Disneyland's New $100 Sandwich Is All For Show
Disneyland in California, unlike Disney World in Florida, took its time to open back up after it closed for the pandemic. It only reopened its gates on April 30 of this year after 14 months of closure, but updated California guidelines mean that it will end capacity and physical distancing limitations by mid-June. The two parks that comprise the resort, Disneyland and California Adventure, are serving up enticing reasons for tourists to return, and that includes flashy new foods and beverages. Specifically, a sandwich that costs $99.99 before tax.
The "Family-sized Pym-ini" can be found at Pym Test Kitchen, a new restaurant in the brand-new Avengers Campus at California Adventure; both the restaurant and the campus open to the public on June 4. "Pym" refers to Dr. Hank Pym, a character from the Ant-Man Marvel film series who develops the shrinking technology that can turn Paul Rudd into a miniaturized, ultra-powerful version of himself. The restaurant concept Disney has designed around this franchise sounds pretty fun. Here's how the website describes it:
Head to Pym Test Kitchen for phenomenal food at unusual scales! Utilizing the revolutionary shrink-and-grow technology of Pym Particles, Ant-Man and The Wasp lead a team of research chefs as they pioneer a menu packed with inventive-sized entrees, tiny treats and shareable bites that provide the perfect power-up.
Translation: all the food is comically tiny or preposterously large. Hence, the $99.99 sandwich on the menu.
No, it doesn't come covered in gold or anything like that. As noted by MarketWatch, the price tag isn't that scary when you realize that the sandwich is intended to feed six to eight people, at a cost of $12.50 to $16.50 per person. (You might still balk at those prices, but they're certainly in line with typical Disney fare.) The Pym-ini is described on the menu as "Salami, Rosemary Ham, Provolone, and Sun-dried Tomato Spread on Toasted Focaccia with Marinara dipping Sauce, Potato Bites, and Arugula Salad." If your entire family doesn't agree to split this '90s-sounding sandwich—and when has an entire family at Disneyland agreed on anything?—there's a personal-sized Pym-ini for $14.49. No potato bites included with that one, though.
The whole "big food/little food" concept doesn't just provide a fun restaurant theme. It also serves as a clever excuse to offer a lineup of highly Instagrammable foods. When customers share pictures of these jaw-dropping edible creations, it amounts to tons of free promotion for Disney properties and inspires envy in one's social media followers, which can only mean good things for park attendance. If Disneyland is looking to supersize anything else, may I suggest the Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums?