Disneyland to roll out wearable technology
MagicBand+ aims to streamline resort visits while it tracks customers
Wearable tech bracelets, which have become an essential part of any Disney World trip, are coming soon to Disneyland as a way to track and collect data on visitors and create “magical moments” as they move around the Anaheim theme park and nearby Disney hotels.
The next-generation MagicBands were unveiled last week at Walt Disney World, but when will they come to Disneyland?
The MagicBand+ will roll out this year at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the three Disneyland Resort hotels. MagicBand features and experiences will vary at each Disney theme park resort around the globe.
MagicBands have been an essential part of any visit to Disney’s Florida theme parks since 2013, but wearable tech devices haven’t made the trip west — until now.
The MagicBands — similar in size to a FitBit — are plastic bracelets that use radio-frequency identification electromagnetic fields to identify and track Disney World visitors and collect user data during their stays at the Florida theme park resort.
Disney World visitors use MagicBands in place of theme park tickets and hotel room keys as well as to make payments and participate in some in-park experiences. The MagicBands are also used as part of Disney’s PhotoPass program and as a way to interact with some theme park attractions.
The hands-free convenience of the MagicBands is designed to “enhance the guest experience” and “unlock unique moments of magic,” Disney Parks Chairperson Josh D’Amaro said when announcing the next-gen updates.
More than 29 million MagicBands have been produced since their introduction.
The MagicBands+ coming to Disneyland won’t have identical functionality of the Disney World MagicBands. Magic Bands from Walt Disney World will work at the Disneyland Resort.
Disney World gave away generic MagicBands to hotel guests and annual passholders for years before ending the freebies.
MagicBands can be upgraded to dozens of styles in a variety of colors and designs featuring Disney, Pixar, “Star Wars” and Marvel characters. Base models in solid colors start at $20, with designer models going for more than $50, according to the ShopDisney website.
Though it’s still summer, Disneyland is already making plans for the holiday season to fill the Anaheim theme park with seasonal parades, ride overlays, food and decor complete with Christmas trees, faux snow and shimmering icicles.
The winter holiday season returns to Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the three Disney Resort hotels from Nov. 11-Jan. 8.
Disney California Adventure
Seasonal decor at California Adventure will include a 50-foot Christmas tree on Buena Vista Street, automotive-themed bunting in Cars Land and holiday attraction overlays on Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.
The “World of Color — Season of Light” nighttime spectacular returns to California Adventure’s Paradise Bay with scenes from Disney animated films set to holiday music.
The Viva Navidad street party in Paradise Gardens will feature Mexican folklorico and Brazilian samba dancers, mariachis, percussionists and giant mojiganga puppets while toy drummers will provide the beat for Mickey’s Happy Holidays character procession along California Adventure’s parade route.
Visitors hoping to go over their Christmas wish list and snap a photo with Santa Claus will find the jolly old elf in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.
The Disney Festival of the Holidays — celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Navidad, Diwali and Three Kings Day — turns California Adventure into a food festival with live entertainment. The Sip and Savor Pass, good for eight food and drink selections, will be back again this holiday season. Dates and further details about the Festival of the Holidays will be announced later.
Disneyland
A 60-foot Christmas tree will anchor one end of Main Street, U.S.A. while Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle glistens at the other end, covered in twinkling lights and shimmering icicles.
Back again for another holiday run are A Christmas Fantasy Parade with marching toy soldiers, dancing gingerbread cookies and Santa; the “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks and projection spectacular with a faux snowfall finale, and holiday ride overlays on It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion.
Tomorrowland Terrace will host a nightly
Is it too early to send Santa my Christmas wish list for this year? How about a wish list for Christmas 2023, then?
No worries. This wish might take a little time to make happen, so I want to get it in early: How about some new holiday entertainment at Disneyland next year?
The Disneyland Resort has announced its holiday plans for 2022. It’s a familiar lineup, with the return of the resort’s traditional holiday parade and fireworks at Disneyland, along with the Festival of Holidays over at Disney California Adventure. The holiday overlays for It’s a Small World, Haunted Mansion and Cars Land will be back, joined by the return of “World of Color — Season of Light.”
World of Color had not resumed performances at this time last year, so this season will be fans’ first chance to see “Season of Light” since before the pandemic lockdown. Disneyland did well not to make big changes when it started bringing back its holiday festivities last year, after being closed for the 2020 season. Fans wanted the reassurance of beloved traditions after a year without them.
But I feel that next year might be the right one for something fresh at Disneyland. The parade A Christmas Fantasy started in 1995 and hasn’t had major changes since 2008. The “Believe … In Holiday Magic” fireworks have been running since 2000. Small World’s holiday overlay debuted in 1997, with Haunted Mansion Holiday following in 2001.
People love them all, and so long as fans continue to crowd the parks during the holiday season, Disneyland has little incentive to change. Next year will
holiday dance party with Disney characters.
Downtown Disney
The Downtown Disney outdoor shopping mall will also be filled with seasonal decor and seasonal musical entertainment throughout the holidays. bring a new Toontown plus the West Coast debut of the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway dark ride, so fans will have new things to entertain them in Walt’s original park in 2023.
But Universal Studios Hollywood next year is bringing out its biggest addition since The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with its opening of Super Nintendo World. With its DisneylandForward proposal, Disney is trying to build the community goodwill it needs to expand to stay ahead of growing competition among Southern California attractions. Some fresh new entertainment during its most popular season could help Disney quell some of the growing dissatisfaction among Disneyland fans following its end of the old annual pass program and free Fastpasses.
Disneyland does not need new Christmas shows to bring fans to its parks. But a smart deployment of fresh holiday entertainment could help Disneyland better manage the crowds that always fill the parks at this time of year, sending them home happier than ever. Maybe it’s time for Life Day shows in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, to help draw fans from the new Toontown next year? Or a new soundtrack for the Christmas parade, making it a must-see again for more visitors? A holiday drone show on nights without fireworks?
The best gift Disney can give its fans is to turn loose its creative talent to create something new and magical for them to enjoy. Here’s hoping for more of that in 2023.
The Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel get their own themed Christmas trees, with regular visits by Christmas carolers and Santa Claus. The annual gingerbread house created by Disneyland’s culinary team will be in the lobby of the Grand Californian.