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Tune In to Toontown at Disneyland

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Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland has always held a special place in my heart. It’s a place to step into the animated world of our favorite Disney characters, unwind, let the tadpoles have some free time to explore and, of course, meet characters. The original Toontown opened in January 1993, so after 30 years, it was time for some revitalization. And, wow! It's amazing! The opening of a new ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, inspired a refreshment of this area of the park, and we can’t wait to tell you all about it. Here’s what to expect at the reimagined Toontown Disneyland, which opened March 19, 2023!

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Concept Art Overview

 

For a limited time, purchase the Disneyland KIDS SPECIAL OFFER (as low as $47 per day), for visits from Jan. 7 through March 20, 2025. A valid ticket and theme park reservation are required for park entry.

Overview of Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland

Mickey’s Toontown is a cartoon-themed land at Disneyland, where Mickey, Minnie and their pals reside. You can find it to the left of “it’s a small world” after passing under the Disneyland Railroad tracks. The new Toontown is greener and more spacious with more park areas and places to unplug. If you are worried about losing all those tactile and exploration experiences, you’ll be hoppy to know that there are more interactive activities and experiences than ever before! The tadpoles can activate their senses with opportunities to play, slide, spin, touch and listen. There’s even a new splash pad and some water tables to splash around like Donald Duck on hot days!

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - New Toontown Sign

All the rides return (with updates), plus there is an all-new ride to enjoy! You can look forward to a new eatery and some refurbished spaces. The land was reimagined to be more inclusive and allow families and young children more opportunities to play together. While new Toontown attractions have been introduced, some returning ones have been fully reimagined into new spaces to explore!

Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Girl plays on roots of Dreaming Tree with braille

Mickey’s Toontown was thoughtfully reimagined by Walt Disney Imagineering to remove as many barriers to play as possible and make it an inclusive space for people of all abilities. The open green spaces welcome guests for gathering and playing. The color scheme was "tooned" down to be easier on the senses. Companion restrooms, a quieter area for decompression and a curb-free land allow guests of differing abilities to navigate the land.

You can feel the words "play" and "dream" in braille in the roots of the Dreaming Tree! The Dreaming Tree is just like the one Walt Disney used to lay under and do his best imagining back when he was a kid in MI. You can climb on the roots or hills. There are plenty of tactile and auditory ways to interact with the land. When a wheelchair travels over the sound bridge at Goofy's How-To-Play Yard, it plays a special sound that differs from the sounds that walking feet create.

Hop over to our post on visiting Mickey's Toontown with kids for more tips and photos. And be sure to check out our YouTube video of Mickey's Toontown.

There are so many hidden gems, photo opportunities and areas to explore (or explode!) in Toontown. Children of the 1990s will have all the nostalgic feels as they introduce a new and improved Toontown to the next generation of dreamers and players. The musical playlist has songs from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, A Goofy Movie and more.

Toontown Disneyland Hours and Tickets

Toontown reopened in phases. The new ride — Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway — opened Jan. 27, 2023. That was the same day that Disneyland Resort kicked off the Disney 100 Years of Wonder anniversary celebration. It was a frogciting day and we frogs were there to explore the immersive queue! We also had a chance to use the Lightning Lane. And of course, we rode the ride.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Props from The Band Concert and Plane Crazy

The rest of Toontown opened March 19, 2023. Our Frog Squad was there to take it all in the first few days.

Toontown Hours

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Mickey in street clothes

Toontown may have different operating hours from the rest of Disneyland Park. The land opens when the park officially opens and closes when the park closes. On nights with fireworks, Toontown closes from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Then it reopens until the park closes. The sign out in front should tell you when the hours differ from the rest of the park's hours. On nights such as New Year's Eve, Disneyland is closed from about 7 p.m. until about 12:30 a.m. Sometimes it closes for Disneyland After Dark events. Always check the schedule so you don't miss out.

