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Disneyland Resort News
Your 14-Day Disneyland Intelligence Brief (July 9 – 23, 2025)
Summer at the Resort is humming, but three headlines will shape the next two weeks:
- Pirates of the Caribbean has quietly lost Lightning Lane as of July 1, returning to pure standby and shortening overall throughput-slowing bottlenecks in New Orleans Square. Plan accordingly. (sfgate.com)
- Haunted Mansion’s annual transformation starts Aug 11 (reopening Aug 22 as Haunted Mansion Holiday), so you still have this entire forecast window to ride the classic version before the brief downtime.
Add the run-up to the park’s 70th anniversary on July 17, which brings returning entertainment (Paint the Night and the new Audio-Animatronic show Walt Disney – A Magical Life) and you get the crowd spikes detailed below. (people.com, disneytouristblog.com)
Eat first, ask questions later—the food intel
Below are the new or newly-returned dishes everyone’s talking about right now (launched July 1 – 8 unless noted). Mobile-order windows for many of these sell out by 11 a.m., so book breakfast spots right after scanning into the park.
| Black Caf Slushy – $7.99 | Kat Saka’s Kettle, Galaxy’s Edge | Frozen spin on the cult-favorite cold-brew: chocolate-cookie sweet cream + cookie crumbles. Supplies have run out by mid-afternoon all week. (undercovertourist.com, mickeyblog.com) |
| Snack-Size Monte Cristo – $11.49 | Royal Street Veranda | Same hefty sandwich without the Café Orleans wait—mobile-order after 10 a.m. (undercovertourist.com) |
| Cookie Croissant – $5.79 | Maurice’s Treats, Fantasy Faire | New July pastry mash-up that’s crisp outside, soft inside; sells out fastest of the cart’s items. (undercovertourist.com) |
| Baked Cheesy Biscuits – $8.99 | Royal Street Veranda | Garlic-butter Cajun cheddar biscuits; ask for the off-menu Cajun cheese dip. (undercovertourist.com) |
| 70th Celebration Churro – $7.50 | Every churro cart in both parks | Rolled in ube sugar, blue-raspberry drizzle + sprinkles—Instagram magnet launched park-wide July 5. (themeparkiq.com) |
Trending & hidden gems
- Quesabirria tacos at Cocina Cucamonga (San Fransokyo Square) keep topping review lists for flavor-per-dollar. (foodandwine.com)
- Lamplight Lounge “secret” nachos – swap lobster for steak or chicken, or ask for Ghost-Pepper variation if you like heat. Best ordered upstairs walk-in; not on printed menu. (undercovertourist.com)
- Space Place Cottage Fries (Galactic Grill) are labeled as a 70th-celebration “🎉” item but remain off the main board—order in the app under “Snacks.” (disneyparksblog.com)
Optimization hacks
- Early mobile-order windows for Jolly Holiday and Kat Saka’s drop at 6 a.m.; place the order from your hotel bed, then adjust pick-up time once inside.
- Split giant portions: the Snack-Size Monte Cristo + Baked Cheesy Biscuits comfortably feed two for <$21.
- Evening surge tip: Plaza Inn, Café Daisy and Pym Test Kitchen reload mobile times around 4 p.m. as lunch prep flips to dinner—re-check then.
Insider experiences few notice
- Hidden photo ops – Step inside the Paint the Night float warehouse façade in Toontown after 3 p.m.; a cast member will hand you a mini light-wand prop for no-cost photos.
- Character “pop-ins” – Look for Oswald & Ortensia outside the Pixar Place Hotel porte-cochère between 7 – 7:20 a.m.; they’re greeting hotel guests but you don’t need a room key.
- Free souvenirs – Ask the conductor at Main Street Station for a “citizen of Main Street” railway card; quantities reset daily at open.
- Unpublished seasonal offering – The Animation Academy sketch from July 9-23 is baby Groot (ties into World of Color – Happiness!); sketches rotate every two weeks and aren’t listed in the app.
- What to do when Redwood Creek closes (July 21–Aug 14) – The spur trail behind Grizzly River Run reopens as a shade-covered, mist-cooled seating nook at 10 a.m.; perfect wireless signal and zero crowds. (undercovertourist.com)
Exclusive savings you can stack today
- 70th Anniversary ticket – 4-day, 1-park-per-day for $100 /day (valid through Aug 14). Buy direct in the app to skip voucher lines. (disneyland.disney.go.com)
- Costco flash – 3-day Park Hopper + Lightning Lane Multi-Pass + $30 Dining Card $449 (online only, still live after the July 4 drop). (slickdeals.net)
- Undercover Tourist – every ticket comes with a free $20 DiningDollars code (15 % off Disney gift cards = extra food savings). (mousesavers.com)
- Amtrak Pacific Surfliner – 20 % off adult fares to Anaheim with promo V712 plus free ART shuttle. (slickdeals.net)
- Howard Johnson Anaheim – 20 % off + free parking five-minute walk from the gates, fully refundable. (mousesavers.com)
Pro stack: Buy the Costco hopper with a 5 %-discounted Target Disney e-Gift Card (Target RedCard) for another ~$22 in savings.
