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Update for September 10 – 16, 2012

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News and Views

Disneyland adds carnival to Halloween Time activities | The new face of Buena Vista Street | This and That.å..

Disneyland adds carnival to Halloween Time activities

When the princesses moved out of the Fantasyland theater and into their new temporary meet-and-greet location near “it's a small world,” we wondered where Disney would set up the Villains meet-and-greets that are one of the most popular elements of the Halloween Time festivities.

With Halloween Time starting this Friday, Disney has announced a new Halloween Carnival at the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. In addition to the pumpkin carvers and craft station normally offered at Big Thunder Ranch in the fall, there will be new carnival games, along with new food and merchandise carts.

New entertainment includes Billy Hill and the “Haunted” Hillbillies, a “mask parade” with Mickey and friends, and an all-new Magic Cauldron Sideshow. Based on the description posted on the Disney Parks Blog, this is the new Villains meet-and-greet opportunity:

“Dare to venture into this tented area, and you may be asked to help cast a magic spell, conjuring a Disney Villain from his or her realm to meet your group before returning to worlds beyond. Disney Villains fans will want to visit more than once, since you never know which Disney Villain might be summoned each time. Sounds like a real 'scream!'”

The Halloween Carnival is scheduled to run September 14 through October 31, but Disney has not yet said whether it will be open during the after-hours Mickey's Halloween Treat events.

The new face of Buena Vista Street

If you've visited Disney California Adventure since its grand rededication in June, you may have noticed the elaborately themed display windows along Buena Vista Street. The Disney Parks Blog has recently posted a pair of YouTube videos featuring set decorator Brandon Kleyla, who oversaw the design of the highly detailed displays.

In these videos, Kleyla lovingly describes his favorite windows, and talks about the efforts Imagineering put into finding period-specific props, like baseballs with red and black stitches for the Five and Dime window. Watching these videos really gives you a sense of how much care and thought went into selecting just the right piece of furniture, photo, or prop to convey the 1920s theme of the street.

Imagineer Brandon Kleyla talks about the original design of the Buena Vista Street windows in this Disney Parks video.

It's a good thing that many of these windows were documented in the Disney Parks videos, because that's now the only way to see them as the designers intended. Just days after the second video was posted online, Disney's “Resort enhancement” team moved in and added store merchandise to these windows, ruining—in the opinion of this writer and many fans who have taken to Twitter, Facebook, and online discussion forums to protest the change—the theme and atmosphere created by the original displays.

The Atwater Ink and Paint window now displays an unlikely combination of messy painting supplies, and Disney kitchenware. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The books in the Five and Dime window, with their custom-designed dust jackets re-creating books that Walt Disney may have drawn inspiration from, now serve as mere risers for a selection of theme park souvenirs. The work bench in the Atwater Ink and Paint window—originally based on Mary Blair's workstation on display at the Walt Disney Family museum—is now covered with a display of Disney dishes and kitchen gadgets. The intricate details of the Julius Katz and Sons windows are lost under displays of DCA coffee mugs and picture frames, and the kinetic sculpture in the window has been turned into nothing more than a hat rack for Mickey Mouse ears.

Custom-covered books in the Five and Dime window now serve as risers for an assortment of DCA merchandise. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Some believe the change was prompted by lackluster sales in the main entrance stores. While the gorgeous architecture and period-perfect window displays helped truly evoke 1920s Los Angeles, they did not reflect the nature of the retail stores inside. The situation is exacerbated by a new Disney conservation policy requiring store doors to be kept closed to avoid air conditioning the outside. Park visitors, conditioned over the years to interpret a closed door to mean “this is a facade, don't come in” are supposedly less likely to enter the stores. And to be fair, this is very much the case elsewhere in DCA, where the closed doors on Hollywood Blvd. are just a false front to the Animation Building or Muppets theater, or on Disneyland's Main Street, where doors to the Casting and Dentist offices don't open into stores. Buena Vista Street cast members have taken to propping the doors open where possible, or standing in the doorways to keep the doors open where not, but these efforts apparently were not enough.

Props and product mix in the Five and Dime window. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Some of the changes are less obtrusive than others. The Disney toys added to the Big Top Toys window aren't entirely out of place (the 2012-logo apparel is another story), and it's understandable that a department store like the Five and Dime would have sellable merchandise in the window. Other changes are completely jarring, like an array of cooking gadgets and serving dishes displayed on an ink-spattered artist's desk, or Disney scrapbook paper shoved into a vintage typewriter. But even where one could argue that the merchandise makes sense, the displays don't.

The Donald and Goofy figures are for sale at Big Top Toys, but the toy carnival ride they are displayed with is not. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The baseball window in the Five and Dime now has five display forms: three with DCA-logo clothing and two with Buena Vista All Stars baseball jerseys. Visually, there is nothing to distinguish the sellable shirt and sweatshirts from the prop jerseys, especially since Disney has sold similar sports-theme apparel in the past.

The Big Top Toys window display includes some Disney figures that aren't actually for sale, or don't come with the prop they are displayed with. The line between “merchandise” and “prop” should be clear, but in many cases it's not.

Scrapbook paper is displayed in a vintage typewriter. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Admittedly, these are changes that a small minority of park visitors would ever notice—you know it's a slow news week when we're complaining about store windows. Many store cast members even overlooked the makeover, and most park guests likely pay only a passing glance at the elaborate window displays as they rush to grab a Radiator Springs Racers Fastpass. But for guests willing to take their time and enjoy the scenery, the highly detailed windows were a work of art, filled with incredible props. Cluttering them up with merchandise—even the new DCA and Buena Vista Street collections—does a disservice to the designers and the team that worked so hard to build the original displays.

