In Major League Baseball they call this time of the year “The Dog Days of Summer.” You could argue that Disneyland is typically in those dog days as well this time of year. Lower tier annual passports are blocked out (this year that includes Deluxe passports which have traditionally NOT been blocked from accessing Disneyland Park this time of year – though that pass level is allowed into DCA). Kids are starting to head back to school, families are winding down on vacation time, and the aforementioned blocked annual passholders are counting the days until they are allowed back into the happiest place on earth. Halloween season begins on September 6th, which is approximately three weeks away. Normally, these few weeks are a bit of the calm before the storm. This year? Not so much. Disneyland brought back The Main Street Electrical Parade (MSEP) to help stimulate lower than expected summer crowds. The long planned 50th Anniversary Celebration for the Haunted Mansion has also coincided with the return of the nostalgia heavy MSEP. This has led to a plethora of new foods, drinks, and treats along with Halloween season level crowds.
Main Street Electrical Parade Food/Drinks/Treats
First up are the treats from Candy Palace on Main Street U.S.A, Disneyland Park.
Next there is a specialty Hot Dog at Refreshment Corner for the return of the MSEP.
The last item we have personally bought is the beloved Fantasia Ice Cream from Gibson Girl on Main Street U.S.A, Disneyland Park.
There is also a refillable popcorn bucket for the MSEP. The caveat is that the refills are only available the day of purchase (not on future dates/visits) for $1.50. Below are pictures of the MSEP popcorn bucket – not just for annual passholders, but for all park guests.
The Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary Celebration
Happy haunts have materialized to give Disneyland a festive celebration, filled with delicious eats. Below, courtesy of Discover the Magic
The Disney Parks blog dropped a foodie guide connected with the pictures below.
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$5.49 for 3 Beignets
$8.99 for 6 Beignets
No AP discount available, mobile ordering now available! 🙌
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These Beignets are part of the Haunted Mansion 50th Celebration and are solid. They’re normal powdered, sugar dusted beignets with a side of honey to dip or drizzle on your beignets. Personally, while I enjoyed it, just give me a normal beignet! Definitely a fun treat though – even if it was sticky and messy
Disney has not released an end date for the Haunted Mansion 50th celebration, so if you’re interested in acquiring any of the specialty items then hurry back to Disneyland to try them.
Lucky Fortune Cookery Gets a Menu Overaul
Though we have always considered Lucky Fortune solid, if unspectacular, for many people it was regarded as one of the lowest quality locations in either Park. They have attempted to rectify this perception with a complete menu overhaul. See the images of the new menu below.
Entrees
Sides
Kids Meals
Alcoholic Beverages
Beverages
Gyro Loaded Fries (Paradise Garden Grill – DCA)
These were recently added to the menu at Paradise Garden Grill and they are worth your dollars if you love Mediterranean style cuisine!
Can You Feel the Love Tonight?
Mobile Ordering
Mobile Ordering has recently come to several places with traditionally long and/or slow lines in Disneyland and DCA – Schmoozies (DCA) and the Mint Julep Bar (Disneyland). Always use mobile ordering when you can because it saves your precious minutes while visiting the Parks. We used it at Mint Julep Bar last Saturday when the physical line was at least 20 minutes long. It took us less than two minutes to pick up our Julep!
Downtown Disney
Don’t sleep on the offerings in Downtown Disney. We recently had the chance to get specialty foods and drinks from Kayla’s Cake, Black Tap, Ballast Point Brewery, and Catal (which partners with Uva Bar across the pathway). Both places have great food and great deals going on. Check out the updates from our Instagram account for both below.
So now, as you can see this wasn’t much *calm before the storm* as we gear up for the Halloween season. Disneyland has already filled their stores with Halloween merchandise and the foodie guide from the Parks Blog will drop any day now. And then we’ll be right back in the thick of trying new foods, drinks, treats, and who knows what else during the Halloween season. We will be at Oogie Boogie’s Halloween Bash, which is the new Halloween party this year and is exclusively at DCA rather than Disneyland. Happy eating and thanks for reading!