First Take a look at New Characters for Pixar Fest!

Pixar Fest is a celebration that includes fireworks, a brand-new daytime parade, dance events, and different leisure at Disneyland and Disney California Journey–plus an enormous lineup of seasonal snacks, merchandise & extra. Now we all know that the “and extra” contains quite a lot of new characters from a few of the studio’s newer motion pictures that beforehand haven’t appeared within the parks.

A few of this was already recognized. The centerpiece of Pixar Fest is an all-new daytime parade referred to as “Higher Collectively: A Pixar Friends Celebration!” at DCA throughout the celebration. This options high-energy dancing and appearances by greater than two dozen Pixar characters, together with acquainted mates like Mr. Unimaginable and Elastigirl from The Incredibles, Miguel from Coco, Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc., and Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. Clearly, none of those characters are new to Disneyland.

Through the Higher Collectively Parade, there’s additionally uncommon Pixar characters: Pink Panda Mei and her mates rocking out to their favourite boy band, 4*City; Joe Gardner and 22 from Soul celebrating the sweeter issues in life; Luca, Alberto and Giulia from Luca having fun with their time collectively on the water’s edge in Portorosso; and extra.

Apart from the “Higher Collectively: A Pixar Friends Celebration!” daytime parade, Pixar Fest additionally introduces new Pixar characters to ground-level at Disneyland for the primary time together with characters from the newest Pixar movies like Elemental, Luca, Turning Pink, and extra.

A few of these friends will seem on the Pixar Friends Playtime Celebration at Fantasyland Theatre in Disneyland. It is a high-energy present, that includes interactive video games, picture areas, and actions impressed by Pixar characteristic movies–you may even watch a collection of Pixar shorts on the massive display screen.

Throughout Pixar Friends Playtime Celebration in Disneyland, friends may have the chance to work together with characters, corresponding to each Luca and Alberto from Luca. Right here’s a primary have a look at these characters, who we had the prospect to satisfy for a primary look throughout the Pixar Fest media occasion:

Characters at Pixar Friends Playtime Celebration will seem on stage, on the dance flooring, or at quite a lot of backdrops positioned across the periphery of Fantasyland Theatre.

As you may see from our picture above, considered one of these is a postcard-perfect backdrop of Portorosso for the Luca characters. I preferred this one rather a lot–it’s a clear and vibrant background with a little bit of dimensionality within the foreground. I nonetheless haven’t seen Luca (I do know, I do know), so I’m not fairly positive why Grumpy Cat is making a cameo, however I approve.

Tucked away behind the seating space is one other backdrop. This one is a little more generic, making it extra of a flex house that might host quite a lot of totally different Pixar friends. Sarah caught Wade and Ember from Elemental up right here.

I used to be taking pictures of meals or one thing whereas this occurred–I truthfully had no concept they have been even up right here. I wasn’t alone, as apparently these characters had the shortest line and have been simply ignored. Right here’s hoping that is still true and phrase doesn’t get out throughout Pixar Fest, because it’ll make these characters simpler to satisfy.

Up close to the stage and proper subsequent to the dance flooring is the van from Onward, the place Barley and Ian from that movie seem. This was by far the longest line we encountered for any characters. That in all probability speaks extra to the cool backdrop and site than the recognition of Onward, or so I’d guess.

On the opposite facet of the dance flooring is a backdrop for characters from Up:

It’ll be fascinating to see how all of those character encounters truly work in observe, particularly those proper on the edges of the dance flooring and stage. Disneyland has but to verify whether or not these can be devoted meet & greets with constant set showtimes the place the characters will truly pose for pictures with friends.

This might find yourself being crowd-dependent. Which means that if Pixar Friends Playtime Celebration proves widespread, you may solely be capable of snap a fast selfie–or you may be capable of get a posed picture when it’s slower. I wouldn’t anticipate there to be autographs or PhotoPass photographers in any of those areas. Even with the good backdrops, it’s in all probability going to be extra laid again.

There additionally will in all probability be some characters who begin on stage after which come out and mingle on the dance flooring. These are one other situation the place the kind of picture you’re in a position to get is crowd-dependent. If it’s busy, solely anticipate fast selfies; if it’s sluggish, posed pictures (albeit fast ones) could possibly be attainable.