Crowd & operations forecast (scale 1 = lazy-day, 10 = shoulder-to-shoulder)
| Jul 9 (Wed) | 7 | Summer break locals; rope-drop 8 – 10 a.m. |
| Jul 10 (Thu) | 7 | Mid-week dip; DCA ideal after 2 p.m. |
| Jul 11 (Fri) | 8 | Weekend travellers arrive; use Single Rider at Indy & Racers. |
| Jul 12 (Sat) | 9 | Highest waits; park-hop to DCA noon-3 p.m. |
| Jul 13 (Sun) | 8 | Families start early; DL clears after 8 p.m. fireworks. |
| Jul 14 (Mon) | 7 | Pixar Pal-A-Round closure nudges crowds to Cars Land. (undercovertourist.com) |
| Jul 15 (Tue) | 7 | Good day for Fantasyland 8-9 a.m. |
| Jul 16 (Wed) | 7 | Moderate; try World of Color virtual queue drop 12 p.m. |
| Jul 17 (Thu) | 10 | 70th birthday; arrive by 6:30 a.m. for merch queue. |
| Jul 18 (Fri) | 9 | Residual anniversary traffic; DCA less impacted. |
| Jul 19 (Sat) | 9 | AP blockouts lifted; expect Genie+ sell-out by 10 a.m. |
| Jul 20 (Sun) | 8 | Later open (8 a.m.); leverage Early Entry if on-site. |
| Jul 21 (Mon) | 7 | Redwood Creek closes; use Animation Academy as crowd sponge. |
| Jul 22 (Tue) | 7 | Best mid-week pick; average wait projected 28 min. (thrill-data.com) |
| Jul 23 (Wed) | 7 | Stable; Pirates standby <25 min before 11 a.m. |
Alternative: ride the newly reopened Jumpin’ Jellyfish after dark for DCA skyline views.
Lightning Lane strategy – With Pirates out of the line-up and wait <30 min, skip Genie+ on light days and buy a single-attraction pass for Rise of the Resistance instead.
Virtual queues – World of Color – Happiness! uses a 12 p.m. drop; Paint the Night dessert-party seats use a dining reservation, not the queue.
Single Rider wins – Matterhorn, Millennium Falcon, Radiator Springs, and Indy (pilot still running) average 35–50 % of posted standby.
Rider Switch – request at the queue merge point; overlapping Lightning Lane windows are no longer required for the second rider—just the entitlement scan.
Rope-drop blueprint
- Disneyland: Peter Pan ➜ Space Mountain ➜ Indiana Jones.
- DCA Early Entry: Soarin’ ➜ Web Slingers ➜ Racers by 9 a.m., then hop back to DL at 11 a.m.
Shows worth carving out time for
| Paint the Night Parade (9 & 11 p.m.) | Million-LED tech still dazzles; 70th overlay adds “Celebrate Happy” finale float. (disneyland.disney.go.com) | Camp at Small World mall 30 min before the second run; crowd is ~40 % lighter than Main Street. |
| World of Color – Happiness! | New finale featuring the Muppets plus upgraded fountains; a 96 % “excellent” TripAdvisor rating. (tripadvisor.com) | Grab the free virtual queue at noon, then arrive 45 min ahead for front-row splash zone. |
| Walt Disney – A Magical Life (debuts Jul 17, Opera House) | First-ever lifelike Walt AA + archival film; 15-min air-conditioned break during peak heat. (disneytouristblog.com) | The left-center third row gets the most natural sightline of Walt addressing the audience. |
Final take
The fortnight straddles Disneyland’s biggest milestone in a decade. Mid-week before July 17 offers the sweetest spot for manageable wait-times, bargain tickets, and the freshest snacks before crowds swell for the birthday bash. Arm yourself with the mobile-order alarm, those stackable ticket deals, and a rope-drop resolve, and you’ll glide through the parks while everyone else is still refreshing their reminder apps.
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 + check out Disneylonestar’s new history posts!
