In the spirit of honesty, I will say that I long wondered when Disneyland Resort’s Mickey’s Toontown, which has been welcoming visitors in California since 1993, would get a refresh. The “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” fans have always been happy to have an attraction here, and my oldest daughter loved Gadget’s Go Coaster (now Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GadgetCoaster) once she was about seven. But in a land seemingly geared toward small kids, I regularly felt there wasn’t enough to do for, well, small kids.
The people at Disney must have come to a similar conclusion. The theme park closed in early 2022 for a reimagining and fully reopened Sunday as a part of Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
Now, Mickey’s Toontown is aglow with new play areas and grassy spaces, Insta-worthy snacks, and of course, the new cornerstone attraction: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. With no age or height minimum and awesome projection art and technology, this relaxing train ride is truly for the whole family. I put that to the test with my 3-year-old, who curiously crept through the movie theatre-like entry and climbed aboard a trackless train car without fear.
After a quick opening ceremony with all the folks who call Toontown home — Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald among them — I watched to see what would catch my toddler’s attention first. It was Goofy’s How-To-Play Yard.
All around Goofy’s house are fresh outdoor play spaces on soft-fall rubber. A trio of rolly rainbow slides with climbing entry points on both sides is an especially great addition. I imagine wary parents taking a breather on nearby benches, watching their kids expend energy and make new friends here.
There’s also a touch-and-play sound garden and a reimagined playhouse. Once inside, kids can manipulate a treat-making contraption — hence the adorable signage outside that calls out: “Candy Makers Wanted!” Next door and around Donald’s Duck Pond are bouncy seesaws, balancing ridges (again, on soft-fall rubber), and playground spinners. A splash pad adjacent to Donald’s boat will open soon, too.
If your child is into character meet and greets, Toontown remains a good place to visit. Feisty Pete, long a foil to Mickey, will now be spotted in the land (his first-ever appearance in any Disney park), and photo-ops with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto will be available to guests. Wandering through Minnie’s house en route to a “tea party” photo op with her was a treat for us this time around.
No land reimagining would be complete without brand-new eats, and Toontown has them at Cafe Daisy. I predict the “Dressed-Up Dog” will be a fan favourite: It’s a silly-giant hot dog topped with chilli-cheese sauce, macaroni and cheese, and parmesan potato crispies. It sounds like too much, but the topping proportions are actually perfect. I paired it with the new “Specialty Cold Brrr-ew” — a caffeinated drink with sea salt caramel toffee sauce and whipped cream. (Had I enjoyed the entire thing, I’d surely be the one doing circuits on the rolly rainbow slides.)
For the kids, I’d recommend mini corn dogs or a personal pizza. Convenient to-go drinks and snacks (including Disneyland’s famous pickle) can be purchased at the Good Boy! Grocers farmers market stand in front of Cafe Daisy.
For all your park shopping needs, there’s the new EngineEar Souvenirs, right next door to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Themed merch lines the shelves here, but I noticed young kids particularly enamoured with new remote control offerings. There’s even a demonstration table where customers can play with the toys. One is a zippy red car with Mickey and Minnie figurines inside — just like what you see in the new ride. There’s also a three-car Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Remote Control Trackless Train.
Back outside, the central area of Toontown is now known as CenToonial Park, and it’s also been reconsidered. The fountain has been designed with accessible lower pools, which allow kids to wander up, get their hands wet, and cool off. On hot days, it’s easy to imagine how popular this spot will be.
To the right on the fountain and in front of Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is a spacious new grassy space. It’s the perfect spot to sit with your lunch from Cafe Daisy and just chill out. We sat down here and I realized we’d easily spent three hours in Toontown — and that really says it all.
Walt Disney Imagineering set out to make this land an attraction in its own right, an experience to have at Disneyland. They succeeded.
This story first appeared on www.travelandleisure.com
Main and Feature Image Credit: Disneyland Resort
Related: Disney Reveals Details On New Rides, Park Revamps, And 100th Anniversary Celebrations
Chelsee Lowe
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