It’s been a loooooong year for everyone, ever since the world shut down due to the COVID pandemic almost 12 months ago now. For those of us who live, breathe, and love everything about the Disneyland Resort, it feels like an eternity since we were last in our Happy Place. But good news is on the horizon! Disney just announced a brand new, COVID-safe event called A Touch Of Disney, which is taking place at Disney California Adventure Park here in Anaheim!
All The Details on A Touch Of Disney
Where:
While Downtown Disney and a few areas of Disney California Adventure Park are currently open for shopping and outdoor dining at select locations, this new event A Touch Of Disney would allow Disney guests further into the theme park than they’ve been since it closed last March. Though many of us have been getting our Disney fix by watching Disney+, and finding ways to support Disney Cast Members during this shut down, we still dream of leaving today and entering the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.
For the first time in forever, guests will be able to stroll freely from the Disney California Adventure Park entrance gates all the way to Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff at Pixar Pier. Browse the artwork at Off The Page in Hollywood Land and then get some churros near the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Grizzly Peak. While certain areas of the park may remain off limits (such as the Avengers Campus which is still under construction!), A Touch Of Disney will open up many more areas of the park than are currently available.
I am an Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind just thinking about it!
What:
While rides and attractions won’t be open during this special event, A Touch Of Disney will feature surprise character sightings (appropriately socially distanced of course) and unique photo ops. You might be able to pose in front of a Pixar Play Parade float, or take a pic of Joy and Sadness from INSIDE OUT and classic friends like Mickey and Minnie. Disney PhotoPass photographers will be on hand to capture all those special moments as guests experience the Disneyland Resort in person, perhaps for the first time in a year, perhaps for the first time ever.
There will also be a specially curated soundtrack of reimagined Disney songs playing throughout the park.
Open air marketplaces, food carts, and select alfresco dining locations will also offer a wide variety of food options, from classic menu items like the juicy burgers at Lamplight Lounge, to Disneyland Resort favorites not usually available in the Disney California Adventure Park.
Some menu items being offered include the sweet & spicy chicken wings from Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, DOLE Whip, lobster nachos, the “Route” beer float from Carsland, Chieftan chicken skewers from Bengal Barbecue, and a new item called the carrot cake funnel fries…yum!
Imagine having Walt’s Chili (usually only found at the Carnation Cafe in Disneyland) with a view of the Pixar Pal-A-Round instead of Main Street! Or the Monte Cristo sandwich (usually only served at Café Orleans) with a view of the waterfront beyond Pacific Wharf.
It’s like a crazy Disney mashup of experiences for your taste buds and other senses, and I for one am here for it!
When:
A Touch Of Disney starts on March 18, 2021 and will run Thursdays through Mondays from 12pm-8pm. Disney has not set an end date for this experience yet, though they do promise to sell tickets through at least April 5th. So it could run for just a few weeks, or for a couple months, perhaps depending on interest and when the Disneyland Resort will be able to fully reopen.
Tickets for this experience go on sale starting March 4th, and I’m guessing there will be a lot of demand for them, so mark your calendars and set your alarm for that date!
Are you a Disneyland Resort Legacy Passholder? We’re told that if so, you can enjoy a special opportunity at A Touch of Disney. More details on this will be announced on the Disneyland Legacy Passholder Facebook page!
How Much:
The cost of 1 ticket (for guests 3 and older) to A Touch Of Disney is $75. That price includes:
- Parking at the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure, as early as 11:30am.
- A $25 dining card which can be redeemed during the event for food and non-alcoholic beverages at select locations.
- Entry to Disney California Adventure Park and all the entertainment therein.
- Unlimited(!) digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass images captured during the event.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m guessing that the first time I return to Disney California Adventure Park all the photos will be of me making a full-on ugly cry tears of joy face.
Note that these tickets must be purchased in advance and can’t be purchased at the ticket booths outside the parks. Please click here for all the details.
Is It COVID-Safe?
Disney has complied to a tee thus far with all the state and local authority’s COVID guidelines and recommendations for safe operation, so it is reasonable to assume they will continue to do so with the opening of this event, A Touch Of Disney. Their COVID safety protocols include the following:
- All guests are required to undergo temperature and security screenings before entering.
- Face coverings are required for all guests ages 2 and older as well as Cast Members. This includes anyone who has received the COVID vaccine.
- Enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the Disneyland Resort.
- Operational changes to promote physical distancing.
- Mobile ordering for food items and outdoor seating for dining.
So there you have it, all the details we know about the new A Touch Of Disney experience at the Disneyland Resort!
