Disneyland Resort Update

Update for August 16 – 22, 2010

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News and Views

Alice under wraps | Survey reveals interesting possible plans for Disneyland | Self-service stroller rental | New offers from D23 | Resort Construction Update | This and That…

Alice under wraps

David Koenig reported last Monday in his MousePlanet blog that the Alice in Wonderland attraction would reopen later that week, after a month-long closure during which Imagineering installed safety rails to the exterior “vine” section of the ride’s elevated track. Once the scaffolding that hid the construction work from view was cleared away, anxious fans got their first look at what a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman said would be an “interim solution” to the safety concerns detailed in David’s earlier report. As predicted, the ride opened Friday.

The temporary solution includes metal railings held in place by ground-level supports. The base is wrapped a vine-printed vinyl, and the railings are dotted with leaf-shaped cutouts (you can see easily that the fabric covering is already fraying). At the top of the “vine,” where the ramp exits the ride building, a wooden corner piece has been installed, painted to look like an extension of the Castle wall. [Additional photos are available on MousePad]

The railings are not very noticeable from the attraction queue. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The base of the supports form a partial tunnel over the load area. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The supports are covered in panels of vine-print vinyl. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Reaction to this installation has been very mixed. David said in his report, “Charitably speaking, the modifications look horrible,” while MousePlanet reader cbisson88 posted on Twitter that “the new facade to Alice is horrible.” Facebook member Jackie Covey declared the temporary fix “Hideous!” Yet after seeing the photos, others disagree. Readers Michael24 and jmorgan both said, “I think it looks just fine,” and reader (and Alice fan) cheshirecatgirl says “I don’t care what it looks like, as long as the ride is running when I go next time!” [Note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed the quote from jmorgan to reader MyFault.]

Disneyland had variously listed the ride as closed through October 2 (as posted on Disneyland.com) or January 2011 (in a cast member publication), so we don’t know when the ride might close again to install whatever permanent fix the Imagineer design for the ride.

A new wooden barrier surrounds the top exit from the ride building. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The new rails are decorated with leaf cut outs. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Survey reveals interesting possible plans for Disneyland

Web site Inside The Magic reported last week that Disney is conducting online surveys to gather customer reaction to a whole slew of alternative ticketing options. According to the article, some of the options listed for the Disneyland Resort included partial-day theme park tickets that would only be valid until 3:00 p.m. or only after 3:30 p.m., touring tickets that include park admission but no rides, and a discounted $59 advance-purchase ticket to Disney California Adventure park (link).

The site also reports that the survey presented several VIP options, including an unlimited Fastpass for an additional $150 per person, “Exclusive Experiences” like “Character nights” (essentially Extra Magic Hours with additional character opportunities, with a $125 price tag, or a “Premium Holiday Ticket,” which adds a surcharge to the normal one-day ticket rate, but comes with the promise that fewer people will be allowed into the park on busy holidays.

This survey comes in the same week that Disney disclosed in its third quarter earnings report that while per-capita spending by visitors was up slightly in its California and Florida theme parks and hotels, both park attendance and hotel occupancy had dipped this year compared to the same period last year. So Disney knows that while fewer people are visiting the theme parks and staying in the hotels, those same people people are spending more. Might those same people be willing to spend even more for an extra-special experience?

Universal has led the way in premium offerings, selling a “Front of the Line” ticket that offers not only preferred access to most attractions but also reserved seating areas for tours and shows. For Universal Studios Hollywood, such tickets run twice as much as the normal tickets, at $129 to $149 per day (including park admission). In Orlando the “Express Plus Pass” is available for $26 to $70 per person per day depending on the season, on top of park admission. Disney has so heavily promoted Fastpass as a “free service” for so long that it would be hard to suddenly charge for that perk (though it is clearly under consideration), but the company is just as clearly seeking additional ways to make even more money from those guests who continue to visit the parks despite the economy.

