Disneyland Resort Update for November 23-29, 2015

Disneyland Resort Update for November 23–29, 2015

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News and Views

An extra helping of entertainment this Thanksgiving week | Paint the Night dining packages to debut January 11 | Big change for River Belle Terrace; Rancho del Zocalo adds breakfast | Season of the Force to wrap up in May | Adults can dress up for Season of the Force | This and that… | Crowd Forecast

An extra helping of entertainment this Thanksgiving week

Disneyland visitors have two chances to see the “Disneyland Forever” fireworks every night during the peak Thanksgiving week, which runs through this Saturday (November 28).

There is a second fireworks show in addition to daily double doses of A Christmas Fantasy parade, Paint the Night parade, and Fantasmic scheduled that week, and most weekend days during the Holidays at Disneyland Resort promotion (through January 6).

Across the way, visitors also have two chances to watch the World of Color show most nights, with the holiday version World of Color – Winter Dreams presented first, and the 60th anniversary version World of Color – Celebrate presented second. Visitors—including those who booked the World of Color dining package—can choose whether to get a Fastpass for World of Color – Winter Dreams or the 60th anniversary Celebrate! version.

If this extended entertainment schedule produces the results Disney managers hope for, expect to see a repeat during the two peak weeks of the Christmas tourist season.

Here is the confirmed entertainment schedule for November 21 – 28, 2015:

Paint the Night dining packages to debut January 11

With Disneyland's Fantasmic show going on hiatus early in 2016, the company has launched a new offering to help retain some of the revenue of the popular Fantasmic dining packages that debuted just 11 months ago.

The new Paint the Night dining packages pick up right where the Fantasmic program ends on January 11, and include two of the same dining options: Blue Bayou restaurant and Aladdin's Oasis. As with the Fantasmic package, each option includes reserved viewing for the evening performance. And as before, Disney is carefully calling this a “reserved viewing” section, making no promise that there will be chairs in the section.

Customers who book a Paint the Night dinner package can watch the parade from a reserved viewing location on Main Street, U.S.A. MousePlanet file photo.

The Blue Bayou package includes access to the reserved viewing area located on Main Street, U.S.A. Pricing and other details are not yet available, but we expect little to change from the Fantasmic version. That package is $61 per adult ($23 per child ages 3 to 9), and includes your choice of starter, entree, and dessert from the standard Blue Bayou dinner menu. There was no indication if the Paint the Night package will include a souvenir ground cushion that was included in the Fantasmic dining package.

The On the Go meal at Aladdin's Oasis includes access to the reserved viewing area near “it's a small world.” Again, Disney did not release pricing or other details, but the Fantasmic package is currently $22.99 per adult ($13.99 per child ages 3 to 9).

The River Belle Terrace, which participates in the Fantasmic dinner package, is not included in this offering.

In response to a reader question, Disney Parks Blog director Erin Glover said that Paint the Night will not switch to Fastpass viewing as part of this change. Disney introduced the Fantasmic dining packages at the same time the company implemented Fastpass for the show. Walt Disney World offers limited Fastpass viewing for some of its parades, and there has been chatter that Disneyland may soon follow suit.

While Fastpass may not be in the immediate future, this program will definitely give park managers a look at what it might take to implement a Fastpass system for parades in the future.

Big change for River Belle Terrace; Rancho del Zocalo adds breakfast

Noting that Walt Disney used to start his Sunday mornings with breakfast at the restaurant, the official Disneyland website calls the River Belle Terrace a “sentimental favorite.” The website also points out that River Belle features “quite possibly the most scenic Rivers of America vistas in the park.”

As we've reported, there won't be much to look at along the Rivers of America once construction of Star Wars Land begins in January. There's no saying whether that construction project is the reason behind the change, but Disney announced last week that the River Belle Terrace will end breakfast service in February.

The restaurant will also ditch its current menu, and debut a new selection of “Southern barbecue staples like ribs, chicken and sustainable seafood.” Along with a new menu comes a new service style. As one of the restaurants in the Fantasmic dining program, the restaurant currently serves breakfast and lunch as a counter-service location, then reopens with table service for dinner. Starting February 10, both lunch and dinner will offer table service.

