Critter Nation is now briefly closed as development continues on the west facet of Disneyland as of Might 2024. This picture replace shares our newest take a look at the transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Journey, together with work round Haunted Mansion and New Orleans Sq., in addition to an official replace from Disneyland.
Let’s begin with the what Disneyland has shared about these development initiatives, and the way numerous facets of each lands is being impacted. As famous above, Critter Nation is briefly closed as of Might 2024. Right here’s what meaning for the varied elements of that land, what’s nonetheless open and entry it:
- Tiana’s Bayou Journey – will open later this yr!
- The Briar Patch – Closed as of Might 1, 2024—together with the land—to start its transformation to Ray’s Berets.
- Pooh Nook – Closed as of Might 1, 2024—together with the land—to start its transformation to Louis’ Critter Membership on the left facet of the shop. When the placement reopens, the treats facet of Pooh Nook will stay a vacation spot for must-have merchandise from Hundred Acre Wooden, together with beloved candy treats like Tigger tails.
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – Because of its location in Critter Nation, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is closed together with the land as of Might 1, 2024.
- Hungry Bear Restaurant – Because of its location on the periphery of Critter Nation, Hungry Bear Restaurant will stay open throughout the Critter Nation closure. Because of elevated visitors within the space, Disneyland reminds friends that the restaurant can also be accessible through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Use the Frontierland entrance into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, proceed previous {the marketplace} and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and proceed alongside the trail to Hungry Bear Restaurant.
Right here’s what’s occurring in New Orleans Sq.:
- Haunted Mansion – Haunted Mansion is closed whereas Disneyland creates a brand new queue expertise. Learn extra in regards to the enhancements happening right here.
- Disneyland Railroad – New Orleans Sq. Station – Because of work within the space between Tiana’s Palace and the Haunted Mansion, the Disneyland Railroad station in New Orleans Sq. is unavailable for boarding and unloading, although the prepare will proceed to function. Company who require an accessible entrance to the attraction can use stations in Mickey’s Toontown or Tomorrowland.
- Popcorn and churro carts could also be briefly relocated throughout this time.
With the specifics addressed, let’s flip to contemporary progress pictures of New Orleans Sq. from this week:
The very first thing value declaring right here is that the development partitions have moved again considerably and are actually a lot nearer to Haunted Mansion. This occurred every week or two in the past, someday after the beginning of Season of the Drive however earlier than Pixar Fest.
Beforehand, the development partitions had been very near promenade alongside the Rivers of America. Actually, there wasn’t actually any area alongside the principle walkway that linked New Orleans Sq. to Critter Nation–at one level, the trail even dead-ended right into a popcorn cart. That made Haunted Mansion a pinch level throughout even reasonably busy instances, and really congested when it acquired actually busy. (It most likely didn’t assist that Harbour Galley has new cookies that went viral and have made that nook extra standard than ever.)
It was a foregone conclusion that the partitions must transfer again in some unspecified time in the future with the return of Fantasmic later this month. This space of New Orleans Sq. is a veritable nightmare fantasmic earlier than, throughout, and after that present even with common walkways. It might be actually unattainable to carry again the nighttime spectacular with out the added clearance.
Talking of foregone conclusions, one other certainly one of them is that the common Haunted Mansion gained’t return till 2025. Disneyland has not formally introduced that, however in watching the tempo of progress on this and different initiatives…I simply don’t see how this attraction can conceivably return within the subsequent couple of months.
Though the development partitions have moved in and the large mound of dust has been gotten smaller, the entrance and facet lawns of the Haunted Mansion are nonetheless completely torn up. Whereas we will’t communicate to progress on the brand new accessible elevator exit, it certain looks as if all the things else remains to be months away from being accomplished.
In the event that they’re not assured that common Haunted Mansion can reopen by mid-July, they gained’t trouble. What’s the purpose of opening the common model for a few weeks solely to shut it to put in the Haunted Mansion Vacation overlay. (To not point out eradicating the overlay within the first place, because it’s presumably nonetheless up!)
Actually, I’m beginning to get nervous that Haunted Mansion Vacation shall be prepared together with the beginning of Halloween season on August 23, 2024. I do know that’s nonetheless nearly 4 months away, and actually all of my “data” about this challenge consists of standing on the hump in entrance of Tiana’s Bayou Journey and watching work because it progresses. But it surely’s much more concerned than anticipated and I feel it’s going to take longer than some followers are anticipating.
Solely 4 extra months value of labor looks as if a best-case situation at this level. Who is aware of, although. Perhaps I’m means off and the dust will rapidly disappear, with landscaping and queue materializing. To their credit score, this has been a really energetic development website–so it’s not like Disney is dragging its ft–it’s simply a number of work to get accomplished! Definitely greater than I anticipated primarily based on the unique idea artwork.
