Update for May 27 – June 2, 2013
Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Resort Events | Discounts and Promotions | Park Schedule/Blockout Dates
News and Views
Disneyland kicks off Monstrous Summer with a 24 hour party | Disneyland debuts Mickey and the Magcial Map | OPA! A Celebration of Greece | This and that…
Disneyland kicks off Monstrous Summer with a 24 hour party
by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix
I will be the first to admit that I fully expected last week's Monstrous Summer All Nighter to be a complete mess. I was there for the traffic jams, parking lot closures and main gate shutdowns of 2012's One More Disney Day, and could only imagine the chaos that would come from hosting another 24-hour party on the Grad Nite Friday of a holiday weekend. When Disney managers asked me during Thursday's media event if I were planning to come back Friday for the All Nighter, my candid response was “of course—someone has to be here to report when it all falls apart.” And I wasn't the only one preparing for another eventful night—the folks over at the Orange County Register scheduled reporters and photographers in 'round-the-clock shifts just in case.
So having admitted that, I now get to compliment the Disneyland Resort management team for taking a situation that had all of the makings of a disaster and creating an enjoyable event that left many asking, “Can we do this every year?” It felt like every department stepped up their preparation for this event, from a new parking plan that made room for thousands more cars while encouraging carpooling, to an entertainment schedule with a full day of delights, including a Toontown pajama party that I'd love to see offered every weekend. Most notable were the hundreds of managers spotted around both parks all day and night, including the gathering of senior executives on hand to bid farewell to even goers Saturday morning.
So congratulations again to the Disneyland team for a fantastic event. You've raised the bar, and I'm looking forward to the next all-nighter.
Disneyland debuts Mickey and the Magcial Map
For the first time in over seven years, Disneyland's Fantasyland Theatre is playing host to a new stage show. This past weekend, Mickey and the Magical Map opened to audiences. The new show combines new technology with classic choreography and music traditionally found in a Disney stage show. The upbeat performance takes a page from the original Fantasia as it tells the story of Apprentice Mickey and the master map maker Yen Sid. Mickey immediately finds himself in trouble as he attempts to complete an unfinished spot on the map. The spot, which takes on a role as a character itself, comes alive, as it tries to avoid capture by the young apprentice.
Mickey Mouse greets Disneyland Resort President Michael Colglazier before a special media preview of “Mickey and the Magical Map.” Photo by Bryan Pugh.
The 22-minute-long Mickey and the Magical Map contains an underlying story of a young apprentice getting into trouble, and ultimately emerging victorious. Apart from this simple story line, however, the show lacks depth. Instead, guests will find themselves entertained mostly by the magnificent choreography and upbeat music from some of Disney's most popular movies. In this way, it is very similar to World of Color, Disney California Adventure's dazzling water and special effects show.
Mickey is reminded by Yen Sid that he is only an apprentice and he should not attempt to finish the map. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
At 35,000 square inches, the LED illuminated map is enormous, taking up most of the stage. The impressive screen also has a large platform which enables Mickey to talk face to face with a giant rendering of Yin Sid. It also allows him to pursue the spot as it attempts to avoid capture.
Choreography includes impressive acrobatics during “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride.” Photo by Bryan Pugh.
With the debut of Mickey and the Magical Map, Disney has expanded the use of character articulation technology—that is, characters who can blink their eyes and move their mouths seamlessly to dialogue and lyrics. For a few years, this technology has been used with Mickey Mouse in various shows and for special events, and now King Louie from The Jungle Book has been added. King Louie is joined by a outstanding trumpet player, and then dances and sings “I Wanna Be Like You” during one of six musical segments.
Pocahontas, Mulan, Rapunzel, and Flynn Rider sing together in unison. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
Other segments include, “Under the Sea”, “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride”, “Dig a Little Deeper” and a finale written specifically for the show, “Journey to Imagination”. Although for most guests, the musical highlight of the show will be the beautiful performances by Pocahontas, Mulan, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider as their signature songs are blended in unison.
King Louie is added to Disneyland's line of characters with articulation technology. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
“Mickey and the Magical Map” is a welcome addition to Disneyland, and marks the return of the traditional stage show to the Fantasyland Theatre.
An 18-foot-tall Tiana's showboat is featured in the show's finale. Photo by Bryan Pugh.
OPA! A Celebration of Greece
The sounds of Greek music and the taste of Greek food filled both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park this past Memorial Day weekend. Although not officially a part of the Limited Time Magic promotion, “OPA! A Greek Celebration” resembled a larger version of the recently celebrated Lunar New Year and Dia de los Muertos events. At Disneyland, guests were entertained by local school students performing traditional Greek line dancing, got to sample foods such as Baklava and Feta Breads, as well as meet with Hercules at the Olympic training center.
