Disneyland update – April 22, 2026: A live ground-level park update covering the latest construction progress, attraction closures, reopening dates, and real wait time data worth knowing before your next visit.
There is a lot happening at Disneyland Park right now. A fan-favorite attraction is heading into a closure that will likely run into summer, Jungle Cruise is almost back, Main Street USA is looking better than it has in years, and a mysterious new structure just appeared near the Matterhorn. Here is everything worth knowing.
What’s Happening At a Glance
- Jungle Cruise reopening this Friday after a brief closure
- Pirates of the Caribbean closing May 4th — no return date announced
- Blue Bayou closing May 4th, reopening around May 20th
- Carnation Cafe facade scrims are down and it looks great
- Something new is being built near the Matterhorn
- Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin still closed, May reopening being watched
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway running well below its posted wait
- Bluey show schedule changing in about a week
Jungle Cruise — Reopening This Friday
Jungle Cruise is on the calendar to reopen this coming Friday. From a ground-level look, materials are still visible in parts of the area and scaffolding has not fully cleared, so it is cutting it close. But the date is set and barring a last-minute delay, boats should be back on the river by the end of the week. If Jungle Cruise has been on your must-do list and you have a visit coming up soon, the timing is working in your favor.
Pirates of the Caribbean — Closing May 4th
This is the headline. Pirates of the Caribbean closes for refurbishment on May 4th with no announced reopening date. Based on the scope and nature of these closures historically, the expectation is that this one runs through at least June. July is possible.
If Pirates is a priority for your trip and you have any flexibility on dates, visit before May 4th.
Blue Bayou — Closing May 4th, Reopening Around May 20th
Blue Bayou closes with Pirates on May 4th but has a much shorter window — the restaurant is expected to reopen around May 20th. That means there will be a stretch of roughly two to three weeks where you can dine at Blue Bayou with no boats passing through the bayou.
If you have been before, you know that the boats are the whole point. The food is solid, but a Blue Bayou reservation without Pirates running is a fundamentally different experience. If you have a reservation in that window, consider rescheduling. If you do not have one yet and were planning to book, go before May 4th or wait until after the ride reopens — whenever that ends up being.
Carnation Cafe — Scrims Down, Looking Excellent
The construction scrims came down on the Carnation Cafe facade on Main Street and what is underneath looks genuinely excellent. The brick veneers are sharp and the window trim is showing really vibrant, saturated color. The reds pop in a way that reads beautifully against the rest of Main Street.
Work is still ongoing on the awning and the canopy out front, which is limiting outdoor seating for the moment, but the restaurant is open and the main facade is essentially revealed. The overall Main Street refurbishment is coming together well right now — several storefronts along the upper facades are still getting paint and polish treatment, including Refreshment Corner, but the progress is visible and consistent.
One note: the Carnation Cafe sign is not finished. The lights are not installed, paint has not been refreshed, and there is visible discoloration. That sign almost certainly gets replaced before this project wraps rather than preserved as-is.
Matterhorn — Mysterious New Structure Going Up
Something new is being built near the Matterhorn and it has caught attention. A new architectural element is visible from the queue area — framing for what appears to be an arch structure, oriented toward the water rather than running parallel to the path the way the previous structure did. It is positioned differently than what was there before, which suggests this is not a straight replacement but something deliberately new.
The Matterhorn itself remains closed, making it impossible to get a proper overhead view of what is under construction. But from ground level, this is not minor set dressing. Something is being built there that looks intentional and designed. More details as the project progresses.
Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin — Still Closed
Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin in Toontown remains closed with no confirmed reopening date. The queue entrance has been converted to stroller parking in the meantime. A May reopening is what observers are watching for. Nothing confirmed by the park calendar yet.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway — Running Well Below Posted Times
If you are in Toontown and see a 40-minute posted wait on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, do not let it scare you off. Ground-level queue checks are putting the real back of the line only at the second prop room inside the building, which puts the actual wait closer to 20 to 25 minutes. The posted time is not accurate right now. Get in that queue.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — Merch Situation Worth Noting
The gift shop area near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure tells an interesting story right now. The space that includes Louie’s Critter Club is stocked overwhelmingly with Winnie the Pooh merchandise. Tiana’s merch has been reduced to a small corner nook with a handful of items — mini ears, a hoodie, a sweatshirt, and a hat.
When a gift shop reduces a character line and replaces it with something else, it is because the replacement sells better. Pooh merchandise is one of the most consistently profitable lines in the Disney portfolio. For context, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure itself remains one of the most popular rides in the park — when it is running, it regularly posts the longest wait time in the park, hitting 90 to 120 minutes on busy days. The merch situation is not a reflection of the ride’s popularity. It just turns out guests ride Tiana’s and then walk past the gift shop on the way to buy a Pooh stuffed animal.
Bluey Show — Schedule Changing in About a Week
The Bluey show at Fantasyland is updating its schedule. The current first show runs at 9:30am, which has been a friction point for families who do not want to rush to the park first thing in the morning just to catch it. Starting in about a week, the first show shifts to 11:00am and the last show of the day moves to 4:40pm. More time to ease into your morning, more flexibility for afternoon planning. A sensible change heading into summer.
Wait Times Right Now — What the Posted Numbers Are Actually Running
A few data points from ground-level queue checks worth having before your visit.
Indiana Jones is posting 50 minutes and running closer to 30 to 35. Timing from the standby threshold to the temple entrance — the only part of the queue that actually varies day to day — has been coming in around 20 minutes. Everything after the temple entrance is always the same regardless of the posted time. The number on the sign is inflated and should not be used as a reason to walk away from that queue.
Pirates of the Caribbean was posting 35 and running shorter than that despite the extended queue looking chaotic. The line had not been stanchioned properly, putting guests in scattered wild space that looked worse than it actually was. Get in that queue while you still can. May 4th is coming fast.
Space Mountain is a different story. A posted 40 jumped to 45 quickly and the full interior queue was in use, putting the real wait closer to 60 to 70 minutes. The posted number was not accurate, drew a crowd fast, and corrected upward within minutes. If you see Space Mountain at a surprisingly low posted time, verify whether the full interior queue is open before committing.
Small World was running long. The extended Christmas-season section of the queue was in use, which almost never happens outside of the holidays. When the weather warms up and families are looking for shade and a slow indoor boat ride, Small World stacks faster than most people expect.
What This Means for Your Visit
- Jungle Cruise returns this Friday — if it is on your list, this week is the week
- Pirates of the Caribbean and Blue Bayou both close May 4th — prioritize New Orleans Square before then
- Blue Bayou reopens around May 20th but without Pirates running — consider waiting for the full experience
- Carnation Cafe is nearly done and Main Street is looking great right now
- Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin is still out — remove it from your Toontown planning for now
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway posted waits are running high — real wait is closer to 20 minutes
- Indiana Jones posted times are inflated — closer to 30 minutes than 50 right now
- Space Mountain posted times have been running low before correcting — verify before you queue
For full trip planning around these updates, the Enchanted Insider Disneyland Itinerary Guide is updated for 2026 with day-by-day plans for both parks. For hotel and ticket packages, check Get Away Today before you book.