Yesterday was one of those "in-between" days at the Happiest Place on Earth. You know the ones. The holiday crowds have finally packed up their glittery mouse ears and headed home, leaving the park in this weird, quiet state of transition. Honestly, if you were there on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, you probably noticed the vibe was a bit different than the usual high-octane Disney chaos.
It was a day defined by the "January Reset."
While most people think Disneyland is just 365 days of identical magic, what happened at Disneyland yesterday proved that mid-January is its own beast entirely. It was a day of short lines, major closures, and the slow, steady hum of the 70th Anniversary celebration finding its rhythm.
The Quiet Reality of the January Lull
Basically, if you walked through the turnstiles yesterday, you weren't fighting for your life in a sea of strollers. Wait times were actually reasonable. We’re talking 20-minute waits for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and maybe 45 for Space Mountain during the peak afternoon. Compared to the three-hour nightmares of two weeks ago, it felt like a ghost town.
But there’s a trade-off.
Disney uses this exact week to start tearing things apart. The park felt a little "under construction" because, well, it is. The Haunted Mansion was dark. It’s currently in that ten-day window (January 12–22) where the Holiday overlay—all that Nightmare Before Christmas decor—is being ripped out to make way for the original 999 happy haunts.
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It’s always a bummer to see the Mansion gates locked, but it’s the price we pay for a quieter park.
What Really Happened at Disneyland Yesterday with the Monorail
There’s been some chatter about the Monorail lately, especially after that messy power outage earlier in the month that left 60 people stuck in the air. Yesterday, the Monorail was back in operation, but it was at the center of some boring-but-important paperwork.
Disney filed permits yesterday to update the turnstiles at the Downtown Disney Monorail station.
Right now, the signs are those old-school static ones. They’re finally switching to digital overhead signs. It sounds minor, but it’s part of a much bigger push to modernize the older infrastructure. You’ve probably noticed the park is leaning hard into tech lately, and this is just another small brick in that wall.
Interestingly, the Mark Twain Riverboat was also out of commission yesterday. It’s part of a very short maintenance window that wraps up today, January 15. If you were hoping for a peaceful loop around the Rivers of America yesterday, you were out of luck.
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The Star Wars Rumor Mill Heat Up
If you spent any time in Galaxy’s Edge yesterday, you likely heard the whispers. Disney just dropped a bombshell about adding Original Trilogy characters to the land, and the "Batuu purists" are losing their minds.
Yesterday was the final "normal" Wednesday before the massive Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance closure.
Starting January 20, that ride goes dark for a long time. Like, "no reopening date in sight" long. There was a lot of speculation yesterday among guests that the closure is to retro-fit the ride for those Original Trilogy characters, but Disney has been pretty quiet on that front. Most experts think it’s just heavy-duty maintenance for a ride system that breaks down if someone so much as sneezes on a trackless vehicle.
Why the 70th Anniversary Vibe Felt Different
The 70th Anniversary celebration is still the main event, but yesterday it felt more... manageable. The "Celebrate Happy Cavalcade" rolled through at 1:30 PM and 2:45 PM. It’s a smaller parade, but honestly, it’s easier to catch than the massive nighttime shows.
Speaking of nighttime, "Fantasmic!" was dark yesterday.
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This is the tricky part of visiting in mid-January. A lot of the big nighttime spectaculars like "Wondrous Journeys" with fireworks or "Fantasmic!" only run on the weekends right now. If you were there yesterday expecting the big booms in the sky, you got projections on the castle instead. It’s still cool, but it’s not the full-fat experience.
The "Real" Disneyland Yesterday
Honestly? Yesterday was a day for the locals and the savvy travelers.
The weather was typical SoCal winter—chilly in the morning, perfect by 2 PM, and jacket-weather again by 6 PM. The crowds were low because local schools are back in session and the MLK Day holiday weekend hasn't quite kicked off yet.
If you were there, you probably got to do more in six hours than most people do in twelve. That’s the "Magic" of a random Wednesday in January. It’s not about the big headlines; it’s about the fact that you could actually walk through New Orleans Square without getting an elbow to the ribs.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Trip
If you’re looking at what happened at Disneyland yesterday and wondering how to play your own visit, here’s the deal:
- Check the Refurb Calendar: Always. If you go before January 22, you’re missing the Haunted Mansion. If you go after January 20, you’re missing Rise of the Resistance. Pick your poison.
- Mid-Week is King: Tuesdays and Wednesdays are still the "sweet spot" for low wait times, even with the 70th Anniversary pull.
- The Weekend Pivot: If you want fireworks and the "Fantasmic!" dragon, you must be there Friday through Sunday. Monday through Thursday is for the rides.
- Layer Up: People forget that Anaheim gets cold once the sun drops behind the Matterhorn. Bring a hoodie.
Yesterday wasn't a day of earth-shattering news, but it was a perfect example of why the "off-season" at Disneyland—even if it’s shorter than it used to be—is still the best time to actually enjoy the park. Just make sure you’re okay with a few "Closed for Refurbishment" signs before you drop $160 on a ticket.