We have some Disneyland Esplanade news to report! Starting today, the Disneyland Esplanade, the area in between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, is now partially blocked off to Guests as the California theme park resort prepares to host its upcoming ticketed event.
Related: Guests Get First Look at Food Booths For A Touch of Disney
Some theme park reporters, The Cali Bae, Paul’s Theme Park Adventures, and Disney Hype Beast, shared the update on their social media accounts. Take a look:
Huge breaking news involving Disneyland Esplanade for the event a touch of disney! The Disneyland Esplanade will no longer be available in accessible to hang out and enjoy as it will now just be an exit and entrance for downtown Disney unless you have a ticket for a touch of Disney. ?????
Esplanade is now closed to people without A Touch Of Disney Tickets. This will go on from now until the event ends
Part of the Esplande towards DCA has been roped off for a Touch of Disney for the cast members today.
The Esplande is partially closed off for A Touch of Disney event at DCA. You can still walk through th Esplande to take pictures in from of Disneyland gate or to leave to property on the Harbor side.
It appears that the Disneyland Resort Esplanade will be partially blocked off at least on event days (A Touch of Disney runs on Thursdays through Mondays from March 18 to April 19). Essentially, this allows Disney Cast Members to keep track of which Guests are heading to Downtown Disney and which Guests are visiting for A Touch of Disney.
Note that there is a walkway that leads from the Harbor Boulevard entrance of Downtown Disney near the Disneyland gates and all the way to the East End of Downtown Disney. So rest assured that on event days, if you enter the Disneyland Resort on the Harbor Boulevard side, you will be directed to the appropriate path whether you are heading to the Downtown Disney District shops and restaurants or you have a ticket to A Touch of Disney later this week and beyond. Cast Members will of course be on property to direct you into the appropriate area and walking path toward Downtown Disney (by way of the area in front of the Disneyland Park gates) or Disney California Adventure.
On non-event days, it appears that for now, the Disneyland Esplanade might be fully available to Guests, but time will tell if that will change.
This news comes on the heels of Buena Vista Street closing to all Guests on March 14. Since November 19, 2020, Buena Vista Street had been operating as an extension of the Downtown Disney District, welcoming Guests through the gates of Disney California Adventure Park to shop and dine throughout the areas of Buena Vista Street, Grizzly Peak, and Hollywood Land. However, as we reported, the last day that Guests could enter Buena Vista Street for free was March 14, and now Disney is preparing for the thousands of Guests to enter the park for A Touch of Disney starting this Thursday.
Though this isn’t a positive update (and it comes on a rather rainy day in Southern California, appropriately!), it does signal some good news on the horizon. A Touch of Disney — the limited-time, specially ticketed event at Disney California Adventure Park — debuts this Thursday, March 18. Later on in April (though an opening date has not yet been announced) Disneyland Resort plans to officially open the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks. So, although Guests can no longer enjoy the streets of Disney California Adventure at no additional charge, they will get to enjoy the parks in their entirety very, very soon.
Also, as a reminder, the Downtown Disney District will continue to be open to all Guests, free of charge, with a parking fee of $10. Even if you did not get tickets for A Touch of Disney, you can still experience some Disney magic in Southern California at Downtown Disney. Read more about the latest hours here.
We will continue to share Disneyland news as it becomes available. For more information on Disneyland Resort operations, visit the official website here. For the latest news on A Touch of Disney, click here.
Read More: EGG-xtra Excited For The Eggstravaganza at Downtown Disney!
Do you plan to visit Disney California Adventure for A Touch of Disney? Will you visit the Downtown Disney District soon? Let us know in the comments!