Summer has officially arrived at the Disneyland Resort, and there is a ton to do for kids who are young and kids who are young at heart. This past week, we had the incredible opportunity to attend the media kickoff event for Kids Rule Summer, and rather than just regurgitating a list of dates and bullet points, we wanted to take you along for the journey to experience the day through the conversations we had with the incredible people making the magic happen.

From deep-space bounty hunts to a literal takeover by everyone’s favorite Blue Heeler, Disneyland is firing on all cylinders. Here is your ultimate look inside what is coming to the Happiest Place on Earth this summer!

A Galactic Feast & New Merchandise in Galaxy’s Edge

We started our day chatting with our friend AJ to talk about some incredibly exciting additions coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. With The Mandalorian and Grogu film hitting theaters, new food, novelties, and merchandise are landing on Batuu.

• New Docking Bay 7 Eats: Starting Friday, May 22nd, you can grab the refreshing Surabat Valley Green Salad or dive into the new Tip-Yip and cheesy noodles. The adult version kicks things up a notch with pancetta, breadcrumbs, and a serve-yourself vial of authentic Batuuan ghost pepper sauce! You can also spot the new Bounty Bun and Grogu pineapple cookies, which are inspired directly by the upcoming movie.
• Must-Have Novelties: The highly anticipated BDX Droid popcorn bucket is fully posable (it even has light-up eyes with different blinking patterns)! There is also a spectacular new Protocol Droid bucket that stands on its own and blinks.
• The Aurebesh Collection: If you love style, the new Aurebesh apparel collection beautifully blends the iconic, classic Star Wars logo with Aurebesh undertones.

Smugglers Run Gets a Massive Mandalorian Upgrade

One of the biggest highlights of the summer is a brand-new mission coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. We stood with Imagineer Asa and Michael from Disney Live Entertainment to talk about what it was like partnering with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau to launch a new bounty hunting adventure alongside Mando and Grogu.

Depending on your crew’s flight engineers, your team will get to jump to either Bespin, Endor, or Coruscant. Even better, all three roles on the ship have been enhanced. Engineers can now tractor in cargo for Hondo or call Grogu on a video screen, gunners get more responsive feedback for blasting TIE fighters, and pilots will get a completely cinematic experience no matter how they fly.

Michael also shared insight into the expanding timeline of the land. Following the success of bringing classic characters like Luke Skywalker into the park, guests can now experience a deeper era of storytelling with appearances by Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader alongside modern heroes like Rey and Mando. Hearing John Williams’ iconic imperial score swell when Vader arrives in the outpost is guaranteed to give you chills!

Celebrating Bluey’s Best Day Ever!

If you have little ones, you are going to fall in love with the colorful takeover happening at the Fantasyland Theater and Troubadour Tavern. Disneyland Ambassador Michelle walked us through Bluey’s Best Day Ever, a free-flowing, imaginative experience where kids can see Bluey and Bingo on stage or run wild in the fairy garden and gnome village.

While you are there, you can enjoy playful new food options, including a fantastic new kids’ meal value for $5.99. And for the adults? You absolutely cannot miss the Pizza Girls Baked Potato at Troubadour Tavern. It turns out putting pizza inside a baked potato is exactly what the world needed.

Making the Magic Accessible: Scavenger Hunts & $50 Tickets

We also caught up with our friend and former Disneyland Ambassador, Allie, to talk about the logistics of making the parks more accessible for families this summer. The true game-changer is the Kids Summer Ticket Offer, which allows children into the parks on select days for just $50 for a one-day park hopper ticket.

Allie also highlighted some fantastic complementary activities families can do together. You can pick up the brand-new, complimentary Mickey’s Park Rangers scavenger hunt booklet at West Side retail stores in Disneyland, or explore the extended Mabel Seek and Find over at Disney California Adventure’s Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Plus, look out for new dedicated Kid-to-Cast pin trading areas popping up around the resort!

First Look: Soarin’ Across America

In a truly special moment, we had the privilege and honor of standing with legendary Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald to discuss the breathtaking new domestic flight, Soarin’ Across America, debuting at Disneyland on July 2nd (and already open at Walt Disney World).

Tom walked us through the fast-paced, one-year production schedule that utilized cutting-edge virtual scouting before the crew flew a whopping 28,000 miles to capture a stunning portrait of the country from sea to shining sea. From the Statue of Liberty to the bayous of the South and the beaches of Hawaii, it is a magnificent four-and-a-half-minute journey.

The absolute best part for longtime Disney fans? Patrick Warburton is back! He returns to play a special introductory role where he has officially graduated to being a pilot—and even gets to playfully introduce his younger self from the beloved safety video.

A Sparkling Goodnight Kiss to the 70th Anniversary

Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration is still going strong through August 9th, and Corey gave us a look at the gorgeous new Finale Collection. Evoking a beautiful “twilight” feel with shades of purple and violet, this collection serves as a “goodnight kiss” to thank guests for 70 years of magic. The crown jewels of the collection are the Mickey ears, Minnie ears, and a matching purse, all embossed with real Swarovski crystals. The collection also features a beautiful vintage-style Spirit Jersey and special limited-edition pins celebrating 25 years of pin collecting.

The True Meaning of “Kids Rule”

When you look at everything happening at the Disneyland Resort this summer, it is easy to see that Walt would have been incredibly proud. He handcrafted Disneyland because he wanted a place where people could leave the outside world behind and be happier.

To us, “Kids Rule Summer” has a double meaning. Yes, it is a wonderful celebration of activities for children. But it is also a reminder that the childlike mindset rules. It’s an invitation to let go of your daily worries, embrace pure enthusiasm, and enjoy the magic exactly like a kid again.

Watch or listen to the full episode above to hear all of our interviews! What are you most looking forward to experiencing at Disneyland this summer? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to head over to DapsHQ.com to join our community for exclusive behind-the-scenes chats and our weekly Geeks Corner after-show!

Make it a great week, keep kind, and we’ll see you in the parks!