A Touch of Disney begins March 18, 2021

[Figments Friend]

Personally, I think $75 is just too much for what is basically admission into what will temporarily be a zoned shopping area.
$75...????

That's, like, a fullly operational Park admission...with a multi day ticket option in some respects.
WTFluff....?

$75.. ?..to walk around a couple of throughways at DCA??

:|

Uh, no.

$35 or $45...yeah, maybe.
I would only consider $75 if it was Main Street at Disneyland Park.

This pricing should not surprise anyone for that matter who regularly posts here.....but still...

$75...?


-

 

[mickEblu]

If adding PhotoPass gets more CM's called back from furlough to run this food festival experience, that's a good thing.

But does PhotoPass add meaningful value to the $75 per person cost of this food festival experience? I don't think so.

No it doesn’t. Maybe if photo pass existed before we all had a camera in our pocket.

 

[CaptinEO]

So far on this thread there have only been a small handful of people that have said they will do this. One of them plans to travel all the way from Seattle to do this just because they're bored and enjoys the travel, which I think is great!

The rest of us seem lumped into two categories:

1. $75 Bucks?! No way! There's not enough value for that high ticket price. But I'm happy some CM's are rehired!
2. $75 Bucks? No thanks. But people who criticize TDA for this should be ashamed of themselves because CM's are rehired.

I'm just looking forward to the breathless reviews from YouTubers on how AHHMAAAAAZING it is for them to walk around an empty DCA enjoying $25 worth of food (alcoholic beverages not included). Those YouTube reviews should be worth a few laughs at least.

75 dollars plus parking for 25 dollars worth of themepark food?

So basically 100 dollars for 2 corn dogs. Disney is out of their minds.

They could actually do this for Disneyland and people would show up. I will thank them for not ruining Disneylands good name by doing this cheap event there and instead did it in their cheap themepark.

 

[CaptinEO]

I mean I know I'm not the only one who mentioned this, but Knotts had an event just a few months after the pandemic. Then another one in winter, and will be on their third this march.

Disney has had nearly a year since closure and this is the result. Probably a year's worth of signatures and paperwork and meetings to do something they could've just thrown together last year instead.

 

[TP2000]

No it doesn’t. Maybe if photo pass existed before we all had a camera in our pocket.

There's something about PhotoPass still existing in 2021 that makes me suspicious.

It's almost as if they keep it around to check off some legal box for when they do upcharge events like this. As if adding PhotoPass to the package gets them out of some sort of legal requirement somehow. It's very weird.

 

[Figments Friend]

Boysenberry Festival at Knott's for the win!
Hands down.



-

 

[CaptinEO]

A Touch of Disney: New, Limited-Capacity Ticketed Experience Coming to Disney California Adventure Park Beginning March 18

It’s time to experience some of the sights, sounds and flavors of the Disneyland Resort with A Touch of Disney, a new, limited-capacity ticketed experience that begins March 18 at Disney California Adventure park. A Touch of Disney offers some of

disneyparks.disney.go.com

Many items will be served snack-sized, so you can delight in a variety of bites and sips from mid-day through the evening

How much do you want to bet it's still a full priced food item. Hopefully those "bites and sips" are worth it. I can't wait to delight in them!

 

[TP2000]

It will be interesting to see how this is setup, and what parts of the park they use and don't use.

Will it just be like the previous Food & Wine Festival, with a long line of plastic booths staffed by Nice CM's plopping pre-made samples into paper boats? Except without the Festival Marketplace and all the music acts and the park entertainment and the TV celebrity chefs doing cooking shows and the vintners hosting wine tasting lectures?

Is the main experience just wandering the DCA parade route getting three samples with your $25 food card from the booths?

In 2019 most sample items from the booths cost between $7.50 and $9.50. Which means you could get three items for your $25 food card included in your $75 price. Then you'll need to purchase your own wine or beverages, and any additional food choices you may want.

Is the $50 per person price then worth it to attend this festival experience with not much else going on except Instagram walls and PhotoPass CM's? How does that pencil out for folks, even though many people have the disposable income to do this?

TDA better figure out a way to give people 50 bucks worth of entertainment without wind instruments!

 

[mickEblu]

Which is why I think Main Street USA will be opened in March as an extension of Downtown Disney shopping/dining.

