Disneyland Update! New Ride Previews, New Restuarant Lounge, Downtown Disney Popup, and More

This is an exciting week for Disneyland as Magic Key previews are now underway for Tiana's Bayou Adventure, and anticipation is building for the new additions in soon-to-be Bayou Country.

The Halloween celebration continues for another week, and as we shared in our last park update, signs of the holiday celebration are already starting to show up with snow on the castle and Christmas merchandise available in stores.

Keep reading for a photo tour of what is happening this week at Disneyland! Our Mickey Visit team is in the parks every week to share the latest news and updates. We will share a look at the newly named lounge at the Disneyland Hotel, Downtown Disney updates, and more.

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Downtown Disney Update

Parkside Market construction

READ MORE – How Disneyland Creates New Foods To Go Viral on Social Media

Parkside Market construction is really coming along in Downtown Disney! Disney has not yet announced an opening timeline for Parkside Market yet in the larger context of the Downtown Disney expansion, but work on the new addition has been making great strides in recent months.

Right now, we know that the current Earl of Sandwich location will close to transform into Porto's Bakery, the former Tortilla Jo's space will turn into a steakhouse and barbecue eatery from Michelin-starred Chef Joe Isidori, and Earl of Sandwich will be getting a new two-story location, but construction has not yet begun for any of these.

There is also a new food truck in Downtown Disney, Cathy's Cookies. The truck will be there every day from now until November 10th, from 12 pm to 11 pm. These cookies are very popular at the Angel’s Stadium and always have a long line!

Cathy's Cookies food truck

Disneyland Hotel Updates

Broken Spell Lounge space

Yesterday, the lobby lounge at the Disneyland Hotel received a new name: the Broken Spell Lounge. Disney has been transforming this space for a while since they confirmed the closing of Steakhouse 55. The lounge is in front of and partially occupies the former Steakhouse 55 space. It is open daily starting at 4 pm and will feature live entertainment at 5:30 pm, 6:45 pm, and 8 pm.

The lounge features a forest setting inspired by Sleeping Beauty, with menu highlights including dry-rub chicken wings, classic Caesar salad, savory steak frites, and more.

Some other items on the menu include the Truffle Fries, Wagyu Cheeseburger, and Charcuterie Pizza. There is also a Molten Chocolate Cake offered for dessert. Here is a look at the food menu!

Broken Spell Lounge new food menu

You can see our report on the name change for the lounge and what we know about a planned future restaurant opening at the hotel.

Disneyland Park Updates

ride vehicles at tianas bayou adventure at disneyland

Magic Key previews have officially begun for Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland! The first day of the previews was yesterday, and the first virtual queue of the day was gone in seconds. Construction walls are still up at the front of the ride and certain items in the queue haven't been revealed yet. You can see more details on our experience on the first day of previews here.

READ MORE – Disney Youtuber Says This is Best Hotel Near Disneyland, Ranking It Higher Than Disney’s Grand Californian

As of the publication of this update, the new marquee for Bayou Country, the new name of Critter Country, has debuted. Here's a look at that sign.

sign of critter country

Country Bear Barbecue Jamboree is all ready ahead of its opening. See the opening date and full menu in our guide to the reimagined Country Bear Barbecue Jamboree here! It appears from our past updates that there is no super dramatic change to the decor of the restaurant and the reimagined menu and soundtrack are primarily what is changing. There have also been new paintings of some of the classic Country Bears added along the wall near the dining room.

Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree Disneyland

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About Emily Midgley

As News Editor of Mickey Visit, Emily covers breaking news, updates planning tips based on her frequent Disneyland trips, and assists in coordinating social media content. She also helps develop resources for the site including the extremely popular crowd calendars and historical data studies. Studies she has led have been featured by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox Business, Forbes, Fortune, OC Register, KTLA, and more.

Emily has been going to Disneyland since she was small and visits the parks regularly as a SoCal resident, including during all of the special events throughout the year. She is a huge Star Wars fan, and her favorite ride at Disneyland is Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission: Breakout!

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