The good news is that you can still find the iconic Mickey Mouse pancakes at Disneyland, but you'll have to venture into Frontierland. Starting February 2, Rancho del Zocalo will open for breakfast, serving from park opening until 11:30 a.m.. The breakfast menu will include the Mickey Mouse pancakes, and add “Mexican-inspired breakfast entrees.” At noon, the location switches to the normal lunch/dinner menu.

The switch from counter service to table service isn't a huge surprise for River Belle Terrace, especially in light of the pending closure of the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ in January. Many feel Disneyland needs more dining options overall, and especially table service restaurants. But the switch in service style shouldn't preclude offering breakfast, so there's something else in the mix. Disney may be planning to renovate the interior to remove the counter service line and griddles, but it doesn't seem the restaurant will be closed long enough for that.

Disney's announcement said that breakfast service will begin on February 2 at Rancho del Zocalo, and that River Belle Terrace will launch its new menu February 10. However, with Fantasmic on hiatus as of January 10, it may be that River Belle closes then, too, giving workers a month to complete the transition. If that's the case, there would be a three-week gap in breakfast service.

Hopefully, future announcements will clear up the timeline and let visitors plan their final breakfast at River Belle Terrace.

Season of the Force to wrap up in May

When Disneyland's Season of the Force promotion began last week, Disney had not officially announced its end date. The official Disneyland website now lists that date as May 26, 2016.

That leaves the promotion up through the “slow” early spring season, and through spring break. That also means that high school seniors attending the earliest Grad Night events in 2016 will be able to experience the Season of the Force attractions, but not those attending later dates.

The opening day of Season of the Force saw lines as long as two hours to enter the new Star Wars Launch Bay and meet Chewbacca or Darth Vader. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

As Disney is so fond of stating, all dates are subject to change without notice. I give it even odds that Disneyland extends the promotion at least through the end of summer 2016 if it proves to be successful in bringing visitors through the gates during what may be a long slow season.

2016 marks the beginning of the Star Wars Land construction at Disneyland, a project that requires a lengthy closure of the Disneyland Railroad, Tom Sawyer Island, Big Thunder Ranch, and the entire Rivers of America complex, plus an extended hiatus for the popular Fantasmic show. This leaves a large chunk of Disneyland behind construction walls, and provides visitors with a good reason to look for an alternative to a Disneyland vacation.

Star Wars fans pack Redd Rockett's Pizza Port to purchase a souvenir BB-8 drink cup. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

Of course, it's worth noting that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is set to open at Universal Studios Hollywood this spring. In the battle of Boy Wizards vs. Construction Walls, Disney loses. Every time. We don't usually talk about the other theme parks in this market, but Disney's construction schedule has created the perfect environment for Universal to debut its own completed expansion.

If Season of the Force can help maintain or even boost attendance—not just passholders popping in for another spin on Hyperspace Mountain, but vacationers willing to spend two or more days—then park managers will be unlikely to end it earlier than they absolutely have to.

Adults can dress up for Season of the Force

A few readers commented last week that they were surprised to see adults visiting Disneyland in detailed Star Wars costumes when the Season of the Force promotion kicked off. Under normal Disneyland policy, adults are not permitted to wear costumes into the park, though an exception is made for Mickey's Halloween Party event dates.

According to the Disneyland website, Season of the Force is a new addition to the costume exception list. During the promotion, adults are allowed to come dressed “in their favorite Star Wars costume,” so long as the costume meets the following standards:

Disney Stormtroopers patrol Tomorrowland during the Season of the Force promotion. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

If you're wondering why Disney created an exception to the policy, I again have to mention the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. When we visited Universal Studios last year, it struck me just how much having hundreds of park visitors—adults and children alike—running around the place in their Hogwarts robes ($110 each) with their house scarves ($35 each), waving their interactive wands ($48 each) to trigger magical effects around the land added to the overall theme of the land.

The effect was completely immersing, and so very brilliant. Why hire actors to play as Hogwarts students when Universal has park visitors lining up to pay money to assume that same role—and to pay even more to provide their own costume?