DCA will cost $75 to get in to wander around taking PhotoPass pictures and eating $25 worth of food at this festival experience.

That will reduce the allure of Downtown Disney and what few shops/restaurants remain open there. TDA will need a hook to make the hassles and logistics headaches of Downtown Disney worth it, and Main Street USA is just the ticket.

Parking is free and easy and you don't have to go through security and health screenings to get into any other SoCal mall; Fashion Island, Irvine Spectrum, Pacific City, South Coast Plaza, etc.

The $10 parking, mile-long walk, and health/security screenings are only a Downtown Disney requirement. They've got to make Downtown Disney worth it for people this spring. Main Street USA would do that.

But why would anyone want to spend $75 for a $25 dining card to walk around DCA and take pictures with characters that are 40 yards away when you can go to Disneyland (Main Street) for $10 and probably buy yourself a meal at Plaza Inn, Carnation or Jolly Holiday? Ok, kind of a rhetorical question. I think the demand is there for both. We’ re all bored to death and some people may decide the event is worth it as a one and done and then can just do Disneyland anytime they feel like it after that. I won’t be doing the DCA event because the value just isn’t there. I was at DTD yesterday and spent twice that on merch and food but I just can’t get myself to pay someone $75 for $25. Maybe if there was more of a draw with entertainment or even just a few rides open. With that said, the longer the entertainment world stays closed the more desperate I (and many) become.

I waited 40 minutes in line to get into DTD yesterday. Apparently everyone wanted to get that 30% discount in and didn’t get the memo that it has been extended through March 11th. Now, I wouldn’t have done it if I knew that was remotely possible on a Wednesday in February. It was a beautiful 72 degree day, i had just wrapped up an exhausting job on Tuesday, was off mid week and had seen some merch I wanted. Let’s just say the stars aligned and made it easy for me to decide to go spend some money there. Especially with that 30% off incentive. This was our 5th or 6th time going to DTD as a family since last July and I have never not just walked right through the security and into DTD. Anyway, I stood in that line to get into an outdoor shopping mall to then stand in more lines to walk into stores and buy stuff. And I felt kind of disgusted with myself to be honest. Lol. But.... my son had a blast running around and running away from me. He especially loved running under the ropes and bolting towards Paradise Pier. He almost made it to the Cars Land sign. Lol. He also enjoyed his popcorn, lollipop and the waterfall he pretends he wants to see so he can get closer to the security ropes and make his dash to Mickeys Fun Wheel. My daughter seemed to really enjoy the surroundings. I watched her as she looked at around at all the lights on the trees in a way that she’s never done before. We sat on a bench, tucked away in our own little corner right in between Oswalds and the Five & Dime right in front front of the Chamber of Commerce aka Guest Relations. That was actually kind of nice as we ate snacks, listened to the BVS soundtrack and enjoyed the ambiance of the land at night.

 

[TP2000]

I was at DTD yesterday and spent twice that on merch and food but I just can’t get myself to pay someone $75 for $25.

You just summed it all up perfectly!

 

[VJ]

disney fans: hallelujah! annual passes are cancelled! now the parks will be empty!
also disney fans: $75 PER PERSON??? HOW DARE DISNEY THIS IS EXTORTION I'M CANCELLING MY-- oh.. right..

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

o

Eeeeww. I don’t want Disney touching me. Gross.

Only if it is Jessica Rabbit.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

During the pandemic I have (masked and following local rules!) Visited the following theme parks/experiences: Knott's Halloween food festival, Downtown Disney, SeaWorld San Diego, Disney Springs, Animal Kingdom, Sea World Orlando, and Discovery Cove. I will very likely be attending the terribly named and overpriced A Touch of Disney. I live in Washington state, and all of these trips required air travel.

Why did I do this, and why will I overpay for the new event? Simple. I'm bored. Everything is closed. Airfare is cheap, I have a lot of frequent flyer miles, and lodging is cheap. I am an essential worker who has worked throughout the pandemic. But with restaurants and all entertainment closed in my area, my expenses are reduced.

I respect that.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

I need to amend my original statement-If you pay NEARLY full price for a theme park with no rides you are a fool. The Knott's events make sense. Its been the only way to actually enter the park. You get a wide variety of food to pick from with alcohol included mind you, and they provided live action actors for some form of entertainment while distanced and nice decorations and its is modestly priced.

This thing- you are paying for almost a full day in the park to do what you can do now in the park which is eat and shop. Only now you are paying them the privilege to eat and shop there for some reason without getting any of the perks you normally get from a theme park i.e. rides and shows. You are NOT gonna get not live actors but costumed characters at a distance. and instagram walls . and you get less value food wise by only getting 25 bucks to spend and eating the same old Disney food you are used to only in smaller portions but for the normal retail price so you will have to spend more out of pocket once that $25 is gone. And no alcohol included. screw that.

 

[Stevek]

I think You mean $40 for unlimited photo pass downloads?

Derp...yeah, $40. Thanks.

 

[TP2000]

disney fans: hallelujah! annual passes are cancelled! now the parks will be empty!
also disney fans: $75 PER PERSON??? HOW DARE DISNEY THIS IS EXTORTION I'M CANCELLING MY-- oh.. right..

Not an invalid point there. I don't envy TDA fighting against all their red tape for the past year and then finally opening a park for an event like this with a $75 price point. To an extent, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

But... $75 is an obvious place to plant their flag. So this better be good.

And to many of us who attended previous DCA Food Festivals, we know what to expect from a DCA Festival even if you have to call it an Experience: Live bands using wind instruments, and extra food-themed entertainment. Lectures and food presentations from California's excellent vintners and distillers and farms. Celebrity TV chefs live on stage cooking and teaching you their tricks. The overall atmosphere and vibe of a fun outdoors festival in SoCal's glorious spring weather.

Heck, one year I even saw a well-known celebrity chef slice his hand open on stage and then try and get through the rest of his presentation while he slowly hemmoraged with his hand stuck in a kitchen towel. Then his celebrity book signing afterward was delayed while a bunch of panicked Dockers-clad managers tried to figure out what to tell us, even though it was clearly obvious that he'd sliced his hand open preparing brisket. The first few cookbooks he signed went fine, but then his hastily bandaged hand started bleeding again and there was a panicky few moments as the Dockers-clad managers tried to exchange the cookbooks that had blood on them while a Disneyland nurse rushed him backstage again for further bandaging and first aid. HYSTERICAL!

That's the kind of entertainment you can't just buy for 75 bucks, let me tell you! So this Taste Of Disney thing better be good!

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

Not an invalid point there. I don't envy TDA fighting against all their red tape for the past year and then finally opening a park for an event like this with a $75 price point. To an extent, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

But... $75 is an obvious place to plant their flag. So this better be good.

And to many of us who attended previous DCA Food Festivals, we know what to expect from a DCA Festival even if you have to call it an Experience: Live bands using wind instruments, and extra food-themed entertainment. Lectures and food presentations from California's excellent vintners and distillers and farms. Celebrity TV chefs live on stage cooking and teaching you their tricks. The overall atmosphere and vibe of a fun outdoors festival in SoCal's glorious spring weather.

Heck, one year I even saw a well-known celebrity chef slice his hand open on stage and then try and get through the rest of his presentation while he slowly hemmoraged with his hand stuck in a kitchen towel. Then his celebrity book signing afterward was delayed while a bunch of panicked Dockers-clad managers tried to figure out what to tell us, even though it was clearly obvious that he'd sliced his hand open preparing brisket. The first few cookbooks he signed went fine, but then his hastily bandaged hand started bleeding again and there was a panicky few moments as the Dockers-clad managers tried to exchange the cookbooks that had blood on them while a Disneyland nurse rushed him backstage again for further bandaging and first aid. HYSTERICAL!

That's the kind of entertainment you can't just buy for 75 bucks, let me tell you! So this Taste Of Disney thing better be good!

I doubt there will be bands at all. I think all you are getting is characters and instagram walls. That's it.

 

[mickEblu]

Derp...yeah, $40. Thanks.

Lol no worries! At first I was wondering if I was missing something.

 

[mickEblu]

Forgot to mention in my mini trip report that I left DTD close to closing last and it felt like I was leaving Disneyland after the fireworks. Just open up the damn rides already.

 

[NobodyElse]

Eeeeww. I don’t want Disney touching me. Gross.

Show me on the Duffy doll where Disney touched you.