What new things and changes in the past 3 years?

[mrs_z]

We are finally getting back to Disneyland in April - have not been on the boards for the past 3 years. We will be staying off site. Are fastpasses still offered? What is the latest strategy to be able to ride Radiator Springs Racers? Are Magic Mornings ever on a Saturday? New restaurants or rides?

Getting excited!

~Mrs Z.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This thread was last updated in Oct. 2016, but it still has some good info for you: List of changes since summer 2014. Yes, FPs are still offered and return times are strictly enforced. MM are offered on Saturdays at DL. Look over the menus at allears.net to see if there are any new places or new items since your last trip. The MSEP is back. AO and BB offer dining packages for reserved parade viewing areas. F!, the train, the Mark Twain, the Columbia, TSI, the ROA, and the Big Thunder walkway to FL are closed for the SWL construction. BTRBBQ is gone. The petting zoo is gone.

 

[dshimel]

1) Official Disneyland smart phone app. Get it, use it, love it. See wait times, FP return times, when rides go down/come back up, browse restaurant menu's and prices, see what characters are where....

2) Fastpass end times are now enforced (unless the ride was closed for any portion of your return window).

3) Hyperspace Mountain instead of Space Mt.

4) Muppets gone.

5) RSR: Get FP at opening of the park. Single Rider usually half the wait of regular stand-by.

6) Rollickin' roadsters has replaced flying tires.

7) Mansion fastpass no longer just for holiday.

8) New Force Awakens scenes in Star Tours.

 

[Winnowill]

Magic Mornings ARE on Saturdays, yes.

Tower of Terror is being re-configured as a Guardians of the Galaxy ride, but it won't be open, yet, in April.

 

[mrs_z]

Thank you! Happy to hear about several of these changes -- FP for Mansion, New film at Soarin', and Frozen instead of Alladin. Tower of Terror, I never had the nerve to ride that so no loss there. Glad FPs are still around. I was afraid they had linked that to staying on site only. The only thing I will truly miss is Tom Sawyer's Island - love that place.

What do they have at that place where the kids dance? The one where they used to have Tron and all the pinball machines?

 

[figment_jii]

What do they have at that place where the kids dance? The one where they used to have Tron and all the pinball machines?

Unfortunately, both ElecTRONica and Mad T Party have ended.

 

[dshimel]

What do they have at that place where the kids dance? The one where they used to have Tron and all the pinball machines?

Wow, I forgot so many. Soarin, Frozen musical,,,

The building where the arcade was is not used.

Remembered another. Characters in DCA. There is now a permanent Frozen character meet in Animation and a Marvel comics character meet in Hollywood.

A lot more Star Wars merchandise all over the resort.

 

[l4dyj8]

Also new security measures. Metal detectors. Security check is before you enter DTD. No short cut through Grand Californian should you be staying on that side.

If you are there in the early part of April, CA has the Food and Wine Festival. Food kiosk throughout.

And apparently Fantasyland has a few temporary Beauty and the Beast themed stores/food/etc

 

[SMD]

Disney is going to introducing changes to FP, but they haven't given a date or a lot of details yet. We don't know how much it might affect the current FP system. What's on the menus at the existing restaurants have changed. You may want to check menus online if you're looking for anything in particular.

 

[mrs_z]

Glad they haven't changed FP for those of us staying off site. We have a party of 6 so on-site would need two rooms -- way too expensive. One other thing I'm willing to drop to save $$ is the character breakfast. With no younger kids anymore I can't justify the cost. Plus it was not so great last time we did it. I like the Goofy's kitchen much better than that other place on Main St. but to be honest they are both way too expensive and I'd rather grab a quick bite and get on my favorite rides early.
Figment, thanks for reminding me about ElecTRONica - could not remember the name. Count my family as one of the few TRON fans. Too bad about the vintage arcade - we loved that!

What did they change the Soarin' movie to? That is one of my favorite rides.

I'll have to check the food discussions. Hope they still have the cream cheese stuffed pretzels.

I won't miss the Muppets. That was always clever, but too loud for me.

dshimel, thanks for the heads-up about the app!

 

[figment_jii]

What did they change the Soarin' movie to? That is one of my favorite rides.

It's a whole new movie (Soarin' Around the World) featuring images from all around the world (e.g., the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, etc.). The basic ride concept is the same, but the movie has changed.

 

[stubby]

It's a whole new movie (Soarin' Around the World) featuring images from all around the world (e.g., the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, etc.). The basic ride concept is the same, but the movie has changed.

Does it still have the same smells? Or are there new ones?

 

[Xenorye]

Does it still have the same smells? Or are there new ones?

They're new. No more orange groves.