In this week’s edition of your favorite feel-good Disney Parks newsletter: new restaurants in Downtown Disney, a tribute to the Nine Old Men in Disney Springs, your weekly crowd report, Pixar Fest recommendations, discounts, and more!
Thanks to RadiatorSprings4Ever for the real-time pics in the Lounge! See more real-time pics and post your pics here!
Disneyland Resort Food News
- Paseo, Céntrico, and Tiendita, three new Mexican dining concepts by Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytán, have officially opened at the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim.
- Paseo is a fine dining restaurant offering contemporary Mexican cuisine with French influences, replacing the former Catal restaurant. Standout menu items include colorful ceviches, lamb barbacoa, and mejillones (mussels).
- Céntrico is a more casual outdoor bar and restaurant serving upscale Mexican dishes like quesabirrias, chicken enchiladas, and tlayuda, along with tequila-based cocktails. It replaces the former Uva Bar in the central courtyard.
- Tiendita is a quick-service walk-up window offering Mexican street food staples like tacos and burritos, with ordering available through self-service kiosks.
- In other news: Fantasmic! returns May 24 and Disney just made the dining package available — book here as spots will fill quickly!
This week’s Pixar Fest report:
Pixar Fest is taking place at Disneyland Resort from April 26 through August 4, 2024. The festival celebrates friendship and all things Pixar with themed decor, food, merchandise, a new parade, fireworks, and character meet-and-greets.
Must-Eat Treats
Over 100 Pixar-inspired treats are available during the festival.
Some of the cutest and most popular include:
- Alien Macarooooon at Alien Pizza Planet
- Eye Scream Cone inspired by Monsters Inc. at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
- Pixar Fest Cake at Plaza Inn
- Coco Guitar Bucket popcorn bucket
- Forky & Nemo Cake Pops at Candy Palace and Trolley Treats
Starting May 10, six Pixar-themed food marketplaces will open, each celebrating a different film: Elemental, Ratatouille, Inside Out, Luca, Soul, and Turning Red.
Best Souvenirs
The most sought-after Pixar Fest souvenir is the Pixar Fest Lug Bag featuring the Pixar ball logo. These bags are expected to sell out very quickly.
Other popular merchandise includes:
- Pizza Planet Truck popcorn bucket that lights up
- Pixar Fest Spirit Jersey with various characters
- Pixar Fest Collection with apparel, accessories, mugs
- Limited-edition collectible medallions themed to different Pixar films
Entertainment
The new “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade debuts at Disney California Adventure, while the “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks show returns to Disneyland park with new scenes.
Guests can meet Pixar characters throughout both parks, including new ones like Ember and Wade from Elemental.
The Pixar Place Hotel also immerses guests in the Pixar theming.
Tips
- Snag a Sip and Savor Pass to taste your way through the festival marketplaces
- Look for the over 25-foot-tall Pixar Ball sculpture in the esplanade
- Keep an eye out for 50 unique Pizza Planet truck Easter eggs hidden around the parks
- Book dining packages and special events like the Trader Sam’s Tiki Mixology Seminar for an enhanced experience
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Updates from the Lounge
Brighten your day with a grand circle tour through the MouseWait Lounge! You’ll find incredible posts like the ones below.
Upcoming Events at Disneyland & Disney World
Here is our updated list of upcoming events and refurbishments for both Disneyland and Disney World:
For a larger view, visit this page. You can also access it from the “Home” tab of the MouseWait for Disneyland and Disney World.
And now, let’s take a look at Walt Disney World:
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VOYAGEERS: Finding Hidden Treasures in the Parks
Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men: The Legendary Animators Who Helped Create the Magic of Disneyland
I just read a great article by Chuck Schmidt about a tribute to the Nine Old Men in The World of Disney Store at Disney Springs and decided to do some research into how these Disney Legends influenced Disneyland.
Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men” were a core group of animators who worked alongside Walt in the early days of the Walt Disney Studios. This talented team, which included Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Frank Thomas, were instrumental in creating the iconic animated films that established Disney as a creative powerhouse.
But their influence extended far beyond the silver screen – they also played a key role in realizing Walt’s dream of Disneyland. As Disneyland began to take shape in the early 1950s, Walt often turned to his trusted Nine Old Men for creative input and technical expertise. For example:
- Marc Davis, one of the Nine, was a brilliant draftsman and character designer. In addition to animating classic characters like Cinderella and Maleficent, Davis lent his talents to designing characters and scenes for beloved Disneyland attractions like the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion.
- Ward Kimball, another of the Nine, was an avid railroad enthusiast. His passion for trains rubbed off on Walt, directly inspiring the Disneyland Railroad that circles the park. Kimball and fellow animator Ollie Johnston even had their own backyard railroads that served as working models for the park’s railways.
Images courtesy of the Parkendium Project
Ward Kimball was instrumental in inspiring Walt Disney’s passion for trains, which ultimately led to the creation of the iconic Disneyland Railroad. Kimball’s influence on Walt and the development of Disneyland’s trains is a fascinating story that highlights the close relationship between these two visionary creators. Kimball was an avid railroad enthusiast who collected old railroad memorabilia and even had his own backyard railroad, the Grizzly Flats Railroad, complete with a fully functioning steam locomotive.
His love for trains was infectious, and he often shared his passion with his fellow Disney animators, including Walt himself. Walt Disney, who had always been fascinated by trains, found a kindred spirit in Ward Kimball. The two would often discuss their shared love of railroading, and Kimball’s enthusiasm further fueled Walt’s desire to incorporate trains into his ambitious Disneyland project.
In fact, Walt was so inspired by Kimball’s Grizzly Flats Railroad that he used it as a model for the Disneyland Railroad’s Frontierland Train Station. The similarities between the two are unmistakable, and serve as a testament to the influence Kimball had on Walt’s vision for Disneyland. But Kimball’s impact on the Disneyland Railroad didn’t stop there. In a touching tribute to the legendary animator, Disneyland named one of its steam engines after him. The Ward Kimball, Engine No. 5, was put into service in 2005 and features Kimball’s iconic character Jiminy Cricket on its headlamp.
The Nine Old Men’s careers spanned an incredible era in Disney history, from the early days of the Walt Disney Studios to the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. After Walt’s passing in 1966, they helped complete his vision for the Florida resort. And although all of the Nine are no longer with us, their indelible contributions continue to shape the art of animation and the magic of Disney parks worldwide.
Walt made sure that members of the Nine Old Men were represented in the very first Disneyland TV episode, as seen in this production report
Well, that’s all for this week, {{contact.first_name}}!
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Wishing you the best week,
Kelly
May 14, 2024 Issue #20 to 29,891 Disney fans
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