If you want to catch Mickey in his new casual clothes, head to Toontown as soon as the park opens. He's only in front of his house in his street clothes for the first 30 minutes after the park opens. Then he goes inside to change for photo shoots. If you time it right, you might get to see him out front and then in his barn!

A note on timing: Do not try to go to Toontown or leave that area during a parade. The parade does not enter Toontown, but it passes by "it's a small world," creating a human traffic jam at busy times. Check the schedule and plan according.

Tickets and Reservations

All the excitement in the parks will undoubtedly draw crowds this year. This means you’ll want to plan ahead. Purchase Disneyland tickets early and make those theme park and travel reservations as soon as you can. The Disneyland theme park reservation system is still in effect, so you’ll need to make park reservations to visit. Reservations will fill up for some days or even most days during school breaks. You can reserve up to 180 days in advance. Magic Key holders may reserve up to 90 days in advance.

If you need tickets, you can find the least expensive multi-day tickets at Undercover Tourist! Plus all our Disneyland Resort tickets (even our 1-day tickets) have a 365-day refund policy if your plans change. We can also help you save on hotel rooms (both on-site and near Disneyland) and rental cars. If you need a car, be sure to put it in your cart when booking your hotel or buying tickets to unlock an even deeper discount (up to 50 percent off a car rental)! You can buy some new ears and churros (and maybe even a spirit jersey) during your visit with those savings!

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - CenToonial Fountain

Here's a note on buying tickets. If you have kids 12 and under, you may want to add an extra day to your Disneyland visit. You can easily spend three hours in Toontown, playing, exploring, eating, resting, meeting characters and going on the three rides. If you want to have fun in Toontown but also enjoy the rest of Disneyland, you'll need to make sure you have enough days in your visit to cover it all. You can skip the lines via the Lightning Land for Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin or Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. The morning is the least crowded with short lines for all the rides.

Rides in Toontown Disneyland

The reimagined Toontown features three rides — two returning rides and one brand-new one.

Returning Rides

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Jessica Rabbit in new role

Returning rides include:

  • Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin — This ride does not have a height requirement and has a Lightning Lane. For this ride inspired by the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", hop into a taxi that spins 360 degrees. Work alongside Jessica Rabbit, who acts as a private eye fighting a Toontown crime wave. Make sure to watch out for the villainous weasels! See Jessica Rabbit twice in her trench coat.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Chip and Dale models at coaster

  • Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster (new name) — This ride has a height requirement of 35 in. (89 cm) or taller. It’s a perfect first coaster for the smaller tadpoles. The ride has been reinvented with new scenery and statues of Chip 'n' Dale and Gadget! The original ride was inspired by the animated series Chip ‘n' Dale Rescue Rangers. Gadget Hackwrench, the cleverest mouse on the team, is an inventor who uses objects she finds (bottle caps, cans, toy blocks and more) to create. On the ride, guests can see these oversized objects from her small, mouse-like point of view.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Gadget

New Toontown Ride

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - picnic scene

The new Toontown ride:

  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway — This elaborate ride does not have a height requirement, so it’s absolutely perfect for the whole family! This ride also exists at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Disney World. The entrance and queue at Disneyland match the theming of Toontown.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - "It was all started by a mouse"

Step into the El CapiTOON Theater (which replaced the Gag Factory shop) and experience this stunning display of Disney animation and special effects. The ride's queue celebrates the Big Cheese himself with a special exhibit created by the Toontown Hysterical Society. It celebrates all things Mickey with costumes and props from the toon world, as well as famous Mickey films and shorts. The queue contains multiple easter eggs of Mickey features, such as references to Steamboat Willie, Sorcerer Mickey, Mickey Mouse Disco and many more iterations of the beloved mouse! There are so many hidden details that we created an entire post on Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway queue!

Before you enter the building, can you decipher the secret message on the right side of the marquee?

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - The Sorcerer's Apprentice Hat

"Nothing can stop us now!" You'll board a trackless train with Goofy as your conductor. So, you know this journey is going to go off the rails! We've experienced the Hollywood Studios version, which has a different queue. However, we don’t want to spoil anything, since this zany ride is full of surprises. What we can say is that it’s the first ride to star Mickey Mouse and the Fab Five. You’ll encounter Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck along the way. Each time you ride, you may find that the train car you ride experiences different things!

