After the Disney parks closed worldwide in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, they reopened at different times.
- Shanghai Disneyland was the first to close, back in January, and reopened in May
- Hong Kong Disneyland originally closed in January, reopened in June, closed again in July and reopened for a second time in September.
- Tokyo Disneyland closed in February and reopened in June.
- Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris closed in March and reopened in July.
However, Disneyland, the original Disney park in Anaheim, closed in March and still hasn’t reopened. In fact, it was only a couple of weeks ago that the governor of California said that he was in no hurry to open Disneyland and the other larger theme parks in the state.
Although the theme parks can’t reopen in the state, shopping and dining opportunities can. So Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District, which is chock full of both shopping and dining, has been reopening, in phases, since early July. It has its difficulties, of course. It’s not a theme park. And attendance is capped to prevent overcrowding. But it’s something.
However, now there will be a little something more.
Disneyland has announced that while the parks will remain closed, they will expand their shopping and dining opportunities in November to include Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure. From Disney’s official blog:
- Holiday shopping? Head to Elias & Co. The store is divided into distinct sections for men, women and children, so you’ll find something special for the entire family! At Julius Katz & Sons, peruse even more holiday merchandise and Disney-themed home décor. At Kingswell Camera Shop offers great gift-giving ideas like frames, photo albums and more. Buena Vista Street stores have a variety of your Disney favorites!
- If you are looking to tempt your taste buds with a snack, Trolley Treats offers classic candies, old-fashioned confections and all kinds of freshly made treats. Vending carts will offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other “must-bite” treats.
- Swing by Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe for the enchanting sights and sounds of Buena Vista Street—and a cup of coffee or scrumptious artisan sandwich.
- Sit-down dining options include Carthay Circle Lounge, where you can unwind in our expanded outdoor seating area featuring an all-new menu of cocktails and dining. Smokejumpers Grill is serving up tasty American classics for lunch and dinner with a streamlined menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and craft beer, located just around the corner from Buena Vista Street.
PC: Disney
They also hint that more opportunities will be made available in November, but are still TBA.
Granted, a few new shopping and dining spots aren’t much, but it’s more than what’s available now, which also means an increase in allowed capacity. It’s better than a boot to the head. 😉
Feature Photo (cropped): themeparkgc/Wikimedia
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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