The Disneyland Half Marathon weekend crowds are dispersing, but the resort is still plenty busy. Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts Nite takes over Disneyland Park on six nights this month, while Horace Horsecollar is hosting Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure through Feb. 22.
This week’s update also includes a preview of Disney California Adventure’s 25th-anniversary offerings, the latest on upcoming Disneyland After Dark events, and a looming transportation change in Anaheim that could significantly affect how some guests get to and from the parks… a potential transportation crisis in the making.
All this in a week when we could finally learn who will replace Disney CEO Bob Iger.
DCA Anniversary
California Adventure Park opened on February 8, 2001, making Sunday its 25th anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, the park is bringing back a beloved opening-day attraction (for an extended run this year), as well as anniversary merch, new costumes for Mickey and Minnie, and a sure-to-be-popular Pixar Pal-A-Round popcorn bucket.
Mickey and Minnie’s outfits are inspired by the Sunshine Plaza that once graced the spot where Carthay Circle stands today.
Yesterland: Sunshine Plaza, Sun Icon, and Wave Fountain
Guests who visit the park on the actual anniversary date (Feb. 8) will receive a commemorative park map (while supplies last), but other anniversary offerings, including the first-of-its-kind interactive popcorn bucket, will be available beginning on Feb. 6.
You can find the Pal-A-Round popcorn bucket at Fairfax Market, Mortimer’s Market, and select popcorn and outdoor vending carts in California Adventure (while supplies last). The new bucket will also be available on Feb. 6-8 via Mobile order from the Hollywood Lounge Seasonal Novelty Release, Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta Seasonal Novelty Release, and Popcorn at Grizzly Peak Airfield.
Soarin’ Over California fans will be happy to know that the opening-day attraction will return on February 6 and continue all the way through July 1, 2026 (at which time the all-new Soarin’ Across America will debut for America’s 250th anniversary).
Which version of DCA are you most nostalgic for… The opening-day version with very few Disney characters? The DCA 2.0 version that added Cars Land, Buena Vista Street, World of Color, the Little Mermaid, and Pixar Pier? Or are you looking forward to DCA’s future, which will soon add an expanded Avengers Campus, Coco ride, and Avatar Land?
Disney’s California Adventure Fun Map, 2001. ©Disney
Read our complete guide to the DCA 25th-anniversary celebration here:
Disney California Adventure Turns 25: Soarin’ Over California Returns, New Merch & Events
Transportation Troubles
The Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN) has announced that bus service in the Anaheim Resort area will begin to wind down, with service ending completely on March 31, 2026. So what does this mean?
Guests staying at nearby hotels rely on Anaheim buses to get to and from the park (and over the years most area hotels have even eliminated their own park shuttles in favor of recommending these buses). Plus, ATN also operates the Toy Story lot buses.
So how will hotel guests get to the park? Will they all need to take Ubers? And if they do, how could the resort possibly handle that many cars in the currently-very-small (and already congested) ride share area! There also isn’t enough onsite resort parking if everyone starts renting cars. Even with the new transportation hub and parking structure set to begin construction soon, that won’t be ready for years.
A statement from Disneyland said they’re “aware of the situation, recognize the value and importance of resort-area transportation for guests, and are actively exploring next steps.”
Does this mean Disney may possibly run their own shuttle service to the park or that a 3rd party will step in? We certainly hope so… and fast!
For now, you may want to book hotels within walking distance of Disneyland, or be prepared to pay high surge pricing for rideshare to get to the resort.
Disneyland After Dark
Tickets for Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite and Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite, both go on sale to the public no earlier than 9 a.m. PT this Thursday, Feb. 5th. But some folks can get their tickets earlier than that.
Magic Key annual pass holders can take advantage of pre-sale opportunities:
Tuesday, Feb. 3rd (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT) select amount of pre-sale tickets available for Inspire Magic Key holders
Wednesday, Feb. 4th (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT) select amount of pre-sale tickets available for all Magic Key holders
Tickets to Disneyland After Dark events include admission into Disneyland three hours before the party begins, unlimited downloads of Disney PhotoPass digital photos taken during the party, plus a commemorative credential and guide map.
Each themed event also features special exclusive merch.
Disney Channel Nite Highlights
Disneyland Channel Nite Dates: April 12, 14, and 16
Making her Disneyland debut is Penny Proud from “The Proud Family,” who will join other Disney Channel characters. This year’s popular after-hours party also includes the High School Musical – ZOMBIES Pep Rally, DescenDANCE along the Rivers of America, Camp Rock Sing-Along at the Golden Horseshoe.
