Disneyland Resort Update: Fun Facts Edition

Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA

Today's Disneyland Resort update is a continuation of my quest to provide the prettiest park construction photos around while simultaneously reducing the amount of construction photos I feel obligated to take as each project around the Resort comes to completion.  We've got our usual suspects around "Star Wars" Land, Downtown Disney, and Pixar Pier, plus a few miscellaneous items. 

Although sometimes, it does seem like I'm posting the same photos between updates, overall, it's helpful to note just how construction is going on all around the Resort, across both parks and the Downtown Disney district.  It's a level that I don't think has been matched in quite a while, so while cranes and scaffolding are up, Westcoaster will continue photograph them.  This time around, though, we're throwing in some interesting trivia that you may not have known about some of these projects.

Lets get to it, shall we?

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

From the outside world, rocks continue to take shape.  Inside, a whole new world is being constructed.  But since we're not on the inside, you get--yup, you guessed it--more rocks.  

Around Batuu, the ride buildings have mostly been completed from the outside.  It's mostly the landscape of this future remote galactic outpost that's taking shape, plus some new steel framing moving progressively more toward the Critter Country Side.  Scroll through for the latest picture update, and stay till the end for a special look at the frontside of rockwork--from a distance!

Mickey and Friends and Friends: The "Pinocchio" Parking Structure Construction

Your quick run-through for this week in alleviating the Disneyland Resort's lack of parking problem shows that the hill that's being dug is getting a bit higher, and the ground around it getting a bit lower.  No noodles yet, though.  Sorry, Guy Selga.

Downtown Disney Improvements

Black Tap Craft Burgers, Ballast Point, and the Naples Ristorante expansion continue to hum along.  The building for the first two has gotten most of its new paint job, and it looks pretty spiffy.  The architecture remains the same, but the new (and notably different from before) scheme definitely makes the area look a lot fresher.

Also, the Disney Dress Store completed its move from between Black Tap and Ballast Point over to the old Anna and Elsa boutique.  It's open and selling Disney-inspired dresses again--perfect for your next Dapper Day!

Pixar Pier Progress

Pixar Pier continues to chug along, with new steel being installed for facade renovations along the backside, near the old Boardwalk games.  The station for the Incredicoaster has taken its form, though canopies for the queue still need to be installed.  The tubes for the Incredicoaster itself appear to be mostly complete.  Work has also begun on framing formwork to cast the new waterfall wall that will envelope Jessie's Critter Carousel.  With less than two months to go, there's still plenty of work to complete.

Meanwhile, small bits of Pixar Pier continue to open.  Previously, it was Knick's Knacks providing a merchandise location.  And just yesterday, the Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats stand opened, along the turn over the old California Screamin' / future Incredicoaster launch.  The facade wasn't even complete last Friday when I stopped by, but they only had a sign to install, and it appears that's done!

Disneyland Miscellany

In minor Disneyland news, there's a small refurbishment of dining area outside of Stage Door Cafe, in Frontierland.  And Pirates of the Caribbean has gone down for its further PC-fication.  The (in)famous auction scene will be losing its wenches and beloved Redhead and changed to feature the Redhead has a pirate, plundering her former co-villagers instead.  I guess stealing people's lifelong valuables is technically better than human trafficking.

The attraction will reopen before Memorial Day Weekend.

Dumbo Reopens

Finally, after several months down, Dumbo reopened with its new shaded queue and more spacious plaza area.  A new water feature can be found by the entrance of the line, and new posters and theming elements can be seen in line.  The reconfiguration definitely opens things up a lot and eases the bottleneck that sometimes forms on the north side of King Arthur's Carrousel.  And Dumbo looks whimsical and elegant and quite nice after its extended refurbishment!

That wraps up this edition of the Disneyland update.  We're down to three main things being tracked--"Star Wars" Land (which, really, even I have to admit, it's hard to see significant exterior progress these days from publicly accessible areas), Downtown Disney projects, and Pixar Pier.  Although once the end of June comes around, we'll see the western portion of Downtown Disney shut down for construction of the future "four diamond" hotel that will anchor this side of the Resort district!

Walt Disney said that Disneyland will never be completed, and from the looks of what's been happening at the Disneyland Resort, that's certainly ringing true for the foreseeable future!

Dum bah!!

Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.