The Pop Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration photo event at Disneyland's Downtown Disney will close on September 2, the resort announced.
Featuring seven rooms of Instagram-ready photo opportunities themed to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, the Pop Up Disney venue fills the former ESPNZone restaurant building on the far end of Downtown Disney.
Disney decided to use the ESPNZone space to see if it could recreate the success of pop-up photo experiences that have drawn social media fans in cities around the world. Disney promoted the experience as something for "a limited time," though it did not commit to a specific closing date. Today, the resort declared that the event "has been extended through Labor Day," September 2.
The ground was moving under Disneyland last week as Southern California felt one of the biggest earthquakes in the last 50 years. The 7.1 magnitude quake made national news and rattled SoCal residents, including Disneyland.
Throughout this Blog we will take you through what we know of the "Disney Earthquake Protocol". We’re shaken, not stirred.
Earthquake!!
Last week we had two major earthquakes here in California. While both were located outside of Orange County, they were felt strongly throughout the area. The first happened on July 4, traditionally one of the busiest days of the year for Disneyland, with a magnitude of 6.4. Rides automatically shut down and guests were evacuated from attractions. Then, just one day later, a 7.1 hit and the procedures were repeated. Keep in mind that the quakes were over 120 miles away from Disneyland, so the impact wasn’t a fraction of what the poor folks in the Ridgecrest area suffered through.
And....for those of you who heard reports that Disneyland and the Disney Resort were being scarily shaken to the ground..........here is what happened in "real time". Most guests didn't give the earthquake much of a second thought, other than having to experience the "Disney Earthquake Protocol", designed to keep us all safe.
What happens when the big one hits?
Disneyland has procedures for every attraction and public space. If the quake is a minor one, most rides will cycle through and stop for inspection. More extreme shaking will cause seismic sensors to automatically stop the ride and guests will be evacuated when it is safe to do so. If guests are in danger of falling debris, they will be instructed to move to large outdoor spaces such as the Central Plaza or Small World Mall.
Keep in mind that much of Disneyland was built in the 50’s and 60’s and not all areas have the same earthquake readiness as newer areas such as Galaxy’s Edge or California Adventure. Every time there is a quake, we start receiving calls and requests for information from frazzled tourists. “Is Disneyland safe in an earthquake?”, “What happens when a quake happens if you are on a ride?”, “Does Disneyland shut down when a quake hits?”.
Disney has trained their cast members for emergencies and teams are ready to respond and assist guests, not just for earthquakes, but for any natural disaster, fire, or terrorist threat. In many ways, you may be safer at Disney than at home or the mall.
If you’re like us, you can agree that there’s no such thing as too much Dole Whip. The snack has enchanted Disney fans across multiple generations, and we haven’t been able to get enough of this sweet and refreshing pineapple soft serve since the first time we tried it. So when Disneyland announced that an all-new Dole Whip Float souvenir cup had become available, we knew we had to get our hands on it as soon as possible.
Souvenir cups are an interesting phenomenon at the Disney cups. It seems like everyone from annual passholders to once-a-year visitors loves these adorable collectibles for their unique designs and often limited-edition status. Well, lucky for us this new Dole Whip Float souvenir cup is available for everyone at multiple locations throughout the Disneyland Hotel, so all of us have a chance to get our hands on it. How awesome is that?
Disneyland Today announced on Twitter that Dole Whip fans can purchase the new Dole Whip Float cup at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill, and the pool deck. Remember that you don’t have to be staying at the Disneyland Hotel in order to visit, so the only location that non-hotel guests are unable to purchase the cup from is the pool deck, as only hotel guests can access the pool. Even if you’re not staying at the Disneyland Hotel, we highly recommend checking out the hotel grounds, grabbing a meal at Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill (the new breakfast menu is out of this world), or even having drinks at famous Trader Sam’s! Of course, you’ve got to pick up this souvenir cup on your visit, too.