See you in San Fransokyo: Work is scheduled for completion this summer on San Fransokyo Square, an animation-inspired transformation of Pacific Wharf at Disney California Adventure Park. Transporting guests to a “Not-too-distant future,” the re-imagined area is inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award-winning Big Hero 6, the setting of which famously mashes up San Francisco and Tokyo.
According to San Fransokyo Square’s back story, as the tech industry rose and the fishing trade fell on hard times, entrepreneurs began turning seaside canneries into a multicultural neighborhood of restaurants and small businesses.
The San Fransokyo Gate Bridge, depicted in this artist rendering, will serve as the area’s iconic landmark, spanning tide pools linking San Fransokyo Square to the Paradise Gardens Park obelisk. Look up as you cross the bridge, as you may spot a floating wind turbine atop an old fishing net tannery, powering the district from the sky.
And be on the lookout for Baymax, as you’re likely to find him greeting guests outside a converted warehouse at the south end of the square.
As for those multicultural restaurants? The Pacific Wharf dining locations have remained open while the "San Fransokyo Square Public Works Department" redevelops the area. Upon completion, you'll find familiar favorites (including soups in freshly baked bread bowls) along with new, Asian-inspired selections. A new "Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería," an outdoor beer garden decorated with festoon lights and papel picado, will draw inspiration from its tri-cultural influences, with signage in English, Japanese and Spanish.
A faster way to connect with Member Services: Savvy Members continue to turn to disneyvacationclub.com to instantly plan their vacations and manage their Memberships. Whether reviewing points charts and events calendars or booking reservations for qualifying resorts (including Disney Vacation Club Resorts and Interval International destinations), a growing number of Members are discovering that, while a phone conversation with a Member Services Cast Member may be delightful, it’s often unnecessary. And now, thanks to the latest technological upgrades, the website’s online chat function answers Member questions more efficiently than ever. Simply log into disneyvacationclub.com, click the “Chat” icon in the upper right corner of the website (it’s on every page for easy access), and get quick answers to your questions about your Membership, vacation planning, current Disney Vacation Club Resort reservations, paying annual dues and loans, and more. Some questions lead to instant answers courtesy of a “chatbot” that Disney Files staffers like to imagine looks a bit like Baymax (your personal vacation care companion!), while others are directed to a Member Services Cast Member with impressive knowledge and equally impressive typing skills. In either case, you’re likely to get answers without calling Member Services and listening to that hold music (catchy as it may be).
Tips & Tidbits for ‘Wondrous Journeys’
Members are among the many buzzing about “Wondrous Journeys,” the new nighttime spectacular that debuted earlier this year at Disneyland Park as part of the Disney100 celebration. A tribute to 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios, the spectacular includes nods to all of the iconic studio’s films to date, including the forthcoming film Wish. Having recently experienced the show for the first time, the Disney Files staff is here to share a few tips and tidbits.
Check the app: The projection show runs nightly, but its fireworks only appear on select nights. The Disneyland app has all the schedule details.
Change your perspective: While the view from in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle is undoubtedly magical, so is the view from other participating areas of the park, not only up and down Main Street, U.S.A., but also along the Rivers of America and the façade of 'it's a small world” (pictured above). Disney Live Entertainment created custom projections for each of these viewing areas, so you’ll enjoy a unique experience, depending on your vantage point.
Feel the show: If you have a MagicBand+, be sure to wear it, as it’ll glow with color and pulse with haptic vibrations along with the show.
Keep an eye on the sky: Move over, Tinker Bell. This show’s climax belongs to Baymax. Watch for everyone’s favorite personal healthcare companion during the “Immortals” song number, with rocket boosters propelling him through the Disneyland sky. (Speaking of song numbers, you’ll hear 18 of them during the show, including the original song “It’s Wondrous,” with music and lyrics by Duddy Brown and Grammy Award-winner Alex Geringas.)
Eligible* Members’ merchandise discount applies automatically when purchasing through the Merchandise Mobile Checkout feature in the My Disney Experience app at participating Walt Disney World shops!
For those unfamiliar with the service, Merchandise Mobile Checkout allows you to skip the line at the shop’s registers. Here’s how it works. After opening the My Disney Experience app on your mobile device, click the icon in the lower-right corner of the screen that looks a bit like a hamburger (three stacked, horizontal lines). Then click “Merchandise Mobile Checkout.” From there, select the shop you're in, use your mobile device camera to scan items while you shop, and when you're finished, pay through your device. At the end of your transaction, your screen will display a QR code (your digital proof of purchase), which you’ll show to a Cast Member at the Merchandise Mobile Checkout kiosk (where you may also grab a bag for your items if you wish). With that, you’re on your way.
But before you do any of that, you’ll want to link your Disney Vacation Club account to your My Disney Experience account, as doing so will automatically apply your discount to qualifying purchases. You’ve probably already done this, but it never hurts to check before your next vacation.
First, make sure that your login account usernames and passwords for your My Disney Experience account and Disney Vacation Club account are the same. Then, after logging into your My Disney Experience app, click on that little “hamburger” in the lower-right corner of the screen (those three stacked lines we mentioned earlier). Click “My Profile,” then “Memberships & Passes,” and check to see if your Disney Vacation Club Membership is listed on the next screen. If it is, you’re all set. If not, log into MyDisneyExperience.com (the website, not the app), and head to your profile to access the “Memberships & Passes” section of the site, where you’ll find an option to link your Membership. And if that doesn’t work, give Member Services a call for assistance.
*See important eligibility information at the bottom of page 1