Disneyland This Week – Major Star Wars Character Debut, New Character Dining, Easter Egg Hunt Begins, and More

Welcome back to Mickey Visit Disneyland This Week! Each week at Mickey Visit we unearth Disneyland news and tips you could easily miss completely. We have all of the essential dates for your visit.

These updates provide the most important information for your visit every single week whether you are a frequent visitor or visiting for the first time in years. We cut through the noise to hone in on what dates and news matter for this week. Click here to see our most recent Disneyland This Week update from last week for all the things you missed at Disneyland and our first Disneyland This Week update for all my thoughts on what we are hoping to achieve with these weekly updates.

My name is Gavin Doyle. Each week I and members of my team including Lindsay Brookshier, Emily Midgley, and Bridget Waldman from @CaliforniaDisneyBliss, will work together to bring you the most essential Disneyland information. This is your one-stop resource for everything happening at Disneyland the week of March 24, 2025.

One Big Thing – Star Wars Season of the Force Begins

This week on Friday, the Season of the Force celebration begins at Disneyland! This special event brings several offerings including a new nightly projection show, the return of Hyperspace Mountain, themed foods and merchandise, and Luke Skywalker appearing in Galaxy's Edge for a limited time.

We anticipate Hyperspace Mountain in particular is going to be in extra high demand when the overlay opens for Season of the Force this week, as we mention in our list of things you need to know when visiting Disneyland this spring. Due to the closure of Indiana Jones Adventure, guests will gravitate towards Hyperspace Mountain (especially during rope drop) as the key thrill ride in the park. This overlay is already extremely popular when it's running, and Spring Break crowds will add to the demand. Make sure you come up with a plan to prioritize this ride and book your Lightning Lane return time early on in the day to be safe.

I have the feeling that the new projection show “Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga” is going to be something really special. Based on how much we enjoy Fire of the Rising Moons from Galaxy's Edge which incorporates the iconic Star Wars musical score, it stands to reason that this new offering will be just as impressive. See why this experience now may be our new favorite way to watch the Disneyland fireworks.

We are also super excited to see Luke! Due to how big a deal this is that the character is coming to Galaxy's Edge, be warned that Luke's initial character appearances will likely be swarmed with visitors trying to take a picture or say hello. This is what we saw when we were there for Ahsoka's first appearance at Galaxy's Edge, and so it stands to reason that the demand to interact with Luke is going to be very high.

Just be prepared that the environment surrounding his character is going to be a little chaotic, at least initially. It's always difficult to manage excited crowds, especially in Galaxy's Edge, which has rather limited space and only roaming characters (no organized meet-and-greet line). Make sure to temper your expectations in these initial days (especially if you're visiting with kids) and know that you're likely going to get a higher-quality character interaction after the initial excitement surrounding his debut calms down a bit.

Important Disneyland Dates This Week

• Bookings open tomorrow on Tuesday, March 25, for a new character dining dinner at Storytellers Cafe. This character dining experience called “Donald's Tales of Adventure Dinner Buffet” will feature a campfire-style barbecue buffet and characters in explorer outfits! See all the details about the new Storytellers Cafe character dining dinner buffet here.
• Reservations open tomorrow on Tuesday, March 25, for Paint the Night parade dining packages. See details about the menu for the dining package, the dates it will be offered, and more in our separate article on the Disneyland Paint the Night parade dining package.
• Tomorrow on Tuesday, March 25, the Easter Eggstravaganza begins! This is a fun search for character-themed eggs throughout the resort. Additionally, the Disneyland Easter treats are currently available! You can see more details in our Disneyland Easter guide.
• With the start of Season of the Force on Friday, March 28, this week marks the start of a window of overlap where you can enjoy two special events running at once! Season of the Force shares some overlap with the Disney California Food & Wine Festival starting this week. See why this is such a great time to visit during these two special events.
• Also with the start of Season of the Force on Friday, March 28, there will be some new Star Wars popcorn buckets that will be available for Season of the Force. These are so much fun! Check out these Star Wars popcorn buckets and other novelties and where you can find them.
• Spring Break Crowds! Spring Break is in full force at Disneyland with big crowds at the parks. Spring Break for surrounding states and small local school districts took place during the past two weeks. However, the break for Capo Unified School District (the largest in Orange County) will be from April 5th – April 13th. Crowds will be heavy during this time. All Magic Keys (for the most part) are interestingly not blocked for this period of time, so it will be busy.
• We would be remiss if we didn't mention the very important news that the Disneyland ducklings have arrived! Guests will see Cast Members assisting the little families walking across Main Street or the parks. See the photo below for some instant happiness.

