This special Thursday edition of our weekly live show covered a lot of ground. Sam joined us from the road just after the premiere Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite event at Disneyland. That meant new popcorn buckets, sippers, event details, and a firsthand look at what the night actually felt like in the park.
But the show did not stay in one lane. Holly returned with a quick Hallmark update. We got new dates for the 2026 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which starts earlier than ever on August 7. Greg also got a firsthand look at the construction progress at Disney Lakeshore Lodge.
And Sam had more Disneyland to cover beyond Star Wars. That included Bluey’s Best Day Ever, the return of Paint the Night, Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival just wrapping up, and a look inside the updated timeline at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Sam Reports Back from Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite
The biggest headline of the night was Sam joining from the road fresh off Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite. Disney describes these after-hours events as running from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Disneyland park, with themed entertainment, specialty menu items, character experiences, shorter attraction wait times, unlimited digital PhotoPass downloads, and commemorative keepsakes. The April 28 event also landed right at the front edge of Disneyland’s larger Star Wars season.
That made this more than just another party-night recap. Star Wars Nite was also one of the first chances for guests to see how Disneyland was expanding the story at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
That is a meaningful detail for fans who care about continuity in Galaxy’s Edge. For years, the land sat in a very specific point on the Star Wars timeline. This new approach gives Disneyland more room to bring in different characters and stories, which makes the land feel more flexible going forward.
The Popcorn Buckets and Sippers Were Part of the Story Too
Of course, it would not be Star Wars season at Disneyland without new novelty items. Disney Parks Blog previewed fresh Star Wars popcorn buckets, sippers, and other collectibles tied to the May the 4th celebration window, with select items also available during Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite. The April 28 and April 30 event nights also gave guests early access to shop some items from the May the 4th Logo Collection.
That is part of what made Sam’s report from the event especially useful. These limited releases are no longer side details. They are part of how fans plan these nights, and often part of what gets remembered most.
We Have Dates for EPCOT Food and Wine Festival 2026
Back on the Walt Disney World side, Disney officially announced that the 2026 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival runs from August 27 through November 21, 2026. That gives fans another long runway of booths, bites, drinks, and festival energy at EPCOT as the year starts to shift toward fall.
This is always one of those planning stories that gets people moving fast. Once the dates are out, the conversation changes from waiting to planning. Vacation timing, festival strategy, and what Disney might reveal next all suddenly start to matter.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Starts Earlier Than Ever
We also now have dates for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and yes, it starts earlier than many fans expected. The 2026 party season runs from August 7 through October 31. That August 7 start puts Halloween planning in motion very early, even by Disney standards.
That early start is one of the biggest practical takeaways from the whole week. If you are planning a late-summer trip, the line between summer and Halloween at Walt Disney World keeps getting thinner.
Greg Gets a Firsthand Look at Disney Lakeshore Lodge
Greg also checked out the construction progress at Disney Lakeshore Lodge, which Disney introduced on April 21 as a new waterfront retreat where guests and their loved ones will discover the wonder of nature through Disney storytelling. The project is one of the more interesting resort stories at Walt Disney World right now because it is being framed around atmosphere and setting as much as new-room inventory.
Holly Checks In with Hallmark Happenings
Holly was back as well with a quick Hallmark Happenings segment. That has become a nice recurring part of the show because it adds another lane for Disney collectors and nostalgia fans. The Hallmark 2026 Dream Book is now live digitally, and it includes new Disney Parks ornaments, including entries tied to attraction and park memories.
That kind of update may not sound like a headline next to Star Wars Nite or Mickey’s Not-So-Scary dates, but it fits the audience well. Disney fandom has always lived in the details, and Hallmark is one of those spaces where that detail-driven nostalgia shows up every year.
Sam’s Disneyland Report Went Beyond Star Wars
What made this episode especially strong was that Sam’s Disneyland report did not stop with Star Wars. He also looked at Bluey’s Best Day Ever, which debuted at Disneyland park on March 22, 2026. Disney Parks Blog says the Fantasyland Theatre has been reimagined as Bluey’s school, with Bluey and Bingo appearing in rotating show moments throughout the day, along with themed food and merchandise.
That matters because Bluey is not just another character meet and greet. It is one of the clearest examples of Disney leaning into what younger families are excited about right now, and doing it in a way that feels like a full offering instead of a quick overlay.
Paint the Night Is Still a Draw at Disneyland
Sam also covered Paint the Night, which remains one of the biggest reasons fans want to be in Disneyland after dark. Disney has said the fan-favorite parade is part of the Disneyland Resort 70th Anniversary entertainment lineup and that the 70th celebration continues through August 9, 2026.
That gives the parade extra weight this summer. It is not just back. It is part of a limited anniversary window, which makes it feel more urgent for fans trying to fit Disneyland into their 2026 plans.
Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Was Wrapping Up
Sam also touched on Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival just as it was wrapping up. That gave the show another useful Disneyland Resort perspective, because it let the conversation stretch beyond one single event night and into the broader seasonal experience across the resort.
That is part of what made this special edition feel fuller than a simple Star Wars recap. It covered how much was happening across Disneyland at once, from Star Wars to Bluey to nighttime entertainment to the final stretch of the spring food festival.
Watch the full live show below.
