two) (New)
Tiger Milk Boba Tea with BobaBam brown sugar boba (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Hite Beer
Blackberry Soju Cocktail: Soju, blackberry purée, and lemon juice with a hint of ginger (New)
Lotus Flower Glow Cube (Limit 10 per person, per transaction)
Sonoma Terrace (Mobile order available)
Pad Thai Spring Roll: Shrimp with scrambled eggs, noodles, crushed peanuts, and Thai basil served with tangy slaw and Pad Thai sauce (New)
Goofy’s Churro Cart
Almond Cookie Churro coated in cookie crumble and topped with almond icing (New)
Outdoor Food Carts (Available Jan. 19 through Feb. 12)
Chicken Bao: Steamed bao with chicken, butternut squash, and lime served with a spicy red curry sauce (New)
Teriyaki Turkey Leg (New)
Baked Coconut Almond Nian Gao: Baked sticky rice cake topped with coconut and almonds (New)
Purple Grape Cotton Candy (New)
ACE High! Hard Cider Imperial Apple Cider
Master Gao Brewery Puffed Rice Chinese Pale Ale
Disneyland Resort Hotels
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Hearthstone Lounge
Rabbit Firecracker: Spiced rum, orange brandy, lemon oil, honey, and black tea garnished with star anise and pink peppercorns (New)
Cat’s Delight: Plantation Pineapple Rum, oolong tea, lychee purée, lemon grass syrup, lime and pineapple juices, and mint garnished with a mint sprig, lime wheel, and lemon grass shoot (New)
GCH Holiday Cart
Lunar New Year Cookie (New)
Assorted Pretzel Sticks
Storyteller’s Café
Offering Lunar New Year-inspired offerings such as fried rice and spring rolls
Disneyland Hotel
Goofy’s Kitchen
Offering Lunar New Year-inspired offerings such as fried rice and spring rolls
Downtown Disney District
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (Available Jan. 20 through Feb. 15)
Year of The Rabbit CrazyShake: Vanilla-frosted rim with red and gold sixlet, Chinese zodiac rabbit vanilla cupcake, red and gold rock candy, whipped cream, red sprinkles, and caramel drizzle
Catal Restaurant (Available Jan. 20 through Feb. 15)
Pork Belly Bao Bun: Pork belly, soy Gochujang glaze, baby mixed greens, spring onions, spicy mayo, and charred lemon (New)
Kung Pao Paella: Valenciano paella rice, kung pao chicken, lemon vinaigrette, spring onions, water chestnuts, roasted peppers, roasted peanuts, and chiles (New)
Lunar Eclipse: Gin, cherry liqueur, triple sec, lime juice, pineapple juice, grenadine, and bitters and topped with soda and gold glitter (New)
Mad Dumplings Food Truck (Available Jan. 13 through Feb. 5, starting at 3 p.m. daily)
Food truck serving unique dumplings and rice dishes (New)
Naples Ristorante e Bar (Available Jan. 20 through Feb. 15)
Firecracker Chicken Pizza: Hoisin sauce, mozzarella cheese, marinated chicken, carrot strings, and a firecracker sauce drizzle topped with a sliced green onion garnish (New) Lunar New Year Margarita: Tequila blanco, pomegranate juice, lime juice, agave, and simple syrup with a pinch of salt (New)
Sprinkles (Available Jan. 16 through 29)
Lunar New Year Gold Bunny Almond Red Velvet: Red velvet cake with slivered almonds lined with an almond cookie crust and topped with almond cream cheese frosting (Available while supplies last.)
Lunar New Year Red Box: Three Lunar New Year Gold Bunny Almond Red Velvet cupcakes, Three Almond Red Velvet cupcakes, Three Dark Chocolate cupcakes, Three Strawberry cupcakes, and Eight Limited-edition red envelopes (Available while supplies last.)
Tortilla Jo’s (Available Jan. 20 through Feb. 15)
Asian Tuna Nachos: Tuna Saku marinated 24 hours in a Vietnamese-style sauce with diced tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, avocado cream, Asian spiced aïoli, and Vietnamese-style glazed sauce (New)
New Year Sunrise: Rum, grenadine, lime juice, orange juice and pineapple juice (New)
Uva Bar & Cafe (Available Jan. 20 through Feb. 15)
Lunar Eclipse: Gin, cherry liqueur, triple sec, lime juice, pineapple juice, grenadine, and bitters topped with soda and gold glitter (New)
There we have it – the Foodie Guide to Lunar New Year 2023! We hope everyone is just as excited as we are to be transported into different cultures through flavor during the Year of the Rabbit and Year of the Cat.
Happy Lunar New Year!
(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.)
Last year was incredible … so before we get any further into 2023, I want to thank each of you for what you did to help our guests plan their Disney visits. For many, the magic starts long before they get to our parks and cruise ships. It starts when they take their first step in turning their dream vacation into a reality by contacting their preferred travel professional. As I’ve said countless times before… for those guests, the magic starts with you.
I know there has been a lot of change over the past few years and I want to thank you for making sure your clients understand the changes and are prepared when they arrive as our guests. As you know, we are constantly adapting our business to create a better experience for guests, and to build a foundation so we can introduce new stories and experiences in the future.
As we enter 2023, we’ll have lots of new reasons to celebrate together. TRON Lightcycle / Run at Walt Disney World along with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, World of Color – ONE and Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland Resort are all opening this year… we’ll be celebrating Disney’s 100th anniversary … and bringing back old favorites to the parks, such as Happily Ever After and Magic Happens.
