Happy birthday Disneyland! As a surprise present, shopDisney has released special Wishables. These are sure to sell out, so act fast!
Disney Parks Wishables Mystery Plush – Disneyland 65th Anniversary Series – Limited Release
The set contains four known plush in blind bags, a mystery plush, and one completer plush. Each is sold separately. You could get Mr. Toad, a Skyway Bucket, a Tiki Barker Bird, an Alice in Wonderland attraction ride vehicle, or a mystery plush. A Monstro Wishable is sold separately to complete the set. Each Wishable is $9.99.
Disney Parks Wishables Mystery Plush – Disneyland 65th Anniversary Series – Limited ReleaseDisney Parks Wishables Mystery Plush – Disneyland 65th Anniversary Series – Limited ReleaseDisney Parks Wishables Monstro Plush – Disneyland 65th Anniversary Series – Limited Release
Will you make a beeline for shopDisney to hopefully pick up one of these special Wishables?
Disney World parks have reopened and we were surprised to see that Universal Crowd levels appear to be unaffected. Saturday crowds continue to be the busiest of the week with Sunday as the second busiest. From Monday to Friday, however, crowds have been consistently low. So, this latest Universal Crowd Calendar update will tweak the latest numbers to match what we have seen so far.
We have enough wait time data since Universal parks reopened to make a model that includes an indicator for pre-COVID and post-COVID. This means that going forward our predictions for crowd levels will be based mostly on what we have seen in the summer of 2020 and not as much as what we have seen in years past.
Touring a Park With Low Crowd Levels
Often we get asked whether you need a touring plan when crowds are this low. Although we wouldn’t say they are essential, our recent testing showed that following an optimized plan can save you as much as 45 minutes compared to the do-it-yourself plan. Under social distancing rules, and Florida heat, spending 45 minutes less in line is a good thing.
Disney World crowd levels have been very low since those parks reopened this week. Watch for an update to those crowd levels coming soon. But first, Universal.
What’s New On This Update
This update covers predictions through the end of September. Saturdays and Sundays are mostly unchanged but crowd levels during the week are going down. In general, crowd level ‘4’s, ‘5’s and ‘6’s are dropping to a level ‘3’ or ‘4’ and crowd level ‘3’s are dropping to level ‘2’s. We still won’t see many crowd level ‘1’s because the social distancing procedures are keeping wait times at an artificial minimum.
Our updating pattern is normally monthly with a mid-month review but it seems like our updates will come a little more frequently now as we react to what we observe in the parks. Watch for the next update in two weeks.
Do you have any questions for the stats team? Let us know in the comments.
What better way to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Disneyland than creating one of Walt’s favorite recipes at home – Chili and Beans. Not one for highly seasoned or spicy cuisine, Walt enjoyed food that was hardy and filling, and this dish fit the bill.
Several variations of Walt’s personal Chili and Beans recipe can be found in the Walt Disney Archives – with the first recipe dating back to around 1958. Over the years, Disney chefs have refined the recipe for park guests, and today we are sharing the recipe served at Carnation Café at Disneyland park. Their version adds a bit more seasoning than the original recipe from Walt … for a subtle, spicy kick!
When you dish up this bowl of nostalgia, be sure to serve with saltine crackers – just the way Walt liked it.
Walt’s Chili and Beans from Carnation Café at Disneyland Park
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 pounds beef stew meat
1 small onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons beef base
1 1/2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Coarse salt, to taste
Garnish:
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 diced tomatoes, for garnish
Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in large Dutch oven, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add stew meat and sauté for 10 minutes, until meat is browned on all sides. Remove stew meat from pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to pan, heat for 3 minutes over medium heat.
Add onions and green pepper. Sauté 8-10 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and sauté one minute longer, until garlic is fragrant.
Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up large chunks of beef, for 10-12 minutes, until beef is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
Return stew meat to the Dutch oven with ground beef mixture. Add ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, tomato paste, fresh, diced tomatoes, beef base, and water.
Bring chili to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 3 hours, until stew meat is tender.
Add pinto beans. Simmer for 10 minutes, until beans are warm.
Season with salt, as needed.
Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced tomatoes.
Note: This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version. As a reminder while preparing this recipe, please supervise children who are helping or nearby.
Stay connected with Disney Parks Blog for more delicious Disney recipes and be sure to share the magic with other Disney fans using the hashtag #DisneyMagicMoments. Happy cooking!
From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com Filed Under: Disney Dining, Disneyland Resort, Dining, DL, DLR, Recipe
Celebrating Disneyland’s 65th anniversary is not what it should be this year, since the park remains closed at this time. For our fellow Disneyland fans, we’ve pulled together some fun Disneyland merchandise available at shopDisney. Will you be getting any of this to have for when the park reopens?
Happiest Place on Earth HoodieSleeping Beauty Castle Alex and Ani BangleKing Arthur Carousel Alex and Ani BangleDisneyland SignDisneyland Kids T-ShirtDisneyland Mens T-ShirtDisneyland Beverage Holder SetDisneyland Initial Necklace
On this day, 65 years ago, a new form of entertainment came into the world. Successful movie producer and animation pioneer, Walt Disney, had long dreamt of a place where family members of all ages could have fun together. Drawing on his own vivid imagination, as well as those of his talented colleagues, Walt created a magical place that has been beloved since opening day.
A star-studded television special broadcasted the inaugural day to the world. 18 attractions were unveiled, many of which still thrill guests, including the Disneyland Railroad, Jungle Cruise and Fantasyland favorites King Arthur Carrousel, Peter Pan’s Flight and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
Disneyland quickly generated a loyal following with more guests arriving enthusiastically in the days that followed, as well as carrying word of this magical place to others. Soon it was the de rigueur place to be seen by celebrities, dignitaries and even heads of state.
Over the years, the park has evolved, with the first major expansion in 1959, which included three new state-of-the-art attractions (including the world’s first tubular steel roller coaster). Other notable expansions included 1966 with New Orleans Square, Mickey’s Toontown in 1993, and most recently, the successful opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019. Today, the Disneyland Resort encompasses two theme parks, three resort hotels and the Downtown Disney District.
But beyond the attractions, the sparkling façade of Sleeping Beauty Castle and the iconic snacks of corn dogs, popcorn and churros, or perhaps embedded in them, many guests find a treasured nostalgia, and this love of Disneyland is handed down from generation to generation as a beloved gift.
To commemorate the occasion, “A Pre-Opening Report from Disneyland” is now available on Disney+. Originally aired on July 13, 1955, Walt provides a final look at the many details necessary to ensure that the park will be ready. He begins by showing the audience a large map of the site, then introduces Winston Hibler, who provides a behind-the-scenes tour of how Studio technicians went about designing and building the unusual rides and shows about to open.
With the eternal optimism that is the heart of Disneyland, we look forward to welcoming you back and celebrating this milestone together soon.
From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com Filed Under: Disney History, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort
