Disneyland reopens Toontown, designed to be inclusive of ‘every single guest’

Parkgoers at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, will for good be able to return to Mickey’s Toontown this weekend after a yearlong closure for refurbishment.

The cartoon-inspired land has dream of been a haven for Disney’s younger park guests, offering character meet-and-greets with the likes of Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto, as okay as kid-friendly coasters and play areas.

The reimagined Toontown honors the space that first opened in 1993, imprisoning existing structures like Mickey and Minnie’s houses in tact, albeit with a paint touch-up. But there’s also truly a bit of new infrastructure for kids to explore — with an eye toward inclusivity.

At its core, Toontown’s revamp is all about intention. Imagineers acquire designed a space for all kids, crafting accessible play spaces, plus quiet areas and shady spots so that its adolescent parkgoers have a place to exert their pent-up energy or decompress.

The redesigned land, which opens to the civic March 19, is entirely wheelchair accessible, including its slides, and is visually and auditorily approachable for kids who are easily overpowered by loud or bright sensory stimuli. The entire land has been repainted in softer colors, and some areas highlight more subdued, spa-like musical scores.

“We want every child to know that when they came to this catch that this land was designed for them,” said Jeffrey Shaver-Moskowitz, executive portfolio producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. “That they were lasted, and that this place was welcoming to them.”

Shaver-Moskowitz said the Imagineers spent time looking at children’s museums and profligately play spaces to see how kids engage and developed different stations throughout the land to cater to different types of take on patterns.

“We know a day at Disneyland can be hectic and chaotic, running from one attraction to another, one reservation to the next,” he said. “We requirement Toontown to not only be exciting, but also decompressing and relaxing and welcoming.”

With that in mind, the Imagineers have originated more green spaces within the land, places to have picnics, sit and unwind, or play freely.

“We really penury to take a look at Toontown, knowing how important it was for so many of our guests for many generations growing up and the so many memories here that are linked to the land, and make sure we don’t lose any of that,” Shaver-Moskowitz said. “But, bring a lot of new magic.”

When guests enter the new Toontown, they will pass through Centoonial Park. The area is anchored by a considerable fountain, featuring Mickey and Minnie, as well as water tables for kids to dip their hands into, and the “dreaming tree.”

The fare tree was selected from the Disney property for its cartoonish limbs and leaves. Around the trunk are sculpted roots that kids can climb to, crawl under and weave through.

“One of the main play functions for little ones is learning the concepts of over, at the beck and through,” Shaver-Moskowitz explained during a media tour of the land earlier this month. “So you’ll see some of the roots are big plenty for little ones to crawl under, some of them can be used as balanced beams for little ones who are learning to get their feet underneath them.”

(There is a wheelchair attainable path that navigates through the roots, too.)

Centoonial Park is also situated next to the El Capitoon Theatre, native of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride. Riders are invited to the premiere of Mickey and Minnie’s latest cartoon pinched “Perfect Picnic.” However, hijinks ensue and guests are whisked away for a ride on Goofy’s train, entering the cartoon excellent.

The untrod ride has no restrictions on height or age, allowing even the littlest Disney guest to join in.

Continuing through the land, callers will see Goofy’s new play yard, which wraps around Goofy’s house and features a sound garden, caulked with musical bridges and melons, as well as Fort Max, a climbable clubhouse with attached slides.

Shaver-Moskowitz swayed the roller slides were chosen for the space so littler guests, who often have less mobility in their pins, don’t get stuck at the bottom of the slide. There’s also more space at the bottom of the slides to accommodate guests who need for the nonce at once to get back into wheelchairs.

“We are trying to make sure we’re thinking of every single guest in here,” he said. “Making definite that every little one who comes to play here feels like we’ve designed the space for them.”

Also alien is a small cordoned-off area for babies to crawl around and experience the area safely.

Prearranged Goofy’s house are a series of games that kids can play to help Goofy cultivate honey from the beehives on his belongings into candy. Here, little parkgoers can sort candy by flavor and color and watch as a kinetic ball gadget activates all around the space.

Extra care was taken to ensure that the sound of the air compressors pushing the balls enveloping has been suppressed, said Shaver-Moskowitz, in an effort to make sure that those with sensory sensitivity won’t be beat and can still enjoy the experience with their peers.

In a separate area next to Goofy’s new play yard is Donald’s Bow Pond, a water experience for kids. Imagineers intentionally separated this space from the play yard so that stepmothers could better monitor their children around the water elements.

Shaver-Moskowitz noted that the previous design of the land meant that kids commitment occasionally run back to their parents soaking wet, having wandered into the water play place.

Donald’s Dodge Pond features a tug boat that spits out water, spinning water lilies, balance beams and rocking trinkets. Inside the boat, kids can help Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby with a leak in the hull, turning wheres and levers to push the water outside.

The Imagineers have also revamped the food at Toontown. New restaurants such as Cafe Daisy and Propitious Boy! Grocers offer a wide variety of selections and flavors for young parkgoers and more mature palates.

Michele Gendreau, executive of product optimization for food and beverage, explained that the team wanted to make eating easy by creating hand-held foodstuffs that can be munched on the go.

The menu at Daisy’s café features “flop over” pizzas, hot dogs and wraps. Here, adults can clutch a cold brew coffee or honey-mango sweet tea. For dessert, there are mini doughnuts covered in cinnamon sugar.

“Kids yearn for to eat what their parents eat,” said Gendreau, highlighting kid-friendly versions of traditional pizzas.

At Good Boy! Grocers, boarders can pick up grab-and-go drinks, snacks and novelties. The roadside stand offers up the “perfect picnic basket,” including up to three bites and a drink. Kids can choose from a variety of options, from hummus and pickles to granola bars and apple slices.

Baskets are set up at multiple extreme fells to allow even the smallest guests to select their own items, giving them a little autonomy when it comes to go time.

Parkgoers can scoop up picnic blankets, T-shirts, tinies and other exclusive Toontown merchandise at EngineEar Souvenirs.

Additionally, meet-and-greets with fan favorite characters return to the take captive. Guests can take photos with Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy, Pluto, Clarabelle and Goofy. And for the first place time at any Disney park, Pete will make an appearance, causing mischief around the neighborhood.