Disney World News
A midsummer spin through Walt Disney World (July 9 – 30, 2025)
The Fourth is in the rear-view mirror, hurricane season is still slumbering, and school districts from Atlanta to Austin are only just thinking about back-to-school. In other words: you’ve landed in the brief, shimmering sweet spot when July crowds slip to moderate levels before surging again around July 25. That makes the next two weeks a surprisingly forgiving window—if you play your cards right.
Crowd-watch in one glance (July 9 – 22)
| Jul 9 (Wed) | 4 / 10 | Mid-week lull—rope-drop EPCOT and sprint to Guardians before 10 a.m. (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Jul 10 (Thu) | 4 / 10 | Late-night Animal Kingdom Extended Evening Hours (6-8 p.m.). Swap dusk safari for Pandora after dark. (allears.net) |
| Jul 11 (Fri) | 5 / 10 | First summer-Friday bump; make your Multi Pass selections for Magic Kingdom’s headliners 7 days out. (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Jul 12 (Sat) | 6 / 10 | Florida resident weekenders arrive; lean on single-rider lines at DHS. (mousehacking.com) |
| Jul 13 (Sun) | 5 / 10 | Good day to park-hop—Skyliner from DHS (post-lunch lull) to EPCOT dinner. |
| Jul 14 (Mon) | 4 / 10 | EPCOT Extended Evening (9-11 p.m.)—linger for a second spin on Cosmic Rewind. (allears.net) |
| Jul 15 (Tue) | 4 / 10 | Historically quiet; TRON standby averages <60 min by 9 p.m. |
| Jul 16 (Wed) | 5 / 10 | Animal Kingdom Extended Evening; do Safari at golden hour then Everest single-rider. |
| Jul 17 (Thu) | 5 / 10 | Dress-rehearsal day for the new parade—expect after-dark rehearsals on Main Street. (undercovertourist.com) |
| Jul 18 (Fri) | 6 / 10 | Weekend climb resumes; Big Thunder still down—reroute to Jungle Cruise at rope drop. (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Jul 19 (Sat) | 6 / 10 | Preview night for Disney Starlight soft-open; snag Town Square curb 8:30 p.m. |
| Jul 20 (Sun) | 7 / 10 | Parade debut day—arrive 7 a.m., clear Fantasyland by 10, return after 11 p.m. closing extension. (southernliving.com) |
| Jul 21 (Mon) | 6 / 10 | Under the Sea dark ride closes for 5-day refurbishment; pivot to Tiana’s. (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Jul 22 (Tue) | 5 / 10 | Dip before late-July spike—best overall day for Magic Kingdom. |
*Index synthesizes DisneyTouristBlog wait-time data showing “summer isn’t peak” patterns and the twin-peak boost around July 20 – 30. (disneytouristblog.com)
Headlines worth packing
- Holiday hype drops early. Disney just revealed 27 separate holiday offerings—MVMCP dates, Jollywood Nights encore, and Festival of the Holidays booths. Nothing you must act on this trip, but watch hotel rates jump once those party tickets go on public sale next week.
- Nighttime magic returns. Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away steps off at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. nightly starting July 20, extending park hours to 11 p.m. and pushing post-parade ride waits under 25 minutes. (disneyworld.disney.go.com, undercovertourist.com)
- New upscale bite. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina is now soft-open at Swan & Dolphin—dress-code enforced, entrées $50 +. Nab a late-night bar seat for the wagyu sliders and avoid the reservation rush. (people.com)
Eat first, ask questions later – what’s new (and what insiders are ordering)
| Cinnamon Sugar Croissant Muffin | $4.79 | Contempo Café, Disney’s Contemporary Resort (daily, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.) | Layers of pastry with molten chocolate ganache—mobile-order at 6:45 a.m. and take it on the monorail. (disneyfoodblog.com) |
| Loaded Cheese Fries | $6.49 | Contempo Café, lunch menu | Actual melted cheddar, bacon & jalapeño; cheapest sharable savory on property this week. (disneyfoodblog.com) |
| Alfredo Basil Chicken Pasta | $13.29 | Catalina Eddie’s, Hollywood Studios (launched July 5) | PizzeRizzo is slammed at noon; Eddie’s new pasta bowls feed two and mobile order rarely hits “busy” status. (wdwnt.com, wdwnt.com) |
| Cannoli | $5.29 | Catalina Eddie’s | Snack-credit eligible; ask for extra chocolate chips (not on menu). (wdwnt.com) |
| Key Lime Pie Shake | $6.99 | Chicken Guy!, Disney Springs—Flavors of Florida (through Aug 11) | Creamy, graham-flecked, and walkable. Order before 2 p.m.; the machine hits a wait-list after lunch. (disneyfoodblog.com) |
| Key Lime Ice-Box Pie | $8.00 | Gideon’s Bakehouse, Disney Springs (daily until July 15, limit 1 pp) | Sells out by 3 p.m.; join the virtual queue as soon as you reach Springs. (wdwinfo.com) |
| Key Lime Chocolate-Chip Cookie | $6.50 | Gideon’s (same dates) | July’s cult cookie—mobile pre-order now open for evening pickups. (gideonsbakehouse.com) |
Dining optimization hacks
- Stack mobile orders. Place lunch orders during your breakfast queue; Contempo and Sunshine Seasons let you slide arrival windows later if plans shift.