A Disney insider says that this is all part of Walt Disney World’s hush-hush next-generation project, which focuses not only on new technologies to enhance the guest experience at the Disney resorts, but also changes the way people buy theme park tickets, so that a base Magic Your Way ticket would be augmented by a myriad choices and upgrades that affect a guest’s entire experience. Are you willing to pony up $1,500 so your daughter can spend a few hours getting a makeover with Cinderella, or be happy handing over $100 to have someone plan your Disney day, park your ca,r and book your dinner reservations? If some of the ideas presented in this survey become a reality, you may be able to do just that.

Self-service stroller rental

MousePlanet reader daveywest was one of the first to test out Disneyland’s new self-service stroller rental kiosks, a new program that launched just last Monday. There are four kiosks installed next to the staffed counter at the Stroller and Wheelchair rental booth just outside the Disneyland park entrance. The kiosks accept only credit cards and rent only strollers, so you still wait in the standard line if you’re paying with cash or need to rent a wheelchair or scooter. You can rent up to five strollers for up to six days using the self-service kiosks, which offer prompts in both English and Spanish.

A customer uses the new self-service kiosks to rent a stroller at Disneyland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The kiosk can calculate both the 2-stroller and the Disney Visa discount, but as daveywest noted, the screen does not display the discount, or even a total, until after you swipe your card to pay. A cast member pointed out that text on the screen tells you that applicable discounts will be calculated at the end of the transaction, but it would be reassuring to see the total before you’re prompted to pay. The kiosk prints a receipt that you just take to the bay to collect your stroller, as you would with a pre-paid voucher. The process for multi-day rentals is the same – you turn in the stroller each night, and collect a new one the next day by showing your receipt.

Strollers are $15 per day, or two for $25. If you have a Disney Visa card, you save 50 percent off on the rental fee of up to two strollers. There is no multi-day discount, though some people prefer to just purchase a “Length of Stay” rental so they only stand in line once.

A customer exchanges his receipt for a stroller at the rental location. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

New offers from D23

D23, the “Official Disney Fan Club,” announced two offers last week. Existing D23 members who participate in the “Refer a Fan” program can earn rewards by recruiting other fans to join the club. The schedule of rewards is as follows:

• Refer one (1) fan who becomes a new D23 Member, receive an exclusive collector pin created especially for the D23 Refer a Fan program [The Chip and Dale pin pictured above, left]
• Refer five (5) fans, receive an exclusive three-pin set featuring favorite Disney characters [The remaining three pins pictured above]
• Refer 10 fans, receive a special tour of the Walt Disney Archives
• Refer 15 fans, receive a free, one-year Gold-level D23 Membership

The offer is valid only when the referred person purchases a new Gold or Silver D23 membership (renewals do not count), and is good for memberships purchased through July 31, 2012. D23 memberships are $34.99 (Silver) or $74.99 (Gold) per year. To qualify, the person you’re referring must provide your “name and city of residence” in the Refer A Fan box on the D23 registration screen when they purchase a new membership or redeem a membership gift card on DisneyStore.com. Prizes are awarded about 8 weeks after verification of membership(s).

These Disney pins are some of the rewards offered to D23 members who recruit others to join Disney’s Official Fan Club. Photo (c) Disney.

After reading about the offer, MousePlanet reader OlegC said, “I can’t decide if they are doing this because their numbers are low, if their growth rate slowed in year 2 and they are trying to meet growth projections (which are different from member rolls), or are they simply trying to grab as many folks as they can. Regardless—I think pins as an incentive in this economy is a no-win for most, even the die-hard fan.” Reader dban3 said, “I think most people are beginning to see D23 for what it is, a potential revenue stream for Disney that is dressed as an insider’s fan club. Unless you live in the Greater Southern California area, D23 offers little to anybody other than opportunities to buy “D23 exclusive merchandise.” You pay Disney money for the opportunity to pay them more money.”

One recurring complaint about D23 is that you need to live in or travel to Southern California or Orlando to participate in many of the special offers. The same seems to be true of this promotion, as the special tour of the Walt Disney Archives—without question a perk most Disney fans would enjoy—requires travel to Burbank to claim the reward.

D23 has also extended a discount to Disney Vacation Club members. The 10 percent discount applies to the purchase of a new D23 Gold or Silver membership. To claim the discount, register at disney.com/d23 and use discount code D23DVC.

Resort Construction Update

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve given you a Fun Wheel-view of the Cars Land construction site, and there have been some major developments. The “test track” previously installed in the Radiator Springs Racers construction zone has been replaced with sections of the actual ride track, and there’s been quite a lot of work on the building in the southwest corner of the lot.

Three cranes are working on the new Cars Land project. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

A new structure is visible in Cars Land. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

A curve of the Radiator Springs Racers track is still visible over the berm wall. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The building in the southwest corner of the lot now has a roof. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

The arching entrance of the Little Mermaid building now has a covering, and you can see where the building’s exterior panels are being placed as new sections of frame are complete.

Work continues on the Little Mermaid ride building. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Work continues on the Little Mermaid ride building. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Work continues on the Little Mermaid ride building. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

And, finally, it’s here—the week fans of the Disneyland Hotel waterfalls have been dreading. The waterfalls were scheduled to be turned off Saturday night, and as you read this, workers are probably installing the construction fences around the area between the Neverland Pool and the Wonder Tower, in preparation for the demolition of the existing courtyard. We’ll have photos from the construction site in next week’s Update.

[Update: The construction schedule for the Disneyland Hotel courtyard has changed, and the waterfalls are still open as of Monday afternoon. A Disneyland Resort spokesperson said that the waterfalls are still scheduled to close sometime this week, but could not provide a specific date.]

This and That…

…Park hours for Friday, October 1, the first night of Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland, have now been released. The calendar on Disneyland.com shows Disneyland open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Disney California Adventure from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., an hour later than that park is closing on the three previous Friday nights in September.

The Board Factory in Downtown Disney is closed. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…The Board Factory kiosk in Downtown Disney closed last week, and the structure is currently surrounded by construction walls and awaiting demolition. The Board Factory offered customers the ability to customize their own skateboard, choosing from a range of wheel, deck and graphic options, but employees at nearby kiosks said the company never did very much business, even during the recent skateboarding event in Downtown Disney.

Disneyland shops are again stocking toy rifles. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

…As David Koenig wrote in his July 30 article “Fully Reloaded,” several Disneyland shops are again stocking toy rifles. The wooden toys are painted in bright green or red/orange, and bear a warning that people traveling by air should pack them in their checked luggage, as the Transportation Security Administration prohibits travelers from bringing toy guns through airport screening checkpoints (link).

Disneyland’s Art of Demand system is currently unavailable, but cast members don’t know why. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…Several readers have inquired about the status of Disneyland’s Art on Demand system, a program that allows customers to purchase reprints of Disney art, including attraction posters, character sketches, and storybook art. Disneyland installed Art on Demand kiosks in three stores last year, replacing the Print on Demand system, but signs posted on the machines last month advise potential customers that the Art on Demand system is currently unavailable. Cast members and managers in the Art on Demand stores say they don’t know what is going on with the program, but some say they’ve heard there are problems with the vendor who was providing the printing and shipping service for the program.

…Registration is now open for MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat, to be held on Sunday, October 17 (link). Scare up a few friends and join us for a swinging wake as you try to solve chilling challenges throughout Disneyland park. For the latest information about upcoming MouseAdventure events, be sure to register for our MouseAdventure Newsletter (link), follow @MouseAdventure on Twitter, or become a fan at Facebook (link).

…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

Disneyland

• Alice in Wonderland – closed for an unscheduled refurbishment. While Disneyland says the ride should reopen in a “few weeks,” an employee publication shows the ride closed through January 1, 2011.
• Star Tours – closed for refurbishment and addition of elements for Star Tours 2.0. Expected to open in May 20, 2011.
• Haunted Mansion – closed August 30 to September 16 to install the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay.
• Village Haus Restaurant – closed August 30 to December 19 for refurbishment.
• Minnie’s House – closed September 7–23 for refurbishment.
• Horse Drawn Streetcars – closed September 7–30 for refurbishment.
• Main Street Vehicles [Horseless Carriage, Omnibus, Fire Engine] – closed September 7–30 for refurbishment.
• Newsstand – closed September 7–30 for refurbishment.
• Space Mountain – closed September 12–16 to install the Ghost Galaxy overlay.
• French Market – closed September 13–17 for refurbishment.
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – closed September 20 to December 16 for refurbishment.
• Indiana Jones Adventure – closed September 22 (one day)
• Mark Twain Riverboat – closed September 27–30 for deck oiling.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – closed September 27–30.
• Mickey’s House – closed September 27 to October 14.
• it’s a small world – closed October 25 to November 11 to install the holiday overlay.

Disney California Adventure

Seasonal refurbishments:

• Toy Story Midway Mania! – closed August 30 to October 10 for refurbishment.
• Catch-a-Flave – closed September 7–16 for refurbishment.
• it’s Tough to be a Bug! – closed October 25-29 for refurbishment.

You have just a few more weeks to ride the Maliboomer before it closes on September 6. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Construction-related closures:

• Golden Dreams – closed. The building that once house this film-based attraction has been demolished, and will eventually be replaced with the new Little Mermaid ride.
• Burger Invasion – closed. No announcement has been made about a potential replacement for this former McDonald’s location, but an employee publication lists May 24, 2011 as the return date.
• Corn Dog Castle – closed due to construction in the area. An employee publication lists March 30, 2011 as its return date. During the renovation, corn dogs are available at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market.
• Souvenir 66 – closed due to construction in the area. An employee publication lists March 30, 2011 as its return date, and “Seaside Souvenirs” as the new name of the store.
• Bug’s Land/Tower of Terror connector – the temporary connector path is closed through August 22 to allow construction of a more permanent route between the two lands.
• Pizza Oom Mow Mow – closed September 7, 2010 – May 24, 2011 for conversion to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta.
• Bountiful Valley Farms – closes permanently September 7, 2010 for construction of Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.
• Maliboomer – closes permanently September 7, 2010. The ride will be removed as part of the overall DCA renovation project.
• Mulholland Madness – closed October 11, 2010 to April 20, 2011 for conversion to Goofy’s Sky School.

Work continues on the Wonder Tower of the Disneyland Hotel. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

Downtown Disney & Disneyland Resort Hotels

• Disneyland Hotel Guest Laundry – closed through September 30 due to construction. Hotel guests can use the laundry facility at Disney’s Paradise Pier hotel during the refurbishment.
• Disneyland Hotel Fitness Center – closed due to construction. The fitness center equipment will be relocated to one of the hotel meeting rooms; the front desk will give you the most recent information as you check in.
• Lost Bar, Croc’s Bits ‘n’ Bites, Hook’s Pointe and the Wine Cellar – closed. These four locations will be replaced by a new bar and fast casual restaurant during the Disneyland Hotel courtyard renovation project set to begin August 14. During construction, the only remaining bar at the Disneyland Hotel is the Lounge at Steakhouse 55, which has extended its operating hours, and will be closing at 1:30 a.m. nightly.

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.

Resort Events

Check here to see if a large convention, competition or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

Summer

• Summer Nightastic! at the Disneyland Resort – Daily through August 29. The summer promotion includes Fantasmic and the “Magical” fireworks show in Disneyland, plus the new World of Color show. DCA has extended park hours to 11:00 p.m. and added a third World of Color show on most nights since the show opened.
• Vinylmation Signings at D Street – August 21; September 11 (link).