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios

This ride has a standby line and a Lightning Lane. It's on Lighting Lane Multi Pass (formerly Genie+).

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Lightning Lane Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

CenTOONial Park

One of the first new places you'll see when entering Mickey's Toontown is CenTOONial Park. The new green space is designed for play and showcases a fountain in the middle of Toontown. It has water tables at its base, which invite guests to have a full sensory experience. The fountain magically springs to life at night.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - green space

The area to the right — in front of Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin — when you first enter Toontown is now a green space. We saw many families already taking advantage of a shady place to sit and an open space to play before Toontown officially opened.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Pluto pops by a picnicker

It gets filled with strollers pretty quickly. At busy times, cast members may stop allowing strollers into Toontown because the parking areas are full.

But if you want to find open green space, you can also sit on the ground in front of Mickey's and Minnie's houses as well as under the Dreaming Tree and in Popcorn Park. You never know who might pop by to say, "Hi!" Past the popcorn stand is Popcorn Park. It's a great spot to find some shady benches and a quiet place to play or take a sensory break.

Calling all dreamers ... A dreaming tree with sculpted tree roots provides opportunities to play, crawl and explore. It's to the left when you walk into Toontown. The ground is a rubber playground matting (same with Goofy's and Donald's play areas) rather than grass in this part. The tree is inspired by a tree that young Walt Disney would daydream under in his hometown. Undulating topography in the land creates rolling hills to simulate Walt's childhood environment and acts as a peaceful place for guests to sit and dream.

You can purchase a Perfect Picnic Basket and blanket to have your own perfect picnic on the lawn! More on that below under Dining.

One thing parents loved about the original Toontown was that it was a great place to sit and rest while toddlers, and even older froglets, got the wiggles out. Now it's bigger and an even easier place to play for all tadpoles. This new park area is such a fabulous place to rest our legs and minds.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Area to explore

We have hoppy news! One of our favorite spots in Toontown featuring interactive props and architecture, such as the jail photo op and the shock door, has always been the area to explore as soon as you enter the land. It's still here! You can still set off explosives, lift lids to hear noises, pose in the Dog Pound and push all the buttons. It has a fresh coat of paint, but it's back!

Toontown Character Houses

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Sorceror Mickey

It's toadally fun to walk through or play around the characters' houses: Mickey's House and Minnie's House are still walk-through attractions and remain the same. You can meet Mickey or Minnie in their houses. Donald's Boat and Goofy's House also remain but have been refurbished with some new additions and ways to play. Several characters, such as Goofy, Pluto, Clarabelle and Donald, wander through Goofy's and Donald's play areas, which is toadally fun!

Mickey's House 

Walk through Mickey's house and discover all kinds of spaces to explore and pose for pics. You'll discover some magical touches and Easter eggs as you make your way through the house, backyard shed and movie bar. Mickey has a new casual outfit in Toontown when he meets guests outside his home. You might see other versions of Mickey in his meeting spot for a picture in his Movie Barn. Will you meet Sorcerer Mickey? Steamboat Willie? Classic Mickey? Band-leader Mickey? You never know what mood he will be in.

Minnie's House

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Minnie on her porch

Enter Minnie's house, but take your time to explore, especially in the kitchen. There are so many fun surprises in there! Meet Minnie out back for a hug and a photo. Nothing is new or updated at Minnie's House.

Goofy's How-To-Play Yard 

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Colorful slides

 

This sensory playground is perfect for tadpoles of all ages as it features a soft, spongey ground, a wheelchair-accessible elevated clubhouse and a sound garden. Tadpoles can discover new ways to make wacky noises or play hopscotch. They especially love the climbing area and colorful slides. New additions have been added since the reopening.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Clarabelle plays hopscotch

We even caught Clarabelle Cow playing hopscotch! Goofy and Pluto wander through the yard from time to time as well!

Goofy's House

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Child plays in Goofy's house

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Donald shows off his boat

Step into Goofy's house to see what he's been up to. Is that a candy-making contraption? It is! The machine begins outside of Goofy’s home, where it collects drips of honey from a beehive onto a chute that slides the colorful drops around the house. Junior candy makers can help Goofy make his candy by turning, cranks and knobs and by pushing buttons, while the silly sounds of household appliances surround them and balls zoom through tubes. Look for fun family photos and Max's growth chart on the wall.

Donald's Duck Pond

This play area features giant spinning water lilies, balance beams and rocking toys. You can cool off in the splash pad; however, guests can no longer go up in Donald's Boat.

You can, however, look through the portholes to witness bubbles of fun inside the flooded boat and interact with the ducklings: Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby.

When the splash pad is open, kids must wear shoes. Swim trunks and bathing suits are acceptable, but bathing suit bottoms should be covered up with shorts or a shirt.

A fenced baby and toddler play area for "Little Goofs" ages 6 to 23 months can be found behind Donald's Boat. It has some low, padded climbing toys.

Chip and Dale used to have a walk-through treehouse in Toontown before the closure. It has not returned. That is now the location of Popcorn Park.

Characters in Mickey's Toontown

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Pluto plays with child

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Pete draws a big crowd

It's always so fun to meet characters in Toontown! Sometimes they are in their houses (that's where you will usually find Mickey and Minnie!), but the other characters are usually on the move.

Most characters wander around and play with guests. Mickey and Minnie are generally at their houses though. You can walk up and ask for them for a photo or a hug. Sometimes they will let a line form to meet them. Other times they only walk around.

Besides Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto and Goofy, other Disney animated characters may show up too. Steamboat Pete made his debut in Toontown, and we couldn't be hoppier! We've run into Clarabelle Cow too!

Mickey has a new casual outfit when he appears in front of his house instead of in his movie barn. We have not caught him in it yet, but we have met Mickey in many of his costumes in his barn. You might find Daisy showing off her new cafe!

Dining at Mickey’s Toontown Disneyland

There are two new food establishments in Toontown at Disneyland. One is a quick-service restaurant called Café Daisy, and the other is a snack stand known as Good Boy! Grocers. There is also a new popcorn stand in the land. Hop over to our post with all of the scrumptious new food items and menus in Mickey's Toontown.

Need gluten-free or dairy-free options? Allergy-friendly offerings are available too — just ask at the locations! You can also scroll down to find them when mobile ordering.

Café Daisy

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Plant-based option

This sidewalk table eatery serves up diner classics that adults and tadpoles can enjoy. You can use the Mobile Order feature to get food from this restaurant. We order lunch early in the morning and schedule it for lunchtime so we don't have to worry about it.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland — Now Open! - Blueberry doughnuts with fruity cereal at Cafe Daisy

This menu has grown-up menu items and smaller items for the tadpoles too! Enjoy a Dressed-up Dog or Pizza Flop-Over here, as well as delicious drinks, such as the Picnic Time Watermelon Lemonade! Some kid options include Minnie's Mini Corn Dogs and Mini Mac and Cheesy. They're so froglicious! The doughnuts (available all day) got an upgrade to blueberry flavor with fruity cereal, and we frogs are here for it!

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Kid food

Toontown Farmers Market at Good Boy! Grocers

This friendly roadside stand, Good Boy! Grocers is inspired by Pluto, the good boy himself! has grab-and-go items, yummy treats and novelty items you won't want to miss.