Disney Channel Nite Specialty Food:
NEW Ice cream taco at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
NEW Agent P churro at Churros near Sleeping Beauty Castle, Churros near Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and Churros near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Loaded dino nuggies at Red Rose Taverne, The Golden Horseshoe, and Stage Door Cafe
Star Wars Nite Highlights
Star Wars Nite Dates: April 28 & 30 and May 4 & 6
Returning experiences include The March of the First Order featuring Captain Phasma and the First Order Stormtroopers in Tomorrowland as well as Darth Maul at Tomorrowland Terrace along with appearances by Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes (also known as the Cantina Band), and a lightsaber instructional.
Star Wars Nite Specialty Food:
70 Years of Favorites
Tickets are also still available Disneyland After Dark: 70 years of Favorites on March 3 and 5 ($159 per person).
The new after-hours event will take guests on a journey “through decades of Disney entertainment,” with Sounds of Magic, a riverfront serenade featuring favorite songs from past Disneyland musical shows, including Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee, Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, and more.
“Frozen” was the last full-time show at the Hyperion Theater.
You can find information about all the Disneyland After Dark 2026 events here:
Disneyland After Dark 2026: Your Guide to Tickets, Food, Entertainment & More!
Celebrate Soulfully
In addition to the Celebrate Gospel concerts in Downtown Disney on Feb. 20-21 and 27-28, limited-time Celebrate Soulfully offerings are available in honor of Black History Month in February.
Celebrate Gospel concerts bring together top artists and community choirs from across Southern California, featuring performances by Grammy winner Bishop Hezekiah Walker on Feb. 21 and Grammy winner Yolanda Adams on Feb. 28. This year, the concerts will take place in Downtown Disney.
New for 2026, a heritage trail across the resort will celebrate influential Black leaders, artists, and thinkers:
On Main Street U.S.A: Disney Legend Martha Blanding, musician Scott Joplin, and Frederick Douglass will be honored in a window.
A window display on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., honors Disney Legend Martha Blanding. During her 50-year career at Disneyland Resort, Blanding held multiple roles, including many firsts for Black women. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)
In New Orleans Square: Disney animator Ron Husband (The Rescuers, Pete’s Dragon, The Fox and the Hound, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Fantasia 2000, and Atlantis)
In Tiana’s Palace: New Orleans restaurateur (and the inspiration for Princess Tiana) Leah Chase
In Tomorrowland: Former Astronaut (and first African American to go to space) Guion S. Bluford Jr.
In Frontierland: Musician Dom Flemons
On Buena Vista Street: Disney Legend Floyd Norman (Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Dinosaur, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc.)
Disney Legend Floyd Norman & his wife Adrienne appeared at the MiceChat booth at the last D23 Expo
In Hollywood Land: Austin Taylor, Disney Visual Effects Animator Marlon West (The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan, Fantasia 2000, The Emperor’s New Groove. Atlantis, Home on the Range, Chicken Little, The Princess and the Frog, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Moana, Frozen 2, Encanto, Zootopia 2), Disney Lighting Supervisor Olun Riley (Meet the Robinsons, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Frozen 2), and Imagineer and Inventor Lanny Smoot.
With over 100 patents, Lanny Smoot is Disney’s most prolific inventor and one of the most prominent Black inventors in American history.
At the Downtown Disney Stage: Contemporary artist Nikkolas Smith who created King Chad, the mural of Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman displayed in Downtown Disney.
Celebrate Soulfully Menu Items (available Jan. 30 through March 2):
Tiana’s Palace (Mobile order available) – French Quarter Fried Chicken Bowl: Spicy honey-glazed fried chicken served with baked macaroni and cheese and collard greens
Fried Chicken Bowl at Tiana’s Palace (Disneyland Resort/David Nguyen)
Lamplight Lounge – New Orleans BBQ Shrimp: Cajun battered shrimp served with cheesy polenta, onions, peppers, celery and a New Orleans BBQ butter sauce
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp at Lamplight Lounge (Disneyland Resort/David Nguyen)
MiceChat Gumball Rally 2026
This year, the villains are taking center stage for Gumball Rally’s 20th anniversary, and while the Rally itself is sold out, you won’t want to miss a wicked pre-event soiree on Friday, Feb. 6th.
Feb. 6 – Villains Night Out at The Anaheim Hotel
Join us for a villainous evening celebrating Disney’s baddies, including live music, villain-inspired performances… and a few nefarious surprises that might just help Rally teams sharpen their strategy.
The event will be hosted by Noah Sunday-Lefkowitz, a Los Angeles–based songwriter, performer, and Disney Parks favorite widely known as “the medley guy.” With creative credits spanning Walt Disney Imagineering, D23, and Disney Cruise Line, along with sold-out live shows in Anaheim and Orlando, Noah will perform villain-inspired music that sets the stage for our sinister evening.
