Hello from a cold Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
This winter is definitely colder than last year. Everybody was bundled up, jacket, boots, scarf, you name it. Me? I only had a hoodie… Because it’s supposedly warmer later in the day. I’ve been filling in, covering, or flying for the last three weeks, I haven’t really done a full loop on the Disney side of Orlando. Let the magic begin, shall we?
Entrance Congestion
I still see many guests stuck by the touch point because they don’t have a “park pass” or “didn’t go to the reserved park.” I get it, but do we still need to have a park pass to begin with? Oh wait, to be REALLY honest, the Disneyland Resort park reservation system is horrible. There are days I still can’t get my Magic Key park pass, but Disneyland resumed the sales of Magic Key. Seriously? I feel like it will be harder to get a park pass going forward.
I’m Home!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is my home (I feel like) but I haven’t come here for a while. I think it’s the hottest park now since Disney has announced the MuppetVision 3D closure.
My AT-AT is doing great as usual, but you know Hollywood Studios is busy when Star Tours is a 35-minute wait. It’s decently crowded.
At Ice Cold Hydraulics, the Stormtrooper helmet popcorn buckets have been restocked.
T-133 days🐸
MuppetVision 3D, your last day is approaching. It is sad, I loved MuppetVision a lot back in 2011 and I don’t know how many times I saw the show. MuppetVision was a “must do” for me and my besties since one of them looks like Statler.
Recently, this structure behind MuppetVision was repainted to gray/light blue. Disney hasn’t taken this down, even though most of the structure here was taken down when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened. I still remember when we could walk through this gate and go to see Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater.
Walking into the Galaxy. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance still offers a single rider.
I’ve always cared about Ariel and Voyage of the Little Mermaid, but the one time I was gone, she decided to leave. So empty!! Bye, my friend.
Hollywood Studios ‘Fantasmic!’ vs Disneyland ‘Fantasmic!’
I love “Fantasmic!” I’ve seen the show here at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Tokyo DisneySea. My absolute favorite was the Disneyland “Fantasmic!,” because they use the actual attraction boats in the show. It is so dynamic. What’s my least favorite Fantasmic? Oh, definitely Tokyo DisneySea. Why? Because everything is so far from the audience and you can’t see well. But since I went to Disneyland to see the new “Fantasmic!,” my ranking has changed.
FYI: I haven’t watched Disneyland Fantasmic! since 2019.
The Disneyland version is no longer my favorite anymore.
WHY? Because I must stand to watch the show UNLESS I purchase a dining package. It is crazy. Back in the day, we all could’ve sat and watched. But now, you have to buy a dining package to sit and watch.
You might think “Nah, it’s not that bad.” But somehow where I was, Cast Members kept coming and checking to make sure nobody was sitting or had any backpack/belongings on the ground due to the tripping hazard. I kinda wish Disneyland would straight up tell guests on the website “If you wish to sit and watch the show, you must purchase a dining package,” instead of “For Prime Viewing…”
After I went to Disneyland, I appreciated “Fantasmic!” in Hollywood Studios where I got to sit and watch from a decent spot WITHOUT paying extra.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not against about “buying” seats. I just wanted to know why I couldn’t sit to watch BEFORE I got there at 9 p.m. after I ran a full marathon and walked 10 miles for two days straight. I hope this will help guests who are planning to go watch “Fantasmic!” without a dining package.
Speaking of Disneyland, let’s recap about my Disneyland trip.
First Disneyland Trip in 2025
HIIII MY LOVELY WEE CASTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE SO TINY BUT LOVABLE!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I love Disneyland more than Disney World. Disney California Adventure is my HOME.
Tapped into Disneyland because my park pass was Disneyland and waited until 11 am for park hop hour to go to DCA. Like I said earlier, Magic Key park pass reservation is sucks. Can’t get the date I want, can’t switch my park on the day of, and park hop hour starts at 11 am. BUT they just resumed the Magic Key sales… why. ANYWAYS, let’s talk about the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year Character Meet and Greet
Other than I am a reporter, I am a Character meet-and-greet specialist. I love seeing characters. This year, Mickey and Minnie got a traditional Korean outfit for the Lunar New Year.
Goofy and Mush was no change.
Lunar New Year Food
I hope you watched our review on YouTube. If you didn’t watch it please watch it.
My favorite was the snake sourdough. It tastes like sourdough, nothing is special lol But I loved the shape. Who would thought about making a snake with bread?!
Most of the food I reviewed was WAY BETTER than Disney World’s kiosk food. I don’t know why we can’t have the same quality food in WDW.
But this Bánh Mì Hot Dog from Award Wieners is the best thing I ate at this festival. I went back and bought another one the next day. Nana approves.
Fun Part of the Trip
Disneyland started a new cavalcade and guess what!! They are using Tokyo Disneyland’s 35th-anniversary song “Brand New Day” and a float from “Happiness is Here” which is Tokyo Disneyland’s 30th anniversary.
As a former Tokyo Disneyland Annual Passholder, this made me super excited.
Since this was Ashton’s first time going to Disneyland/ DCA, I wanted her to ride “Radiator Springs Racers.”
I still think this is the best addition to DCA, My OG favorite is IncrediCoaster (California Screamin’.) I also took her to ride WEB SLINGERS, we made good high scores with a stranger.
Wanted to be in the top 10 but we were wee short.
And the end of the trip, we rode “It’s a small world holiday version.”
I haven’t seen “It’s a Small World Holiday” for over 10 years. This is beautiful and joyful.
Ops, I can’t forget to write about Disneyland reporters who hang out with us too!
We don’t see each other quite often since we live on totally opposite coasts of the states but we all love what we do.
After two long days at Disney, Our unofficial intern took us to In-n-Out.
Hey, we are Floridian tourists, we need to get our “In-n-out.” I had “Protein Style” with cooked onion and no tomato,(I’ve been avoiding flour as much as possible unless I am doing the food review) and it was good, I ended up buying one more.
This was my highlight of the Disneyland trip, I am coming back in mid-May for Disneyland 70th to buy me a castle toy and see “Paint the Night.”
Thank you for reading all the way here, I hope you will have a magical day, and see you real soon!
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