A contemporary survey commissioned via Disney Vacationer Weblog of a random however consultant number of DTB authors printed that the number one maximum huggable Disney personality and #1 most-perplexing ‘lacking’ meet & greet from Walt Disney International or Disneyland is Purple Panda Mei. Just right information for everybody surveyed: the long-lasting Turning Purple superstar is coming to the 2026 Lunar New 12 months at Disney California Journey!
The fan-favorite Lunar New 12 months birthday celebration returns to Disney California Journey from January twenty third via February 22, 2026. To ring within the 12 months of the Horse, Horace Horsecollar will make appearances all the way through this joyous competition that honors Chinese language, Vietnamese and Korean traditions.
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse go back to greet visitors of their Korean-inspired outfits, and new this yr, a number of Disney characters will debut all-new outfits with representations of Vietnamese and Chinese language apparel. And as discussed above, essentially the most iconic personality from Turning Purple is after all making her home parks debut as a personality meet & greet.
There may be one relatively massive exception to that–the panda within the room, if you’re going to. Whilst I respect the added characters and the entire love Turning Purple has been getting at Disneyland Lodge (beginning with Lunar New 12 months and proceeding with a large presence in Pixar Fest), it nonetheless boggles the thoughts that Purple Panda Mei isn’t a meet & greet personality!
For those who haven’t observed Turning Purple (no longer that any one cares, however it’s my favourite Disney or Pixar film since Coco–I adore it much more than Encanto and the entirety else since, of what I’ve observed), there’s actually a meet and greet with Purple Panda Mei within the film itself.
We first coated the Purple Panda Mei again in early 2023, when Disney in the beginning introduced that the nature would debut as a meet & greet at Shanghai Disneyland. Purple Panda Mei has been assembly there for three years now, which we presume is what explains the park’s endured prosperity.
In next personality bulletins for the home parks that yr, we wrote that it used to be “such an evident concept that it’s embarrassing it has taken Disney goodbye to roll out the nature. A Purple Panda Mei meet & greet would pay for itself within the products and lush gross sales it could assist push. I’m no longer even kidding.”
I wasn’t kidding. However I additionally wasn’t retaining my breath. The above quote used to be written in a submit about how lengthy it used to be taking to carry Encanto characters to Walt Disney International, one thing that used to be accomplished at a actually glacial tempo.
Within the years since, Pixar Fest has come and long past at Disneyland, and I’ve echoed the similar sentiment about Purple Panda Mei. Whilst she did sign up for the parade, that’s no longer a meet & greet.
Then there’s Lunar New 12 months, which has–much more perplexingly–added face characters from Turning Purple within the closing couple of years. The ones actors have been implausible, however the ones meets weren’t even on the subject of the similar want achievement situation as hugging Purple Panda Mei.
All through the 2026 Lunar New 12 months festivities, Purple Panda Mei will meet within the Pixar Pier Band Shell (between Toy Tale Mania and Within Out Emotional Whirlwind). No phrase but on hours or whether or not the meet & greet will proceed past February 22, 2026. Our hope is that it’s prolonged via well-liked call for.
Suffice to mention, I’m more than happy about this announcement. After 3 years of ready, my dream is after all going to return true. And via my dream, after all I imply my dream of our daughter assembly Purple Panda Mei. As partial to hugging, bears, raccoons, and raccoon canine (tanuki), I’m already assured this meet & greet goes to be an enormous hit along with her.
(Ok k, I’ll admit that I’m additionally excited for me. Purple Panda Mei is simply a perfect personality and really underutilized within the parks. And Turning Purple is one in all a number of excellent to nice motion pictures dumped onto Disney+ that deserved extra. )
Along with the massive information of Purple Panda Mei’s meet & greet debuting at DCA, Disneyland Lodge additionally simply launched the Disney Eats Foodie Information to Lunar New 12 months, highlighting limited-time menu pieces and novelties visitors can revel in throughout Disney California Journey, Downtown Disney, and the Motels of the Disneyland Lodge all the way through this particular match.
This yr’s competition boasts 35 emblem new meals & beverage pieces, and two new novelties. Lunar New 12 months menu highlights come with:
- NEW Japchae Noodles with grilled quick rib from Longevity Noodle Co.
- NEW Guava dragon fruit cocktail from Bamboo Blessings
- NEW Highly spiced red meat stomach grilled cheese from Pym Take a look at Kitchen
- Mandarin orange cream puff from Purple Dragon Spice Investors
Disneyland additionally showed that the Sip & Savor Move will as soon as once more go back, giving visitors the facility to pattern a couple of menu pieces. To be had in 3 other designs, the scannable move contains six coupons that may be redeemed for choose meals and nonalcoholic drinks from taking part marketplaces and places in DCA.
Clearly, the jury continues to be out at the meals on the 2026 Lunar New 12 months, however it seems like most commonly extra of the similar. As mentioned in the newest replace to our listing of the 26 Highest Eating places at Disneyland in 2026, we’ve been actually underwhelmed via the meals scene at Disneyland Lodge in recent times.
Competition meals is among the greatest offenders. The closing a number of occasions had been utterly phoned-in, with a host of uninteresting and fundamental convenience meals priced at $9 and up for small sample-sized parts. The menus have in large part stagnated, and the recognition of those cubicles turns out to lower with each and every match–so I’m no longer even positive how Disneyland justifies keeping up the established order with competition meals.
The silver lining is that Lunar New 12 months has had the most efficient competition meals in the previous couple of years. Possibly even sufficient to justify acquire of the Sip & Savor Move. We nonetheless suggest simply paying as you cross, which additionally opens the door to take a look at extra formidable menus on the counter provider eating places, which typically additionally be offering higher bang for dollar than the ~$9 snack-sized parts.
After all, Disneyland Lodge has showed that reside leisure, together with the aforementioned appearances via Disney buddies wearing Lunar New 12 months apparel, in addition to “Mulan’s Lunar New 12 months Procession” and the “Hurry House – A Lunar New 12 months Party” pre-show earlier than “International of Colour Happiness!” will all go back for the 2026 Lunar New 12 months.
Truthfully, it’s all of these things–and the entirety else over in Paradise Gardens Park–that’s the spotlight of the competition, and what makes it particular. The meals may also be amusing, however the cultural and personality parts are the center of the development, and what makes Lunar New 12 months probably the most highlights of the yr at DCA. After all, we will be able to’t wait to fulfill Purple Panda Mei this yr, however that’s simply icing at the cake!
Making plans a Southern California holiday? For park admission offers, learn Guidelines for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site resorts in our Anaheim Resort Evaluations & Ratings. For the place to devour, take a look at our Disneyland Eating place Evaluations. For distinctive concepts of items that’ll strengthen your go back and forth, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Holiday Making plans Information. After all, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and heaps of alternative puts!