The kinetic sculpture in the Julius Katz and Sons window is now a hat rack. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

This and That…

…Today is the last day to purchase tickets to the Annual Passholder dinner event and preview of “The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition” at Disney California Adventure. The event is this Thursday, September 13, and tickets are $295 per person. Passholders can call (714) 781-7277 to purchase tickets, or buy them at the Disneyland ticket booths.

The free AP preview of the exhibit, also scheduled for Thursday, filled to capacity quickly after registration opened last week. The exhibit opens to the public on Friday, along with the start of Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort. The Animation Courtyard at Disney California Adventure is closed until Friday while the exhibit is installed.

…Disney announced last week that there will be no after-hours Disneyland Christmas parties this year. Instead, cast members are invited to bring their families to a series of “mix-in” days, when the park is open to the general public. Some have speculated that this change may pave the way for Disneyland to introduce a West Coast version of the popular Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party offered in Walt Disney World, but we think it's more likely due to the expansion of the Candlelight Processional to 20 nights in December.

…There's still no official opening date for the Earl of Sandwich restaurant in Downtown Disney, but the kiosk in front of the former Compass Books location has been demolished (possibly to make room for an outdoor seating area), and a section of the exterior has been painted.

The kiosk in front of the former Compass Books location has been demolished, possibly to make room for an outdoor seating area for the Earl of Sandwich restaurant. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Portions of the new Earl of Sandwich exterior have been painted, but it looks like they may be testing different paint colors and combinations. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…The Los Angeles Times reported last week about a new California Assembly bill that may add a twist to the ongoing legal challenge to Disney's policy on hijabs, turbans, and facial hair. AB 1964, known as the Workplace Religious Freedom Act and numbered for the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, would amend the government code to include the following protection:

“Religious creed,” “religion,” “religious observance,” “religious belief,” and “creed” include all aspects of religious belief, observance, and practice, including religious dress and grooming practices. “Religious dress practice” shall be construed broadly to include the wearing or carrying of religious clothing, head or face coverings, jewelry, artifacts, and any other item that is part of the observance by an individual of his or her religious creed. “Religious grooming practice” shall be construed broadly to include all forms of head, facial, and body hair that are part of the observance by an individual of his or her religious creed.

This change, which is effective January 1, 2013, could require Disney to allow cast members who work in positions with guest interaction to wear religious garb such as turbans, yarmulke, or hijabs, or for male cast members to sport full beards and long hair.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun MouseAdventure bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, go to the MousePlanet main page and enter your e-mail address in the top right box labeled “Join the MousePlanet Newsletter.” Click Join, then fill out the fields in the registration page, including your first and last name. The Newsletter is free, but you must complete this registration to receive it, even if you may have signed up for one with us in the past.

…Visitors planning trips to the Disneyland Resort should make a point to check the Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures section each week for the most recent updates. The Disneyland Resort Web site currently only publishes refurbishment information about six weeks in advance. Be sure to check the most recent Park Update (link) for the latest changes, as MousePlanet does not edit past Park Updates to reflect changes.

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Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all of these have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit.

Disneyland

• Plaza Gardens – closed until Spring 2013 for the construction of the new Fantasy Faire.
• Princess Fantasy Faire/Fantasyland Theater – closed until Summer 2013 for refurbishment of the Fantasyland Theater. The Princess meet-and-greet is relocated to the terrace near “it's a small world” until the new Fantasy Faire opens.
• Troubadour Treats – closed until Summer 2013 for refurbishment of the Fantasyland Theater.
• Haunted Mansion – closed through September 13 for installation of the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
• Snow White Grotto and Wishing Well – closed until September 24 for refurbishment.
• Disneyland Railroad – reduced capacity (3 of 4 trains available) through November 6.
• Storybook Land – closed until November 15 for refurbishment.
• Casey Jr. – closed until November 15 for refurbishment.
• Indiana Jones Adventure – closed until December 7 for refurbishment.
• Space Mountain – closed until September 13 for installation of the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
• Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm – closed until September 13 for installation of the Halloween Time overlay.
• Main Street Lockers – closed until September 13 for refurbishment.
• “it's a small world” toy shop – closed until September 14 for refurbishment.
• Cafe Orleans – closed until September 21 for refurbishment.
• Main Street Mad Hatter – closed until September 21 for refurbishment.
• Redd Rocketts Pizza Port – closed until September 21 for refurbishment.
• Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes – closed September 17 and 18 for refurbishment.
• Sailing Ship Columbia – closed September 18–20 for deck oiling.
• Mark Twain Riverboat – closed September 25–28 for deck oiling.
• Goofy's Playhouse – closed October 1–11 for refurbishment.
• Starcade – closed October 8–18 for refurbishment.
• “it's a small world” – closed October 22 to November 8 to install the holiday overlay.
• Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm – closed November 1–8 to transition from Halloween Time to Holiday overlay.
• Space Mountain – closed November 5 to remove the Ghost Galaxy overlay.

Disney California Adventure

• Muppet Vision 3D – closed until September 13.
• Disney Animation Courtyard – closed until September 13 for refurbishment. Turtle Talk and Animation Academy will be open and accessible via side doors.
• Soarin' Over California Theater A – closed September 18 for refurbishment.
• Soarin' Over California Theater B – closed September 19 for refurbishment.

Note: Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, call Disneyland at (714) 781-7290.

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Park Schedule/Blockout Dates