Mickey Mouse, dressed in a Greek outfit, poses for photos with guests during “OPA! A Celebration of Greece.” Photo by Bryan Pugh.
Across the esplanade at Disney California Adventure park, the celebration took over Paradise Gardens, where guests attended wine seminars, as well as sampled Greek dishes, salads, deserts, and beer. A live band entertained diners with traditional music, and Greek citizens led others in line dances.
This and that…
…Annual passholders can attend special performances of Mickey and the Magical Map. The three performances take place on Tuesdays, May 28, June 4 and 11 at 5:40 p.m. Passholders who wish to attend need to present their valid Disneyland annual passports to a cast member at the entrance to the Fantasyland Theatre beginning 15 minutes prior to the start of the show.
…This past week, Fantasyland marked its 30th anniversary of the makeover that saw its transformation from a medieval fair into a fairy tale village. Disneyland's New Fantasyland, which has remained one of the most popular places at Disneyland, opened on May 25, 1983. Disney released the following video, featuring legendary Imagineer Tony Baxter recalling the transformation of Fantasyland into what we all know today.
Crowd Forecast
|
Advertisement Crowd information and forecasts are provided by TouringPlans.com, the website of the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, to help you better plan your trip to the Disneyland Resort. TouringPlans.com gathers wait time data from a team of in-park researchers and users of their Lines mobile phone application, and then predicts crowd levels for the next 365 days. Using a scale from 1 to 10, TouringPlans.com has a 90 percent accuracy of predicting the crowds to within 1 point, helping visitors prepare for their trips so they can “Do more. Wait less.”
|
Join our networks |
|||||
Facebook
|
|
||||
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
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – originally scheduled for maintenance April 16–19, 23–26 for testing; currently on hold due to the unexpected closure of Space Mountain in April.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed through October 30 for a major refurbishment.
Disney California Adventure
- None at this time
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 in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).
2013
Summer
- Grad Nite events – This party for high school seniors graduating in 2013 will be held on these dates in 2013: May 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31; June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21. The 2013 event includes admission to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park during regular operating hours, and a private party in Disneyland Park after the park closes to the public for the night.
- D23 Expo – August 9–11. Tickets for the three-day convention are now on sale.
- Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (sold out) – August 30 through September 1 at the Disneyland Resort.
Fall
- Halloween Time – September 13 to October 31.
- 23rd Annual CHOC Walk in the Park – October 13. Team MousePlanet registration details coming soon.
Winter
- Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – November 12 – the first week of 2014.
2013
- Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – January 17 – 19 (Tickets not yet on sale)
We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.
Current Discounts & Promotions
Disneyland prices as of May 20, 2012.
Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. 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. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.
|
Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, and authroized seller, or travel agency. |
||
| One Day, One Park Ticket – Regularly $87/$81 One Day Park Hopper – Regularly $125/$119 | 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 per Day Ticket – Regularly $170/$158 Two Day Park Hopper – Regularly $200/$188 | Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells two-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 2-day Park Hoppers are $197 for adults ($185 for children); 2-day 1/park/day tickets are $168 for adults ($156 for children). Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. | |
| Three Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $220/$205 Three Day Park Hopper – Regularly $250/$235 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells three-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 3-day Park Hoppers are $245 for adults ($230 for children); 3-day 1/park/day tickets are $217 for adults ($202 for children). 2012–2013 Disney Military Promotional 3–Day Park Hopper Ticket ($125) – a discounted price offered to Eligible Service Members or their spouses. Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets may be purchased through September 26, 2013, and are valid through September 28, 2013. Disney defines “Eligible Service Members” as active or retired members of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Reservists, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Valid military identification will be required for purchase. This discount is available at MWR/ITT offices at your military base or other at participating U.S. military sales outlets. The tickets are not available for sale at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths. The price is the same for adults and children, and total of six tickets may be purchased per military member, regardless of who purchases the tickets (the member or their spouse). Tickets are blocked out through July 4. As far as we can tell, there is no “fuse” on this ticket, so you may have more than the standard 13 days from first use to use the remaining two admissions, but we highly recommend you contact your base MWR/ITT office for more details before making travel plans. Please note that this ticket is not a “bonus” ticket, and so does not include an early admission day. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
|
| Four Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $245/$225 Four Day Park Hopper – Regularly $275/$255 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells four-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 4-day Park Hoppers are $270 for adults ($250 for children); 4-day 1/park/day tickets are $240 for adults ($220 for children). Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
|
| Five Day, One Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $260/$240 Five Day Park Hopper – Regularly $290/$270 |
Get Away Today Vacations – MousePlanet sponsor Get Away Today Vacations sells five-day tickets at a slight discount over the Disneyland main gate price. 5-day Park Hoppers are $285 for adults ($265 for children); 5-day 1/park/day tickets are $255 for adults ($235 for children). Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any discounts are available through them. |
|
| Six Day, One Park per Day Ticket Six Day Park Hopper | No longer offered by Disneyland – some travel providers may offer tickets for 6 days or longer as part of a package to international customers; residents of Canada, Australia, or the U.K. should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available. | |
| Disneyland Resort Annual Passports |
No discounts currently available for new purchases. California residents can take advantage of the monthly payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.
Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. |
|
| Southern California CityPASS $306/$269 Southern California CityPASS PLUS $339/$294 |
2013 Southern California CityPASS ($306/$269) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood. The CityPASS expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by January 2, 2014. Purchase CityPASS through the Disneyland website 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 website, though a shipping charge may apply depending on how quickly you need the ticket. 2013 Southern California CityPASS PLUS ($339/$294) – includes a 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (including one early-entry day), a one-day admission to Sea World San Diego and a one-day admission to Universal Studios Hollywood, plus one-day admission to either San Diego Zoo or San Diego Safari Park. The CityPASS expires 14 days after first use at any location, and the first use must occur by January 2, 2014. This upgraded pass is only available for purchase directly from the CityPASS website. Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if other discounts are available through them. Prices listed above are valid from January 1 to December 31, 2013. |
|
Hotel/Travel Packages
Costco Travel Packages – many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.
Disney's Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – package includes accommodations in 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 three DCA attractions (Disney's Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, Muppet*Vision 3D, It's Tough to be a Bug!); 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.
Contact a MousePlanet sponsor travel agency for assistance in booking your next trip
|
Other Discounts
Military 3-Day Park Hopper Discount – active and retired U.S. military can now purchase up to six 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hoppers at the discounted price of $125 each, a 50 percent savings off the regular adult price. The tickets may be used through September 28, 2013 with block-out days from March 25 through April 5, and July 4.
Valid only for active duty or retired U.S. Military, including the National Guard, Reservists, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Valid and active U.S. Military (or Military spouse) ID required for purchase and admission. Limited to one (1) purchase of up to six (6) tickets per valid ID and Military member (or spouse) must accompany the persons using these tickets for Theme Park admission.
Annual Passholder offers – Disneyland has once again extended the 20 percent merchandise discount offered to Premium annual passholders. The discount is now valid through December 31, 2013.
Purchase with Purchase offers – Disneyland Resort shops frequently offer a reduced–price souvenir (often a tote bag, watch, or blanket) with a qualifying minimum purchase. These are offered at Disney-operated stores only, and generally can not be combined—you must choose one of the eligible offers. If you're a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item.
Character Dining Vouchers – discounted character dining vouchers are available for purchase online, in advance of your trip, through Get Away Travel.
Disney Visa – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free 5×7 photograph per visit. Cardholders also receive 10 percent off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores, 10 percent off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (Big Thunder Ranch, River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Steakhouse 55, PCH Grill and Storyteller's Café), and 20 percent off the “Welcome to Disneyland,” “A Walk in Walt's Footsteps,” and “Discover the Magic” guided tours. See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions.
Landry's Select Club – members of the Landry's Select Club get priority seating at the Rainforest Cafe when available (which makes a huge difference on busy days), and a 10 percent discount on retail purchases. This club replaces the former Rainforest Cafe Safari Club as of March 31, 2012. If you are already a Safari Club member, you can migrate your membership to the new Landry's Select Club at no charge, and start to earn points in the new program. The new Select Club eliminated the entree discount and free appetizer offer that was included with the Safari Club, replacing them with a point-based system that gives you a $25 gift certificate after you spend $250. If you are not yet a member of either the Safari Club or the Landry's Select Club, you can pre-purchase your membership before your trip. Membership now costs $25, but comes with a $25 reward.
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 percent 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 blockouts:
- SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
- SC – Southern California Annual Pass
- DX – Deluxe Annual Pass
Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website):
- MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders, promotional “bonus” tickets, and Southern California CityPASS
- EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
- AP – Annual Passholders Early Entry on most weekends
Disneyland Resort Special Events:
- GN – Grad Nite
- MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)
- OPA – OPA! A Celebration of Greece
| 5/26 | 5/27 | 5/28 | 5/29 | 5/30 | 5/31 | 6/1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: OPA |
DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: OPA |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 9a-11p None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-11p None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-11p EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
| 6/2 | 6/3 | 6/4 | 6/5 | 6/6 | 6/7 | 6/8 |
|
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM/AP DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-12a AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-12a None DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 9a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 9a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
| 6/9 | 6/10 | 6/11 | 6/12 | 6/13 | 6/14 | 6/15 |
|
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-11p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 10a-8p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-11p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-11p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
| 6/16 | 6/17 | 6/18 | 6/19 | 6/20 | 6/21 | 6/22 |
|
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a None DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: GN |
DL: 8a-12a EMH/MM DCA: 8a-10p AP Blockouts: Events: None |
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.