As we move into the new year, it is important that we continuously evolve to help deliver the best guest experience possible. So, I want you to be among the first to hear about a few enhancements that we are making – specifically ones that our guests have asked for and you’ve shared with us. And while this doesn’t address everyone’s feedback, these changes will increase flexibility and add value to our guests’ experience.
At Disneyland Resort:
significantly increasing the number of days – nearly two months’ worth over the coming year – that we’ll offer our lowest-priced one-day, one-park ticket at $104
offering more flexibility with our Park Hopper ticket, giving Guests the ability to begin crossing over earlier (starting at 11 a.m.), beginning February 4
providing complimentary Disney PhotoPass digital downloads of attraction photos for all ticketed park guests, beginning February 4 throughout the Disney100 celebration
making Magic Key passes available for sale more times during the year as inventory becomes available
At Walt Disney World Resort:
beginning in the next few months, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders will be able to visit the theme parks after 2 p.m. without needing a park reservation, except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom Park. Pass blockout dates will continue to apply like they do today
making changes that will help our guests get the most out of their visit, such as including complimentary self-parking for guests staying at Disney Resort hotels beginning this evening, January 10
beginning in the next few months, guests purchasing Disney Genie+ service will also receive digital downloads of their Disney PhotoPass attraction photos taken in the park on the day of their purchase, at no additional charge
Additionally, we’ve announced several new offers over the past few weeks, including at Walt Disney World, 2-, 3- and 4-day Florida Resident Disney Weekday Magic tickets and a special package offer that includes a Disney Dining Promo Card for guests staying at select Disney Resort hotels. We are also offering a 3-day SoCal Resident weekday ticket for $73 per day through late May at Disneyland Resort.
I’m excited about all of these changes and offers and want you to know that we are committed to listening, adapting, and staying relentlessly focused on making the guest experience at our Disney parks even better.
We have a bright future together… and I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you do for our guests. I know that many of you are Disney fans yourselves… and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when you stop me in the park to tell how you feel about your visit.
I hope to see you soon!
Josh D’Amaro Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
More permits have now been filed for a massive expansion coming to Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland Resort is home to two theme parks in Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, as well as the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district. All three of the experiences are in walking distance of one another, and take Disney Park Guests on magical journeys at “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
Disneyland Park is home to many iconic attractions like Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Jungle Cruise, “it’s a small world”, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Next door, Disney California Adventure houses rides like The Incredicoaster, Guardians of the Galaxy– Mission: BREAKOUT, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and Radiator Springs Racers.
While visiting Disneyland, you have the opportunity to completely immerse yourself in the magic regardless of if you’re in a theme park, or if you’re in Downtown Disney enjoying some excellent food and shopping options.
Those options are about to get even bigger in the future.
Disney has filed several construction permits for a $5 million expansion to Downtown Disney.
A report from the Orange County Register indicates what the new expansion will entail:
“The commercial construction permits filed with the Anaheim Planning and Building Department call for a new 8,300-square-foot retail building with room for five shops. Also in the works: A new bathroom and employee break room. An event space with a 1,250-square-foot stage, shade structure and 21 lights are also in the plans, according to the permits.”
While the shops or attraction offerings for the event space with a stage have not been announced yet, this is a huge development as Disneyland continues to look to expand.
Downtown Disney’s West End– where this expansion will happen– was once envisioned as the fourth Disney hotel project, but was later canceled.
On January 27, the Walt Disney Company will kick off one heck of an anniversary celebration. The company that started with a suitcase and a dream will turn 100! That’s right — Walt’s magical creation will officially be 100 years old. To begin with, most of the celebration will take place at Disneyland Resort — Walt’s original theme park. To celebrate, Disney has released some gorgeous new merchandise, and there will be two new nighttime spectaculars — Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland Park and World of Color: One at Disney California Adventure Park.
Up until now, Disney has only shared an artist rendering of World of Color: One. However, on New Year’s Eve, Disney released a first look at the new show. And I don’t know about you, but this show looks so marvelous. Take a look at the sneak peek video shared by theme park reporter Scott Gustin.
Disneyland released a short video of ‘World of Color – One’ last night. The clip includes Pocahontas, Encanto, Mulan, Star Wars, Moana, and more.
The show will officially debut at Disney California Adventure Park on Jan. 27. pic.twitter.com/qFLeQGGh3G
If you haven’t had the chance to learn much about Disney’s phenomenal new water show, here’s some more info!
Dare to Make a Difference
It takes only a single ripple to make a huge impact. After all, a ripple can generate a wave—and a wave can power an ocean of change.
Many Disney and Pixar characters have dared to make waves and change their world for the better. In World of Color – One, their stories take center stage—unfolding amid a breathtaking blend of dancing water and incredible special effects.
A World of Characters
World of Color – One celebrates the rich storytelling legacy begun by Walt Disney a century ago, bringing to spectacular life moments from favorite films including The Lion King, Soul, Moana and many more.
Watch in wonder as some of the most courageous, loving and inspiring characters get brought to life in new ways!
Both Wondrous Journeys and World of Color: One will premiere at Disneyland Resort on January 27 — the day the anniversary celebration kicks off. That is also the same day that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open in Mickey’s ToonTown.
World of Color currently uses a virtual queue for those who wish to see it. You can join the virtual queue twice per day by using the Disneyland Resort mobile app.