• Springtime is in full swing at Disneyland! The Hub on Main Street is the best spot to see the famous pink Tabebuia trees, which are only in season for a short time, usually ending in April.
• During Women's History Month, there is a special PhotoPass picture to celebrate! This is in the same spot as the Magic Key holder Magic shot (more on this below) in Fantasyland next to the Alice in Wonderland attraction, across from the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Tilly, the mannequin at Main Street Cinema on Main Street U.S.A., is dressed up for the month too as you can see above! The entrance to Disneyland features a floral Minnie Mouse for Women’s History Month.
• Storytellers Cafe is closed for refurbishment for a few weeks in March. The restaurant page says that during the closure, the Disneyland character dining experience Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet and Brunch is available in the Trillium Room. Storytellers Cafe also has a dinner buffet available in the Trillium Room. Hearthstone Lounge will be open in its place with expanded hours and offerings.
• Spring character dining experiences are open for booking. Easter Day brunch and dinner reservations are now open at Storytellers Cafe. You can read more about this special Easter dining experience for details on the pricing, menu, and more. We expected this to book up pretty quickly, but lots of times are still available. Reservations are also now open for the Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Springtime! buffet which starts April 3, 2025. This themed character dining experience features floral decor, music, and Goofy and friends in “garden-inspired garb.”
• Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite tickets are still on sale to the general public. The event takes place on select dates from April 8 to May 6, 2025 at Disneyland Park. At the time of writing, there are still tickets on sale for all party nights of the event except for May 4, 2025, which is sold out. We're surprised that the party is selling a little bit more slowly this year.

Key Disneyland News You Missed

• Disney Jr. Dance Party show/attraction in Disney California Adventure had its last performance yesterday. You can read about this show's permanent closure and everything we know so far here. In addition to this news adding yet another live performance space out of commission at Disneyland, the absence of this show will have a particularly big impact on families with kids because Disney California Adventure generally does not have a lot of options for young kids without height requirements. Shows like this also function to draw crowds away from the park and provide a nice indoor spot to take a break on hot or cold days.
• Disney announced that the Jonas Brothers will sing the official Disneyland 70th anniversary celebration theme song “Celebrate Happy!” The song will be available on music streaming platforms starting May 13.
• Last week, a group of new ride closures at both parks appeared on Disneyland's calendar following the busy Spring Break season. You can read about those new Disneyland ride closures here.
• Among the ride closures announced was Soarin', which will be closing to return to Soarin' Around the World. We expect that we may see an updated scene in Soarin' when it reopens based on a change that was recently made to the version at EPCOT. See details about this potential move to fix this problem with Soarin' at Disneyland.
• A new rooftop brunch offering was announced for one of our favorite luxury hotels near Disneyland that some rank higher than Disney’s Grand Californian. See details about this new brunch offering here! 
• Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe recently reopened with some returning favorites and new menu items. See details about these Jolly Holiday menu items here!
• Last week, there were some intense crowds due to Spring Break and the end of the kids' special ticket offer. You can see our report on these huge crowds at Disneyland here. You can always expect to see an uptick in crowds like this in the days leading up to the end date of a special ticket offer.
• Last week, we shared how the Grand Californian's private theme park entrance to Disney California Adventure is currently closed due to construction. Guests who have a stay booked in the premium theme park rooms overlooking Disney California Adventure will want to be aware of the impact of construction noise during this time.
• We received some big news about upcoming Disney projects at a SXSW Conference panel. We got some new details for the Mandalorian storyline coming to the Millennium Falcon in 2026 and its opening date, more details about the new Tony Stark ride coming to Avengers Campus, and news that the Fantastic 4 characters will be coming to Tomorrowland in Disneyland.

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Magic Key Benefits Continue in March

Special perks for Magic Key Annual Passholders continue this month and into the next. These are a way for them to incentivize passholder visits during what is a slower time for vacation goers.

• Magic Key holders get a 25% discount on Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which is extra essential for getting on rides during these busy Spring Break months.
• During the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, Magic Key holders get a few different perks, including a discount on the 8-coupon Sip and Savor Pass with a special Magic Key lanyard (while supplies last), a special dining and photo-op area between Avengers Campus and Cars Land, and special Magic Key festival t-shirts and pins available (while supplies last) at Acorns Gifts & Goods, Elias & Co., Festival Gifts, and Studio Store.
• Through March 31 during Women's History Month, Magic Key holders can pose with a special prop for a PhotoPass Magic Shot honoring Mary Blair. This is located in Fantasyland next to the Alice in Wonderland attraction, across from the Matterhorn Bobsleds, and is available from park opening to dusk (approximately 4:30 PM). See the Magic shot above!
• Disneyland shared ahead of the start of Star Wars Nite parties that Magic Key holders can get a commemorative 3-button set on event nights. This will be available on event nights at the Magic Key destination near the walkway to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge just past Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM, while supplies last.
• Magic Key holders can enjoy special food offerings including the Box O' Sliders at Galactic Grill, and Ice Cream Floats from Golden Horseshoe.
• Magic Key holders can get select meal combos that include a special Magic Key tumbler at Alien Pizza Planet or Galactic Grill via mobile order, while supplies last.
• For the Pixar Putt mini golf course, Magic Key holders get a special discounted rate of $25 per Magic Key Holder.