The store offers adorable food merchandise, such as souvenir sippers with Mickey and Minnie or Donald diving into your drink or slush. You can also get small snacks, like Cuties mandarins, pickles, bottled drinks or larger items, such as the Perfect Picnic Blanket and Perfect Picnic Basket. If the basket or blanket are no longer available at the stand, you can try mobile ordering them from Cafe Daisy.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Donald sipper

Here are some novelty items you can actually use on the lawns in CenTOONial Park!:

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - decompression area

  • Perfect Picnic Basket — choose three small snacks to put inside and choose between a small Dasani water or a juice box — $25.99 (basket and blanket together are $36.99)
  • Perfect Picnic Blanket — $14.99
  • Souvenir Donald Sipper — $16.99 (comes with a beverage)
  • Souvenir Mickey and Minnie Sipper — $16.99 (comes with a beverage)

Here's a hot tip: You can save money by purchasing the blanket with the basket. We sometimes see the basket or the blanket available through mobile order at Café Daisy. When the basket is on mobile order, you save a few dollars (it's $19.99 as an add-on to food items), but it comes without snacks. Mobile order will also help you skip the line at Good Boy! Grocers.

Since the theme of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is a perfect picnic, you can keep the fun going with a perfect picnic of your own whether you have a snack or a meal.

Popcorn Cart

You can get popcorn and drinks here as well as a special souvenir bucket:

  • Souvenir Yummy! Popcorn Bucket (box with lanyard) — $23

Behind the popcorn cart is a great spot to decompress and relax. You can enjoy your popcorn in a quiet spot in the shade or sun. You'll find benches and the green lawn to sit on and rest your flippers.

Toontown Shopping

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown - EngineEAR Souvenirs

There's a new shop in Tootown at Disneyland called EngineEAR Souvenirs. You can access it to the left of the Mickey & Mickey's Runaway Railway entrance. You also exit the ride into the gift shop. A model train runs on a track suspended from the ceiling. Besides all the fun merchandise, keep an eye out for references to important Disney dates on the registers (including Jan. 24, 1993, which was the opening date of the original Mickey’s Toontown). Can you catch the nods to Mickey Mouse cartoons, celebrities and all the railroad references in the shop?

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - New ears for MMRR

You can purchase a larger picnic blanket, clothes, toys, special merchandise for Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and toadally cute themed ears.

What to Expect at the Reimagined Toontown at Disneyland - Concession candy

You know those cute "fake" candies, such as Power Limes and Golly Pops, in the concession stand in the Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway queue? They are real! You can purchase those items in EngineEARS!

Are you planning to visit Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland? What new area or old favorite are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments section below.

Related: What's Coming to Disneyland Resort in 2024 and Beyond

Related: Our Top Tips for Visiting Mickey's Toontown with Kids

Hoppy planning!

Keep hopping, Mommy Frog!
View Comments

Comments

Mar 19, 2023 at 9:03 p.m.
Heidi at pureparks1955 Says...

So fun! I can't wait to see it. Looks like little Mickey Mouse was running around the green space too!

Reply
Mar 20, 2023 at 8:20 a.m.
FrogBlog Says...

We had SO much fun - excited for you to experience it!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Feb 27, 2023 at 11:37 p.m.
Elizabeth Says...

We're going next week and are sad that the opening was pushed back. Other than Runaway Railroad, are any parts of ToonTown open to look at, walk through, or interact with? Is everything behind big barriers?

Reply
Mar 1, 2023 at 2:58 p.m.
FrogBlog Says...

Hi Elizabeth!

You can interact with some areas right when you enter and in front of Roger Rabbit. You can walk to the restrooms and past where the food will be, but the rest is blocked off, so there really isn't too much yet!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Feb 11, 2023 at 5:21 a.m.
Ocean Says...

Was this originally supposed to open on March 8? We are booked over the 8th, see that it is an unusually busy day…it seems to be linked to toon town but opening day is the 19th, so I’m confused! Also, if the 8th is a date, will that impact crowds at California Adventure? Thanks so much!

Reply
Feb 11, 2023 at 9:46 a.m.
FrogBlog Says...

Hi Ocean!

Yes, the reopening of Toontown was just pushed back to March 19 (with the original date being March 8), so crowds will likely not be as high as initially anticipated, though DCA Food & Wine Festival can still bring in some crowds and it kicks off March 3. However, midweek should be less crowded than weekends.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply

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