- Split Quick-Service Meals. Loaded pasta or fry bowls feed two; add a free ice-water cup to stretch value.
- Use Multi-Pass time gaps. Pre-book a 4 p.m. top-tier ride, then schedule a 4:10 p.m. Contempo Café pickup—both windows cover the same hour.
Hidden magic & free loot
- Secret character meet. Annual Passholders can slip into Der Teddybar (Germany Pavilion, EPCOT) 10 a.m.–6 p.m. for an unadvertised character through July 31—queue opens at 9:45 a.m. and averages 15-20 minutes.
- Postcards to space. In Tomorrowland’s Merchant of Venus you can still mail a free Elio-themed card that gets a “launched” postmark—available until July 31 while supplies last.
- Photo-ops nobody fights over.
- The Wishing Well to the right of Cinderella Castle (morning back-lighting).
- Neverland Wall outside Peter Pan—emerald glow at dusk.
- Beauty-and-the-Beast stained glass inside Be Our Guest—ask podium CM to pop in between seatings.
Current discounts you can still book today
| Up to 40 % off rooms for Annual Passholders | Valid stays through July 31—Pop Century from $152/nt. (disneyworld.disney.go.com) |
| Special 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket | $267+tax, excludes Magic Kingdom; great for repeat visitors planning an MK-light itinerary. (disneyworld.disney.go.com) |
| Disney+ Subscriber Summer Rate | Select resorts from $99/nt through July 31 (2-night min). (disneyworld.disney.go.com) |
| MouseSavers extra stack. Starting July 10, up to 20 % off Sun-Thu stays Oct-Dec plus up to $100 Dining & Shopping card when bundling 4-day tickets—bookmark the link and book pre-dawn. (mousesavers.com) | |
| Target Circle hack. Buy Disney gift cards with a Target Circle (RedCard) and snag 5 % instant savings—$475 for every $500 you load toward hotel or tickets. Combine with resort discounts for double-dip value. (dealnews.com) |
Ride time mastery
- Lightning Lane Multi-Pass. Resort guests lock three rides 7 days before check-in; non-resort get 3 days. Stack return windows late-morning to early afternoon and rope-drop something not on your list (ex: Seven Dwarfs at 8:45 a.m.).
- Virtual queues—myth-busted. Disney retired all VQs in February, so Haunted Mansion, Tiana’s, Cosmic Rewind and TRON are now pure standby or paid Single-Pass.
- Single-rider cheat sheet. Use midday (1-4 p.m.) at Smugglers Run, Test Track (once it reopens), and Expedition Everest—real wait <20 minutes while standby posts 60 +.
- Rider Switch refresher. Tell the first Cast Member; Group 1 rides, Group 2 enters anytime within 60 minutes using Lightning Lane. Works even without purchasing Multi-Pass.
- Rope-drop realities.
- Animal Kingdom: Arrive 30 min before Early Entry for Flight of Passage; if off-site, skip FoP and head to Safari → Everest loop.
- Magic Kingdom: With Big Thunder down, hit Jungle Cruise first; Splash (Tiana) posts <30 min until 9:30 a.m.
- Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog still draws longest 7 a.m. grab—a 7:00 a.m. Single-Pass is cheaper than burning your Multi-Pass headliner slot.
- EPCOT: Guardians VQ is gone; headliner to tap first is Remy—France opens at park rope, not Early Entry.
Refurbishments & detours
| Big Thunder Mountain | Closed all 2025–26 | Ride Tiana’s after sunset—the lanterns mimic old Thunder’s night vibe. (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Under the Sea ~ Journey | Closed Jul 21 – 25 | Hop to Philharmagic (air-con, 14 min). (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Liberty Square Riverboat & Tom Sawyer Island | Permanently closed July 6 | Admire river views on the new boardwalk path. (disneytouristblog.com) |
| Test Track | Re-imagining, reopening TBD | Soarin’ standby averages 25 min before noon. (disneytouristblog.com) |
Three shows worth your time
- Disney Starlight Parade (Magic Kingdom, from Jul 20) – bi-directional parade route means flank Liberty Square for a front-row view and instant exit through Frontierland. Reviewers rave about Moana’s reef float and the Blue Fairy finale.