Now let’s check out progress on close by Tiana’s Bayou Journey:
That is one other challenge that may be very clearly well-staffed and transferring full-steam forward. Imagineering and development groups are presently working laborious to carry Tiana’s Bayou Journey to life on each coasts. Disney already introduced that the Magic Kingdom model of the attraction will open forward of schedule, in Summer season 2024.
No such opening timeline has been offered in regards to the Disneyland incarnation of the attraction. We haven’t heard any credible rumors about progress on the Disneyland model since late final yr. At the moment, what I had heard was that there have been a few difficult transitions and partial scenes within the California model that might necessitate further work and time. I’ve no clue whether or not that’s nonetheless the case.
What I can inform simply from wanting on the exterior of Tiana’s Bayou Journey at Disneyland is that it’s not practically as far alongside because the Walt Disney World model. I might hazard a guess in eyeballing it that the outside is definitely three months behind the Magic Kingdom model.
This makes full sense. As you would possibly recall, Splash Mountain closed a number of months later at Disneyland than it did at Walt Disney World. I’ve heard subsequent to nothing about progress on this model, however there’s so much happening throughout the mountain.
In fact, the outside isn’t essentially indicative of the inside, nevertheless it stands to motive that the development cadence could be comparable between Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, which means that the seen progress is an honest barometer of a gap timeline. That’s to not say delays aren’t doable if these “difficult” transitions are nonetheless points.
It’s additionally to not say issues couldn’t be sped up primarily based on what’s discovered from engaged on the Walt Disney World model. The corporate may allocate extra sources in direction of the Disneyland model as soon as its Florida counterpart is completed, which means that the house stretch might fly as soon as the WDW model opens this summer time.
All issues thought of, my guess is that Disneyland desires Tiana’s Bayou Journey open by Thanksgiving on the absolute newest. I’d take {that a} step additional and suspect that there’s a really robust want to have TBA on-line by fall break. Between these faculty breaks and Halloween, your complete month of October has change into one of many busiest stretches of your complete yr (it’s the costliest month, on common, and there’s a motive for that!).
Having Tiana’s Bayou Journey accomplished as early in Fall 2024 as doable could be superb. Southern California does will get chilly beginning in November, so even Thanksgiving is pushing it. Wait instances for Splash Mountain all the time dropped from round Halloween till across the following spring break, particularly within the mornings and evenings when it will get chilly. (Though that’s true a lot of the yr in Southern California.)
Disney will need one model of the experience open earlier than it will get chilly to keep away from manufactured controversy in regards to the experience reimagining being a bust as a consequence of low wait instances. (When in actuality, it’s regular seasonality of water rides.) However that’ll be completed by opening the Magic Kingdom model this summer time. No matter occurs with the opening at Disneyland gained’t be as huge of a deal–it’ll be outdated information.
As for the outlets reworking, I feel that is sensible. Though I’m additionally guessing that ‘transformation’ is a little bit of a powerful time period for what’s going to occur with each places. I’d count on indicators to be swapped out and, within the case of Louis’ Critter Membership, a bit extra when it comes to set-dressing inside and out of doors the store. Neither are prone to be full-scale reimaginings–however that’s probably not crucial. These Critter Nation outlets ‘work’ with the brand new IP and bayou setting simply as they did with the outdated.
What that is seemingly actually about is having a superb “excuse” to shut Critter Nation for just a few months. With Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Journey already down, there’s not a complete lot of motive for friends to go again this manner, except they’re planning on consuming at Hungry Bear Restaurant or strolling the lengthy method to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
From the attitude of crowds, it’s most likely a plus that Fantasmic gained’t be preventing with common visitors into Critter Nation and past. Whereas Disneyland hasn’t shared the return dates for something, my guess is that Haunted Mansion Vacation and Critter Nation each reopen after summer time ends. The true query is what is going to open first: Tiana’s Bayou Journey or Haunted Mansion? The reply is hopefully Haunted Mansion (Vacation). But it surely’s not unattainable to check a situation the place that will get delayed and Tiana’s Bayou Journey is ready to open by October, beating out the 999 completely satisfied haunts.
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Your Ideas
What’s your tackle the Haunted Mansion closure? Anticipate the challenge to be accomplished by late August, or do you suppose Disneyland’s historical past with delays will prolong right here to this placemaking challenge? What do you consider Disneyland closing Critter Nation to reimagine a few outlets to Princess and the Frog themes? Any TBA opening date predictions? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