Fall

• 5th Annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 3–5. Registration is now closed.
• 4th Annual Not Back to School Days Rally and Conference (unofficial event) – September 8–11. Event includes education and social opportunities for home educators (link).
• Vinylmation Signing at D Street – September 11 (link).
• HalloweenTime at the Disneyland Resort – September 17 to October 31
• Destination D – September 24 & 25 at the Disneyland Resort. Open only to D23 members, tickets are now available (link).
• 13th annual Gays Days at the Disneyland Resort (unofficial event) – October 1–3. Event attendance will be higher at Disneyland on Saturday, DCA on Sunday (link).
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 14–15. (Link). Expect unusually large attendance levels October 14-17 as Utah students and families take advantage of a 4-day weekend created by their school’s participation in a state education convention. Not all Utah schools or teachers close for or attend UEA, but the impact on the Resort is usually noticeable enough to mention.
• Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland – October 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29, 31. Advance-purchase tickets are on sale now for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders via the AP section of Disneyland.com; Disney Visa Card holders and Disney Vacation Club members can also purchase tickets by phone by calling 714-781-4000. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 16 via Disneyland.com.
• MousePlanet Night at Mickey’s Halloween Party (unofficial event) – Friday, October 15. Come meet your fellow MousePlanet readers and start your trick-or-treating off right with some MousePlanet goodies. Be sure to stop by our MousePad discussion board to let us know if you plan to attend so we can have enough treats for everyone!
• 2010 CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park – Sunday, October 17. Mark your calendars and come join Team MousePlanet as we help raise funds for Children’s Hospital Orange County in its annual charity walk through the Disneyland Resort. Registration is now open. If you’d like more information, visit the Team MousePlanet discussion to chat with other participants.
• MouseAdventure Holiday: Trick or Treat – Sunday, October 17. Registration opens Tuesday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. PDT (link).

Winter

• Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort – November 12, 2010 to January 3, 2011.

2011

• West Coast 2-night “Cruise to Nowhere” on the Disney Wonder – January 21–23. Nearly 70 MousePlanet readers and staff members have booked this weekend getaway, the first West Coast Disney Cruise for 2011. For more information about this cruise, visit our MousePad discussion boards or contact your favorite travel agent. If you’ve already booked, please add your name to the roll call!
• Sixth annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival – April 29 to June 12. No additional details are available at this time.
• Spring 2011 MouseAdventure – no details yet. Visit MouseAdventure.com to sign up for our newsletter.
• D23 Expo – August 19-21, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center (link). Tickets for the D23 Expo 2011 go on sale August 19, 2010.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts.

If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line (link).

