MickeyBlog News for December 16th, 2024
Disney just confirmed the dates for another festival and made a surprising change at Disneyland Park.
We’ll discuss these things, plus a game-changing lounge and the exciting birthday adventures of Dick Van Dyke.


Photo: Deadline
This is a fun week for MickeyBlog News…and not just because I get to write about Dick Van Dyke!
Disney Says to Save the Date(s)
A few days ago, Disneyland Resort did something I’ve always wanted but never expected to happen.
As we discussed in last week’s news, Disneyland officials announced the entire 2025 schedule of special events.
While Walt Disney World hasn’t followed suit yet, this appears to be the trend.
I say this because Disney DID confirm the dates for the 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.
This year’s festival runs from March 5th through June 2nd. Why is the timing so surprising?
Disney waited until January 16th, 2024, to confirm the dates for the 2024 version.
So, the park is running more than a month earlier with its reveal this year, which will give you that much more time to plan a trip.
To be fair, last year’s event came with a bit more confusion due to ongoing construction at the park.
EPCOT wouldn’t open CommuniCore Hall & Plaza until June 10th, but Disney wasn’t sure it would meet that date in January.
That uncertainty partially led to the delay in announced dates and likely led to the gap before the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
We won’t know whether there’s a similar gap between the two events until Disney states those dates.
Dear Disney: we would LOVE it if you went ahead and told us before the end of the year!
Publishing the full schedule before the year begins is ideal for vacation planning.
EPCOT Still Rocks


Photo: Disney
By the way, Disney also announced the first set of performers for the 2025 Garden Rocks concert series.
Those acts are:
- March 7, 8 – Tommy DeCarlo, former lead singer of Boston
- March 9, 10 – Air Supply – 50th Anniversary Celebration
- March 14, 15 – Blue October
- March 16, 17 – Rick Springfield
- March 21, 22 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
- March 23, 24 – 38 Special
- March 28, 29 – Jason Scheff, Longtime singer of Chicago


Photo: Disney
While Disney didn’t confirm Garden Rocks dining packages yet, I’m confident that’s inevitable.
After all, the lines for these concerts have grown several hours long in recent years.


Photo: Disney
You’ll want to book a dining package to avoid that nonsense, as your reservations guarantee your traveling party seats for the show.
To a larger point, Disney still hasn’t revealed many details about the Flower & Garden Festival yet.


Photo: Disney
So, please keep checking back with us to learn more about the park’s oldest festival.
Disneyland Makes a Change


Disney
Here’s something else that’s truly stunning. Disneyland has already changed the rules at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
I can assure you that nobody saw this one coming, but here we are.


Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Opens in Disneyland
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure no longer requires a virtual queue at Disneyland. Instead, guests wait in the typical standby queue.
So, the new Tiana ride at Disneyland employed a virtual queue for less than a month. I’m not even joking.


Photo: Disney
The attraction officially opened to the public on November 15th.
By December 10th, Disneyland had already ended the virtual queue.
Meanwhile, the Magic Kingdom version of the ride opened on June 28th, yet its rules aren’t changing any.
Disney will still maintain the virtual queue at this park until it says otherwise.
About the Haunted Mansion Parlor


Haunted Mansion Parlor
In case you somehow missed it, several members of MickeyBlog’s staff spent the week on the Disney Treasure.
Disney thoughtfully invited us for an early sailing before the ship’s official maiden voyage begins next week.


Haunted Mansion Parlor
So, I’ll save most of the discussion about it until everyone can take a cruise on the Disney Treasure.
Still, I feel compelled to discuss the one game-changing experience onboard this ship. It’s that big a deal.
The option I’m referencing is, of course, the Haunted Mansion Parlor, which has generated a massive amount of excitement.
Here’s Mammoth Club exploring the new lounge for the first time:
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that this seems like a religious experience for them.


Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure
Your inclination may be to dismiss this reaction as unique to the individual. I can assure you that it’s not.
Having watched several different influencers record their first experiences here, the takeaway is obvious.


Haunted Mansion Parlor
ANYONE who loves Disney will treasure (pun intended) their time at the Haunted Mansion Parlor.
In fact, the lounge proved so popular during its first week that Disney implemented rules restrictions.
Cast Members limited visits to 45 minutes. Otherwise, many guests never would have left.
I watched several people joke, “I live here now,” just as I watched my wife, who isn’t even a cruise fan, shop for Disney Treasure itineraries.
This place looks so spectacular that I feel pretty confident we’re taking a cruise in 2025…just for this lounge!
People are losing their minds over it, and if you’re a Disney fan, you will, too.
For Disney fans, the implementation of a true theme park attraction setting on a cruise ship is the strongest selling point imaginable.
Happy Birthday, Bert!


Photo: Kennedy Center
Dick Van Dyke recently celebrated his 99th birthday, but because he’s a Hollywood icon, he didn’t do it the normal way.
No, Mr. Van Dyke spent part of his time dancing and singing alongside Chris Martin of Coldplay.
Obviously, the actor performed in that video a few days before his actual birthday.


Dick Van Dyke.
His life got a bit more outrageous immediately afterward, as a Malibu brushfire forced the actor to evacuate his home.
Somehow, that’s not even the exciting part. The elderly superstar later revealed that he literally tried to crawl to escape.


PHOTO: MONTY BRINTON/CBS
If not for kindly neighbors checking on him, Dick Van Dyke might not have escaped.
As he later relayed to People Magazine, “I had exhausted myself. I couldn’t get up.”
Three of his neighbors then rescued him AND put out a fire in his guesthouse, thereby averting a tragedy.


Dick Van Dyke. JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images
Despite all the excitement, Van Dyke appeared to be in excellent spirits, laughing and being his usual upbeat self.
So, we all dodged a bullet here, as Dick Van Dyke must be protected at all costs.
Disney Miscellany


Photo: Disney Parks Blog
We’re ten days away from one of my family’s holiday traditions.
We’ll sit around, enjoying the holiday lights and watching Disney’s annual Christmas parade show.


Photo: Disney Parks Blog
Disney just announced details about this year’s event, and I cannot wait.
In theme park news, I’ve got bad news for Disneyland fans. Disneyland After Dark 90s Nite has already sold out!


Photo: Disney
So, if you plan to attend any other Disneyland After Dark events, you should speak to a MickeyTravels agent ASAP!
All these events sell out, and tickets seem to be going faster than ever for the 2025 dates.
The same statement applies at Walt Disney World, too. First, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party sold out.
Now, we have only one remaining date with ticket availability for Disney Jollywood Nights.


Photo: Disney
When people keep asking how Disney theme parks will make more money, here’s your answer.
These events perform spectacularly well for Disney, which explains why the parks keep adding more each year. And they’ll sell out, too!


Photo: Disney
In theme park news, Gran Fiesta Tour will take a post-holiday break to perform some refurbishment.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Blizzard Beach just cannot catch a break from the weather right now.
In Disney restaurant news, we got our first look at the sorely needed new outdoor seating area at Chicken Guy.
But that wasn’t Disney’s big foodie win for the week. That honor belongs to Paseo at Downtown Disney, which did this.


Photo: Yelp
Okay, that’s everything for this week. Good luck finishing your holiday shopping, my many loves!
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Feature Photo: Disney