To be sure, the Star Wars universe doesn't offer quite the same opportunity to turn park guests into unpaid extras—and someone in full Stormtrooper gear would be turned away even under the relaxed policy. But I'm willing to bet this is Disney's way of testing the waters to see if there isn't a way to harness even some of Harry's magic for Star Wars Land.

This and that…

…A friendly crowd reminder for this week: many local schools close for the entire week of Thanksgiving, so crowds will likely be extremely high all week, including on Thursday itself.

…Spider-Man made his debut last Monday at Super Hero HQ in Tomorrowland. The meet-and-greet is located in the former Captain America space, which still contains some of that hero's props. For those who have asked, your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man does, in fact, speak during his meet-and-greet sessions.

Spider-Man makes his Disneyland debut at Super Hero HQ in Tomorrowland. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

…This week marks the first chance to buy freshly made candy canes at the Disneyland Resort. The first batch will be sold at Disneyland on Friday, November 27. If you want to purchase one, make a beeline to the Candy Palace at park opening on Friday to get a wristband. Each color-coded wristband corresponds to a batch, and the candy makers can only turn out three batches per day.

The candy canes are $12.99 each, and are limited to two per person. If you don't want to watch the candies being made, managers will tell you when to come back to claim your treat. In all cases, you must return by 4:00 p.m., after which unclaimed candy canes are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you miss out on Friday, you have many more opportunities this year. The official dates for 2015 are:

• Disneyland Candy Palace – November 27; December 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 24
• Disney California Adventure Trolley Treats – November 28, 30; December 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 25

…Award Weiners in Disney California Adventure has added two menu items to promote the release of Disney-Pixar's feature, The Good Dinosaur. The Brat-osaurus comes on an onion roll, and is topped with sauerkraut, green onion aioli and dried cranberries. Primeval Punch is Sprite mixed with tropical juices and green apple flavor.

…Starting December 10, Fastpass will again be offered for Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure. The show closes on January 10, 2016. Disney offered Fastpass for the show when it first debuted, but discontinued it after a few months.

…We reported that the Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan will be making at least one stop at Downtown Disney this winter, and now we know when. The caravan, which features a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus, will be at Downtown Disney on Sunday, December 13 at 5:00 p.m.. Keep an eye on the caravan website for more information.

…”Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple” is scheduled to open December 8 in Tomorrowland. This show is an updated version of the current Jedi Training Academy. Darth Vader returns as the main villain, joined by the Seventh Sister from the Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels.

…The Malibu Times reported Sunday that a party celebrating actor Dick Van Dyke's 90th birthday will be held at Disneyland on Sunday, December 13. The article says “Malibu locals” can purchase tickets to visit Disneyland on that date, with round-trip transportation provided from the Malibu Playhouse. According to the article, “Guests are encouraged to come dressed as a chimney sweep or their favorite Dick Van Dyke character. ” The cost is $140 per person. There was no mention of whether Van Dyke will be in attendance, or if people who participate in the excursion will have an opportunity to meet the actor.

…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, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

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Crowd Forecast

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MousePlanet

Current Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all of attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit Disneyland.com—this information is no longer available from the automated phone service.

Disneyland

2015

• Starcade – closed indefinitely.

2016

• Disneyland Railroad – closes January 11, 2016 due to the Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America. Expected to reopen spring 2017.
• Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes – closes January 11, 2016 due to the Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America. Expected to reopen spring 2017.
• Fantasmic! – on hiatus effective January 11, 2016 due to the Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America. Expected to return summer 2017.
• Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island – closes January 11, 2016 due to the Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America. Expected to reopen spring 2017.
• Sailing Ship Columbia – closes January 11, 2016 due to the Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America. Expected to reopen spring 2017.
• Mark Twain Riverboat – closes January 11, 2016 due to the Star Wars Land-related construction around the Rivers of America. Expected to reopen spring 2017.
• Starcade – closed indefinitely.