One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $76/$68 One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $101/$91	No discounts currently available to the general public. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them.
Two Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $151/$136 Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $161/$146	AOCVCB 2-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($149/$129) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $2 off the box-office price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $1 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths (link). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $206/$185	3-Day Summer Fun Pass ($108) and 3-Day Summer Fun PLUS Pass ($129) – The 2010 3-Day Summer Fun Pass is $108, $9 more expensive than the 2009 version, and offers Southern California residents (ZIP Codes 90000–93599) and Northern Baja California residents (ZIP Codes 21000–22999) three one-day admissions to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure within a 45 day period. The ticket is the same price for adults and children. Unlike the 2009 offer, this base ticket is NOT a park hopper, and allows admission to only one park per day. For an additional $21 per person, you can upgrade the Summer Fun Pass to a Summer Fun PLUS Pass, a 3-day Park Hopper ticket that allows admission to both parks each day. Both tickets have a 45-day “fuse,” (instead of the usual 13- or 30-day limit), giving you more time to plan your return visits, but have more block out dates than last year: July 2-4 and August 22-23. The first use of the pass must be between June 11 and August 29, 2010. The Summer Pass can be purchased at www.disneyland.com, the Disneyland Resort box office, Disney Stores, Disneyland Resort Hotels, and a variety of southern California supermarkets and retail chains, including Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros., Food 4 Less, Gelson’s and Deardens. Disney states that “resident ID is required,” but MousePlanet readers who purchased these tickets from off-property retailers last year consistently reported that they were not required to provide proof of residency at the time of purchase. However, be aware that Disneyland Resort Main Gate cast members can—and may—require proof of residency when you first use the tickets. Whether this will happen to you is an oft-debated topic on our MousePad discussion boards, but we feel it would be irresponsible for us to not at least make our readers aware of the “official” policy, regardless of what the park’s actual practice may be. Advance Purchase 3-day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket ($184/$154) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value) AOCVCB 3-Day Bonus Ticket ($179/$149) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $231/$199	Costco 4-Day Park Hopper Ticket ($199) – A special offer for Costco members who are also residents of Southern California, this ticket is currently not sold online but must be purchased in Costco stores. Unlike most other park hopper tickets, this ticket has no “fuse” – you can use the first admission today, and have until May 31, 2011 to use the remaining admission days before the ticket expires. The ticket is blocked out August 22-23 and the entire period between Dec 15, 2010 – Jan 1, 2011, and has an “upgrade value” of $151. The ticket states that visitors “Must reside within ZIP codes 90000-93599” and that “Proof of residency required upon redemption.” The ticket you purchase at Costco is a valid admission ticket, and you can take it directly to a main entrance gate to use it. We’ve been told that, to prevent the unauthorized “transfer” of tickets between visitors (i.e., you use the first two days of the ticket and give it to a friend to use the second two days), visitors will be required to write their name on the ticket when it is first used for admission, and to show ID with that same name upon subsequent admissions. Obviously minor children will be exempt from the ID requirement, but will also be required to write their name on the ticket when it is first used. Adults should plan to have ID with them to use the ticket. Advance Purchase 4-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($199/$169) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011. AOCVCB 4-Day Bonus Ticket ($194/$164) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link).
Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $251/$219	5-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket for the Price of 3 Days ($184/$154) Disneyland’s Summer Park Hopper Bonus ticket offer includes two days free and one Magic Morning admission. These tickets are valid for use from May 1, 2010 thru September 30, 2010. The tickets are NOT available at the Resort ticket booths, you must pre-purchase from the Disneyland Web site. Advance Purchase 5-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($209/$179) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (an $11/day value). AOCVCB 5-Day Bonus Ticket ($204/$174) – The discount (from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau) is $5 off the advance purchase price for both adults and children. You can now print these tickets at home, though a $1 per-ticket convenience fee applies. If the $4 per ticket net savings isn’t enough of an incentive to pre-purchase your tickets, think of all the time you’ll save by not having to stand in line at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. Tickets include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday) (link). These tickets are now valid through January 3, 2011.
Six Day Park Hopper – Regularly $256/$230	6-Day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket for the Price of 3 Days ( $199/$169) Disneyland’s Summer Park Hopper Bonus ticket offer includes two days free and one Magic Morning admission. These tickets are valid for use from May 1, 2010 thru September 30, 2010. The tickets are NOT available at the Resort ticket booths, you must pre-purchase from the Disneyland Web site. Advance Purchase 6-Day Park Hopper Bonus tickets ($214/$184) – A discounted price for advance purchase through the Internet or select dealers. Available at the Disneyland Web site (link) where shipping is included if you order more than 10 days prior to your travel date. Also available from AAA offices in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah (not currently listed at the AAA Web site, you may need to call your local office). Disney Stores (California), Safeway supermarkets (California and Arizona), and certain travel agents may also sell these tickets. It is best to call and confirm before visiting a location, however. “Bonus Tickets” include one early admission day (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday). If purchased from AAA, the tickets come with free parking at the Mickey & Friends parking garage (a $14/day value).
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports	No discounts currently available for new purchases. Southern California residents can take advantage of the monthly-payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport. Premier Annual Passport: $700 [Valid at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort] Premium Annual Passport: $459 Deluxe Annual Passport: $329 Southern California Annual Passport: $239 SoCal Select Annual Passport: $184 Parking Add On: $99
2010 Southern California CityPass $269/$229	2010 Southern California CityPass ($269/$229)– This pass includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Wild Animal Park, as well as one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPass expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by January 3, 2011. Purchase CityPass through the Disneyland Web site (link) or on-site at the ticket booths of Disneyland Resort or the other theme parks included in the pass. You can also purchase directly from the CityPass Web site (link) though this has a minimum $7.50 shipping charge (no shipping charge from the Disney Web site if purchased more than 10 days in advance). You can also purchase the Southern California City Pass online from Costco at a cost of $239.99/$204.99 (link), which includes free UPS shipping. A 5% surcharge for non-members, and shipping fees to members in Alaska and Hawaii may also apply to your purchase. Booklets may be available for sale in some stores but varies widely. If you want to buy in person it would be best to call ahead and confirm availability. If you do buy at Costco, you will initially purchase a large plastic container that you must trade for ticket books prior to leaving Costco!