That’s been our expertise with dance party-like situations at Disneyland, and we truly generally choose this to the lengthy traces of devoted meet & greets. Don’t get us fallacious–these are nice and it’s good to have the understanding and in addition hugs and autographs for friends who need them, but it surely’s good that Disneyland has all kinds of character encounters. This additionally permits for free-flowing interactions and roaming characters–it’s a extra laid again method that works properly at Disneyland.

By far the best new character showing for the primary time throughout Pixar Fest is Dug the canine from the Pixar movie Up! Whereas it’s attainable you’ve met Dug earlier than, this model is new–it’s speaking Dug! He’ll seem at Disney California Journey throughout Pixar Fest.

We had the prospect to satisfy Dug in a special setting as a part of the Pixar Fest media occasion–you may hear all kinds of his traces right here:

That is completely superior, to the purpose that it made me I can’t imagine they didn’t do that earlier than! As a consequence of his voice modulator (or no matter it’s), Dug is the proper character for a speaking meet & greet like this.

He’s such an apparent candidate that I can’t imagine Disney didn’t use him when testing this idea over time. I’m additionally only a sucker for Dug and suppose his traces from Up are hilarious, so it’s superior to have them recited for an in-park meet & greet.

Though, technically Dug isn’t a meet & greet within the sense that he doesn’t have a devoted location. Dug can be off-leash, a free roaming character in Grizzly Peak in entrance of Redwood Creek Problem Path. Visitors can examine the Disneyland app for look instances (just like the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge characters, anticipate to see a spread of instances, fairly than a set schedule).

I wouldn’t be stunned to see Dug moved again to the Grizzly Peak bypass path, as I believe having him as a free roaming character out in the principle walkway goes to create crowd stream points and switch this right into a pinch-point. Possibly I’m simply overestimating the recognition of Dug and canines, although.

All in all, I’m fairly happy with all the characters that Disneyland Resort is rolling out for Pixar Fest. There’s one fairly massive exception to that–the panda within the room, if you’ll. Whereas I respect the added characters and all the love Turning Pink has been getting at Disneyland Resort (beginning with Lunar New Yr and persevering with with a giant presence in Pixar Fest), it nonetheless boggles the thoughts that Pink Panda Mei isn’t a meet & greet character!

In case you haven’t seen Turning Pink (not that anybody cares, but it surely’s my favourite Disney or Pixar film since Coco–I prefer it much more than the fan-favorite Encanto), there’s actually a meet and greet with Pink Panda Mei within the film itself. It’s such an apparent concept that it’s wild to me Disney hasn’t achieved it but. Pink Panda Mei is cool and all within the parade, however that is probably the most huggable Disney character in ages, and is begging for a meet & greet. It could pay for itself within the merchandise and plush gross sales it will assist push. I’m not even kidding!

Lastly, it’s essential to notice that Disneyland is billing all of those characters as showing for a restricted time solely throughout Pixar Fest. It’s attainable that a few of them can be prolonged past that “by widespread visitor demand,” however we’re inclined to take Disney at its phrase right here. Disneyland specifically hasn’t been afraid to lock widespread issues into the Disney Vault to generate FOMO and hype for his or her returns (see Wondrous Journeys and Rogers: The Musical, amongst many different issues), and I wouldn’t be stunned to see that occur with parts of Pixar Fest.

To that time, Pixar Fest will return to Disneyland Resort by means of August 4, 2024. There are additionally occasions and choices overlapping with Pixar Fest. Now till June 2, there’s Season of the Drive at Disneyland–together with Duckling Droids, Hyperspace Mountain, new Star Excursions locations and specifically themed meals and beverage, merchandise and extra for a restricted time. Then there’s the modified Fantasmic, which makes its long-awaited return to the Rivers of America on Could 24, 2024.

Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Resort Evaluations & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Evaluations. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and lots of different SoCal cities.

Your Ideas

What do you consider Pixar Friends Playtime Celebration or Higher Collectively Parade? Excited to come across new characters from Luca, Turning Pink, Elemental, and different current Pixar motion pictures? Excited to expertise Pixar Fest once more, or want Disneyland would’ve achieved one thing totally different for Summer season 2024? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even whenever you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!