Disney California Adventure

2015

• Blue Sky Cellar – closed; reopening date now TBD. Permits have been filed to expand the location for use by the Disney Vacation Club.
• Luigi's Flying Tires – closed. Ride to be removed and replaced; reopening date unknown.
• A Bug's Land Theater – It's Tough to be a Bug on hiatus until December 14 due to The Good Dinosaur sneak peek.
• Muppet*Vision 3D – closed indefinitely due to the Frozen Fun overlay.
• Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular – closes January 10, 2016. Replaced in Summer 2016 by a new Frozen musical.

2016

• Luigi's Flying Tires – closed. Ride to be removed and replaced; reopening date unknown.

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).

2015

• Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration – through September 5, 2016
• Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – through January 6.
• Season of the Force – through May 26, 2016.
• Candlelight Processional – December 5–6. Performances are at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. each night. Narrator(s) have not yet been announced. If the (reliably sourced) rumors are true, actress Geena Davis will narrate on Saturday, December 5, and Once Upon a Time actress Lana Parrilla will narrate the show on Sunday, December 6.

2016

• Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration – through September 5, 2016
• 2016 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 14–17. All running events are sold out, but ChEAR Squad packages are still available. Details on the runDisney website.
• 2016 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 5–8. The 5K and 10K events are sold out, but the half-marathon and Pixie Dust Challenge are still available. Details on the runDisney website.
• Dapper Days at the Parks (unofficial event) – Sunday, May 1, 2016. More information at the event website. This popular event grows larger each year, so it's worth making note of the date if you plan to visit the park during this weekend.
• Grad Nite events – This party for high school seniors graduating in 2016 will be held on these dates: May 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 31; June 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17. The 2016 event includes admission to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park during regular operating hours, and a private party in Disney California Adventure park from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
• Season of the Force – through May 26, 2016.
• 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend – September 1–4. Registration opens February 2, 2016.
• Dapper Day Fall Soiree (unofficial event) – Sunday, November 6, 2016. More information at the event website. This popular event grows larger each year, so it's worth making note of the date if you plan to visit the park during this weekend.
• 2016 Avengers Half Marathon Weekend – November 10–13. Registration opens April 15, 2016.

2017

• 2017 Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – January 12–15, 2017. Registration opens June 14, 2016.
• 2017 Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend – May 11–14, 2017. Registration opens September 20, 2016.

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.

School Holidays

Notable school holidays that may impact park attendance. If you know of any other holidays that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2015

• Thanksgiving Break – November 23–27. Many local schools close for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
• Winter Break – December 21, 2015 – January 8, 2016. Most local schools are closed.

2016

• Spring Break(s) – March 14 – April 8. Most local schools are closed one week during this period. Expect the majority of school closures—and crowds—the weeks immediately before and after Easter Sunday, March 27.
• Local School Holiday – Monday, March 28. Most local schools not already on Spring Break will be closed for Cesar Chavez Day.
• Nevada Day (observed) – Friday, October 28. A school holiday for our neighbors to the northeast creates a 3-day weekend and usually adds to the Halloween weekend crowds. Some Nevada schools take the entire week off as a Fall Break.
• Utah Education Association convention (UEA, a.k.a. “Utah Escapes to Anaheim”) – October 20–21. Expect holiday-level crowds October 19–24 as Utah students and families take advantage of a Fall Break scheduled around an annual state education convention. Not all Utah schools close for UEA, but the impact on the resort is significant enough to mention.
• Thanksgiving Break – November 21–25. Many local schools close for the entire week of Thanksgiving.
• Winter Break – December 19, 2016 – January 6, 2017. Most schools close only two of these three weeks, but some districts close all three weeks due to the Saturday Christmas.

Merchandise Events

Current Discounts & Promotions

Disneyland prices as of October 4, 2015.

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, an authorized seller, or travel agency.

Ticket Prices and Promotions

Additional Discounts

Did we miss an offer? If you know of an authorized discount on Disneyland Resort tickets, standing offers for Annual Passholders from non-Disney vendors, or other promotions which might interest our readers, please drop us a note!

Discounts for:

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
• SG – Signature Annual Pass
• SP – Signature Plus 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
• EA – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• GN – Grad Nite.
• MA – MouseAdventure (www.mouseadventure.com)
• MHP – Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland

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.