Hotel/Travel Packages

Disneyland Resort Two More Days & Nights Free offer –This latest deal offers a five-night, five-day Disneyland Resort vacation package for the price of a three-night, three-day package, giving you two “free” hotel nights and two additional days of theme park admission. The offer is valid for arrivals May 1 and Sept. 26, 2010, and you must book by September 1, 2010 to receive this discount. You can choose to stay either at a Disneyland Resort Hotel or at one of the Good Neighbor Hotels. To book, call your favorite travel agent, book online at Disneyland.com, or call the Walt Disney Travel Company at 800-854-3104.

Disneyland Resort Summer hotel discounts–If you are a Disneyland Resort annual passholder or already have valid admission for your next visit, you can take advantage of a second promotion that offers discounts at the three Disneyland Resort hotels with a minimum 2-night stay. The discounts are 40% at the Grand Californian Hotel, 35% at the Disneyland Hotel and 30% at the Paradise Pier Hotel. The offer is valid for arrivals May 1 and Sept. 26, 2010, and you must book by September 1, 2010 to receive this discount. To book, call your favorite travel agent, book online at Disneyland.com, or call the Walt Disney Travel Company at 800-854-3104.

Costco Travel Packages – Many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.com. When purchasing a Costco Disneyland travel package, extras that will be included are: Mickey’s Toontown Madness admission (currently available Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays), a character breakfast collectible pin and lanyard, and a Costco luggage tag per person, plus a $20 Disneyland Resort gift card per package.

Disney’s Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – Package includes accommodations one of the three resort hotels or at one of 40 Good Neighbor hotels; Souvenir Park Hopper ticket with voucher for admission to Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness, plus one Magic Morning (early entry) for three-day or longer Park Hoppers; preferred seating at four DCA attractions (Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It’s Tough to be a Bug!, Golden Dreams); Preferred Showing of Turtle Talk with Crush (Priority Viewing at the first Turtle Talk with Crush show of the day, on any one day – one voucher per Guest); Disney Dream coin keepsake (one per package), luggage tag and lanyard with pin; a Downtown Disney Fun Card; and a “Character Call” from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy or Crush. Contact Disney Travel or your favorite travel agent.

Other Discounts

Character Dining Vouchers – Discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Travel (link).

Disney Visa Discounted Stroller Rental – If you have a Disney Visa card you can rent up to two strollers at a discount of 50%. This offer is valid only at the Main Gate rental location between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Rainforest Cafe Safari Club – Members of the Rainforest Cafe get priority seating when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10% discount on entrees for up to four people. Additionally, after signing up, your membership card will be mailed to you and be accompanied by a $10 award good for your next visit to a Rainforest Cafe. So if you know you will be eating there while at Disneyland and have a Rainforest Cafe local to you, it may make sense to prejoin the Safari Club so that you can use the award during your trip. See the Rainforest Cafe Web site for details (link).

ESPNZone MVP Club – Membership in the MVP Club does not offer any discounts on food. However, once a member you can make an online reservation for your party up to three days in advance and will get a 25% increase in points purchased when playing games in the Sports Arena (and 40 bonus points at activation). You must register online and your membership card will then be mailed to you within two weeks. The card must then be activated at any ESPNZone by the person who signed up for the card and ID will be required (link).

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

DL: Disneyland

DCA: Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockout dates:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• MM – Magic Morning at Disneyland
• TT – Toontown Morning Madness at Disneyland
• Grad Nite
• MHP – Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland
  

MousePlanet Special Events:

• MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney’s information is correct.

Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions.

Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.