Around a year after the temporary closure began amid the ongoing pandemic, Disneyland Resort will be reopening Disney California Adventure — but not in the capacity that we’re used to.
There will not be any rides operating, and the park will only be open for an all-new limited-time ticketed event focused on food and beverage from around the resort, as well as Disney entertainment. For now, Buena Vista Street inside DCA is currently operating as an extension of the Downtown Disney District. But upon its debut, this new event will most likely be similar in fashion to the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival with a new Disney twist.

This got us thinking about what an event like this would look like at Disneyland Park. Fans have shared the things they miss about Disneyland and all the things they plan on doing when the theme park reopens. Many Disneyland fans and former Annual Passholders have said that the first thing they plan on doing back at Disneyland is eating their favorite food or riding their favorite attraction. So if Disneyland Park hosted a ticketed event like the one currently planned at Disney California Adventure — with no rides and just Disneyland food and shopping — would it be worth it?
Limited-Time Event at Disney California Adventure Park
This new ticketed event to begin mid-March won’t be one that is offered daily, but rather multiple days a week. Disney California Adventure will be transformed into a magical Disney environment that Guests have been craving, offering food, beverages, entertainment, shopping and more — though no attractions will be operating. Disneyland President Ken Potrock describes it as such in a message to the 1,000 returning Cast Members.
Currently planned to begin mid-March, we will debut an all-new, limited-time ticketed experience, focused on our world-famous food and beverage offerings from around the resort, the latest merchandise and unique, carefully crafted entertainment experiences…all to be offered multiple days a week. With limited capacity and enhanced health and safety measures in place, Guests once again will get to step into a magical Disney environment – an environment that will provide memorable and fun experiences our Guests are craving.

Tickets For the New Event at DCA
Pricing and ticketing information had yet to be released at this time, but we expect more details to be announced soon. Currently, we do not know if Legacy Passholders will be offered a discount on tickets, though many would like the discount.
Disney California Adventure has hosted other dining events including the Food and Wine Festival as well as the Festival of Holidays. Those food events did not come at an additional cost, but rather just the park ticket fee plus the cost of food, beverage, and merchandise.
Ticketed events at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure including Disneyland After Dark and Oogie Boogie Bash typically ranged from $110-$145 with Annual Passholders given a discount. Note, however, that the cost of an event ticket would be range depending on the day of the week that the event took place.

What Disneyland Park Could Offer
Guests are really craving that Disney magic from the Happiest Place on Earth. Though fans are excited about this upcoming event at Disney California Adventure, many are still wishing that they could step foot inside Disneyland Park again. So, what could Disneyland Park offer in an event like this new one at DCA?
Disneyland doesn’t have the spread-out space and wide-open walkways like DCA does. Disney California Adventure food events often include Marketplace Kiosks along the walk to Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens Park, and the walkways are spacious enough to allow for ample room while meandering throughout the park. If Disneyland could open with just the restaurants and shops, it may look as Buena Vista Street does now.

Food and Beverage Disneyland Could Offer
Maybe each of the restaurants doesn’t need to operate with their full menu, but a modified one that includes all the iconic Disney food and snacks that are the most popular. Disney could utilize the Disneyland App as a menu to show what each of the stops would be offering.
Let’s take a food tour and speculate what some of those Disneyland menu items could be, if Disney were to reopen the Happiest Place on Earth for dining and shopping only!
- Churro on Main Street, U.S.A.
- Popcorn on Main Street, U.S.A.
- Mickey Waffle at Carnation Café
- Ice Cream at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
- Chili Dogs and Soda at Refreshment Corner
- Corn Dog at the Little Red Wagon
- Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes at Plaza Inn
- Pizza at Alien Pizza Planet
- Burger at Galactic Grill
- The Grey Stuff at Red Rose Taverne
- Blue and Green Milk at Milk Stand
- Cocktails at Oga’s Cantina
- Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
- Ronto Wrap at Ronto Roasters
- Breakfast Chimichangas at Ship to Shore Marketplace
- Pepper Jack Mac at The Golden Horseshoe
- Short Rib Skillet at River Belle Terrace
- Clam Chowder Bread Bowl at Harbour Galley
- Funnel Cake at Hungry Bear Restaurant
- Mickey-Shaped Beignets at French Market Restaurant
- Mint Julep at Mint Julep Bar
- Monte Cristo Sandwich and Pomme Frites at Café Orleans
- Jambalaya at Blue Bayou
- Gumbo Bread Bowl at Royal Street Veranda
- BBQ Skewers at Bengal Barbecue
- Pickles at Adventureland Bazaar
- Lumpia at The Tropical Hideaway
- Dole Whip at Tiki Juice Bar
- Baked Goods or Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
- Jumbo Turkey Leg at the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
- Mickey-shaped Pretzel at the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle
Anyone drooling yet?

Entertainment Disneyland Could Offer
Disneyland Park is definitely the more Disney magic-filled and popular of the two parks at Disneyland Resort. It is the original Disney Park and possesses all the nostalgia of how Walt Disney first imagined it. It is always open later than Disney California Adventure for Guests who want to see Fantasmic! and the fireworks at Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Entertainment is tough to put on with social distancing in mind, but if it is a limited ticket event and planned out accordingly, a projection show along Main Street U.S.A. like ones that accompany the fireworks may work. Guests would also be very excited to see their favorite Disney characters as well, even if only from a distance. The Fantasmic! stage could offer a good place for entertainment with the spacious viewing area that surrounds Tom Sawyer Island.

Shopping
It really is quite difficult to leave Disneyland without purchasing any merchandise. Many Guests will stop to shop for Minnie Mouse Ears or a Mickey hat to start the visit and end the day by spending time browsing around for the latest Disney merchandise and a souvenir to take home as a part of the Disneyland vacation memories. Maybe a discount on merchandise for all ticket holders would encourage more to come for a visit if Disneyland were to offer a ticketed event.

How Much Is a Disneyland Park Event Worth?
Many fans have shared that they would pay $60-70 for access to Disney California Adventure without any attractions, but given the popularity of the original Disney Park, there’s a chance an event at Disneyland could cost more if Disney were to offer one.
Knowing that previous events have been ticketed between $110-$145 but included rides and other attractions, this type of event may not be worth being priced that high. If Disneyland could include coupons — like the Sip and Savor Pass, which would allow for food and beverage to be included in the ticketed prices — it may be worth it for that price. A discount on merchandise would more than likely help the conversation too. But if none of these things were included, more than likely, Guests would not be willing to pay more than $100.

Keep in mind that Disney has not shared that any events will be held at Disneyland Park, nor have they said that Disneyland will reopen in any capacity (even for shopping and dining only). We’ll report back when we have more information to share about the upcoming event at Disney California Adventure Park.
If Disneyland Park hosted a ticketed event like Disney California Adventure, with food, beverage, and entertainment only, would you go? If so, how much would you be willing to pay for a ticket to the event? Share your thoughts in the comments below!