There will also be a panel of voice actors, animators, and storytellers:
Daniel Ross – An Emmy-winning voice actor best known as the voice of Donald Duck for Disney Junior
Camille Dixon – The longtime announcer for Disney California Adventure
Bill Rogers – The iconic voice of Disneyland Resort, with additional announcing work for Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney Resort, and as Santa Claus in it’s a small world holiday
Rick Farmiloe – A veteran animator whose work includes characters like Scuttle, LeFou, and Abu
Julie Tremaine – Food and travel writer, and author of The Disney Villains Cookbook.
The event begins at 7 p.m. and is open to everyone, whether you’re competing in the Rally or just ready for a wickedly fun Friday night. Registered Rally competitors can check in early and pick up their Rally materials.
Villains Night Out Tickets available HERE
Constructionland
Disneyland
Small World reopens this week after having its holiday overlay removed.
Although Galactic Grill and Tomorrowland Terrace are surrounded by construction walls, the restaurant is still open.
And in Galaxy’s Edge, Rise of the Resistance is undergoing its first-ever scheduled refurbishment.
But part of the queue has been turned into a temporary seating area for guests.
Also temporarily closed is Oga’s Cantina.
That leaves a lot of guest capacity unavailable in this giant land with so few attractions.
We’re glad to tell you that the milk stand is still serving guests… including the new pink milk, which is our current favorite.
And we’re not even discussing this ongoing eyesore anymore… The forever construction wall of Tomorrowland.
California Adventure
Incredicoaster reopens this week, but the annual refurbishment is still underway at Grizzly River Run, with no reopening date announced.
Downtown Disney
The Lego Store has finally emerged from behind construction walls.
The transition from holiday plants to spring flowers is still ongoing in Downtown Disney, along with some planter repairs.
Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar (updated 1/30/26)
New this week is a Feb. 6 return date for it’s a small world (back to its non-holiday version) and the Golden Zephyr in California Adventure has been added to the list.
Currently Under Refurbishment
Grizzly River Run: January 5 – TBA
Incredicoaster: January 5 – February 5
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: January 20 – TBA
Oga’s Cantina: January 20 – TBA
Jat Kaa’s Coolers: J1-KC at Resistance Clearing: January 20 – February 12
it’s a small world: January 26 – February 5
Upcoming Refurbishments
Jungle Cruise: February 17 – TBA
Jumpin’ Jellyfish: February 23 – March 5
Golden Zephyr: March 9 – TBA
HEALTH ADVISORY:
Orange County health officials have confirmed that a Disneyland guest has tested positive for measles. The guest visited the resort on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.
The potential exposure windows on that date included at Goofy’s Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park from 12:30 p.m until the parks closed that day.
People who were at these locations may be at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed, and should follow these recommendations:
Check immunity status with a health care provider about the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Speak with a health care provider about vaccination if the exposure occurred less than seven days ago.
Watch for fever or an unexplained rash between 7 and 21 days from exposure.
If symptoms develop, contact a health care provider immediately to limit exposing others.
Health officials are working with Disneyland to contact Cast Members who may have been exposed.
This & That
There are quite a few interesting tidbits in this week’s This & That section!
Live @ 5
This week, Dusty kicks off the Thursday live at Disneyland with a ride on Pinocchio’s Daring Journey! Then he, Suzanne and Ando head through the resort to look at the latest, including refurbishments in Galaxy’s Edge, the minimal effort for Mardi Gras this year, and all the news you’ll want to hear…
Disneyland Half Marathon
Runners took over Disneyland last weekend for the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend. Due to upcoming construction projects across the resort, this will be the last runDisney event in Anaheim for the foreseeable future.
The 13.1-mile half marathon course took more than 14,000 runners through Disney California Adventure park, Disneyland park, and surrounding areas. The race was the culmination of the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend, which included yoga, kids’ races, a 5K and 10K.
The Men’s First Place finisher was Ismiain Hernandez of Mexico City, Mexico, with a winning time of 1:12:20.
The Women’s First Place finisher was Itzel Bautista of Mexico City, Mexico, with a winning time of 1:20:53.
Costumed runners mingled with Disney characters all along the course.
Eric channeled his inner half marathoner.
They’re Going to Disneyland!
Disneyland will celebrate the Super Bowl LX winners – either the Seattle Seahawks or New England Patriots – on Monday, February 9th (the day after the big game), with a special cavalcade featuring the winning team’s MVP, which in the past has been around 1:30 p.m.
Last year’s Super Bowl celebration for the Philadelphia Eagles was at Walt Disney World.