Disneyland Operational Updates

• Disneyland has longer hours of operation this week with Disneyland Park open until 12am and Disney California Adventure open until 10 pm.
• The World of Color – One show runs each night along with the Mickey's Mix Magic show. Fireworks will be shown for Mickey's Mix Magic along with the projection show throughout the entire week. Fantasmic! will also be offered every night of the week.
• Disneyland has not announced a parade that will be offered in the time between now and the 70th anniversary celebration (click here for details). There is currently a Mickey and Friends Cavalcade along the parade route at Disneyland Park twice a day. Disneyland will be bringing back Paint the Night and Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration starting in May 2025.

What We're Thinking About This Week

• Emily is excited for Season of the Force at Disneyland to begin! She's really looking forward to seeing the new Galaxy's Edge projection show in particular (and getting her hands on that Death Star popcorn bucket).
• Gavin is interested in a newly updated Disney Jr. show. He is a big advocates for live entertainment at Disneyland and believes that the Cast Members who deliver that entertainment are world-class. He still misses Aladdin at the Hyperion.
• Lindsay is excited to see Luke Skywalker make his debut in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge this weekend! Season of the Force is becoming a great way to expand the offerings for the land and breathe new life into the area, especially for repeat visitors!

Where In Disneyland Is This?

Hint: This is a great spot removed from the crowds at Disneyland!

Answer to last week's “Where In Disneyland Is This?” This hidden Mickey is next to the pond in between the Adventureland and Frontierland entrances. Click here to see that image.

Disneyland Crowd Calendar This Week

This week, you can expect to see mostly above normal crowds as we are into the busy Spring Break season at Disneyland. This part of the spring is one of the busiest times of the year at Disneyland. For the start of Season of the Force, we anticipate bigger crowds at Disneyland Park in particular as the start date of any special celebration draws in more visitors.

You can see our rating of all upcoming dates in our Mickey Visit Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

New Disneyland Ride Closures This Week

Here are some of the other current ride closures that are continuing into this week:

• Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is closed for refurbishment as of today
• Indiana Jones Adventure is closed for refurbishment
• The Disney Gallery is closed for refurbishment
• “it's a small world” is closed for refurbishment (see guide below for reopening date!)

You can see reopening dates for some of the above attractions and other upcoming closures in our Disneyland ride refurbishment guide.

Other Disney Content We're Watching

Each week we'll share some of our favorite information and fun content from across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube in an effort to spotlight some of the great creators who work so hard to share details from Disneyland.

From Bridget (@californiadisneybliss on Instagram), we have this look at a returning favorite and a review of a couple of the new items at the reopened Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bridget – Disneyland Guru, Disney Family, Disney Creator (@californiadisneybliss)

Next, we wanted to share this post from Jess (@theramblingintrovert on Instagram) with some helpful tips for visiting Disneyland with kids!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jess ✨ (@theramblingintrovert)

We also wanted to include this video from Melanee Berman (@the_magical_rn on Instagram) sharing this fun video of her experience flying to and from Disneyland in one day! See the video here.

Heads up! Reservations Open for Disneyland Dining / Park Reservations

For any trips before the below dates, you should be considering booking park reservations and dining reservations.

• Today is the 60-day window for Disneyland dining reservations for May 23, 2025.
• Today is the 180-day window for making Disneyland theme park reservations for September 20, 2025. This applies to most non-Annual Pass tickets.
• For Magic Key Annual Pass Holders, the 90-day window from today to make theme park reservations is June 22, 2025.

See our top tips for getting Disneyland dining reservations and the best Disneyland restaurants we would recommend.

Disneyland Lightning Lane Cost This Week

• Today, the Lightning Lane Multi Pass service costs $36 if you purchase it when you arrive.
• For the two Lightning Lane Single Pass rides, the cost is $28 for Rise of the Resistance and $22 for Radiator Springs Racers.

You can see our guide to Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Disneyland for our expert tips on making the most of the service.

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