- Luminous: Symphony of Us (EPCOT, nightly 9 p.m.) – a music-first fireworks spectacular that trades IP bombardment for goose-bump strings; prime spot is between Italy & America so low-level pyro frames Spaceship Earth.
- Fantasmic 2.0 (Hollywood Studios, 8:30 & 10 p.m.) – new projection upgrades keep queues moving; sit center-right for shortest exit via Sunset Boulevard and bus loop.
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VOYAGEERS: Finding Hidden Treasures in the Parks
Images courtesy of Parkendium
A Dream Forged in Dust: Walt’s Return for Disneyland’s 70th
The man stands unnoticed near the Town Square flagpole, the morning sun warming his face. Around him, the familiar, joyful symphony of Disneyland plays out. But he hears a different tune, an echo from seventy years past. He sees the solid, clean pavement of Main Street, U.S.A. and remembers the smell of hot asphalt, poured just hours before the gates first opened, so soft it famously trapped the high heels of visiting ladies.
This is the fantasy, of course: that Walter Elias Disney could be here for this, the 70th anniversary of his grand, terrifying gamble. What would he think, seeing this polished kingdom, knowing the controlled chaos from which it was born?
His mind would drift back not just to the infamous “Black Sunday” of the opening, but to the frantic week that preceded it. He would remember the sleepless nights walking these same grounds when they were nothing but churned-up dirt and frantic energy. He’d recall the local plumbers’ strike that forced upon him an impossible choice: working toilets or working drinking fountains? He chose the toilets, a practical decision that, under the blistering 101-degree heat of opening day, led to accusations that he was cynically forcing guests to buy Pepsi. Today, as he watches a child laugh while splashing water from a perfectly sculpted fountain, a wry smile would surely cross his lips.
He would remember the banks of the Canal Boats of the World, which were hopelessly overgrown with weeds. There was no time to landscape. His ingenious, desperate solution? He had his team hastily print elegant-looking signs with nonsensical Latin names, instantly transforming the pesky weeds into a seemingly intentional exotic botanical collection. As he watches the meticulously manicured miniatures of Storybook Land glide by today, he’d have to chuckle at the sheer audacity of it all.
The days leading up to July 17, 1955, were a blur of last-minute miracles and near-disasters. “If you stood still, you got painted,” the television crews joked, as workmen swarmed every structure. He’d remember the frantic planting of trees and shrubs, many of which were still just saplings on opening day, giving the park a sparse, unfinished look. He’d glance over into Frontierland and see the massive, 55-million-year-old petrified tree. He’d recall giving it to his wife, Lillian, as an anniversary gift, and her practical response that it was “too large for the mantle,” leading her to “re-gift” the prehistoric relic to the park. It was perhaps the oldest thing in a park where everything else was brand new.
To stand here now, seventy years to the day after that chaotic opening, would be to witness the ultimate vindication. The dream wasn’t just that it would exist; it was that it would grow. That it would, as he always said, “never be completed.” The saplings he planted in a panic are now magnificent, mature trees offering shade to millions. The once-empty Tomorrowland, which opened with more corporate exhibits than actual rides, now hums with visions of the future he could only begin to imagine.
He would think of Dave MacPherson, the 22-year-old college student who, determined to be the first common man inside, lined up at 2 a.m. on July 18th, the first public day. He’d see the millions who have followed in Dave’s footsteps, their faces alight with that same sense of wonder.
The contrast would be overwhelming. The dream that was once dismissed by many as “Walt’s Folly,” a project so precarious that it was nearly undone by weeds, wet paint, and a lack of drinking water, has become a global touchstone. To see it not only survive but thrive, to see its story woven into the fabric of cultures around the world, would be a feeling beyond mere pride.
And then, the man on the street is gone. But high above the joyous crowds, in the window of the small apartment above the Main Street Fire House, a lamp glows softly, a silent signal that he is still home. From there, a phantom silhouette looks down, not at the park he built, but at the families he built it for. A quiet, knowing smile spreads across his face as he watches a father lift his daughter onto his shoulders to see the parade. The dream wasn’t just about a place. It was about a feeling. And seventy years later, that feeling was more real and more powerful than he ever could have imagined.
Well, that’s all for this week,
If you’re an ALL-ACCESS member and need help with your trip, hit reply, and we’ll assist you in any way we can!
Wishing you the best week,
Kelly
July 8, 2025 Issue #18 to 29,891 Disney fans.
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