Did You Know? Whether Super Bowl MVPs proclaim “I’m going to Disneyland!” or “I’m going to Walt Disney World!” depends on the location of the big game. If it’s played on the east coast, they go to Orlando, but if it’s played on the west coast (like this year’s game in Santa Clara, CA), they head to Anaheim.
Avengers Campus Pop-Ups
Sadly, regular performances of the magical Dr. Strange disappeared from Avengers Campus entertainment schedule last year, but depending on who’s on campus on any given day, characters will pop into the Sanctum to interact with guests.
While not a scheduled thing (at least not yet), we’re told one of those “pop up” experiences is a story time with Asgardian brothers Thor and Loki. Think Storytime with Deadpool, but a little more kid friendly.
The Bridge is Back… Or Is It?
If you’ve never experienced the collapsing rope bridge in the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction (or forgot it ever existed), it’s been reported that the “drop” effect is back in action following the recent refurbishment.
However, we rode last week and discovered the bridge was not actually dropping (or at least wasn’t at the time). Hopefully, it’s just a case of working out a few mechanical kinks.
Casting Call
If you’ve ever been told you look like Luke Skywalker, it’s your lucky day! Disneyland is casting Luke look-alikes for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Submissions are being accepted online through Feb. 20… and May The Force Be With You!
Downtown Disney Treats
Salt & Straw is kicking off 2026 with, The Chocolatiers Series, a reimagining of a traditional box of chocolates as ice cream flavors.
Beginning January 30th, chocoholics can sample five delicious collaborations between Salt & Straw co-founder Tyler Malek and some of his favorite chocolatiers:
Chocolate Almond Gold Bar – Bite-sized bits of almond caramel chocolate bars from Seattle-based Fran’s Chocolates tossed into a salted vanilla ice cream, and tied together with ribbons of burnt caramel and dark chocolate stracciatella
Cake Batter Chocolate Fudge – Decadent cake batter ice cream speckled with rainbow sprinkles and “frosted” with swirls of brown butter chocolate fudge, created with Jonathan Grahm of L.A.’s Compartés.
Chocolate Toasted Buttermilk Torte – Oregon-honey milk chocolate frozen yogurt, swirled with ribbons of caramelized toasted-buttermilk fudge, spiced graham cracker crumbles, and decadent chocolate cake, inspired by the Nest Bar at Portland’s Cloudforest.
Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake – a tribute to NYC-based Stick With Me’s “cheesecake bonbon,” featuring layers of white chocolate cream cheese ganache, golden graham cracker crumbs and tart raspberry jam folded into a tart and creamy raspberry strawberry ice cream
Cocoa Nib Root Beer Float (v) – Sweet and aromatic cocoa nib root beer sorbet, made with San Francisco’s Dandelion Chocolate, and threaded with rich ribbons of 70% Ecuadorian dark chocolate fudge
And because there’s never enough chocolate, the new Salted Brownie Waffle Cone features house made brownie batter sprinkled with sea salt, pressed into one of Salt & Straw’s signature waffle cones.
At Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, the Red Velvet Mini CrazyShake ($16) will be available throughout February.
The new limited-time treat features a red velvet shake and cream cheese-frosted rim with red velvet crumbs topped with a mini red velvet cupcake, whipped cream, and a cherry.
Neighborhood News
Disneyland’s neighbor Knott’s Berry Farm is replacing the in-park Johnny Rockets restaurant with Crafty’s Kitchen, expanding on the Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair story—and specifically, Crafty Coyote, the dark ride’s pie-stealing antagonist who’s reopening the Bear-y Factory cafeteria to serve (what else?) a menu featuring chicken and boysenberries.
Johnny Rockets will close on April 15. Stay tuned to our Knott’s coverage on MiceChat.com for more details about Crafty’s Kitchen.
Disneyland Minute
Each week, Dusty recaps all the biggest headlines from the Monday Disneyland Update in a quick-hit Disneyland Minute video. It’s an easy way to stay caught up if you don’t have time to read the full update… or if you just want the highlights straight from Dusty.
Be sure to subscribe to MiceChat’s YouTube channel and TikTok so you don’t miss it!
Here’s our latest video:
MiceShots
And last but not least, a few star sightings.
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Let’s Hear From You!
What are you most looking forward to as Disney California Adventure marks its 25th anniversary… the return of Soarin’ Over California, the merch, or something else entirely? Are you planning to snag tickets for Disney Channel Nite or Star Wars Nite?
And how concerned are you about Anaheim’s resort-area bus service winding down if you rely on it to get to the parks?
Let us know what’s on your mind in the comments.
