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Frankly, I've always wondered when Mickey's Cartoon City, Disneyland Resort, which has been welcoming visitors in California since 1993, will come back to life. As in Who framed Roger the Rabbit? I'm always happy to find this attraction here, when my eldest daughter was about seven years old and loved Gadget's Go Coaster (now Chip 'n' Dale's GadgetCoaster). However, in a place that seems to be reserved for children, I often feel that there is a lack of enough content that can attract children.
Disney must have come to a similar conclusion. Disneyland closed for reimagining in early 2022 as part of the Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary celebrations and fully reopened on Sunday.
Now, Mickey's Cartoon City is refreshed with new play areas and grass spaces, snacks to share on Instagram, and of course, a new iconic attraction: Mickey and Minnie's Escape Railway. With no age or height restrictions and stunning projection art and technology, this relaxing train ride is truly suitable for the whole family. Mickey's Cartoon City also has new attractions and rides, such as the new "Peter Pan" flight tour and the interactive theater of the cartoon mouse ballet. There's plenty of fun on the grass in Mickey's Cartoon City, such as peek-a-boo, grass maze and other outdoor games.
The entire Mickey Cartoon City has been renovated and modernized to make it more comfortable for visitors to play and visit. This brand new Mickey Cartoon City is truly an exciting place, perfect for families and little ones to spend fun time together.
Available at Disneyland Resort
After a brief opening session with Toontown cartoon characters like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck, I began to observe what would catch the attention of my toddler in the first place. That's Goofy's gameplay field. Goofy's house is surrounded by fresh outdoor play areas with soft rubber floors. With three rainbow slides and climbing entrances on either side, it's a kid's favorite. I imagine vigilant parents sitting on nearby benches and watching their children burn off energy and make new friends here.
In addition, there is a touch-and-play sound garden and a redesigned theater. Once inside, kids can operate a snack-making device – hence the cute sign outside that reads: "Candy maker needed!" Next to and around Donald's Duck Pond are elastic seesaws, balance ridges (again on soft rubber) and playground spinners. A splashback adjacent to Donald's boat will also open soon. This brand new Mickey Cartoon City offers kids more fun and interactive experiences to look forward to!
Available at Disneyland Resort
Available at Disneyland Resort
If your kids love taking pictures with cartoon characters, Cartoon City is still a great place to visit. "Feisty Pete," which has long been Mickey's foil, will now appear on the land, and for the first time in all Disneyland. Visitors will have the opportunity to pose for photos with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy and Pluto. When visiting "Minnie's House", it is also a pleasure to take pictures with her at the "tea party".
No reimagining of any themed district would be complete without entirely new food, and Cafe Daisy in Cartoon City has it. I'm sure "Hot Dog in Costume" will become a fan favorite: it's a silly giant hot dog covered in chili cheese sauce, macaroni and cheese, and Parmesan potato crisps. It sounds like too much, but the ratio of ingredients is actually perfect. I paired it with the new "Specialty Cold Brrr-ew" drink – a caffeinated drink served with sea salt caramel toffee sauce and whipped cream. (If I enjoyed the thing, I would definitely be the one playing on the rolling rainbow slide.) For kids, I recommend mini corndogs or private pizza. Convenient to-go drinks and snacks, including Disneyland's famous pickles, can be purchased at Cafe Daisy in front of the Good Boy grocery store farmers market.
Available at Disneyland Resort
Next to Mickey and Minnie's escape railroad, there's a souvenir shop called EngineEar, which ticks all the boxes you need for shopping in the park. The shelves are full of themed merchandise, but I've noticed that young kids especially like the new remote-controlled toy products. There's even a demo table where customers can try on the toys. One of the snappy red cars has figurines of Mickey and Minnie Mouse inside, just like you'd see in a new car. In addition, there is a three-car Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway Remote Control trackless train.
Courtesy of Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort
Back outside, the central area of Toontown, now known as CenToonial Park, has also been redesigned. The design of the fountain includes an accessible sink so children can stroll, wet their hands and enjoy the cool current. On a hot day, it's easy to imagine how popular this place will be.
To the right of the fountain and in front of Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, there is also a spacious new meadow. It's an ideal place to sit and relax for lunch at Cafe Daisy. As we sat here, I realized we had spent three hours in Toontown – and that really says it all.
Walt Disney Imagineering set out to make the land a separate attraction and a new Disneyland experience. And they succeeded. Today, Mickey Cartoon City has been renovated and has become a more modern and interactive themed area, allowing visitors to play and visit more comfortably.