Been wondering what Disneyland would do with those empty restaurants on the west side of Downtown Disney, now that it's no longer building that proposed fourth on-site hotel? Sure, we all have been around here. Now Disney has provided an answer. Well, a temporary one, at least.
The former ESPNZone restaurant is about to become a limited-time, pop-up, upcharge Mickey and Minnie Mouse photo opp exhibit.
Say what?
"Pop-Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration" will feature "several different imaginatively themed rooms with vivid displays inspired by all things Mickey Mouse. Every room will feature selfie-worthy surprises and provide plenty of fun and fabulous photo ops for all your family and friends," according to the resort's press release. And this will be a "separately ticketed exhibit" at the resort.
How much people will have to pay? Disney has yet to say. But charging for this provides an easy way to implement crowd control. Just price it so that you don't need to set up and manage a long queue.
Making this a ticketed attraction also speaks to the demand that some people have for anything that will help them get traffic on their social media accounts. This isn't news to most people under age 30, but for everyone else, photos aren't just personal keepsakes anymore. They're social communication, and more amazing the setting for your photos, the more people will see — and react — to them.
That's part of what keeps people buying annual passes to Disneyland, even as prices go up year after year. Disneyland is the most Instagrammed location on Earth, and fans know that pictures they take there will get likes online. Limited-time photo opportunities also help drive sales to Disney's after-hours, hard-ticket parties, which often feature special character meets and photo set-ups.
Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Disney jumped into creating a ticketed attraction of nothing but Instagram-worthy photo opportunities. If this hits, you'd better believe that Disney will find a way to make this a permanent attraction at Downtown Disney and Walt Disney World's Disney Springs.
"Pop-Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration" will open sometime this spring, and Disney says that tickets will go on sale "soon."
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The Mickey: The True Original 90th birthday exhibit in NYC was pretty impressive, and I thought they may be bringing part of that to Disneyland. But in the Disney Parks blog, they shot down that idea. This seems like a sad knockoff of the NYC exhibit. That had at real artists, free ice cream, and frankly, it was held far, far away from Disneyland providing a unique experience. But at DLR, I mean, maybe if you said this was free if you already had a park ticket, but to pay extra to take photos when you can take photos in the real Disneyland next door? Something seems half-baked here.
As they say...a fool and his money are soon parted
Living trough a lens in the public eye collecting 'likes' to feel they belong.
A sad state of the world. Great Disney is supporting this and help those desperate people out.
This is gonna by an instant hit with the public. I know at least 10 people who like time4buying and would also love it. Disney really know how to play with the audience
I am ticked they took down the ESPNZone. I really enjoyed going there for a break in the day.
This is going to be a hit. These type of things are huge in asia.
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